We learned a lot about Los Angeles last night as viewers of the CW's semi-retooled teen sudser 90210. First, we learned that no one--and we mean triple underline, eye roll, like duh no one--does "family night" in this city. It's just way uncool. We also learned that kids who live in Beverly Hills have cheating fathers who overcompensate for their shortcomings by buying their teenage daughters (who look like they are 40 with Shirley Temple......

Eight years ago, loyal fans (because after 10 years on the air, that's all that were left) watched onetime geek David Silver marry longtime love Donna Martin on the series finale of Beverly Hills, 90210. The zip code was silenced, along with the eternal and rotating love triangles, the token bitch, the--gasp!--shocking family secrets, and the pulpy remains of what began as an edgy teen drama about fraternal twins from Minnesota trying to fit in......

In the 80s, I kind of felt like I was living in the Twilight Zone. Particularly the episode where everyone thinks people with pig faces are beautiful. Back then, people were wearing asymmetrical everything, giant hair, giant shoulderpads, giant polkadots, and dayglo colors to complement the ultrathick, bushy eyebrows. My mother would try to force these horrible clothes on me in the dressing room, and it was as if they were burning my skin.......

7:15pm It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World TCM - Every comedian alive was put in this '63 classic. Watch it, without commercial interruption, as this gang of motley fools head across SoCal towards a slapstick finish in Santa Monica and Venice. TV Junkie Pick-O-The-Night. 8:00pm A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ABC - One of the weaker Charlie Brown specials, but nostalgia is strong. 8:00pm Kontroll IFC - Cool indie flick from Hungary about a psychopath......

This week, Phillyist saw the waters of a landmark fountain run red for a Showtime marketing stunt, the Phils pull ahead, and some serious nostalgia. They also got a chance to review an awesome tribute album, reminded folks to see the King, and appreciated their beautiful skyline. Chicagoist knows what it's like to like the Cubs. But naming your kid Wrigley Fields? At least they can breathe a little easier now that Grossman's out and......

A couple of months ago, I wrote a post celebrating the return of American Gladiators reruns to ESPN Classic. Now, word is that NBC is going one step further, reviving the athletic game show for sometime next season. The Variety article states that: The competition skein -- which featured players with names like Nitro, Turbo and Laser in its campy, early '90s syndie incarnation -- will be updated for the 21st century with new technology......

So, Friday night I’m in my car headed towards the El Rey to see legendary punks The Slits. I’m excited. For my money, The Slits are one of the truly essential bands to emerge from the London “Class of ‘77”. I’m almost there, when my cell phone rings. “I have two free tickets – Row AA in the Orchestra Pit - for Rick Springfield at the Universal Amphitheatre.” (Actually, he said Gibson Amphitheatre, but......

I called my friend today to tell him that I attended The Format's show last night at the Avalon and he promptly responded with, "Wow, so you went to a real pop-punk show last night?" Yes, I did and I survived. Although I wouldn't place The Format and Limbeck in the pop-punk genre, their fan base and roots are set firmly in those pre-pubescent yesteryears. Both of these bands have been sitting on a pile......

Here are the five productions opening this weekend that are currently piquing LAist’s interest: 7 Glimpses of Utopia Tonight only, the Skid Row-based theater group LAPD (Los Angeles Poverty Department) presents a picture of utopian possibilities in downtown L.A. LAPD'ers and others were asked to identify and invite someone they knew who was doing something "laudable, and important, something that represents the best of the current and future downtown." National Center for the Preservation......

This weekend marks the official start of barbeque season! If you've already mastered grilling, and are ready to move up to the next level, welcome to the world of smoking. Just remember, grilling is like a one-night stand and smoking is like a marriage. You should prep the ribs the night before and start smoking them six hours before serving. It requires a certain level of commitment. But the commitment is only one of......

We're all about creative dissent here at LAist. You got the pro view on the new Star-Vu Drive-In from Ryan Young. Now for something completely different. Here's an opposing take on the Star-Vu experience written especially for LAist by Josh Tate. The words of Ian Malcolm troubled me as I surged onto the 405-N. "Dinosaurs had their shot and Nature selected them for extinction." The last three and a half hours of my life had......

Clearly these kids do not understand disco. Nevertheless, silver, swoopy-haired Barry Gibb (sounding oddly like Darryl Hammond’s Sean Connery impression) mentored and coached the hatchlings into eight counts of nostalgia butchering. Much like colorized movies, this was a bad idea. Melinda started us off with the very dirty, “Love You Inside And Out” oblivious to the connotation. For her second number she chose the timeless, the epic, the boooooooooooooring “How Can You Mend A......

Artist: Bombay Dub Orchestra Album: Remixed EP Release Date: 9/22/2006 Label: Six Degrees Records The Bombay Dub Orchestra is spinning a live set at the opening gala of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Their self-titled album came out just less than a year ago but for those not quite ready to take such a big bite of electronified Bollywood and cinematic central asian soundscapes, a small remix project may......

The Police aren't the only band to reunite and tour in 2007, and though their twenty-three year hiatus is the longest of the bunch, there is much more nostalgia to be had.... Rage Against The Machine, everyone's favorite rightously angry band, is reuniting to close this year's Coachella festival, which, fingers crossed, will bring about a tour. All four members -- Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk -- will......

Sex is something that drives us, empowers us and gets us into really stupid situations with people we have no business seeing naked. Jen Sincero is the bestselling author and sexpert with the carnal knowledge you need. Ask her your questions (all are posted anonymously). Cuz there's no such thing as being too good in bed. Dear Jen, I need to get your spin on this. I've been seeing this guy since December who......

