Darius Wadia

 

— Comedy Central’s Amy Schumer over-sharing with Vulture. P.S. She invited the man and his partner to appear on her show Inside Amy Schumer.

Finally, the restaurant we’ve been waiting for.

Tallywackers is a new dining establishment coming to Dallas. Per a help wanted ad posted to Craigslist, it appears to be a bar and restaurant specializing in hot dogs and other phallic-shaped foods served up by a staff of half-naked hunks.

In other words: It’s the male equivalent to Hooters. And we’re sure it’s going to be a huge hit in the Oak Lawn geighborhood. How could it not?

Related: Police Searching For Underwear Bandits Who Stripped During Restaurant Heist

The restaurant, which is billing itself as the “newest and most exciting place to be,” is currently hiring bartenders, servers, cooks, bus boys and hosts, and is expected to open some time next month.

Let’s just hope servers in super skimpy briefs don’t violate any health department regulations.

Related: WATCH: The Naked Chef Is Back To Work His Meat

Scroll down for photos from the restaurant’s hiring event held last weekend…

 

 

h/t: Dallas Eater

 

[Hawthorne K-8 school via Michael Locke]

Fourteen buildings across the five campuses of the Beverly Hills Unified School District are "subject to potential collapse" in an earthquake as small as a 3.5, according to a state report. BHUSD technically has most of the money it needs to update the schools, but last night the school board voted against using it; they also voted to immediately close three of the five school auditoriums in the district, including the auditorium at Beverly Hills High School, because the ceilings are potentially unsafe. This same school board is simultaneously at legal war with Metro because the agency plans to run a subway line under Beverly Hills High; they believe a subway tunnel will put students in grave danger (possibly from a terrorist attack) and have used about $8 million in school construction money to fight that battle.

BHUSD has known for years that its schools are seismically unsafe, but about six months ago, a California Seismic Mitigation Program report identified 14 buildings that are among the state's most unsafe schools (all five schools were originally built in the 1920s, with various upgrades or new buildings over the years). According to the Beverly Hills Courier, "Multiple experts have since told the BHUSD Board of Education that in the event of an earthquake above 3.5 on the Richter scale, depending on its epicenter, those 14 buildings are at risk of major structural damage including collapse. In that case, serious injury and even death can be expected."

In 2008, the school board passed Measure E, which authorized $334 million in school construction bonds. For some reason the board at the time promised voters that those bonds could be issued without raising property taxes, which are relatively low for the county. They already broke that promise once, in 2013, and so far have used $117 million in bond money, with $34 million left before they'll have to raise property taxes again (it would be a little over a dollar a day per property). But renovation estimates for all five schools total $450 million.

Aside from the urgency of the seismic report, the city's independent Finance Committee says the cost of the bonds will skyrocket if they're not sold now. There are also about $30 million in matching state funds the district can use if it gets to work on construction soon. After weeks of debate, the school board voted on Tuesday not to authorize any new bond money; board members who voted no are hoping instead to put an entirely new bond measure on the ballot in 2016, which would delay construction work. With a $450 million construction pricetag, BHUSD could use all $334 million of Measure E and still need a new measure, though.

The BHUSD has used its $117 million in a few ways. It's created designs for renovations at all of the schools and gotten to work on construction at Horace Mann Elementary School. And, according to a letter from school board member Lisa Korbatov, "$4 million was spent to clear two campuses of MTA inferred active faults (work we had no choice but to do). And, unfortunately, another $4 million was spent on consultants and attorneys to protect the sovereignty and sanctity of our only high school campus." Unspun, that's $4 million for geological reports claiming Metro has chosen the wrong subway route and another $4 million on anti-subway lobbying efforts.

To be fair, Korbatov and fellow rabid anti-subwayist Lewis Hall voted to approve the new bond money, so their "think of the children" stance is at least consistent. Board member Noah Margo voted against the money because he just doesn't believe the seismic report, telling the Courier "I don't believe anybody is in peril."

He also "did not agree that individual board members could be held legally liable for death or destruction from an earthquake if the Board submitted a replacement bond to voters," despite an email from BHUSD's general counsel saying exactly the opposite of that. Margo's take is that "As long as we're on the path to fix it, we are in compliance."

