Rodeo Realty

July 9, 2018

Rodeo Realty's Studio City agent Laura Piller-Plourde sales home of “Let’s Make a Deal” host Wayne Brady

Game show host Wayne Brady has sold his Sherman Oaks home for $2.65 million. Laura Piller-Plourde of Rodeo Realty Studio City listed the modern residence, which made headlines in the Los Angeles Times.

The updated home is located behind gates up on a private drive. Built in 1954, the one-story property features hardwood floors, high-beamed ceilings, and a skylight-lit entry within the open floor plan.

The home comes with five bedrooms and five bathrooms. The house also contains a living and family room, a chef’s kitchen, a dining room, and an office.

Outdoors, there’s a swimming pool and spa, a barbecue center, fire pit, and a grassy play area.

To read the LA Times article on this sale, click HERE.

July 7, 2018

Economic update for the week ending July 7, 2018

U.S. economy adds 213,000 new jobs in June – Unemployment rate ticks up to 4% – The Department of Labor Statistics reported that U.S. employers added 213,000 new jobs in June. Experts had predicted 194,000 new jobs, so this was a very positive report. The unemployment rate increased to 4% as more workers entered the workforce. Average hourly wages were just 2.7% above last June’s level. This was below the 2.8% expected.

Stocks snap a three week losing streak and end the week higher – A better than expected June jobs report, and expectations of a strong second quarter earnings reporting season, helped stocks shrug off fears of a global trade war. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 24,456.58, up from 24,271.41 last week. It is down 1.1% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 2,759.83, up from 2,718.37. It’s up 3.2% year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 7,688.39, up from 7,510.30 last week. It’s up 11.4% year-to-date.

Treasury Bond Yields drop again this week – The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 2.78%, down from 2.85% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 2.94%, down from 2.98% last week. We watch bond rates because mortgage rates follow bond rates.

Mortgage Rates down this week – The July 5, 2018 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 4.52%, down from 4.55% last week. The 15-year fixed was 3.99%, down from 4.04% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.74% down from 3.87% last week.

Have a great weekend,

Syd

July 6, 2018

The Best Action Movies So Far For 2018

Despite the range of fiery, computer-generated explosions on display at your local multiplex, this is a peculiar historical moment for the action movie. As major studios increasingly devote their resources to spectacle-filled comic book tentpoles like Avengers: Infinity War or sci-fi extravaganzas like Ready Player One, the more grounded punch-fest has become a specialized commodity for fans who keep track of streaming debuts, OnDemand releases, and the latest international exports. It’s a solid, creatively rich time for action movies. You just need to know where to find them.

Hopefully, the list below, which we will be updating throughout the year — like our other movie lists — will make the task of keeping up with what’s new (and good!) manageable. As you’ll soon find out, we consider the “action movie” to be an elastic concept that can be stretched to encompass genre-blurring stories that some might also describe as thrillers, spy dramas, superhero movies, buddy comedies, or horror films. What makes them action movies? Well, they’re on this list.

13. Deadpool 2

Released: May 18
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Director: David Leitch (Atomic Blonde)
Why it’s great: There’s an obnoxious aside in Deadpool 2, the latest chapter in the ultra-violent (and ultra-smarmy) X-Men spin-off series, where Ryan Reynolds’s red suit-wearing anti-hero turns to the audience and says there’s a “big CGI fight scene coming up.” He’s not kidding — the Russian tin man Colossus brawls for a while with an animated villain I won’t reveal here — and that’s the irritating part of the gag: The filmmakers are just acknowledging a cliché instead of upending it! In the first Deadpoolmovie, the comedic “too much-ness” of the character was often used to cover up some perfunctory, uninspired action sequences. Luckily, the sequel, which centers around Deadpool’s efforts to save young Firefist (Dennison) from the clutches of badass time traveler Cable (Brolin), delivers sharper one-liners and more dynamic set-pieces, including a bloody X-Force raid that turns into a Rube Goldberg-like show-stopper for the luck-prone Domino (Zazie Beetz). The CGI battles, meta winks, and constant pop culture references can be exhausting, but there’s an entertaining 90-minute Shane Black-ish comic book movie lurking beneath all the clutter.
Where to see it right now: In theaters (watch the trailer)

12. Beirut

Released: April 11
Cast: Jon Hamm, Rosamund Pike, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham
Director: Brad Anderson (The Machinist)
Why it’s great: This is a film made by seasoned professionals. Anderson is a big screen and TV veteran, and the movie’s screenwriter, Tony Gilroy, was responsible for Michael Clayton and the best entries in the Bourne series. The script for the 1980s-set Beirut, which follows a former US diplomat (Hamm) as he gets pulled back to Lebanon by shady intelligence officials to handle a tense hostage situation, was actually written in the early ’90s and sat on the shelf for ages. (If it feels like a vintage Blockbuster rental, that’s why.) The film’s politics are often glib and reductive — it doesn’t have a keen interest in the Lebanese people or the history of the region — but, if you like spycraft stories in the vein of John le Carré’s work, this is a briskly paced, occasionally clever thriller featuring a winning performance from Hamm, who has struggled to find the right star vehicle since the end of Mad Men. His character is a familiar type: a wounded, hard-drinking negotiator who can talk himself out of any situation. He’s only slightly less morally compromised than the CIA sharks he swims with. The pleasure comes from hearing Hamm turn Gilroy’s cynical, punchy dialogue into a sales pitch.
Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

