Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's not-just-a-coffee-but-a-lifestyle plans for global domination continue to crumble. Best known for making coffee really expensive, Starbucks will close 600 "underperforming" stores and lay off 12,000 employees in the U.S. The company that over-franchised to the point of putting your favorite ma and pa coffeeshops out of business since 1971 is swimming in a hot brown sea of bad news. Recently Starbucks backed off its short-lived promise deliver good music and......

Boing Boing co-founder and Make editor in chief Mark Frauenfelder got a tour of Silver Lake's Intelligentsia with the company's head of research and development. The Chicago-based coffee brand opened a Los Angeles storefront last summer and debuted during the Sunset Junction Music Festival.......

Alain Giraud is a charismatic guy. He is the picture of a merry chef, walking through his restaurant in his whites, with a warm smile, raking his fingers through a pristine silver hairdo that only a Frenchman can pull off. And even when he whispered (politely) to me, “Madame, please don’t take pictures of the restaurant”, I could not help but smile and say, alright then. He is just that, how do you say… geniale.......

Russian Hot Chocolate | Photo by Snack Behrens/LAist Since January, Sherman Oaks' restaurant row has been home to the first Jazzve Coffee in the country. The slick and classy coffeeshop, which is an Armenian chain (one website says it's the Starbucks of the country), specializes, not in jazz music, but a very strong coffee ($3.99) that's cooked in a Jazzve pot on sand (photo of the Jazzve below). But what caught this late-night snacker's......

Photo by miss patricia via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr. PARTY Popular magazine URB is having a release party for their upcoming issue tonight. DJ ?uestlove shows off his talents after completing the new Roots album. 10 p.m. // The Roxy Theater // 9009 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood // $18 STAGE Tonight, Emergency, a performance piece by Daniel Beaty, ends it’s run at the Geffen Playhouse. Beaty becomes all of the forty characters......

The way I see it: Starbucks coffee tries to rethink coffee by making it taste better. / Photo by ldcross via flickr. Coffee giant Starbucks is in a fight for its financial and physical dominance of the American coffee landscape. While they've been focusing on pushing music, videos and green tea frozen lattes in recent years, they kinda sorta forgot about coffee. Real coffee. The drip kind that grabs you by the collar and......

Photo by delara-photos via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr A 16-year-old boy who shot at a police car in Boyle Heights last night remains at large today. Details are clearing things up about what was first reported as a drive-by shooting that took place on Ventura Blvd. last night; turns out it was two employees of a smoke shop who were shot. The assailants entered the store through the back entrance. The body......

One thing I love about L.A. are all the little shops and cafes that let us poor starving artists leave flyers or put up posters for our many different events. Here is a list of just a few such kind souls, to help my fellow independents, and also just to say a heartfelt thanks! (I hope you don't hate me.) Hollywood: Amoeba Karma Coffeehouse Sabor y Cultura *Nearly all of Melrose. Los Feliz: Psychobabble......

Just in time for St Paddy's Day, we check out some of the Irish coffees around town. Screw green beer. That stuff will kill you. After drinking many Irish Coffees in the name of serious scientific research, I have discovered a good Irish coffee relies on two relatively simple elements: the freshness of the coffee and use of real heavy cream #1 Tom Bergin's Tom Bergin's is known as the home of Irish coffee, at......

Yeah, this is how I feel. / Photo "Supervisor Zirves" by db via LAist's flickr pool. This morning was a rough start for everyone and we still got a little sleepies in us, but we'll definitely be awake for these events tonight. After another latte. CLASSICAL* The LA premiere of "The Axe Manual" happens tonight at Zipper Concert Hall as part of the Monday Evening Concert series. The program includes important recent works by......

I hope you haven't had enough of the Great Coffee Debate that has been ROCKING the Southland ever since hip joints like LA Mill and Intelligentsia have hit the scene. (Although you all know that we prefer a cup of the working man's brew, Dunkin' Donuts coffee, over here.) A new coffeehouse, Lot 44, is set to hit downtown sometime this spring. Downtown blogger Angelenic has the, um, scoop from founder Ariel Graham: “We......

Cobblestone, Cheese souffle, and coffee @Panera | Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/LAist Occasionally breakfast-time can't be a thing of luxury. Granted, it's the most important meal of the day, but it's also not something we all get to sit down for and order up a spread of tantalizing goodness, particularly if its a weekday and there are things that need to get done. Breakfast criteria then equals: Coffee, sustenance, and free wireless internet. This is......

Near the Studio City-Sherman Oaks border on Moorpark Street at Longridge near Fulton is a new spacious and clean contemporary feeling coffeehouse. M Street Coffee opened about a month ago serving the regular fare of espresso, macchiato, americano, cappucino, and chai teas. Eco and vegan friendly, they have organic frappes, soy and organic milks and fruit smoothies with raw vitamin complex add-ons. All are served in eco-friendly containers. According to a Chowhound review, Gene Liebenau,......

If I had know about Andy's Coffee shop during my days at Pasadena City College, just two blocks down, I would've ditched biology in the morning at least a couple more times. Hiding on a stretch where the store facades all look the same, I almost wish Andy's had a 50 foot high coffee mug sitting on the restaurant, steam rising from the top. I'm not sure about the wallpaper or the 50s diner......

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Go on, grab a cup of coffee, meet those neighbors you never knew, and vote. Nearly 9 million voters are predicted to hit the polls today in California. A record. Don't miss out on the party. Later on, make the most of this Super FAT Tuesday at our party. In a hurry? Review a sample ballot. You can also text your picks to your e-mail......

