Miscellaneous

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We asked what Christmas Day in Los Angeles looks like and you delivered (thank you!). The weather was amazing and the clear skies were great--it was just one of the many of the reasons to love this city. more ›

• Londonist explored an eerily deserted London on Christmas morning.
• Gothamist was shocked at allegations that two EMTs refused to help a dying pregnant woman, by claiming they were only dispatchers.
• Torontoist wrote about a cute video that should hit home for any other ist-a-verse city with a subway system.

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 ›

Usually a statement like "he's got more jobs than names" wouldn't be impressive at all, but the man whose birth certificate reads "Sean Combs" has had a lot of names. He's been called Sean "Puffy" Combs, Puff, Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy and Diddy. After spending an afternoon with the mogul of many monikers, I thought of another name for him -- Santa Claus. more ›

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

Will Zweigart has made it his mission to bring you photos of the creepiest and craziest Santas on his website, Sketchy Santas. Zweigart tells CNN, "On the site, we really like to celebrate the more retro Santa photos and part of the reason why is that the standard of who could be a Santa was really quite lower back then." Santas

In what has become a yearly tradition, Youngwood Court, aka "The House of Davids", located in Hancock Park at the intersection of 3rd St. and Muirfield Rd., has been decorated for the holidays. This year's decor is the most extensive yet, complete with sidewalk snow, an African-American Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus sitting together on a throne, a large crown and "NORRYWOOD" sign on the roof, and a larger-than-life representation of the house's owner, Norwood Young. And yes, each of the nearly 20 Davids have been costumed with matching Santa hats and jackets. more ›

Back in 1955 Sears Roebuck & Co. printed an advertisement for children to call Santa. They misprinted the telephone number and a tradition was born. Instead of reaching Sears' "Santa" the kids were connected to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." According to the website, "The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location." more ›

Keeping with a new Gothamist tradition, we're asking what your December 25th looks like. Submit your photos tomorrow, whether you celebrate Christmas or not. From surfing to hiking up Runyon, ripping open presents to cooking dinner, going out to eat to wandering Los Angeles area streets. Show us how you spend the day off. Send us your photos at tips-at-laist-dot-com or submit them to our Flickr pool (tag with "122509") and we'll publish a gallery of our favorites on Monday. Happy Holidays! more ›

This year is a fantastic time to give out green gifts, especially if you haven't done your holiday shopping yet! True, it's a little late in the game, but some of us work best under pressure. The idea is to give gifts that don't increase the size of the landfill, or your carbon footprint, or any of that stuff. The ultimate goal is that no new products are to be purchased. Failing that, go green, go organic, go recycled. more ›

Your Daily Thread, which published a Silver Lake to Atwater Village green guide earlier this year, reminds us that in these recession and eco-couscious times, wrapping your presents with newspapers ain't that bad of an idea. And the video brings us back to one of our favorite ideas of using a reusable bag as wrapping paper. Watch that how-to video, which we posted last year, here more ›

Sometimes all you have to do to get the best view in Los Angeles is look up. more ›

The Redondo Beach Police Officer's Association has been celebrating the holidays every year by sending Santa Claus around the city to pass out candy, listen to Christmas wishes and spread good cheer. It takes an entire month for the heavily guarded Santa to make his way down every single residential street of the city, assisted by Redondo Beach Police and Fire Association members. more ›

Still searching for the perfect gift for your hard-to-please friends? Allow us to propose a solution -- hit them all at once with an intimate group yoga class, held at your home with instructor Sari Heifetz Stricke of Sari Yoga. Stricke has been running Sari Yoga for three years, and bases her classes on the philosophy that yoga should be accessible to everyone, not just Santa Monica moms flitting about town in Hard Tail pants (our example, not hers). By taking classes at home with a group of friends or family, Stricke says, students often feel more comfortable asking questions and having fun, and don't feel the competitive edge that has become par the course at many yoga studios. more ›

Does transforming your crappy iPhone photos into a fake polaroids make them better? We think so. Thanks to local blogger Mia Taylor, we've become savvy to the ShakeItPhoto iPhone App where you actually can shake your phone to reveal the image faster. Pretty dorkastic, right? Since purchasing the 99-cent app, here's our 'roided version of Los Angeles and surrounding areas. more ›

A little corporate business plus California surfing. Thanks to LAist reader Christine who shared this fun card to us. If you spot any great holiday cards, send them along to tips at laist dot com! more ›

Johnny Vegas (check out his sexy necklace, ladies!) takes us on a little video tour of Los Feliz, "otherwise called... Silver Lake," he says. Ha! 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 in our 7 Reasons to Love L.A. series. more ›

• Torontoist selected their city's Heroes and Villains of the year—complete with some of the coolest original illustrations you will see on the whole wide internet. (Boo NHL and Earth Hour! Hooray wildlife and Roy Halladay!)
• Seattlest got what they wanted from modern corporate rock.
• Chicagoist took note of some political intrigue when a state senator's husband confronted her opponent at one of his fundraisers.

