I innocently went to Third Street Promenade on Saturday to go shopping to put together a new "I'm single and available" look as the current one isn't working, and happened upon some sort of pre-Earth Day, super green I heart the environment festival. Fortunately Earth Day brings out the best of Santa Monica, and my camera and I happened to be there. I can't appropriately put words to this, so just click the photos.......

There's a massive world freeze planned for April 1st and since Los Angeles has recently gone abuzz with unexpected events that cause "chaos and joy," a new local group inspired by the East Coast Improv Everywhere has already gone out and accomplished some missions, including this above video from February 23rd at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade. The local group, who recently dubbed themselves as GuerilLA seems to have begun after Improv Everywhere flew......

Red Beans and Rice from The Gumbo Pot/ Photo by Elise Thompson In Louisiana, red beans and rice are traditionally served on Mondays. Monday was wash day, and once all of the ingredients were thrown in, you could ignore the beans all day while you tended to the laundry. I am obsessed with red beans and rice. The only version I've eaten that beat my own recipe was made by Mike Anderson's in New Orleans.......

Following up on my last post, here are five favorites I return to time and time again. All are reliable sources for good eating! Home Cooking and More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin The novelist Laurie Colwin wrote playful, funny novels (Goodbye without Leaving is my favorite) about complicated characters, and also wrote straightforwardly about everyday cooking, the kind that sustains body and soul. Home Cooking, the first collection of her pieces from Gourmet and......

You know it's Christmas season in LA when the owners of Youngwood Court (an estate that pays homage to ivory off Third Street near Hancock Park) dress up their 12 David statues in Santa hats. This year, a huge 2008 sign also adorns the front lawn, which is covered in a layer of faux snow. A stylin' Santa and Mrs. Claus seem to be riding in a comfy sleigh, too. No matter how busy......

MUSIC: The Los Angeles Master Chorale performs Handel's Messiah tonight at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. But the audience has a part in this fun sing-along. So get your "hallelujah" ready. 7:30 pm // Walt Disney Concert Hall // 111 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles // $16-$69 (Cheaper tickets are getting scarce). OUTDOORS: Santa Monica pretends its Pershing Square with an ice rink of its own. It’s a stone’s throw away from the Third Street......

Dave Isay will be at the 3rd Street Promenade Borders today at 2pm to discuss StoryCorps - the ambitious project that toured the country in search of stories. Your stories. Our stories. Your great-grandmother's buried stories that you knew nothing about and then, suddenly, you did and nothing was quite the same again. 10,000 interviews that StoryCorps gathered over the past four years (from the two booths in New York to the traveling booths......

This is why we do all of our Christmas shopping online: first the FBI reported possible terrorist threats to Chicago and Los Angeles malls this holiday season, then took it back. Hey kids! You too can grow up to be a pervert with a social conscience! Dov Charney just signed on for a deal with American Apparel's partner company that could net him millions per year. A Small World it's not: Disneyland is remodeling......

Starbucks is currently in the midst of doing a free Song of the Day promotion (see the complete list of 37 songs here), and last night, Hear Music, located on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, hosted an in-store performance by the LA-based indie Bitter:Sweet (MySpace) since their song "Heaven (Nicola Conte Remix)" was yesterday's giveaway. I've admittedly been a fan of Bitter:Sweet since their performance a year and a half ago at a......

On today's LAist poll, over 80% of you readers are willing to pony up for a subway to the sea. Is anybody at City Hall listening? Or does Zuma Dogg have to get all wacky on their asses? The LAT names two new managing editors. To whom do I write to protest the axing of West Magazine? About 200 employees were evacuated from UCLA today after a basement explosion; no injuries reported. 16-year-old Victor......

Sonic Youth continue to push the envelope. Two weeks ago they let it out that they're going to be working with Starbucks on a cd that will only be sold there, and today we learn that they are going to play a free gig at the Urban Outfitters on the Third Street Promenade. Is that where the Teenage Riots happen these days? Anyways, they're Sonic Youth and because their music has stayed pure throughout......

Following up on a news item we told you about on Friday, apparently the residents of Venice are in alignment with those in Mar Vista who are pissed that Santa Monica has passed a law that only allows dogs with SM tags to legally play in their new park on Bundy and Airport Drive which is right next door to Mar Vista. In the letters section of yesterday's Times were two correspondences that we......

Monday Allen Rucker presents The Best Seat in the House 7pm @ Vroman’s David Mamet & Howard Norton sign their new books 7pm @ Dutton’s Brentwood Tuesday Sam Sheridan presents A Fighter’s Heart 7pm @ Book Soup Bich Minh Nguyen presents Stealing Buddha's Dinner 7pm @ Vroman’s Rafe Esquith discusses Teaching Shakespeare 7pm @ Central Library Wednesday John M. Wieskopf presents The Ascendancy 7:30pm @ Barnes & Noble Third Street Promenade Kate Jacobs signs......

Headlines still focus on the temperature and how Posh Spice has arrived to shop for the maybe next Scientology castle for David Beckham and family. Investigations over the plane crash in Van Nuys continue while the book is closed on the latest E.coli cases -- California is once again to blame for Midwest and beyond sicknesses. Tonight Hollywood (not the neighborhood) comes back big for 2007 with 24, Rome and Extras. Choices, choices. It's......

Cameras weren't the only things flashing at the 4th annual Santa Monica Holiday Speedo Run this Saturday. These holiday revelers raised aproximately $3,000 for charity in cash and athletic goods. They also raised the spirits of holiday shoppers at the Third Street Prominade. Obviously Santa Monica is big on Christmas, and LAist is big on skin. What a perfect pair. Photo essay after the jump, with videos coming tomorrow (including a half naked guy......

