The Oscar.

Tonight marks the umpteenth Academy Awards to grace the film industry. Which means the umpteenth Awards to muddle with Hollywood traffic, fill up the style pages of all the gossip rags, and exhaust me.

In honor of that exhaustion, I offer no commentary on a single movie, nor solitary gown. I will not, from hereon out today, discuss the Awards, the celebrities, or the statuesque gold Oscar himself. Unless, like Banksy depicted earlier this month, an army of Star Wars troopers attacks the red carpet. Then maybe I would be interested in further discussion. But only maybe. And probably not.

Vanity Fair makes fancy venue schmancier.

Vanity Fair is bringing its cultural cache to West Hollywood hotspot Palihouse next week. What does this mean? Well, it all sounds very vague actually and I can't seem to find many details. Maybe it's just a big marketing ploy to book dining reservations during Oscar week. But maybe these 'iconic Vanity Fair photographs and select advertiser integration[s]' will really blow your mind.

Only one way to find out...

February 21-27, 2011

Book reservations with Palihouse.

Ride or Fry. A vegetarian-friendly food truck revolution.

Food trucks are to restaurants what the made for TV mini series are to film. An inferior substitution. That's in general.

But Dante Fried Chicken food truck isn't anything general. It's like a teenage mutant ninja truck. Awesome. And super powered. And, um, anthropomorphic?

I tried out DFC last week at the Adidas Blue Launch Party. What could possibly have led a vegetarian to step within several feet of a fried chicken truck, you ask?

How about we start with the fried soy chicken. Then let's move on to the weekly variety of Cheese 'Mac Up.'

Then let's discuss how DFC is more than a truck--it's a multimedia experience.

Dante is a real guy. And he hosts a real little web show where he cooks with emerging and not-so emerging artists. Like Santigold, Major Lazer, and other Mad Decent characters.

In an interview, Dante says that 'DFC’s mission is to be a catalyst of interdisciplinary art, dance, music, design, community culture and cuisine.' That is such a sexier mission statement than wanting to serve fusion Korean tacos with no overhead and less frequent health inspections.

Follow DFC on Twitter and get your grit on.

Clare Rojas at the Prism Gallery.

Sometimes I work on events that I have the distinct pleasure to be able to invite you to. And so it is with the opening of the incredible Clare Rojas exhibit at the Prism Gallery next week. Please join me there. It's going to be a rock rolling, radical, amaze-balls good time.

PRISM invites you to the opening reception for Inside Bleak, the gallery’s first solo presentation of painter and filmmaker Clare Rojas.

As part of Inside Bleak’s opening, Rojas – under her stage name of Peggy Honeywell – will debut several new songs written over the past two years.

February 26, 2011
7 - 10 p
Peggy Honeywell Performance - 9 p

Prism Gallery
8746 W. Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA

RSVP Essential: prism@nadinejohnson.com

Oh hey now LA. Shake your art thang at the Scion Installation.

When you think Scion, you think boxy cars for 20 somethings on the one hand, rad art on the other.

In continuing the latter tradition, the LA Scion Gallery is hosting the kickoff event for the brand's 2011 art tour. For this round, artists were tasked with creating non-narrative video installations. And in LA, those artists happen to include talented local yokels Franki Chan, David Choe, Matt Goldman and 7 others that will blow your aesthetic mind.

Opening Reception
Saturday, February 19, 2011
7-10 p

Scion Installation LA
3521 Helms Ave
Culver City, CA 90232

To RSVP, click here .

I still run this thing like a Dancehall Queen.

The irony of my loving this song by Robyn does not escape me. I am not a Dancehall Queen. I don't even like to go into dancehalls or discotheques or whatever you young, crazy club kids call them these days.

But I do still run this thing.

And I approve of the invention of the word 'shiwouw.'

Co-Directed by Diplo, Red Foxx & Pomp&Clout

The non-celebration of Valentine's Day, a day like any other.

It's Valentine's Day. And considering that LA has the highest quotient of pretty people per square foot than any other region in the United States (okay, I made that statistic up--it could be Maine, but who are we kidding), I find it surprising that more and more of my friends are single on this most romantic of made-up, commercial holidays.

For my single friends out there, I'd thought--why not put together a guide to fun happenings, events and distractions around the city for the un-coupled to enjoy. And, after another moment, decided that no, I wouldn't do that. I would not attempt to fit round pegs into square holes (I'm nearly certain that that is not how the saying goes but moving on...). Consider the following metaphor. Though I wished I could have a tree in my home every December growing up, we didn't start celebrating Christmas just because I liked the scent of pine and the look of tinsel. And so it is with Valentine's Day. Singletons may like the looks of chocolate hearts and a dozen red roses. But one doesn't just start celebrating Valentine's Day because she's craving sweets and every body else is doing it. So, to my single friends I say this--Happy Valentine's Day. But let's not get too wrapped up in this most Hallmark of holidays. Let's not feel we need to make up for lack of romance with an abundance of Hershey's kisses or expensive meals out with friends. Let's not be small and host anti-Valentine's parties (the Jews didn't protest Christmas just because it wasn't ours to celebrate, remember). Let's all recall our childhood days when we gave a Valentine's Day card to everyone just because they were our friends and even if they weren't and then we went home and ate chicken fingers for dinner just like every other night of the year.

As for my Valentine's Day plans, readers? Let's just say I'll be eating, drinking and being merry. But that's what I do every night.

And if you really need a guide for Valentine's Day activities, check out the LA Weekly's.

Sufjan and I say Good Morning.

This song by Sufjan Stevens is sick. It's even sicker when performed by Sufjan and his backup crew dancing some wacky moves in some crazy tribal day-glo shiznit.

Lover, will you look from me now
I'm already dead
But I've come to explain
Why I left such a mess on the floor
For when you went away I went crazy
I was wild with the breast of a dog
I ran through the night
With the knife in my chest
With the lust of your loveless life
I walked, because you walked...

Oh my stars. Susan Miller at the Beverly Center today!

Normally I wouldn't promote an event at the mall. That's so--ugh--pedestrian. And a meet and greet, no less. I mean, what am I--a teenage girl going to meet Bieber at the Wetzel's Pretzels?

Okay, maybe today I am.

Super on-it astrologer Susan Miller will be offering 10 minute sessions with customers at the Henri Bendel location inside the Beverly Center to celebrate the store's fragrance collection.

Am I going to get bamboozled into buying a scent I probably don't want? Maybe. Might I wait in line longer than is dignified for a woman my age and with the amount of work I have to do today? It's likely. Am I going to go? You're damn straight I am.

Fragrance Fortunes by Susan Miller

Get a one-on-one 10 minute reading at a Bendel’s near you.
First come, first served.

Monday, February 7
1pm-9pm

Beverly Center
Los Angeles, California

Make ya dance. Make ya smile.

Dancing in my seat and I want you to as well.

Like the song but the awesome low budg video? You can download the track for free at Said the Gramophone.

John Bock brings weirdness to Weho.

John Bock is a German born artist working in multimedia, film, and video. His stuff looks totally weird. And I'm totally sold.

The Regen Projects presents his work in an upcoming installation opening this Saturday.

John Bock
February 5 - March 5, 2011

Opening Reception
Saturday, February 5
6-8 pm

Regen Projects II
9016 Santa Monica Boulevard
(at Almont Drive)

Not convinced that this kid's cool? Here's a still from a 2007 film of his. Don't know about you, but that contraption screams Jessie B. R. It also screams John Waters/scrambled eggs/raging lunatic. But whatevs.