Lindsay William-Ross

Los Angeles-based toy powerhouse Mattel has the grown-ups' attention today after announcing they will debut 4 dolls based on popular Mad Men characters this summer, according to the NY Times. Part of their Barbie Fashion Model Collection, the Don Draper, Betty Draper, Joan Holloway, and Roger Sterling dolls "will be the first licensed line for that collection." Considering the questionable of mores represented by the characters being immortalized in plastic (Roger's extramarital dalliance with...

A sunset at Griffith Park | Photo by 27ray via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Authorities announced this morning they have ID'd the man who died Friday when he jump or fell off a cargo dock in the Port of Los Angeles; they are continuing to investigate the death of 32-year old Austin Lashay Cephas. The remains of several 19th century-era Chinese immigrants found during Gold Line construction were re-interred today at Evergreen Cemetery...

Amber Dubois (FBI) Using dental records to aid in identification, authorities in Escondido this weekend located the remains of missing 14-year-old Amber Dubois, according to cbs2. The teen had been missing for just over a year. Amber's father, Maurice Dubois, feared his daughter may have been abducted similarly to 17-year-old Chelsea King of San Diego, though the Escondido police "did not say if the discovery [of Amber's remains] was linked to Chelsea's accused killer,...

Last night's telecast of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards has been getting mixed reviews from viewers, from the interpretive dance segment, the pair of hosts, the fashion, The Hurt Locker's ousting of Avatar, and the presentation of the "In memoriam" segment honoring those who passed away this year. Whether you watched the broadcast or just followed the feedback live on Twitter you may have noticed that a couple of 2009 celebrity deaths did not...

The LAPD are hoping more victims will come forward following the arrest ths weekend of Samuel Francisco, a 35-year-old being held for the alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. Francisco befriended the middle schooler on MySpace, then enticed her away from campus on Friday afternoon, according to a press release. Authorities released this photo of Francisco hoping more victims will come forward, as well as more information regarding last week's kidnapping and assault....

Already burdened by the need to meet customer demands on a reduced schedule and budget, the California DMV's computerized systems went down this morning statewide, leaving people waiting, unsure when they will be able to get back up...

Photo by nailmaker via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr Cube Marketplace is setting down roots to the east in Downtown, and are gearing up to run a day full of fun and learning next Saturday. Last month their debut day was a big hit, so if you missed out then (maybe you were at a little Street Food Festival going on at the same time?) then reserve a spot now in one...

Today the Eastsider L.A. takes us back on the tracks of local history and shares a bit of the story behind The Descanso, "a 101-year-old Los Angeles street car built to transport mourners as well as the deceased to burial services." Now residing at the Orange Empire Railway Museum, "it is the only remaining funeral streetcar still on its own trucks known to exist in the U.S." notes the Pacific Railroad Society. From 1909...

The SkateCake (via Crumbs) It's hard to imagine skateboarder Tony Hawk as a cupcake enthusiast, but if fans of his or fans of the baked treats--or both--are game, then everyone wins. Tony Hawk has paired up with Crumbs Bake Shop to create the SkateCake, a signature cupcake that is made of chocolate cake with baked-in sprinkles, and topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting, red and white sprinkles, and an edible skateboard designed by Hawk....

The Day of the Oscars, Street Closures Galore Just as a reminder, if you're headed in or around Hollywood and you don't have a golden ticket to sit in the Kodak Theatre to watch the Oscars in person, you'll want to remind yourself of the street and sidewalk closures, parking restrictions, and changes to public transit now in effect to accommodate the awards show. In addition to the above illustrated street and sidewalk closures...

24-year-old Jessie Lauren Canfield says she didn't know she was pregnant before she delivered a baby girl in a bedroom during a house party in Redondo Beach last weekend. But the District Attorney has not yet filed a case against Canfield, citing a need for further investigation into the events leading up to the baby being left either dead or to die in a trash receptacle, according to the Daily News. It is precisely...

Firefighters responding to a call in Huntington Beach found themselves with another case on their hands last night when "they were approached by four people outside Mario's restaurant" who "complained of hallucinations, numbness and shortness of breath," according to abc7. The victims had apparently ingested brownies made with marijuana which "appeared to have been purchased at a marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles." According to officials, some in the group of four were carrying the...