Dear LAist, I could've sworn when I randomly popped into the Library Bar last night I saw you carousing with a bunch of people who all had name tags and were drinking free beer. What's up with that? How do I get in on the free beer action? And who was that dude with the bandana?! Love, Little Jimmy From Pasadena Good eye, Little Jimmy! You did indeed spot us at the Library Bar last......

One of our favorite local food blogs is Eating LA, which is helmed by Pat Saperstein, a senior editor at Variety. LAist asked her to put together her own Best of 2006, which she has so kindly shared with us; we can't help but notice that she likes pork and--if we may interpret--dislikes the deluge of Pinkberry frozen yogurt shops. Is it coincidence, we wonder, that she, too links the year to the pig, like......

- Not including our infamous gangs (why weren't they included? beats us) California is home to 52 hate groups, more than any other state. Suck it, Florida! - Southern Poverty Law Center - Man shot and killed in his parked car in Carson - CBS2 - Small plane crashes this afternoon in ocean near San Pedro, one dead - AP - Hello, Harley: You're more likely to die drowning than from a motorcycle accident.......

A news tidbit last week spotlighted the shocking revelation that Surfas, the globally revered restaurant and cook's supply mecca in Culver City, is being forced to closed down after over sixty years of operation. Foodies, fans, and even some foes of the longstanding retailer hashed out the known details peppered with speculation on the net, springboarded by a news piece on the Surfas website that has since been pulled. It seems that Culver City......

"As Home Educators from all over the State pack into the Ontario, California Convention Center, Friday, July 7, Guitar Coach Jean Welles gets ready to make good on her boast that she can teach almost anyone to play the guitar in 7 minutes." - Topix.net "Ten people were arrested Wednesday at the now-defunct South Central Farm as protesters tried to prevent bulldozers from plowing over the 14-acre urban garden". - CBS2 "The combination of......

We're still waiting for the Dine for America site to launch with the details of their nationwide event to benefit Hurricane Katrina survivors through local restaurants' generous participation. Meanwhile, we've got our eye on a couple of the many local happenings that promise good eats and drink with proceeds going to help this extremely worthy cause. Our friend at Eating L.A. tipped us off to the Silver Lake Wine hurricane benefit, which is this......