A group of classical musicians on their way to a Riverside Philharmonic concert this weekend were on the 91 freeway as the fire literally crossed it. They took this video (it gets crazy at 47 seconds in) and being orchestra geeks, most appropriately gave it the soundtrack of Shostakovich's Symphony #10 (Mvt 2). "I chose this music for several reasons, but mostly because we were actually on our way to perform this piece at... [continue]

Environmental reporter Ilsa Setziol is passionate advocate for native plants. For seven years, she reported for NPR-affiliate KPCC, 89.3. Her work has also been heard on PRI's Living On Earth and KQED's The California Report. Recently when Ilsa became a mom, she stared a new blog, Rambling LA, to cover stories about nature, the environment, and outdoor adventures with her son. LAist asked Ilsa to give us an introduction to native plants. She offers... [continue]

The following post is from our advertiser, Slumdog Millionaire. From Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) comes Slumdog Millionaire, the film that Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers calls “one of the year’s best” and Richard Corliss from Time Magazine calls “a buoyant hymn to life, and a movie to celebrate.” A penniless, eighteen year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, Jamal Malik is one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's ‘‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” But when the show breaks for the night, suddenly, he is arrested on suspicion of cheating. After all, how could an uneducated street kid possibly know so much? Determined to get to the bottom of Jamal’s story, the jaded Police Inspector spends the night probing Jamal’s incredible past, from his riveting tales of the slums where he and his brother Salim survived by their wits to his hair-raising encounters with local gangs to his heartbreak over Latika, the unforgettable girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of Jamal’s increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show’s seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show? When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out… Visit the OFFICIAL SITE for info about FREE screenings in your area.... [continue]

On the day after what many people deem to be a historical election, and a once in a lifetime event, no one seems to be talking about it. At least in California. It seems a little ironic to most people (ok probably 99% of our readers/writers) that many newspapers are talking about how race and discrimination are no longer issues since we elected Barack Obama and yet Proposition 8 passed. It's actually a little shocking,... [continue]

As if you wouldn't.... [continue]

Karlheinz Stockhausen, the dude who stands between Lenny Bruce and W.C. Fields on the Sgt. Pepper album cover, would have turned 80 this summer. But while London and New York and even Omaha, Nebraska have thrown events celebrating the life and music of this pioneer composer, "the father of electronic music," Los Angeles has yet to plug in, tune up, and tone out in his honor. A group of ne'er-do-well jazz musicians have taken... [continue]

Elvis Costello and Isaac Mizrahi make their mark on classical music this week, in the west coast premiere of NIGHTSPOT. This week brings the immensely popular Miami City Ballet to town. NIGHTSPOT is the brainchild of world famous choreographer Twyla Tharp and Elvis Costello, with the costume design by Mizrahi. This is a must see for any music fans,. Also included in the program are Liturgy (choreographed by the popular Christopher Wheeldon), Tarantella, and... [continue]

If you haven't read LA Times columnist Steve Lopez' book, The Soloist, it comes with a high recommendation. And if you're a fan of reading books before the movie version comes out, then you've got to November 21st. Robert Downey Jr. plays Steve Lopez and Jamie Foxx plays Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, the street musician Lopez discovered in Pershing Square before writing a series of amazing columns that led to the book. Related: LA Times'... [continue]

High-profile, pricey dining events are fun and all, but most of us would rather spend our dining dollars on an event that supports a great cause. If you're one of those people, you're in luck this weekend, because Savor The Season is one of those worth-it events. Not only does it feature a catered spread from some of L.A.'s best restaurants, but proceeds from the event are going to Break The Cycle, an organization... [continue]

Woody Allen (Vicky Cristy Barcelona, Manhattan, Annie Hall) and William Friedkin (the Exorcist, the French Connection) collaborate with the Los Angeles to bring you their vision of Giacomo Puccini's Il Trittico. Il Trittico is made up of three one-act operas, "Il Tabarro", "Suor Angelica", and "Gianni Schicchi". James Conlon conducts the orchestra and Tony-award winning Santo Loquasto will design the set. "Il Tabarro" is about a tragic love triangle, filled with dark and violent... [continue]

