Strewn across local news stations and gaming websites alike, film titan Steven Spielberg is gaining relatively high momentum regarding the lending of his name to Boom Blox, the newest children’s release title from Los Angeles-based EA Games. LAist recently got a chance to play around with the cute little block-shaped animals in what’s called in modern tech parlance, the “casual entertainment” sector of the gamersphere. Stepping out of the hardcore gamer paradigm, its quite apparent......

The Cahuenga corridor/crawl night spot formerly known as Tokio Lounge is undergoing a complete rennovation and being transformed into Ecco. Using natural and environmentally friendly materials and products, Ecco is calling itself "Hollywood's first eco-friendly lounge." Expected to open in July, the new lounge will feature an organic menu, eco-friendly cement (waste materials added to pack cement), an LED lighting system, waterless urinals and air pressure toilets. Power for the club will be supplied by the......

Part of an ongoing series. Last Friday, local band The Movies (MySpace) at Spaceland (MySpace) in Silver Lake as part of The Parson Redheads' (MySpace) Owl & Timber EP release show. It was just last month that The Movies celebrated the release of their LP, Based on a True Story, with a show at Bordello alongside The Happy Hollows (MySpace) and The Savages (MySpace). As for The Parson Redheads, their next shows are on......

It looks very smooth in real life, doesn't transfer to video well If you weren't sleeping on the northbound Metro Red Line between Hollywood/Highland and Universal last week, then you may have noticed a Speed Racer movie trailer all of the sudden playing inside the tunnel. Officially announced today, the high-tech subway tunnel advertising tool is a first in North America for this type of digital advertising. It is "an LED system composed of......

Photo by hiddedevries via Flickr COMEDY It's the last week of the Los Angeles Comedy Festival in Hollywood. There are two shows tonight (one at 8:00 p.m., another at 9:30 p.m.) that include 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, Dry Hump and The Comedy Jesus Show. 8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m. // McCadden Theatre // 1157 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles // $12/show CHEAP EATS Whether you're over the hill on the East or Westside, or even......

This past week, an international exchange called LA Goldrush brought graffiti artists from Italy to Los Angeles. Now in it's second year, organizers Raptuz (Milan) and Man One/Crewest Gallery (Los Angeles) created a series of events throughout the city, one that many witnessed on Winston St. at the Downtown Art Walk on Thursday. Over the weekend, the artists hit two spots. On Friday and Saturday, they created permanent murals at The Hollywood condo development near......

On Saturday May 10th, members of Anonymous took to the streets all over the world in protest of Scientology. Here in Los Angeles, Anonymous staged their gathering at 6331 Hollywood Boulevard at one of the many Scientology buildings in the city. LAist photographer Tom Andrews was on the scene this week, just as he was last week, to capture the events on camera.......

Saturday morning in the parking garage of The Hollywood | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist LA Goldrush is an international exchange of Graffiti artists from Italy visiting Los Angeles this week. Now in it's second year, organizers Raptuz (Milan) and Man One/Crewest Gallery (Los Angeles) have created a series of events throughout the city, one that many witnessed on Winston St. at the Downtown Art Walk on Thursday. Yesterday and today, in an event closed......

Update: View photos from the May 10 Protest hereAs Anonymous launches their third big protest around the world, the local group of "legion" begin at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon in Hollywood near the Metro Hollywood/Vine Red Line Station. At the March 15 protest in Hollywood, an LAPD officer was praised worldwide after LAist took this video of an officer being friendly to protestors. However, as the protest moved to another Scientology site on Jefferson Blvd.,......

On March 9, 70-year-old Katan Khaimov went for a walk. He started at his West Hollywood apartment and was later found dead with stab wounds near Poinsetta Park, which is in Los Angeles at the WeHo border. For over an hour, Khaimov cried for help, according to the LA Times. The fact that Khaimov was slain has been hard enough for his neighborhood to accept. But the awful coda of his life has added to......

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/world_news/Beautiful_Photos_of_Anonymous_at_Hollywood_Courthouse'; While a worldwide Anonymous protest is scheduled for Saturday, May 10 (Update: see photos from May 10 here), a small group of hardcore Anonymous protestors took to the streets Monday both in Hollywood at the Church of Scientology Office of Special Affairs and then Downtown at the United States District Court, Roybal Federal Building. Downtown, Anonymous lawyer Graham Berry was the subject to a deposition by Scientology lawyers. According to Anonymous......

No, it was not Tom. MySpace founder Brad Greenspan's $2.9 million home was discovered burglarized on Saturday. Police say it may be related to all the recent cat burglaries in the Hollywood Hills. Greenspan's home is located at 2177 Sunset Plaza Drive. Other recent Hollywood Hills home robberies include Charlize Theron, who became victim to it in December, Tim McGraw & Faith Hill in February and Duran Duran's John Taylor in March. In 2006, the......

Sean Diddy Combs poses with his new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during today's dedication ceremony (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Last week it was Disney. This week, it's Diddy, or as the star says -- Sean Diddy Combs. Located outside the Hollywood & Highland Center, Puffy's star was dedicated late this morning as a crowd of locals, paparazzi and fans watched him pose before signing autographs. The Associated Press explains that honorees usually......

No, this isn't Care Bear Puke, but that would be pretty cool (in a strange way). This is the peppermint ice cream cookie sandwich ($4.25) at Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store, attached to the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. People go nuts over Diddy Reese's cheap ice cream sandwiches ($1.50). And those snacks are definitely not to miss when in Westwood Village or hanging around UCLA's campus. However, and as cheesy as it is......

