Thursday, August 5, 2004
My Favorite Weekend: Seth 'Shifty' Binzer
copyright Leslee Komaiko Los Angeles Times
Happy is as "Happy" does
Los Angeles Native Seth Binzer, a.k.a. Shifty Shellshock and now simply "Shifty," and his crazy town bandmate Bret "Epic" Mazur topped the singles charts in 2001 with their sexy rock-rap ditty "Butterfly." Now Binzer is doing the solo thing. His new album, "Happy Love Sick," hit the stores last week. "I tried to remove the heavy rock element" he says. "This is more surfer hip-hop: hip-hop with reggae overtones, some dance music and R&B influences." Binzer lives in Sherman Oaks with his wife, Melissa, and 19-month-old son, Halo.
Work before play
Friday I would try to go to the gym. I go to Train West Hollywood on La Cienega. My friend Brody Kramer is my trainer. We practice boxing, then I do a lot of cardio and ab workouts.
From there I'd go to Ita-Cho, on Beverly Boulevard across from El Coyote. It's some of the best Japanese food in L.A. They have a braised beef with Japanese mustard that's incredible, and they have these spicy little peppers in soy sauce I adore.
Usually after that, I go to City Spa and Health Center. I meet up with all my buddies there. It reminds me of where the Sopranos would go. It's this old-school bathhouse with a Russian rock room, basically a dry sauna with two huge ovens that look like pizza ovens filled with rocks. The whole spa is based around a cold lap pool. It's super-freezing. And there are Jacuzzis and a steam room where where they take eucalyptus leaves and smack you with them.
I'd go home for a while and play with my son, then fall asleep on the couch for an hour or two. Then after that I'd go out with my wife and some other friends, probably to Spider Club in Hollywood. It's in Avalon upstairs-it's more like the VIP club-and on Friday nights it's really fun.
The son shines
On Saturday I'll probably sleep in 'cause I can, wake up, hang out with my kid, maybe go swimming with him. I might take him the beach or go down to Gladstone's Malibu. We sit outside. And on a good day, there are dolphins going by, and he goes "Fish,fish." He likes throwing bread at the seagulls.
Normally we like to do a big dinner. We'll go to Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. It's my favorite steakhouse. They have the most incredible fillets on the bone and a really cool live band that plays old-school music like Sinatra. It's like old school Vegas.
Freshness Counts
On Sunday I wake up real early. I meet my friend Robert Vaughn. He was a pro surfer. Now he has a clothing company called FTW. He's teaching me to surf, 'cause I'm not that good but I love it. We'll go to Malibu State Beach, find some waves and hang out and get some coffee.
I try to come back home not too late. On Sunday, they close off Ventura Place in Studio City for a farmers market. It's my favorite place to go with my son. We get all these fresh vegetables and fresh flowers for the house. Then they have pony rides. Watching him ride the horses is the coolest thing.
I like to go to Katsu-Ya in Studio City once a week. It's my favorite restaurant in the world. They have this crispy rice with little jalapenos, and I love jalapenos. They have these tuna tartare towers that are really great, and amazing blue crab rolls.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
DAY SPAS by Kevin Koffler / copyright The Hollywood Reporter - Weekender
The Hollywood Reporter / Weekender
Friday, March 16th, 1990
DAY SPAS by Kevin Koffler
We planned on spending an hour or so checking out City Spa's facilities, but we ended up staying five hours. City Spa is a men's club on the former site of the Pico Burnside Baths (women are not admitted)<Update 2012 Women are admitted on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday>. The old place reportedly used to be a dump, but the new owners have poured mega-bucks into this place to clean it up and to give it an authentic "old boy" East Coast club feeling, filling the place with a lot of oak and vinyl. Besides the spa, the facility also has a gym, a game room, a TV room, an excellent restaurant and a room in which you can sleep.
Spa Treatments: Unlike most spas, where the steam room exudes just a hint of eucalyptus, we were overwhelmed by the stuff at City Spa. It was incredibly healing. The Russian room is probably the spa's most unique though. Natural Rocks are placed on a heated steel plate, and water is sprayed on them. We sweated more in there than in any sauna we experienced for this article. In the Russian room, you can get a "plaitza," where you are sort of beaten with eucalyptus leaves---actually it's not as S&M as it sounds, and it left us feeling very relaxed (Mick Jagger and Kieth Richards reportedly swear by the plaitzas). Make sure you also ask for a soap scrub from Seymour. This guys a real character (he's been doing soap rubs for something like 50 years), and he'll leave your skin cleaner than it's been in years.
Staff and Clientele: The staff are very good at what they do. The plaitzas and soap rubs are the best treatments we had here. The shiatsu was also very good, but not as good as Ms. Chun at the Beverly Hot Springs. The clientele is mostly 40+plus executives, but the new owners are currently trying to introduce the facility to younger patrons.
