We need a Web Guru!
Hidden Los Angeles is having growing pains! Nearing 1,000 Facebook fans in mere months, it’s time for this site to expand into something even bigger and better. But I can’t do it on my own! Do you know of a really great web tech who is a wiz with CSS? In a perfect world, this person would have experience working with a designer with big ideas, be very aware of the ins and outs of social media, and if they’re a long-time L.A. resident with a good attitude about this city we live in, that’s uber awesome!
E-mail here and be sure to write “Web Tech” in the subject header. Thanks!
Oktoberfest WINNERS!!!
WE HAVE OUR FOUR WINNERS! Mitch Viner, Pamela Duell, Andy Ziskin and Shuly Hirsch will be heading downtown to Oktoberfest next month!!! Ausgezeichnet!
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Thought I forgot aboutcha, didn’t ya? NEVER! Although my posts have dwindled due to my selfish need for actual paying income, HiddenLA is still going strong — especially on Facebook. (800+ fans in three months? Woo hoo!) There are a lot of irons are in the fire for the future of this site… but as there’s lots of stuff to see already, I hope you will take this opportunity to explore the goodness that’s already here.
Doing rushed posts just to fill up web space wouldn’t benefit anyone… but I’ll tell you what WILL benefit people… to reward you for the continued support, today we’re having a special ticket giveaway at the end of this post! YAY!!!
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If you know nothing about Oktoberfest… well, trust me when I say few cultures surpass Deutschland when it comes to organized traditions of bonding with strangers over consumption of beer. Your college roommates included.
Here’s the deal… on October 12, 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig (later known as King Ludwig I) of Germany married the Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The people of Munich were all invited to gather on the fields around the gates of the city to join in the royal festivities (the fields were later renamed in Therese’s honor). The next year, the festival was repeated. At first it wasn’t a major festival… there was an agricultural show, some horse races, some fair rides… oh, and a few beer stands. As the festival grew every year, the beer stands multiplied like rabbits and by 1896 the beer stands were replaced with beer tents and halls that were funded by the local breweries. Parades, marksmanship competitions and chariot races were also added. As of 2009, the Munich Oktoberfest is said to be the largest festival on Earth, and is definitely the world’s largest celebration of all things beer. What was originally a day-long festival now span entire weeks… generally beginning in the third weekend in September and ends the first sunday of October.
Since there’s no denying the Oktoberfest folks look like they’re having a good time, around the world people now host their own local versions and Los Angeles is no exception. There are three main Oktoberfest celebrations happening this year (there’s also one in Anaheim), each with its own unique personality. After the jump, where they are AND a contest for FREEEEE tickets!!!
EVENT – L.A. Noir with LAPD Chief William Bratton
WHAT: Los Angeles Magazine and Writer’s Bloc literary culture series presents John Buntin in conversation with LAPD Chief Bill Bratton
WHERE: The Writer’s Guild Theatre, 135 South Doheny, Beverly Hills
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 21, 7:30pm
PRICE: $20. Reservations required. Make a reservation via e-mail
DETAILS: Urban historian John Buntin writes a thrilling and gripping narrative about the relationship between Jewish mobster Mickey Cohen and LAPD Chief William Parker in the 50’s. His book, L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City, is as exciting a cops and robbers book about Los Angeles you’ll read, and it’s nonfiction. Chief Bratton loved it so much that he’ll chat with author John Buntin and do the post-mortem himself.
EVENT – Friday is Park(ing) Day!
Park[ing] Day LA hits the streets of Los Angeles on Friday, September 18th, as artists, designers and activists throughout the city step up to the curb, put a quarter in the meter, and proceed to transform curbside metered parking spots into temporary public parks, joining a national effort to highlight the need for more open space in our cities. Last year there were over 70 parks spread across Los Angeles, built and hosted by community activists, architectural and design firms, advocacy groups and neighborhood councils. Dancing will often be involved as well. To view a map of this year’s locations or add your own, click here.
[youtube width=”590″ height=”420″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7EmgCNTygc/[/youtube]
EVENT – Happy B-Day! Los Angeles is 228 today!
But thanks to botox, she doesn’t look a year over 200.