11. Tomb Raider

Released: March 16
Cast: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu
Director: Roar Uthaug (The Wave)
Why it’s great: Not enough modern action movies have lengthy sequences where scrappy adventurers face down certain death as they rush to solve elaborate puzzles. It’s a problem. Luckily, Tomb Raider, the latest cinematic reboot of the long-running video game series centered around the gun-toting Lara Croft (played by Vikander here), has plenty of those scenes, along with a range of fun, thrilling, and invigorating non-puzzle detours. There’s a heart-pounding bicycle race through the streets of London, a disaster-movie worthy shipwreck on the high seas, a gravity-defying escape from an old plane perched on a waterfall, and a MMA-style brawl on a ladder strewn across a giant cliff-like hole. Does the melodrama connecting these set-pieces totally work? Not really — a second-act twist involving a bearded Dominic West is both predictable and baffling — but Vikander sells the preposterous plot with the same Oscar-winning gusto she brings to pondering ancient riddles. Maybe next time they’ll crack the whole code.
Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

10. Upgrade

Released: June 2
Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie
Director: Leigh Whannell (Insidious: Chapter 3)
Why it’s great: As the writer behind first Saw movie and the Insidious series, Whannell has proven he knows how to dish out gruesome twists and find tension in spooky places. Upgrade, a thriller about a mechanic (Marshall-Green) implanted with a chatty microchip in his brain following a tragic accident, finds the filmmaker adding a bit of John Carpenter-esque social commentary to the mix, along with a healthy dose of Terminator-style action mayhem. The revenge aspect of the story is one-note and familiar — Death Wish and John Wick cover similar territory — but Marshall-Green’s lead performance is darkly funny and he brings a startling degree of vulnerability to the role. When the microchip takes control of his body, his limbs flail about like they’re being pulled by a digital puppet-master and the movie discovers a mischievously absurd tone. The shifts between Silicon Valley satire and body horror can be jarring, but it makes sense that a project this tricky would have a few bugs built into it.
Where to see it right now: In theaters (watch the trailer)

KICKBOXER: RETALIATION | WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMENT

9. Kickboxer: Retaliation

Released: January 26
Cast: Alain Moussi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Mike Tyson
Director: Dimitri Logothetis (Wings of the Dragon)
Why it’s great: It’s been almost three decades since Van Damme’s Kurt Sloan faced off against Tong Po in Thailand at the climax of 1989’s Kickboxer. After four sequels, the series was rebooted for the modern MMA era with 2016’s Kickboxer: Vengeance, which cast former stuntman Alain Moussi as the neck-snapping Sloane and gave Van Damme the role of fedora-wearing Master Durand. Kickboxer: Retaliation is the next entry in this super-formulaic but reliable series — reportedly, there’s another sequelcoming next year — and it’s a cut above your average direct-to-DVD slugfest, putting an emphasis on tightly choreographed fights and cleverly executed camera work. (There’s a ridiculous prison brawl that plays like a B-movie take on The Raid: Redemption.) The story inevitably runs out of gas by the time Sloan faces off against The Mountain from Game of Thrones in a lengthy, deadly bout at a muay thai temple, but it feels like a fair trade for all the bone-breaking chaos that comes early on. It’s hard work for an aging fighter to stay this spry.
Where to see it right now: Stream on Netflix; rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

8. Manhunt

Released: May 4
Cast: Zhang Hanyu, Masaharu Fukuyama, Ha Ji-won, Angeles Woo
Director: John Woo (Face/Off)
Why it’s great: Any movie with a Jet Ski chase gets an automatic spot on this list. Luckily, Manhunt, the frequently ludicrous chase thriller from action filmmaking master John Woo, is more than simply one good scene where grown-men pursue each other on personal water crafts. It also has motorcycle rampages, sword fights, gun battles, and a secret super-soldier serum that can turn a senior citizen into a grizzled, roided-out warrior. The pharmaceutical conspiracy plot about wrongly accused lawyer Du Qiu (Hanyu) running from noble detective (Fukuyama) is merely a way to connect all the pieces in this insanely elaborate, goofy puzzle. The film has been described as a greatest hits collection for Woo, a showcase for all his favorite narrative tropes (Convoluted backstories! Orphans!) and his visual tics (Slow-motion! Pigeons!), but it’s really more like a return-to-form record from an aging rock band: He knows what works and has delivered a slick, dutiful version of it. Manhunt can’t touch his Hong Kong classics like Hard Boiled or The Killer — and it’s not as gleefully absurd as his Hollywood work like Face/Off or Broken Arrow — but it’s an impressive hybrid with style to spare. (And jet skis!)
Where to see it right now: Stream on Netflix (watch the trailer)