Forget regular old lit up Christmas Trees or other signs of this festive time of year; it's pretty tough to compete with this local legend of a home and its row of David statues all dolled up for the holidays. It's Norrywood, decked out for Christmas 2009! more ›

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 ›

In this video, LA City Council President Eric Garcetti is seen reaching out out to all major SoCal law enforcement agencies and regular citizens in the hopes of nabbing someone behind a crime so heinous it's "a corrosive and bad thing for our country." more ›

We were last at Los Angeles State Historic Park in July, taking in the curious sights courtesy of Cirque Berzerk, and before that we checked out the beautiful Downtown space just as Spring's wildflowers claimed the landscape in late March. more ›

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

Yesterday we enjoyed a musical celebration of Christmas in Little Armenia (complete with a trip to Jumbo's Clown Room, guys!) and we took a look at a few of the pretty Christmas trees all over town. Today, well...today we're not so upbeat. In this video (with a few naughty references, fair warning) it's all about LA's lack of true holiday spirit: The egg nog is soy, Frosty the Snowman carries headshots around, and the mistletoe is plastic. So if you're bah humbuggin', this may be more your speed. Merry Chri--oh, wait, nevermind. more ›

For those who celebrate it, Christmas is just 9 days away, and there are signs of the season all over town. Here are a few of the Christmas trees on display in various parts of town. If you happen to see a tree, or some crazy light displays, or festive decorations, grab a photo and submit it to our LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr, which is, of course, where these images came from. more ›

Bargain shopping at Out of the Closet, Sizzler, Jumbo's Clown Room, frequent conflation with neighboring Thai Town, a burning couch, singing cats, and a love gone wrong. It's Christmas in LA's Little Armenia. more ›

Beloved California public broadcasting icon Huell Howser played--and spoofed--himself on last night's The Simpsons. The easily awed Midwestern transplant is seen on a TV show about the making of candy, which at first delights, then disgusts Homer and Lisa. While we can't say that no one outside of California knows who Howser is, it's likely the cameo will only tickle locals who have seen Howser marvel over all manner of landmark, machine, or quirky Californian on his various PBS shows. Of course, if you want to see Huell Howser in a whole other light, there is of course this video... 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 in our 7 Reasons to Love L.A. series. more ›

There's a lot of shopping going on this year, and to lure in customers sidewalk signage is out in full force. While this kind of gaffe can happen year-round, this sign-making oops was found just a few days ago outside a South Pasadena beauty shop. That's b-e-a-u-t-y shop. Hopefully they are, in fact, beauty experts, since they aren't evidently spelling experts. more ›

Yesterday the band of merry-making misfits bedecked in red and white (and other creative adaptations) Santa suits hit the rainy streets of Los Angeles for the annual SantaCon. They started at Philippe's in Downtown, and made their way to various points throughout the day. Although they stopped inside spots to get dry, staying dry wasn't on the menu; looks like the Santas had plenty opportunities to get their drink on. Luckily they were moving around town via Metro, so there were no drunken sleigh crashes affiliated with the outing. more ›

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 ›

"It's Christmas Eve in L.A." begins the 1988 trailer for the Bruce Willis action flick Die Hard. That's right: Die Hard takes place at Christmas, and for some, it happens to be their favorite Christmas movie. Forget Bing Crosby's crooning and Ralphie's BB gun when there's Officer John McClane's "Yippee-ki-ay, mother--" uh, well, you know the rest. more ›

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

A close friend and I have an ongoing game we call "I can't believe it's not a parody". The objective is to find songs that are 100% serious and have not been created by a comedian, and yet are impossible to believe to not be kidding. Once upon a time this was quite the difficult game, but in recent years, it has become so easy that it's almost beginning to feel like time to changes the objective to finding songs that do not sound like jokes. more ›

