This Los Angeles loving, transplanted vegetarian Valley boy got his West Coast start at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in the School of Music. Though, he was quickly snatched away by arts administrators at City Hall in Santa Clarita where he fell in love with local LA politics and city services. No sooner was he writing those city observations for this blog, combined with his love for the arts and performance scene in town. When not editing LAist, he’s an elected Neighborhood Councilman in Sherman Oaks… but wait, he might just be blogging that last motion the council passed.

Born in Vancouver and raised in Toronto, Lindsay William-Ross has lived in LA since 1990, when she moved to the sleepy foothill city of La Crescenta and was voted “Girl Most Likely to Be Discovered by A Hollywood Agent” by the Class of ’94 at Crescenta Valley High. After flirting with careers in acting, anthropology, retail management, coffee making, accounting, and low-fire ceramics, she finally saw the proverbial light bulb and got a BA and an MA in English from Cal State LA, where she is currently a Part-Time Lecturer in Composition. Lindsay loves LA and its lore--so much so that she teaches the city’s history and literature as part of one of her writing courses. When she’s not hooked up to the internets, she’s probably on an urban adventure, watching bad television, taking pictures of flowers, baking cookies, or searching for the city’s best sushi—although it’s hard to top her visit to Urasawa. Lindsay has been writing for LAist since February 2005.

Christine is one of those transplanted Northeasterners (go Sox and go Eagles!) clogging up the 405, but has lived in the Los Angeles area for the past 10 years. She works for the man by day in corporate communications and feeds her soul freelancing on nights and weekends. When not working, she can often be found on the nearest golf course trying to work on that nasty slice. Have an event you'd like us to cover or list? Send it via email.

There is nothing to know about Jimmy. He is a filthy whore who has ODed on every drug possible. The fact that he has the will to wake up every morning is a miracle unto itself. His love for the Dodgers came back in 2001 when catcher Paul LoDuca hired him for a blowjob. He aspires to be that lady in the anti-smoking PSAs who smokes through her tracheotomy hole. He’s an Aries who enjoys crossword puzzles and calculus problems.

Tomdog watched them build the 210 right in front of his Pasadena bungalow and then migrated to NorCal. College brought him back South with many dalliances in and around LA studying film. He watches a lot of TV and movies but is a cheapskate who refuses to pay for premium channels. He also enjoys the outdoors like any other canine but doing more hiking, running, biking, skiing, canoeing. DJing, music-, and art-making is also part of his repertoire, when he isn't marketing software.

Elise was born and raised in the great city of Los Angeles. A never-ending parade of visiting relatives insured that she was permanently warped by going to Disneyland way more often than any child ever should. She also joined her dad whenever he gave their visitors a personalized tour of favorite local attractions. In the early 80s, the vibrant punk rock scene encouraged further exploration into the city. A full-fledged food, music, art, and culture-loving Angeleno, this perennial tour guide wants to turn everyone on to the best and weirdest that Los Angeles has to offer. Current goals include revisiting GE's World of Tomorrow and owning a Hot Dog on a Stick uniform. You can find her pushing her way up to the front of the stage.

Joshua Pressman would smoke music out of a crack pipe if he could. He used to get his fix in LA, but then he took his addiction to the hipster-infested non-slums of Brooklyn, NY. He has been known to deliver hyperphilosophical, music-related sermons for CMJ, LAist, and his own music blog, Bwank! And, now, who knows where he'll end up. He's that seemingly smug bastard who's always spouting hyperbolic nothings in the back of the venue. You know, the one who struts around with a sly grin and that godforsaken iPhone attached to his hip, smoking a cigarette. That is him. He has been put here on earth to disseminate all that is good music forevermore.