7. Incredibles 2

Released: June 15
Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner
Director: Brad Bird (The Incredibles)
Why it’s great: After over a decade in hiding, Brad Bird’s Incredibles, a superpowered family of neurotic do-gooders, return for a sequel that takes a little while to get going but still delivers the visual goods. Following a pair of live-action blockbusters, including the ridiculously entertaining Tom Cruise vehicle Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, Bird’s animation comeback displays a commitment to making his action sequences as kinetic and thrilling as possible. There’s a train rescue mission led by Holly Hunter’s Elastigirl in this movie that would make James Cameron and George Miller weep. Unfortunately, some of the connective tissue that gets us from spectacle to spectacle is distractingly flimsy — Screenslaver, the masked villain of the movie, is a dud — but you might be so knocked out by the frenzied set-pieces that you don’t even notice.
Where to see it right now: In theaters (watch the trailer)

6. Braven

Released: February 2
Cast: Jason Momoa, Garret Dillahunt, Zahn McClarnon, Stephen Lang
Director: Lin Oeding
Why it’s great: The main character in this movie is named “Joe Braven” and he’s played by Jason Momoa. That simple fact alone should convince you to watch this scrappy, low-budget action movie about a logger tasked with fighting off a heavily armed gang of drug dealers who stash some primo shit in his log cabin. If the protagonist had a less goofy name, the movie would still be effective — the director is a former stunt coordinator and he knows how to properly stage all the gunfights, bow-and-arrow deaths, and snowmobile chases — but the stupid grin that you get on your face every time someone says “Joe Braven” really elevates this throwback outdoors thriller. Momoa has the sturdy, low-key charisma of the best ’80s action heroes, and it’s a shame that the the laws of modern blockbuster-dom mean he’ll likely spend more time starring in CG monster throw-downs like Justice League when he could be snapping necks in gruff B-movies like Braven. In a just world, the Braven-verse would be rapidly expanding every year.
Where to see it right now: Stream it on Amazon Prime; Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

5. Ant-Man and the Wasp

Released: July 6
Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Michael Douglas
Director: Peyton Reed (Ant-Man)
Why it’s great: The first Ant-Man was a rambunctious and clever take on the familiar Marvel origin story, introducing audiences to shrinking superhero dad Scott Lang (Rudd) and his extended family of friends and reluctant crime-fighters. The sequel is an even funnier and sillier refinement of the first chapter, ditching some of the heavier elements and going all-in on the gags. Though other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been filled with sitcom-ish banter — and Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarokwas happy to deflate its own self-important genre trappings — this is the first one that really plays like a proper comedy. (It recalls Ghostbusters in the way it combines special effects and irreverence.) Rudd has a way of putting an absurd spin on even the most mundane lines, Peña again steals every scene he’s in, and Reed approaches the pint-sized action beats with the goal of upending viewer expectations. Luckily, it’s the rare blockbuster with charming human moments that doesn’t feel the need to overcompensate with scenes of mass destruction or constantly apologize for its modest scale.
Where to see it right now: In theaters (watch the trailer)

4. A Quiet Place

Released: April 6
Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Director: John Krasinski (The Hollars)
Why it’s great: It’s reasonable to be skeptical of John Krasinski’s tastefully composed, PG-13 rated, Michael Bay-produced horror contraption, which also works as a sneaky action movie. There was little in his previous two directorial efforts, the indies Brief Interviews With Hideous Men or The Hollars, that suggested Jim from The Office was a budding genre filmmaker. And yet: A Quiet Place is a top-notch roller coaster in the Spielberg-ian mold. After sound-hating monsters take over the planet, a husband (Krasinski) and wife (Blunt) live a life of extreme caution with their two children, protecting them in a carefully maintained world of hushed whispers and relative silence. As you’d guess, the monsters have other plans. The political allegory component of the story isn’t particularly compelling — it’s been interpreted as a commentary on the hysteria of the Trump era — but as a movie about parental anxieties, it’s steely and effective.
Where to see it right now: In theaters (watch the trailer)

3. The Commuter

Released: January 12
Cast: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows)
Why it’s great: The last thriller from the team of Neeson and Collet-Serra was Non-Stop, a bracing and clever whodunit on an airplane. The pair are back in high-octane Agatha Christie mode with The Commuter, a mystery that begins with Farmiga’s chatty passenger Joanna presenting Neeson’s haggard ex-cop (and loyal transit-enthusiast of the title) Michael MacCauley with a bizarre hypothetical: If you could perform a seemingly insignificant task that would have disastrous consequences for another commuter in exchange for a generous financial reward, would you do it? It’s a convoluted twist on Richard Matheson’s “Button, Button” short story that was adapted into a classic Twilight Zone episode and the bonkers Richard Kelley movie The Box, but Collet-Serra is less interested in the moral dilemma. Instead, he simply wants to strip the giant locomotive — and his star’s lumbering frame — for parts, finding Hitchcockian tension in each padded seat, empty corridor, and nervy patron. It’s action filmmaking as controlled demolition — and the best train potboiler since Steven Seagal’s Under Siege 2: Dark Territory.
Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

