Jennifer Swann

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Whale of a Book

Jennifer Swann
The L.A. Public Library recently launched a campaign aimed at introducing Herman Melville's Moby Dick to new readers, but the grassroots Venice Oceanarium has been doing just that for nearly two decades. Its inaugural Moby Dick Reading was held in November 1995, and it has since become a Venice Beach......
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Lady Arm Wrestlers' Fall Brawl

Jennifer Swann
With more than 25 leagues worldwide, the nonprofit Collective of Lady Arm Wrestlers is poised to take over the world, one "brawl" at a time. The L.A. chapter of CLAW flexes its muscles three to four times a year, with audience members betting (with fake money) on the wrestler they......
Nacho Supreme

The Worst Restaurant in L.A. is at the Hollywood and Highland Center?

Jennifer Swann
In addition to its annual list of America's 101 best restaurants, the The Daily Meal this year decided to one-up itself and publish an alternate slideshow of the nation's 10 worst restaurants (click bait, anyone?). The list was compiled from restaurants with "the most consistently terrible reviews on the Internet,"......
"The Makeover" by Chris Roberts-Antieau; Credit: Photo: Jennifer Swann

10 Weirdest Pieces of Art from Oprah's Auction

Jennifer Swann
Oprah Winfrey got into the spring cleaning spirit a little late (or early?) this year and invited the public to come peruse her old junk on Saturday at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. With $10 valet parking, a fleet of food trucks that included the Santa Barbara-based Georgia's......
Credit: Jill Kill video still

Meet Jill Kill, L.A.'s Haunted House Critic

Jennifer Swann
"I just wandered in the dark for about ten minutes -- fucking terrifying -- with a bag on my head. I've lost everyone and anyone and they separated me from my friends forever," says a young, dark-haired woman whose teeth appear to glow in the black light of the room......
The Chateau Marmont

6 Haunted Places in L.A. You Can Visit Right Now

Jennifer Swann
Our 2013 Best of L.A. issue came out in early October, but over the years we've found that some of the best places in Los Angeles aren't new or trendy at all -- some are decades old, abandoned, and most assuredly haunted, or so we've heard. 'Tis the season to......
The entrance to Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare; Credit: Photo: Hannah Verbeuren

Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare is Not for "Pussies"

Jennifer Swann
Waiting in line at Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare at the Pomona Fairplex is almost scarier than the massive indoor maze itself. First there are the hecklers, all dressed in elaborate costumes based on Rob Zombie characters: an evil Ronald McDonald with an orange mohawk, a shirtless guy in a......
"Twerk Miley" sign as seen from the 10 East freeway.; Credit: Photo: J. Swann

Here's the Story Behind That Giant TWERK MILEY Banner

Jennifer Swann
"Somewhere in America, Miley Cyrus is still twerkin,'" Jay-Z raps on his latest album, proving prescient of her VMAs twerkjob that folks are still talking about. In fact, now there's a billboard-sized banner on the subject. If you've taken the 10 freeway east toward downtown L.A. recently, then you've seen......
Jill Soloway; Credit: Courtesy of The Film Arcade

5 L.A. Spots That Inspired the Silver Lake Movie Afternoon Delight

Jennifer Swann
Before production began on Afternoon Delight, writer/director Jill Soloway didn't know where her first feature film would take place. "Maybe this is Chicago," her hometown, she mused at the time. "Maybe this is San Francisco." "When we were getting closer, it was like, if we were going to do this,......
Gorgen Zargarian in "Shift It"

#LAWebAwards: 'Shift It' Wins Funniest YouTube Video in L.A.

Jennifer Swann
The L.A. Weekly's 2013 Web Awards honor the best of what's online. Check out the complete list of winners. What's the secret to turning a low-budget commercial into a YouTube phenomenon? Full-time YouTube producers and self-proclaimed "Internetainers" Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, better known as comedy duo Rhett & Link,......