SoCal Native Hits Like a Girl  (That's a Good Thing)

NIKnSTIX in action

Insanely talented drummer and SoCal native Nikke Blout is skyrocketing to the top of the leaderboard in the first-ever all-female international drum competition, "Hit Like a Girl." 

If she wins, Nikke plans to donate any prizes or merchandise to the Education Through Music Foundation www.etmla.org, a non-profit organization providing more access to music education in schools for children and youth. 

Check out her solo here. Every vote counts. Like, Tweet (@NIKnSTIX), share, and most importantly remember to click the "Vote for this video" button before April 14.

Oh yeah, and tell all your friends.

 

Abbot Kinney Named Coolest Block in America

Jack Spade, clothing on Abbot Kinney

What once was a street filled with run-down buildings and nary an open business, Abbot Kinney now holds the distinct honor of the "Coolest Block in America," according to GQ Magazine. 


For those of us who lived here 10 years ago, we remember when that was certainly NOT the case. Proof once again that gentrification can and does work.


“As a Detroit native who has seen this place rot from the inside-out, I’d kill for a little gentrification” - Recent tweet, Detroit Free Press editor Stephen Henderson.

The Untouchable

This gorgeous reverse shot of the Hollywood sign and expansive cityscape below is just one of thousands of entries into a photo sweepstakes, sponsored by the L.A. Convention and Visitors Bureau. Among other prizes, the winner will get a chance to touch the highly restricted Hollywood sign, which is usually off-limits for visitors. Hurry and enter. The contest ends today.

Photo by Andy Kennelly via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

"T" Time

Big news for the Saturday section of the Los Angeles Times. This weekend, "Fancy T" makes its debut. Not sure Angelenos will be able to handle such a radical departure from the original sans serif version.