You may have heard that February is Breakfast month here at LAist, in which we celebrate the glory that is the morning meal. But our celebration is twinged with sadness for those who may have been fans of the a.m. food fare served up at Starbucks. The company has announced they are ditching their breakfast sandwiches and declaring that their Mission: Lure Customers Back from Fast Food Joints that Sell Breakfast Eats that Include Some......

THEATRE Orson's Shadow is an expansion of Austin Pendleton's drama that first ran a few years back at the Black Dahlia Theater and is now at the Pasadena Playhouse. It's a behind the scenes look at life in the theatre and the intermingling lives of some legendary folk, like Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Joan Plowright, Vivien Leigh, and drama critic Kenneth Tynan. We're told the set--a theater-within-the-theater--is stunning. 7:00 p.m. // Pasadena Playhouse // 39......

A few months ago I noticed a nekkid lady’s torso perched on a plinth in the middle of the Windward Traffic Circle in Venice. Considering the calle vida thereabouts, this shouldn’t have raised an eyebrow. Yet, the utter incongruousness of a slick, black, metal, larger-than-life sculpture in the midst of "don’t harsh my mellow" Bohemia, made me stop and gawk. Regardless of yellow caution tape, I sprinted across to the island, which is roomy enough......

If you're looking for something interesting to do this weekend, tomorrow night from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., a group of young women under the name Fetus are organizing the first of a planned monthly event at the INMO Gallery, in Billy's Coffee Shop, at the historic 1920s Rosslyn Hotel building. The $5 admission fee includes 3 free drinks (nice!) and there will be several DJs spinning Electro, Retro, 60s-80s dance, new disco, and international......

This winter, Seven Grand in downtown LA is offering three specialty winter drinks: The Dublin Flip, Hot Toddy and Irish Coffee....

Red Shoes makes for a nice contrast with the distinctive blue tile floor of Silver Lake's Intelligentsia CoffeeVan Nuys is real nice, isn't it, Senator Obama? Today the Democratic presidential nominee hopeful held a roundtable discussion in the residence of supporter Mimi Vitello in beautiful Van Nuys. Today's visit is part of Obama's local campaign efforts and his desire to meet with those who have fallen victim to the country's tough economy. And speaking of......

Photo by brainylagirl via flickr LA Mill finally (soft-)opened its "boutique" in Silver Lake last Friday and we were lucky to get there in time to sample the goods -- for free. The space is impressive but the environment -- almost pretentiously over the top. But let's discuss the coffee: I had two clover-style (filtered French drip) cups, one Kenyan, was an average medium-dark blend, with an acidic yet moderately rich, roasted coffee bean......

Some things just naturally go together. Take, for instance, caffeine and the written word. So the inclusion of coffee shops in libraries makes perfect sense. The Santa Monica Public Library opened in January 2006. The Library surrounds an idyllic Southern California modern open-air courtyard where you will find the coffee shop, The Bookmark Café. At the time the library was being planned, the public was surveyed on a number of issues, and the response was......

In addition to your usual Irish Coffee, O'Brien's in Santa Monica serves five other fun alcoholic coffee drinks. The Nutty Irishman, made with Frangelico, was beckoning (why are nutty Irishmen in bars always beckoning? Must be my red hair. And their beer goggles). I wanted something unusual, so I went for the kioki - coffee mixed with Kahlua and brandy. It would never have occured to me to mix those liquers, but it really worked.......

The anticipated LA MILL COFFEE boutique opened this morning in Silver Lake on its eponymous boulevard between Sunset and the Reservoir (they close at 6 p.m. tonight and are only serving bar drinks and clovers until then). Eater LA takes in the decor: "Custom-made French wallpaper, faux crocodile, ostrich and sharkskin chairs in dark teal, sky blue and red, black Lucite tables. A dramatic brass chandelier hangs in the main room." Definitely not a......

Haven't you always wanted to grow your favorite fruit in your own backyard? This month you can have your tree -- for free -- thanks to TreePeople and SEE-LA. Just go to one of the Farmers' Markets listed in the flyer at right or fill out this form and you'll be on your way. * LA Mill Opening - Stop by the long-awaiting opening of LA Mill's new coffee shop in Silver Lake. You might......

Would you like a nonfat latte with that Big Mac? That’s what you’ll probably be hearing in the near future, if you’re a fan of the Golden Arches. McDonald’s announced recently plans to add “coffee bars” to its 14,000 U.S. locations starting this year. They’ll also be hiring baristas to work the new stations serving up mochas, lattes and the Frappe – kind of a like a Starbucks Frappuccino or a Coffee Bean Ice......

A vast knowledge of fine wine and great Italian food are not a prerequisite for visiting Talia's Restaurant & Bar in Manhattan Beach, because you could pick blindly from the menu and whatever arrived would be delicious. It's "one of those" kinda places. Owned by the same people who operate nearby Mangiamo (another great Italian restaurant) Talia's offers an intimate setting that suits the casual beach neighborhood it is situated in. And although i......

Top Reasons Why a Dyed-in-the-Wool Westsider Sometimes Wishes She Lived East of the 405...

After a five-week hiatus, LAist is back to taking you on its weekly trip down to Orange County to uncover the unique dining experiences that await adventurous eaters willing to explore beyond the county line. I’ve always had a certain fascination with crepes. Not sure exactly why, perhaps it’s the simple elegance that a crepe has, its delicate buckwheat consistency and taste that can be deliciously served with virtually any kind of filling, whether sweet......