Dogtown

It has been a summer of awe-inspiring, thought-provoking spectacle on television. First the Summer Olympics, then the Democratic and Republican national conventions and now the return of "DogTown." If that sounds sarcastic or snarky, it isn't meant to. The two-hour season premiere of the popular National Geographic Channel show is titled "Saving the Michael Vick Dogs," and if there were such a thing as an Olympics for animal rescue and rehabilitation, this would be it. Last December, the Atlanta Falcons' star quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for operating an illegal dog fighting venture on his Virginia property.

Skateboarding legend Stacy Peralta's latest documentary, "Bones Brigade: An Autobiography," is like a high school reunion, filled with affectionate memories of an earlier, more innocent, time. The director returns to his pro-skateboard roots, and it's clear from Peralta's comments, sprinkled through the film, that the sport and the players remain his first love. But while his breakthrough documentary, "Dogtown and Z-Boys," cracked open the window on a largely unknown world in vibrant and visceral ways, "Bones" feels like an epilogue.

Skateboarding legend Stacy Peralta's latest documentary, "Bones Brigade: An Autobiography," is like a high school reunion, filled with affectionate memories of an earlier, more innocent, time. The director returns to his pro-skateboard roots, and it's clear from Peralta's comments, sprinkled through the film, that the sport and the players remain his first love. But while his breakthrough documentary, "Dogtown and Z-Boys," cracked open the window on a largely unknown world in vibrant and visceral ways, "Bones" feels like an epilogue.

Dogtown Station, which has become something of an entertainment industry hub in Venice, has added producer Karen Tenkhoff to its ranks of owners. "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) and "The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000) producer has bought a 1,850-square-foot loft at the mixed-used development that was listed at $1.05 million. The unit has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Her neighbors include Iron Chef Michael Symon, writer-producer-director Neal Brennan of "Funny or Die Presents …" (2010)

Christopher Noxon's cover story in Calendar Weekend about L.A. being a "dog town" ("Having Their Day," May 16) sidesteps the squishy reality of 6.8 million dogs in our increasingly urban state: What happens to all that doggy do-do? The problem has inspired a rash of guerrilla haiku postings here in my neighborhood of Ocean Park (the original "Dogtown"). Here's one: One hand holds the leash One hand holds the cell phone Which hand picks up the poop? MARY MICHEL Santa Monica

"Dogtown and Z-Boys," the recent hit documentary chronicling the skateboard revolution launched by surf-rat teens in Venice and Santa Monica during the mid-1970s, was an all-boys nostalgia session with one exception: Peggy Oki. Growing up on Westside beaches, Oki surfed and skated from an early age and joined the Zephyr skateboard team at its inception.

Stacy Peralta and Tony Alva are standing on the sand not far from the Santa Monica Pier, watching white-tipped waves rush toward the shore. Two of the most well-known figures in the world of skateboarding, Peralta and Alva have returned to their boyhood stomping grounds to discuss Peralta's upcoming documentary, "Dogtown and Z Boys," an intensely personal exploration of their involvement with the Zephyr skate team.

This Georgia is a real peach. The 6-year-old, 55-pound pit bull that has the tragic distinction of being one of the Michael Vick dogs had TV critics and reporters (present company included) on their knees Wednesday afternoon. After the National Geographic Channel's press conference on its new "Dogtown" season, which includes episodes following the rehabilitation of four of the 22 abused Vick canines, journalists flocked to the front of the room to pet Georgia, rub her belly and photograph her. The biggest impression?

Punk poet Henry Rollins stands facing the cameras, stone-faced and covered in tattoos. To a thicket of reporters, Rollins offers a gem of wisdom. "Where it comes from," he says, "is often cooler than where it ends up." Rollins is talking about skateboarding, the subject of the Tuesday night movie premiere. He is among the crowd of denim-, flannel- and tattoo-clad surfers, skateboarders, actors and musicians who trekked to a theater in the Pacific Design Center to see "Dogtown and Z-Boys," director-writer Stacy Peralta's film on the birth of modern skateboarding.

"Robots" (Fox, $30) is a visually stunning computer-animated family comedy from the creative team of "Ice Age." The best of the extras are the original "Robots" short used to pitch the movie; a decent "making of" featurette; a mini-documentary on the Blue Man Group, who collaborated on the score; an informative look at the creation of each character, including interviews with the voice actors; and laid-back commentary with director Chris Wedge and production designer William Joyce.

