Sounds interesting right? Pole dancing as an art form? Yeah, I was a little hesitant at first but friends who have seen the show say it is fantastic.

GIRL NEXT DOOR - a pole dance soirée combines the sensuality of pole dance with the fanciful medium of theater to create a new aesthetic: artistic pole dance.

This provocative display is the brainchild of producer, director and pole dancer Kelly Yvonne. It features amateur and professional pole dancers whose daytime professions often contrast with their nighttime hobby. “This show explores the sensual side of the everyday woman; our performers’ professional backgrounds range from electrical engineer to school teacher, from publicist to costume designer and everything in between!” says Yvonne.

GIRL NEXT DOOR is in monthly residency at King King Hollywood beginning Wednesday, May 5th. Upcoming show dates are June 13th, July 11th and August 15th.

EVERY girl has a naughty little secret…

Let us know if you have seen the show and what you thought. You can check out a few clips here:

Mostly considered amateur night by many, this never stops thousands of people from forging out in any weather to enjoy a cold pint on St. Patty’s Day. No matter where you are from or where you live you can’t seem to get away from becoming wrapped up in the excitement that is St. Patty’s Day.

While I have an affinity for cold beer, this day is simply another excuse (something that is now a must with a child) to go out and sample one of the worlds great creations. Lovely, frothy, liquid gold…BEER.

If you are in NYC you should check out what is being hailed by Pubcrawls.com as the Worlds Largest Pubcrawl that takes place over 70 blocks. So big that this pubcrawl goes on for 3 days. Not sure my liver could handle such a spanking.

You should also check out McSorleys Old Ale House in the east village and by far one of the best Irish Pubs I have ever been to. Sawdust on the floors, old school bartenders breaking out into song and only 2 choices of beer. LIGHT or DARK. St. Patty’s day may not be the best time to hit this pub as people have been known to line up for a spot at the bar starting at 6 am.

If you are on the Left Coast the Tam O’Shanter is the bar legends are made of. Located in Atwater Village this place is out of control on St. patirck’s day with a huge outdoor beer garden, live music and authentic Irish Fare. The only downside is the price of cold beer which seems to get a bit pricey in March.

If you want to avoid celebrating on the 17th, you can get your green on the Sunday before at the St. Patrick’s Day Festival at the Taglyan Complex. Fifty bucks gets you an all you can drink ticket and a food voucher good for select pork products in tube form. All proceeds will go to charity which will make you feel better about soaking your liver. I guess.

Let us know your favorite St. Patty’s Day hot spots.

I attended the 1st Annual East Hollywood Artcycle last year and had a crackerjack time. This year promises to be even more exciting with a new location and another afternoon choc-full of music, art, food and yes, bicycles. Throw in exotic salsa dancers, art galleries, Killsonic gypsy jazz, Dublab DJ sets and a few more bicycles and you can bet your bottom spoke the party will be on.

More than a dozen galleries, theatres, creative venues, artist live/work spaces, performers and food vendors will take over the street in celebration of the art and culture of East Hollywood. This year, the event will be held on Santa Monica Blvd. between Vermont & Virgil, right by the Metro Red Line in the heart of East Hollywood on March 13th from 2:00-10:00PM. So hop on your bike or the metro and celebrate everything East Hollywood.

We are all little Armenians! - Local East Hollywood Resident, My Wife.

For full details go to http://www.easthollywoodartcycle.com/

Presented by The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council and the East Hollywood Arts and Culture Committee

This week marks the end of Black History Month, and if we had to choose one living African American who has made the biggest cultural contribution in the past century, 94-year-old music legend David “Honeyboy” Edwards would seem a pretty clear choice.

One of the only surviving practitioners of true Delta blues, the earliest style of blues music, Honeyboy Edwards is a living legend in the truest sense.  Born in the Mississippi Delta in 1915, Edwards left home at 14 to travel the South, riding freight trains and performing on the streets or in local juke joints.  He quickly became a part of the tight-knit group of Bluesmen who would shape American folk music, even laying the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll decades later.  Among them were Charlie Patton, Big Joe Williams and the legendary Robert Johnson, who is widely regarded as the father of blues; Edwards claims he was there the night Johnson died from drinking strychnine-laced whiskey.

Nearly a century later, Honeyboy carries on the Delta tradition on behalf of his iconic friends.  He has continued to record new music, releasing an album in 2008 and lending his musical genius to the work of countless other artists over the decades.  He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys last month, and he’ll spend 2010 touring the country, usually performing in intimate venues without band accompaniment.

