US Rep. Xavier Becerra & L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti cross the street at the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd and Western Ave As one of the most heavily traveled pedestrian and automobile intersections in the city, Santa Monica and Western is thought to be a dangerous one. That's why today some new features were unveiled thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration secured by Rep. Becerra with the help......

Thank you in advance for any improvements here: "L.A. Council President Eric Garcetti and Rep. Xavier Becerra are holding a news conference this a.m. to tout improvements at Western and Santa Monica, including left-turn lanes that can accommodate more cars." (thanks Bottleneck blog!).......

Zombie Joe's Underground takes on "The Raven" and other Poe stories tonight. / Photo by Ctd 2005 via flickr. FILM The Silent Movie Theatre concludes its “Love Hurts” series with the noir-ish tearjerker Brief Enounter. Directed by David Lean, Brief Encounter deals with an illicit affair between a housewife and a married doctor. A train station serves as a prominent backdrop for their weekly trysts. 8 pm // Silent Movie Theatre // 611 N.......

COMEDY “Groundlings Swimsuit Edition” is the comedy troupe’s latest offering, with plenty of sketch and improv. Keep your fingers crossed that we won’t see them in Speedos. (But then again, Speedos are funny…) 8 pm // Groundling Theatre // 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles // $21.50. FILM Crenshaw Boulevard comes to life in the hands of director Dan Wozniak and producer Christopher Molony. The documentary features 12 vignettes of people along the street’s 24......

View Larger Map The call went out at 3:52 p.m., 55 firefighters arrived on the scene and the fire was out by 4:06 p.m. at the California Roll Factory, a sushi restaurant at 11629 Santa Monica Blvd. across from one of our favorite bistros in Los Angeles -- Nook. In other sushi restaurant destruction news, a SUV accelerated into TokyoIce on Ventura Blvd. in Encino, leaving a path of destruction and hurting one on Saturday.......

Love is in the air tonight. / Photo by lush.i.ous via flickr. Ahhh luuuurve is in the air. Need some last-minute ideas for the Hallmark-inspired holiday? Yes, tonight’s Valentine’s Day and here are a few different ideas that will beat flowers and candy any day. ART To coincide with the opening of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) at LACMA this weekend, “Women in the City” selected to exhibit four prominent contemporary artists (Cindy......

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: WORDS The ALOUD series continues with John Burnham Schwartz, author of Reservation Road, who talks about his new novel set in 1959 Japan where a non-aristocratic......

So many events, so little time. Concete Frequency's latest installment is tonight and there's always Disney on Ice (skaters, not Walt), but here's a sampling of the other good stuff to be done in LA tonight. PHOTOGRAPHY Photo LA started today and runs through the weekend. It's the largest show dedicated to the art of the camera. More than 74 galleries will showcase thousands of photographs. There are numerous seminars on collecting and an Artist......

And who said culture doesn’t exist in Los Angeles? Check out these events for a little learning, a little entertainment – or both. THEATRE Joe Keyes, author of Bob's Holiday Office Party and Pete's Garage, brings us a new treat: Big Baby. The dramedy focuses on "a crazy Catholic mother living with her disturbed middle aged son who falls for the dominatrix next door and all hell breaks loose." It opens tonight. 8 pm //......

Here's the good news of the day: It's almost Friday! Go out and celebrate tonight with these happenings about town: FILM The 2000 film Peppermint Candy opens with the suicide of its protagonist: a middle-aged, South Korean businessman. The film then flashes back 20 years — from student uprisings of the early '80s to the Asian financial crisis of the late '90s. "Lee's breakthrough debut unfolds a stirring story of regret, first love and letdowns."......

Mural of a dancing couple in Silver Lake....

‘Tis the season for good theater. For fun theater. The holidays always usher in tons of lighter fare and holiday reviews. Here’s just a sampling of what’s going on this weekend your local neighborhoods… Bob’s Holiday Office Party Bob is back. As usual, insurance agent Bob Finhead’s clients stop by his small-town office for the annual holiday bash. What started out as an improve sketch 12 years ago has morphed into an annual event…with......

There is nothing like combining fashion and philanthropy. Tomorrow night, the Los Angeles flagship store for Martin & Osa is have a launch party for the opening of their store in Century City. The stylish fashion company has generously donated $5,000 to Step Up Women's Network and the event will feature shopping (optional), cocktails and bites, and time to mingle with friends and to meet new people. While Step Up Women's Network is for......

Although most of us here at LAist are gourmet vegan chefs, a few of us (hi!) get our meals via drive-thru's not just daily, but several times a day. So the day after Thanksgiving we found ourselves in the drive-thru of the Jack in the Box on Santa Monica Blvd. in Westwood right near the 405 and we saw this interesting sign. Because we're selfish, lazy, bastards, at first we thought "oh cool, Jack......

I think many residents of this fine city have a love-hate relationship with it. For everyone person I hear say "I love Los Angeles," Three others chime in "this place is driving me nuts." I'm as guilty of this as anyone. I love the city but routinely bitch about the lack of snow or wide open spaces (C'mon, I'm from Minnesota. What is Christmas without a foot of snow to contend with? Over the......

The LA Times is reporting today that Metro may be seriously looking at an extremely different route for half of the proposed Purple Line subway extension that would take commuters from Downtown to Santa Monica. However, the idea discussed here would take underground riders from the Hollywood/Highland station to Wilshire Blvd. along Santa Monica Blvd., traveling through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills hitting near the Beverly Center mall and Cedars-Sinai:The new concept is still......

