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

When it was in production, it was named as NCIS: Legend, NCIS: OSP and NCIS: Undercover. The name, NCIS: Legend was referred to the episode to which the spin-off was done. The filming of the series was started in February 2009 and the characters of the new series were introduced in the two part episode of NCIS which was titled Legend. The first part of that episode was televised on April 28, 2009.

The lead casting of the Los Angeles NCIS show is Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J. Chris is playing the role of Callen, a perplexing lead agent whose talent is prodigy for concealed work. The character Sam Hanna, a special agent, is played by Cool J. According to the story; Sam has command on Arabic and a whiz on Middle Eastern culture. Daniela Ruah and Adam Jamal Craig will be seen regularly in the series as the junior field agents. The characters they are playing is Kensi and Dominic respectively. Rocky Carroll and Barrett Foa will give recurring guest appearances.

There is a restaurant in Farmers Market I always wanted to try out. The name of it is Kado -Ssushi – Teppan Lounge. It’s on the more pricier side. But I thought what the hey, it’s Christmas time and I had a little cash left over. Well, it so happens that on the way up the stairs a Kado Hostess was passing out flyers on their specials. Which was a $20.00 all you can eat sushi bar. the special runs till February 15, 2008. Much better than paying the typical $4.00 – $8.00 per plate of sushi. and I wanted to try different kinds and didn’t want to be limited to one to three dishes to try. So I opted for the all you can eat. the hours to for the all you can eat sushi is from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.

I got there roughly around 2:30 pm with my daughter and a family friend. There were a few patrons there and was not overly busy. Once we walked through the front door we got a big greeting from the sushi chefs who shout out their way of welcoming you in Japanese.(mind you there were four of them). Once we sat down and the waitress handing me the drink list(which i bypassed and choose to have water). Chopsticks and a dish of fresh wasabi(green of course) and gari – fresh pickeled ginger were set to the side. A placemat of pictures of the different types of sushi was at my table setting so I can identify them on the conveyor belt. Kado primarily serves futomaki, hosomaki and uramaki styled sushi.

The first dish I picked was of course was the freshly cooked soybean. I love seeding the pods for the delicate soy bean. And it’s a good thing to have a friends with you. whatever you may not care for, you may share with your friends. We chose these types of sushi off of the conveyor belt:
temaki – spicy tuna rolls
california rolls – crab and avocado
himachi – yellow tail
hotato – scallops
sake – salmon
amaebi – sweet shrimp
eel
edamame – soybeans

So make a visit to Kado – Sushi – Teppan Lounge in the next few weeks to take advantage of the special pricing on their all you can eat sushi. The pricing, ambience and excellent tasting sushi is well worth it.

The movie is based on the Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana,” in which Miley Cyrus stars as a teenager who lives a secret life as a pop star. In the movie, Miley heads back to her old hometown of Crowley Corners to find out what is really important in her life.

The film also features “Hannah Montana” series regulars Emily Osment as Hannah’s best friend Lilly Truscott (“Spy Kids2: Island of Lost Dreams”), Jason Earles as Jackson Stewart (“National Treasure”), Mitchel Musso as Hannah’s friend Oliver Oken (“Secondhand Lions”), Moises Arias as Rico (“Nacho Libre”) and Billy Ray Cyrus as Robby Stewart (“Doc”).

Also starring are Melora Hardin (“The Office,” “Seventeen Again”), Margo Martindale (“The Riches,” “Million Dollar Baby,”), Barry Bostwick (“Spin City”), Peter Gunn (“Ever After”) and Lucas Till (“Walk the Line”) and Vanessa Williams (“Ugly Betty”).

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Burbank Jasmine Madatian, Senior Vice President, Publicity 818-560-5610 or Jean Marie Murphy, Unit Publicist, 615-778-0167 ext. 223 murphy_jeanmarie@yahoo.com

Now, one may wonder if this is in Pasadena, what does this have to do with Los Angeles other than the close proximity. Well this year for the 2008 Rose Bowl the beloved Trojans of USC will be playing against University of Illinois. USC is located in downtown Los Angeles.

So of course I will have to say something other than GO TROJANS!!!!!!!!!!! Right? Ok maybe not so loud. I will try and be a little unbiased and be fair. Ok maybe, NOT. GO TROJANS!!!!!!. Besides my niece goes to the esteem University of Southern California. And my son goes to high school directly across the street from USC and has about two classes on the campus as well. So it can very hard not to a wee bit biased. Sorry. Besides how many times has USC Trojans appeared in the Rose Bowl in the 105 year history. 31 times. Yup. A whopping 31 times including this 2008 year. Out of the 30 appearances. USC has won 22 of the 30 appearances. So Illinois is going to really want the ring pretty bad and work real hard to get it. The action starts at 2:30 PM(PST).

