If we're talking nosh, there's no item perhaps more quintessential than pastrami on rye. The one pictured above hailed from a plate served up at Langer's, a deli that has been a longtime favorite of locals, but has now been praised for offering up the best of its kind in the whole country. The accolade comes from writer David Sax, whose pursuit of the pastrami--and other deli delights--was profiled recently in the LA Times.

Sax, author of the new book Save the Deli, went on a deli pilgrimage, tasting cured meats around the nation and globe, and came to the perhaps surprising conclusion that the best delis can be found here in Los Angeles (much to the chagrin of many a New Yorker). Sax says SoCal has "more delicatessens of higher quality, on average, than anywhere else in America" and that Langer's pastrami "encapsulates perfection at every turn."

Speaking of turning the sandwich, LAist Featured Photos pool contributor djjewelz made his own pilgrimage to Langer's, and turned the plate to the camera, calling the above shot "A quarter of way too much." In fact, this was the sandwich that kept on giving--in a good way: "I ate a quarter for lunch, a quarter for dinner and I still have half the sandwich in the fridge that I will be eating for another lunch and dinner. Truly, a cost effective and tasty meal." Bonus: Get fries with that! Earlier this year another Eye Nosh photog declared Langer's had the best fries in the city

Despite the Friday shutdowns happening for four months now, people still pull up to area DMV offices hoping to pay fees or renew licenses without an appointment. Those folks, however, will find closed gates, and perhaps workers from nearby businesses who provide similar proxy services for a fee, like vehicle registration, hoping to lure clients whose DMV hopes were dashed.

You're not totally out of luck, though: "Motorists who have a registration renewal date that falls on a Friday closure day will have penalties waived until the next business day," explains the DMV website, with a reminder that many services can be handled online, including making an appointment--something that is always advisable when it comes to government services like the DMV.

Book Signing and Spiritual Guidance
If a reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians has never really been your thing, perhaps a reading by Lara Owen from her new book Growing Your Inner Light will get your spiritual mojo moving. Owen's book guides the reader on how to pull from various traditions as well as creative new ones in order to develop a personalized practice. 2 p.m. at Book Soup.

Fire Safety Lecture
Tonight at 6:30, the Theodore Payne Foundation and The City of Glendale Public Works Department will present a free public lecture, "Southern California Wildfires: Protecting our Homes and the Natural Environment." Presenters include Richard W. Halsey and Jon E. Keeley, Ph.D., two of the region's most respected experts on fire, local ecology and post-fire regeneration. They will present science- and research-based information about wildfires and how to best adapt one's home environment. First come, first seated at Clark Magnet High School Auditorium, 4747 New York Ave. in La Crescenta.

Family Jam
Arrive early to Ghettogloss tonight because we imagine you'll have to wait in line to pick the brain of Amanda Milius, the artist behind this photography exhibit for which subjects channeled Charles Manson's "Family" while tweaked on LSD. Milius used her obsession with Sadie and Gypsy, a little spiked water and lots of film to, in her own words, "teeter on the edge of love, fear, life and unlife, to blink twice at something beautiful, to see trails, have a shared experience, and in that to sense the happiness and freedom amongst friends who were and are, searching and striving for the same things [Manson's] girls were." Cocktail reception runs from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Discover Beethoven's 5th
For some, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 conjures up cartoony images of some villain tying Bugs Bunny in drag to the railroad tracks, but tonight Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra music director Jeffrey Kahane leads an exploration of the classic work that will make even the most rookie orchestra-goer appreciate its finer points. Once the piece is broken down and its subtle nuances exposed, a performance of the entire work will follow as wells as a Q&A with Kahane and the band. Purchase tickets here.

First joining the red-and-whites in August of last year, he competed with teammate Dan Kennedy for playing time through the rest of the season with the latter winning out on most occasions. The two were expected to compete for the starting job this year, but a pre-season injury sidelined Kennedy for the entire season. Thornton made the most of his opportunity at the starting job and put in an outstanding performance.

Despite some early season jitters, Thornton and his defensive four settled in quickly and started racking up clean sheets. By year's end, Thornton would register a league best 12 shutouts, a tally accounting for nearly half of the games he started. Many of those clean sheets came by way of heroics on the part of Thornton, making observers wonder if he had made an off season trip to the fountain of youth. However, no 'keeper can ever get through a season without yielding a single goal, but Thornton made sure they came at a premium and ended the season with a 0.87 Goals Against Average (GAA) -- also good for the top spot in MLS.

Earlier in the season, fans acknowledged his rebirth by electing him to his sixth MLS All-Star game, his first since 2003. On Wednesday, MLS followed suit by bestowing 2009 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors upon the 13 year veteran. It is the second time Thornton wins the award, having first earned it as a member of the inaugural Chicago Fire team in 1998. It is also marks the second time that a Chivas USA 'keeper earns the award in the club's short history, the first being Brad Guzan in 2007.

As a final side note, Thornton's rebirth also has him in the running for the 2009 Comeback Player of the Year award, whose winner will be announced this coming Tuesday.

Congratulations on a well deserved award and good luck on Tuesday.

• Who didn't see this coming? Michael Jackson's father is seeking an allowance from the late singer's estate.

• Septic tanks are now banned in parts of Malibu... but the debate between residents, surfers and environmentalists is sure to continue.

• Pay attention... The IRS might actually owe YOU money! Thousands of refunds are yet to be claimed because the IRS can't find the recipients. Funny how that doesn't work when you owe THEM money.

• The city of Pasadena is adding more solar powered trash cans in an attempt to save time, money and space. Sounds like a winner.

• A California voter's poll sends a mixed message on feelings about same-sex marriage

• Straight from the "WTF?!?!" files... a couple who are already suspected of killing another infant are charged AGAIN of killing an infant and driving around with the body in a garbage bag.

• The founder of "Girls Gone Wild" has been sentenced for tax evasion and jail bribery.

• Finally... A youth mentoring group is helping South Central kids find good role models as well as raise money through the power of Facebook.

Oscar the Grouch and Zoe from Sesame Street came to Los Angeles to tell everyone that Sesame Street is turning the big 4-0. This week the most famous street in the world is celebrating its birthday with a new DVD collection, commemorative book and an appearance by Michelle Obama on the anniversary episode.

We also interviewed Elmo and Abby Cadabby back in 2008.