Next month, Honeyboy Edwards makes a one-night-only appearance at the BB King Blues Club in NYC, where he’ll perform alongside Marc Benno.

In the nearly three decades since its initial debut, the timeless musical “CATS” has become a global Broadway icon.   What began as a risky move on the part of a star composer is now regarded as a masterpiece that revolutionized musical theater, having been translated into more than 20 languages and grossing billions over the years.  Next week, the beloved classic makes its long-awaited return to Los Angeles, with a two-week run at the Pantages.

Andrew Lloyd Webber had just embarked on his solo career when he became inspired to create a musical based on a treasured childhood book of poems by T.S. Eliot.  He teamed up with renown Shakespearean director Trevor Nunn to recognize his vision, and “CATS” premiered in London’s West End in 1981.

Despite having a quirky concept and an unusual structure for a musical, the play was an instant success, winning over audiences and critics with its imaginative aesthetic, brilliant choreography and, of course, the now-legendary tunes.  When “CATS” made its Broadway debut in 1982, it exploded into a bonafide theater phenomenon, and hasn’t really lost momentum since.  It was the longest-running Broadway production until 2006, when it was surpassed by Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera.”

After retiring from Broadway in 2000, “CATS” now tours the country, passing the magic on to a new generation of theater-lovers.  Audiences remain as captivated by the zany cast of felines, who recite T.S. Eliot’s whimsical verse amid Webber’s timeless compositions, which include the show tune mega-hit, “Memory.”

It makes sense that the show’s tagline is “Now and Forever” –since “CATS” remains every bit as brilliant as it was 28 years ago.

Once upon a time, burlesque was a well-loved and relatively respectable form of American theater that incorporated humor, eroticism and elaborate costumes.  But post-Pussycat Dolls, when any group of women dancing in their underwear now seems to qualify as a burlesque troupe, the art has long lost its mystique, particularly in Los Angeles.

Amanda Marquardt, aka Gypsy Diamond, must have been well aware of this when she founded LA’s Rag Dolls Burlesque.  That’s why, rather than starting yet another cheesy performance group that would make Gypsy Rose Lee turn in her grave, she created a uniquely fun and classy show that pays homage to burlesque’s roots in early 20th-century vaudeville.  Under the former Shakespeare director’s careful guidance, Rag Doll Burlesque strives to revive the art of real burlesque, which Marquardt has described as a celebration of women’s sexuality.  Rag Dolls’ performances draw inspiration from the original burlesque revues of the ’20s and ’30s, using dialogue and choreography from actual vaudeville acts.  The stars are definitely more Dita von Teese than Nicole Scherzinger, while the costumes are pure glamor, and the backdrop, the Bordello Bar (once a brothel!), is as glitzy and historical as can be.

Even those who now roll their eyes at the mention of “burlesque” should check out the Rag Dolls– because who wouldn’t enjoy sipping a drink while taking in glamor, history and, yes, women dancing in their underwear?

In light of the recent drastic decrease in donations to Haiti relief organizations, this month, StubDog.com, Flavorpill and more than a dozen venues and arts organizations in NYC, LA, Houston and Dallas are partnering to raise money for Doctors Without Borders.  All proceeds from tickets sold the week of Feb. 22 will go directly to the organization to support its relief efforts in Haiti and around the world.

Since 1971, French humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) has been working to provide emergency medical assistance to populations around the world, specifically those affected by violence, neglect or catastrophe. In 1999, the organization received the Noble Peace Prize for its profound charitable impact.

StubDog is honored to work with such a prestigious organization; we hope the money raised will help enable them to continue their phenomenal work.

Participants in the “Unite for Healing Haiti” event include Ars Nova, ComedySportz, Crown City Theatre, Houston Ballet, Houston Family Arts Center, Main Street Theatre, Musiqa, Murder Mystery Los Angeles, OC Roller Girls, Pacific Resident Theatre, Pocket Sandwich Theatre, SPQR Stage Company, The Duplex, The Kitchen, Unity Theater, and many more.

Sign up for our newsletter to be kept in the loop about other participating events in your area.

Unless you’re in Ireland, an “authentically” Irish St. Patrick’s Day celebration is probably pretty hard to come by– which is fine, since some of the best St. Patty’s Day parties don’t even try to be authentic, and instead take inspiration from Irish cultures add their own local flair.

