Unlike the rather tired and off-handed assessment of the LA food scene that the SF Chronicle tossed off about six months back, the New York Times has been showing how it's done: their recent piece on "36 Hours in Hollywood" and last week's survey of Sunset Junction. Okay, yes, some of their picks are probably geared to the curious tourist rather than the traveler interested in a more gritty L.A. experience -- Teddy's nightclub......

I've always dreamed of attending the CMJ, the annual New York gathering of pretty much every band in the entire universe. The people over at Fader are saying CMJ should be an acronym for Conquering Many Jams. I'm just not sure if I'll be doing the conquering. With thousands of bands to choose from, It's more than likely that the music will be conquering me. As I arrive at the Puck building on Lafayette......

Autumn is upon us and here in LA we are harvesting art, music, and mayhem. For whatever reason, it seems that this is the busiest festival weekend of the year, with something for all ages, in all corners of LA, and all times of day and night. If ever there was a weekend to clone yourself and be everywhere at once, this would be it. Jump right in. Swerve Festival: This looks to be......

We know that almost everybody’s going to Sunset Junction this weekend, so if you want to do something a little different (or add it to your agenda), why not check out LA’s great theatre scene? Some of these alternatives are perfect for those watching their budget (i.e., they’re free!) Here are LAist’s picks for the week: Heads Four American and British civilians are kidnapped off the streets of Iraq. After reading that description, the......

New York City has won the honor for America’s Top Arts Destinations in AmericanStyle Magazine for the past three years. This year, let's change that. Vote Los Angeles because... 1. Musicals really aren't that great anyway. Small 20-seat theatres rock. 2. Barnsdall Art Park. 3. We don't destroy our murals. Wait, shit, that's us. 4. Festivals, festivals, festivals. 5. Green Umbrella Series. 6. Public Art everywhere. 7. Street Art. 8. Otis, Art Center, CalArts.......

Ever wonder what it's like to be renaissance woman Sarah Vowell? It probably looks a little like this. At least, that's what it looked like last night as people crammed into Skylight Books to hear her read from her latest book, Assassination Vacation, now out in paperback. In case you don't know Ms. Vowell, she's an editor at This American Life, the award-winning storytelling show on NPR (some of her older stories can be......

20 musicians. One composer. 4 months to create, a year to rehearse, and one night of performance. Friday November 18, WACO will premiere Steve Gregoropoulos' Symphony #1. What does Steve have in common with (pictured) Beethoven? Well, they both write symphonies, they both have wild hair, and, um, they both write symphonies. Actually, Steve has only written one so far (hence the name, Symphony #1) but he tells LAist "Now I guess I gotta......

As we reported earlier this week, ArthurFest takes place Sunday-Monday at the historic Barnsdall Art Park on Olive Hall in Los Feliz. Several pre- and post-Arthurfest gigs are kicking off this new event. SATURDAY The Red Onions and T Model Ford play the echo. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 7pm. SUNDAY Jack Rose, Marissa Nadler, Feather and Wolfmother take the stage at Spaceland.. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 9pm. MONDAY Pole and......

In addition to the Lotus Festival at Echo Park Lake, Angelenos can also enjoy South Asian culture at the 6th Annual ArtWallah Festival at Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood this weekend, from July 7 to July 10th. Best of all, it's accessible via the Red Line. Exit the Vermont station. ArtWallah is part of a movement to build artistic forums that showcase the South Asian diaspora's search for belonging, the shifting of identities, and......

that this weekend is packed with all sorts of activities: *Taschen, the high-end dirty art book publisher, is having a warehouse sale: Friday June 24th - Sunday June 26th, 10am to 8pm TASCHEN Store Los Angeles 354 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Open every day *"Is It Really So Strange" film by Los Angeles artist William E. Jones about Latino Morrissey fans will screen this weekend as one of projects funded in......

Arthur Magazine and Spaceland are bringing a whole bunch of Indie goodness to the Barnsdall Art Park on September 4th and 5th (Memorial Day Weekend). As headliners (along with Sonic Youth and Sleater-Kinney), The Black Keys point out at that there will be other "Arthurfest" events going on at the Spaceland owned venues on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd as well but that the festival lineup as it stands already is pretty damn awesome.......

Has politics become the new religion? Certainly seems like something's possessed folks. Hitherto unmotivated Americans are getting off their couches, turning off their TVs, staggering into the streets and testifin' their beliefs during this election year. And every one's buying political-themed books that support their point of view. Book signings are becoming more like revival-meetings as the faithful come out to meet their favorite prophet. For example, Cornel West is coming to town on......