Meanwhile, the board also voted Tuesday to immediately close auditoriums at Beverly Hills High, Hawthorne Elementary School, and El Rodeo Elementary, "due to seismic vulnerability," according to the Courier.
· Beverly Hills Residents, Voters, Must Face Reality Or Risk Injury, State Finds [BH Courier]
· Beverly Hills News – Important Measure E Bond Vote Is Tonight [BH Courier]
· Beverly Hills School Board Commissioned High School Kids to Make Anti-Subway Propaganda [Curbed LA]
· Bev Hills School District Rehires Subway-Fighting DC Lobbyists [Curbed LA]

We couldn’t name a song by O-Town if you put a gun to our heads, but we’re quickly becoming fans of Ashley Parker Angel. Don’t know him? He’s the former vocalist for the boy band who posts an endless array of near-nude pics he continues to post on his Instagram account. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

Take for instance the one from yesterday. The poor guy doesn’t have a thing to wear.

Either I do laundry or I go out wearing just this wristband. ????

A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Apr 14, 2015 at 6:21pm PDT

Or this one in which he indulges in some sexy plumber role play.

Haven’t had a lot of time to take pictures since getting to Baltimore, so just filling in the cracks with some cheeky throwbacks. #tbt A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Apr 2, 2015 at 7:09pm PDT

Or this one which answers the eternal “boxers or briefs” question.

#tbt to the day my Mom first called asking why I was posting pics in my underwear on the Internet … sorry Mom ???? #throwbackthursday

A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Mar 19, 2015 at 4:30pm PDT

And this pic will bring a smile(y face emoticon) to anyone.

Throwback Thursday to that time Instagram banned my picture. Not sure what they have against cottage cheese… #tbt

A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Feb 26, 2015 at 2:45pm PST

Sometimes he feels a little blue.

Behind every great man is a … great behind?? Hate to be so cheeky — this caption will probably be the butt of many jokes. ???? #fitness #fitspo #workout #gym #squats #exercise #fitfam #fitnessaddict #abs #ashtags

A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Feb 19, 2015 at 2:28pm PST

A fella can get thirsty soaking in a hot bath.

Post workout soak n shake #goodnight????

A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Jan 19, 2015 at 9:57pm PST

And don’t forget this Citizen Kane of semi-nude pics.

Look in the mirror… That’s your competition ???? #tourlife #getfit #abs #fitness #fitspo #fitfam #gym #fitnessmodel #progress #strength #workout #dedication #motivation #determination #iphoneonly

A photo posted by Ashley Parker Angel (@ashley_parker_angel) on Feb 12, 2015 at 10:24pm PST

Keep up the excellent work, sir.

With a new film on the horizon, there's a wave of excitement attached to the Star Wars franchise that hasn't been felt since the months leading up to the release of Episode I. Part of Disney's new plan for the $4 billion series includes a slate of ne...

What a difference a viral photo makes. After recreating Adam Levine’s classic Cosmo pose, trans activist and model Aydian Dowling has found himself in the lead for Men’s Health Ultimate Guy Search.

The mag is looking for a “a guy who is fit and fearless, a doer who gives back and leads by example” to grace its November 2015 cover. Dowling meets those criteria and then some, currently boasting nearly three times the number of votes than his nearest competitor.

“As a transgender male, having a healthy body and mind is my ultimate goal to find peace within my soul,” Dowling told Men’s Health. “Although I may always have some kind of battle with my body, I continue to work everyday for a happy peace within.”

Dowling is also spreading his fitness fanaticism in his hometown of Eugene, Oregon where he’s started training other trans males: “They have greatly progressed and I feel very proud to see their self confidence grow. I do nothing but support them and show technique, but drive is contagious!”

You can vote for Aydian in Men’s Health‘s Ultimate Guy Search here — voting ends June 21. Then it’s up to a panel of judges including fashion designer Kenneth Cole and noted brickhouse Sofia Vergara.

Les Fabian Brathwaite — just up in the gym, twerking on his fitness.

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Sadly, the he-said-she-said disputes over bending smartphones aren't ending any time soon. Samsung has responded to SquareTrade's allegations that the Galaxy S6 Edge is easily bendable by posting a video that shows the official stress tests for both ...