We had a chance to talk to the "True Blood" star about her support for this specific cause as well as get the lowdown on what will be on the upcoming "True Blood" DVD and the inspiration behind her character on the show.

LAist: Tell us about "Tails for Whales".

Kristin Bauer: We've been hearing about "save the whales" ever since we were kids and now we hear a lot about polar bears so I had believed that this had been taken care of this but we can't really cross anything off the to-do list in terms of saving. What troubled me was that there are so many unnecessary deaths for whales, whether it's the whales getting hit by ships in their breeding grounds or when they drown in old driftnets and fishing equipment in the ocean. This campaign is a way to let the people in Washington that we elect that we do want whales saved and that there is a bill that's been introduced that can do this. Right now many people are struggling financially and what is great about this campaign is that it's easy, it's fun, and we're not asking for money. We're just asking for photos of people making the whale tail with their hands. The only other option is to sign another petition but this campaign puts faces and photos towards the cause which I think is a lot more compelling. I'm showing up at LUSH because they have been so generous by creating a lotion from which the proceeds go to IFAW. Hopefully people will show up at LUSH and I will trade them an autographed photo for a photo of them making a whale tail and since they are there they might also be interested in this charity product.

LAist: What struck you about this campaign compared to other charities?

Kristin Bauer: I think about 80% of the population cares and wants to do something but how do you help polar bears? This campaign which just involved taking a picture is something anyone can do and anyone can show up to this store as well. A lot of these other causes are for animals that are on the other side of the world but these are animals that live right around here, think about what a huge port Long Beach is and all that shipping traffic. We want to buy stuff at Cosco and that's how the stuff gets here and we need to take responsibility for that.

LAist: Congrats on yet another great season of "True Blood".

Kristin Bauer: I can't wait to get back to that, I've been playing humans this whole off-season and it's not nearly as much fun.

LAist: I wanted to ask you about the classic stylings of your character "Pam". Her classic stylings remind me of Catherine Deneuve, she is very elegant, in control, what's your inspiration when working on her?

Kristin Bauer: You don't really know, you're learning on your feet and you learn as you go. I had the concept that she was probably wealthy and that she was made a long time ago and she's seen a lot of humanity come and go. She's seen it all. I just did the commentary on the Blu-ray DVD as Pam, 35 pages of dialogue of her. She comments on all the aspects of the show, Eric, Sookie, etc. More dialogue than I've had in two seasons of the show. But even right now I don't know if she and Eric were lovers or her real back history.

LAist: It's an interesting comparison, Pam is very restrained and cool whereas Eric can succumb to impetuous behavior even though he is older than her and the Sheriff of the area. Perhaps I'm just projecting my own desires but it seems like there could be this layer of kinkiness in Pam just underneath the surface that could just bust out.

Kristin Bauer: I know, I think so too. First it seems like she is incredibly bored and hard to impress and that she's thoroughly embraced being a vampire, she is a superior life form. But when I think about that, she is very open, and that's where the kinkiness comes in. I think she's pan-sexual and she can look at Eric, and Sookie and she's not discriminating, with an openness that she looks at this world and the human race from the viewpoint of an immortal. As Kristin Bauer, I think we can stop this Titanic and turn it around and stop the environmental destruction and minimize the damage of hitting that iceberg but I think Pam is like "Let's hit it, I'll be fine and I'm kind of bored."
---

Kristin Bauer will be at LUSH in Santa Monica from 1-3pm tomorrow (Saturday 11/7/2009). The first 100 people who RSVP to tailsforwhales@lush.com will receive a free ocean inspired Big Blue Bath Bomb, courtesy of LUSH. Additionally, a bag of Whale Tail chips will be given to all shoppers who submit their photo for the campaign during this time.

To hear the complete interview with Kristin Bauer use this player:

Alexander Skarsgard (aka "Eric" in "True Blood") supports Tails for Whales

Sin Fang Bous - Advent In Ives Garden

Where did the name Sin Fang Bous come from?
It's just jibberish. I wanted to make up something that didn't exist before.

What inspired "Advent in St. Ives"? Where you in Cornwall at the time?
No, I can't remember where I got that from. I just saw that I had written it down somewhere.

Does "Melting Down Knives" have political undertones? If not, why are the knives being melted?
I can't remember much about that song or when I made it. It's not political though. I don't sing about things in the real world most of the time.

What inspired you to take off from your band Seabear and go solo for this album?
After I finished school in 2007 I had time and songs for another project, I guess.

Do you miss having seven people to bounce ideas off of?
Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

Why did you choose the name Clangour for the title of your album?
It's a word for noise that I saw somewhere.

What was the worst show you ever did?
Probably one of the first Seabear shows where the show had no soundman and the whole
show was just feedback.

What song are you most proud of on this album?
I haven't listened to it in a long time but I remember being very happy with jubilee choruses an "Fa Fa Fa."

What is the weirdest thing you ever saw in the audience?
People fighting right in front of the stage while we were playing a really mellow song.

If you could change one thing about the music industry what would it be?
I wish musicians got paid for internet plays, like on MySpace and YouTube. Even if it was a really small amount for each play, it would be huge for a musician like me. Selling records
and making a living off doing original music is really hard these days, which is a shame.

Sin Fang Bous - Catch The Light

If you could sing with anyone in the world who would it be?
Samuli Kosminen and we would sing the song 'Love Creation' by the Urban Herbs.

Do you have any strange promoter stories?
One started screaming at our sound guy "you're always lying to me!" and he had never met him before.

What album can you not live without?
I can't think of any, I'm afraid.

If you were stuck on a deserted island and you could bring three worldly possessions what would they be?
Cellphone, pizza & bottle of wine.

Do you have a favorite local band at the moment?
There are lots of good Icelandic bands.

What's up next for you?
The new Seabear album is finished and will come out in Feb/March I think. I'm working on a new
Sin Fang album that will also come out in 2010. I will be recording a few projects this year for other people and then I have a few projects/bands that I'm working on.

Thank you so much for your time.
No problemo.

Be sure to check out Sin Fang Bous at the El Rey Theatre tonight with Mum and Hilder Gudnadottir. Doors are at 8:00pm. Tickets are $18.

