Lindsay William-Ross

We visited former LAist writer Aarti Sequeira on the set of her Food Network show "Aarti Party,"--now in its third season--to find out what life after winning The Next Food Network Star and being a popular Food Network personality was like.

Things are pretty cut-and-dried when it comes to the impending "Royal Visit" by Prince William and his new bride Catherine Middleton. With a spate of events on the docket for the newlyweds' Californian weekend, those who have been awarded a special spot on the Royal agenda need to mind their p's and q's.

It was a nice try, but against the law, and today the actions of Michael Plank of Lomita have had their consequences set. Plank, 42, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for smuggling 15 lizards from Australia into the United States--so basically one month per lizard.

In today's Extra, Extra we've got Whitey saying not guilty, miniature lap giraffes to obsess over, feedback on foodie fan fiction, a hat in the ring for the '13 race for City Controller, and more news of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Photo by Salina Canizales via the LAist Featured Photos pool The Tim Burton Retrospective is drawing crowds to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and savvy attendees will be sure to time their visit with room for a drink and some eats at Ray's and Stark Bar, the patio-style bar and restaurant that have recently opened up at the venue. Having already created a delicious cocktail, the Dr. Burton, that plays on the...

Photo by R.E.˜ via the LAist Featured Photos pool Are you sitting at your desk thinking "Holy crap, it's hot out!"? Because we are. Today is another hot, humid SoCal day, although forecasters predict things will cool down and dry out a bit in the coming days. Los Angeles is expected to hit a high of 83 degrees today, but, oddly enough, it's currently 87 degrees. Things should slip into the lower to mid-80s...

The Westside subway extension, which would bring Metro's Purple Line from its current Wilshire/Western terminus to Westwood, got what some are hailing as a "major step" closer to some big federal funding. California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer made a joint announcement today, urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to okay a $641 million federal loan for the project.

In today's Extra, Extra we've got an upcoming Extravaganza, a really generous CSUN b-baller, illegal fireworks sparking flames, and a dollar value for Twitter, plus more news bites of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Break out the quarters! If that haul up Bunker Hill from Hill Street to California Plaza was getting to be too much (and we feel you, especially in this summer heat), there is reason to be relieved today: Angels Flight has reopened after a brief shutdown over safety concerns.

It's time to squeeze every possible inch of space on our already-congested freeways for use at their maximum potential. On the 110 and 10 Freeways, the plan of attack is called the ExpressLane project, and while it's kicking off a little later than expected, it will have its ground breaking today in Gardena, making way for toll lanes on about 25 miles of freeway.

Photo: kristi.nicole How quickly those blue skies can turn gray... The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Northeastern Los Angeles County, including the eastern Antelope Valley and adjacent foothills. The warning is in effect until 7:15 p.m. tonight. Doppler radar shows a cluster of strong thunderstorms in the region, which are "producing very heavy rainfall and will likely cause flash flooding over the warned area." The storm cluster is moving...

How much cash do you throw the guys who towel-off your ride at the car wash? Do you scrutinize Yelp to pick a dinner spot where you're sure to get the star-treatment from the servers? If these are your predicaments, congratulations: You're on par with the "picky" tippers of California.