Miscellaneous

Thanksgiving is done, it's back to work, and tomorrow we turn our calendars to December. Of course, we've been grousing for a few weeks already about shops who are hawking Christmas goods and festive holiday decorations have popped up all over town. Coffeehouses and retailers are brewing up seasonal flavors already, and some radio stations put Christmas and Hanukkah tunes in their rotation pretty much as soon as the carved pumpkins got tossed in the trash. more ›

Los Angeles is always giving us little hidden out-of-the-way spots in the middle of the city. One of those is Fryman Canyon, tucked between Mulholland Drive and Ventura Boulevard, this hike snakes you open space you may never have known existed. more ›

There was a great deal of buzz when word first broke that acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee would be making a documentary about Lakers' guard Kobe Bryant. On paper, a prominent director known for his love of the game of basketball giving audiences a rare look inside the life of one of the greatest players on the planet sounded like a slam dunk. Unfortunately, ESPN Films' Kobe Doin' Work was not that at all. more ›

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Along with being a nationally headlining comedian and host of a hit TV show, Howie Mandel is also horrified by germs. Tonight ABC's 20/20 gives us an in-depth look inside the life of Mandel and the daily battles he's faced throughout his entire life as a result of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). more ›

Here's to Your Health is a deeper look into the health issues of the day. Recently, we've looked at the Power Plate and declawing. Today, we explore the wonders of Thanksgiving... more ›

There's a lot to be thankful for, whether here in Los Angeles or not. Here a just a few... of course, themed to Los Angeles. First of all, I'm ever so grateful for the LAist staff. The dirty little secret that's really not a secret is that, save for Co-Editor Lindsay William-Ross (who deserves a big thanks herself!) and myself, everyone volunteers at LAist. They write and share with all of you because they have a passion for it. They love exploring and getting to know this city and coming back and sharing it with you. LAist is what it is because of them--they are the heart and soul. more ›

First of all, you are a total jerk if you don't mention family first. It's de rigeur. OK, as much as I hate it, Mom, thanks for that Catholic school education that I hated but that taught me phrases like de rigeur. more ›

Well, this is probably going to be my last Thanksgiving as a non-US Citizen, if Homeland Security is kind enough to grant this "alien" naturalization after almost 20 years as an Angeleno. Writing for LAist and teaching English at Cal State LA gives me many occasions on which I stop to think about what I'm thankful for about living here, and today I offer you my list (in surplus of the expected basic needs, friends/boyfriend/family requisite entries). I'm thankful... more ›

This year there are so many things to be thankful for: My family. Great friends. Fun adventures. Funny moments. The amazing people I meet every day in LA. more ›

We hope that everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving! Today we hope you have enough food to be full (but not to send you to the ER), and good people to spend the day with. Don't forget today you can revel in free parking at city meters, pitch in and do some hands-on good, or give a little to help out those who could really use the help. more ›

From the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr comes this bizarre chance encounter in Highland Park. Says photog janeray1940 of the episode:

I ran into this guy while walking down York Boulevard. He was a bit borracho and was dancing with his dog. I asked if I could take his picture, and he proceeded to make his dog "spread'em" against the wall as if he were arresting him. All the more ironic since we had just passed a street closure with a major police investigation going on...I still can't decide if the trick was amusing, or if it bordered on cruelty, but the dog seemed to enjoy showing off.

There are thousands of stories to tell in Los Angeles, but sometimes a picture says so much more. Thanks to our LAist Featured Photos Pool on Flickr, here are 7 moments worth taking a second look at in our 7 Reasons to Love L.A. series. more ›

Last night, Culver City became the most recent California city to enact a ban on cat declawing, joining L.A., Berkeley and San Francisco, to name a few. With all the hullabaloo surrounding the bans, and many people wondering why policy-makers are spending their time on this, the question on everyone's mind is: what's the big deal? Is your kitteh really better off with or without his nails? And is it worth the mindpower and consideration of elected officials who inarguably have bigger fish to fry? more ›

Sure, Los Angeles is going through some tough times, and the city's ledgers aren't exactly overflowing in the assets column, but are we that ghetto? Or that cost-conscious, for that matter? Today's LA-centric Tweet of the day comes from Alfredo A. Hernandez (@LAnative_net), who wonders: "City Hall has had a black out most of the day. did @villaraigosa forget 2 pay the light bill or are they saving $$ & wasting my time?" Of course, with the power out, Mayor Villaraigosa and the check-signers might have to resort to cruising the web on their BlackBerries or battery-powered laptops... more ›

• Gothamist was saddened after seeing why Sad Panda is so so sad.
• DCist caught up with the dapper gents and ladies who took to the streets in high style for the D.C. Tweed Ride.
• Torontoist Googled its city. Googled it hard.

