Special Gays R Us comedy night fundraiser for AIDS Project L.A...

Do you live in L.A., love comedy and want to support a worthy cause?

Well you're in luck, as this Wednesday night (February 2, 2011) at 8pm the monthly Gays R Us comedy show is hosting a special benefit at the Hollywood Improv (at 8162 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood) for my AIDS Project L.A. fundraising.

I've already raised over $2,000 in sponsorship to run the L.A. Marathon on March 20, 2011, but the comedy night's producer, funny lady and regular host, Erin Foley, is putting together a fun-filled stand-up comedy event to help raise even more money to help people affected by HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles.

The hilarious line-up includes Scott Thompson from Kids in the Hall, Liz Feldman, Jason Dudey, Jackie Loeb, Gloria Bigelow, Gina Yashere and Erin Foley.

Proceeds from the ticket price will go towards APLA, so if you can make the special event please check out the Gays R Us facebook fanpage for more details or you can buy tickets from the Hollywood Improv's box office.

Come along and help raise more money for charity, whilst having a laugh and a drink. Hopefully see you there....

The Angel of Islington...

I'm always on the look out for angels on the streets of L.A., but they always seem to catch my eye in other cities around the world too.

Take for example this fantastic metal sculpture at Angel underground station in Islington, London.

On the way for a lovely Sunday roast lunch at the Winchester, we passed by this sculpture and I couldn't resist snapping a few photos.

This 'Angel' is by Kevin Boys from 1996 and I'm sure most Londoners pass by it every day on the way to and from work without giving it a second look.

I think it's great and am glad it managed to catch my magpie eye.

Let's see what else I can spy in my time left in London...

January's coolest billboards around L.A...

Even though there have been very few new movies in 2011 to brag about, January has been a good month for billboards, mainly due to new TV seasons debuting. Here's the best this month had to offer the city skyline of L.A. from the world of television, film, fashion and more.

TV billboards

Let's kick off with this dramatic looking billboard for new superhero television show, The Cape, snapped on the side of NBC Studios in Burbank.

It was such a fantastic way to end 2010 when President Obama pushed through the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the U.S. military and one can't help but hope there'll be a snowball effect for gay rights in the States following this momentous decision. So it's nice to see this very timely HBO billboard for Bill Maher's own unique brand of political satire.

Not only is she one of entertainment's most powerful (and richest) women, but now Oprah has her 'OWN' cable channel, funnily enough called the 'Oprah Winfrey Network'. No wonder she's beaming on this billboard on the side of the Andaz Hotel along the Sunset Strip.

And Oprah's no stranger to weight issues, so it's only appropriate that we follow with this billboard for A&E's reality weight-loss docudrama, Heavy.

Friends star Matt LeBlanc resurfaces in Hollywoodland for this fun billboard for new sitcom Episodes, which really does poke fun at LA-LA land.

If boxing and blood aren't your thing, then look away from this billboard for new FX drama Lights Out.

RuPaul's back and I can't wait for the third season of Drag Race on the Logo channel. The first two seasons were a riot and the guest judges keep getting better and better, so let the high-camp contest begin.

I'd never heard of Selling New York, then these billboards for the second season start popping up around town and next I'm seeing ads for the show every time I switch on the TV, friends are watching it and everyone seems to be talking about it. Obviously the economy and property market has recovered in New York City (if it ever crashed).

Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez join the judging panel of American Idol for the tenth season of the reality talent show and you have to wonder are people tuning in for the contestants or for the high profile newcomers.

A name like Mongo Wrestling Alliance sounds like just another dumb cartoon show, but with Adult Swim you know there'll be more to this animated show than meets the eye. The billboard does make me laugh though.

Heidi Klum shows her funnier side with this billboard for her new Lifetime show, Seriously Funny Kids. Personally I love her blunt Germanic comments on Project Runway, they always make me laugh.

I love this billboard for Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, it's a such a bright highlight and eye-catching visual for the start of the year.

Another favourite this month is this third season billboard for gritty L.A. based cop drama Southland, its nighttime cityscape of the City of Angels reminds me how great this sprawling city looks when then the sun goes down. And in front of this billboard is the Kiss Guitar from Sunset Strip's GuitarTown public art installation.

If you're a fan of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, you'll probably like this new medical drama from the show's creators, Off The Map. If you ask me though, they are trying too hard to evoke LOST's Sawyer with this visual for my liking.

Betty White and co. return for another season of Hot in Cleveland and they look like they are pleased to be back in this second season billboard.

Billboards for new show, Fairy Legal, seem to have dominated L.A.'s skyline this month.

There's a slew of U.S. remakes of British series debuting this month, from Skins on MTV to Shameless on Showtime, not to mention Being Human on Syfy.

You have to admit this version of Shameless looks like it's been given a glamourous Hollywood makeover compared to the gritty and grubby original Channel 4 series set on a Manchester council estate.

Both Shameless and the fifth and final season billboard for Big Love can currently be found on the 9000 building along the Sunset Strip, one facing east and one facing west.