On September 4, 1781, Los Pobladores de Los Angeles (44 people in 11 Mexican families – including 22 children – who bravely walked all the way from Nueva España) set out to walk the nine mile trail from the San Gabriel Mission to the Los Angeles River. On that day, our city El Pueblo de la Reina de Los Angeles was born. The 44-acre park we now refer to as Olvera Street protects our city’s original history including the first church, firehouse, theater, the 1818 Avila Adobe (the oldest existing house in the city) and the old plaza… literally, the area is the first heart of Los Angeles.
At 6am on Saturday September 5th, walkers will gather at the San Gabriel Mission and head west for nine miles to re-enact the Pobladores walk along Mission Road to El Pueblo Plaza (Olvera Street), where they will be greeted by birthday festivities. The Walk takes approximately three hours to complete. If you’re a lazy bum and feel like sleeping in, that’s okay. You aren’t the one turning two hundred and twenty eight, but whatever. From 6am to 6pm there will be a party goin’ on over at la Plaza Reina including artisan demonstrations, exhibits, food, entertainment and plenty of birthday cake… or pan dulce or something.
Oh, and in honor of her birthday, the Los Angeles Conservancy will be offering their Facebook fans a $10 membership discount (for new members only) through Monday, September 7. So befriend them on Facebook and help to save our local heritage. (more…)
EVENT – Shag Swapmeet
(Shag as in the iconic illustrator, not as in this… or this… or this.)
What: The first-ever Shag Swapmeet – art, merchandise and ephemera spanning the illustrator’s entire career
When: Saturday, September 12, Noon
Where: Billy Shire Fine Arts, 5790 Washington Blvd., Culver City (323) 279-0600
Details: “Collectors and connoisseurs of illustrator Shag will have a chance purchase a cache of art, merchandise and ephemera spanning his entire career at the first ever Shag Swapmeet. (Some examples here.) Several important original works will be available for sale ranging from the bamboo-framed “The Perils of Trying Too Hard,” from 1998 to his signature triptych, “Departure Idlewild, Stopover Borneo, Arrival Ape City.” Numerous long out-of-print serigraphs, many dating pre-2004 will also be available for sale alongside a limited number of poly-bagged “Paintings by Shag” from the 2006 “Conspicuous Consumption” exhibition. The Shag Swapmeet will also feature signed casino chips, shot glasses, a very limited edition charm bracelet, bar stools, tiki decanters, mugs, toys, exclusive Disneyland Tiki Room purses, signed prints, discounted books, “Shag With a Twist” merchandise and ephemera and much more Shag Swag.”
For a full preview of the objects and advance purchasing options, contact the gallery.
EVENT – Thriller Practice
What: Open rehearsal of Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance in preparation for LA’s Thrill the World performance on October 25th (You can also learn the moves online)
When: Saturday, August 29. According to their Facebook page, Thriller practice will be from 10am – noon and 4-7pm. A “Beat It” event will be taking place from noon-3:30pm and 7-9pm.
Where: Weddington Park South, 10719 Valleyheart Drive, Toluca Lake, CA 91604
Cost: FREEEEE!
Details: Go to the LA Zombies Facebook page for more details.
[youtube width=”590″ height=”420″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnk7lh9M3o[/youtube]
IMAGERY – Adventures in Stupid Signage #2
Oh my God, I had the weirdest dream last night. I was driving a taco truck through a horrible rainstorm, see? Okay, so I’m driving this truck and it’s really dirty and there are refried beans and condiments falling all over the place as I’m careening out of control through the mud when suddenly a giant-sized Gordon Ramsay comes up out of the ground, trapped up to his waist in a big ol’ sinkhole! Weird right!??? Okay, but it gets even weirder. See, Gordon is trying to wrap me up in some kind of parchment roll of pasta! Feels like he wants to smother me or something!!!! So I speed up to get away from him and just as he calls me a donkey, suddenly I swerve to avoid hitting a HUGE chocolate cupcake (with vanilla buttercream frosting, no less!) and GIANT STRAWBERRIES! I mean, they’re right there in the middle of this muddy road! And damn, that mud-covered chocolate cupcake’s like the size of a HOUSE or something!!! WTF!? Crazy, right? Man, don’t you hate dreams like that?