Born in the beautiful redwood shaded suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area, Julie move to LA over 20 years ago. You are bound to catch her humming "I love LA" just about every day. When not checking out new restaurants, bargain shopping, or hunting for the perfect gift, you will find Julie headed to music, arts, and pop culture events throughout Southern California. She mentors kids at The Santa Monica Police Activities League and believes the old adage 'you learn more from them than they do from you'. She studied theatre at UCLA- Go Bruins! Julie eats a lot of Japanese food and is happy to have the 'my sushi chef is better than your sushi chef' smack down with you any time.

Jessica Pauline moved to Los Angeles from Boston via New York City. Arriving in Hollywood with nothing but a station wagon, a big dream, and a relatively useless degree in music, Jessica found out the hard way that the fame, fortune and fur aren’t quite as easy to come by as 1940’s publicity shots make it look. After a scandalous foray into the seedy underbelly of L.A., Jessica now lends her talents to the pursuit of justice, equality and fair pay in the glamorous world that is non-profit.

<--This is NOT Kemp. It’s his son, Mingus. Kemp’s away from his desk right now, probably covering something for some news organization, or writing something for some magazine, or working on some screenplay. You need answers? Ask the kid: “Daddy doesn’t like the freeway. Daddy said he’s takin’ me fishing. He likes to cook for me. He cooks chicken noodle soup. And gumbo sometimes. I like Spider-Man. I wanna Spider-Man cake on my birthday. And Venumb’s a bad guy. What's your favorite flower? Ummm…I gotta go poop.”

Considered by many cineastes to be the world’s foremost authority on early 1980’s jiggle flicks, Josh balances his time between attending movies, carousing with the infirmed and curating museums without permission. Josh is a Texan by birth, a German by blood, a Tar Heel in spirit and a New Yorker in his heart. He is also, interestingly, a changeling. Josh has lived in Los Angeles since 1999 when his ex-wife, Circe, tricked him into leaving his beloved loft on Park Avenue. He has since grown to love his adopted city, however, and now only rarely screams himself hoarse at the moon in frustration.

Andy Sternberg is hopelessly devoted to music and the Internet. He grew up in Chicago and escaped for LA, to qualify his passions with a Master's degree. Sternberg is a connoisseur of potato products and most alcoholic libations. His first stage appearance was on The Bozo Show, where his face was painted as The Incredible Hulk. He also got to play the Grand Prize Game but didn't make it past bucket number 3. Still, he reluctantly shared his consolation box of Twinkies. They weren't french fries, after all.

Carrie can cook a three-star scrambled egg and boil the perfect al dente pasta, but pizza dough eludes her. She has recently moved to North Hollywood, not ten miles distant from the Tarzana-Encino hospital where she was born. She can tie a cherry stem into a knot with her tongue and can parallel-park a stick-shift on a hill. In heels. She went to the Best School in the Universe, located in Westwood Village, for many many years. She is now employed at the Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood where, much to the terror and dismay of her cohort, she does a mean Werner Herzog impression. You can also find her in her kitchen, concocting savory menus inspired by her local farmer's markets. Also, bacon. Bacon always.

Adam Rose was born in Los Angeles but grew up in NorCal. He wasn't enough of a hippie, so was deported back to LA and became a frat boy. Since college he's lived in Downtown, Redondo Beach, Venice/Mar Vista, Santa Monica, and even spent a couple months in Encino. Chances are his posts will cover something related to soccer, why the the two-party system is a train wreck, or crazy current events. He likes to run, loves to eat, and agrees with Seneca that "nemo risum praebuit, qui ex se coepit." What a dork.

Callie grew up in the Bay Area and of all the cities she thought she’d live in, Los Angeles wasn’t one of them. She’s a San Francisco girl at heart, yet she’s been here for five years and has no intention of leaving. It’s safe to say that LA has won her over. It might be the unique culture, but it might also be the excellent (most excellent) Mexican food. What better way to convert the masses than write for LAist? Callie lives downtown. She loves books and someday hopes to write them. She loves dogs and so has three. When she isn’t walking the dogs or reading a book, she is busy making sure downtown becomes a place all Angelenos can enjoy.

