November

Hoop-lah

Basketball Coach Dan Monson looks at the upcoming season

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DIG magazine

RISE AGAINST

5

NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

DIG magazine

BY JESSICA IAVAZZI

Editor’s Letter

EDITORIAL Editor In Chief Jessica Iavazzi Managing Editor Dale Johnson Art Director Andy Franks Associate Editor Lauren Darmody Online Editor Jessi Hecht Contributing Writers Alexandra Kahm PHONE: (562) 985-7984 FAX: (562) 985-5053 digmageditor@gmail.com 1250 Bellflower Blvd.

SSPA 030 Long Beach, CA 90840-4601

PRODUCTION Advertising Beverly Munson PHONE: (562) 985-5736 FAX: (562) 985-1750 1250 Bellflower Blvd.

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More Than Words

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ovember is the month of giving thanks for everything we have and taking the time to tell our loved ones how grateful we are to have them in our lives. I want to dedicate this issue to my support system – my family and friends in Las Vegas and my friends in Long Beach, who are my California family (those girls in the picture with me) and give thanks for how much they all mean to me. I encourage everyone to use this month to do the same!

For the cover of this issue, DIG was lucky to get an interview with rock band Rise Against. These extremely talented musicians have just released their fifth studio album and are always raising very important issues by not being afraid to speak their minds. Everyone should check out the influential music of these rising stars!

We also have a preview this month of the men’s basketball team (go show your support and join Monson Maniacs), a profile of international songstress Estelle, a feature on Long Beach’s brand new opening musical Silk Stockings (check it out at our very own Carpenter Performing Arts Center this whole month) and a look into some of Los Angeles’ most famous and historic hotels.

One student also voiced her thoughts about the Great American Smokeout – a day encouraging people to kick their smoking habits. Also, don’t forget about DIG Mag Online with even more online exclusives and reviews.

Happy November to everyone, and I hope you all enjoy your day of turkey, family and football as much as I will (Go Cowboys!). In the words of John F. Kennedy, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live them.”

Art Credits Rise Against: Tim Harmon, courtesy of Universal Music Group Basketball: Long Beach State Media Estelle:Atlantic Records Historic L.A.:The Hollywood Roosevelt, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Hotel Bel-Air, Chateau Marmont, Millenium Biltmore.

Silk Stockings: Musical Theater West

© Dig & 49er Publications Board 2008.

Dig Magazine is a publication of Dig & 49er Publications Board. Signed letters or e-mails are welcomed, appreciated and must include authors’ name.

Help the DIG legend live on!

Get Involved! Visit our off ice or website!

SSPA 030 or digmagonline.com

Los Angeles’ most famous landmarks have seen better scandals than what happens in Hollywood today.

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Contents November 2008 4 5 8 10 12

Opinion One student speaks out about the Great American Smokeout.

Cover Story An interview with Rise Against’s guitarist Zach Blair.

14 16

Scene Los Angeles’ most historic hotels aren’t off-limits to students.

Calendar Your guide to concerts, on campus events and local happenings.

Sports Coach Monson looks ahead at the ’08 Men’s basketball season.

In-Depth “Silk Stockings” returns to Long Beach after a 55-year hiatus.

Music Hip Hop and R&B singer Estelle is rising to the top of the charts.

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DIG

Opinion

Kicking the

Habit

The California American Cancer Society encourages smokers to quit on the annual Great American Smokeout

By Alexandra Kahm

4 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

O

Illustration By Bryan Walton

n Nov. 18, 1976, nearly one million smokers pledged to quit smoking for the day. Even more unbelievable is the fact that all these pledges came from California alone.

It was the California Division of the American Cancer Society that began this event, known as the Great American Smokeout.

The Great American Smokeout is an annual event that went nationwide in 1977 and takes place the third Thursday of November. The premise of the event is to ultimately get smokers to quit smoking tobacco for 24 hours, increasing awareness about the importance of quitting smoking in the hopes that the smokers will realize quitting is not impossible.

It’s no secret that smoking cigarettes has become the popular norm.

But what exactly prompted the Great American Smokeout in 1976?

Lynn R. Smith, editor of the Moticello Times in Minnesota, was a key contributor in the creation of the Great American Smokeout. It was because of his idea in 1974, Minnesota’s Don’t Smoke Day, which inspired the American Cancer Society to create its own event.