ONGOING – Just Two More Cemetery Screenings!
*Click on the small box below left for a captioned photo gallery*
Paper Moon at Hollywood Forever
There’s something so Southern California about watching movies outside on a summer night. I’ve been *dying* to experience Cinespia movie screenings at the Hollywood Forever cemetery, but friends continually refused to go. Some said they were worried about sitting “on top of dead people,” others said they didn’t feel like dealing with crowds. I finally went last weekend so let me just tell all of you the following: the audience does NOT sit on graves, and the crowd and traffic control is far more organized, relaxed and stress-free than expected. It’s a great time all around. If you go just be sure to bring a sweater… it does get cold in the cemetery at night. And bring a nice bottle of wine. Just because life’s more fun that way.
The movie is $10, and it’s $5 extra to park on the cemetery grounds which we did. As I said, it was very organized and our cars ended up being a *very* short walk to the screen. There are two more screenings left in the season according to the Cinespia website. This Saturday night is Singing In The Rain and August 29th is American Werewolf in London.
FANCY NEW EVENT LISTINGS!
All last week I was racking my poor little head brainstorming how to list upcoming Los Angeles events in a way that would be easy to maintain for me and as useful and user-friendly as possible for you.
Speaking for myself, sometimes time flies by too fast… I see so many great events online that I really want to check out and promptly forget about until the day after they’re over. Or there will be a repeat event and I’ll forget whether it’s the third or the fourth Wednesday. Or I’ll have a night free and toy with the idea of doing a google search to find out what’s happening outside of my apartment but out of laziness will just end up just sitting in front of the tv watching reruns of Monk I’ve already seen instead.
So with my own lameness/laziness in mind, I think I’ve come up with a great solution that makes HiddenLA’s Event Listing easy, convenient and more inspiring to use. You’ll have to let me know what you think. I’m pretty happy with it. Check out a full explanation of the cool new interactive features after the jump.
Just one little request… if you appreciate the resource I’ve created for you, it would rock my world if you would please take a moment to throw a coupla bucks into my Ginger Cocktail Fund so I can go out tonight and toast myself for workin’ my butt off trying to create something you’d like. ‘Cuz I really did! :)
EVENT – Suckin’ up mudbugs at the Long Beach Crawfish Festival
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1st
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsmJN6UTZ84[/youtube] What: 16th Annual Long Beach Crawfish Festival (Note: The Newport Beach Lobsterfest is on Sunday as well, but it appears to be sold out.)
Where: Rainbow Lagoon Park, Long Beach (562) 495-5959
When: Noon-11pm
Price: Various tickets available. For $2 off door admission, go to their web site and click on the crawdad.
Details: After scathing reviews for running out of beignets, beer and crawfish last year, the promoters of the Long Beach Crawfish Festival are determined to prove themselves on Saturday. Not only is Yelp now their official sponsor, but the promoter used the site to say the following to potential attendees: “Last year attendance 3X (tripled) in number 4 hours prior to the festival. This was not anticipated and we do acknowledge that there were longer lines, we did run out of beer, and we were low on Live Crawfish. The Crawfish are flown in Live the day of the festival and adjustments could not be made within hours based on the influx of sales… We have accommodated for the additional Live Crawfish to be flown in. We have extensive beer reserves stationed onsite for immediate use. There are two entrances. Bars have been expanded with extensive signage in place. Overall the festival has been expanded to accommodate last year’s attendance and more giving a fun festival experience to all that attend. We thank all those that make Long Beach Crawfish Festival the largest Crawfish Festival outside of Louisiana — right here in Southern California. “
Their official promotional blurb: “The 16th Annual Long Beach Crawfish Festival serves mouth-watering Cajun Crawfish dinners! Delicious Louisiana-style crawfish prepared to spicy perfection by chefs from Bristol Farms. Crawfish feasts include succulent red baby potatoes, buttery corn on the cob and a special remoulade dipping sauce. Dance to live Cajun, Zydeco and New Orleans bands. Also, giant food court, beach bars and a children’s area.”