 

— Game of Thrones star Kit Harington lamenting his sad, sad fate in a new interview

It happens: you get caught in a traffic jam, because you either ignore Waze's warnings or have no other choice. Thankfully, an update for both iOS and Android versions of the app adds a feature that should make the delay (at least a little) less excr...

The totally-not-just-for-sexting-but-we-don't-really-know-why-because-we're-old app Snapchat has grown rapidly over the last couple years. In 2013, the company got to be too large for the little yellow house/former pot shop they were renting on the Venice Boardwalk and moved their base of operations into some undoubtedly high-ceilinged, industrial-chic space on Market Street, still not too far from the beach. Now, the LA Times reports, they're expanding again, taking up about 40,000 square feet at Abbot Kinney and Venice Boulevard, plus spreading into more Market Street storefronts, and into Thornton Lofts on Ocean Front Walk.

Office space has become incredibly desirable and expensive in Venice, in part because of the success of tech companies like Snapchat (Silicon Beach is a thing, somehow!). Offices in the neighborhood now cost twice what they did in 2011—it's now $5.82 a square foot per month, on average—while the vacancy rate has fallen from 20 percent to just 10 percent. That's great news for landlords, but it's squeezing down on other, smaller companies who lease space in the area.

In this single wave of growth, Snapchat will displace about three dozen renters in the multiple buildings they're moving into. It's not clear which addresses and suite numbers exactly Snapchat is going to occupy, but at the complex on Abbot Kinney, they're snatching up about 40,000 square feet, leaving roughly 6,700 square feet of the space alone. Who will be mercifully passed over? We've compiled a semi-complete list of tenants now in the buildings that Snapchat is taking over. Some of them might be spared; others are definitely on the chopping block or have already had to leave.

Image via Loopnet
At Abbot Kinney and Venice:
—an IT consultancy
—An interior design studio
—CNTRL Me Robotics
—A State Farm Insurance agent's office
—Hyperspots, a digital ad agency
—A law office
—Clever Creative, a branding and design agency

Snapchat's HQ and surrounding shops
Near their 63 Market Street headquarters:
—a youth shelter/space for AA meetings
—an art studio
—"by next year, probably a tavern" (likely Nikki's)

Image via Loopnet
25,000 square feet of Thornton Lofts at 619 Ocean Front Walk:
—An ice cream shop called N'ice Cream
—Swing Studios LA photo studio
—Red Line clothing shop
· Is Snapchat's rapid growth changing Venice's funky vibe?[LAT]
· Rent Snapchat's HQ/Former Pot Shop On The Venice Boardwalk [Curbed LA]

Amazon is rolling out the Dash Button, a physical device that allows customers to re-order items like toilet paper, diapers and laundry detergent as soon as they run out, with a simple press. The Dash Button is adhesive, and when pressed, customers r...

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Yes, you can lay claim to an HTC One M9 of your very own at the stroke of midnight on March 27th, but what if your craving for a flagship leads you in another direction? No problem: Samsung has just announced that you'll be able to pre-order the Gala...

Bitcoin investors and possible Facebook inventors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are renting their sleek minimalist mansion in Los Angeles for a jaw-dropping $150k per month. Lest any future tenants become confused about the jet-set man vibes of the 8,000-square-foot house, which the twins purchased for $18 million in 2012, listing photos for the glass-walled pad show several TV screens playing James Bond 007 films. The five-bedroom, nine-bathroom property comes with a swanky negative edge swimming pool, a lounge area with a wetbar, a media room (apparently for watching Casino Royale on repeat), and an underground garage with room for six Ferraris.

Stunning, but is it worth 150k a month? >>

[Image via Sterling Davis / Curbed LA Flickr pool]

UPDATED 3/26: The battle between Beachwood Canyon residents and anyone who wants to look at the Hollywood Sign has officially spilled over into public park land. Last year, the city gave these ultraNIMBYs a big gift with the introduction of a shuttle bus up the otherwise inaccessible Mount Hollywood Drive to a designated "Hollywood Sign Viewing Area" far away in Griffith Park, where folks could squint and snap distant shots of Los Angeles's most recognizable landmark. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was something. Now comes the latest twist: the Department of Recreation and Parks has started a pilot program that suspends the shuttle service and instead opens Mount Hollywood Drive, long closed to cars, to all auto traffic (plus parking).