2. Black Panther

Released: February 16
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira
Director: Ryan Coogler (Creed)
Why it’s great: Coogler’s deft balancing of a high-tech spy gadgetry, ceremonial palace intrigue, fantasy action mayhem, and subversive political critique is unparalleled in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe that Black Panther springs from. In the same way Creed, his propulsive and knowing reboot of the Rocky franchise, paid tribute to and upended boxing iconography, Coogler’s take on superhero-dom is both pleasing and probing. Basically, he’s got Soundcloud jokes, rhino battles, and takes on imperialism. The larger ideological conflict between the new king T’Challa (Boseman) and the American revolutionary Killmonger (Jordan) has been seen before in the pages of history books and comics, but it’s never been given this type of eye-popping, brain-scrambling, heart-pounding blockbuster treatment.
Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

1. Annihilation

Released: February 23
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson
Director: Alex Garland (Ex Machina)
Why it’s great: Writer Jeff VanderMeer’s hallucinogenic, Kafka-like science-fiction novel proves to be fertile ground for filmmaker Alex Garland in this unsettling and surreal adaptation. Garland doesn’t stick to the book’s plot but he keeps the core concept: A team of women, including Portman’s grief-stricken biology professor, venture into a quarantined territory of Florida known only as “Area X” to investigate a series of unexplained phenomena and disappearances. The journey quickly turns perilous and it becomes clear that the group won’t make it out alive. Working in the same white-knuckle register as John Carpenter’s The Thing, the movie unnerves and stuns in equal measure. Refusing to provide the type of puzzle-box solutions viewers have been trained to look for, Garland leaves us with psychedelic images: grotesque animal hybrids stalking their prey, quizzical humans transforming into flowers, and shiny doubles performing interpretative dance moves. Like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it dares to dream in a language we can’t quite comprehend.
Where to see it right now: Rent on iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, and YouTube (watch the trailer)

Story by Thrillist.

July 6, 2018

Weekend Events: July 6 – 8

Los Angeles provides no limit of things to do, some awesome and some not so awesome. Since time is precious in this fast paced city we curate a list of things to do in Los Angeles for every weekend that’ll help you decide how you want to spend your limited supply of attention (not to mention dollars!).

This weekend, from Friday, July 6 to Sunday, July 8, features Old Pasadena Summer Cinema,Late Night Fridays at the Tar Pits, Los Angeles Salsa Festival, The Dessert Goals Fest, Summertime in the LBC and MUCH more.

Hope you find the rundown useful and, as always, enjoy your week!

Friday July 6th, 2018

1. Old Pasadena Summer Cinema continues with screenings on Friday and Saturday that include Sunset Boulevard, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and more. The series brings free movie screenings to the Old Pasadena area at select venues from July 5 to 28. FREE

2. Back for the 15th year in a row, The Independent Shakespeare Co. presents Shakespeare in the Parkat the Old Zoo in Griffith Park with free performances Thursday through Sunday of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. FREE

3. The Hammer museum will host a live broadcast of the FIFA World Cup this Friday and Saturday during the quarterfinals. FREE

4. The Music Center’s annual Dance DTLA series is back for 2018 with a series of Friday-night events at Grand Park. This week features Dance DTLA an evening dedicated to line dancing. FREE

5. Anime Expo 2018 returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center July 5-8 , giving anime experts and beginners alike the opportunity to meet some of anime’s greatest creators, voice actors and more.

6. Shakespeare By The Sea will once again offer a ten-week program of admission-free performances. The series continues with performances of The Winter’s Tale and The Merry Wives of Windsor from Friday through Sunday. FREE

7. Mexican bolero icons Los Tres Reyes and Grammy award-winning recording artist Rosalie Rodriguez will take the stage of the Ford Theatre this Friday for a concert featuring bolero music a style considered to be the most romantic music genre of Latin America.

8. Are you a Chase bank customer? Got a freebie you might want to know about. Coolhaus is teaming with the Forum and Chase to hand out free ice cream sandwiches to Chase customers on Fridays all summer long. Locations will change every Friday, and the offer is ice cream sandwich per cardholder. Get more info here.

9. Barnsdall Fridays returns to Barnsdall Art Park for the tenth year in a row, with evening tastings of boutique wines and music from KCRW DJs perched atop a hill with incredible city views.

10. For over 30 years, Grand Performances has offered a variety of performance events at California Plaza, for free. Their 2018 summer series runs June 1 through August 18. Performing this Friday is Ginkgoa; The Vignes Rooftop Revival performing the music of Django Reinhardt and Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic fame on Saturday. FREE

11. Rooftop Cinema Club returns to the rooftops of LEVEL in DTLA and NeueHouse in Hollywood with multiple screenings this week that include The Shape of Water, Mystic Pizza and more.

