measures.

Hello! Welcome to another week with so many things to love.

This past weekend, I kicked off Shocktober with a bang. Saturday night I visited a Kurt Cobain-themed haunted house, which was...interesting, to say the least. And I also had the pleasure of attending "Last Spookstore," a (mostly) horror-themed art show at one of Downtown L.A.'s most magical places--The Last Bookstore.

Of course, I fell in love many times that night, as I tend to do when it comes to art. But If I had to pick just one, it would have to be the (non-horror) work of Jon Measures. The artist creates mixed media, cityscapes with digital photos, collage and paint, a method that reflects "the layering of history that takes place in cities."

As Measures says on his site:

                    "Although most of my works are urban landscapes, I am interested in 
                     exploring other aspects of our environment that show the structures, 
                     infrastructures and scars of human development. I am fascinated by 
                     the American West. The freeways, power plants, gas stations and fast 
                     food restaurants on the side of the road heading out to the desert or up 
                     the coast of California are at once so familiar and at the same time so alien."

All art (c) Jon Measures

A few more things to love today:

This Van Gogh.

Alley Bordered by the Trees, 1884

This photo of Louise Brooks.

And this chair.

That's all for now. I'll be back this week with more to love.

weekend.

Hello everyone, and welcome back.

Are you ready for the weekend? I know I am. There are so many cool things happening, I just had to share them with you. So, let's not waste any time and get right to it. Hope to see you!

FRIDAY

The Seth Bogart Show closes. What is The Seth Bogart Show, you say? Well, I hear it's a technicolor, plastic fantasyland of celeb impersonators, imagined products, over-the-top kitsch and performance. Curate LA summed it up as part John Waters, part Pee Wee's Playhouse, part Ru Paul and part Henri Matisse. That adds up to "incredible," and we all need to go. 356 S. Mission Road, 8-11 p.m.

Machine Project presents "Return to ForeverHouse," an interactive performance space where visitors begin in a fur-lined waiting room and move into a crazy-ass house, interacting with a cast of characters, including "scene teens, vampiric furniture and a simple-minded, suspicious, but potentially helpful neighbor." Fascinating. Tickets are $10 and $12. Get all the information here.

Photo via Machine Project

Also on Friday night, Slow Culture presents "Sky's Eyes," a solo exhibition by artist Mel Kadel. Her colorful paintings are like psychedelic children's stories. Get all the details here.

Flower Bed © Mel Kadel

FRIDAY - SUNDAY

Live Thru This Kurt Cobain Haunted Heck. A haunted house with live performers acting out an alternative history to one of music's most troubling tragedies? I can't think of a better way to kick off Shocktober. 237 N. San Fernando Road, Lincoln Heights, 9 pm - midnight. More details here.

Gah! Jesus.

SATURDAY

The Lodge in Hollywood hosts "The Mini Show" featuring scaled-down works of art that examine the theme of memory. Get all the details here.

The always-delightful Gabba Gallery presents "Four Views," showing the work of four artists, including Jeff Gillette, who was featured in Banksy's Dismaland. The hours of the opening say 7 p.m.-11 a.m., but I have the feeling it's a typo. Let's be safe and say it ends at 11 p.m.

Dread © Jeff Gillette

And finally, Blum and Poe in Culver City hosts Vermont's Bread and Puppet Theatre. The famed troupe rarely makes it out to the West Coast, and they'll be presenting FIRE, the play they originally performed when the company began 50 years ago. Exciting stuff!

Lots to do this weekend. No sitting around and binge watching anything. I'll be back soon with more to love. xoL