But for those who are strictly Rose Parade fans you can either reserve bleachers at certain locations of the parade route. Or you can be one of thousands who camp out the night before for a spot in the front row(curb side seating of course). The parade starts around 8 am in the morning and roughly lasts two to two and half hours. The Rose Bowl theme this year is “Passport to the World’s Celebrations.” The length of the Rose Parade route is 5 1/2 miles.

Many people are being encouraged to take the Metro system to the game and or parade. One can get there either by bus and or the light rail system(Yellow line from Union Station). The Yellow runs roughly every 8 – 12 minutes. The traffic is crazy so I would highly recommend parking at Union Station for $6 and paying the all day fare for $5. Which is much easier on the wallet and less of a headache of remembering where your car is and paying high priced parking fees. And for those who have missed the Rose Parade, you can view the floats after and on January 2, 2008. You can get a direct service to where the floats are wherehoused. For more information on Metro transportaion for the Rose Parade/Bowl festives.

El Cholo restaurant has been a fixture in the Los Angeles area since 1926. And the restaurant has been ran by the descendants of Alejandro Borquez and George Salisbury. The hours are generally around 11 AM – 10 PM. They do have vallet parking. And the busiest times of the year are in May around Cinco De Mayo(May 5th) and in September around the independence of Mexico from Spain(September 16th). El Cholo is widely known and famous for their margarita’s. Plan to spend between $10.00 – $20.00 per person,

I have been going to El Cholo restaurant for the last 12 years. Everytime has been a wonderful experience. I would recommend being seated in the patio area. My favorite dishes are the “Taste Of History”($12.25). It includes 1 taco, 1 enchilada, 1 tamale, 1 chile relleno with rice, beans and a salad. I usually order the Taste Of History when I really can’t decide on what I want. I never can finish the plate, so I take the remaining food home. The other plate I love to have is the Chile Colorado. Its chunks of beef in a spicy sauce, with the sides of rice, beans and cup of their fresh guacomole sauce and their homemade tortillas($10.75). You will also recieve free, fresh corn chips and salsa. And at the end of your mill will get sweet, savory prelaine candies.

Liza Minnelli is an icon of stage and screen and has won virtually every award
possible, including three Tonys, an Oscar, two Golden Globes and an Emmy. Her performances of trademark songs from the musicals, “New York, New York” and “Cabaret” are legendary and watching her perform a live show is an experience that you will not forget. Liza Minnelli continues her extraordinary music career with concert tours in the U.S. and Europe, as well as recording a new album.

Ticket Prices: $65 VIP, $55 Reserved, $45 General Admission (Members of
The Club save $5, Platinum Players save $10). Must be 18 years or older to
attend. No refunds, cameras or videos. Tickets are on sale now at the Main
Casino Cage and tmcasino.com.

Table Mountain Casino Event Center
(800) 541.3637 or (559) 822.7777
8184 Table Mountain Road
Friant, CA 93626

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher practices in corporate transactions, labor and employment, litigation, public policy, real estate, and tax. The firm has about 900 lawyers and 14 offices, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., Orange County, San Francisco, Palo Alto, London, Paris, Munich, Brussels, Dubai, Century City, Dallas and Denver.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
333 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90071-3197
+1-213-229-7000 (Phone)
213-229-7520 (Fax)

Greetings, friends and welcome to the newest addition to HomeTurfMedia‘s growing list of city sites!

My name is Jessica Duquette and I am a professional organizer/lifestyle management consultant and adventurous person, lover of the quirky, the fiery hot, the heartfelt and of delicious food and passionate art in whatever form. As long as the inspired one is coming from their heart, it works for me!

InvisibleLa is a blog about the city I was born in, was not raised in, but currently (happily!) live in: Los Angeles. No, it’s not just another LA blog, it’s my mission to ferret out the cool, the weird, the freaky, the marginal and the touching, in people, events, architecture, food and fun. I will be asking regular guest bloggers to add their talents and insights to the blog each month and I always love to hear from you, the reader, on what you think and feel about what you see here. Let’s get this party started!

Even if you don’t live in LA, I hope you will come back and visit to see what’s going on here!

see you on the freeway…

jessica

PS please come visit It’s Not About Your Stuff, my blog about the reasons people find their lives cluttered and stuck and what we can do about it.

