Urban wine

Beautiful story in today's Washington Post, about an exiled Iraqi Jew in New York, Mr. Latif Jiji, who makes his own wine from grapes growing all around his townhouse. It makes me want to do that, someday (and the weather in Los Angeles would be close to perfect).

Bordello

Amazing show tonight at Bordello on 1st Street. First, the amazingly funky Casxio - beautiful songs, beautiful band, superb riffs and deep, deep bass. David Byrne meets Daft Punk. And then, the incredibly charismatic Sam Sparro - the reincarnation of Iggy Pop as a funky beast. More later.

Young Marble Giants

They're so awesome. So minimal. And she's so completely charismatic. Respect.

Perseids

We went to Malibu to watch the Perseids last night. We planned a nice and refreshing picnic with sushi rolls, goat cheese, saucisson, red wine, melon. It was a wonderful evening on surfriders' beach. Didn't see many shooting stars though - but those we saw were spectacular.

LA earthquake

There was a little earthquake tonight - a 4.5 apparently - nothing to write home about. But we felt it around 1 am. We were in the kitchen, finishing up our glasses of Ridge ATP Sullivan Zinfandel 2005. Things kind of shook for a brief moment. No tremors, just a bang! and it was gone. Probably a plate releasing some energy - it turned out the quake centered around Northridge (lots of pent-up seismic energy there...). So it wasn't as big as the last earthquake I experienced, some time ago in Baños, down in Ecuador.

The 'thriller' Filipino jail exercise

I don't know whether this is creepy or hilarious or both? And who the hell is filming this? A guard? The warden? The detail that kills is the cheap blue plastic hair clip in the "girlfriend's" hair...