K-town’s underground tapas scene is like visiting the future – if, in the future, everyone speaks Korean and hangs out in hazy dive bars known for spicy late night kimchi and ass-flooring dragon juice.

Straight out from some steampunk chapter of Bladerunner’s Los Angeles, DGM (Korean for “Back Alley”) is the kind of dig where you can share a pitcher of beer, smoke a cigarette (yes, you can smoke there) and wait for your memory-dealer to show up with a mechanized stripper with a fake snake. Or not.

You won’t find the painfully hip or rich clanking glasses in this charming speak-easy with scribble etched wooden walls and red-faced Korean’s surprised that you’ve stumbled upon one of L.A.’s best nocturnal secrets.

Don’t expect watered-down Americanized K-cuisine here. Don’t make the mistake of asking for a menu in English either. They don’t have them. And if that bothers you, travel to the future somewhere else.

DwitGolMok (DGM)

3101 W 8th St
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Neighborhood: Koreatown

(213) 388-0067

 This past weekend, DeadStarlet and I attended the Hello Kitty Fan Appreciation Party at Royal/T — the meow-off event for the first ever North American Hello Kitty Exhibition …ever! A MUST for all those who claim to love HK.

The Appreciation Party is the first in a series of HK-themed events dubbed Three Apples, celebrating 35-years of feline cuteness. Don’t miss the HK Halloween Party this Saturday, October 31st (with pumpkin carving and costume contests and prizes). And Hello Kitty’s B-Day party on Sunday, Nov. 1st. FREE goody bags for the first 100 visitors! Check out a more detailed schedule here.

But, don’t worry if you can’t make it for the weekend parties you can still go on the weekdays, browse the amazing HK-inspired art and eat HK shaped food ^_^.  Yummy goodness for all kitty fans!

HK Artists Simone from tokidoki and the legendary Yuko Yamaguchi Hello Kitty Mama sign fan art.

Die hard HK fans Judy Chung, Tara P. and Ariene Brandt waited in line for almost three hours to get into the Party last Saturday.

Some people waited all day just to get their artwork signed.

Hello Kitty Exhibition van outside of Royal/T.

Inside, the place was packed. We took a ride on this kitty-licious interactive theme park experience by FriendsWithYou!

More fun and games. I took my chances with the crane machine. Lost!

A room full of every Hello Kitty item in the world! I would stampede a class of 3rd graders to get in there first.

Julie T. and Jennifer Ernester enjoy some cake and tea.

I hate to say it, but Paris Hilton is photographed wearing this dress. Did Hello Kitty just throw up in her cute little mouth?

Hello Kitty is redeemed by Sid Vicious of all people.

DeadStarlet hiding next to a little HK playhouse.

Beautiful sparkly handbags by Judith Leiber. The exhibition was curated by JapanLA and featured 80 other artists, like the 7 foot sculpture featured below by Colin Christian.

Are you the Anti-Christ and feel like you have have no one to celebrate the fruits of your labor with? Do you just want to starfuck the Anti-Christ?

Don’t like the idea of spending your final moments on the couch with your gas mask on watching Anderson Cooper have an orgy with all his CNN staffers?

We have a final solution: The Official Apocalypse Dinner Party.

You know, the sicker, hipper version of your typical Hollywoodesque Halloween dinner party. Some of the Teleportdoor staff got together over the weekend and threw a little one of these Apocalyptic-themed get-togethers.  We posted the carnage below.

Photos courtesy of Lisa Bevis

Tucked away in Hollywood’s Theater Row, this quaint cafe, art gallery
and music venue is an L.A. vegan treasure. With playhouses right
outside it’s doorstep and an art gallery to boot, you can muse your
tummy while you muse your Bohemian mind. Oh, how Kawaii Chibi Kat
loves her Cafe Muse.

I can’t recommend just one dish; I adore them all. I haven’t tried
something and not liked it, although I do think their veggie burger
and yummy sweet potato fries with a side of Texas tangy BBQ sauce are all to-die-for. Going on their 2 year anniversary you’ll spot the owners Jennifer and Crystal at the register taking your order, how personal ^_^!

So, come and indulge your vegan tastebuds (or ominverous tastebuds–
it’s that good) and check out Cafe Muse’s featured October artist Joey
Mason. Or swing by in the evening for some FREE comedy or music.

Here are some of this week’s highlights:

Thursday, October 22nd, 9:30pm
Dana Freiheit & Friends
www.myspace.com/frihetdana

Friday, October 23rd
Elle Johnson & Friends
Young Artists Mixer, 8pm
John Statz & Cody Statz, 10:30pm
www.myspace.com/johnstatz

Saturday, October 24th, 9:30pm
Joe & Maryellen and Friends
www.myspace.com/joeandmaryellen

Cafe Muse

6547 Santa Monica Bld.

Loa Angeles, CA  90038

323-464-MUSE

East of Highland Ave, btwn Las Palmas & Wilcox Aves.
Street Parking/Valet Available Some Nights

photos by AWOL (Always West of Lincoln)

Lidia’s Pupuseria may be one of those Venice Boardwalk 3′x3′ hole-in-the-walls, but two dollar bills and five minutes can be magically converted into a warm meat, bean, herb, and/or cheese-filled corn pancake covered in cabbage salad and hot sauce. And that makes this itsy-bitsy Pupuseria a regular A.W.O.L. haunt.

Two cash dollars can buy you a lot of grub. It’s the price of the chicken tamales, which are always ready on the spot and come wrapped in a corn husk. Or you can indulge with a plate of  fried plantains with cream for the same price.

If the leftist politics of Venice inspire you to “spread the wealth around,” a full Salvadorean breakfast is five dollars, while the rich chicken soup and flagship “pollo encebollado” are both seven dollars.

The just-off-the-boardwalk location, lack of seating options, and somewhat confusing menu keeps many of the tourists at bay.

Lidia’s Pupuseria

1301 Ocean Front Walk

Venice Beach, California 90291

p. 323-209-7316

f. 323-637-1818