12. Beyond the Streets is a fully immersive exhibition of street and graffiti art comprised of over 30 artist in a massive 40,000+ square feet exhibits. Artist are an eclectic mix of street and beyond including Retna, Shepard Fairey, Kenny Scharf Dennis Hopper and Jenny Holzer. Open Tuesday through Sunday this week. Open Tuesday through Sunday this week. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

13. The Department of Beaches and Harbors presents Beach Movie Nights at Dockweiler Youth Center this week screening Big Hero 6. FREE

14. The Griffith Observatory hosts a monthly forum where some of the most amazing phenomena in the known universe are explained and discussed. It’s called All Space Considered and it takes place on the first Friday of every month. FREE

15. Madame Tussauds in Hollywood is throwing a 80’s style midnight party. In collaboration with 1987 Juices the event is a workout party with live music by DJ Lalaland and cold pressed juices. 80’s workout wear is suggested.

16. Since its the first Friday of the month check out all the cool events happening around town including block parties and art walks for First Fridays.

17. Jazz at LACMA welcomes Louis Van Taylor at the BP grand entrance at 6 p.m. FREE

18. Free museum days: Norton Simon Museum (5 to 8 p.m.), Pasadena Museum of California Art (noon to 5 p.m.), La Brea Tar Pits Museum (5 to 8 p.m.) and Long Beach Museum of Art (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Saturday July 7th, 2018

19. The 3rd annual Los Angeles Salsa Festival 2018 returns to Pershing Square in DTLA July 7-8 for a fun-filled cultural event honoring salsa. An array of salsas will be available to sample, along with local food vendors selling their best dishes both days of the festival.

20. Enjoy a free outdoor concert featuring music from Broadway, Hollywood, and the Great American Songbook when the Pasadena Symphony and POPS brings Music Under the Stars to the plaza in front of Pasadena City Hall. FREE

21. The Dessert Goals Fest heads to Cooper Design Space in DTLA July 7-8, with the theme: the Moon + Stars. Attendees are encouraged to dress around the theme. Expect 20+ dessert vendors selling their wares, an Instagram Garden, complimentary coffee courtesy of Bodum, free candy, and more. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

22. Enjoy free movie screenings under the stars when the Amazon Treasure Truck heads to the Santa Monica Pier this weekend for a screening of Hotel Transylvania. FREE

23. Summertime in the LBC returns to the Queen Mary in Long Beach for a daylong music festival showcasing many of your favorite hip-hop artists of the last few decades. Snoop Dogg will perform his seminal record Doggystyle and you can expect Ice Cube, The Game, Ja Rule & Ashanti, The Isley Brothers, Method Man & Redman, E-40 & Too $hort, Warren G & Dove Shack, DJ Quik & Suga Free, Mack 10 and more to bring down the house.

24. Celebrate summer in the SGV during Movies in the Park, a free outdoor film series screening at Alhambra Park. This weekend they’ll screen the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. FREE

25. Eat|See|Hear returns for 2018 with a screening of Rear Window at The Autry Museum. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

26. The Long Beach Vegan Festival will feature delicious vegan fare from hundreds of vendors, live music, creative art installations, a kids play zone, a vegan chili cook-off and earth-friendly vendors. Check for discounted tickets before making your purchase. DISCOUNTED (via Goldstar)

27. The Mac & Cheese Beer Festival heads to the Globe Theatre for the ultimate comfort food pairing. Guests will have access to complimentary samples of 60+ craft beers, live music and over a dozen chefs will offer small size portions of their signature Mac and Cheese creations for $3-$5.

28. Street Food Cinema returns this weekend with a screening of My Girl at Central Park in Glendale and E.T. at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. Select screenings are discounted via Goldstar. DISCOUNTED

29. Picture This!, L.A.’s only live animated comedy show, is back with another free show at The Virgil in East Hollywood. During this show, see standup comics perform as talented animators, cartoonists and artists draw them live. FREE

30. Celebrate the glories of Los Angeles art with Made in L.A. at the Hammer in Westwood. On view now till September 2, 2018. FREE

31. Cinespia is back for its 17th summer season, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for screenings of films modern, cult, and classic. This Saturday they’ll screen Austin Powers International Man.

32. Outdoor theater Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, located in Topanga Canyon summer 2018 season begins on June 2 with a performance of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus.

33. There’s no better place to explore the history of our city than inside Becoming Los Angeles, the Natural History Museum’s newly revamped (and just reopened) exhibit that details the culture, events, geography, movements, art, and diverse peoples that have shaped the city of angels.

