Our days of being able to legally consume foie gras (fattened duck liver) in California are waning, and as the enforcement of the statewide ban nears, chefs who love the delicacy are making the most of it. more ›

Sitting on your butt in the dark watching a movie you paid too much for to see is about to get better if you hang out in Marina Del Rey. SoCal's first AMC Dine-In Theatre will be going in at Villa Marina Marketplace, reports Marina Del Rey Patch. more ›

Roast was on the menu Saturday night at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner thanks to aspiring comedian and President of the United States, Barry McSassypants. Following a short film montage and a barrage of birther-absurdity jokes, Obama went on to skewer Trump and others. Further proving his American-ness, Obama also screened a clip from his "official birth video," which hilariously turned out to be a clip from [SPOILER BLOCK]. more ›

The fight to keep the popular Hollywood Farmers' Market up and running has been long and costly, and to help off-set the expenses related to the effort for its operator, the non-profit organization SEE-LA, to negotiate with city representatives and the Los Angeles Film School, a fundraising dinner is being held tonight at the Farmer's Kitchen restaurant. more ›

As we know well, President Barack Obama came to Los Angeles yesterday and tied up our traffic, spoke to young campaign enthusiasts at Sony Pictures in Culver City, and then had dinner with his supporters at Tavern in Brentwood. While we know what he said during his speech at Sony, what many are wondering is: What did he eat? more ›

You can’t shake a hoagie roll in this town without hitting a non-native in their blabbering maw as they crow on about the magnificent tastes they can only get back East. In fact, this writer is one of those very same folks. So what does it take to get us all to close our traps? Put something delicious in it, and give it the flavor of home. more ›

The Milagro Allegro community garden at Avenue 56 and Figueroa hosted a garden giveaway this weekend. Advertised to start at noon, by 12:30 some 500 people had made a line that stretched down the block and around the corner. By 12:45 the trees were gone. That left 50,000 vegetable seedlings to make sure everyone ended up with something to plant at their school garden, in their neighborhood or yes, their backyard. more ›

What goes well with vodka? You might say "anything!" but there is, of course, an art to both mixing cocktails and pairing them with food. A dinner hosted by Grey Goose held at Checkers Downtown at the Hilton Checkers tomorrow night will give guests an opportunity to experience a five-course menu executed by Checkers Downtown's new Chef de Cuisine, Dave Baker, paired with Grey Goose. more ›

In its almost decade of business, Bastide--the French restaurant tucked into a pocket of Melrose Place--has earned a reputation as being elegant, avant garde, ever-evolving, and for some, a bit unapproachable. This summer, however, the courtyard of Bastide is opening up its gates to welcome in customers for a sort of getting-to-know you weekly special that includes wine and cocktails and small bites for the very approachable price of $15. more ›

Sometimes, as the saying goes, everything old is new again. In Los Angeles, where our buildings, and, in turn, memories, are turned over with a sometimes alarming frequency, something new can spring up somewhere old, and, with luck, get it right. more ›

There is no better time to indulge and drink in the drama of Culina than at dinnertime. more ›

With movie tickets going for $10-$14 a shot depending on the show time and cinema, is it that much of a stretch to the concept or budget to double that to see a film in a comfortable, intimate, "restaurant-like" setting? Gold Class Cinemas is banking on it, actually. The Aussie company is working on the renovation of the former Laemmle Theatres (which were AMC Theatres back in the day) at One Colorado in Old Pasadena, and is scheduled to open their 6-screen high-end movie venue "in time for the holiday season," according to the Star-News. more ›

Yes, I said fruit. Let's get that out of the way immediately, shall we? The tomato--versatile, plentiful, flavorful, and local--is a fruit. It's also something that is in season right now (although you can conceivably make a go of growing your own right now and celebrating a little later on). The Patina Group of restaurants is celebrating this stellar ingredient with Tomato Festival menus at nine of their eateries, and to show off the spoils of the season they brought together a crew of food bloggers and Paul and Maryann Carpenter (the couple who operate Coastal Organics, the 17-acre Santa Paula farm from which the Patina Group sources produce) for a caravan tour of three Downtown eateries, with one course per stop, each showing off the tasty tomato. more ›

