Elise Thompson

Los Angeles author Seth Grahame-Smith’s follow-up to his New York Times best seller, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, bears an equally strange and amusing title. One would expect B movie style exploitation or a "Tales from the Crypt" horrorfest. Instead, written in the style of renowned biographer David McCullough, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter works remarkably well as a parody of historical biographies. Any student who has had to slog through thick and dusty tomes...

Pie n' Burger has a lot going for it. For over 40 years the little diner has graced the corner of California and Lake. The current owner is Michael Osborn, who ate at Pie n' Burger on summer trips to visit his grandmother, is the current owner. He began working there in 1972 and never left. The formica counters and elderly waitresses make entering Pie n' Burger like a trip back in time circa Nick at Nite. Pie 'n Burger has been around so long that its diet plate of a burger patty, peach slices and cottage cheese has actually come into vogue again.

LAist learned how to make this year's official Oscar cocktail, The Golden Glamour, at the Governors Ball Preview last month. Mix it up at your Oscar party and get wasted like the really big stars do.

There is a sense of gentility about Comme Ca that envelops you from the moment you walk in the heavy steel doors. Although it only opened its door in 2007, it has the feel of an old standard. The atmosphere encourages civility without discouraging a good time. Everyone from the general manager to servers are cheerful and friendly, and we even had a lovely conversation with the people at the next table.

Rome counts as the Mediterranean, right? Because the press meal held at Delphine last week held such an embarassment of riches I felt as if we should have been eating reclined on one elbow wearing crowns of laurel. Delphine is the tenth Los Angeles venue owned by the Innovative Dining Group, who also brought us Sushi Roku, Katana and Boa. Housed in the W Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, it brings a lot of glamour to...

Upscale dining at an elegant restaurant like Nobu West Hollywood may seem unrealistic for some of us, especially these days. But as we have learned, the frugal diner's secrets for eating beyond their reach is to arrive for lunch and/or to eat from the bar menu. Nobu's new "Chef's Tasting Tapas Menu," or Omakase, for those of us who like to sound cool, allows us a taste of pure heaven for only $40 a person....

The old-fashioned tradition of Sunday night family dinner has gone the way of tuna noodle casserole, so why not start a new Sunday night tradition? Zeke's Smokehouse in West Hollywood (Next to the Formosa) is featuring "BBQ & Blues", a weekly live musical performance featuring local blues musicians. Don't worry, you can probably still find time for the occasional family dinner or Pupu platters and Singapore Slings at the Formosa.

LAist catches Executive Chef Sascha Lyon in the kitchen at Delphine in the new W Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. Lyon comes to LA with a pedigree, previously of Balthazar, Pastis and his own New York restaurant, Sascha. He brings with him bold flavors from the Mediterranean, specifically the South of France. His goal is to offer affordable and accessable seafood in a non-seafood restaurant. So no captain's wheels, glass floats or netting on the...

It's the most wonderful time of the year again -- Liquid Kitty's Winter Punk Rock BBQ! The lineup is raging this time around, with Third Grade Teacher making an extremely rare appearance. Sabrina will once again be speaking in tongues, freaking out the audience and rocking your face off. Also in an ultra-rare appearance, Santa Sabbath (with LAist's own Bobzilla on vocals) will be -- yep, you guessed it -- singing Black Sabbath-inspired Christmas carols (as Kitty honcho Dave Childs puts it, "Punk is perverse so, Christmas in February is exactly right."). You've got a little yuletide spirit left around somewhere; try looking under the couch.

Lucky Boy in Pasadena is a Landmark. It even says so on the menu. Local families and students have been coming to the outdoor stand for over 30 years. The charred burgers come with mild onions, grilled upon request, lettuce, and the buggest tomato you have ever seen. The buns are toasted on the grill, a nice old-school touch. The chili is meaty and not too spicy, a perfect addition to the burger.