Guest Contributor

So maybe our city isn’t host to regal literary journals like Harper’s, Granta, or The Paris Review. And, yes, elite literary parlors with Merlot and Camembert on doilies seem somewhat amiss in a city where flames seize shrubs more often than fireplaces. But that doesn’t mean LA’s literary publications fall short. It just means we’re not stuck up. In truth, several esteemed lit journals prevail in our unassuming city.

It takes patience to really understand our friends and families, it takes kindness to understand a stranger. There are many variables involved in one's thought process, and in Compton, those variables aren't always obvious. Nobody knows that more than Lori Weise, founder of the Los Angeles non-profit group Downtown Dog Rescue (DDR).

The sold-out Smith Westerns show at The Echo on February 11 was, like their recent album Dye it Blonde, filled with awesome, George Harrison-inspired riffage. Unfortunately, that's where the awesome stopped. The young Chicago foursome’s 45-minute set was just short of tragic: the drums were too loud, the keyboard didn’t contribute anything, and lead singer Cullen Omori’s vocals were drowned out under the noisy playing of his band mates.

Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, for a night of striking artwork and bizarre attractions. Afraid of clowns? Do stay at home. They’ll be ever-present, hanging from the walls and possibly greeting you in person. Rothick Art Haus in Anaheim is hosting featured artist Michael White’s circus-themed group show, Behind the Striped Curtain tonight (Feb. 12), from 7-11 pm. Want to know what exists behind the curtain? Keep reading.

Every Saturday, LAist will feature an adoptable cat and dog from a different local shelter or accredited 501c3 rescue organization. Take a look at these furry bundles and consider giving them a home. This week's pets are from Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA). spcaLA is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that has served the LA community since 1877.

For anyone who has seen the critically-acclaimed documentary Food Inc., the faces of Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan are undoubtedly familiar. In a rare joint appearance, the two authors were joined Wednesday at USC’s Bovard Auditorium by Chef Evan Kleiman in a candid conversation about the current state of our industrialized food system.

As the sole gallery in Venice showcasing the new contemporary art movement, C.A.V.E. Gallery’s upcoming show, Outside, Looking In, is a fantastical new collection of this daedal technique. Featuring three prolific multidisciplinary artists - Macsorro (Los Angeles), Patrick Gannon (Tokyo) and Shay Davis (San Diego), the show’s opening reception is this tonight, Feb. 11, from 7-10pm. Macsorro and Davis will be present.

Grace, camaraderie and pure celebration of the body are timeless and fundamentals of Movement Studio LA, which features exceptional pole classes--a trend that has lasted--on some of the most majestic silver cylinders LA has seen. Opened just under a year ago, Movement Studio LA is the vision of A-list pilates trainer, Elizabeth Ordway - a place for the woman that wants to reconnect with the little girl inside her that revered the site of a ballet barre and a demi-plie and who celebrates her own feminine power.

Buying pretty flowers and taking a romantic stroll is par for the course on Valentine’s weekend, and this weekend is no exception at The Huntington gardens. Hundreds of red, pink, and white camellia blooms will compete for top honors at The Huntington’s 39th annual Camellia Show, co-sponsored by the Southern California Camellia Society. A wide selection of camellia plants will also be available for purchase if the mood strikes.

The birthplace of cruising and Grease-like fascination for all things with four-wheeled, Los Angeles has become synonymous with its cars and freeways. But what if the roads could become a little less congested and the commute a little less frustrating?