EVENTS – Kristin’s List
When it comes to online event listings, there is no better guide to cool happenings in Los Angeles than Kristin’s List. Not even us! Kristin has an incredible knack for weeding out the very best there is to do in this booming megalopolis of ours and presents it beautifully on a weekly basis. So bookmark her site if you haven’t already.
“Kristin’s List is a project by Kristin Bedford that explores LA’s cultural landscape. As a psychogeographer, artist and lover of the local, Kristin seeks out authentic ways to engage with the city. Born from her curiosity and affinity for list making, Kristin’s List is a resource for fellow explorers looking to experience a creative and original LA.”
SILLY – Do the Doo, Dude!!!
What: The Doo Dah Surf Parade, hosted by the totally rad Charles Phoenix
Where: Sunset Beach, Pacific Palisades
When: Saturday July 25, 2009, EARRRRLY in the a.m. SCHEDULE HERE
Price: FREEEEE!
Details: “Meet at the bluff for a group paddle out to say goodbye to the aggro attitude and to bring back the stoke that keeps us surfing!” Let’s put it this way: the Doo Dah Surf Parade is to the U.S. Open of Surfing as The Doo Dah Parade is to the Rose Parade. The main guideline is this: if you don’t have a sense of humor, don’t do the Doo.
[youtube width=”590″ height=”370″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hes-ZzdwgJ4[/youtube]
“Back in the Spring of 2002, after a day of frustration at local breaks known for aggro-vibes and hostility, four local Surfers decided the best way to get surfing back to it’s pure and fun origins was to go the extreme of laughing at ourselves. Three short months later in June of 2002, over 30 Surfers showed up in costumes rangings from nuns, to business men, to bumblebees. Ever since Doo Dah Surf 2002, each ensuing year has seen attendance double as well as increased recognition from media to documentaries. All proving that the surf community is ready for a day of fun and celebration.”
GOOD CAUSE – 826LA’s Paddle Boat Regatta
***Echo Park Paddleboat Regatta deadline is MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!***
What: 826LA’s Echo Park Lake Paddle Boat Regatta
When: Sunday, July 26, 2009, 4pm
Where: Echo Park Lake. Duh.
Who: You! Sponsor a team! Donate prizes! Just show up to gawk and cheer or JOIN IN AND RACE – bring friends or join a pre-existing team.
Why: Because it’s great Sunday fun to mow down swamp turtles with a paddle boat! Oh, and it’s also cool to raise money for the kids of 826LA. *PLUS* there are PRIZES and goodie bags involved! Wheeeee!
Details: “On Sunday, July 26, 90 paddle-boaters (45 teams) will meet for the second annual 826LA Echo Park Lake Paddle Boat Regatta. These fearless navigators will brave the elements, the geese, and each other as they race through (the possibly monster-infested) Echo Park Lake to earn the title of World’s Best Paddle Boat Racers and to raise funds for 826LA. Teams pre-register online, then solicit donations from friends, family, significant others, passers-by on the street, and large corporations—all to secure a better starting position.” Registration and fundraising for the Regatta closes midnight on July 24th.
EVENTS – The Close Up 7/23-26
Note: this listing will be updated during the week as we see fit, and we try to include FREEEEE events whenever possible. :)
THROUGH 7/26 – US Open of Surfing
7/23 – Latin Dance Championship; Summer Nights on the Boulevard in Atwater
7/24 – Disco Dancing Downtown Under The Stars; Classic Rock Night at the LA Zoo
7/25 – Battle of the Tribute Bands; Heritage Park Silent Movie Night
7/26 – Dessert Decadence
THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 26
What: U.S. OPEN OF SURFING New and improved with added skateboarding!
When: Daily through July 26
Where: Huntington Beach Pier, PCH & Main Street, Huntington Beach
Price: FREEEEE!
Details: I’m allergic to the sun and have a fear of the ocean and large crowds. Some lame native Southern Californian I am, huh? Although this event sounds like it would be everything I don’t like, I grew up around surfers so I love the peoplewatching at surfing competitions. Plus the ocean’s always pretty to look at… I just don’t want to get in it ‘cuz there are bitey things in there. Yeah, I’m a complex girl.
