The CalArts Film/Video Showcase kicks off at REDCAT, acclaimed writer David Sedaris entertains UCLA's Royce Hall, Two Boots Pizza celebrates its new location with free pizza, the Million Dollar Theater screens a Brian DePalma double feature and The Moth tells stories of education. more ›

A rally to celebrate the California Right to Know GMO labeling initiative and to educate consumers about issues surrounding labeling of genetically engineered foods will take place Wednesday, May 2. Organizers have raised enough signatures to qualify for the California State Ballot in November and will be submitting them in style. more ›

What's going on in the L.A. food scene? Chew on This: Toast to Sotto's anniversary, Arbor Day and Springtime, a guest chef is doing The Charleston, Mess Hall gets the Test Kitchen treatment and more. more ›

This morning, The Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Initiative in California reported having gathered the target 850,000 signatures needed in order to ensure the initiative makes it onto the November 2012 State Ballot. The grassroots initiative, which seeks to have produce and packaged foods containing genetically engineered ingredients labeled as such, has been gathering signature since early 2012, with hopes of allowing California citizens to decide the issue in November. more ›

Native Foods Café fans -- particularly those of the Classic Deli Reuben -- you may want to take a seat. We have two slices of fabulous food news for you. Firstly, the beloved sandwich will return to the menu tomorrow, April 24 (!!!). Secondly, Westwood residents will soon be saved from making the trip to Culver City to devour the addictive vegan fare. more ›

A place where even the meatiest of eaters flock to devour vegan fare just expanded its already generous menu, boosting its yum factor to an unforeseen height. That place is The Veggie Grill. We recently scored a tasting of a few of the new eats that rolled out this month, and our minds and taste buds were happily blown. more ›

Not headed east to Mud-chella Coachella this weekend? Not to worry because there's so much happening this weekend right here at home. Here are our top seven Coachella alternatives, in no particular order. This is definitely one weekend where you can't say there's nothing to do in LA. As a bonus, most of these picks are definitely cheaper than that desert music fest: more ›

You've probably heard several variations of the phrase "farm to table," like "farm to fork" and "farm to fridge." While it's probably better known as a food movement advocating eating local, it's also widely used in the food safety field in reference to food production stages. And there's a new version of the expression in town: Farm 2 Condo. more ›

As some of you prepare to add another chapter to the stoner diaries on April 20, you might want to consider celebrating cannabis by consuming it during a secret dinner in Downtown Los Angeles. Chef Laurent Quenioux and Executive Chef Thi Tran of Starry Kitchen (LQ@SK) are teaming up yet again to bring pot practitioners -- or anyone interested in herbal cuisine -- "THE 4.20 (Weed+Chinese) HERB Dinner." more ›

Where do you go if you're hankering for 1930s décor, jazz, '80s cover bands, karaoke, comedy, dueling pianos, comfort food and absinthe? The combination sounds impossible, doesn't it? It's not. The Charleston opened its doors to Santa Monica Thursday night, inviting L.A. to experience the newly renovated Wilshire Boulevard spot, formerly known as Angel's. more ›

Currently, some foods may carry the label "non-gmo" and may be certified by third party organizations. However, this is a voluntary measure. We wandered around town this week asking what regular folks think about the prospect of seeing foods labeled "non-gmo." Here's the word on the street. more ›

Would you eat at the restaurant of an abnormally long-tongued man who spews blood and and spits flames from his mouth? Yes, we're talking about Gene Simmons of Kiss. The rocker and reality television star is set to open a Rock & Brews in El Segundo April 3. more ›

Cue the Beatles and a hunger for all things strawberry. The 29th Annual California Strawberry Festival invites berry lovers to Oxnard for a weekend of berry bliss May 19 and 20. more ›

Let Wednesday's wind gusts blow you to one of the below local events tonight. If you're hankering for a cheap but tasty burger and a sip of draft beer, The Golden State has you covered. Two slams will entertain, as will a screening of 1958's "The Fly." But if it's laughs you need, it's laughs you will get at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Read on for the details, and as always, please do report back. more ›

Although the Facebook page campaigning for the sandwich, "Native Foods - Bring Back the Reuben & Baja Surf Tacos," has yet to gain the 500 "likes" to return the sammie to its rightful place, Native Foods Café is apparently offering the Reuben as a special March 16 through March 18. more ›