Prices: Very reasonable. Daily entrance is $20 <Update 2012 $40>(which includes everything except plaitzas, soap rubs, massage and food from the adjacent restaurant). Plaitzas and soap rubs are $15 each<Update 2012, plaitzah $20 soap rub $30>. Massage ranges from $40-$45 an hour.<Update 2012, one hour massage $60>
What makes this Spa Special: It's an oasis for men who want to escape for an afternoon, pamper themselves in an unpretentious atmosphere and leave feeling a lot better than when they arrived, for not a lot of money. We highly recommend it. 5325 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, 323-933-5954.
copyright The Hollywood Reporter 1990
Friday, March 16th, 1990
DAY SPAS by Kevin Koffler
We planned on spending an hour or so checking out City Spa's facilities, but we ended up staying five hours. City Spa is a men's club on the former site of the Pico Burnside Baths (women are not admitted)<Update 2012 Women are admitted on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday>. The old place reportedly used to be a dump, but the new owners have poured mega-bucks into this place to clean it up and to give it an authentic "old boy" East Coast club feeling, filling the place with a lot of oak and vinyl. Besides the spa, the facility also has a gym, a game room, a TV room, an excellent restaurant and a room in which you can sleep.
Spa Treatments: Unlike most spas, where the steam room exudes just a hint of eucalyptus, we were overwhelmed by the stuff at City Spa. It was incredibly healing. The Russian room is probably the spa's most unique though. Natural Rocks are placed on a heated steel plate, and water is sprayed on them. We sweated more in there than in any sauna we experienced for this article. In the Russian room, you can get a "plaitza," where you are sort of beaten with eucalyptus leaves---actually it's not as S&M as it sounds, and it left us feeling very relaxed (Mick Jagger and Kieth Richards reportedly swear by the plaitzas). Make sure you also ask for a soap scrub from Seymour. This guys a real character (he's been doing soap rubs for something like 50 years), and he'll leave your skin cleaner than it's been in years.
Staff and Clientele: The staff are very good at what they do. The plaitzas and soap rubs are the best treatments we had here. The shiatsu was also very good, but not as good as Ms. Chun at the Beverly Hot Springs. The clientele is mostly 40+plus executives, but the new owners are currently trying to introduce the facility to younger patrons.
Prices: Very reasonable. Daily entrance is $20 <Update 2012 $40>(which includes everything except plaitzas, soap rubs, massage and food from the adjacent restaurant). Plaitzas and soap rubs are $15 each<Update 2012, plaitzah $20 soap rub $30>. Massage ranges from $40-$45 an hour.<Update 2012, one hour massage $60>
What makes this Spa Special: It's an oasis for men who want to escape for an afternoon, pamper themselves in an unpretentious atmosphere and leave feeling a lot better than when they arrived, for not a lot of money. We highly recommend it. 5325 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, 323-933-5954.
copyright The Hollywood Reporter 1990
Monday, January 2, 2012
City Spa Information
Address:
5325 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90019
telephone: (323) 933-5954
Russian Rock Room, Dry Sauna, Eucalyptus Steam Room, Swimming Pool, "Ice Cold" Plunge, Jacuzzi, Sun Deck, Work Out Gym, Cafe', Relaxation Room, Private Lockers, Parking and more! Old School Shvitz/Bunya/Traditional Russian-Roman Bathhouse...in Los Angeles! Established 1953.
Hours:
Monday...........................2 PM to 10 PM
Tuesday through Friday.....10 AM to 10 PM
Saturday.........................7 AM to 10 PM
Sunday...........................7 AM to 6 PM
Co-Ed (Men & Women) times: Monday 2 PM to 10 PM
Wednesday 10 AM to 10 PM
Saturday 2 PM to 10 PM
Admission Price: $ 40
10 Visits: $ 275
Massage One Hour: $ 60 (Special, One Hour Massage + Entrance $70)
Soap Wash (Soap Scrub): $ 30 (Special, Soap Wash + Entrance $55)
Plaitza (Venik): $ 20
5325 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90019
telephone: (323) 933-5954
Russian Rock Room, Dry Sauna, Eucalyptus Steam Room, Swimming Pool, "Ice Cold" Plunge, Jacuzzi, Sun Deck, Work Out Gym, Cafe', Relaxation Room, Private Lockers, Parking and more! Old School Shvitz/Bunya/Traditional Russian-Roman Bathhouse...in Los Angeles! Established 1953.
Hours:
Monday...........................2 PM to 10 PM
Tuesday through Friday.....10 AM to 10 PM
Saturday.........................7 AM to 10 PM
Sunday...........................7 AM to 6 PM
Co-Ed (Men & Women) times: Monday 2 PM to 10 PM
Wednesday 10 AM to 10 PM
Saturday 2 PM to 10 PM
Admission Price: $ 40
10 Visits: $ 275
Massage One Hour: $ 60 (Special, One Hour Massage + Entrance $70)
Soap Wash (Soap Scrub): $ 30 (Special, Soap Wash + Entrance $55)
Plaitza (Venik): $ 20
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