From the event site: “What’s the closest thing to watching the world’s best surfers compete in a full-on stadium atmosphere? Look no further than Huntington Beach in July, when up to 500,000 people will find their way to the real Surf City, post up in the sand and cheer on their heroes at the Pier. It’s been that way for 50 years now, starting with the US Championships in 1959 and evolving to today: the Hurley US Open of Surfing.” (more…)
ONGOING – The Sketches of Richard Neutra
What: RICHARD NEUTRA, Architect: Sketches and Drawings
When: Until November 1, 2009
Where: Central Library – Getty Gallery, 630 W. 5th Street, Downtown (213) 228-7000
Richard Neutra (1892-1970) was a pioneer of 20th century architecture whose geometric, airy structures helped to instill West Coast modernism across the landscape of Los Angeles. This exhibit at the Main Library downtown features 140 rare drawings spanning most of Neutra’s career.
“Nearly 50 years ago, architect Richard Neutra donated a collection of his drawings and sketches to UCLA. They included illustrations of famous projects he had worked on as well as those he had hoped to begin but could never get off the ground.
But the collection was notable because it also included drawings that have nothing to do with architecture: self-portraits, sketches of family members and landscapes that he created while vacationing in Europe and the U.S.
The drawings are stored in the university’ special collections and, for the most part, they have remained out of public view. Now, a new exhibition at the Central Library in downtown L.A. is offering a glimpse into this little-seen facet of Neutra’s output.” (SOURCE)
If you are more interested in checking out his architecture up close, you can take yourself on a tour of Neutra’s buildings around L.A. His former office in Silver Lake still stands as a registered historic place.
GO OUTSIDE! – The Big LA Parade
Two Days – 40 Miles – 100+ Stairways. Who says nobody walks in LA?
What: Big Parade LA 2009 – Walk a little, walk a lot… it’s up to you.
Where: First meets at Angel’s Flight Stairway, Downtown. Then moves… as parades are wont to do (they have an itinerary and will be twittering their progress so you can meet them along the way)
When: July 18 and July 19 – All you need to know can be found here.
Price: FREEEEE!
Details: There is absulutely NO better way to get to know Los Angeles than to get out of your car and hit the pavement. I’ve been doing that a lot lately and it’s shocking all of the things you can discover. Rather walk in a group? Well, here’s your chance… join a big walking community this weekend for all or just a part of THE BIG PARADE, a 2-day, 40-mile, 135-stairway walk. You’re invited!
Kind of like The Great Los Angeles Walk on steroids, THE BIG PARADE is a group effort, and the brain-child of of local stair explorer, Dan Koeppel. Dan undertook a five-year Los Angeles stair mapping/walking project that began in 2003 with a 47-stairway route through Silver Lake and now he’s mapped out a grand two-day walking even through Los Angeles. “The parade will start at the famous Angel’s Flight Stairway Downtown, and finish with six stairways leading up from Beachwood Canyon to the Hollywood Sign. The walk will cover approximately 40 miles and 135 stairways, and will include a camp-out at the mid-point (legalities permitting), the famous Music Box Stairs – site of the Oscar-winning Laurel & Hardy film of the same name – in Silver Lake. It will take place July 18 and 19th, 2009.”
“A core group of five to eight walkers will be doing the entire event. But – as the name “Big Parade” implies – the true nature of the journey is community-based. In addition to passing dozens of landmarks, we will be joined by community members, both individuals and in groups, as we pass through the city’s most diverse neighborhoods. The walk is broken into specific segments so that walkers of all ages and levels of fitness can join us at specific times (of course, anyone is welcome to meet us at any point along the way – and all are invited to join us at the end to celebrate the walk.)”
Think it’s a dumb idea? Well, their FAQ has an answer for that:
Q – The Big Parade is stupid.
A – You might be right. But not having one would be even stupider.
