a Guest Blogger

Here at the Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, lots of Los Angeles based web entrepreneurs are here for the annual and popular--although less attended this year--event. Here is Mike Prasad, who just launched GirlGamer.com. He's also the brand/social media guy for the all popular Kogi BBQ and is head of tech for the exclusive Black Card Circle. Earlier, we interviewed Sean Percival. By Mark Dienger, Special to LAist...

Scavenger contestants celebrate at the end of the day | Photo by Mark Dienger By Mark Dienger, Special to LAist In the never-ending quest to find fun things to occupy my weekends, a friend turned us on to Race/LA They organize a number of events from urban scavenger hunts to a simulated leg of the "Amazing Race." Having personally participated in two Race/LA events (one CityRace and a special one-off event called "The Quest"),...

A model shows off some Alicia Estrada designs By Gareen Darakjian, Special to LAist Now that the future is looking grim, maybe embracing the past isn’t such a bad idea. While fashionistas look to ultramodern silhouettes for inspiration, Stop Staring! founder and head designer Alicia Estrada sees her visions in black and white. With a retro sensibility stitched through every piece, the vintage-inspired label which launched in 1996 samples from every era starting with...

Guest Blogger Esther D. Kustanowitz is a freelance writer and creative consultant who recently relocated from New York to Los Angeles. She wears a lot of sunblock, and blogs at My Urban Kvetch and JDaters Anonymous, among other places. Imagine you threw a party and invited all your friends. You’re goofing around, taking silly pictures, totally having a great time. And then your parents walk in…not to bust you, but to join the party....

Guest writer Teddy Leshnick often rides with the part-time fun, part-time rebellion group Crank Mob. Last Saturday, he and photographer Nathan Nowack took to the streets on the ride and took note of what they observed. A typical CRANK is a party on wheels, where the participants visit various parks and supermarkets around West L.A. downing booze and causing a ruckus. Last Saturday was the monthly bike mob, where hardcore commuter cyclists on tall bikes,...

Photo courtesy of Biagio Black. By Gareen Darakjian, Special to LAist Biagio Black is quite possibly the luckiest son-of-a-gun in LA. He struck gold soon after earning his BS in Mechanical Engineering from The Cooper Union as the creator/designer of one of the most successful online games to date, an accomplishment which contributed to his various projects in the digital as well as fashion realm. He then started his own new media studio and...

Post and photos by Michael Ngim for LAist Max's in Glendale is that type of establishment where the "locals" go for real authentic food. From the outside, the restaurant resembles a log cabin that should be in the middle of a forest and not across the street from the Glendale Galleria. The inside is full of Filipinos satisfying a craving for familiar food. I went with a friend who is no stranger to Max's; she...

The It’s a Small World attraction has Disneyland’s most annoying song, yes, but also its most enlightened message. Originally created by Disney artist Mary Blair for the 1964 World’s Fair, the ride partnered with UNICEF to make a statement about shared humanity using images of doll children around the world. Created at the height of the Cold War, it was refreshingly free of both political posturing and Disney product placement. But no more. Today,...

Anyone who lives on or just off Santa Monica Blvd between the streets of Fairfax and La Brea knows great joy and equally great frustration. It is a tremendous area to live in, centrally located, rent controlled West Hollywood, quiet side streets, a plethora of parks and supermarkets and even the honest to goodness one up on Wal-Mart, Target. But while Melrose to the south and Sunset to the north flourish with cafe's, restaurants and...

Photo by California CPA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr With no fanfare, last week Caltrans opened lanes and onramps that had been off-limits during the 405 Freeway’s lengthy construction through Culver City (.pdf). Barriers were removed on the Culver Boulevard onramp and on new right-hand lanes, all part of the expansion to make way for High Occupancy Vehicle (you know, car-pool) lanes in the center of the freeway. At one point, construction, which...