When you read something you like on LAist, we love it when you hit the "like" button, and we love it even more if you put your two cents' worth in the comments. Getting a dialog going with our readers and making sure we're giving you content you can use are top priorities for us. And if you really like what you see, why not Tweet it or post it to your Facebook? Share the love! more ›

We're always moving, moving, moving here in Los Angeles, and mostly in our vehicles. Here's a look at how we move, set to soothing music by Erik Satie, and shot around Silverlake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Griffith Park and downtown by Clark Vogeler. It's your moment of zen on a sunny day on LA's east side...and for the sake of the calm nature of this video, let's not re-hash the ages-old "what's east/what's west side" debate, mmmkay? Just enjoy. more ›

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) has changed it's recommendation for the onset and frequency of Pap smears for women. Until this week, medical guidelines have called for women to get annual Pap smears, which check for cervical cancer and other cervical and reproductive abnormalities, beginning no later than three years after becoming sexually active, or at age 21 (whichever comes first). more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

So that odd shaped flower-painted tower sticking up behind Beverly Hills High School is not some weird sculpture - it's actually an oil well. And there is one behind the Beverly Center as well. And at the Farmer's Market. And inside a building on Pico. And numerous others. more ›

Jared Leto and hundreds of Midnight Ridazz bikers take over the streets of LA in the new 30 Seconds to Mars video, "Kings + Queens". We like watching as they head over the Sixth Street Bridge, through the Second Street Tunnel, around Hollywood and Highland, and finally hit the edge of the Santa Monica Pier as the Ridazz show off LA's unique and growing bike culture. We think it's pretty cool that they name each rider at the end too! more ›

Early this morning as we were driving out of an Albertsons/Starbucks parking lot in Valencia, we spotted an animal pacing in a trailer in front of us. At first, we thought it was a horse or a pig. But noooo. Even before the coffee kicked in, we spotted the king of the jungle checking us out. So we snapped this photo. Even with all the wackiness that we've seen on LA's roads, this is the first time we've seen a lion. more ›

Today's subject is Lizz Wasserman. Lizz is a Highland Park-based designer whose clothing line, popomomo uses organic and/or sustainable fabrics. Wassernan's line, which is produced, designed and sampled here in LA, is the antithesis of disposable fashion -- focusing only on producing unique and new designs. more ›

The following post is from our advertiser, Focus Features. Pirate Radio is the newest ensemble comedy from filmmaker Richard Curtis (screenwriter of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill, and writer/director of Love Actually). This high-spirited film tells the story of 8 DJs whose love affair with Rock n Roll changed the world forever. In the 1960s a group of rogue DJs, on a boat in the middle of the Northern Atlantic, played rock records and broke the law all for the love of music. The songs they played united and defined an entire generation and drove the British government crazy. The band of rebels is lead by The Count, played by Academy Award Winner Philip Seymour Hoffman. Pirate Radio also stars Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, and Tom Sturridge, and features an unbelievable selection of music including The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Cream, and The Beach Boys, just to name a few. Pirate Radio in theatres now! more ›

• Chicagoist occupied itself with Twilight and pillow fights.
• Seattlest reminded us that we don't watch Mariners baseball for the game, we watch it for the player-on-player bromance.
• Phillyist got personal this week, calling the man who stole a staffer's purse their official asshole of the week.

