When the Grammy Museum hosted a group of songwriters to inaugurate its new Songwriters Hall of Fame Gallery, bringing in Hal "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" David, Ashford and Simpson ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough"), Paul "Love Boat" Williams, and Lamont "How Sweet It Is" Dozier, Mac Davis said he felt like mudflaps on a Cadillac.

Dictector Paul Mazursky died Monday. He was 84. Here is Off-Ramp contributor R.H. Greene's appreciation of Mazursky, filed in 2011.

Just last month, America mourned the loss of performer and painter Don Van Vliet, better known as Captain Beefheart.

In most museums, guards with machetes stand ready in case you step too close to the art. But two artists featured in the Orange County Museum of Art's 2010 California Biennial think that's hogwash. Sherin Guirguis, who built the giant Weeble-Wobble you can see and hear about if you CLICK THROUGH; and Zlatan Vukosavljevic, who made a cool plastic house. Also CLICK THROUGH for a link to our OCMA Biennial extravaganza, including interviews with a dozen artists.

Back in February 2008, Off-Ramp engineer and commentator Dale Hoppert, who lives on Mt Baldy, filed this commentary about Southlanders' reaction to snow. It's snowing again, so here are his wintery thoughts.

In the latest installment of his exclusive looks inside the world of restaurants, Mark Peel, chef/owner of Campanile, says aspiring chefs would be better served by "taking the worst job at the best place" than dropping $40,000 for tuition at a cooking school.

His story isn't often told, but for the international Hmong refugee community, General Vang Pao was a father figure. Pao led the Southeast Asian Hmong people in a CIA-backed battle against communists in the Vietnam war and joined the refugee community in 1975 when Laos fell to communist hands. After enduring house arrest, and then exhoneration by the US Government, Pao died January 6. Efforts are underway to get him buried at Arlington, but meantime, tens of thousands are expected to honor him for funeral services in Fresno from Friday, February 4, through Wednesday, February 9. The six days of mourning include Hmong and Buddhist ceremonies, plus speeches and presentations by organizations and dignitaries. (CLICK THROUGH for details.) In 2008, we ran a profile of Vang Pao produced by his great niece, then-KPCC reporter Doualy Xaykaothao, which we now present again.

...literally. Join chef and Ecole de Cuisine co-owner Farid Zadi as he demonstrates to John how traditional merguez sausage is made.