The Mandrake Bar is located in the new-ish gallery district of Culver City, on La Cienega between Washington and Venice. What bar?, you may ask - it doesn't look like much on the outside, with only a white neon sign that says Bar - but the inside is a super-cool gem of a bar, away from the madness of downtown Culver City. Because it's situated between art galleries, some may think of it as an art bar, but it's not, really. It's the hang out of art gallery workers, but that's about as far as it goes. The true focus of this bar is the house cocktails, where their creativity tends to shine.

The shortlist of cocktails is as follows, and all are made with top-shelf spirits: Tequila Sunrise (with Cazadores, chambord and soda - we told you they were creative), Mint Julep (with fresh mint from their garden), Tomato Water Martini (this is not a Bloody Mary, no matter how much you want to believe otherwise), Dark and Stormy, Moscow Mule, and Rose's Garden, a fine and fancy cucumber and mint martini. If you're not really in the mood for any of this, or are an intern at the galleries, they have a veritable wellspring of Pabst. 

2692 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles

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Open House Sundays kick off at Citizen Smith May 18.  With the tagline “Come sexy or don’t come at all,” the ongoing event promises to be a day full of revelry Miami/Ibiza style. Be sure to enjoy their extensive, delicious brunch and lunch menus along with complimentary mimosas (an incentive for you to wake up and get down there!) on the huge outdoor patio with two bars.  Open House Sundays go from noon - 10pm, and once your belly's full of mimosas, kick off your shoes and shake your thing on the dance floor! DJs are packed back to back and will blast all the freshest hits and old school beats. The best part about this is there's no cover charge all day long!

1600 North Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90028

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The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has been around for a while - hailing from San Francisco, they play twangy country Americana with a surprisingly authentic edge. They've recently pressed restart with a new vision, a new line up and a new CD. Called Beat the Devil's Tattoo, they take an aural road trip through American, picking up pieces of Memphis blues, NYC punk, and Texan swagger all along.  Beat The Devil’s Tattoo has a raw sexual energy, and presents a new style that encompasses all the new members. The firebrand fuzz bass from their first two albums B.R.M.C. and Take Them On, On Your Own emerges on “Shadows Keeper,” and “Aya,” Howl’s acoustic driven, edgy Americana is ever-present on “Long Way Down” and the title track, “Beat the Devil’s Tattoo.”

They've got a three-night stand at the Echoplex coming up March. 11 - 14. The Whigs will open Thurs., March 11, and Fri., March 12; Thousand Dozen Gloves will open Sun., March 14.

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The Art of Bleeding has been around for a while, and it's been an evolving work of art for years now. At one point, there was a robot, a gorilla, and a puppet doing lord-knows-what. But now, the Art of Bleeding show goes without that pesky robot, cheesy gorilla suit and bothersome puppet interfering. This Saturday is Nurse Appreciation Night, celebrating with  "nurses night out" at club Fetish Nation on March. 6. There will be an  interactive installation for the club's "medical fetish night," parking the ambulance in the club's courtyard as the centerpiece of a sort of field hospital for the morbidly curious.  Instructive materials and strict medical "screenings" will be available within -- courtesy of the highly qualified and minimally clad nurses -- while the improvised outdoor infirmary will feature exquisitely debilitated patients frolicking in an "educational" multimedia tent-show environment.

Special arrangements have been made for Art of Bleeding fans to get in FREE before 11pm (otherwise $25).   Just tell the nice door people "Abram sent me."  Art of Bleeding's installation will be open approximately 10pm to midnight.

Fetish Nation @ Circus nightclub, 6655 Santa Monica, Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038 (arrive early for best parking.) 21+, club goes on 9pm-3am, 10pm-12am - Dress for distress! Hospital/ER/grievous head wound-wear is high encouraged!

For more details, check out: http://artofbleeding.com/fetishnation.html

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Did you dream of having an adoring crowd of millions scream and cheer as you rocked out onstage, backed by towers of amps? Do you go to karaoke and secretly hate on all those who are taking it lightly, while you go up there and really channel Axel Rose, down to that sideways dance he does? But did your life have other plans for you, so that  you were never able to make your dreams a reality?

Enter Rock N' Roll Fantasy Camp, the answer to your prayers. For one week, you can shirk your responsibilities and live like a rock star! Stay in a hotel (trashing it is optional), spend your days jamming, recording, writing songs, and honing your craft. The best thing is you have real rockers as your camp counselors. These are people who've been in the business, traveled the long road of the rocker, and want to show others the way. At the end of the week, you get to perform live with your new band at a real rock venue in Los Angeles.

The Rock N' Roll Fantasy Camp is nothing short of spectacular - aging CEOs, high school kids, housewives, and even handicapped kids  share the stage under one goal: to ROCK!!! For one shining moment, they are living their dreams - they are rock stars playing to millions. The last session, featuring Bret Michaels and Kip Winger just ended at the Key Club, but the next one is scheduled for the last week of April, featuring Steven Tyler and Duff McKagan, with the final show at the Whiskey. Check out more info at www.rockcamp.com.

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