Movie billboards

January is never the best month for movies and that's probably why there are not that many great billboards for new films lining the skies, but I do like this spooky creative for Anthony Hopkins new exorcism movie The Rite (obviously it helps to have played Hannibal Lecter to immediately evoke horror connotations with those eyes).

After the unsettling Black Swan, No Strings Attached must be the perfect antidote for Natalie Portman, whilst Ashton Kutcher sticks to his usual romantic comedy territory.

The Green Hornet movie was a fun action romp and i loved the marketing campaign for the film which featured glow in the dark logos and headlights that actually lit up at night on the billboard along the Sunset Strip.

Ah, Jennifer Aniston, will you ever stop doing romantic comedies? You were really good in The Good Girl, so why not try flexing your acting muscles again and surprise us with an action, sci-fi or period movie. In the meantime enjoy the billboard for her latest movie with Adam Sandler, Just Go With It.

Finally for movies, is this funny and giant billboard for new animated feature Gnomeo & Juliet. It really does make a great visual impact along Sunset Plaza.

Fashion billboards

I love this new season billboard for Prada (which steals one of Armani's usual spots), it's bold and colourful and totally fashion darling.

I also loved this new Emporio Armani billboard which seemed to be breathing new life into and letting the sun shine on a brand new fashion season.

Music billboards

He may be gone, but he's not forgotten and this billboard for Michael Jackson's posthumous album is still around in the new year.

Technology billboards

I love these bright new billboards for Verizon's 4G service, they are so vibrant and colourful it helps you forget they are for a dull telecommunications brand.

If you loved the creatives above, be sure you also check out the inaugural BABs (Best Advertising Billboard Awards) from 2010 at my other blog Daily Billboard.

I'll see you for another round-up next month...

Amused by London Underground's iPad poster...

Not only am I slowly getting used once again to the cold and dreary U.K. weather, but I'm also reacclimating to riding London's underground system (that is, when engineering works in preparation for the 2012 Olympics are not disrupting services).

Today though, I couldn't help but smile to myself when I saw this tube poster for Apple's iPad. It's an ad featuring the twitter app and a status update that reads "The sun's out but it's raining! How is that even possible?"

Oh, how I laughed. What the tweet should read is "Where's the sun? And what's with this freezing cold wind and sleet?"

Is that under 140 characters?

Let's hope we see some sun before we fly back to Los Angeles, as the weather at the moment makes for terrible photography and sight-seeing conditions...

Captivated by London's new Vroom Vroom sculpture...

After a morning at the London Film Museum (which had some interesting costumes and props on display), I decided to wander the streets of London to reacquaint myself with the city's many sights.

Vroom Vroom sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn

Not only did I discover the colourful new Jelly Baby Family at Marble Arch, but also this whimsical Vroom Vroom sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn along Park Lane.

Situated across the road from the entrance to The Dorchester Hotel, it looks like something out of a Monty Python animated sketch.

It's so captivating, you can't help but take a glut of photos from every angle.

The intriguing work of art looks like a giant child has reached down to play with his favourite toy car and is pushing it along the road, in fact the oversized aluminium hand is actually modeled after the artist's son.

The fantastic public art installation has only recently been installed in Central London, as it's already been on display in Valencia, Spain and Abu Dhabi (so it's lucky I'm in London to see it), and will be visible until April 2011.

The fun sculpture features a black vintage Fiat 500 and was apparently the first car the 44-year old Italian sculptor bought and so symbolises the artist's independence, freedom and personal growth.

I think the four-metre high piece is going to be a talking point and a draw for photographers, both local and tourists, for the months to come.

I also love the fact the sculpture comes with a bit of tarmac road complete with painted traffic lines.

Hmm, I wonder what else around London will amuse me in the coming days before I fly back to L.A...

London's Jelly Baby Family sculpture brightens my day...

As it's another grey and drizzly day in London, imagine my delight when I came across this fun and colourful new sculpture called the Jelly Baby Family, by Sculptor Mauro Perucchetti.

The eye-catching public art installation consists of a mother, father, two teenagers, a child and young twins and will delight locals and visitors alike, helping to brighten London's March Arch until April 2011.

Standing up to 10.5 ft (3.2m) tall, the work is

part of the City of Sculpture Festival of public art installations to be found throughout London's parks.

I'm just glad I had the opportunity to see it in person, even if the weather wasn't the best day for photography (but you can imagine how marvelous this sculpture would look on a sunny day with clear blue skies).

You'll find this new sculpture near another favourite of mine that I discovered on my last visit to London, Marble Arch's giant Horse Head.

Horse head sculpture by Nic Fiddian-Green

Apparently the new Jelly Baby Family piece is inspired by the idea of 'cloned mankind', observed one way they seem sweet, but from different angles the Jelly Baby sculptures can be perceived as slightly sinister.

You have to admit they do stand out and add some much needed colour on a dreary day.

Let's see what other sights I can discover over the next few days in London...