According to the American Cancer Society, research shows smokers are most successful in kicking the habit when they have some means of support yet, they say that only 1 in 7 current smokers report trying any therapies during his or her last attempt to quit smoking. I wonder why that is. I’m not a smoker; never have been nor ever will be, but that is not to say I am trying to criticize you smokers out there. I just wanted to tell you that there are steps you can take to quit.

In all honesty, I wonder why people begin smoking in the first place? Is it to look cool in front of peers? Is it to decrease your appetite? Could it be because smokers see it as the only way to manage their stress? There are so many reasons out there to start smoking (apparently), and yet it seems no one cares about the consequences. You may think you look cool to your friends when you’re in your teens and early twenties, but how cool will it look when you are suffering from cancer later on in life?

Take the opportunity on Nov. 20 to make a declaration that you don’t need smoking to live your everyday life. Know that no one is going to consider you a bad person or a loser for trying to quit; in fact, people should be proud that you are responsible enough to take control of your health.

Please don’t be one of the 8.6 million people living with serious illnesses caused by smoking. Instead, be the person that lives life to the fullest and show the world you are in charge of your destiny.

DIG

Cover Story

Rise Against >> Not afraid to speak their minds, this rock foursome is raising eyebrows with their fifth studio album

By Jessica Iavazzi “I think a true Rise Against fan will definitely understand that the band is a political band, the band is going to throw some issues at you, the band is going to make you think,” Blair said about their continuously opinionated content. “So if it’s a true fan, I don’t think anything is going to come out of left field for them. I think they are going to be pretty aware and pretty ready for whatever it is we’re going to say to them, and if it’s someone who hasn’t heard about us, it

on

might be a little shocking at first.”

o he

After getting its start in the local Chicago music scene with their early inde-

nat

pendent releases, The Unraveling (2001)

nt oit rze

foursome – vocalist Tim McIlrath, bassist

and Revolutions Per Minute (2003), this Joe Principe, drummer Brandon Barnes, and newcomer Blair – began to see real success with its 2004 breakthrough, “Si-

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Is be re ms ur it

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ren Song of the Counter Culture.” Catching the ears of alternative fans with its first

In a society of rising gas prices, a declining stock market and dubious weapons of mass destruction, one band is not afraid to voice their stance and bring these important issues to the surface. Known for their political lyrics and making a powerful impact on their audience, Rise Against continues to question the information disseminated into society and reach a plethora of listeners in the process. Now straddling the line between underground punk and mainstream rock, guitarist Zach Blair spoke to DIG from Cleveland, Ohio on the eve of their national head lining tour promoting their very political fifth studio album, “Appeal to Reason.”

single “Give It All” and the acoustic “Swing Life Away” and touring on top bills like the Vans Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos, this underground punk group saw their sales dramatically increase, reaching near Gold status. The 2006 follow-up, “The Sufferer and the Witness,” solidified its status on the charts with singles “Ready to Fall” and “Prayer of the Refugee,” and now “Appeal to Reason” begs to take the band into the mainstream category for good.

“With every record the band tries to take a step forward, and I think with every record this band is trying to do that,” Blair said about this new release.

digmagonline.com | NOVEMBER 2008 5

DIG

Cover Story

Recorded with longtime producers and friends, Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, Rise Against returned to their “home studio” in Fort Collins, Colo. for their latest album’s creation. Blair notes that Stevenson and Livermore are “like members of the band” and everyone was “on the same page and had the same ideals” of what they wanted for this record. The result was a dramatic, thought-provoking album, featuring its first single, “Re-Education (Through Labor),” about people wanting to end Communism or straying from the belief and being put into work camps to change their ideals, and it sets the tone for this album with its overpolitical message.

“I think the idea is, especially nowadays, to write about the political status,” Blair said. “This band has always written about what’s going on and what has gone on. The shitty thing is that with politics, it sort of repeats itself.”

Acoustic-based “Hero of War” brings up the most prominent issue on the album and in today’s nation – the war in Iraq. Based on stories told to the band, the song fuses many characters dealing with military recruitment; situations at Abu Gharib, Guantanamo Bay and the Haditha revenge killing for an IED explosion; and the Iraq War and battles in the Middle East. Blair notes this as a standout track that will have a lasting impression on many people and “the message of that song is going to raise some eyebrows, and it’s going to get a lot of people to thank a lot of people.”

