Happy Mardi Gras! Go out and get your party on tonight at Amoeba. Also in LA: Absurdist comedy at IO West; a tribute to Spike Jones (not Jonze) at the Paley Center; Moth storytelling moves to another location on the Eastside; and Lawrence Weschler discusses LA's lit scene post-WW II with LA TImes' book critic David Ulin. Read on for all the details. more ›

Funnyman Will Ferrell has been dubbed the "God of Wine" for New Orleans' 2012 Mardi Gras. The Krewe of Bacchus, an organization that hosts parades during the famous Carnival celebration, announced its celebrity choice today. more ›

Tonight Vertical Wine Bistro in Pasadena hosts an evening of zombies, fleshy bites and creepy cocktails to celebrate the Season 1 DVD release of AMC’s The Walking Dead. (Vertical owner Gale Anne Hurd is executive producer of the show.) Members of the cast and crew will be on hand and guests have the chance to win a copy of the Season 1 DVD. For $35, guests get two zombie-inspired cocktails and munchies throughout the night. 7:30-9:30 pm. 
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Tomorrow is Mardi Gras, and it's time to party down before the traditional Lenten fasting and abstinance we know you will all be observing. For those of us who can't make it to the Big Easy, there are plenty of great places to celebrate Fat Tuesday right here at home. more ›

If you see folks walking around with some dirt on their foreheads today, they proabably did it on purpose. It is Ash Wednesday, where Christians are supposed to fast, pray, repent after the debauchery of Mardi Gras and (Super Tuesday). So here' are a few debauch-free events for tonight: more ›

It's Mardi Gras! And no one does Mardi Gras like New Orleans! Here are some photos and a few choice blog entries from Mardi Gras 2005 in The Big Easy: more ›

It’s Super Tuesday and Mardi Gras. What other reason do you need to celebrate with LAist? Come to Seven Grand tonight to watch election returns. (Who knew that primaries would be this exciting?) You never know…people may start flashing for beads after a few Glenlivets. For questions or to RSVP: events@laist.com (Note: Seven Grand is a 21+ bar. We apologize for any inconveniences). more ›

Usually Tuesday nights are slow for music in this town. Not tonight -- the spirit of Super Tuesday and democracy must have rung clear to bookers. Of course, LAist is having a party too, starting at 7:00 p.m. at Seven Grand. Choices, choices. more ›

Until 8 pm Tuesday // Barney’s Beanery // 3rd Street Prominade, Santa Monica // price varies. more ›

7 pm // Santa Monica Bar and Grille // 3321 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles // $40 at the door. more ›

Now with John Edwards out of the picture, Hillary and Barack only have eyes and one-liners for each other. Watch them duke it out during the Democratic candidates debate tonight with friends and bloggers in the comfort of CineSpace (because really, you don’t want to be anywhere near Hollywood and Highland). RSVP at RSVP@gatherinc.com. more ›

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After the holidays, some offices are feverishly trying to catch up on missed work, while others are still lounging in the holiday lull, trying to look busy. more ›

What with all the Big Game festivities going on this weekend, a girl can't help but think back fondly upon her alma mater. But you know what? It's only been a few years since I left UCLA, and I gotta say -- I almost don't recognize the place anymore. Has it really been so long since I graduated? Five years? Maybe more? So much has changed -- I came of age in the Steve... more ›

When people trade scary stories, it's usually something that happened to them; a ghost they saw, a voice they heard. Unfortunately, most of my scary stories are things I brought upon myself. When I was a teenager, I hung around with a group of people who took a lot of acid. We would just take some acid, then decide where to go. The woods or the beach were usually good places to fry. 7-11 or the mall were not. A lot of people liked going to Disneyland or the laserium, but I knew that would be way too much for me to handle. more ›

Hermosa Beach is one lucky town. Not only do they have the beautiful beach and the ocean breezes, but they have lucked out in the restaurant department. They are home to not one, but three New Orleans-inspired eateries: Ragin Cajun, New Orleans, and Café Boogaloo are all within two blocks of each other. This week, to gear up for the big Bayou Festival in Long Beach, I am going to cover all three restaurants.... more ›

Austinist gets arty with an interactive guide to SXSW, loved some local art galleries and a new art exhibit and lamented the possible loss of "Friday Night Lights" production to New Mexico. more ›

Today's not just any Tuesday. It's Mardi Gras -- Fat Tuesday -- Shrove Tuesday -- Carnival. Whatever you want to call it, it's a day to rock yer socks off. And since we're not in Rio or in New Orleans right now flashing for beads and drinking Dixie Beer on the street, LAist has thought of a few places to celebrate around LA today: - Amoeba Records starts its festivities at 4 PM with... more ›

With Mardi Gras around the corner, LAist thought we’d mention a pretty cool EP to benefit the other La -- the folks in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast still suffering from the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. REM’s Michael Stipe has corralled a few musician friends to record a benefit EP, “In the Sun.” more ›

Maison 140 hotel in Beverly Hills (near the Peninsula Hotel) has partnered with The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills to host monthly wine and cheese tastings in the hotel’s Bar Noir area (tucked into a corner of the lobby). more ›

Should you ever be in need of a Mardi Gras dish to compliment or substitute for King Cake, then the Weiser Family Farms stand at Hollywood Farmers' Market is able to help. The staggering array of potatoes and cauliflower in particular at this time of year should not be missed. more ›

Anyway, the date has triggered an epiphany of our own--exactly when can we reasonably expect Angelenos to take down all the holiday lights, trees and geegaws? more ›