HBO is booking a series involving the gender transition of a female to a male. Yes, a 1/2-hour drama focused on transexuality is being developed but no casting or production schedule has been mentioned.
---
The Cartoon Network is going to have...a couple live-action series. "Tower Prep" and "Unnatural History" will begin their 13-episode runs in January, 2010.
---
There's some great TV this weekend: tonight the talk shows will feature Christopher Walken, The Pixies, and Regina Spektor. While we don't have high hopes for the Taylor Swift edition of "SNL" we will watch anyway but Sunday features the season finales of both "Bored to Death" and "Mad Men". Please check out our video post yesterday of interviews with "Bored to Death" players Ted Danson, Jason Schwartzman, and series creator Jonathan Ames and check out the video clip at the end of the post for a sneak peek at the finale.

The TV Junkie Plan: Tonight - Jonathan Ross (Christopher Walken guests!!), "The Soup", Conan (The Pixies!), Ferguson (Regina Spektor!). Saturday - Gumshoe, "SNL". Sunday - "Nature", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Bored to Death", "Mad Men".

Tonight

9:00pm Friday Night With Jonathan Ross BBC America - Christopher Walken; Dara O'Briain; Dominic Cooper; Green Day

9:00pm Monk USA - To woo the only holdout on the reinstatement committee, Monk accompanies Lt. Disher on a scouting trip.

9-11:00pm The Prisoner IFC - Living In Harmony & The Girl Who Was Death

9:00pm Ugly Betty ABC - Matt asks someone to be his "plus one" at Wilhelmina's fundraiser

10:00pm The Soup E! - Bring it Joel!

10:00pm NUMB3RS CBS - The team tries to locate a cybercrime lord with an undercover sting

10:00pm Crash Starz - Ben (Dennis Hopper) is tasked with a life or death decision when a cancer-stricken friend (played by Keith Carradine) asks for his assistance in committing suicide to end his pain and suffering. This friend is actually the husband of his ex-wife (played by Peggy Lipton of "Mod Squad" and "Twin Peaks" fame).

10:00pm White Collar USA - A New York City mafia kingpin enlists help from Peter and the FBI after his precious Bible disappears

11:35pm Late Show With David Letterman CBS - Actor Ricky Gervais; comic Brian Regan; Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys perform.

11:35pm The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien NBC - Science challenge winner and finalists; the Pixies perform.

12:05am Jimmy Kimmel Live ABC - Actor Ted Danson; TV personality Khloe Kardashian; pro basketball player Lamar Odom; Chickenfoot performs.

12:35am The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson CBS - Actor Ewan McGregor; Regina Spektor performs.

12:35am Late Night With Jimmy Fallon NBC - Actress Rosie O'Donnell; actor Ian Somerhalder.

Saturday

9:00pm Robin Hood BBC America - Robin tries to strike a deal with Isabella, but is rejected

9:00pm Gumshoe TCM - (1972) A Liverpool private eye (Albert Finney) works on a case confused by his sister-in-law (Billie Whitelaw) and brother

10:00pm The Dish Style - Style and snark

10:00pm The Graham Norton Show BBC America - Rob Brydon; Harry Connick Jr.; Katherine Jenkins

11:00pm The Wanda Sikes Show FOX - Series Premiere

11:25pm Saturday Night Live NBC - Taylor Swift hosts and performs.

Sunday

8:00pm Nature PBS/KCET - A team of herpetologists in southern Africa study the black mamba, one of Africa's most dangerous and feared snakes.

8:00pm The Amazing Race 15 CBS - One team encounters a speed bump while racing through Stockholm

9:00pm Curb Your Enthusiasm HBO - Larry is forced to embrace his feminine side; Cheryl competes for a "Seinfeld" role

9:00pm Dexter Showtime - Dexter strikes a balance between family, work and his secret life; Debra expresses a renewed interest in her father's past.

9:00pm Desperate Housewives ABC - Susan believes that Katherine may be Julie's assailant; Angie invites reluctant Bree and Orson to dinner

9:00pm Masterpiece Contemporary: Place of Execution PBS/KCET - A journalist makes a film about a 13-year-old girl who disappeared 40 years earlier.

9:30pm Bored to Death HBO - Season Finale

10:00pm Mad Men AMC - Season Finale

10:00pm Californication Showtime - Hank tries to set things right with Karen; Becca calls out Hank

10:00pm Storm Chasers Discovery - Reed's new radar propels him to the rank of an extreme storm scientist.

10:00pm The Girls Next Door E! - Karissa and Kristina train to portray sexy twin vixens in a Sofia Coppola movie. Yeah, that's a stretch for them.

He is described as a 35- to 45-year-old male Hispanic, 6 feet tall, weighing 230 pounds, seen wearing a dark polo-style shirt and blue jeans. However, the LAPD says he has used a few different vehicles including a gray 2005-2006 Pontiac Grand AM GT, a gold or tan 1998-2001 Mercury and a 2007-2009 gray-colored Buick.

This suspect is considered armed and dangerous, and detectives urge anyone who may have information about these crimes or who may have been a victim to contact the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division at (213) 485-2511. After-hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “CRIMES” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on “Web Tips.” When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.

The world of horse racing is still a bit sexist. The girls don’t really have a place with the boys, or so they say. Hopefully five-year old Zenyatta will prove them all wrong in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic tomorrow at Santa Anita Park to become the first filly or mare to win the Classic since its inception in 1984.

Winner of the last two Lady’s Secret Stakes and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, she has won all 13 races with a total purse of over $2.7 million.

Those 13 victories have already given her a legendary status alongside Winning Colors, the last filly to win the Kentucky Derby in 1988, and Personal Ensign who also went undefeated in 13 races before retiring in 1988.

“We think she deserved a shot,” Zenyatta owner Jerry Moss said of Zenyatta competing with the boys. “She’s coming to this race really well and has done everything right and she deserves to be here.”

Riding Zenyatta is hall of fame jockey Mike Smith who rode the 50-1 longshot Giacomo to a Kentucky Derby victory in 2005. He says the extra 1/8 mile of the 1 ¼ mile race shouldn’t be a problem for the mare.

“The extra 1/8 mile certainly should benefit her,” Smith said. “She runs 1 1/8 miles all the time, and she’s always galloping out with plenty left.”

Racing against Zenyatta is Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner ridden by Calvin Borel, and 2009 Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird ridden by Kent Desormeaux.

While the field will definitely be a challenge for the mare, at 5-2 she is the odds on favorite to win the race in the fourth position.

With her reputation of coming from the back of the pack in the final stretch to pull off a victory, it should prove to be an exciting race down to the final gait.

As Smith said, “She should be ready to go.”