Other tracks deviate from the political theme, like “Audience of One” that has McIlrath voicing the band’s fears about leaving behind the underground scene: “Maybe we’ve outgrown all the things that we once loved/Run away/But what are we running from.” But it is Rise Against’s trademark sound, uncompromising and unforgiving lyrics that keep audiences engaged and wanting to hear the hushed messages they aren’t hearing elsewhere.

6 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

THE EVOLUTION OF

RISE AGAINST Siren Song of the Counter Culture

With a concerned fan base behind them, Rise Against made the jump to a major label with this release in August of 2004. After previously putting out two independent albums, the band began to rise to success with their featured acoustic song “Swing Life Away.” The track reached No. 12 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and became its highest-ranking single of the time.

>> STANDOUT TRACK: “Dancing For Rain”

The Sufferer and the Witness

Two years later, Rise Against released their second album under Geffen, showcasing the band’s refined talents and ascension to a larger rock scene. Peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart, the record was positively received by critics and audiences and earned the band its heaviest airplay to date with singles like “The Good Left Undone” and “Behind Closed Doors.”

>> STANDOUT TRACK: “Roadside”

Appeal to Reason

The band’s latest studio album was released on October 7, 2008 and was the first with current guitarist Zach Blair. The record surpassed the band’s first two major label releases by debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

>> STANDOUT TRACK: “Savior”

“It’s something people want, it’s something these people are secretly thinking themselves and haven’t heard about,” Blair said.

“They’re watching the news and getting fed all this bullshit, and it’s like, this is ridiculous, and then they come see a band that actually says what they are thinking and talks about the things they are thinking.”

These touring veterans will once again be taking their strong messages on the road and will reach cities all over the nation while promoting their new album for the next two years. No longer the 20-something-year-old kids as when they started, the members now have to juggle life on the road with families and children at home.

“It gets really hard, but at the end of the day I think all of us get home and we all get antsy after about a week because we feel like there is something missing,” Blair said. “It’s one of those things you’re just programmed to do and when you’re not, it feels like something’s wrong.”

One thing I know Rise Against is doing right? This band is opening eyes and reeducating audiences. o Client: Long Beach Transit | Agency: Nostrums, Inc. | Job 08-LBT-126 College | Description HalfPage, BW | Size: 7.5" x 5" | Pub. DIG

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9/29/08 10:39:19 AM

DIG

Sports

In Monson We Trust

Entering his second year as head coach at LBSU, Dan Monson looks to mold a young men’s basketball team into title contenders in the Big West

By Dale Johnson

W

hen the final buzzer rang out through The Pyramid on Nov. 10, 2007, mercifully marking the end of last year’s Long Beach State men’s basketball home opening 40-point blowout courtesy of BYU, I looked across the court from the bewildered student section to the LBSU bench and wondered how new head coach Dan Monson would ever survive the season.

The Monson era of Long Beach State basketball couldn’t have gotten off to much of a worse start, due in large part to the decidedly short sided hand that Monson was dealt his first year. Every single player who made an impact the previous year had graduated, and to make matters worse the program was put on probation because of recruiting violations left over from the previous year’s coaching regime. Throw in some young and inexperienced

8 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

players, and it’s no wonder The Beach limped to a 6-25 record.

“You have to be careful on just evaluating your team on wins and losses,” Monson said from his office overlooking center court of The Pyramid. “Last year’s team was who they were, by no fault of theirs. But they worked hard everyday and they did improve throughout the year. Once you have your team in place, that’s all you can really judge them on, how hard they are working and if they improve and that they continue to be coachable, and they certainly did that last year.”

As the season wore on, from my front row spot in the Monson Maniac student section, I saw Monson get in players’ faces when they weren’t doing something right. I saw immediate substitutions after haphazard play from several 49ers. I even saw Monson kick the rotating advertisements under the scorekeeper’s table a few times. But one thing I never saw was Monson give up. Every minute on the court was a time to learn and improve, and Monson consistently instilled this idea in his players’ heads.