EVENTS – The Close Up 7/13-19
Note: this listing will be updated during the week as we see fit, and we try to include FREEEEE events whenever possible. :)
7/14-19 – Shakespeare at Our Lady of the Angels
Every Thursday – Outdoor Movies at the Grove
7/16 – Poncho Sanchez in Baldwin Park; Dreaming of India: A Cultural Block Party at CAFAM
7/17 – Horse racing and 80s music with The Romantics
TUESDAY, JULY 14 THROUGH SUNDAY JULY 19
What: Shakespeare Festival/LA’s 24th Annual Summer Festival presents AQUILA Theatre in “AS YOU LIKE IT”
When: July 14-19, 2009, 8pm – Box office opens at 7pm
Where: The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Plaza, 555 West Temple Street , Downtown
Price: General admission tickets are FREEEEE! Patrons are invited to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Food Bank of Southern California
Details: Shakespeare Festival/LA will hold its 24th annual Summer Festival with a presentation of AQUILA THEATRE in As You Like It, the U.S. debut of the world-class touring production. The performance on July 16 will feature ASL translators for the hearing impaired. On July 17, actors will translate the performance into Spanish, the transmission of which patrons will be able to hear through headphones that will be made available. (more…)
FREEEEE – Hot Dogs vs. Tacos
What: Two hot, overly perky Latina actresses giving out free hot dogs and tacos
Where: Hollywood & Highland
When: TODAY – Thursday, July 9, 2-6pm
Price: FREEEEE!
Details: According to Wikipedia, The Chicas Project is “a reality television show on the bilingual television network Mun2, preeminent voice for Latino youth in America, that chronicles the adventures of the ‘Chicas,’ two VJs for Mun2, Yasmin Deliz and Crash Barrera.” Apparently their show is in its third season, but up until now I had no idea they existed. Which is okay… after watching a few clips it was easy to tell I’m just not their focus demographic. Well, I wasn’t until today. I am officially their demographic as of this moment solely because they’ll be handing out free food from 2-6pm and I’m always a fan of pro bono deliciousness. Yep, these two cute girls have decided (or rather, their show’s PR people did) that the best way to find out whether people prefer a Pink’s Hot Dog or a Joselito’s taco (ie, the best publicity stunt they could think up to promote season four of their show) is to give away 1,000 of each delicacy at a tourist mall. So if you’re in the area and feel like finding parking and braving the Captain Jack Sparrow impersonators this afternoon to snag a free snack from hot chicks, go for it. ¡Buen provecho, Los Angeles!
EVENTS – The Close Up 7/6-12
Note: Event listings are updated during the week as we see fit.
Now through 8/31/09 – Photography: The Billboard Show
7/9/09 – Downtown LA Artwalk
7/10-12/09 – Echo Park Community Festival
7/11/09 – Historic North Hollywood Walking Tour, 80’s Prom Party
7/12/09 – Bastille Day Los Angeles; Art and Poetry with Exene Cervenka
ONGOING THROUGH AUGUST 31st
What: THE BILLBOARD SHOW Selling the California Lifestyle – Photographic Landscapes of the 1950s & 1960s
Where: Take My Picture Gary Leonard 860 South Broadway, Downtown (213) 622-2256
When: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am–2pm & 3–6pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am–2pm; Saturdays 12–6pm; Sundays 12–3pm
Price: FREEEEE!
Details: “Ever since taking a photograph of the Dodgers as a little boy in 1959, Gary Leonard has documented the mercurial landscape of Los Angeles, from the political to the cultural and economic. A former employee of billboard advertising company Pacific Outdoor recently gave Leonard thousands of billboard slides, a hundred of which are now on view at Leonard’s gallery, Take My Picture (named after his column in various regional publications). Advertising everything from funeral services and early fax machines to civic defense and entertainment, the images provide a rare historical survey of mid-century American commercial design, proving that, much like one of his influences, Weegee, Gary Leonard has an excellent sense of timing.” (SOURCE)
JULY 4TH – Eating Doritos for My Country
Still no plans for July 4th? I’m with ya. So much to do, so many possibilities, yet I always just end up sitting in a backyard somewhere eating too many Doritos. While I’m definitely an America Lover, I’ll be honest, the 4th isn’t really my fave holiday so who am I to tell you what’s best to do for it? I’d rather just open up your scope of possibility by giving a few links (see after the jump) to other people who will tell you where to haul your patriotic butt. Meanwhile, I’ll just sit here and eat my Doritos. Fair enough? My only request is that you avoid going to see craggy ol’ John Fogerty at the Hollywood Bowl, as he is my arch nemesis. Long story.
Okay kids, all together now… Ooooh! Aaaaaah! (more…)