The following post is from our advertiser, Gold Class Cinemas. Sure, settling down with a tub of popcorn at a movie can be satisfying, but is it ever really more than a snack? At Gold Class Cinemas, you can enjoy fine gourmet cuisine while watching the latest film — it's dinner and a movie, all under one roof and all in the comfort of your fully reclining personal armchairs. Seasonal menus at Gold Class will provide guests with a wide range of tantalizing dishes which offer fresh and timeless flavors with modern flair. Small menu items like a soup or salad, a charcuterie platter, calamari and crab cakes. More filling options could include a wagyu beef burger, duck tacos, artisan pizza or grilled portobello sliders. Don't forget to save room for dessert too! Gold Class Cinemas, now open at One Colorado Pasadena. more ›

Getting a shot from this vantage point is pretty rare. That's because in recent years, the Hollywood Sign has become more highly guarded than ever before, which means casual explorers, hiking enthusiasts, tormented would-be starlets, pranksters, and enemies of the state are kept at bay from the 86-year-old icon on the hillside. more ›

Here's what it looked like at the Mount Wilson Observatory at 10:13 a.m. this morning, thanks to the live towercam. The UCLA owned facility is located in the San Gabriel Mountains at 5,700 feet elevation. The temperature is 24 degrees and about 7 inches of snow lay on the ground. It's amazing that this is only a 32 mile drive (less mileage if you were a bird) from downtown Los Angeles. more ›

*Not all of you will see the unicorns. It's okay. We can't all have the gift. more ›

We are, after all, a nation of prudish, preening moralists who bemoan our decay but simply cannot disguise the tenting in our pants at the thought of killing wayward a-rabs, of violent, homoerotic gay bashing, of militaristic imperialist fantasies, of obscene gore, and most of all, of hypersexualizing women while demanding their purity. 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 in our 7 Reasons to Love L.A. series. more ›

• Gothamist watched the State Senate reject gay marraige legislation supported by the Governor and State Assembly. The small silver lining was State Senator Diane Savino's impassioned speech -- "We have nothing to fear from love and commitment."
• Londonist reported on a nude cyclist terrorising the city, and urged readers to create their own tartans for London. Perhaps the latter could dress the former.
• DCist was ecstatic to watch the D.C. Council make a historic, 11-2 vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia, but was heartbroken to learn that the National Zoo's young panda, Tai Shan, will soon be deported to China.

Tributes to the late King of Pop Michael Jackson popped up almost the instant news broke that the singer died suddenly on June 25th this year. But is it too soon to mourn him and call him "crazy as hell" all in the same poster? Spotted at this year's Unique LA Holiday Show is this poster from MNKR that does just that. Will MJ fans hang (with) it? more ›

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 ›

Busta Rhymes has been winning over audiences with his charismatic, energetic and animated personality since the early 1990s. In Breaking Point a film by Jeff Celentano which hits select theaters, including the Laemmle's Sunset 5, tonight you'll see a Busta unlike you've ever seen before. The former member of Leaders of the New School plays "Al Bowen" a vicious gang leader who, in the words of Busta "does some horrible shit." Some of that "horrible shit" includes throwing a baby out of a window. more ›

Just for fun, we're following in the footsteps of Torontoist and Chicagoist, playing with Google Suggest, seeing what it tells us about our fair city. Through this we learn that where the Jonas Brothers are is an important landmark, the desire to have Dunkin' Donuts and why we are better than New York City.. more ›

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

Self-help author and intuitionist to the stars, Laura Day is back with a new book aimed at teaching the world all of the tricks she has been using to help her very high profile clients for years. Laura has cemented herself as an invaluable tool and consultant to her fans in the entertainment industry (think Demi Moore, Jennifer Aniston and Ryan Kavanaugh), the financial world... more ›

The holiday season is all about giving. We know that. Somewhere in between waking up at 3am for the doorbuster deals, braving the mall crowds and boycotting consumerism all together, we can maintain our "holiday sanity" by buying gifts that support those organizations working to drive social change and improve the lives of others. We've divided this into two parts. Part I lists those gifts for when you actually need to present the recipient with a tangible good, otherwise, you ruined the Festivus...for everyone. In Part II, you'll find organizations that use your donation to give a gift to someone else less fortunate more ›

The following post is from our advertiser, Gold Class Cinemas.

Uhhh, that stop sign is facing the wrong direction. "I don't know if this was the work of pranksters or the fine folks of the street department," writes LAist reader Drew McKinley in an e-mail. If not corrected, you can find this at Serrano and Russell in the East Hollywood area. more ›

Stretching across the border of Los Angeles and Kern counties and tucked between the Tehapachi and San Emigdio Mountains is the Tejon Pass. We often call it The Grapevine, the portion of the 5 freeway that divides Southern and Central California. The recent winter storm kept us nice and warm here in Los Angeles, but our local mountains saw a change in weather. Hello, December! more ›