If you ask me, it doesn't really feel like Christmas. Of course, what I then ask myself is: What is Christmas supposed to feel like? My answer is: I'm not sure. For the first time in a long while I'm here in Los Angeles doing Christmas solo. With airfare out of my budget (you'd be horrified to find out what CSU lecturers make, I'd bet) and the flight schedules whacked to boot, instead of joining......

Photo taken at The Grove by Peggy Archer......

"Come light the menorah, raise your hands in the air. Sip that Manischewitz like you just don't care." For an, um, alternative, Hanukkah celebration.......

Snow. It's great when you're watching it from inside a heated room, like magic dust bunnies dropping from the celestial ceiling. It's much less magical when you're trying to strategically pee inside your car door to defrost the locks. Call it lifestyle differences, we Angelenos prefer our holidays merry and BRIGHT with a high of 72. The following local heroes offer proof positive that a white Christmas is not a requirement for high spirits.......

A long time ago, but right around this time of year, I was sitting in a living room with a record collector pal, poring through the bins of seasonal vinyl from the likes of Jethro Tull, Merle Haggard and Fear. My friend looked up from his fourth or so glass of nog and remarked, "What am I listening to all this Jesus stuff for? I should put on the Blue Oyster Cult Hanukkah album."......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. Dewars Repeal Day, because you shouldn't take the right to have a drink for granted. Go Eight, a banging Hanukkah party tomorrow night at the Echo Plex. Mazel Tov! The Sasquatch Gang a comedy from the guys who brought you Napoleon Dynamite. Love is a Mix Tape, Rob Sheffield's book about women, music, and love. Busted Tees, where they've got naughty......

Earlier this week on LAist we passed on a treasured recipe for latkes, and two Hanukkahs ago we ran the closest thing to my late Grandpa (AKA "The Latke King")'s recipe. Latkes (potato pancakes) are a tasty and traditional food long associated with the holiday of Hanukkah, which rocks its halfway point at sundown tonight. But soaking up the oil that is at the core of the holiday isn't just something for members of the......

Hanukkah is the one holiday of the year that celebrates oil. How could I not love it? Luckily for me, I grew up next-door to Mrs. Barton, an excellent cook and my "adoptive Jewish mother". Every year I remember her up to her elbows in the world's biggest Tupperware bowl, mixing up the potato pancakes. As a newlywed, I was terrified hosting my first dinner party. I went over to Mrs. Barton's house to......

It was a craaaaazy night on the town. You took dozens of photos with your pocket-sized digital camera. But you don't have Photoshop, and all you want to do is upload your pics directly to Flickr (something you could even do wirelessly if Hanukkah Harry hooks you up with with an Eye-Fi). Good news. Flick just went live with a new feature that allows you to crop, resize, touch-up, de-red-eye, brighten, and flip your......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. Dewars Repeal Day, because you shouldn't take the right to have a drink for granted. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at Echo Plex. The Sasquatch Gang, which opens in L.A. today. We also have a special contest from them today, more details after the jump. Busted Tees, where they're selling 12 shirts for $12 each. If you're interested......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. Dewars Repeal Day, because you shouldn't take the right to have a drink for granted. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at Echo Plex. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing Wristcutters, which is in theaters now. Busted Tees, where you get free shipping with the purchase of three shirts. If you're interested......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at Echo Plex. John Mayer , throwing his 1st Annual Charity Holiday Revue. Tickets may still be available. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing Wristcutters, which is in theaters now. Busted Tees, where you get free shipping with the purchase of three shirts. If you're interested......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on LAist. AMEX Urban Adventures, because big cities are full of little adventures. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at Echo Plex. Homes for Working Families, because who hasn't been squeezed out of the housing Coasting.com by Shimano, where you can wander around aimlessly. Wristcutters, which is in theaters now. Busted Tees, where they've thrown their weight behind Hillary in '08.......

There's nothing like an over-elaborate Christmas lawn display to get us in the spirit of the season. Unfortunately, it seems that this year there has been some neighborly discord regarding a particular display in Hancock Park. You see, a nice Jewish lady in this nice Jewish neighborhood appears to have more of a sense of humor than her neighbors and, among other things, has erected a large Santa in her yard that asks rhetorically,......

On this, the first night of Hanukkah, a holiday that commemorates a successful Jewish revolt against an oppressive king, it seems fitting to honor Judaism's most valiant heroes. Forget all the great thinkers, activists, comedians and football players us Jews have spawned. I'm talking about the leotard-loving, cape-wearing crusaders of the Jewish Hero Corps, a slew of Semitic superheroes with an array of incredibly dorky and uniquely Jew-y super-powers. -- Minyan Man turns into......

In time for Chanukah, Ruth Seymour’s stirring and festive tribute to Yiddish culture, “Philosophers, Fiddlers & Fools,” is airing now on KCRW (noon - 3pm). KCRW presents Ruth Seymour's popular perennial salute to the little villages and towns of Eastern Europe, through the Second Avenue Hit Parade. Music, stories and memories from a world now vanished. For nearly thirty years, Seymour has collected and shared these beautiful, rare recordings and stories with a grateful......

Though this particular LAist poster isn’t Jewish, the idea of getting gifts for eight nights is totally appealing. So if anyone’s feeling particularly generous, here are a few -– ok eight -– gift suggestions. And remember Hanukkah begins this Saturday tonight...so you still have a few days left to shop: 1. Jeanine Payer jewelry. This San Francisco-based artist loves engraving words and quotes in her silver jewelry. We spied a few of her works......

Peaches & Herm, Whitey, Jeffree Starr - she is the foul mouthed over-sexxed rappergrrl and Herm, her backing group consists of JD Samson (Le Tigre’s) and Samantha Maloney (Hole). Jeffree Starr is the transvestite who somehow became one of your Myspace friends @ Avalon The Bangles, Matthew Sweet, The Southland, and others perform as a benefit for the TunaHAKI foundation which helps AIDS orphans @ The Roxy Golem, Jill Soloway, DJ Anaan - Join......

- 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......

A Love Ends Suicide - In the Disaster (Metal Blade) Alice Donut - Fuzz (Howler) Audioslave - Revelations (Epic) Beyoncé - B'Day (Columbia) Goatwhore - A Haunting Curse (Metal Blade) Grizzly Bear - Yellow House (Warp) Hem - Funnel Crowd (Nettwerk) Honkytonk Homeslice - Honkytonk Homeslice (digipak; Sci Fidelity) Horse the Band - Pizza (EP; Koch) Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death (EMI) Jars of Clay - Good Monsters (Essential) Jucifer......

Hanukkah comes to us a little late this year, and so close to Christmas, which means those who partake in the menorah-lighting will have more to do this weekend, and it means we've taken very liberal license to make an excess of Christmukkah references (G-d bless you, Seth Cohen). The fun of Hanukkah is a little less in-your-face than the merriment of Xmas (that is unless you drive on Fairfax with any regularity), and......

Still searching for that special Hanukkah or Chrismukkah gift? Ruth Andrew Ellenson has a suggestion for you – The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt – perfect for the girl or goy on your list (sorry, we couldn’t resist that one). Released by Dutton in August and edited by Ellenson, the book is a collection from 28 women writers — including Aimee Bender and Daphne Merkin — who explore what it means to be a......

LAist provides plenty of tips, opinions and anecdotes about life in LA designed for the public at large. But what if you're not the public at large? What if you're Lindsay Lohan? Maybe you, Lindsay, read our site and say, "How can you help me, LAist? How can I best enjoy life in this crazy city?" Well, Lindsay, your prayers have been answered. This week, we introduce our new feature, "The Lindsay Lohan Guide......