Jessica Ritz

LAist just returned from that dreaded, onerous chore -- a weekday lunchtime run to the post office. In Hollywood, we've got the choice between long lines and grand architecture at Hollywood Station on Wilcox, or efficiency wrapped in corporate design drek at "cheap and tawdry" (in the authoritative words of the most recently updated Gebhard and Winter architectural guide) Hollywood + Highland. The latter's near secret status helps ensure (for now) super speedy service;...

We couldn't help but notice mention of a couple local Cali institutions in Jane Levere's NY Times piece about the remarkably unsophisticated daytime food tastes of contemporary culinary luminaries. Turns out famed New York-based chef Daniel Boulud recently visited the Apple Pan, while French Laundry and Per Se super star chef Thomas Keller relishes the In-N-Out burger--fries--shake--trifecta. It's hard to take issue with these choices. The Apple Pan burger isn't always the cat's meow...

We couldn't help but notice mention of a couple local Cali institutions in Jane Levere's NY Times piece about the remarkably unsophisticated daytime food tastes of contemporary culinary luminaries. Turns out famed New York-based chef Daniel Boulud recently visited the Apple Pan, while French Laundry and Per Se super star chef Thomas Keller relishes the In-N-Out burger--fries--shake--trifecta. It's hard to take issue with these choices. The Apple Pan burger isn't always the cat's meow...

LA native Josh Kun demolishes the myth of the tweed jacket wearing, Euro-centric cannon defending, Ivory Tower clinging English professor. As an intellectual jack-of-all-trades, Kun's interest in mainstream and far-flung aspects of pop culture ensures he'll never succumb to the latter component of the "publish or perish" maxim. In addition to his position as Associate Professor of English at UC Riverside, Kun contributes to numerous periodicals and is the author of numerous essays, such...

LA native Josh Kun demolishes the myth of the tweed jacket wearing, Euro-centric cannon defending, Ivory Tower clinging English professor. As an intellectual jack-of-all-trades, Kun's interest in mainstream and far-flung aspects of pop culture ensures he'll never succumb to the latter component of the "publish or perish" maxim. In addition to his position as Associate Professor of English at UC Riverside, Kun contributes to numerous periodicals and is the author of numerous essays, such...

The Grand Avenue Committee invites "you to join us and to learn of our progress in preliminary planning of the Grand Avenue project which aims to transform LA's downtown, stimulate reinvestment in the community and create a new civic and cultural heart of the city for all Angelenos." The next phase of the public process begins this Tuesday, February 22nd at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Grand Hall in Downtown (135 Grand Ave). Other outreach...

The Grand Avenue Committee invites "you to join us and to learn of our progress in preliminary planning of the Grand Avenue project which aims to transform LA's downtown, stimulate reinvestment in the community and create a new civic and cultural heart of the city for all Angelenos." The next phase of the public process begins this Tuesday, February 22nd at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Grand Hall in Downtown (135 Grand Ave). Other outreach...

During the months since Defamer launched in May last year, the Hollywood outpost of the Gawker blog dominion got under the collective skin of Hollywood faster than the hands of an agent under a willing starlet's skirt. This formerly anonymous, always smooth operator has proven that equal opportunity offending makes openly credited blogging a safe enterprise. While the media spinners of the world try to protect us, the delicate and impressionable public, from the...

During the months since Defamer launched in May last year, the Hollywood outpost of the Gawker blog dominion got under the collective skin of Hollywood faster than the hands of an agent under a willing starlet's skirt. This formerly anonymous, always smooth operator has proven that equal opportunity offending makes openly credited blogging a safe enterprise. While the media spinners of the world try to protect us, the delicate and impressionable public, from the...

History often proves unkind to ideas and plans once touted as the wave of the future. Take much of Downtown LA, such as the elevated walkways and segregated vehicular/pedestrian zones. And then there's the Civic Center Mall. LAist found ourselves strolling through this partially subterranean development located northeast of City Hall that contains a subterranean parking, restaurants, mix of retail operations, miscellaneous amenities (e.g. shoe shine booth), and City operations (DOT). Plus lots of...