When you read something you like on LAist, we love it when you hit the "like" button, and we love it even more if you put your two cents' worth in the comments. Getting a dialog going with our readers and making sure we're giving you content you can use are top priorities for us. And if you really like what you see, why not Tweet it or post it to your Facebook? Share the love! more ›

Tonight the entire fight world turns its attention to Las Vegas, the site of the highly anticipated fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. Last week, however, Pacquiao stood center stage in his adopted city of Los Angeles before a packed crowd of supporters at the Montalban Theater. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

There are thousands of stories to tell in Los Angeles, but sometimes a picture says so much more. Thanks to our LAist Featured Photos Pool on Flickr, here are 7 moments worth taking a second look at. more ›

Driving along Mulholland, you pass various overlooks where you can pull over on to the dirt, get out and take in the views. In all, the 55-mile Mulholland Scenic Parkway and Corridor has 18 official overlooks between the 101 Freeway and Kanan Road in the Agoura Hills area, but lucky for us, most can be found east of the 405 (see a map here). more ›

Today’s subject are Brits-turned-Angelenos Rowly Dennis and Alex Pucell, founders of Los Angeles’ travelling art/furniture gallery event concept, Antfarm Social. A painter/actor and furniture designer respectively by trade, Antfarm Social is looking at the LA social scene as a canvas and using fresh takes on step-and-repeats, glassware, social scene and unique venues to get people enjoying and even buying modern conceptual art and furniture. more ›

Last month we had the chance to talk to Bill, who has been signing his 700 page long NBA book in cities like Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, San Diego and of course, Boston. "LA signings are weird. They had the lowest turnout of any city," said Simmons over the phone when we spoke with him just days before hitting the road for his book tour. "I think it’s because there’s so many celebrities out here that I’m like Z-list. I’m on whatever list the guys from "The Ruins" are on. If I go to Providence or somewhere like that, it seems like a much bigger deal." more ›

Friday was the first Los Angeles Cougar Convention - dedicated to younger men and the older women who appreciate them. The event was organized by the Society of Single Professionals, an educational group dedicated to spreading the word about younger men dating older women. more ›

• Gothamist had a week of big stories unfold—Mayor Bloomberg narrowly won his controversial third term while the Yankees won their 27th World Series Championship (yes, suck it, Philly) and celebrated with a ticker tape parade.
• Seattlest talked about gay marriage, performing, and the sexiness of the Pacific Northwest with Rufus Wainwright.
• Bostonist saw a near death experience on the subway.

When you read something you like on LAist, we love it when you hit the "like" button, and we love it even more if you put your two cents' worth in the comments. Getting a dialog going with our readers and making sure we're giving you content you can use are top priorities for us. And if you really like what you see, why not Tweet it or post it to your Facebook? Share the love!
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We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. more ›

Jay-Z's show at UCLA this Sunday has long been sold out. Damn college kids and their disposable incomes! Don't worry, LA-based Hova fans. Sean Carter just announced he's coming back. This time he's bringing his show to the Staples Center, March 26th. The rap icon who's currently on the road with Wale and N.E.R.D. finishing up the final dates of his college tour, will pack up his Yankee hat and hit the road again for "The Blueprint 3 North American Tour." The BP3 tour starts on February 22nd in Houston and takes Jay's "Empire State of Mind" to arenas across the country to places like New Orleans, Boston and San Jose before wrapping it up right here in LA. Young Jeezy will serve as the opening act. Tickets go on sale November 13th, with various pre-sales beginning November 10th. more ›

Any workout that can cut gym time in half is A-OK in my book. And one that is both short and sweet(ly productive) garners extra points for efficiency. The Power Plate, pictured above, is just such a fitness phenomenon. A flat board vibrates rapidly as you stand (or squat, or lunge) atop it, causing your muscles to engage in order to stabilize your body. By challenging the muscles with the vibrations, the workout is much more intense, and therefore, accomplishes more in less time. more ›

Ladies of Burbank, your chances of becoming a millionaire have significantly improved. Why? Because 50 Cent is coming to town. The rapper who claims "Have a baby by me, baby, be a millionaire" in his latest single has embarked on a 10-city screening tour of his new film, Before I Self Destruct. The film will be released on DVD on November 16th along with his new album, also titled Before I Self Destruct, but you can see it for free on November 11th (a week from today) at the AMC Burbank at 8:30 p.m. 50 stars in, wrote and directed the film, which has been described as a "coming of age story." Pick up your tickets at MovieTickets.com/50. more ›

• Phillyist was all about the World Series this week: hating on the opposing team; waxing nostalgic; and generally getting psyched. Although the Phillies trail the Yankees one game to two in the Series, Phillyist remains optimistic: they have God on their side.
• Gothamist learned that Vespa owners are resorting to illegal measures (okay, scraping off their vehicle ID numbers) to keep their scooters on the street, not that it'll help.
• Seattlest indulged in some Washington State-sponsored earthquake disaster porn.