It’s this intensity and will to win that makes me most excited about the Monson era at LBSU.

o

The REAL Fans Join the Mania There is no better seat for students in the Walter Pyramid than the “Monson Maniacs” student section. By signing up for the Maniacs, students not only reserve a spot in the courtside section, but also are eligible for a $1,000 drawing each home game. Sign-up fee is only $5 and it includes a exclusive T-shirt as well as a pizza party with Coach Monson, bus trips to away games and other prizes from sponsors. You can sign up anytime in the Pyramid marketing office or stop by homecoming on Nov. 22 to join the Maniacs and help make the Pyramid crowd the “6th man” The Beach needs this year.

Though the team has made huge strides since last season, Monson is the first to admit that the team still has some work to do and will have to focus increasingly hard to succeed this season. To ignite this improvement, the coach’s number one goal regarding this upcoming season was getting the best recruiting class that he could.

“The new recruits are going to be relied on a lot heavier here than at most places, and that was a premise that we recruited them on,” Monson said. “We told them when we recruited them that we needed them to come in and make an impact and be able to help us right away.”

Freshman recruits like backup point guard Casper Ware, highly athletic Long Beach native Larry Anderson, strong inside presence T.J. Robinson, new addition Eugene Phelps, and the 7-foot true freshman Mike Vantrimpont will all be called upon by Monson throughout the year to provide support to the team. With this new team Monson hopes to implore a “more uptempo offense, be able to play more straight man-to-man defense and be able to be a little more conventional.” Most importantly, these new players will provide more scoring options, something that was sorely lacking from last year’s team.

“Hopefully we have some other players to help alleviate some of the scoring that Donovan Morris had to do last year,” Monson said. “We just did not have a lot of scoring options. Donovan did a great job of doing what he needed to do for our team to be successful. The problem was it was pretty unrealistic.”

Morris will look to build upon his impressive junior campaign, where he led the league in scoring, by being more efficient on the court and utilizing the new weapons around him.

“The biggest thing Morris has to do is that we need the same production out of him this year as we did last year, but we need to do it more efficiently,” Monson said. “Instead of doing it in 39 minutes, hopefully in 34 or 35 and not have to play as many minutes. It would be great if he averaged 20 points again, but instead of doing it in 15 shots, doing it in 11 or 12.”

One of the most important aspects of providing help to Morris will be strengthening the inside game and having a strong presence near the hoop.

“My biggest concern going into the year is that we do have an inside presence,” Monson said. “Brian Freeman has gained about 30 pounds and hopefully that added strength will help him be able to get post-position better.

Andrew Flemming has gained 20 pounds, Arturas Lazdauskas is in the best shape of his career. All these guys have worked really hard to try and shore up our inside game.”

This young 49er team will be tested right from the beginning, with tough non-conference games at BYU, University of Wisconsin and Syracuse - all traditional powerhouse basketball programs.

“The schedule is certainly a little ambitious for this team, but I think we’ll learn a lot about who we are in those games,” Monson said. “It’s a fine line as a coach though, to find out who you are, but you also don’t want the players to lose their confidence.”

Monson hopes his team will be able to gain valuable experience from these tough road games and carry it into Big West conference play in a year in which the division seems as wide open and unpredictable as ever. With consistent improvement and dedication, Monson hopes that he can mold these young players into a solid team that can compete each night.

“Every year you strive to win championships. Is that realistic this year? I don’t know,” Monson said. “There is a lot of newness here. I expect this team to be able to compete with every team in the Big West, and I think that if we continue to improve throughout the year that by March we will be consistent enough to put three games together in the league tournament to get to the NCAA.” Under the watchful eyes of Coach Monson, the men’s basketball team hopes to improve greatly throughout the year and make another run at the NCAA tournament. Beyond wins and losses, Monson has a bigger goal for Long Beach State basketball: a return to its roots as a powerhouse basketball program.

“Long Beach State has a great basketball tradition, and we want to re-establish that,” Monson said. “I want to re-establish this as one of the premiere basketball programs on the west coast as it has been in past years. We want to get back to that point, but we want to make sure we do that in the right way.

We want to make sure we don’t take any shortcuts to get there and that we get there with the right kind of people.”

If there was ever a coach I believe can do this for The Beach, it’s Dan Monson. o

digmagonline.com | NOVEMBER 2008 9

DIG

In-Depth

“Silk Stockings” Revived >> DIG goes in-depth and discovers how this 55-year dormant musical is making a comeback on the stage at Cal State Long Beach

By Dale Johnson

L

ove, singing, dancing and communism? What may seem like a strange combination is actually the basis for Musical Theatre West’s latest production, “Silk Stockings,” which will be debuting at Cal State Long Beach’s Carpenter Center for the first time in over 50 years from Nov. 7-23.