In 1904, Abbot Kinney transformed a piece of undeveloped Los Angeles shore into a world class resort city. In order to duplicate Venice, Italy, 16 miles of canals were excavated. It was then that Venice beach was born as a top tourist spot. Most of the canals that encircle this area might be gone; however, six canals still remain. Los Angeles refurbished the six remaining canals in 1994.

The local people as well as visitors from all over still throng into Venice Beach to have a gala time. The Ocean Front Walk or Venice Beach Boardwalk is populated with bikini-clad in-line skaters, tattooed bikers, beautiful people, and crowds of tourists. Right in front of the Ocean Front Walk, you will find the original Muscle Beach, two miles north of Venice, and just south of Santa Monica Pier. Along the southern portion of the beach, at the end of Washington Boulevard, is the famous Venice Fishing Pier. The 1,310-foot (400 m) pier is a popular location for sport fishing.

Apart from this, there are several other activities that keep happening in and around the beach, which include street performances: mimes, break-dancers, drummers, jugglers, talking parrots, and fortune tellers. This place is also home to several restaurants, shops, food stalls, etc. All such fun is bound to keep the tourists occupied in this beach.

Hotels

Best Western Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites
1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice Beach, California 90291
(800) 786-7789 (USA & Canada)
(310) 452-1111 1697 Pacific Avenue
Web Site: www.mphotel.com

Best Western Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites are 200 feet from the beach, and nearby the Venice Beach Walk, new sports courts, bicycle paths and rollerblading spots. Just ½ mile (1 km) from Santa Monica and Marina del Rey, near Los Angeles area business centers and just 5 miles (8 km) from the Los Angeles International Airport. Free wired and wireless internet access in all guest rooms and suites. Valet parking available.

Venice Beach Suites
1305 Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach, CA 90291
1-877-477-5817

Venice Beach Suites are located on the Venice Beach Board Walk close to both the Venice Pier and Santa Monica Pier.

Venice Beach Cotel, 25 Windward Avenue. Venice, California 90291
Toll Free: 888.718.8287

This Venice Beach Cotel is a hostel with hotel standards. Shared rooms start at $22.00 per person/night and private rooms starting at $52.60 per room/night plus tax. Guests must show a valid passport upon arrival. The cheapest place to stay with ocean views.

The Cadillac Hotel, 8 Dudley Avenue, Venice, CA, 90291
(at Ocean Front Walk)
310.399.8876
Web Site: www.thecadillachotel.com

The Cadillac Hotel is a Venice Beach hotel with views of Santa Monica Bay and the coastline to Malibu.

Inn at Venice Beach, 327 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
310-821-2557
Web Site: www.innatvenicebeach.com

The Inn at Venice Beach is just a few blocks from the famous Venice Beach boardwalk. Itâ€s a great place to stay and close by to Venice shopping and dining.

Venice Beach Suites and Hotel
1305 Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach, CA 90291
310-396-4559
Web Site: www.venicebeachsuites.com

Venice Beach Suites and Hotel is located on the Venice Beach Walk, and nearby to Venice Beach, the Venice Beach Boardwalk, the Venice Bike Path and Venice Pier.

Restaurants and Dining

Maos Kitchen, 1512 Pacific Ave, Venice, CA 90291, US
310-581-8305
Website: www.maoskitchen.com

Chinese home-style cooking is served in a rustic atmosphere. Specialties include Shrimp & spinach dumplings and the popular Canton street food bok choy over chow fun which contains rice-flour wide noodles, bok choy, bean sprouts, onion, tomato, green onion, shredded carrot & choice of meat. Maos Kitchen prepares vegetarian, vegan, steamed, sauce on the side, etc…just ask – and they will exchange meat for tofu, cashew, almond or peanut – & also chicken or fish stock for vegetable stock in their soups & sauces. There are lunch specials and the entres priced under $12.

On the Waterfront Café, 205 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA
(Half a block north of Rose Ave)
310-392-0322
Website: www.waterfrontcafe.com

On the Waterfront Cafe is located directly on the famous Venice Boardwalk. Swiss Specials are served both indoors and on the outdoor patio. The Swiss Bratwurst under $12 is yummy and there is choice of veal or pork bratwurst, served with onion sauce and mustard. Of course, Swiss Cheese Fondue is included on the menu along with Bitburger beer on tap. There is free parking around back if you are driving.

Figtrees Cafe, 429 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA
310-392-4937 / Fax: 310-392-0622
Website: figtreescafe.com

The Figtrees Cafe is open 8 to 6 daily. For those of you that are inspired to eat fish, Fresh Grilled Fish of the Day is offered. Other specialties include the tasty L.A. Burrito with black bean chili and guacamole.