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people migrate west to check out the West Hollywood/Santa Monica Blvd. Halloween Parade. Spanning from La Cienega Blvd. to Doheny Drive, the parade holds concerts, DJ sets, food vendors, and costume contests to the LA masses. While closing down Santa Monica blvd. may have screwed up everyone's commute last night, nothing compares to the pure elation of dressing incredibly skanky/scary/complicated. And don't worry, while you never know what......

If the department stores can put their Christmas merch out already, we can sure as hell start celebrating Halloween! Friday, October 12th Rosemary's Billygoat, who always put on a special-effects extravaganza along with some serious rocking, will be playing at The Haunt at the Northridge Fashion Center. There will also be three haunted houses and a Fall Festival. Rosemary's Billygoat plays at 9pm. The CIA (California Institute of Abnormal Arts) in North Hollywood's Fright Night......

There’s something for everyone in LA theatre scene this week: old stuff, new stuff and stuff that’s just out there. Canned Peaches in Syrup The Furious Theatre Company presents this post-apocalyptic comedy, where two tribes of humans remain: cannibals and vegetarians. “Can star-crossed lovers Rog and Julie cross tribal lines?! Can Rog's taste for flesh be suppressed?! Can Julie deny her parents' "meat is murder" mantra?! And, who exactly is Blind Bastard? A lone can......

If you go as far west as you can in West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd., right before you wind up in Beverly Hills you will see the Troubadour - one of the most famous rock clubs in the world - established in 1957. Home of the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Elton John, and Linda Ronstadt in the '60s and '70s, the warm, rich club also saw the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and......

L.A.’s glorious summer evenings are perfect for enjoying cinema al fresco. Check out these goings on around town for the weekend & beyond. Downtown’s Million Dollar Drive-In, which launches this Saturday is described as L.A.’s first “urban drive-in” and will primarily cater to bike & foot traffic, unless you have a classic car that is pre-1965—then you have the chance of nabbing one of the 15-20 parking spots that will be available. This weekend’s film......

There is so much cool stuff going down tonight, you’d better start chugging that Red Bull!! First, the Hammer Museum will be celebrating the closing night of Eden’s Edge: Fifteen L.A. Artists. Admission to the museum will be free(!), and DJ Tendaji Lathan will spin the soundtrack as you enjoy the cash bar and the works of L.A. artists Ginny Bishton, Sharon Ellis, Matt Greene, and Jason Rhoades (who is sadly no longer with......

We know that almost everybody’s going to Sunset Junction this weekend, so if you want to do something a little different (or add it to your agenda), why not check out LA’s great theatre scene? Some of these alternatives are perfect for those watching their budget (i.e., they’re free!) Here are LAist’s picks for the week: Heads Four American and British civilians are kidnapped off the streets of Iraq. After reading that description, the......

And you shall know Mr. Bowie by the size of his purple spandex package… The 35mm reissue of the 1986 Jim Henson/George Lucas magnum opus, LABYRINTH, is now playing at the Nuart Theatre. The new print will continue showing in all its goblin glory until Thursday August 2nd. Tonight, there is a post-show Q&A with the entire Froud brood -- Brian Froud, the conceptual fantasy designer, Wendy Froud, the puppet designer, and baby-actor extraordinaire,......

Now why would you want to spend your hard-earned dough this weekend on a flick about Chuck and Larry when you can see live, local theater? Here are LAist's five picks for this weekend... Do Do Love Diana lives alone on disability baking cupcakes in her Burbank studio. Her landlord wants to get her out of the apartment and so sends a hottie of a handyman to disrupt her life and up her rent.......

Always a voyeur but never a buyer? Maybe Art for Autism this weekend will change your mind. The Santa Monica Music Center this weekend is featuring art from 3 artists with 25% of all proceeds going to the Cure Autism Now Foundation. Where - “The Upstairs Gallery” 1901 Santa Monica Blvd. (upstairs off 19th street), Santa Monica, CA 90401 When - Sunday, July 29, 2007 from 1-6 PM Who - Raymond Fernandez: Working in......

There's some great productions opening around town this weekend -- here's a sampling: Bad Seed Buzzworks Theater Company puts on a comic remake of Bad Seed, written by Maxwell Anderson in the 1950s and banned for its homosexual references and other Freudian theories. It’s the story of an 8-year-old murderess born without pity. We can’t wait for this one! Lounge Theatre. 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. 323.960.5563. Tickets are $25-$30. Opens Saturday at......

Here are LAist's theater picks for this weekend: Angel Feathers How’s this for a few laughs: Imagine a play where all the characters, except a daughter visiting from New York City, have cancer. That’s the premise behind writer Greg Suddeth’s new two-act dark comedy premiering this weekend. The Lost Studio. 130 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. 323.651.5632. Tickets are $20. Opens Friday at 8 pm. Runs Friday and Saturday at 8 and Sundays......

Here we are on the day Metro makes another set of changes that they refer to as "Service Enhancements." And yes, these are enhancements, but that does not mean service cuts, excuse us, "discontinuations," are happening too. For the new toy collection comes the Rapid Express system. It's not local service, it's not rapid service, it's express. That means only a handful of stops for peak hour riders to endure between Wilshire/Vermont Red Line......

Silverlake Film Festival The 2007 Silverlake Film Festival heads into its second and final week. Highlights include… El Benny - A biopic based on the life of Benny Moré, considered by many to be the greatest Cuban singer of all time. The film concentrates on a period in the early 1950s when Moré left the orchestra of Duany and founded his own "Banda Gigante." The King of Kong - Washington resident Steve Wiebe decides that......