Westside book borrowers, rejoice -- the Montana Avenue branch of the Santa Monica Public Library will reopen tomorrow after being closed for renovations. The library began the upgrade project on January 16, and since then, it got new paint and shelves, more book displays and self-checkout stations, and added seating in the teen area, among other improvements. more ›

Why is it that there's always too much to do in December? Just look at this sampling of events happening around town tonight. Check out other events on LAist Agenda: December. more ›

Ready for your morning cup of irony? There's a list and map of all the Starbucks closures on the website of a newspaper making quite a few cutbacks of its own. more ›

DINE more ›

COMIC BOOK ART more ›

I didn't want to just do a "best of" list. So this year, I've decided to take a years worth of personal New Year's Resolutions, ask around for those of friends and put a call out to readers (email me here) about things you've always wanted to know, always wanted to do and then take those requests and ask an expert, an insider to help out. The result? Here goes... more ›

John Sayles has enjoyed one of the more respected careers in film over the last twenty-five years. By some estimates, he is the king of the uncredited re-write and has used the large fees he's garnered as a script doctor to further his own career as a writer-director. His resume is studded with several superb pictures (Sunshine State, Passion Fish, Eight Men Out, The Brother from Another Planet) and one masterpiece (Lone Star). Tonight at the Aero Theater, Sayles unspools his latest, . more ›

It's a sparklie!! The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica is host today to the 25th Anniversary (yes, really) of this 1982 masterpiece about a sick mouse, a sinking house, Dom Deluise as a crow in a blouse, and magic rats. I'd write more about it but I'm busy gathering my amulet. The Secret Of NIMH -- 25th Anniversary! @ The Aero Theatre Sunday July 29 1328 Montana Avenue Santa Monica 3pm... more ›

Wassup Rockers, the new film from Larry (Kids) Clark, features a bunch of Latino skate kids that head to Beverly Hills. On Monday the kids, pro skaters, moviemakers and more hit chi-chi Montana Avenue in Santa Monica for a screening at the Aero and, we hear from a tipster, tied up traffic. more ›

Rumour has it that the latest chapter in the Harry Potter saga, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," goes on sale Saturday, July 16th. more ›

While Huey spends this week trying to convince his granddad to stop wearing an earring, you can spend your Saturday with Aaron McGruder talking about the upcoming Boondocks animated series (heading to Adult Swim in the fall), his always controversial views on current events and what's really going on on the funny pages. more ›

Westside cinema enthusiasts, fret over traffic no more. The once-threatened Aero Theatre on swank Montana Avenue is now open after a lengthy (alas, the rule rather than the exception) rehabilitation. Better yet, the theater, which was built in 1940 by Douglas Aircraft Company, is now operated by the American Cinematheque. This non-profit entity will use 75% of programming from its Hollywood base at the Egyptian Theatre to illuminate the screen in the Westside outpost. The rehab of this movie house included modifications for general upgrades and code compliance, and many original character-defining features were restored. more ›