All Breeders' Cup Races tomorrow can be seen on ABC at 11:30 am and ESPN at 12:30 pm. The Breeders' Cup Classic will begin at 3:45 pm.

Extraordinarily difficult to watch but wonderfully redemptive and beautiful, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (LAist review here) may well be the ultimate stealth contender this year for an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. See it (and bring hankies). After seeing The Box, you have to wonder if Richard Kelly was a one-film wonder. And honestly, was Donnie Darko really that good? Milla Jovovich has made a career out of making paint-by-numbers schlock like The Fourth Kind. At least she has nice houses, right?

Tickets, Showtimes, Reviews and Previews after the jump!

Tickets & Showtimes

The Men Who Stare at Goats
Christmas Carol
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The Box
The Fourth Kind

Reviews

The Men Who Stare at Goats
Christmas Carol
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The Box
The Fourth Kind

Previews

The Men Who Stare at Goats

Christmas Carol

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

The Box

The Fourth Kind

Frustrated with a new (and slower) traffic pattern, one LAist reader earlier this week wrote us an e-mail: "Over the past week I’ve noticed a sharp increase in Eastbound traffic between Bundy and Overland during the morning rush hour, almost doubling the Santa Monica-Century City commute time," he noted. "Any idea as to why this might be? Have they reprogrammed the signals in the area? Perhaps the one at Sawtelle or Sepulveda?"

Then yesterday, Eric Richardson at blogdowntown Twittered, "Every year it feels like the weeks after the time falls back have far worse traffic than the weeks before. Why is that?"

The Department of Transportation's Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC) System expert engineer Sean Skehan might have an answer. "We have not made any timing changes on Olympic Blvd," he said, "but with the end of Daylight Saving time, people do adjust their schedules, and there is more light earlier in the mornings now (and less late afternoons.)"

Really? That much of a noticeable difference? It's that common?

"Actually, yes," said Skehan. "Each year, Spring and Fall, we have a bump in traffic patterns when the time changes. It also happens when school starts and ends each year."

So hopefully in a few weeks, traffic will get back to normal. Well, normal as normal can be in this city, that is.

SHOP
Two interesting sales going on today: Flutter in Pasadena hosts a Minnie Rose, Christopher Fischer, Eze Sur Mer and Tag Jeans Trunk Show today from 11 am-5 pm. And various showrooms at the California Market Center Downtown are opening their doors to the public today for pre-holiday sample sale shopping.

FILM

The Audrey Hepburn retrospective at LACMA continues tonight with a double feature of Charade (7:30 pm) and Wait Until Dark (9:35 pm). Charade is the classic romance-crime thriller that has Paris as a backdrop and Cary Grant as Hepburn’s leading man. In the second feature, Hepburn is a blind woman taunted by a psychopath in her own home. 


ART+FASHION

Harveys on Melrose hosts INTRO “Pick ME?”; -- the semifinal art show and fashion competition that was launched by Harveys in September. Budding artists entered their work to win an exhibition at the boutique, plus a tote with their work emblazoned on the front. Guest judges—including Paper and Surface magazine editors, Tarina Tarantino and Paul Frank, and artists like Sujean Rim narrowed down the initial pool of entries to 10 semi-finalists, who will be showcased and announced tonight from 7-10 pm. Food/refreshments would be provided.



ROCK+WINE
*
Rock 'n Roll Wine hosts an event tonight at the House of Blues’ Foundation Room with wine tastings and performances by Porter Lori and Peter Goetz. The wine party will feature 15-plus tastings from Kim Crawford, George DuBoeuf, Geyser Peak, and Barnard Griffin, as well as Rock 'n Roll Wine's own award-winning blends: "Reggae Rhapsody," and "The Grotto." Doors open at 7 pm and the tastings run through 10 pm. Tickets for this event are $35 in advance and $40 at the door.

DANCE
DV8 Physical Theatre presents the West Coast premiere of To Be Straight with You at Royce Hall Stage at UCLA tonight and Saturday at 8 pm. It’s director Lloyd Newson's full-evening performance about tolerance, intolerance, religion and sexuality. The “docu-dance” performance is drawn from 85 interviews--with the pious and apostate, straight and gay, activist and mere passers-by--and incorporates sound, video and animation. For mature audiences only. Tickets: $24-$48. ($15 UCLA Students) Online: www.uclalive.org

JAZZ
LACMA’s 2009 Friday Night Jazz series closes with the nine-piece Monktet. They’ll play the music of Thelonius Monk, as arranged by founder John Magruder and others, as well as Magruder's original compositions. The event begins at 6 pm and is free to the public.

*Pencil pick of the day

Want more events? Follow me on Twitter.

Last Saturday, KCRW presented its First Annual Masquerade: A Halloween Costume Ball & Dance Party at the Park Plaza Hotel in Downtown LA. With music by DJ Shadow and Sweden's Little Dragon as well as local indie favorites Sea Wolf and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, plus food from Grilled Cheese, Border Grill, Kogi, Coolhaus and Sprinkles, it was an extravagant night of veritable sights, sounds, and smells.

"It was hard to stay in one place for more than a minute with so much going on in five rooms," raved KCRW. "The venue is not only beautiful and impressive architecturally, but it has a lot of history - as both the backdrop for many films and a dance club destination in the 80's. The dancing ghosts were summoned to life last night, as if by Ray Parker Jr. himself, whether it was the captivating and haunting electronica of Gothenburg's Little Dragon, the mixmaster DJ Shadow, or the DJs holding down the Grand Ballroom -- with Jason Bentley, Raul Campos, and Anthony Valadez on the turntables. Anne [Litt] and Liza [Richardson] kept the Terrace Room moving between sets from the very best of LA's indie rock scene: first, a stunning jam from LA's own Sea Wolf, in matching skeleton costumes. It was my first time hearing some of their new songs live and they absolutely killed it. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have been drawing sold out crowds in their recent local shows and Halloween was no different. The room was PACKED with revelers joyfully blissed out on their feel-good vibes and folk-rock tunes. The hippie ensemble scored big with this crowd."

Based on the heavy turnout, do not be surprised if KCRW's Masquerade becomes an annual Halloween tradition.

Little Dragon returns to LA on December 4th @ The El Rey Theatre, Sea Wolf performs tonight at Hollywood & Highland with Band of Skulls, Anya Marina, and Death Cab for Cutie for the Twilight: New Moon Tour, and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros conclude their current tour on December 14th at the Mayan Theatre.

