She is your Virgil on the descent into L.A.

July 21, 2008 1:07 PM

Kristin's List.There are plenty of events guides in Los Angeles, but none has as personal a voice, as finely honed an aesthetic (the Neutra font is an inspired touch) or as discerning an eye as Kristin's. Her weekly emails and web listings are one woman's recommended sampling of the most interesting music, film, architecture, food, fashion, literary and unquantifiable events across the megalopolis. And so far, it's completely ad-free.
posted by Scram (30 comments total)

Very cool. Flavorpill has been my favorite, as well as Atelierzero by Fumiko Amano. But Kristen has some good stuff!
posted by cherie72 at 1:10 PM on July 21, 2008

Nice. Thanks!
posted by scody at 1:12 PM on July 21, 2008

I'm impressed by the design. Not one superfluous pixel.
posted by davebush at 1:24 PM on July 21, 2008

This is great; thanks for posting it.
posted by mogget at 2:07 PM on July 21, 2008

Very nice indeed. I have a thousand Metro L.A. blogs in my reader already, but she has good taste, so why not.
posted by mykescipark at 2:13 PM on July 21, 2008

First, let's give credit where it's due: The site was designed by Los Angeles graphic designer (and Calartian) Louise Sandhaus.

"none has as personal a voice, as finely honed an aesthetic..."

I love Neutra and unquantifiable events, too, but c'mon -- there's nothing personal about this site. The "About" section is as generic as it gets. (Plus a private GoDaddy domain, to boot.) I mean, who's Kristin? Is "her" site ad-free because it's advertorial? Why is Metafilter one of the few non-self-referential Google hits for the site?

Inquiring minds want to know (before they take Kristin's advice).
posted by turducken at 2:29 PM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]

I've met and talked with Kristin about her site, and it truly is a reflection of the things she finds fascinating and wants to share with others. There's no pay-to-play involved, and I like her wide ranging view of worthwhile happenings, and that she doesn't just reprint press release copy but researches and describes everything in fresh prose. As to "who's Kristin?" - it's kind of all there: she's the person who thinks all the things on her list are intriguing.
posted by Scram at 2:38 PM on July 21, 2008

"Curated" is a valid word?
posted by bz at 2:59 PM on July 21, 2008

and that she doesn't just reprint press release copy but researches and describes everything in fresh prose

This is just plain not true. This listing is cut and pasted from here. This listing is cut and pasted from here. This listing is cut and pasted from here. And those are just the first three listings I checked.

"Kristin" appears to do nothing but reprint press release copy; either she misrepresented herself to you, or you're misrepresenting her to us.
posted by dyoneo at 3:18 PM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm afraid to say that dyoneo appears to be correct. No ads and cut and pasted listings leads me to believe this is a pay-for-play site.
posted by Justinian at 3:39 PM on July 21, 2008

"she's the person who thinks all the things on her list are intriguing"

C'mon, Scram.

So far this looks like a case of reblogging or worse. I know those are fightin' words, and I'd be very happy to be proven wrong. Anything will do.

So: Who's Kristin? What's she like? What's her motive in doing the site? And why doesn't she promote herself better? (Unless, of course, that's exactly what's happening here.)
posted by turducken at 4:00 PM on July 21, 2008

Man, tough crowd.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:18 PM on July 21, 2008

No kidding. I feel like a louse because I told Kristin recently that it would probably not be the end of the world if, in addition to her original write ups (which she sends out in her email list), she increased the content on her site by cutting and pasting interesting press releases. Looks like she has started doing that already (two of the PR-quoting events listed are new; one is seven months old).

It was not my intention to turn the dogs of Mefi onto someone who I think is doing good, if woefully unindexed-by-Google, work. She's not my PR client, if that's what's being suggested by the reblogging comment. But you guys are right about one thing: what her site needs is a better introduction to who Kristin is. I can't answer turducken's questions, but perhaps she can.
posted by Scram at 4:44 PM on July 21, 2008

Scram: I think that would be great. The site needs to be personalized. When you have something like "Kristin's List" with no indication whatsoever who Kristin is or if she even exists, it smacks of corporate name-testing.

Look at "Angie's List". There is no "Angie", so far as I know. My guess is they picked the name "Angie" to make it sounds homey and less corporate and to appeal to women. Sure, it's a faceless corporation that makes you pay for what you can get for free elsewhere, but it's name is ANGIE'S LIST so it must be cool and homey and woman-friendly.

That's probably not fair to Kristin since it sounds like she's just a woman who likes cool stuff in L.A. But it's the world we live in.
posted by Justinian at 4:56 PM on July 21, 2008

She's not my PR client, if that's what's being suggested by the reblogging comment.

