The upcoming holidays are about giving, and for many of us that means both giving gifts to our loved ones and to those in need. One way to help out in both areas comes via Chicago-based retailer CB2, who opened up a branch of their home decor store in a segment of the onetime Virgin Megastore space at 8000 Sunset this April.

Rachel Rosenthal will be celebrating her 83rd birthday tonight at the Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica. An artist, teacher, animal rights activist and living legend, Rosenthal has been creating art for over 50 years. Rosenthal "developed a revolutionary performance technique that integrates text, movement, voice, choreography, improvisation, inventive costuming, dramatic lighting and wildly imaginative sets into an unforgettable “total theater” experience." Rosenthal was a pioneer at the forefront of performance art. LAist caught up with her yesterday for a few quick questions.

With the exception of sidewalk caricature sketch masters, very rarely an artist's creativity is put on the spot in front of curious eyes. Nine years ago in San Francisco, the Monster Drawing Rally did exactly that as a way to bridge the art community with their supporters while raising money for a cultural cause.

Tonight local indie rock outfit Saint Motel's (LAist Interview) will be performing at the Roxy with none other than Rumspringa (LAist Review, #2) and Army Navy (LAist Interview, #2, Review). LA-based indie rock troubadour Nico Stai is poised to grace Spaceland. And, lastly, San Franciscan alt-rockers Birds & Batteries will be taking on the American Legion Post 206. But we strongly suggest heading over to Siren Studio to catch Kansas City-bred Grammy Award-nominated pop singer-songwriter Janelle Monae. LAist favorites, afro-centric indie pop act Fool's Gold are slated to kick things off.

If we're talking nosh, there's no item perhaps more quintessential than pastrami on rye. The one pictured above hailed from a plate served up at Langer's, a deli that has been a longtime favorite of locals, but has now been praised for offering up the best of its kind in the whole country. The accolade comes from writer David Sax, whose pursuit of the pastrami--and other deli delights--was profiled recently in the LA Times.

Yesterday was yet another Friday on which the state's DMV offices were closed down, thanks to Executive Order S-13-09--a furlough mandate launched in July that sees the department darkened for the first three Fridays of each month. However, do a little figuring with the calendar, and yesterday kicked off a long string of Fridays when the DMV just won't be an option for motorists. "[F]actoring in upcoming holidays on top of those mandated furlough days, Friday marked the start of a 12-week stretch in which DMV offices will be closed for business every Friday," reports the Daily Breeze, which "means that the next Friday employees will be on the job - and that motorists can get their licenses and vehicle registrations renewed - won't come until Jan. 29."

Injuries tend to have a yin-yang effect on professional athletes, sometimes they are good, other times, not. For Chivas USA 'keeper Zach Thornton, injuries opened the door to opportunities this year which he may not have had otherwise.

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