Anti was raised by hustlers and gamblers, and his dad once lost him in a bet to a Saudi Arabian Prince. He holds down the time honored tradition of the local cliche stoner, a la Sean Penn, Pauly Shore, et al. He writes things with a jaded, tell it like it is, approach. Anti doesn't like you, he prolly HATES you. Unless you think he's dope. then he doesn't hate you, he just thinks you're an idiot. If you want to beat him up, the line starts in the South Bay.

An LA born and raised WeHo kid, Ali was born with an Atari in one hand and a Casio in the other. After a prosperous and drunken 4 years at USC Annenberg, she played her way through various jobs in the video game and entertainment world, ultimately settling down as a music supervisor. When she's not stumbling around the Sunset Strip looking for new music or prowling the porn scene for some good interviews, she's probably swinging her Wii-mote around or ramping up Xbox Live achievement points. A Guitar Hero or Street Fighter challenge is always welcome; just don't call her a n00b.

Years ago, Heath made a conscious decision to love Los Angeles, and has been trying to spread the love ever since. Raised in The Slums of Brentwood when Brentwood was still known as Westwood Adjacent, he now lives in the glamorous foothills of Glendale. When he’s not writing or stuck in traffic, you can find him making a fool of himself on stage at Mr. T’s Bowl, throwing tennis balls at the dog park, walking aimlessly around downtown, polishing his Satanic beer bottle collection, or driving to Monterey Park for the spiciest damn Chinese food he can find.

On a whim after watching an episode of Entourage in 2004 Tim decided to leave behind the cold winters of his hometown of Bridgeport, CT and jumped on a plane to live just like Vinny Chase in Los Angeles. But HBO must have left out that episode where Vinny sat in the audience of unwatchable talk shows to earn enough cash to eat while searching for full-time employment. No longer needing to pretend to laugh at Dennis Miller jokes to earn a buck or two, Tim now spends most of his free time drinking Snapple, looking for spots to watch his beloved Mets and Vikings, eating Chick-Fil-A, writing and handing over lots of cash to the lenders who were kind enough to give him a diploma from Northeastern University. Tim, whose birth certificate reads "Tim Hammill," still has never hit a golf ball off the roof of a Hollywood mansion – damn you Vinny Chase!

Hailing from the land of snow and Mormons, both of which he is not, Joey Maloney moved to Los Angeles in the winter of '04 to attend film school at the Los Angeles Film School. Now living the glamorous life of 14 -15 hr. days on the sets feature films, television and commercials as Camera Assistant and Director Of Photography, he finds the time to take a picture or two...thousand. Shooting mainly concerts and fashion, on any given night you will find him in the photo pit of some of the biggest shows in LA trying to get that perfect photo. A self-proclaimed music and film snob, nerd, gadget freak, sports nut and proclaimer.

Farley Elliott is an uncompromising Pittsburgh Steelers fan from Adams Center, NY--a town so small it could not hold his ego. As a recent addition to the Los Angeles landscape, Farley can be found performing with the sketch comedy group The Seven Year Plan, or doing improv at Upright Citizens Brigade theatre in Hollywood. He lives in the heart of Los Angeles and likes his tacos two ways: pastor, and often. You can find Farley on LAist writing reviews of anything worth being there for, and bringing the comedy low-down to the masses.

Manny (only his mom calls him Emmanuel) was born in England but has lived all over LA since 1980. From Mid-City to Mid-Valley, Palms to Pasadena there really isn't an area of LA that he hasn't lived in, played pick-up basketball in or taken photographs in. When not in front of the computer tossing up tasty news nuggets or ridiculous rants on LAist, he is yelling at the Dodgers, Lakers or Bruins on his TV. He dreams of the day when someone will finally listen to him and put a rail line along the 405 freeway.

