Good taste in architecture: rumors fly (here and here) that he's bought the penthouse of the gorgeous bluegreen Eastern Columbia Building in downtown. The Eastern Columbia building is in the national register of historic places and is an LA Cultural-Historical landmark (#294, to be precise). It is coated in turquoise terra cotta from the ground level to the top of its 13th floor. The building will celebrate its 77th birthday on September 12. Johnny......

Actors want to be rock stars. Rock stars want to be actors. But when comedians decide to record pop dance hits -- well, that's a party all the time. Guest Day Editor Carolyn Kellogg joins LAist with a few posts throughout the day. Read the introductory interview and check out her litblog.......

This week the prosecution rested its case against Phil Spector, who is accused of murdering Lana Clarkson on February 3, 2003 with a tidy shot to the head. And I do mean tidy: the "spatter" on Spector's jacket, which has been the focus of much testimony this week, consists of tiny spots, most smaller than a dime, many far littler. The defense spent the week putting forensics experts on the stand to contradict the......

This photo is of 6th Street in downtown LA, looking east, between Hope and Grand. The Hotel Savoy on the left later became the Crocker National Bank Tower (how it looked in 1969 or so, when it was the tallest building in LA). The building is still there, and -- no surprise -- it's slated to go condo. LA so relentlessly tears down its buildings that I'm always hoping to find a way to......

Of course Supervisor Yvonne Braithwaite-Burke lives in her district. Or maybe not. (Los Angeles Times) Nicole Richie appears at the Glendale courthouse, reporter gets elbowed in the head (East of the 5/Daily News). As for Nicole, she gets 4 days in jail. (KCAL) Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out, Paris. The Hilton heiress' Hollywood home is for sale. (Curbed LA) How much do you love your botox?......

Guest Day Editor Carolyn Kellogg joins LAist with a few posts throughout the day. Read the introductory interview and check out the her litblog. James Ellroy -- the man who brough noir up to date at the end of the 20th century with his books The Black Dahlia, LA Confidential, White Jazz and more -- is back. He left California for parts midwest (why do people do that?) but has finally come to his senses......

Hot Hot Heat have been added to the Sunset Junction bill. I know you know Sunset Junction, the festival spread along Silverlake's streets in late August. It's sweltering, and us indie rock fans could never quite understand how old-skool Silverlake gay men could promenade in their leathers all day long. The days of gay old Silverlake are mostly gone now; heck, the 4100 Club took over Detour years ago. Anyway, I reminisce: no matter......

Guest Day Editor Carolyn Kellogg joins LAist with a few posts throughout the day. Read the introductory interview and check out the her litblog. One man decided to stash a couple of the South Asian monkeys in his underwear to get them into the US. This week, National Geographic looks at animal smuggling schemes caught at LAX. Authorities there have found the exotic -- rare butterflies, leopards and more. But they also catch the......

Guest Day Editor Carolyn Kellogg joins LAist with a few posts throughout the day. Read the introductory interview and check out the her litblog. Happy 35th birthday to the guy who directed the scary as fuck original Grudge movies, Takashi Shimizu, and the funny as all get-out Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live. Country musician Bobbie Gentry celebrates her birthday today, as do musicians Juliana Hatfield and Pete Yorn. It's Yahoo Serious' birthday, too. Don't......