Such is the case with the Los Angeles St. Patrick’s Day Festival 2010, which, though definitely Irish, is distinctly LA.  Set to take place at Hollywood and Vine’s Taglyan Complex the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day, the hugely popular fest will feature great food, entertainment, and yes, plenty of beer.

Authentic performances by world champion Irish dancers The Claddagh Dance Company and the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society will be paired with live-band karaoke, courtesy of Steel Rod, and the much-loved frat boy pastime of beer pong.  Drinks are equally diverse, ranging from Irish whiskies and fine wines from around the world to champagnes and domestic beers.  Food will include gourmet cheeses and bread, Boar’s Head deli sandwiches, See’s Candies, and catering from LA landmarks PINKS Hot Dogs and Pig N’ Whistle, in addition to dozens of other local vendors.

Having the stunning Taglyan Complex as a backdrop will add a touch of elegance to the otherwise laid-back vibe.  Meanwhile, attendees will be partying for a good cause, as ticket sales will go to directly to The Children’s Tumor Foundation and the Irish Center of Los Angeles.

There are two types of big-city nights out: the kind where you want to let loose, and the more sophisticated kind.  But what about those nights when you want to relax/laugh and do something cultural/intellectual?

LA’s “Spoken Funk” is the best of both worlds– the worlds of comedy and poetry, to be exact.  The locally-touring show features some of the area’s most respected comedians and poets, simultaneously entertaining and inspiring a diverse crowd with the spoken word.  Subject matter runs the gamut from serious to lighthearted, drawing from pop culture happenings and serious issues alike.  Between the acts, audience members get the chance to win cash and prizes by competing in games and answering trivia questions, infusing energy and interactivity into an otherwise classy and laid-back atmosphere.

This unique form of entertainment, branded “cometry,” was developed by Tony Award-winning poet Poetri and his wife, Juren Smith.  A spoken word legend, Poetri was featured as a Def Poet on Russell Simmon’s Def Poetry, and has lent his poetic genius to commercials for big brands, as well as collaborations with top recording artists.  His other LA-based project, Da Poetry Lounge, has earned a huge following in the spoken word community, drawing nearly 400 people each week.  Poetri also hosts workshops to help local spoken word artists learn how to support themselves as poets– a feat that Poetri himself has proven to be perfectly possible.

Spoken Funk brings laughs and enlightenment to LA every Sunday at MBar in Hollywood.

When most people think of Mardi Gras, a.k.a. “Fat Tuesday,” they inevitably think of booze and beads on the streets of New Orleans.  But there’s a south-of-the-Equator party city whose pre-Lent debauchery easily puts the Big Easy to shame: Rio de Janeiro.

From breathtaking beaches to the skimpiest swimwear on the planet, Rio is known for being excessive in everything it does, and why should Fat Tuesday be any different?  The city’s four-day festival preceding Lent, called Carnaval, is Brazil’s most anticipated holiday.  Revelers hit the streets in elaborate costumes to dance, drink and– well, sin– in a raging 24-hour party that many say is incomparable to anything in the US.

That said, Americans don’t have to be excluded from the festivities entirely, as major cities offer their own renditions of the Brazilian holiday next week.

In Houston, Kahlua Disco is hosting an all-night Carnaval celebration, which will feature the infectious sounds and revelous atmosphere of Rio.  The Samba Samba Dancers will don glittery costumes and dance to authentic Samba, axé and marchinha music, performed live by Katia Moreas and Pure Samba.  Renown Texas capoeira master Mestre Cafu will perform the traditional Brazilian art, which combines dance, singing and martial arts.

Meanwhile, the left coast will kick off its own celebration with Downtown LA’s 10th Annual Brazilian Carnaval at Nokia Live.  For the past decade, the event has been one of the area’s most anticipated Carnaval celebrations, usually selling out and drawing crowds of 3,000+.  The party includes authentic Brazilian food, drinks, music, and dance, and one lucky reveler will win a free trip to Brazil.  Headlining the show is legendary Brazilian trio elétrico Armandinho (often called the Brazilian Jimi Hendrix), Dodo & Osmar, along with renown percussionist Chalo Eduardo, who has performed with the likes of Santana, Sergio Mendes and Ricky Martin in the span of his 20-year career.

Mardi Gras may always be synonymous with New Orleans in the U.S., but its cool to know that there’s an even more raucous and sinful alternative, and it doesn’t require a trip to Rio.