Nicholas Clark Ashbaugh

Halloween is both magical and highly ridiculous. It's the only holiday in which we adorn ourselves with bloody accoutrements, illuminate carved fruits and gorge ourselves sick on glucose-ladden hors d'oeuvres. The pumpkin stands tall as an unlikely hero for this holiday. If you haven't made time to buy one yet, there are jack-o-lanterns aplenty at the Lopez pumpkin patch (pictured) on Third and Fairfax. You can also check out the Santa Monica Farmers Market...

Unless otherwise noted, all shows are free of charge. SUNDAY, 10/30 Songa Lee-Kitto, Su-a Lee, and Chie Nagatani perform for LACMA's Sunday Live series. The concert begins at 6pm in LACMA's Leo S. Bing Theatre. Call (323) 857-6234. New Valley Symphony Orchestra performs Puccini’s La Bohème with vocalists from Opera of the Foothills and L.A. Lyric Theater at 1:30pm. The show is not free, but the proceeds benefit free concert series at Forest Lawn’s...

Photos (C) 2005 Nicholas Ashbaugh, all rights reserved...

There are plenty of ways to scare yourself silly this weekend in LA. If you're too old or wary for trick-or-treating, then why not head to the local cineplex? Here are five movies playing around town that range from frightening to fun. Doom - The Rock returns in this sci-fi/horror flick set in a futuristic Mars research facility. Predictably, the facility loses communication and is quarantined. The Marines discover the source of the trouble:...

In a landscape of copycats and safe bets, Birdmonster pride themselves on taking as many musical twists and turns as possible. Continue reading to discover the band's biggest pet peeve about LA clubs, to see which bandmate is reading Faulkner and to find out how they came up with their band name.

Politics, guitars and intelligent lyrics fuel the the St. Louis band of brothers known as Living Things. On their new CD "Ahead of The Lions," Lillian, Eve and Bosh Berlin pull on a myriad of inspirations, from the Ramones to Aerosmith. The band successfully meshes alternative, glam, metal and punk--somehow evoking nostalgia, but remaining fresh-sounding. Songs like "God Made Hate" and "Keep It 'Til You Fold," reveal that Living Things are capable of crafting...

No, it's not an old John Carpenter movie. It's the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. To us it looks more like Daly City, however. And judging from the weather report, this might linger a few days. Who knows, maybe Halloween will actually feel like it should this year?...

Photos (C) 2005 Nicholas Ashbaugh, all rights reservedIf the local weather put a halt to your plans today, you can enjoy a virtual escape to Santa Barbara. What's your favorite southland getaway? More Photo Essays...

You asked for it, we listened. Our "essentials" list has a decidedly local flavor now. All bands are either LA-based, LA-natives or playing gigs in the Southland. Some bands are so new that they don't have an EP, MP3 or CD yet. To remedy that, we've linked to their myspace streams and included upcoming tour info so you can catch them locally. Army Navy | Local Rock Silvery Sleds [stream] Although their latest EP...

The moody Bay Area-style weather has many Angelenos itching for a change. Having lived in New England, Colorado, Maryland, London and Washington state, this particular editor suggests making the most of the cold spell. It's a welcome change in an otherwise utopian and temperate climate. Part of the reason we're disliked up North is because of our enviable weather. Conversely, in Seattle, there are about ten different terms for rain and sunshine is measured...