NoHo Art District goers, if you've been crossing your fingers for an artist's cafe, you may now uncross them. The former Rain Forest Cafe at 11026 Magnolia Boulevard will soon be transformed into such a spot and dubbed Purple Monkey. more ›

It's official. Angelenos may be able to vote on a new ballot initiative come November and see a new food label at grocery stores soon thereafter. According to Debra Bowen, Secretary of State, Californians may now add their signatures to a new ballot initiative mandating labeling of genetically engineered foods being sold in raw or packaged form. more ›

Sorry freeloaders, you've only got a little over a week to get your fill of free Los Angeles Times articles. Starting on March 5, the Times is putting up a paywall. If you want to read more than 15 articles at the Times in a month, you're going to have to cough up some money, the Times says. more ›

The Test Kitchen at Culver City's Surfas welcomes Joe Miller of Joe's Restaurant and Bar Pintxo this Saturday to dish on how to peel, chop and cook your way through your fresh veggies to prepare tasty eats. With a box of organic produce, courtesy of Savraw Organics, as his inspiration, Chef Miller will make magic with vegetables. more ›

As you may have heard, Los Angeles City Council approved a plan Tuesday to restore the park surrounding City Hall post-Occupy L.A. The approved option calls for 51% less grass and more native, drought-tolerant plants. But what about other green, sustainable ideas like edible gardens? Farmscape, California's largest urban farming operation, has quite a few of these ideas and has been striving to get them heard. more ›

Spinach isn't necessarily a winter green, but in temperate winter areas like southern California, we get to enjoy it now. The spinach above is an heirloom variety that is quite toothy and probably best steamed or sautéed, but we also have sellers at the Hollywood Farmer's Market who specialize in young leafy varieties that are great for salads. more ›

Farmscape, California's largest urban farming operation, recently wrapped a first-of-its-kind project in Downtown Los Angeles, one that (literally) takes urban agriculture to new heights. Atop The Jonathan Club now sits a large rooftop garden installation designed to grow fresh, organic greens. more ›

A few months ago, the news of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi opening a vegan restaurant in L.A. had fans of the funnywoman and cuisine dancing in the streets. The details on the project have been scarce, but we learned a new juicy bit today. As it turns out, the duo will be investing in the revamp of an existing Studio City eatery. more ›

Tonight is bursting with event flavor, and we are itching to get out and check out at least one of the many local happenings. Art and happy hour combine in Culver City, the Los Angeles Fine Art Show and L.A. Art Show launch with an opening night gala, Sonia Leigh jams at the Whisky and Red Hen's Kate Gale reads poetry. But wait, there's more. more ›

Westsiders, rejoice. Native Foods Café, the popular vegan restaurant chain headed by the acclaimed Chef Tanya Petrovna, is coming to Santa Monica. With Los Angeles locations already in Culver City and Westwood, the mind-blowing eatery has announced plans to open 15 new locations in 2012. more ›

The Seed Library of Los Angeles - an exciting new addition to the Los Angeles food community - embarks on its second year in lending its seeds to the community. Seed libraries hold seeds in trust for the community, much like literary libraries. Members "borrow" seeds to grow plants in their garden, and at the end of the growing season save some seeds from this stock to return to the library. more ›

Fig & Olive founder Laurent Halasz wants to change the way we use and regard olive oil. In December, Laurent and Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil author Tom Mueller teamed up for a 4-course olive oil and wine pairing. more ›

In a recent episode of chef, activist and filmmaker Daniel Klein's "The Perennial Plate" via Grist, Klein follows a dedicated dumpster diver in Virginia as he gleans edibles from dumpsters behind Trader Joe's to feed his family. more ›

On one of the coldest nights of the year last week, we were invited to sample the wares of Neveux Artisan Creamery & Espresso Bar on Melrose. The creamery, which opened this past fall, is the project of owner Leo Neveux, who makes all of the ice cream on premises. (It's also served a few doors down at Chef Eric Greenspan's The Foundry on Melrose.) more ›

There's still time to get some shopping done for Hanukkah and Christmas and whatever else occasion is on the horizon, and if you have a food lover on your list and want to get them something "so L.A." we have put together a few gift ideas we think they would love. more ›