                                   

Special thanks to Little Dragon, Sea Wolf, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, KCRW, and the Park Plaza Hotel.

Not the most humorous interview, but Stephen Colbert last night got Bratton to explain his "Broken Windows Theory," which was applied here in L.A., and how he's going to apply it to his new private security gig.

In 2007, then-City Councilmember (now City Controller) Wendy Greuel spoke to LAist about the broken windows theory application in Los Angeles.

Earlier this week: Colbert Names Schwarzenegger 'Alpha Dog of the Week'

Our Pick: Múm, Sin Fang Bous, Hildur Gudnadottir @ El Rey Theatre

Tonight, as always, local multi-instrumentalist/producer extraordinaire Jon Brion (LAist Interview, #2, Review) will be jamming with friends at the Largo at the Coronet. Legendary Boston-bred alternative rock outfit the Pixies are poised to conclude a three-night stint at the Hollywood Palladium with Brooklyn-bred TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone, who will be performing material from his solo endeavor Rain Machine of course. And, lastly, San Franciscan genre-defying septet Rupa & the April Fishes will be gracing the Mint. But we strongly suggest heading over to the El Rey Theatre to catch experimental Icelandic collective Múm. LAist favorites, Icelandic indie pop outfit Sin Fang Bous are slated to kick things off.

You can find these listings as well as the rest of the week's in our weekly Week In Rock post, which goes up every Sunday.

Múm - "I'm 9 today"

Jon Brion @ Largo at the Coronet
Pixies, Rain Machine @ Hollywood Palladium
Ian Anderson @ The Wiltern
Múm, Sin Fang Bous, Hildur Gudnadottir @ El Rey Theatre
Julian Casablancas @ The Palace Theatre (630 S. Broadway, Los Angeles)
Buddy, Or, The Whale, Graydon, Cave Country, John Pringle, Yellow Red Sparks @ The Hotel Café
Ludo, Meese, Ha Ha Tonka, Without a Face @ Troubadour
Fitz & The Tantrums @ The Echo
Kia Soul Collective presents Diplo, Pink Dollaz @ Siren Studio (1050 N. Orange Dr., Hollywood)
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Quintet, Madlib, Coleman, B+ @ Echoplex
Rupa & the April Fishes @ The Mint
Beware Of Safety, Woolen @ Bootleg Theater
Hawnay Troof, Panther, David Scott Stone, snowsuit*, The Urxed @ The Smell
Robotanists, Agent Ribbons @ Echo Curio
Karma To Burn, 16, Totimoshi @ Spaceland
Tacocat, Stellarphone, Pterodacdudes, Angry Christians, Blue Jungle @ L'KEG Gallery
Laco$te, Rene Hell, Sewn Leather, Tearist, Tik//Tik @ Pehrspace
Cranky George, Lily Wilson, Out of State @ Molly Malone's Irish Pub
Ninja Academy, We Be The Echo, Clevis, Totally Serious @ Old Towne Pub
Matt Costa @ Detroit Bar

"He's not trying to be seen the way other street artists are," explained Seth Carmichael, co-owner of Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art, where Witz' show runs through December 3rd. "For him, it's about not being seen by everybody except for those people who deserve to see it, and those who are the people he cares about."

Witz, a formal artist by day, has been doing street art for 30 years. His collection of Dark Doings, now at the gallery and on L.A.'s streets, came out of a visit last year to Amsterdam's Red Light district. The women behind the glass unnerved him a bit, but also made him realize there's dark stuff behind every surface and wall.

What Wtiz does is take fake painted windows and installs them on blank walls and doors around cities. They are quiet and usually go unnoticed, but that's Witz' point. "I love the idea of putting these up on high traffic locations, having thousands of people walk by everyday and not see them," he explained. "And having them be fairly obvious yet somehow they are just below people's radar."

And if you're lucky enough to find one that no one has noticed, it's quite a magical moment. Witz even hid a piece in the gallery (see photo above). A heating vent placed near the floor went unnoticed to most.

"Eventually, someone will see one," Witz said. "And they'll go, like, 'What else have I been missing?' and they will start looking around more... That's what art is supposed to do--wake people up, open their eyes, get them to question reality a little bit more."

With his intentionally low key and quiet works, they may last on L.A.'s streets for months or even years. If you're ever walking down the street and see someone peering out the window, it just might be Witz.

The Silver Lake Art Crawl begins tonight with a series of events through Sunday. The majority of art gallery openings are happening Saturday night, but on Sunday, when the "Official Silver Lake Art Crawl Party at Barnsdall Art Park" occurs, a handful of food trucks will arrive to cater.

Those include Let’s Be Frank, the Dosa Truck, Del's Lemonade, and Coolhaus Ice Cream. The Buttermilk Truck, scheduled for a grand street opening on Wednesday in Venice, reportedly will make a visit for a sneak peek. So get ready to get your yum on.

Eater LA also notes a pretty cool art crawl event on Saturday: "Materials & Applications gallery will host a neighborhood fish taco party on Saturday at their closing reception. A group of volunteers spent the last two months developing a tilapia fish farm maintained through local resources (collecting rainwater, for example, instead of exclusively relying on the city's water supply). And, you guessed it, the harvested fish will be fried up for the party."

Previously
- Map: The Silver Lake Art Crawl
- Coolhaus: The Kogi of Ice Cream Sandwiches

Next week Tuesday, the tour hits Councilman Bill Rosendahl's district at the Mar Vista Recreation Center from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

At last night's meeting, Beck distanced himself from Bratton. "[Bratton] doesn't understand the rank-and-file at the level that it's needed to push this deeper, but I do, and that's the difference," he said, according to the LA Weekly. Beck explained that Bratton excelled in making positive changes to leadership, but now is the time to make changes from the ground up, with the officers on the street.

Also, LA Weekly's Jill Stewart appeared on last night's episode of SoCal Connected on KCET, advising Beck to get off the Villaraigosa PR train... and fast:

When the city tried to regulate digital billboards earlier this decade, the advertising industry brought on the lawsuits. Out of one big cases, CBS Corp.'s Outdoor division and Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. landed a major settlement in 2006: 800 billboards could be converted into digital ones.

While that may have been a win for just two companies (and a loss for the people), other billboard companies called shenanigans. Hey, what about us?!?! So a smaller billboard company, Summit Media, sued because CBS and Clear Channel were getting special treatment, that is, exemptions from a ban on digital billboards.

