Ed LaDou, the father of modern California-style pizza, has died of cancer at age 52 in Santa Monica. LaDou is best known for his work at Wolfgang Puck's legendary Spago; LaDou was the first to experiment with unusual and innovative pizza toppings like duck and smoked salmon, and he also helped develop the menu for the casual dining chain California Pizza Kitchen. From The LA Times: "Ed really set the tone for the pizza,"......

It's like Classical Music got up and left for the week (maybe to Chicago?). That's okay, though, today's picks are both exciting. We post today's picks earlier than the usual 2 p.m. slot in order to make sure you're forewarned, since they are today. The Wagner Ensemble presents an afternoon concert entitled "Illuminations from the Old World" featuring music from the Christmas tradition of Europe, British Isles and Slavic countries ranging from the early Renaissance......

A few months ago I came home from work to find one of my roommates sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand. From the time I first met this friend, one thing was very clear: he loved wine. In fact, he had a very special relationship with one brand in particular, Charles Shaw. Good ole' Two Buck Chuck was a loyal friend to my roommate all through college. Chuck had......

Every Friday, LAist is taking you on a trip down to Orange County to uncover the unique dining experiences that await adventurous eaters willing to explore beyond the county line. Ah, the beginning of fall. The leaves changing color onset of football season, cooler temperatures. And Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest is of course the infamous two-week German festival annually held in Munich, mostly known for the consumption of copious amounts of beer. Last Saturday marked the......

This Saturday is September 22nd. So dust off your lederhosen, iron your dirndl and brush up on your chicken dance because Oktoberfest officially gets underway. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Germany this year because you can still get your fill of beer and bratwurst here in LA. Here is a short list of Oktoberfest locations and events. Alpine Village- In Torrance Ca. Fri- Sun., Sept. 8th – Oct. 28th . The......

Girls think my Chicago 'pop' in lieu of saying 'soda' is cute. That's cool, too bad I don't drink pop anyway. I hate it! It tastes so nasty. That was until I visited Galco's Old World Grocery in Highland Park, otherwise known as the Soda Pop Stop on the web. The difference in the soda pop here is the use of real sugar and real flavors. This place has over 500 kinds of sodas......

Sample these tracks and let us know what's in your iPod playlist this week. Sabrosa Purr | Local Rock Liars, Petty Thieves and Pets [download] This threadbare, emotional track will grab your attention on the first listen. Songs like "Liars..." prove that Sabrosa Purr is definitely not a one-trick cat. Catch them live Friday, Nov. 18 at Alex's Bar in Long Beach. Metric | Alternative Too Little Too Late [download] Metric recorded "Old World......