This doesn't even look like a crosswalk, but this is is a scramble crosswalk in Tokyo | Photo by Julie Wolfson/LAist If you felt your neighborhood should deserve one of those new scramble crosswalks, which allows for diagonal crossing at intersections (see a video example here), there's more than just the one in Westwood Village announced the other day (and the older one near USC). Here's the list of ten scramble crosswalks planned across......

Two weeks ago, local bands Castledoor (MySpace) and The Watson Twins (MySpace) performed for First Fridays (MySpace) at The Natural History Museum in Exposition Park. Those in attendance were rewarded with several songs from The Watson Twins' upcoming album Fire Songs (which streets on June 24th), not to mention an energetic set (concluding with "Remember When") by Castledoor. Speaking of one of this year's bands to watch, they start their month-long residency on May......

Early this morning, Exposition Park saw two murders when two men, reported to be in their 20s, were shot dead on an apartment building sidewalk on South Figueroa near West 43rd St. Police have not determined a motive for the 1:50 a.m. shooting, but are looking into the possibility of it being gang or drug related. The LA Times reports that the two men "had just been dropped off by a friend" before being shot.......

Earlier this month, A-Trak (MySpace) and Kid Sister (MySpace) performed as the co-headliners of First Fridays (MySpace) at the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park. Meanwhile, Dublab (MySpace) DJs Frosty (MySpace) and Take (MySpace) spun tunes in the African Mammal Hall. When Kanye West appeared at their show a week before at the American Museum of Natural History in New York (West is featured on Kid Sister's song "Pro Nails"), there was speculation that......

Two weeks ago, locals Sea Wolf (MySpace), whose album Leaves In The River was number six on Nic Harcourt's Top Ten Albums of 2007, performed as the headliner of First Fridays (MySpace) at the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park. Opening for Sea Wolf were the Afternoons (MySpace), while DJs Allen (MySpace) and Hoseh (MySpace) spun tunes in the African Mammal Hall. Sea Wolf will open for Peter, Bjorn, and John (MySpace) at the......

After putting together an insane line up of bands, and secruing the incredible Exposition Park in Downtown Los Angeles for the venue, The Neighborhood Festival hooked up with LAist's favorite locally-based photo sharing community, Buzznet in a ticket giveaway bonanza. All one has to do is join some group thing thang, and you're officially entered in the contest. They are giving away ten pairs, which is a lot, and on 9/20/07 12:00 pm PST 10......

Some mornings, you wake up in a wandering mood: after a strong cup of coffee and a survey of the weather, we decided to peek beyond the veil of the early morning haze and venture southeast. We forsook the freeways for the more scenic route of Sunset Boulevard, through Hollywood east to Western, then south, south, south beyond the 10, through K-town and past endless strip-mall Iglesias de Dios and pupuserias. Wonderful! As we......

- Courtney Love was a good girl, judge removes her from probation, she cries. "Thank you for not taking me into custody... You've been a good, fair judge. Sorry for crying." E! News - SUV chased by LAPD crashes into a house near Exposition Park - Mercury News - LA Opera gets $4 million to help recover music suppressed by the Nazis - Playbill - Teen Soccer sensation Freddi Adu gets traded to SLC's......

natural/national - The Daily News reports on another Exposition Park tenant speaking out against an NFL team (possibly) moving in next door at the Coliseum. The funny thing: they say the protestor is the National History Museum. But they mean the museum with all the taxidermied animals and dinosaur skeletons. Oops. Natural History. another body? - Investigators believe there may be another death tied to the two little old ladies who made a habit......

Just as Pasadena was arguing its environmental impact report for a renovated Rose Bowl, Anaheim's football stadium proposal suddenly got contentious. LAist thinks the Rose Bowl renovation plan is a good one for the city of Pasadena. It's important to remember Pasadena is not debating building a football stadium. The Rose Bowl is there and not going anywhere. The question is how to ensure the economic viability of a facility that loses $2 million......

Ably processing Los Angeles’s extraordinary built environment requires thinkers who can look it through a dynamic lens that takes into consideration way more than what’s typically thought of as “good” architecture. Understanding LA means peeking into the cracks of the city and embracing what some might dismiss as sheer vulgarity. Moreover, creatively adding to the physical fabric of our city and meeting its needs beyond the strip mall paradigm necessitates a deeply complex appreciation......

The Los Angeles General Services Department's efforts to unload a couple libraries at auction further proves that nothing is sacred in this hot real estate market. The former Durant Branch on Gardner in Hollywood and the erstwhile location of the Westchester Branch on Sepulveda Eastway are going on the block next month. Minimum bidding on each starts at $1,000,000. 'Tis a pity that the small scale and mid-century charm of these two neighborhood branches......

Get your holiday shopping done early at the annual African Marketplace & Cultural Faire this week. Saturdays & Sundays, August 28, 29 and Labor Day Weekend, September 4, 5 & 6 10:00 AM–9:00 PM Location: Exposition Park, in front of the LA Sports Arena Address: 3939 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles (Martin Luther King Boulevard & Figueroa)......