A superior court judge agreed with Summit and yesterday formally voided the 2006 settlement. However, 101 permits have been given for digital billboards and Judge Terry Green allowed them to stay, saying each of those have to be challenged through the city's appeal process.

"With the protections of the settlement agreement gone, the city’s administrative hearings would no longer be a futile exercise and the city must apply its codes equally to all,” the Green wrote. “Citizen challenges to the billboards could be made on an individual basis, with the merits of each determined independently.”

Councilman Paul Koretz now wants to target those 101 digital billboards for removal.

If you're excited about Thomas Keller's return but can't get any reservations, there is an alternative. TK's new cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home, is now available. Although his previous books (The French Laundry Cookbook, Bouchon, Under Pressure) were notoriously difficult and demanding, this one is being billed as "the long-awaited cookbook for the home chef (that happens to have a blowtorch lying around)." If you can overlook the occasional five hour soffrito, most of the recipes are quick and easy to make (like his chocolate chip cookies). As mentioned in the LA Times, Ad Hoc at Home is a great primer on cooking.

Thomas Keller has two book signings scheduled in LA,

• Monday, Nov. 9th from 12 PM- 2 PM at Williams Sonoma in Santa Monica (1600 Montana Ave)
• Tuesday, Nov. 17th from 7 PM - 9 PM at Borders in Torrance (3700 Torrance Blvd)

• Thursday, Nov. 12th from 11 AM- 1:00 PM at Williams-Sonoma in South Coast Plaza (3333 South Bristol St)

Apple Fritters

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 3 large Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious apples
• Canola oil for deep-frying
• Powdered sugar for dusting

I love the casualness and ease of this great finger food dessert— a plate of hot apple fritters, dusted with powdered sugar, passed around the table is a satisfying end to a meal. While these fritters are a wonderful dessert to make when seasonal apples are abundant, you can also vary the fruit, using pears instead of apples, for example. If you like, serve them with Vanilla Ice Cream (page 319) and a drizzle of honey. They’re best immediately after they are fried, so serve them hot.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Lightly beat the egg and milk in a small bowl. Whisk into the dry ingredients until combined. The batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 hours. Peel the apples and slice the fruit from the core. Cut the apples into 2-inch-long, G-inch-thick matchsticks. Fold into the batter. Heat about 1H inches of oil to 325°F in a wide deep pot. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet and line with paper towels. Using two forks, lift up about 5 to 6 of the apple matchsticks from the batter, allowing the excess batter to drip back into the bowl—the fritter should be irregular in shape, with just a very light coating of batter—and add to the hot oil. Add a few more fritters to the pot, without crowding, and fry for about 5 minutes, turning the fritters from time to time, until crisp and golden brown. Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer them to the paper towels, and fry the remaining fritters in batches. Stack the fritters on a serving platter, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar, and serve immediately.

Serves 6 (or 1 hungry foodie)

Tonight's episode of SoCal Connected on KCET will air an episode detailing how some South LA residents are being forced to pay thousands of dollars because they are in some so-called new flood zone, as determined by the all-mighty FEMA.

Jill Stewart at LA Weekly calls this maddening, saying the special shos "longtime resident Isaac Robinson standing on a South Central street that's not in the silly new flood zone. Yet, as Robinson notes to [reporter Judy] Muller, KCET's cameraman standing a few feet away 'is in the flood zone.'" Stewart goes on, detailing how it's not only FEMA's screwup, but a major blunder for Mayor Villaraigosa's administration.

This will be worth a watch. As noted in today's TV Junkie, show airs at 8 p.m. tonight and will also air tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. on KCET.

Saturday night Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica, where art meets punk rock, will be hosting a birthday party for artist, activist, teacher and official LA "Living Cultural Treasure", Rachel Rosenthal as she celebrates her 83rd year. Amy Knoles from the California E.A.R. Unit and Jean Paul Monsché of the Mad Alsacians will be performing live. Rosenthal will also be celebrating the release of her upcoming book The DbD Experience: Chance Knows What it’s Doing! and will announce her Company’s new performance troupe, TOHUBOHU! Extreme Theater Ensemble.

The event will feature 83 "portraits" of Rosenthal created using a variety of mediums by such renowned artists as Robert Rauschenberg, Mike Kelley and Ed Moses The works will be auctioned with proceeds benefitting "Rachel Rosenthal Company’s TOHUBOHU! Extreme Theatre Ensemble performances, student scholarships, and visiting artist stipends."

There will also be wines and "Bitch Bubbly" from Grateful Palate Imports and desserts from Cake Divas. All this and a chance to honor the screaming bald genius whose iconic image we all grew up with. What more could you want? Tickets are $25 at the door or though Rosenthal's website.

The party takes place between 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM. at Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station Building C-1 2525 Michigan Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404 (at Michigan Ave. / Cloverfield). If you think you are lost in a dead end of warehouses, you're in the right place.

A sample of the work of TOHUBOHU!

Some older material, KoKo the signing Gorilla

An enchanting interview

Graphic courtesy of Rachel Rosenthal. Used with Permission

A Recession Obsession is, 1) a meal so great that it sticks in your mind long after digestion's end, and, 2) plays nice with your sensitive wallet. Is there a better place than Los Angeles to eat a wide variety of amazing food that so happens to be inexpensive? Probably not. We're as lucky as we are well fed. We last obsessed over Valley Costa Rican, and Oinkin' Tacos Downtown. Today, we obsess...

On a stretch of Pico where you’re likely to find spicy Caribbean food, or the caloric effort that is Oki-Dog, one might not expect tacos. That's why Sky’s Gourmet Tacos is a great fit. They serve up what they call: "Mexican food with a splash of soul".

The menu reads like it was created with food bloggers in mind, but having been around since 1992, that doesn’t seem to be how they roll. Sky’s serves up a unique brand of sometimes-Cajun Mexican food, featuring a selections of seasoned meats you’re probably not used to in your taco.

These soulful creole influences don’t seem intended to be labeled fusion, but rather good.

While stuffing yourself at Sky’s Gourmet Tacos can be expensive, eating a nice meal of higher-end tacos ring up a do-able $10 per person. The portions are measurable (tacos that eat like a meal, I’d say,) and the food happens to be obsessable. That’s why Sky’s Gourmet Tacos is LAist’s latest Recession Obsession.