Molly Bergen was born and raised in Chicago. (Go Cubs!) She graduated from Carleton College with an utterly useless degree in English Literature. Molly then flirted with the idea of becoming an public interest lawyer and tested this theory by working as a paralegal in London. After deciding that was the worst she ever had, Molly moved to Corfu and wrangled endangered ponies for a non-profit environmental organization. While living in Greece, she discovered you can only herd ponies in paradise for so long before you begin to lose your mind. Back stateside, Molly picked up and headed for Los Angeles where she fell unabashedly in love with the music scene. You can find her on any given night at the back of a tiny club scribbling furiously with a huge grin on her face.

Born in LA and raised in OC, Melissa finally escaped the Edward Scissorhands suburbs for UC Berkeley (mostly because Brown wouldn't take her). Following a minor head injury, she decided to throw away her English major to focus on Plant Genetics, and has the GPA to prove it. After a stint making other people rich in San Diego biotech, she returned to her hometown to get a Ph.D. in Pharmacology at UCLA, only to find out that no one actually calls you doctor when you graduate. Melissa writes about all things science and health-related (with a dash of indie rock coverage for good measure) as our resident ScientIST. Melissa sometimes wonders why stateside scientists aren't considered as cool as their European counterparts, always has the fanciest shoes in the joint, takes her Grey Goose on the rocks, and can pull together a mean 80s nu-wave DJ dance party. Oh, and she thinks she might go to law school.

Born in El Salvador, but raised in L.A., Angel takes pride in being able to pull off the unlikely feat of being a "computer nerd" while simultaneously hating Star Trek and just about anything else of the sci-fi/fantasy genre -- except for Terminator, Star Wars and cheesy 50's sci-fi flicks. When not doing tech work, he is usually writing about it or cursing out Word. Away from the computer, he is an avid runner and tries to stay active whenever possible. Angel thinks soccer should be recognized as a religion and hates anything relating to FC Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao or the "greatness" of the '78 or '86 Argentine World Cup teams.

Matt is a transplant from Pittsburgh who bleeds Black & Gold. After living in a couple shady areas around H-Wood, Matt now resides and celebrates everything Santa Monica - east of the 405 is a foreign country except when he's giggin with his band, Native June or hanging with Marty & Elayne. When not LAist-ing, Matt is sitting on his porch with a beverage, grilling up some steaks and listening to the most recent Indie selection. He only wears argyle socks, dreams of a Father's Office dinner with Big Ben and Coach Cowher, can throw a javelin almost 120 feet, and makes a mean homemade pasta sauce.

90027 resident Caleb Bacon was born in Albany, New York. His surname has been Bacon since birth despite the paramount popularity of a certain cured breakfast delight. It's not a stage name. Seriously. He even had the surname before 'Footloose.' C'mon guys. Play fair. Bacon, longtime Capricorn, encourages you to live more and love more. When Caleb's not offering such strength and hope, he can be found talking about writing, thinking about writing and occasionally writing.

Lisa Borodkin grew up in a John Hughes movie in the north Chicago suburbs and now lives in a dollhouse in Los Feliz with a stick figure dog.  When she is not covering sports, new media and entertainment news for LAist, she is fighting for truth, justice and rock and roll in courts of law and equity.  She is heavily influenced in her writing by Jean Baudrillard's The System of Objects, For a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign. She has a soft spot for middle relievers and knows a lot about NASCAR. Her Twitter name, @redwell, refers to a file folder used in law firms.     

Originally from Detroit, Emily recently moved to LA from Boulder after graduating from the University of Ballerado. While she misses the Rockies, she loves living in a place where she can surf and snowboard...in the same day. She also loves riding her bike all over the city and is convinced its the best (and most fun) way to get to know LA. Other hobbies include talking about things she finds amazing, namely Little Osaka, Sigur Ros, 3OH!3, GOOD magazine, Asia, fanny packs, matzoh ball soup and bars with carpet that open at 6am. She likes to write about people doing great stuff throughout LA and on Skid Row and enjoys supporting School on Wheels, Reading to Kids, 826LA and Jewish World Watch.