“Silk Stockings,” loosely based on the 1939 movie “Ninotchka,” was made into a Broadway show which ran briefly in the late 1950s and was made into a 1957 film starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.. The story follows the exploits of both Americans and Russians during the Cold War, and their interactions and how they look to shape the others’ ideas. So what does it take to transform a musical like this into the 21st century and back into production?

Getting the Ball Rolling

Since he was young, writer/director Stuart Ross had always had an interest in the musical “Silk Stockings.” In fact, he had listened to the Cole Porter produced score when he was a child on his parent’s 45 record player. Years later, after he had become famous director and writer in the world of theater, he ironically again encountered “Silk Stockings.”

“I was watching the movie one day and I saw what was wrong with it, why it wasn’t working,” Ross said. “I got the rights from the Porter Estate, because what I wanted to do was take “Silk Stockings” back towards “Ninotchka” and away from the spoof on Communism that it had become in its theatre form, and focus more on the real love story and the changing of ideals that was taking place at the time.”

It was this fresh take on “Silk Stockings” that greatly excited the Porter Estate and allowed Ross full creative freedom with the piece. Along with the original score for “Silk Stockings,” Ross was also granted the rights to use other Cole Porter songs from other shows that he had worked on. This opened up Ross’ imagination further, allowing him to intertwine even more music into “Silk Stockings.”

Ross added a talented staff to the mix, including renowned choreographer Lee Martino to help take “Silk Stockings” to the next level.

“Musical Theatre West has been one of my favorite organizations to work for, and me and the director Stuart Ross had worked together a few years back,” Martino said. “So when I was approached to do ‘Silk Stockings’ I was ecstatic because it was really the best of both worlds.”

Bringing The Cold War To The Modern Era

With Ross’ plans in motion to get “Silk Stockings” produced again, his next main goal was to modernize the story and to strike a balance between updating the events of the musical, but also staying true to the roots of the original. Ross’ first step was to change the time period of the musical.

“What was difficult was trying to find the right time period to set it in. It was set in 1956 and I pushed it up to be right at the brink of the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis time period,” Ross said.

“The hardest thing is to try and enrich the story, but not take too much time in doing it, to make sure that the songs have time to live

10 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

within the play dramatically.”

Ross did a tremendous amount of research on the time period to gain a comprehensive understanding of the American and Russian relations of the time and also how the movie business was operating at the time because the main story of “Silk Stockings” involves the production of a movie.

It’s this research effort that Ross hopes will give the musical an authentic, yet still familiar feel that the audience will be able to relate to.

Martino also heavily researched the time period so that she could correctly implement and mirror trends that were going on in dance during the 1950s. This history plus a little creative freedom is what formed the backbone of “Silk Stockings’” choreography.

“You hook in to the time period and do some research and find what the latest dance crazes were,” Martino said. “In ‘Silk Stockings,’ we are adding in a lot of different dances, some jive, swing, we are incorporating a little bit of tap and some fun character driven stuff. We tend to make it focus a bit more on musical theater than the actual time period, but keep it authentic at the same time.”

Putting It All Together

Ross and Martino aren’t sure how “Silk Stockings” will be received 55 years after its first inception, but their dedication to the project and love of what they do guarantees that it will be done in a passionate way.

“We are all working towards this creative end, and it’s fun and it’s exciting,” Ross said. “It’s this kind of production that was in the back of your head when you thought about getting into the theater business, and it’s everything that I could have hoped for.”

You can check out “Silk Stockings” for yourself on campus from Nov. 7-23 at the Carpenter Center. Student tickets are available. Visit www.musical.org for more information. o

>> Ninotchka Yoschenko (Cyd Charisse) and Steve Canfield (Fred Astaire) in the 1957 film “Silk Stockings”.

digmagonline.com | NOVEMBER 2008 11

DIG

Music

SHINING STAR

By Lauren Darmody

International songstress Estelle is taking over our radio waves with her eclectic sound and collaborations with some of the industry’s top artists.