Tilapia Taco

Taco Time

Sky’s has a big menu but my focus is in their titular gourmet tacos.

"Gourmet" is a term one rarely sees used in Los Angeles restaurant titles. However, from where I hail (Albany, New York,) it’s the kind of marketing strategy where Gourmet Mexican Food would be used to differentiate said product from Taco Bell -- which is Mexican Food (in Upstate, NY.)

Lobster tacos and crawfish tacos are the priciest at nearly $5.00 per. They're not bad splurges. Next down on the price list is mahi, salmon and tilapia, who are $3-$4 each. Then beef, chicken, carnitas and turkey are just below $3 each. While those prices can add up, you don’t have to pig out.

These tacos are hearty. Take the tilapia taco (pictured.) On a lovely corn torilla, the grilled fresh fish is both juicy and plentiful. The cole slaw like topping makes it feel more like a delicious fish sandwich. These are not pequeno taco truck tacos.

And, of course, they have more than tacos. And their vegetarian options are also quite plentiful -- so much so, that it makes me believe the owner must have a vegetarian older brother that threatened him noogies.

Photos By Caleb Bacon (Twitter) for LAist

• Sky's Gourmet Tacos | 5408 Pico Blvd | Los Angeles 90019 | (323) 932-6253

Comment Below! (or else)

He has nearly 600,000 fans on Facebook and gave Hugh Jackman a good run for his money in a TMZ "Who'd you rather do" contest. And despite his fame out East, he's actually from California.

Previously: And Meet the Newest Rose Queen...

8:00pm Community NBC - Study group members try to help Jeff when they learn he is living out of his car

8:00pm The Vampire Diaries The CW - Stefan is visited by one of his oldest friends; Elena tries to avoid Stefan

8:00pm SoCal Connected PBS/KCET - Why are some Los Angeles-area homeowners are suddenly being forced to pay for expensive, mandatory flood insurance?

8:00pm FlashForward ABC - Mark, Demetri, Gough and MI-6 Agent Fiona Banks (Alex Kingston) look into a Blue Hand club's possible connection to recent suicides

8:30pm Parks and Recreation NBC - Leslie learns the library department, which is run by Ron's ex-wife (Megan Mullally)

9:00pm American Chopper TLC - The guys face an uncertain future as the Teutul dynasty crumbles; OCC builds an electric chopper for Siemens

9:00pm The Office NBC - Having run out of excuses, Jim and Pam are forced to go on an uncomfortable double date with Michael and Helena

9:30pm 30 Rock NBC - Liz and Pete try to rig the audition process

10:00pm It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia FX - When a merchandising convention comes to town, the gang tries to develop marketable products in an attempt to build the Paddy's brand.

10:00pm The Real Housewives of Orange County Bravo - Season Premiere

10:00pm Tosh.0 Comedy Central - Daniel answers twitter questions; the trampled cheerleader

10:30pm The League FX - Pete's split with Meegan sends ripples through the tight-knit group

11:30pm The Colbert Report Comedy Central - Joey Cheek, Olympic Speed Skating Medalist

11:35pm Late Show With David Letterman CBS - TV host Bill Maher; actress Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe; Keith Urban performs.

11:35pm The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien NBC - Actor Jim Carrey; actress Olivia Wilde; Zac Brown Band performs.

12:35am Late Night With Jimmy Fallon NBC - Actor Ian McKellen; actress Paula Patton; Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon perform.

An Evening of Charles Bukowski in Pasadena originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 14:42:02.

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Home and food are the core building blocks of life. On Saturday, from 12:00-6 p.m. the Mak Center for Art and Architecture (at the Schindler House in W. Hollywood) will present a free day, focused on both of these basic themes.

The activities launch at noon. First up on the day's agenda is a graphic workshop (with community nutrition advocacy group Project Food/LA) in preparation for the Edible Endeavors Convention. Participants will get the chance to lend their creative hands, fashioning 'foodie flyers, posters and banners.'

At 1 p.m. visitors will get a walk-through of the Otto Neurath/Gypsy Urbanism exhibit with guest curator and architectural critic and theorist Nader Vossoghian.

A panel discussion focusing on exhibition strategies will be moderated by MAK Center director Kimberli Meyer at 2:30 p.m. Panelists include designers, historians, artists and architects.

Finally, the day's events will culminate at 3:30 p.m. with the Edible Endeavors Convention featuring rapid-fire presentations on food issues in LA. The centerpiece event is being billed as a combo political convention, lecture, panel discussion and rally.

Photo: Gerald Zugman/MAK Center

Free Event: Food and Architecture at the MAK Center originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 17:03:29.

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Part of the whole gastro-pub trend that continues to pick up speed in recession/comfort era LA, Santa Monica's The Yard threw a re-opening party last night, boasting its latest asset: Chris "CJ" Jacobson of Bravo's hit show Top Chef. The laidback Broadway eatery has a new look and CJ-designed menu.

The competition is certainly intense out there these days and it seems like everyone needs at least one marquis name to survive. CJ is definitely a good one in name and follow-through. Hors d'oeuvres versions of the plates regularly on offer at The Yard were making the rounds generously on trays last night and they were good!

My favorites were the fresh fish tacos (with local sea bass, cumin slaw, guacamole and Pico de Gallo), the chocolate persimmon with burrata (with pomegranate, basil, house smoked almond and olive oil) and the mouth-watering Yard burgers which the 6'8" tall celeb chef told me were made of several different meats. I was less enthralled by the cocktails, with the exception of their BackYard Lemonade, which was tasty and fresh.

In attendance to support his Bravo network-mate was well-clad baby-faced Million Dollar Listing co-star Chad Rogers. Despite more emphasis on eats than beats, the music was fantastic with DJ Jeremy Sole of Afro Funke and KCRW at the helm.

The Yard Re-Opens With Bravo's 'Top Chef' CJ Jacobson originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 16:37:58.

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Could the era of mass-production be coming to a close? If micro-trends like the work of LA writer/musician Billy Mark are any indicator, we may be knee-deep in a creative era of uniqueness, independent production and individuality.

Mark collaborates with his wife Sarah--a clothing designer and fabric artist--in creating unique CDs of original music (and CD artwork) as singular works of art. The catch is that when you buy the CD/artwork, you own the only copy and the rights of that music--the master.