After all was said and done, yesterday morning's fire in Hollywood severely damaged Basque nightclub and the Blood Shot tattoo parlor. Two other adjacent occupancies of the building sustained moderate damage -- Sandee's shoe repair and the San Miguel Spa and Salon. Of the 180 firefighters who reported to the 5:31 a.m. fire, there were no injuries. For those who think an arsonist is involved in the recent spate of fires, Battalion Chief John Miller,......

The fire at Hollywood and Vine spit flames 40 feet into the air. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) After just under two and one half hours, the fire at Basque nightclub was knocked down by the Los Angeles Fire Department, save for one flare up on a rooftop hotspot fifteen minutes later. At 5:31 a.m. this morning, a 9-1-1 phone call alerted officials to a fire at the building located on the northwest corner of Hollywood......

Update: The fire has been knocked down. Read the update here.A major alarm fire broke out at 5:31 a.m. this morning at the famous corner of Hollywood and Vine in the Basque nightclub space (map below). When firefighters responded, the building was fully engulfed in flames. It is suspected that it started in the attic. At 6:00 a.m., fire fighters went into defensive mode on the exterior of the building. By 7:15 a.m., 115 firefighters......

Tuesday nights in LA can be slow in the Spring; the energy of activation to get prettied up and brave the slick streets is much higher than that required to crack open a beer and settle on the couch. But when a heat wave hits with its concomitant restlessness, suddenly a weeknight outing is not only desired but sorely needed. It was in this fitful state I found myself making my way down a......

On this evening's earlier story about the fire at Off Vine, a reader posted their experience in the comments section: I was eating here with my family and friends for the first time after attending the play Wicked. The waiter had cleared our plates and we heard commotion on in the kitchen. I asked what was happening and was told there was a fire upstairs. We were seated in the table closest to the kitchen......

A fire reported at the address of Off Vine Restaurant on Leland Ave. in Hollywood has left the building with heavy fire damage after a 34 minute aggressive firefight, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey. At 5:20 p.m., a cell phone call prompted 86 firefighters to respond to the blaze, which was originally reported to be at a single family home, but later corrected as a home converted-to-restaurant....

A guest post from Stephen G. Ruiz, a freelance photographer. Ruiz most recently shared photos from an Airborne Toxic Event concert Dallas' favorite Alt-Country sons, the Old 97's, played a free and intimate gig at The Highlands in celebration of web-based Hunnypot Radio's New West night. The hour long set was heavy with tracks from the 97's newest LP- Blame it on Gravity, as well as old favorites from years past. Yes. They played "Timebomb"......

AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes No longer the CEO of Disney, but now immortalized on Hollywood Blvd. in the Walk of Fame, Michael Eisner was joined by Mickey, Minnie, current CEO Bob Iger and John Travolta (whoa, that moustache) when he was honored with a star today. The chosen spot, of course, appropriately themed, was outside Disney's Hollywood Blvd. property -- El Capitan Entertainment Center, home to Jimmy Kimmel Live. Related -- Cancel That, New Disney......

This week's Senate Committee Hearing on the Future of the Internet featured notable speakers on both sides of the net neutrality debate including Stanford Prof. Lawrence Lessig, FCC Commissioner Kevin J. Martin, Patric Verrone, President of the WGA-West, and Michele Combs of the Christian Coalition. And Justine Bateman, aka Jason's sister, aka Mallory Keaton. What is Ms. Bateman's interest and/or expertise in the Net Neutrality debate? "I have acted in many projects, from TV’s 'Family......

Location of the 'Batcave' in Bronson Canyon where two hikers are being rescued A cliff rescue operation began early this afternoon in Griffith Park shortly before 2:00 p.m. One of two hikers in need of assistance alerted the Los Angeles Fire Department that they were in need of help. A female hiker, approximately 24 years in age, was unconscious and in serious condition, according to d'Lisa Davies, LAFD Spokesperson. The male hiker was found......

Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist Not only was the lovely and feigned Johnny Depp buying makeup at the Hollywood & Highland MAC store, but he was also getting tips on how to best smudge black eyeliner and what kind of makeup remover to use. To pay, he lifted his treasure chest to the counter and opened it, handing her magical gold coins. To have your work featured on LAist, submit photos to the LAist Featured......

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If you live in Los Angeles or know anything about punk rock circa 1977 then you know about X. If you don't, Perry Farrell will tell you in the clip on the right. Farrell introduced X last month at SXSW, headliners of Spin's day party at Stubb's BBQ. The place was only two-thirds full after a mass exodus of sweater vests following a short set by Vampire Weekend. But all four original members of......

Photo submitted by benrodian to the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr He may be young and may not have billboards of himself around Hollywood like Angelyne, but the twenty-something Chad Luckette does have a van and trailer displaying his name, which seems to be found in Silver Lake Sunset Junction area more than often. Who is he? "[Chad is] an aspiring actor you can also find his resume and headshots as well as......

Photo by Michell Zappa via Flickr As predicted and wished for here on LAist back on February 7th, Radiohead has confirmed their summer tour dates, four of which include Southern California including two Hollywood Bowl performances. Rawk! After a show in San Francisco, here's the deal: August Sun 24: Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles, CA) August Mon 25: Hollywood Bowl (Los Angeles, CA) August Wed 27: Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (Chula Vista, CA) August Thu 28......

Interesting news in the gaming world this week. The Hollywood Reporter's Paul Hyman notes that video game power house publisher 3D Realms Entertainment has announced the inception of two subsidiary companies called Radar Group (Scottsdale, AZ) and Depth Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA), both focusing on publishing titles that will ultimately become specs for TV and film. CEO Scott Miller uses the concept of the "storyverse" as a logical reason to homogenize the two markets......