The Hollywood Palladium Re-Opening

The historic Hollywood Palladium held it's official ribbon cutting ceremony today. Closed for over a year, the Palladium upgraded it's sound system, stage, concessions to handle larger and more elaborate productions. The new upgrades will keep the classic look with new paint and carpeting.

The Palladium first opened in 1940 with a concert by Tommy Dorsey featuring Frank Sinatra as the singer. Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and James Brown are some artist who played the Palladium. JFK, Martin Luther King, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan have all spoken at the venue.

Grammy Award winner Jay-Z will headline the grand re-opening concert on October 15, 2009.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Amgen Tour of California Stage 7 Pasadena

                                   The Astana Team leading the way

                     Big George Hincapie with wheel suckers behind him.
                       A brave lead by Rinaldo Nocentoni of team AG2R                                                         LANCE!
Tour leader Levi Leipheimer with Ginnifer Goodwin ("Big Love" star)

The 2009 Amgen Tour of California rolled through Pasadena today with many of the world's greatest bicycle riders racing to win. Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer of team Astana stayed together to keep Levi as the tour leader. 

An amazing break away by Rinaldo Nocentini of Team AG2R earned him a heroic stage win at the finish line nipping Hayden Roulston of Cervelo Test Team. 

Many of the fans were cheering for last years stage winner, Big George Hincapie of team Columbia High-Road, to win, but he had his hand full with several riders sucking his wheel and keeping him away from a win. Hincapie came in 7th place.

Lance Armstrong came in 44th place today.

Photos By Ted Soqui c 2009

Project 23 Dig at the La Brea Tar Pits

A massive bounty of Ice Age fossils were unearthed during the construction of a parking lot for LACMA which is located next to the La Brea Tar Pits. This huge discovery will easily double the Page Museum's collection of Ice Age fossils to 3 or 4 million specimens. 

A almost complete 80%, a back leg is missing, Columbian Mammoth with 10 foot long dual tusk was found at the site. Lab Supervisor, Shelley Cox, named the Mammoth "Zed." 

Project 23 was named for the 23 massive "tree" boxes which hold the unearthed fossils.

The fossils date back from 40,000 to 10,000 years ago and include pre-historic, lions, tigers, saber toothed cats, horses, bison, coyotes, dire wolves, and ground sloths.

LA Weekly Slide show here.

Photos By Ted Soqui c 2009

Cahill Astronomy and Astrophysics Building At Caltech

The new Cahill Astronomy and Astrophysics building at California Institute of Technology. This building was designed by world famous architect Thom Mayne, founder of Morphosis based in Santa Monica.

The three story 100,000 square foot building features orange/red panels that form unusual crack lines on the buildings sides. 

The buildings address is 1216 California Blvd. 1216, in angstroms, is the wavelength of ultraviolet light emitted by hydrogen atoms.

Some of the buildings critics say that it has a look of being damaged by an earthquake, others say it is too tame of a design from Mayne.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Double Rainbow in Glendale

A rare sight anywhere, a double rainbow forming over the City of Glendale. Saw the rainbow(s) form this afternoon driving home on the 134 @ Glendale Ave. The rainbows lasted about half an hour.

Photo by Ted Soqui c 2009

Former US President Clinton Visits L.A. On President's Day

Former US President Bill Clinton visited L.A. today and held a joint press conference with L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa to introduce the Green street light program. The program will replace 

140, 000 older street lamp bulbs with new hi-tech LED bulbs which will cut down yearly operating cost by 10 million dollars, and CO2 emissions by 40,500 tons yearly.

In attendance at the press conference was former Miss Arkansas Tamara Henry who now is a TV host and producer here in Los Angeles.

Also was told to "keep my questions substantive" by a Villaraigosa assistant press flack after catching them in a lie. No questions were taken by either Villaraigosa or Clinton during the press conference which was held in the L.A. City Hall Rotunda.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

Welcome to Tombstone, Eagle Rock

There is a new welcome to Eagle Rock sign on Colorado blvd. that resembles a concrete tombstone complete with faux oxidized paint job. Across the street from "the tombstone" is Eagle Rock's newest ghost town, a condo project that went belly up and bankrupt during construction phase. 

It is now completely abandoned and a huge eyesore for local residents. The fence around the structure was removed today, probably for unpaid rent, and will make it much easier for taggers to get to. Also will make a wonderful homeless encampment too. 

Hope "the Rock" doesn't make itself an O.K. Corral anytime soon.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009

"Oscar Design Challenge" Press Conference

Seven up and coming fashion designers will compete in the "Oscar Design Challenge" organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. 

The winner of the competition will have their design worn by one of the Awards escort on the 81st telecast of the Academy Awards on Sunday, February 22, 2008. The general public can vote for one their favorite design via the Academy's website. 

The seven designers are Alan Del Rosario, Mario Pinto, Marianne Kooimans, Moire Conroy, Nicolas Putvinnski, Robert Rodriguez, and Sam Kori George.

Photos by Ted Soqui c 2009