Okay, so it's not Nobu -- but who has the bank account to handle $200 sushi fests nowadays? Wokcano offers good happy hour prices in convenient locations for your after-work bitch fests -- the menu will make even the sushi-shy happy. And hey, if you don't have a job, then you can get to happy hour that much earlier! From 4-7pm, sneak in a cocktail or two and some creative rolls like The Black Pearl and the Late Night Party Roll (crabmeat, avocado, scallops, and lobster). Yeah, maybe you sushi purists should show yourselves the door, but who's going to argue with lychee martinis and Asian bloody Marys? Not this girl. more ›

Locanda del Lago sits on a prime piece of Santa Monica real estate, at the corner of 3rd and Arizona, with a patio and floor to ceiling windows looking into the heart of the eternally bustling Third Street Promenade. And just as shoppers and looky-loos alike keep the street humming with vibrancy, the atmosphere inside the cozy and inviting Locanda del Lago is just as vibrant, and even more welcoming. LAist was invited to try their DineLA menu a few days before the event began, and to experience their hospitality and the cuisine of Bellagio and the Northern Lakes region of Italy. more ›

Well, that's what Casa's public relations folk are saying. But we'll let the public (and Yelp) decide its uniqueness starting tomorrow when Casa finally opens in downtown's California Plaza next door to MOCA on Grand Avenue (we've penned the area as Performance Row). more ›

Call 626.240.4550 x542 or email for more details; families and children welcome. more ›

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The beautiful Langham Huntington Hotel is hosting a Wine Dinner next month that will feature the best wines from New Zealand, specifically those from winemaker Craggy Range, paired with a sumptuous meal in the hotel's Dining Room. Showcasing its finest wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling, Chardonnay, Sophia and Syrah, winemaker Steve Smith from Craggy Range will discuss the winemaking process, the distinctive traits of the varietals and the unique history of the winery. more ›

Simon's Cafe is a wonderful little gem of a place, located in an awkward intersection just under the 405 freeway at Ventura Boulevard, but this Mediterranean/Moroccan treat is well worth the trip. Stop in tonight to say hi to Simon himself, who is often in the kitchen and serving the guests with speed and politesse. If you enjoy your meal, he's also giving a cooking lesson next Sunday morning on house specialties like feuillettes aux poulet, vegetarian couscous, and Moroccan beef kefta. First, enjoy an appetizer of houmous, baba ganoush, or the "spicy cigars" -- tightly rolled puff pastries filled with a ground beef mixture. more ›

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Many of LAist's contributors have been checking out L.A.'s dineLA Restaurant Week -- and we've discovered that some experiences definitely offered more value than others. I decided to close out my own Restaurant Week experience with a casual lunch and a more upscale dinner: for the former, I took LAist editor Zach out to lunch at eat. on sunset, while I saved the fancy hotel dinner at Circa 55 for my special guy. Both restaurants offered exactly what I was looking for in a Restaurant Week experience: tasty, unique dishes for reasonable prices in a beautiful location. And did I mention good service? When it comes to dining in this city, nothing sets apart a fine meal so much as excellent service. more ›

Last year I challenged myself to stop using plastic bags at grocery stores by bringing my own reusable ones. After months of forgetting to bring my own bags and kicking my own arse mentally, it is now a natural habit when heading out the door. Now it's time to challenge myself again with reusables. It may make me look like an old crazy bag lady, but it must be done. I must start to make... more ›

Theres lots of places I've been with friends this year and lots of places I've made my Dad take me when he's out here on business, but dates? Well, 2006 was a pretty dry year for this gal... So here are a few date places I've heard about through my friends who actually do things like..date....So I guess here's my wishlist for 2007... more ›