Sunday July 8th, 2018

34. Take a free dance lesson with famed dance veteran Debbie Allen every second Sunday of every month now through August at The Wallis in Beverly Hills. This month she will lead a salsa class. FREE

35. There’s a free Union Station Art & Architecture Tour this Sunday. Led by Metro Art Los Angeles Docents the tour will help guest discover art works, architecture and spaces not generally open to the public. Tour begins at the information booth inside the Alameda Street entrance and no reservations required. FREE

36. Silver Lake’s female-driven wine shop, Vinovore, is teaming up with non-profit animal rescue organization, MaeDay Rescue, to host a pop-up dog adoption event. Hangout with furry friends and enjoy donation based wine tastings poured by certified sommelier and owner Coly Den Haan.

37. Check out the Rose Bowl Flea Market — one of the most beloved markets of its type this Sunday.Taking place at the Rose Bowl on the second Sunday of each month, the flea market features a staggering 2500-plus vendors and 20,000 shoppers.

38. E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood continues their stylish cinema series Melrose Rooftop Theatre with a screening of The Greatest Showman.

39. Shakespeare’s most magical play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream returns to the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga Canyon for 12 performances throughout the summer, from June 3-September 3.

40. The exhibit “Satoyama: Evolving with the Forest” celebrates epicurean ecology through a collaboration between Michelin-starred chef and Japanese cooking pioneer Chef Yoshihiro Narisawa and leading food photographer, Sergio Coimbra. The food photography exhibition will feature many interactive moments including educational workshops throughout the till July 29, 2018.

41. Free museum days: Museum of Latin American Art and Craft and Folk Art Museum (pay what you can)

July 5, 2018

Fun Things To Do This July In Los Angeles

Need stuff to do this month in Los Angeles? We looked ahead on our calendar to focus in on some of the best events happening in July around Los Angeles that you should probably have on your radar. After all, better to get your tickets now than wait till the last minute and find out your favorite event is sold out.

July 2018 event highlights include Old Pasadena Summer Cinema, Anime Expo, the 38th Annual Lotus Festival, a Live Score Festival, Reggae on the Mountain, Delicious Little Tokyo, BeatyCon, Outfest, and LOTS more.

Enjoy!

1. KCRW’s Summer Nights (throughout July)

KCRW’s Summer Nights free event series returned for 2018 in June, but July takes it up a level, including separate performances by Still Woozy, Kauf, and Cut Chemist at The Hammer plus Chinatown Summer Nights on July 28. More information

2. 4th of July in Los Angeles (July 4)

Need plans for the 4th? We’ve put together a handy round-up of Independence Day activities in L.A., including Americafest at the Rose Bowl, a 4th of July Block Party at Grand Park, the Queen Mary’s All-American Fourth of July Celebration, and more. -> More information

3. Old Pasadena Summer Cinema (starting July 5)

Old Pasadena Summer Cinema will offer 17 free movie screenings from July 5 t0 28 at a variety of indoor and outdoor locations throughout the Old Town Pasadena area, including a set of four travel-related films to screen at Distant Lands Bookstore, nine outdoor screenings at the courtyard of One Colorado, and three special theme nights at Central Park. -> More information

4. Anime Expo (July 5-8)

This marquee four-day expo will feature panels, Q&A’s, workshops, plus video rooms and autograph stations with some of the best manga creators and voice actors in the industry. -> More information

5. Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube & More: ‘Summertime in the LBC’ at The Queen Mary (July 7)

Summertime in the LBC comes to the Queen Mary in Long Beach on July 7 for a one-day music festival showcasing many of your favorite hip-hop artists, including Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, The Game and many more artists. -> More information

6. The 2018 Salsa Festival at Pershing Square (July 7-8)

The 3rd annual Los Angeles Salsa Festival returns to Pershing Square for a fun-filled cultural event honoring salsa. Guests can expect plenty of dancing opportunities plus multiple food vendors and a beer and margarita bar. -> More information

7. Dirtybird BBQ 2018: Los Angeles at the Coliseum (July 8)

Dirtybird BBQ 2018: Los Angeles comes to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Plaza on July 8 for great food and music on a summer day, headlined by DJ Claude VonStroke. -> More information

8. Movie Nights at Tropicana Bar (starting July 10)

The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel will throw Angelenos a movie night series every Tuesday night from 8 to 11 p.m. from June till September 3 by the David Hockney painted Tropicana Pool. -> More information

9. The South Bay Greek Festival (July 13-15)

The South Bay Greek Festival, at St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach, offers Greek food (spanakopita, lamb chops, baklava), and dancing. -> More information

10. Union Station 2nd Annual Summer Train Festival (July 14)

Union Station in DTLA is hosting their second annual Summer Train Fest on July 14. Fun for all ages, guests can tour vintage train cars, enjoy 360° virtual reality stations, shop local vendors, grab a bite at popular food trucks, dance to live music and much more. -> More information

11. 38th Louts Festival at Echo Park Lake (July 14-15)

The 38th annual Lotus Festival will be a two-day event featuring live entertainment, arts and crafts, a boat race, an asian food court, dragon boat races and of course and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the blooming flowers on the lake. -> More information

