Events include Anime Screening(s), AMV Screening(s), Workshops, Autographs (free), Charity Auction and other events. The guests are Zac Bertschy (Editor, Anime News Network), Johnny Yong Bosch (Voice Actor)
Eyeshine (Band), Kevin Lillard (Convention Photographer, A Fan’s View), Scott Ramsoomair (Web Comic Artist, VG Cats) and Tadao Tomomatsu (Actor).

On-Site Registration starts off Thursday (New Year’s Day) at the Pool Deck from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm. From 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, it will be in the Ballroom Level at the bottom of the escalators.

Registration is located in the lower level of the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. From the lobby, take the escalator downstairs, you can’t miss it.

More information on Registration available here

LA Marathon XXIV
Monday, May 25, 2009, 07:00 AM
Los Angeles, CA 91608
Date:
Monday, May 25, 2009
Time:
07:00 AM
Venue:
Los Angeles, CA
Address:
Cahuenga and Lankershim
Cahuenga Blvd And Lankershim Blvd
Fees:
$95.00
Online Registration Closes:
05/20/09 11:59 PM
Website:
http://www.lamarathon.com

A full morning of fitness and family fun will begin at 6:30am with Adai Lamar, 102.3 “Radio Free” KJLH “Adai and the Home Team” morning show anchor. Adai Lamar will guide participants through the morningâ€s activities. Musical entertainment by 50â€s-present day cover band, the Grizwalds, will follow. A warm up, led by certified yoga instructor, Crunch trainer and fitness guru, Sahara Ali, featuring a hoola-hoop workout will get the runners ready.

Many 5k participants also participate in the Acura L.A. Bike Tour.

START TIMES & LOCATIONS

Acura L.A. Marathon Bike Tour – 6:00am – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Emerald Nuts 5K Run/Walk – 7:30am – Staples Center/L.A. Convention Center

L.A. Marathon Hand Crank Wheelchairs – 7:45am – Universal Studios Hollywood

Wheelchair Race – 7:50amThe Challenge – TBDProfessional Men/Pack – 8:15 am

MARATHON REGISTRATION DEADLINES & FEES
• $100 from December 1st until February 25th at Midnight
• $115 at the Quality of Life Expo, Friday, February 29 & Saturday, March 1

QUALITY OF LIFE EXPO

The latest in running, cycling, health & fitness, travel, lifestyle improvement is featured at the LA Marathon Quality of Life Expo. Exhibitor booths feature sports running shoes to apparel. 2008 marks the 23rd year of the Quality of Life Expo. Over 80,000 people attend the LA Marathon Quality of Life Expo each year.

Los Angeles Convention Center
West Hall
1201 S. Figueroa
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Friday, March 2, 2007 9am-8pm
Saturday, March 3, 2007 9am-5pm**

The Expo is free but the Convention Center does charge $12 for parking. The Marathon derives no revenue from the parking fees.

Registrations for the 5K Run/Walk are accepted online (www.lamarathon.com) or via paper applications through February 15, 2008. Late registration for the 5K takes place at the Quality of Life Expo, Friday and Saturday February 29 and March 1, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Kentia Hall and the morning of the event in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Registration on raceday, Sunday, March 2th opens at 6:00am.

Contact Information: (La Marathon 5k Run / Walk)
Phone: (310) 444-5544
Fax: (310) 473-8105
Address: 11110 W. Ohio Ave, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Website: www.lamarathon.com
Email: raceinfo@lamarathon.com

So, last week, when I got an update from one of the myriad of food blogs in L.A. (I wish I could remember which one) and they were talking about a new concept in dining that is sweeping the country; underground restaurants, I knew I was in!

There’s a lot of snobbery and dissing of these roving eateries in the food review world, but I was curious and wanted to see what it was all about, to judge for myself. So I called my friend Anne Block, who is a fabulous tourguide in L.A. and beyond, and owner of Take My Mother Please* custom tours (and who by the way, will be one of my regular guest bloggers on this site) and said, “let’s go!”. She was in, too. She’s like that.

I didn’t know where to start looking, but as it turns out, The Ghetto Gourmet, normally based out of San Francisco, was holding an event every night this week in Los Angeles. We signed up right away at the reasonable cost of $42.00 and made our battle plan for the evening.

What is an underground restaurant? It’s a roving dining experience where chefs, waiters and entertainers come together in different people’s homes and offer a prix fixe [the fancy way of saying fixed price] dinner to hungry and adventurous guests. Often the menu is posted on the internet or in a confirmation email (if you are lucky enough to be privy to the super-secret lists I keep hearing about). They operate in a quasi-legal atmosphere and have been compared to speakeasys of the Prohibition Era and the early verison of raves.

Here’s what I found when googling around:

Bruce Frieseke, head chef at Manzanita [an underground restaurant in Silicon Valley in California], believes the appeal of underground restaurants comes largely from diners’ shifting attitudes toward the entire restaurant scene. “I think this is part of a trend,” he says, “even in traditional restaurants, to make the dining experience more homey.”

This change toward wanting a dining experience to be more comforting and less highly formalized is a welcome one, according to many restaurateurs. Taking a restaurant out of the traditional context and putting it–quite literally–in a homier setting allows people to relax. Providing this type of low-key atmosphere is much easier when running a restaurant out of a basement or a garage, and these illegal dining spots are rapidly gaining cult status.

So…what was it like, I hear you wondering? It was SO MUCH FUN! Anne and I were among the first to arrive, as we wanted to make sure we got comfortable seats. Jeremy Townsend, the host of GG, was there to warmly greet us and, as we would later discover, to memorize the name and occupation of every single guest. (the night we were there, there were over 30 people). We chose a table in the stylish Silver Lake living room and opened our delicious wine.

The food was very good, local Chef Anita Bergman offered up a delicious 4 course meal, well described at our tablemate H.C.’s L.A. food blog here. But to me, the most fun part was the way Jeremy worked the crowd. His warm and engaging energy and personality made the night what it was.

Of course, sitting in a strange house with people you don’t know can be quite awkward, but the way it came down, it was as if we were at a party of good friends and so there was little or no social anxiety. (I am sure the 5 bottles of wine at our table helped!). By the dessert course, we were exchanging email addresses, phone numbers and promising to stay in touch. We all left with a sense that we had participated in something that was out of the ordinary.

The cool thing is, Jeremy not only tracks down local chefs, but also local entertainment wherever he hosts his soirees. The other night, we were regaled with the caffeinated song stylings of Mr. Jose Promis and the quite politically incorrect comedy of Ryan Stout. (I did laugh anyway, I admit). Was he funny? Ummmm, not really, but I am one of those people that figures it’s good to laugh when you can. It feels good.

I like what Jeremy does and I really appreciate where he comes from. He is most excited that he can bring crowds of people together all over the country (and soon the world!) and create a magical evening where everyone is involved and everyone goes home happy. That IS a good mission, Jeremy! Thank you, and I will be back again for sure.

see you on the freeway…

jessica

PS Tonight, Anne has invited me to see a funky slideshow offered up by Charles Phoenix at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. I can’t wait! He is known for his retro-snarky (in a loving way) look at America and Americana in the 50’s and 60’s and I am hoping to scoop and interview for you with him!