Sound like a lot of work? It is, and probably worth at least its going price of $250. The CD jackets are also intricately stitched and handmade by Sarah Mark. Each CD contains four songs (one song for each image on each side of the disc jacket).

This Thursday Edgar Varela Fine Art will launch "Locating Value," a show of Billy and Sarah Mark's work. Ten CDs of original music and artwork will be available for sale at the show. The opening night festivities, from 7 to 10 p.m., will feature a live music performance by Mark and friends.

Photo © William Mark

CDs as Artwork: Creators Share New Values at Downtown Gallery originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 17:24:21.

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Just saw that LA Observed has blogged a story from the Daily News about the mysterious, enigmatic "747" area code. Apparently it was supposed to have begun infiltrating the "818" codes in the crowded San Fernando Valley six months ago.

The Daily News has announced the odd fact that "the first 747 number has yet to be assigned." The story goes on to say that spokespeople for phone service providers, the California Public Utilities Commission and the North American Numbering Plan Administration could not "identify any 747 numbers assigned to residential or business customers."

Yet, in a Google and Wikipedia search I came up with two businesses using the "747" area code as of October. Will this Valley mystery ever be decoded?

"New" Valley Area Code Uncalled For? originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 15:31:15.

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The time-honored annual Laurel Canyon tradition of "Photo Day" went off without so much as a hitch today. Droves of Canyonites, young and old, came out of their proverbial log cabins to pose for a picture in front of the Canyon Country Store.

As always, a photographer stood on the traffic island at the intersection of Laurel Canyon Blvd. and Kirkwood Dr. trying to capture the hundreds (?) of locals for a group portrait that will hang on the wall of the store alongside other photos from decades gone by.

The difference this year was that Tommy, the owner of the store arranged to have the intersection blocked off by the city. Traditionally, the photographer has had to direct traffic and the locals 'boo' any cars that don't stop to allow the photo to be taken. Another change this year: the many Canyon canines were relegated to the parking lot.

As always, a band including Canyon Store clerk Brad played. Lilly's coffee cart remained opened and was a central hub for the event. And of course the "Canyon carnies," in their top hats jumped up onto the traffic light pole...and snap...the moment was immortalized in a sweltering heat (which strangely always seems to plague the annual October event).

Laurel Canyon Photo Day originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 14:52:53.

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The morning after....Thankfully we have a whole extra hour to rest and recover from last night's Halloween's festivities. As promised, I return with a recap of the KCRW Masquerade Ball.

The radio stars DJ'ing the event (Jason Bentley, Raul Campos, Liza Richardson, Garth Trinidad, etc.) were perhaps only overshadowed--pun intended--by a special guest appearance by DJ Shadow who spun downstairs in the grand old MacArthur Park-adjacent Park Plaza Hotel. Other talent were Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Little Dragon and Sea Wolf.

I can't tell you how many personal memories of club events past this stellar venue brought up. In fact I probably saw Jason Bentley spin here back in his early pre-KCRW days. It remains--in my humble opinion--one of the best spots to throw a club event in LA with its multiple upstairs-downstairs rooms, grand staircase-imposed foyer, classic architectural ambiance filled with sexy, romantic nooks, and just plain grandeur.

In a film town like LA, I wouldn't have expected any less than the awesome, creative and often elaborate costumes I saw at last night's jam-packed party. Group costumes like "penguins," "'80s aerobicizers, and Alex and gang from A Clockwork Orange seemed to be more popular this year. Legendary LA house DJ Marques Wyatt (there as a "civilian") was also clad in Clockwork Orange attire but corrected me saying he was there as the guy from "A Clockwork Blood Orange." Some folks went all out in the Dangerous Liaisons period garb. I was happy to see few of the old low-commitment "blood on the mouth costumes."

The event was super well planned out and DJ sets ran surprisingly on time. Everyone seemed to be having a blast, especially outside by the front entrance where several food trucks including the famous Korean mobile vendor Kogi and gourmet cupcake bakers Sprinkles were parked. I couldn't help picking up a couple Red Velvet myself.

By 1:30 a.m. things seemed to be winding down and thinning out...guess everyone got their Halloween beat fill. I queried one reveler as to whether he felt the event had been worth its $75 entrance fee. He replied that he'd "paid more for less" and had had a great time.

Photo © KCRW

KCRW Masquerade Ball: The Morning After originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 10:35:24.

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Halloween is finally upon us. Whether you've been celebrating all month or are just getting into the spooky vibes this weekend, there are places to haunt and people to spook all over LA. Halloween events like the Playboy Mansion party and traditions like 'the witch's house' abound. And in a movie industry town like Los Angeles there's no shortage of Halloween costume ideas.

I will personally be heading over to what I believe to be 'the party of the night' (everyone says that about their plans, right?), the KCRW Masquerade Ball, and will report back on the ghoulish grooves provided by the station's ace DJs. Would love to hear what everyone else is doing as well.

How ever you choose to spend your Halloween--trick or treating with the kids or partying it up--remember to be safe. And if you are doing the latter think about taking a taxi or calling on a community service like Safe Rides.

Happy Halloween!

Photo: David McNew/Staff/Getty Images

Halloween in Los Angeles originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 15:03:30.

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LA's own Cambodian-fronted indie band Dengue Fever is--as the name implies--heating up. On the heels of their guest spot on "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and a Hollywood Bowl performance with art-disco legend Ms. Grace Jones, the retro '60s infused psych-popsters are playing a show at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica this Friday.

The all ages event starts at 6:30 p.m. and opens with lecturer Stephanie Khoury and a traditional Cambodian dance group from the Khmer Arts Academy. Tix run from $32 to $55.
Dengue Fever's last album release was Venus on Earth (2008).

Photo: Kevin Estrada

Dengue Fever at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 14:26:59.

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The warehouse scene Downtown continues to go off. Case in point: this weekend I had the pleasure of attending a really cool opening party at an incredible renovated warehouse space on Flower right around the corner from the Staples Center.

The event focused on work by local artist and animator Evan York including the launch of his new streetwear clothing line, featuring 15 new hand-drawn t-shirt designs. York's previous Ts have made it onto the backs of such rock n' rollers as Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.

Speaking of legendary musicians: Kevin Haskins, of the seminal goth band Bauhaus and alternative band Love and Rockets was in the house spinning some great tunes at the party as well.

Evan York Clothing Launch Party in Downtown LA originally appeared on About.com Los Angeles on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 12:55:20.

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