C

onquering the U.S. charts with the hit song “American Boy” and now being based in New York, you would never guess that R&B songstress Estelle Swaray is from West London, except for her accent.

“Oh, it’s already evolved,” Estelle, 28, said about her developing sound because of now being rooted in the U.S. “I think it’s evolved more because I’ve been here but it’s evolved more because I grew up a little bit. For the past five years it’s just my reactions to how things have happened to me personally.”

12 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

“When I say things in my song it’s really what happened to me. And I kind of just like to talk about it rather than preach to people.”

Estelle said she has found a difference in the music business here, “I think the states there’s been a whole different level of attitude cause they want to get it right now, this second, today so now I just have to evolve quicker.”

Confident in her music and the combination of her many styles, she describes her music as a mixture of different genres including reggae, hip-hop, pop, funk, soul - pretty much a little bit of everything.

“From real life,” Estelle said of where she gets her inspiration. “When I say things in my song it’s really what happened to me. And I kind of just like to talk about it rather than preach to people.”

Collaborations on her new album “Shine,” which came out in April, include renowned names such as Kanye West, Mark Ronson, Swizz Beatz, Wyclef Jean, will.i.am, Cee-lo and of course John Legend – her album is a joint venture between his new label HomeSchool and Atlantic Records. Estelle met the Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter after she came across Kanye West about six years ago at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in L.A. and asked for an introduction with Legend. She became the first artist to sign to his new label, HomeSchool Records, and the rest is history.

Estelle said that a lot of her impressive collaborations came about because she wasn’t trying to be a groupie and was really into the music, and they realized she’s different and her sound was fresh.

“It’s a whole different thing that they hadn’t seen or hadn’t heard yet,” Estelle said. “I think that’s what it was.”

Now that she’s acquired her UK queen role in the states by releasing her popular collaboration track with Kanye West, which was created because of being surrounded by different types of sexy, half-naked men in Miami Beach, what will be her next triumphant step? “’Come Over’ - we did it featuring Sean Paul,” Estelle said of the new single released off her album “Shine.” “The song is sexy, it’s a nice song. I think it’s going to be a nice warm Christmas song – you know the one you kind of want to

snuggle with your boyfriend or whoever with.”

Though these two songs will be some of her most popular, Estelle talked about a deep connection with all of the tracks on the album.

“Every single song on that album is written from a conversation, situation or something that happened with someone like mutual conversation,” Estelle said. “I would say every single song is very personal.”

The song on her album that she said means the most to her besides “Magnificent,” the first song she wrote, is “More Than Friends” because she was actually going through the exact same situation 10 minutes before actually writing it.

“It didn’t take me long to get that out,” she said of the song “More Than Friends” because it was based on a conversation she had just had.

Besides being a hit-song producing machine in the studio, Estelle focuses her outside attention to being an ambassador for an organization called Virgin Unite, the not-for-profit foundation of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. In late September she arrived in South Africa to meet with students who are part of Women and Men on the Move (WMOM) program, which was launched in 2005 by Estelle, Dame Kelly Holmes, Sir Richard Branson and Sara Blakely. She was there to take a tour of CIDA City Campus (South Africa’s first free university in Johannesburg), which is supported by the program to train students to be HIV/AIDS peer educators, and provide them with skills to be able to build a better life for their region’s future generation.

Estelle said it was good to go out there and watch them do their thing and see the schools that are funded by Virgin Unite that they were helping to raise money for.

Future plans for Estelle? Besides going on tour with Legend next year, her next album also comes out in 2009 and she’s currently working on the new tracks. If you haven’t already embraced the unique sound of Estelle, it’s better late than never because she’ll be on the radar producing music that will be a regular on the charts for a long time. o

digmagonline.com | NOVEMBER 2008 13

DIG

Scene

o I am going to start off by saying this – the majority of us can’t afford to stay in these hotels for a night or two because they are just a tad bit expensive. But you’ll see that there is more to Los Angeles than the tall buildings, the smoggy air, the ridiculous traffic and the overly dramatic cast of The Hills. Yes, the city actually has history with a life before Britney Spears was running red lights and Katy Perry was kissing girls.

Amongst the city’s most famous landmarks, like the Kodak Theatre and the Capitol Records Building, are some historic hotels that have seen it all with some scandals better than what happens today in Hollywood. If you’re into this kind of exploring, it might be worth it to splurge one night on a room in one of these famed hotels, even if you have to split it with four friends.