12. Reggae On The Mountain 2018 (July 14-15)

The 9th Annual Reggae On The Mountain returns to Topanga Canyon’s Topanga Community Center on July 14-15 for two jam-packed, fun-filled days of roots reggae from Toots and The Maytals, Derrick Morgan, The Lions, Pato Banton and more. -> More information

13. Beautycon Festival at the Los Angeles Convention Center (July 14-15)

Get your lipsticks ready, Beautycon Festival returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center July 14-15 for a two-day beauty convention with Kim Kardashian West and many other personalities. -> More information

14. Swingin’ Summer Dance Series Returns to The Wiltern (July 15)

For three nights in July, August and September, The Wiltern hosts Swingin’ Summer, a series of vintage-style evenings with swing dance lessons, drinks, and dancing to live music. -> More information

15. Outfest Under the Stars at the Ford Theatres (July 18-21)

Outfest Under the Stars. four nights of LGBTQ films at Hollywood”s Ford Theatres, will show Bad Reputation, Wild Nights with Emily and more. -> More information

16. Jaws in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl (July 20-21)

As part of their summer line-up, the Hollywood Bowl is hosting a rendition of the thrilling cult classic Jaws for two nights on July 20 and 21. Tickets start at $14. -> More information

17. Delicious Little Tokyo 2018 (July 20-21)

For two days, enjoy delicious servings of food and drink crafted from the streets of Little Tokyo, including a chance to sample more than 50 types of sake. -> More information

18. Big Sing California at The Walt Disney Concert Hall (July 21)

Come sing during Big Sing California, a choral concert broadcast across the state along with choirs from San Francisco and more during a simultaneous performance. -> More information

19. 5th Annual Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival (July 21)

Composers and filmmakers create scores to be performed live at the 5th annual Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival at Barnsdall Art Park’s Gallery Theatre. -> More information

20. PLAYDATE 2018 at Kidspace Children’s Museum (July 21)

Enjoy a night out for a good cause! On July 21, head to Playdate 2018 for an after-hours adult night out that supports the Kidspace Children’s Museum, a non-profit organization. -> More information

21. The Skirball Museum Presents Happy Anniversary, Fraggle Rockers (July 24)

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock is celebrating thirty-five years with a party at The Skirball Cultural Center on July 24. Join famed puppeteers for a discussion about the series with a few other puppet surprises. -> More information

22. 10th Annual Taste of Farmers Market at 3rd & Fairfax (July 24)

The 10th Annual Taste of Farmers Market comes to 3rd Street and Fairfax featuring an evening of bites from over 50 of the Market’s top-rated restaurants, grocers and eateries. Tickets includes food sampling, firehouse chili tastes prepared by firefighter chefs, beer and wine samples, two non-alcoholic drinks and free parking. -> More information

23. Sunset Concerts at the Skirball (starting July 26)

Skirball’s annual Sunset Concert Series features six Thursday night concerts with eclectic and inspiring artists from July 26 to August 30. This year’s lineup kicks off with Goapele on July 26. -> More information

24. Uncorked: LA 90+ Wine Festival at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica (July 27)

Uncorked: LA 90+ Wine Festival comes to Barker Hangar in Santa Monica featuring a curated selection of over 100 wines rated 90 points and higher from all over the world. -> More information

25. L.A. Rare and Wild Beer Fest in Santa Monica (July 28)

Billed as a beer connoisseur’s one-stop celebration, the L.A. Rare and Wild Beer Fest is coming to Barker Hangar for an evening of unlimited beer tastings! -> More information

26. Summer Happenings at The Broad (continues July 28)

Summer Happenings at The Broad is a series of late-night events featuring music, performance and art held on the last Saturday night from June through September. The July 28 edition will be inspired by German artist Joseph Beuys with performances by faUSt and Baltimore duo Matmos.

Article courtesy of We Like LA.

July 3, 2018

Rodeo Realty's Sunset agent Robert Erickson lists home of celebrity tailor Ella Korchevsky

The home of Ella Korchevsky, tailor to the stars since 1996, is on the market for $6.499 million. Robert Erickson of Rodeo Realty Sunset lists the residence, which is featured in DIGS Magazine.

Situated on Mt. Olympus the home comes with amazing views of the canyon, ocean, and the city. Built in 2007, the two-story property has an impressive grand foyer, a living area with a regal fireplace, a formal dining room with plenty of space for dinner parties, a chef’s kitchen, a game room, and a media room with a bar and a pool table.

“The owners paid exquisite attention to detail when building their dream home,” said Erickson to DIGS Magazine. “They wanted the feel of an Italian villa, with breathtaking views of the city and beyond. I say they more than accomplished that.”

Upstairs, there’s a master suite with a fireplace, a hotel-like spa bath, double vanities, a separate steam shower, two walk-in closets along with two private balconies. Outdoors, there’s a patio and pool.

To read the DIGS Magazine feature on this property, click HERE to read pg. 78.