With a tough, glossy finish, and a hearty dose of quirk, DFA dignitary, James Murphy, delivers fat danceability and wry cynicism to the latest LCD Soundsystem project, “Sound of Silver.” Detached, electronic soundscapes come peppered with vocal flourishes, throwback rhythms and mod-futuristic notions. Catchy, robotic hooks are held in place by glittery beats, atop atonal clanging. Also, as it turns out, the sound of silver is a cowbell. I had no idea. The record......

New York Times Does Culver City "Clearly, things have changed. Culver City, once considered a place to drive by on your way to somewhere else, has become Los Angeles's newest stylish neighborhood, a magnet for lovers of the arts, good food and culture. One part Hollywood nostalgia, one part modern design, the city-within-a-city now inspires expressions like “nascent Chelsea” and 'L.A.'s new restaurant mecca.'”(New York Times) What's in Your Fish? Pesticide and We Have......

Who would have ever thought that one Jamie Kennedy and Stu Stone music video wouldn't satisfy our demand for twisted childhood nostalgia. Earlier we told you about "Circle Circle Dot Dot," but it simply doesn't have the star power of "Rollin W Saget." That's right -- Bob Saget, be-yotch. Toss in some cameos by John Stamos and George Lucas (we're guessing the Paris Hilton is a look-alike), and this is the 'illist clip this......

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......

These tracks were in heavy rotation in our iPod this week. What MP3s are topping your iTunes playlist? Local Rock | Irving Download: I Can't Fall In Love From: I Hope You're Feeling Better Now. With a lyrical nod to Silver Lake and a song that any lovelorn Angeleno can relate to, Irving's "I Can't Fall In Love" is hard to resist. Check out free streams on myspace. Electronica | Cut Copy Download: Future......

Nine Inch Nails drummer Jerome Dillon has been hospitalized for the second time since NIN began its fall tour. According to the band's website, Dillon returned to Los Angeles today to undergo tests. NIN's September 30th (Oakland) concert will be postponed and a replacement drummer will be used for the rest of the tour. We already knew there was a corporate heart beating behind the 21 JACK FM stations. Meet the voice behind the......

Rockstars never grow old. They just throw another reunion tour. Fleetwood Mac, Cher and Madonna are all recent examples of America's insatiable appetite for nostalgia. Perhaps it's a way to turn back time (pardon the pun), or maybe it's just an attempt to check in with your inner rebel. Either way, music is one of the few things in life that lends itself to reminiscing. A case in point: the LA-based Eagles are still......

Forgive us, readers, for we have sinned. It's been sometime since we last ventured forth to try new ice cream in LA. And we know that it's not right to try to pass the buck and put the blame elsewhere, but we're just an ice cream lover without wheels to take us too far afield from our commuter's radius, and with a lot of deadlines that are eating up our eating ice cream time.......

Becky Stark performs this Monday, June 13th at Tangier, 8pm, $14; and Tuesday at El Cid, $8. Becky Stark smiles as she sings sometimes. Not a knowing smile, nor self-assured; it’s a curious, wondering look – “Are you on my side?” Her body floats beneath the gauzy layers of an ancient wedding gown, anchors the stage like a soft image drawn in peach-colored light, deep inside an old kinetoscope. Behind her, the band thumps......

We get all sorts of strange reactions when we confess that we don't have cable television. In fact, we don't watch broadcast television at all. That's right: never. We're sorry, but, is there anything on? We didn't think so. We're happy as can be in the world of DVD, and we couldn't be happier now that one of our favorite 1980s comedy-detective-romantic-dramas is out in a DVD box set: Moonlighting, Seasons 1 & 2.......

If there's any evidence that the Age of Irony is beginning to show serious cracks, it's in the sudden outbreak of Neil Diamond mania among hipsters far and wide. KXLU's resident genius Chris Checkman told us, not too long ago, that there should never be anything in our record collection that we're ashamed of, nor vice-versa; that in fact, there are no "guilty pleasures" allowed anymore. Devin of "Demolisten" took this to its logical......

A good burger is hard to find. Fast food joints lure us in with low prices and speedy service, but often send us packing with extra pounds and a bad taste in our mouth, whether it's their politics or their processed meats. But a burger is a state of mind, a craving, a bite of Americana right up there with apple pie. And burgers can get dressed up for all sorts of occasions: hoe-down......

Amazing how interested we are in a story about two radio stations we aren't much listening to right now. After talking about the apparent battle between Hip Hop radio and ratings juggernaut Power 106 and weak signal upstart 93. 5 KDAY yesterday, what did we find in our mailbox but the March issue of URB magazine with a feature on the history of the original KDAY 1580. Amongst all the nostalgia, Members Only jackets,......

Local entrepreneur Phil Holland has made a deep impact on Southern California. A real estate developer, he also founded a local institution, the Yum Yum Donuts chain (who can resist the chain's icon featuring a donut with the ability to lick its own lips, let alone a donut with lips?), and developed entrepreneurial education programs for aspiring independent entrepreneurs. These programs are distributed via free online courses at My Own Business.org, classes and publications.......

The "Column One" feature, "Holding Up a Tradition," on the front page of yesterday's Los Angeles Times mystifies us. Why would Angelenos be interested in the antebellum architecture craze sweeping the South? The piece focuses on the popularity of a new housing subdivision in South Carolina called "I'On" that features houses modeled after antebellum plantation buildings with generous porches and collonades. Perhaps Times editors thought it time to publish a literal "Column One" feature......