1 The Hollywood Roosevelt 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood CA

1

HISTORIC L.A.

A look at some of the most notable and exclusive lodging sites in Los Angeles.

By Lauren Darmody

14 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, named after former President Theodore Roosevelt, is over 80years-old and has a rich history, even hosting the first Academy Awards in 1929. One of their “Hollywood-like” amenties is the Marilyn Monroe suite, named after the blonde bombshell who used to stay there. Legend has it that she still haunts the place. Guests can also visit the Tropicana Poolside Bar to bask in the sun by day or indulge in the sultry lounge it turns into at night, which was recently featured on the hit TV show “90210.” Their indoor cocktail hot spot, Teddy’s, has been called seductive and glamorous, but don’t expect to see the inside if you don’t know someone. Rates could range anywhere from $296 for a regular superior room to up to $850 for the cabana suite

2 The Beverly Hills Hotel 9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills CA

Built in 1912, this hotel has been shut down several times due to the Great Depression and a two-anda-half-year restoration in 1992, but it is still the ultimate L.A. getaway. Surrounded by 12 acres of lush landscaping and a palm tree- lined pool with cabanas, it’s known locally as “The Pink Palace” and has seen many entertainers, political figures and royalty, including Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable and the Rat Pack, come through due to the privacy the resort offers. Located on Sunset Blvd., the hotel offers easy access to the city’s finest attractions while housing some of the most luxurious rooms. Their infamous 21 bungalows are like individual houses and many celebrities have called them home a time or two. The old-fashioned Polo Lounge, most famous for its breakfast menu, was built to honor a celebrity group of polo players who played near the hotel and celebrated here after.

Rates range from $485 for a superior guestroom to $4,300 for the one- bedroom presidential suite. .

3 Hotel Bel-Air

701 Stone Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA

After Bel-Air estates were established in 1922, Joseph Drown, a hotel entrepreneur from Texas, came along in 1946 to create the Hotel Bel-Air, a natural California oasis. This utmost hideaway is situated on Stone Canyon Road, secluding it from the fast-paced city. Like the Beverly Hills Hotel, it has 12 beautiful landscaped acres including the unique Swan Lake.

Awarded by Global Traveler as the No. 1 Hotel in America in 2007, it’s easy to see how this hotel can make you feel like royalty especially upon arrival when each guest is served from a complimentary tea service. The lush gardens offer a great escape from the hustle of the busy city and have served to classic celebs like Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. The hotel was even exclusive enough for Oprah Winfrey to have her 50th birthday party there. Guestroom rates range from $395 to $625, and the suites can be priced up to $4,000.

4 Chateau Marmont

8221 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood CA

High and mighty, the Chateau Marmont sits seven stories above Sunset Blvd., knowingly proud of the best Hollywood scandals and mysteries that occurred within the walls of this fortress. Replicated after the royal residence Château d’Amboise in Loire Valley of France, this hotel has seen it all. With the numerous affairs and the bungalow parties, it’s no wonder why Harry Cohn, founder of Columbia Pictures, said “If you must get in

trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.” Although this hotel is famously referenced in many songs, movies and books, it is still exclusive enough for the most elite guests. With a heated outdoor pool, massage therapists by arrangement and the Bar Marmont offering exquisite European influenced dining, you’d be silly not to come check this infamous hotel out and be amongst the best who have entered its doors. Old celebs, like John Belushi and James Dean, as well as new young Hollywood stars have stepped foot in the hotel making it a hotspot to see or be seen at. Rooms start at $370 for a standard bedroom and are $3,700 and up for a two-bedroom penthouse suite.

5 Millennium Biltmore

506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA

Five minutes from the Staples Center, the historical Millennium Biltmore Hotel is celebrating its 85-year anniversary this year. The luxurious hotel has a very classic European style and includes a Roman-style indoor swimming pool, five dazzling ballrooms and four unique bars and restaurants. Their meeting facilities have earned many awards such as the Pinnacle Award from “Successful Meeting.” The hotel has also been a filming location for many motion pictures. One thing that’s different about the hotel that they are newly advertising are their new go-green policies to better preserve the environment. Their 683 guest rooms and suites are elegantly furnished and are priced from the $100 range up to around $400 for a junior suite. o

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Calendar

November

>> Your guide to concerts, on campus events and local happenings.