Chris Cahill, one of the original Dogtown Z-Boys who brought seismic changes to skateboarding with their style and attitude, has died. He was 54. Cahill was found June 24 at his Los Angeles home, said Larry Dietz of the Los Angeles County coroner's office. A cause of death has not been determined and tests are ongoing, Dietz said. The Z-Boys came together in the 1970s at the Zephyr surf shop in Santa Monica. Dogtown referred to a coastal area of south Santa Monica and Venice.

Two comedians are among recent buyers of lofts at Dogtown Station in Venice. Dov Davidoff bought a single-story unit that was listed for about $900,000. Concrete and wood floors, a roof-top patio, marble surround baths and Caesarstone kitchen counter tops are among features of the 1,500-square-foot unit. The comedian/actor starred in the Comedy Central stand-up special "Filthy Operation" (2010) and has appeared in the movie "Invincible" (2006) and the TV series "Raines" (2007)

Iron Chef Michael Symon has a new place to cook: a two-story loft in the Dogtown Station mixed-use development in Venice. The 1,850-square-foot town house he bought has floor-to-ceiling windows, a patio and a fireplace. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit was listed at $1.1 million. The sales price was not available. Symon, 41, will be using the space as his Los Angeles residence while filming "The Next Iron Chef," on which he is a judge, and his new show, "Food Feuds. " He is a Cleveland restaurateur and the author of "Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen.

Actor Dylan McDermott, who stars in the police drama "Dark Blue," is moving his production company into a 2,200-square-foot loft at Dogtown Station in Venice. The two-story space in the gated live-work development has 18-foot-tall glass walls and polished concrete and hardwood plank floors. Terms of the deal were not available, but similar-sized two-bedroom, two-bathroom units are priced at about $1.1 million. Each unit has a private rooftop deck with ocean and skyline views.

Bob Biniak, whose daring and innovative skateboarding style as one of the original Dogtown Z-Boys helped revitalize the pursuit in the 1970s, has died. He was 51. Biniak died at Baptist Beaches Medical Center in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., on Feb. 25, four days after having a heart attack, said his wife, Charlene. To his fellow Z-Boys -- a ragtag group from Dogtown, a rough beachfront area wedged between Venice and Santa Monica -- Biniak was simply "the Bullet," a nickname that saluted his affinity for speed.

It has been a summer of awe-inspiring, thought-provoking spectacle on television. First the Summer Olympics, then the Democratic and Republican national conventions and now the return of "DogTown." If that sounds sarcastic or snarky, it isn't meant to. The two-hour season premiere of the popular National Geographic Channel show is titled "Saving the Michael Vick Dogs," and if there were such a thing as an Olympics for animal rescue and rehabilitation, this would be it. Last December, the Atlanta Falcons' star quarterback Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for operating an illegal dog fighting venture on his Virginia property.

A new $5-million animal care shelter north of downtown Los Angeles was dedicated Monday to replace an outdated dog pound about a mile away on West Ann Street that was closed earlier this year. The 15,000-square-foot Ann Street facility, built in 1926, gave residents a name for their corner of the city--they called it "Dogtown." The new 42,000-square-foot shelter at 3201 Lacy St.

"It was summer vacation for 20 years." --Jay Adams, Z-Boy * People may be lining up here at the Sundance Film Festival to see Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow and Christine Lahti, but one other golden ticket in town is a low-budget documentary on the Venice skateboarders of the 1970s titled "Dogtown and Z-Boys." Located at the border of Santa Monica and Venice, Dogtown was the last great seaside slum.

This Georgia is a real peach. The 6-year-old, 55-pound pit bull that has the tragic distinction of being one of the Michael Vick dogs had TV critics and reporters (present company included) on their knees Wednesday afternoon. After the National Geographic Channel's press conference on its new "Dogtown" season, which includes episodes following the rehabilitation of four of the 22 abused Vick canines, journalists flocked to the front of the room to pet Georgia, rub her belly and photograph her. The biggest impression?

LOS ANGELES is burgerville, but we love our hot dogs too. A lot. This is the No. 2 dog-eating town in the country, right after New York. It's no accident that Wienerschnitzel, the world's largest hot dog chain, was born in Wilmington. We have our old-time dog houses such as Pink's in Hollywood, Cupid's in Northridge and the notorious Oki Dog, with its indefensible topping of pastrami and cheese.