Though this particular LAist poster isn’t Jewish, the idea of getting gifts for eight nights is totally appealing. So if anyone’s feeling particularly generous, here are a few -– ok eight -– gift suggestions. And remember Hanukkah begins this Saturday tonight...so you still have a few days left to shop: 1. Jeanine Payer jewelry. This San Francisco-based artist loves engraving words and quotes in her silver jewelry. We spied a few of her works......

Before there was gold, there was traffic... Gold Line construction has made it out of the tunnel boring phase and onto the streets. Watch out on Third Street, between Herbert and Eastern avenues and on the south side of First Street, between Utah and Gless. This is the kind of traffic we like. Cheer for Gold! Oceanbound For about 8 weeks in Marina Del Rey, the Culver Blvd. on-ramp to eastbound 90 will close......

Now that the weather is more normal we can go back to enjoying the fact that we live in LA and do Southern Californian things like skating, surfing, and editing movies on our Macs. "A Brokedown Melody" is a beautiful new surf film starring the likes of Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Gerry Lopez, the Malloys, Rob Machado, CJ Hobgood, Jack Johnson and others. It features two tunes by Johnson, a previous unrelease solo number......

St. Nick's Pub, an Irish bar on 3rd across from the Beverly Connection, gives us that landmark rating according to Great American Beer: 50 Brands that Shaped the 20th Century by Christopher O'Hara. The book quotes Lauren Jaeger, a "legendary LA sophisticate and barhopper extraordinaire" (we have no idea who this person is) saying, "if you are a post-college 20-something hipster with a taste that runs more towards mozzarella stocks (sic) and Budweiser than......

There are many great photographers in Los Angeles. LAist isn't afraid to pick favorites, and our two favorite photographers right now are The Cobra Snake and Malingering. We enjoy both of these artists because they celebrate LA fashion in a unique and sometimes hilarious way. The Cobra Snake uses fancy cameras and glamourous locations, whereas Malingering uses inexpensive equipment and photographs in very mundane places like Venice Beach and Third Street Promenade. While Cobra......

This LAist poster is a BIG fan of turkey sandwiches. But many times, don't we all end up being disappointed, with the turkey being too dry, or the bread being either too chewy or too hard? Or maybe it’s the cheese or balance of condiments that’s not quite right. It’s a never-ending quest – kind of like finding the perfect pizza slice in this city. The last time we came close to the perfect......

We just walked out and cheered the LA Marathon runners along mile 21 down Third Street. People lined the sidewalks, some of them, it's true, lounging in chairs with picnic feasts, but also holding up their babies (or parrots -- there were several of each) to see the runners, or lifting up signs with messages like "Go Sergio" or "Run Auntie Liz Run." Some of the spectators clearly lived in the houses and apartments......

There was a gang shooting in my neighborhood today. (Or at least, according to a neighbor that's what it was. This isn't confirmed by an official source.) Just after noon, I walked out of my building to my car, which was parked a few blocks away. Lots of people were out in the neighborhood on this warm Sunday. People walked by with dogs on leashes. A house had a castle-shaped moon bounce set up......

Okay, so Los Angeles magazine doesn't update its web site -- or , it seems, even employ a halfway-decent webmaster. But the January issue does a big to-do about the new-and-improved Westwood Village. The article is at times too complementary, but in the end covers the neighborhood's issues right...focusing on what needs to be done to get the place back to its former glory days. (It even covers with a handy 9-step plan. City......

There's a sort of art form to a good breakfast, and LAist is extremely dedicated to unearthing the city's best. We take our breakfast seriously. We like choices, quality, substance, invention of ingredients, and that hard-to-come by feeling of satisfaction after a morning meal. A good cup of coffee and efficient service helps, too. Recently we made the foray down to the restaurant-heavy section of West Third Street, past The Grove and on the......

The holiday season brings out the best in humanity, doesn’t it? Customer service is always at its peak the week before Christmas. And people are always so courteous, cheerful and thoughtful this time of the year. Look no further than the line at any local Post Office or the parking lot of the closest mall… yeah right. And who’s spiking your eggnog? LAist has heard first-hand horror stories from friends and family about how......

FRIDAY The Sunset Strip's Norman's is continuing their “Pig Roast and Paella” night, which happens every Friday beginning at 6 PM. The special is Caja China roasted pork and paella, which can each be ordered for $19, or guests can order a combination plate of the two, and also still order off the regular menu. Norman’s || 8570 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood || (310) 657-2400 SATURDAY Take a candy-making class at the California School......

The next few days are all about classes aimed at getting folks in the kitchen and their hands dirty in preparation for holiday feats and foodie gift-making. Check out some of these holiday how-tos: SATURDAY DECEMBER 3 & SUNDAY DECEMBER 4 Sur La Table on Third is offering two baking courses this weekend. On Saturday at 10:00 AM you can join in to learn how to make blue ribbon apple pie, best-ever individual pumpkin......

Music is the best elixir to kick the proverbial autumnal malaise. Don't let the shorter days or dipping mercury get you down. Check out these free local gigs instead. SATURDAY, 10/1 DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White of Part Time Punks continue their residency at MOCA. The show starts at 6pm. It's free with general museum admission. Call (213) 621-1734. The Groovy Rednecks play at S.W. Hill Country at 6pm. Call (323) 256-2500. Sean......

Breadbar – part of internationally lauded baker Eric Kayser’s expanding operation – has finally come to Los Angeles. Kayser’s timing is impeccable; there is truly no better way to celebrate the demise of Atkins than to indulge in the unbelievable baguettes, croissants, pastries and sandwiches. And although we like to champion locals, pastry prices at Breadbar are lower than Boule's precious goods. Those lucky few who dine regularly at Spago and Bastide are already......