Andrew Steiner, former "Maitre Fromager" at Patina (Cheese Master -- now there's a worthy sobriquet!), has opened a shop of his own on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. Andrew's Cheese Shop is offering over 200 varieties of cheese, including many hand-crafted and artisanal varieties from all over the globe -- even raw milk cheeses! Andrew highlights cheeses like the Chimay Grand Cru (yes, from the same makers of the potent Belgian ale), Sally Jackson... [continue]

The Dominator ran aground on March 13, 1961 at the point between Lunada Bay and Malaga Cove, near Rocky Point. Carrying a load of wheat and beef from Vancouver, B.C, the vessel was trapped by the current after coming too close to the cliffs. Residents have watched over the years as the sea slowly destroyed the wreckage, until finally just a few bits of the hull and bow remain scattered on the shore. More of the boat is visible at low tide. There are two routes by which to access the wreckage today. Experienced hikers and climbers can make their way down the steep cliffs, but must be cautious of the rocky terrain. It is recommended you go at low tide, be prepared to get wet, and keep an eye out for interesting tide pools. ... [continue]

The Flag ceremony at the Van Nuys Civic Center is enough to bring tears to your eyes.... [continue]

Last Wednesday, LAist headed over to Childrens Hospital to see the presentation of new Nintendo and Starlight Fun Centers featuring Wii and to meet Mario. Watching the patients swing around their new Wii remotes put a big smile on the face of everyone in the room. Nintendo and Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation are sending hundreds of popular Fun Centers featuring Wii game systems to hospitals across the United States and Canada. The new Fun Centers... [continue]

Tomorrow, this will be illegal Photo by berbercarpet via flickr Tomorrow talking on your mobile phone pressed up against your ear while driving will be just as illegal as running a red light, speeding or driving under the influence. In today’s LA Times a spokesman for the CHP, Tom Marshall, said the CHP would enforce the law "fairly and aggressively." What are you planning to do to avoid getting yourself a ticket? The law... [continue]

For the past few months we've noticed our friends randomly appearing in sidebar ads on Facebook and thought, "ZOMG Zuckerberg, are we all being used so you can pick up all of our friends for your third-party app-monkeys? At left, you see Tom Lewis aka TV Junkie purporting to endorse a Facebook App. Sure, he probably is a Facebook "fan" of the app but we doubt he realizes that his image is being used in... [continue]

If Wagner was still alive today, he would have just celebrated his 195th (!) birthday yesterday. His influence was felt by many including Baudelaire, Freud, Joyce, Nietzsche, and any/every important contemporary of his. Some recent adaptations in mainstream media that come to mind include a terrible Tristan + Isolde movie and Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy (based off of Wagner's Ring cycle). For me most memorable tribute to Wagner comes from a not-too-recent... [continue]

Today news broke that Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski is slated to direct the film adaptation of Bioshock, widely heralded as the best video game of 2007. This comes at an especially interesting time considering parent company Take Two Interactive (also parent to Rockstar Games, which just released a little title called Grand Theft Auto IV) turned down a multi-billion dollar buy-out offered by LA-based Electronic Arts earlier this year. Verbinksi notes in... [continue]

Matt Haimovitz is not your everyday cellist. His resume includes performances with every major orchestra, but his choice of venues include nightclubs, bars, coffee houses, and a stop at CBCG. He is known for his performances of contemporary pieces, and his MySpace page showcases interpretations of Bach and Led Zeppelin. This classical pick actually takes place next Sunday, featuring two world premieres, a west coast premiere, and the Ligeti Cello Concerto. Ligeti was considered Stanley... [continue]

Junot Diaz at the Hammer Museum/Osmany Rodriguez for LAist The thing about author Junot Diaz is, one minute he’s on the phone with you, rapping about meringue, Malcolm X, comic books, and how shit never gets done on time in the Dominican Republic – and the next minute, he’s winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. He describes himself as just another ordinary, poor immigrant... [continue]