Now that it stays light until almost nine o'clock, nighttime has taken up its annual habit of being more playful, with balmy temperatures and the hint of summertime. But weekday doldrums can still take over, which means weeknight relaxation and indulgences are a must-have. Here's where the beautiful and historic Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa comes in. From now until August 27, every Tuesday and Wednesday night from 4-8 they're having a poolside summertime special,......

Photo by Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr An update on last night's Midnight Movie (you really need to watch this): Curbed has the rendering of the proposed development and for five-stories, it looks a bit... out of proportion. Authorities are on the hunt for the killer of a 25-year-old homeless man whose body was found Sunday night in Venice. The victim was apparently beaten to death. Another......

People gripe about the rain and its effects, especially on traffic. It's easy to forget that we're living desert-adjacent; being a part-time Hi-Desert dweller, I'm grateful for every inch of rain we get, especially after the devastating fires of 2006. Along with nourishing our parched land and turning that empty concrete wash into an actual "LA River", the rain brings an abundance of wildflowers, transforming the desert floor into a multicolored carpet for miles. Peak......

And you thought the Burger King Chicken was crazy? Check out the Crazy Chickens this week at the Mayan / Photo by upslases via flickr. TALK Could you not get into Michael Pollan last night at the Central Library? No worries because American eating habits and food policy are a hot topic this week. Tonight, the Center for Healthy Communities presents “Hungry for Change: The Politics of Food with Marion Nestle.” The nutritionist, author......

Here’s the thing: this book isn’t even out yet. But because we live in Los Angeles, and this book is about Los Angeles, you’re in luck. We’re all in luck. Denise Hamilton and the bevy of supremely talented noir writers that contributed stories to this book are signing all over town this week. And the book will be, yes, you guessed it – available for signing at the readings two weeks before the rest of......

Instead of selling a large collection of rare Charles Bukowski manuscripts, originals, and books for about $1 million, the LA poet's widow has donated the works to the hoity-toity Huntington Library in San Marino. Linda Lee Bukowski told the LA Times that she thought her beer-drinking husband would have gotten a kick out of such a large chunk of his writing being housed in such a high-class joint. "It's going to be scandalous. This......

400,000 Official reports are saying 250,000 immigration rights marchers showed up at City Hall and 400,000 walked down Wilshire Boulevard in yesterday's Day Without An Immigrant. Mayor Villaraigosa made a post-Quizno's lunch appearance (good thing he didn't try to dine in Pasadena or at Panda Express at UCLA — closed due to staffing shortages). There's a sign that immigration has either become a real issue for Angelenos or it's jumped the shark: The LA......

It's the weekend already? LAist throws enthusiastic support in the corner of the 4-day work week, and even though perhaps we didn't work as much this week, we're still going to play this weekend. Here are some things going on around town this lovely weekend. Friday LAist loves Grand Performances! Tonight is Algerian-born rai musician Khaled at 8:00 p.m. at the California Plaza. Saturday Take a tour of Chinatown from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00......

Writer Michelle Huneven delves into all aspects of life in Southern California, from the material to the spiritual and everything in between. She is the author of two published works of fiction, Jamesland (2004) and Round Rock (1998), as well as many pieces of non-fiction journalism. She’s also familiar to readers as a former restaurant critic for the LA Weekly. 1. Age and Occupation: 51, Writer 2. How long have you lived in Los......

Like other Angelenos, LAist.com tries hard to separate the myth of "Hollywood" from the reality of Los Angeles and avoids the temptation to constantly reference the entertainment business. Yet, the "Industry" is one of Southern California's major economies and impacts our lives in myriad ways. For example, a conference on Saturday at the Huntington Library in San Marino focused on how the entertainment industry shaped (and continues to shape) our region's urban design. Planners,......

It�s a well-known secret that major novelists actually reside in Southern California...even Los Angeles. This weekend some come out of hiding to visit with their fans. T. Coraghessan Boyle travels down from Santa Barbara to engage the latest editor of The Paris Review in conversation about the anthology, The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators & Waiting Rooms, at Skylight Books in Los Feliz on Saturday, July 31st at 5 pm. Skylight Books,......