Mount Hollywood Drive worked fine for periodic shuttle buses carrying a lot of people, but opening the floodgates to all traffic is causing problems. Cars are forced to line up one behind the other as they crawl up into the hills searching a for a place to park, since there are no designated spots. Tourists roam all over the windy, narrow street, and with zero infrastructure (signs, rest stops, lights), it's become the same sort of recipe for disaster that the Hollywood Sign neighbors in Beachwood Canyon are always complaining about. A tipster shares this amateur video, shot by a concerned local, which makes the problems clear.

Besides an alert that shuttle service will not be operating through April 12, Rec and Parks has been completely quiet on the matter. Streetsblog suspects that the pilot program is the result of more pressure from Beachwood Canyon—since it means that more people will (theoretically) be able to reach the designated viewing point and therefore (theoretically) stay out of Beachwood, that seems like a reasonable guess. (Plus, why else open up park land to cars?) UPDATE 3/26: Rose Watson of Rec and Parks confirms in an email that the opening was made in response to pressure from Beachwood residents, "and also for the other neighborhoods that surround the park, particularly those areas along Los Feliz Boulevard and Franklin Avenue." Meanwhile, Friends of Griffith Park are already mobilizing against the program out of concern for personal and environmental safety.

Over in Beachwood Canyon, the residents finally got the permit parking district they've been begging for (keeping visitors from parking on the public streets around their houses) and, quite coincidentally we're sure, Rec and Parks reopened the Hollyridge trailhead that leads up behind the Sign. So if you're looking to get to the Hollywood Sign, here's exactly how—you might have to park farther away, but you'll probably still piss off the neighbors.

UPDATE 3/26: Watson writes in an email that the opening is a temporary project that will last through April 12, but the city is collecting data and will consider extending it. She adds that in addition to taking pressure off neighbors, "The goal is to relieve traffic congestion caused by the 6,000 vehicles that drive up to the Observatory. Spring Break is traditionally the busiest time of the year for the park with many thousands of vehicles travelling through it." —Ian Grant
· Griffith Park Traffic Response: Poorly Defined Free Parking Expansion Pilot [Streetsblog]
· How a Small Group of Neighborhood Activists Have Taken the Hollywood Sign Hostage [Curbed LA]
· LA Finally Providing Official Viewing For the Hollywood Sign [Curbed LA]

[Image via John Sequeira]

West Hollywood was founded on rent control and gay community, and its chill, "take care of everyone," "live and let live" philosophy persists today in its totally cool approach to jaywalking. While the LAPD will ticket a pedestrian for hovering a foot off the sidewalk under certain conditions, the West Hollywood division of the LA County Sheriff's Department refuses to target walkers and, in fact, says it's legal to cross between intersections, "as long you're not making vehicle traffic stop for you," according to KPCC's interview of Lt. David Smith. (That's the division's particular interpretation of the California Vehicle Code.) Smith adds that "We know that West Hollywood is a pedestrian-friendly city, so we're not going after pedestrians … We just want everyone to be safe." Wacky WeHo!
· Jaywalking isn't what you think in West Hollywood [KPCC]
· LAPD Just Fining Walkers So They'll Stop Getting Hit By Cars [Curbed LA]

All-lady roller derby team LA Derby Dolls used to call Historic Filipinotown home, but when their landlord started talking about putting some condos up on the site of The Doll Factory (as the team's digs are called), the Dolls knew it was time to search for a new home. It's taken about a year, but it looks like they found it: Eastsider LA says that the Dolls are moving to a big warehouse on Alhambra Avenue near Valley Boulevard in El Sereno. Though located on a fairly commercial strip of street, the new venue is less than a mile from Cal State LA, so it's not exactly in the middle of nowhere.

In addition to roller derby, the Dolls have used their facilities in the past to host community events, as well as classes in roller derby for youth and adults. Though the 31,000-square-foot building is smaller than their former home (50,000 square feet), it will allow them to continue such programming, says a statement on their website.

The new Doll Factory will open to the public on May 16, when it hosts its first of many roller derbies.
· L.A. Derby Dolls get ready to roll to a new home in El Sereno [ELA]
· Derby Dolls's Doll Factory in HiFi to Be Demolished For Condos [Curbed LA]

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