Like I said, I'm happy to be disabused of the notion. So you probably should have mentioned that you knew/advised Kristin in the gushy OP. (I'm no power user, but I'm pretty sure this is a Mefi maxim.)

And crediting the font without crediting the designer is just gauche. Especially if you know the site owner. It's tough to make a living as a "creative" in LA. Give Louise some props! Unlike Kristin, she has a website that tells us a little about her and her work. (Full disclosure: I'm a fellow Calarts grad, but have never met her.)
posted by turducken at 4:57 PM on July 21, 2008

Possible self-linkery? Is this Kristin a friend of yours, Scram?
posted by ryanrs at 5:06 PM on July 21, 2008

"Are self-links ever okay on any part of the site?"

"Sometimes, but rarely. It's against the rules to link to your own site, a site that you host or contribute to substantially or a site of someone who is a close friend or relative of yours. People who self-link in front page posts on MetaFilter will have their posts removed and their account banned. Transparency and honesty are important to the community and we rely on users to abide by the guidelines and participate honestly."
posted by uaudio at 5:35 PM on July 21, 2008

I feel like a louse because I told Kristin recently that it would probably not be the end of the world if, in addition to her original write ups (which she sends out in her email list), she increased the content on her site by cutting and pasting interesting press releases. Looks like she has started doing that already (two of the PR-quoting events listed are new; one is seven months old).

The listing from March I just checked on at random is cut and pasted from here.

The listing from April I just checked on at random is cut and pasted from here.

Scram, I'm not accusing you of anything horribly nefarious, but I have yet to see any evidence that any of Kristin's write-ups are in fact written up by her, and being told repeatedly, in the face of that, that she has a "personal" "voice" and "fresh prose" and "original write ups" really pushes the limits of my trust.
posted by dyoneo at 5:35 PM on July 21, 2008

FWIW, I don't think anyone should be banned, but this is probably a questionable FPP.
posted by uaudio at 5:37 PM on July 21, 2008

So why call it Kristin's List if the marketing and public relations agency that is behind it doesn't even make an effort to flesh out the Kristin character? That's what I don't get about this whole sad fiasco.
posted by cmonkey at 6:01 PM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]

And yes, there is an "Angie" of "Angie's list".
posted by WestCoaster at 6:10 PM on July 21, 2008

Kristin is by no stretch a close friend, though I have spoken with her on two occasions. I subscribe to her list, and was interested enough in it to ask her about the project. I chose to share it with mefites, because, you know "best of the web" and all. That's it. (If this was corporate scammery, don't you think the site would be better indexed, and the Kristin persona illustrated with a photo of, say, this gal?)
posted by Scram at 6:30 PM on July 21, 2008

Huh. So there really is an Angie. Weird.
posted by Justinian at 7:01 PM on July 21, 2008

Getting back to the site:

Scram, since you've spoken with -- and met -- Kristen herself, I'd like to know why she sends out her list, and how she makes money from it. (Or plans to.) Daily Candy, for example, sells ads, but is not pay-for-play.

Also, does she really look like this? (If so, she's kinda cute.)
posted by turducken at 9:52 PM on July 21, 2008

Jesus Christ, I'm glad y'all found the cut and paste blogger, especially those who are so knowledgeable about FPPs. You should take it to metatalk if you are that aggrieved. Or, better yet, e-mail a mod.

Also, my first FPP, I totally knew that guy. I should totally be banned. Totally. Someone ban me.
posted by sleepy pete at 10:16 PM on July 21, 2008

FWIW, Emily also has a list, as does some guy named Craig.
posted by HotPatatta at 10:51 PM on July 21, 2008

I prefer to be on Santa's list.
posted by HotPatatta at 10:53 PM on July 21, 2008 [1 favorite]

Hey, I've met Kristin too. She is the type of person who (apparently) throws everything into a project (including aforementioned expensive site designers) while having no practical idea how to turn it to her benefit. Nevertheless, I don't mind capitalizing on her impracticality: I've been getting her email list for a while and I like the unusual things she picks out.
posted by gregv at 12:06 AM on July 22, 2008

"Kristin" appears to do nothing but reprint press release copy;

So what? She has good listings. The information she has matters more [to me] than where she might have lifted it from.
posted by Rashomon at 2:18 PM on July 22, 2008

Kristin has a new About page, with a photo. I believe the photographer asked for her "show the mefites what you're made of" pose.
posted by Scram at 1:04 PM on July 30, 2008