During the year or so that many couples take to plan their nuptials, low on the to-do list tends to be figuring out a back-up plan in case the bride or groom comes down with a debilitating illness that requires them to be quarantined. Well, that might be the next niche in the wedding industry, after the experiences of one Orange County pair. more ›

The TV Junkie Must-Watch Plan: "The Big Bang Theory," "Fierce Funny Women," "Man vs. Wild" (Borneo), "Archer," "Conan" (Actor Seth Rogen; media personality Wendy Williams; Lykke Li performs), "Lopez Tonight" (Actor Paul Reubens; Actress Emanuelle Chriqui), "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" (Comic Wanda Sykes; actor Kevin McKidd) more ›

An early morning fire at the Encino home of classic Disney Mousketeer-ing icon Annette Funicello sent the 68-year-old actress and two others to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, reports the Daily News. The fire was first reported at around 7:20 this morning. Images posted on RadarOnline show memorabilia from Funicello's career in the damaged building. more ›

Five years ago, the independent bookstore was likely fated to join the cassette tape: nostalgically revered, but tragically doomed. Despite hand picked recommendations, too-cool cashiers, and erudite small talk, the local bookstore didn’t stand a chance against the Big Guys—corporations like Barnes and Noble, Borders, and the true Iago of bookselling, Amazon. Then came the Kindle, the Nook, whatever the hell Sony makes, and all-too-quickly the local bookstore was thrown into certain extinction. Indie booksellers started looking less like the counter-culture revolutionaries they once were and more like, well, Luddites. But this month, something sensational happened: mega-chain Borders went belly-up and despite bleak predictions, many of LA’s indie bookstores aren’t just still standing—some are downright thriving. That’s right: mom-and-pop bookshops are back, baby. more ›

Charlie Sheen is suing Warner Bros. and "Two and a Half Men" co-creator Chuck Lorre for $100 million plus punitive damages. In the suit Sheen alleges that Lorre wanted him fired even before he went batshit crazypants all over the teevees, satellites and internets. more ›

Tonight in Los Angeles there's the Art Park (and Walk), the "Dictionary Daze" Exhiat Kana Manglapus Projects on Abbot Kinney in Venice bit and Jayne Anne Phillips Reading at the Hammer. What will you "Pencil In" to get out and do? more ›

Jeffrey Stenroos, the Los Angeles Unified School District police officer who allegedly faked his own shooting outside El Camino Real High School last month, has been formally charged with multiple felonies, including perjury and filing a false insurance claim, say the Los Angeles Police Department. more ›

This week, venerable rockers R.E.M released their 15th album, Collapse Into Now. Signaling a comeback from the band that seemed to have receded in recent years, the album has been generally applauded by critics. When a band's been around as long as R.E.M., it's inevitable that with the arrival of the new comes a look back at the old. more ›

Dive bar is used to describe all types of places: from hole in the walls serving cans of light beer out of a dusty Styrofoam cooler to joints with valet parking and velvet rope. Plenty have called Mom's Bar & Lounge a dive bar. But don't look for bottles of Bud Light before breakfast at this West LA hangout. more ›

March Madness is here. And no, we're not talking about Charlie Sheen. It's tournament time, sports fans. And whether or not you're truly a college basketball fan, you'll only have 3 days next week to fill out your brackets between Sunday night, when the round of 64 is announced and Thursday morning when half of your office is empty and everyone's at the bar and not just because its St. Patrick's Day. more ›

If Kirstie Alley was hoping Los Feliz would embrace her new health food store, Organic Liaison, she might have reconsidered how she premiered the shop. Last night, Vermont Avenue, in the heart of Los Feliz Village, was shut down to traffic to accommodate the store's splashy opening party. Residents weren't invited, but they were treated to a night of noisy music, dancers on platforms, and giant spotlights. Didn't like it? Alley doesn't care. more ›

Actress Lindsay Lohan has managed to keep herself out of jail for now, and has not accepted a plea deal in the "stolen necklace" case brought against her by a Venice jewelry store. Judge Keith Schwartz presided for the last time this morning in the matter, making arrangements to set the pre-trial hearing for the case, as it is progressing forward. That hearing has been slated for April 22. more ›