July 3, 2018

Free Film Screenings In July at Old Pasadena Summer Cinema

What’s the perfect way to spend a summer evening in SoCal? Picture this: You’re chilling with friends and family, enjoying the perfect weather, and catching a flick in the heart of one of L.A.’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Sound like your jam? Then Old Pasadena Summer Cinema needs to be on your summer to-do list.

Starting on July 5, Old Pasadena Summer Cinema returns with a lineup of 17 films screened over 24 days at four unique Old Pasadena locations. And the best part? Each screening event is FREE and open to the public!

Central Park takes center stage on three select nights when screenings will be accompanied by DJ sets, free family activities, costume contests, themed-giveaways, and special treats tailored just for each night’s film: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure on July 7, Mars Attacks! on July 14, and The Muppet Movie on July 28.

One Colorado is another open-air option, with films projected in a charming courtyard just off Colorado Blvd. The lineup of films at this venue includes family friendly features like Back to the Future, The Incredibles, and The Princess Bride, plus recent favorites La La Land and Wonder Woman, along with the noir classic Sunset Boulevard. Seating is provided at One Colorado, but be sure to arrive early to secure your spot!

Two Old Pasadena businesses will also host screenings inside their spaces on select evenings throughout the month. Distant Lands Travel Bookstore will show a travel-related film every Friday in July including Departures, One Week, In Bruges, and How Much Further. Meanwhile CTRL Collective hosts its first-ever Old Pasadena Summer Cinema films on July 5 and July 19 with presentations of the Farrelly Brothers’ Something About Mary and John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place. Please keep in mind for both screenings at CTRL Collective seating will be limited and therefore not guaranteed.

Scroll down for the complete list of dates, locations, and films. For details on each evening’s events, including special activities at Central Park, be sure to go to https://www.oldpasadena.org/summercinema

Old Pasadena Summer Cinema 2018 Schedule

There’s Something About Mary
CTRL Collective, 45 S. Arroyo Pkwy
Thursday, July 5, 2018 8:00pm–10:00pm

Departures
Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Avenue
Friday, July 6, 2018 8:00pm–10:15pm

Sunset Boulevard
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Friday, July 6, 2018 8:30pm–10:30pm

La La Land
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Saturday, July 7, 2018 8:30pm–10:45pm

Pee-wee’s Big Adventure
Central Park, 141 S. Raymond Avenue
Saturday, July 7, 2018 6:30pm–10:00pm

One Week
Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Avenue
Friday, July 13, 2018 8:00pm–10:00pm

Back to the Future
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Friday, July 13, 2018 8:30pm–10:30pm

Star Wars Episode VII
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Saturday, July 14, 2018 8:30pm–10:45pm

Mars Attacks!
Central Park, 141 S. Raymond Avenue
Saturday, July 14, 2018 6:30pm–10:15pm

A Quiet Place
CTRL Collective, 45 S. Arroyo Pkwy
Thursday, July 19, 2018 8:00pm–9:30pm

In Bruges
Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Avenue
Friday, July 20, 2018 8:00pm–10:00pm

The Incredibles
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Friday, July 20, 2018 8:30pm–10:30pm

Wonder Woman
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Saturday, July 21, 2018 8:30pm–11:00pm

How Much Further
Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Avenue
Friday, July 27, 2018 8:00pm–9:30pm

500 Days of Summer
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Friday, July 27, 2018 8:30pm–10:00pm

The Princess Bride
One Colorado, 41 Hugus Alley
Saturday, July 28, 2018 8:30pm–10:00pm

The Muppet Movie
Central Park, 141 S. Raymond Avenue
Saturday, July 28, 2018 6:30pm–10:00pm

Schedule provided by We Like LA

June 30, 2018

Economic update for the week ending June 30, 2018

Stocks decline for third straight week – Global markets declined again this week as fears of a global trade war weighed on investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 24,271.41, down from 24,580.49 last week. It is down 1.8% year-to-date. The S&P 500 closed the week at 2,718.37, down from 2,764.88. It’s up 1.7% year-to-date. The NASDAQ closed the week at 7,510.30, down from 7,692.82 last week. It’s up 8.8% year-to-date.

Treasury Bond Yields lower this week – The 10 year treasury bond closed the week yielding 2.85%, down from 2.90% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 2.89%, down from 3.04% last week. We watch bond rates because mortgage rates follow bond rates.

Mortgage Rates stable this week – The June 28, 2018 Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate average was 4.55%, down from 4.57% last week. The 15-year fixed was 4.04%, unchanged from 4.04% last week. The 5-year ARM was 3.87%, up from 3.83% last week.

Nationwide home sales fall 0.4% in May as prices continue to increase – Extremely low inventories of homes for sale were blamed by The National Association of Realtors for a 0.4% month-over-month decrease in the number of existing homes sold in May. The number of existing home sales in 2018 up to the end of May are 3% below the first five months of 2017. Prices have continued to rise. The median price paid for a home in May increased 4.9% from May 2017. Its 75th consecutively month of year-over-year increases.

Have a great weekend!

Syd

June 30, 2018

Economic update for the week ending June 30, 2018

Have a great weekend!

Syd