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All Time Low House of Blues, Nov. 2

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This Time Next Year @ Chain Reaction, 7 p.m., $10 All Time Low @ HOB Anaheim, 7 p.m., $16

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Women’s Basketball exhibition game vs.

Love & Basketball @ The Pyramid, 7 p.m.

Jack’s Mannequin @ HOB Anaheim, 7 p.m., $25

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10

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Beck @ Club NOKIA, 7 p.m., $71.50/ $41.50 No Use For a Name @ Chain Reaction, 7:30 p.m., $15

Women’s Basketball vs. San Diego State @ The Pyramid, 2 p.m.

A Cursive Memory @ Troubadour, 6 p.m., $9.99

23

Backstreet Boys @ Hollywood Palladium, 8 p.m., $49.50

30

Jonas Brothers @ Hollywood Palladium, 6 p.m., $79.50

4

California Repertory Company presents The Kentucky Cycle Part I @ Long Beach Armory, 7:30 p.m.

Hinder w/ Trapt @ The Wiltern, 7 p.m., $39.50/ $25.50

11

Copeland @ El Rey Theatre, 7 p.m., $15 Method Man & Red Man @ HOB Sunset, 8 p.m., $25

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Matisyahu @ Club NOKIA, 6:30 p.m., $21.50 Misfits @ HOB Sunset, 8 p.m., $22.50

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Coldplay @ The Honda Center, 7:30 p.m., $97.50/ $49.50 Deerhunter @ El Rey Theatre, 8 p.m., $16.50

16 NOVEMBER 2008 | digmagonline.com

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A Cursive Memory Troubadour, Nov. 16

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Coheed and Cambria @ The Avalon, 7 p.m., $25 Carrie Underwood @ NOKIA Theater LA LIVE, 7:30 p.m., $57.50/ $37.50

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CSULB Student Films @ Directors Guild of America Theatre in Hollywood, 7:30 p.m., free.

Madonna @ Dodger Stadium, 7:30 p.m., $350/ $55

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Lupe Fiasco @ Club Men’s Water Polo Nokia, 8 p.m., $31.50 vs. LMU @ campus pool, 7 p.m.

Taking Back Sunday @ Club NOKIA, 6 p.m., $25

Usher @ Club NOKIA, Mest @ El Rey 7:30 p.m., $126.50/ Theatre, 7 p.m., $17 Warren G @ Key $86.50 Club LA, 8:30 p.m., $25

Carrie Underwood NOKIA Theater, Nov. 5

The Decemberists @ The Wiltern, 9 p.m., $27.50

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Nas @ Club NOKIA, 6:30 p.m., $51.50/ $41.50 Hellogoodbye @ The Knitting Factory, 7:30 p.m., $15

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Thanksgiving

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Jedi Mind Tricks @ The Music Box at the Fonda, 8 p.m., $20 Hawthorne Heights w/ Emery @ The Glass House, 7 p.m., $20

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Hanson @ HOB Sunset, 8 p.m., $36 Face to Face @ HOB Anaheim, 7 p.m., $22

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Women’s Basketball vs. San Jose State @ The Pyramid, 7 p.m.

Chelsea Handler @ Long Beach Convention Center, 8:00 p.m., $35/ $30

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Metro Station @ Club NOKIA, 6 p.m., $15 Pierce The Veil @ Chain Reaction, 7:30 p.m., $12

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Rise Against w/ Alkaline trio and Thrice @ Hollywood Palladium, 7:30 p.m., $33, Nov. 1-2 Jason Mraz @ The Greek Theater, 7:30 p.m., $42.50/$35

8

Men’s basketball exhibition game @ The Pyramid, 4 p.m.

Before Their Eyes w/ LoveHateHero @ Chain Reaction, 7 p.m., $12

15

Men’s Water Polo vs. Cal @ campus pool, noon.

Minus The Bear @ The Glass House, 7 p.m., $18

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Homecoming @ Lot 13, 12-4 p.m. followed by Men’s Basketball vs. Weber State @ The Pyramid, 4 p.m.

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Secondhand Serenade w/ Cute is What We Aim For @ HOB Anaheim, 6 p.m., $17 Celine Dion @ The Honda Center, 8 p.m., $185/ $46.50