RECOMMENDED LA GOTH / FETISH / INDUSTRIAL PARTIES
† The two biggest and arguably best nights are Bar Sinister and Das Bunker. Read my extensive 2012 report and tell them I sent you!
† Circus Disco Batcave – a huge monthly party with five rooms, a patio, performances and a colorful crowd.
† Das Bunker at Catch One: Goth, industrial, power noise rooms. Live bands such as Combichrist and Apoptygma Berzerk.
† Bar Sinister – an elegant two-floor club decorated like Dracula’s lair. Hosts special Gothic events, such as the Alice in Wonderland party.
† Wolfpak/MRX: minimal, synth, electro, Goth DJs and bands. Always a fabulous, well-dressed turnout.

OTHER GOTH / FETISH / INDUSTRIAL / ALT EVENTS IN LA
† Perversion: A large industrial room and smaller Goth 1980s floor at Evil Club Empire in Hollywood.
† Club Hell at The Ivar, Hollywood. Fetish shows, Goth and cyber music.
† Ruin Hollywood at the Monte Cristo. Old school Goths, absinthe bar, torture room.
† Burlesque performers at Bordello – a red-velvet-plush downtown bar with classic cocktails.

GAY / LGBT CLUB NIGHTS IN LA
† Mr Black – gay-friendly glamor every Monday night at Bardot Hollywood.
† Rupaul’s Drag Race viewing party – episode screenings and live performances by the contestants, Mondays at Micky’s West Hollywood.

SHOPPING FOR GOTH, ALTERNATIVE, VINTAGE CLOTHES IN LOS ANGELES
† Check out this blog post about Melrose shopping. Some of the stores are hit-and-miss, but you’ll find Goth stores such as Shrine, Congregation of the Forgotten Saints (they carry Lip Service), and a new corset shop. Visit Voom, Slow Vintage and Timeless, which carries Japanese/Korean labels.
† Heavy Red is a LA-based designer of Gothic clothing for men and women. I wore a black and red corset from this label here.
† Fairfax Village (Fairfax between Melrose and Beverly) has a great selection of inexpensive vintage, including Out of the Closet.
† Burbank’s costume and vintage stores are fantastic.
† If you take a trip to Disneyland, stop by Halloween Town on the way back for costumes and props.
† For Goth paintings, spooky gifts and serial killer art, you must go to Hyaena Gallery in Burbank.

BEST RESTAURANT IN LA: M CAFE DE CHAYA
There’s healthy, yummy food all over LA, but I always make a stop at M Cafe de Chaya. The soy lattes, eggplant inari, peanut butter kale, chocolate cake, strawberry cupcakes… ahh! You can see more photos here; this is macrobiotic food at its best.

What are your favorite LA shopping, clubbing and eating spots? My Japan LA guide (maid cafes, Visual Kei stores, Jpop parties) is coming right up!

If you’re planning a Tokyo trip, do check out my Gothic Lolita shopping guide and Japanese Goth club guide. If you have questions about anything, leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to reply.

† WHO IS LA CARMINA? † I am a professional Goth/subcultures blogger, travel TV host and arranger, author of 3 books (Penguin USA and Random House), designer and CNNGo.com writer. My popular blog on Japan Gothic Lolita fashion / Visual Kei – www.lacarmina.com/blog – has been featured in major publications (The New Yorker, Washington Post, WWD, Village Voice, Time Out New York, LA Times). I’ve appeared on The Today Show and co-hosted an episode of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern for Travel Channel, which airs in 75 countries. NHK Japan filmed a documentary about my work; recent TV hosting and arranging credits include Dutch Pepsi, Sony Australia, Canal Plus France, and CNN International in Tokyo. I will be the Asia host for educational travel TV series, Project Explorer.
View my TV reels and full biography.

I run a coolhunting / trend consulting / TV hosting and arranging company: La Carmina & The Pirates.
– We specialize in Japan, Goth, alternative, cosplay, burlesque, LGBT, fashion, pop culture.
– Our services include TV production coordinating, on-camera hosting, Japanese translation and guiding, coolhunting, consulting.
– We’ve worked with CNN, NHK, Travel Channel, Canal Plus, Sony Australia, Dutch Pepsi, NRK Norway.
– For more about our services, please visit our Pirates website.

Please feel free to contact La Carmina if you’d like to work with me in any capacity (TV hosting, arranging, writing, etc.) You can also keep in touch via my social networks below. Domo arigato gozaimasu!