Santa Monica

The Intimidator Still Lives in our Hearts: Re-Introducing Gary Amdahl, the Inland Empire's Chekhov

The far and wide of readerly reach is often rewarded with time to linger, camp out, even put down roots in that place where resides, writes, exists a favorite writer, a discovery, a prize, a locale in which things happen which further complicate, define, explain and challenge. Devotion to artists, w ... More >>

A Hollywood Legend in a Santa Ana Boneyard!

There's nothing remarkable about the grave of Hollywood comedy writer Clyde Bruckman, who was buried in Santa Ana's Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary. Far from the ornate angel statues and historic Civil War monuments in the adjacent county-run cemetery, Bruckman's plot is marked by a flat, faded ... More >>

U.S. Innovation, Chinese Start-Up Money and Death by China Mix at UC Irvine

UC Irvine Economics Professor Peter Navarro famously authored with Greg Autry the book Death by China, which argues the People's Republic's "ruthless and corrupt" Communist government threatens global economic stability. (Navarro also appears prominently in the recent documentary based on and with t ... More >>

LA Food and Wine Festival This Weekend

We're got our food festivals here, sure, and they're usually pretty cool events. I spent last Sunday afternoon very happily and gluttonously stuffing my face with pork and craft cocktails, and there's always the Taste of OC and the various city tasting events. There's Patchwork and Secret Fork, wher ... More >>

On the Line: Frederic Castan of Motif Restaurant, Part One

We've met many multicultural chefs while doing On the Line, but Frederic Castan might be my first Frenchman. Distinguished and worldly, he represents the eclectic European cuisine served at Motif. A fan of West Coast wines and excellent cheese, our interview strings together anecdotes from experienc ... More >>

OC Bookly in Little Armenia and West Covina: Not Orange County. Elsewhere. (But Close!)

This modest blog's ostensible focus is OC reading, writing, literary people and generally what the highly-opinionated Mr. Bib deems bookly about our benighted, beatific and beloved county but, of course, no county is an island entire of itself, every county is a piece of the continent, a part of the ... More >>

OC Bookly at the LA Times Festival of Books

I've attended nearly all of the previous 16 years of the annual Los Angeles Times books festivals, this one again on the campus of USC. There was that one year I missed, when the bibliochild was born and some friends, fellow writers and Santa Monica Review volunteers staffed the SMR booth, ... More >>

Brea Art Gallery Presents the Other Side of Sunny

'Made In California' isn't the same old state gold

Newport Beach Ranks 3rd Among American Cities That Most Value Sex

​Newport Beach ranks third among American cities where adults most value sex in a relationship.So that's why our hook-up ads sell so well!By the way, this wasn't some crappy greeting card company survey.

Nomi

Detroit Bar

Rand Study On Medical Pot Among Year's Worst, Scientific American Says

​Remember that Rand Corporation study from earlier this year that claimed crime actually increased in L.A. neighborhoods where cops closed medical marijuana dispensaries? The one that forgot to include crime statistics compiled by the Los Angeles Police Department?? The one that Rand had to retrac ... More >>

On the Line: Keith Stich of Wildfish Seafood Grille, Part Three

Photo by Meranda Carter​We wrap up our interview with Wildfish's Keith Stich with an easy-peasy ahi main course. [Editor's Note: While the exact amount of fish isn't stated in the recipe, Stich said that 6 ounces of ahi feeds one person.] While things are marinating, take a look back at parts one ... More >>

[UPDATED W/Official Rand Corp. Retraction] Closing Marijuana Dispensaries Actually Increases Crime, Rand Study Finds

​UPDATED Oct. 25, 11:30 A.M: Two weeks after lifting the report from its website, Rand Corporation, the research organization that helped crunch body count numbers during the Vietnam War has officially retracted its study from last month that claimed crime increased near medical marijuana dispensa ... More >>

Santa Monica Farmers Celebrates 30th Anniversary with Good Food Festival & Conference

​In the world of farmers markets in Southern California, none is more legendary than the system that runs the Santa Monica Farmers Market. KCRW-FM 89.9's Good Food with Evan Kleiman offers their updates from the Wednesday version, head Laura Avery is a Southern California food legend, and more tha ... More >>

Cream Puffs at the Morsels Bakery Truck

Dave Lieberman​It looks like it's true. Cupcakes are dead. While cupcakes used to be the default--nay, the only--dessert option at the various clustertrucks that roam Orange County serving fancy food in low-brow settings, now it's getting harder to find mobile cupcakes.Whew.

C.J. Jacobson from Top Chef Season Three: Nice Guy, Should Open a Restaurant in his Native OC!

​I'm not really appropriate to take out in public settings, so it was nice to see my chica set up a double date for us, even better when she was taking us out of OC and into the nether regions of LA. The place: Son of a Gun, the new-ish seafood place by the guys behind Animal, that restaurant that ... More >>

Axl Rose Sues 'Guitar Hero'

​[via RadarOnline.com] Axl Rose is suing Activision Blizzard Inc, the owner of the hit video game Guitar Hero. The company, which is based both in Santa Monica and Irvine, is being sued for over $20 million dollars for fraud, breach of contract and unjust enrichment, among others claims.

Interpol Without Carlos D is Still Amazing, and Improbably Exciting

Jeremiah GarciaPaul Banks of Interpol​InterpolSept. 6, 2010Apogee's Berkeley Street Studio, Santa MonicaLast night, KCRW's invite-only Interpol showcase had two can't-miss qualities about it. Held at a studio in Santa Monica that housed only 150 people, it was the smallest venue I'd ever seen Inte ... More >>

Bag Monster Be Damned! State Plastic Bag Ban Bill Crumpled Up and Tossed in Storm Drain

​Guess the Bag Monster didn't scare up enough votes after all.California lawmakers late last night rejected a bill that would have banned plastic shopping bags. Indeed, things got downright libertarian under the left-leaning Capitol dome, with much debate preceding the vote over whether the state ... More >>

Greg Howe of Raya at The Ritz-Carlton, Part One

Kimberly Valenzuela​Raya, the new restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, is Richard Sandoval's restaurant. Including this one, the celebrity chef (that you may not have heard of but will soon enough) has opened three eateries in Southern California since spring (The other two are in Santa M ... More >>

TONIGHT: Quadron at Commonwealth Lounge

​So what's the reward for taking a horribly underrepresented musical genre in your native country and playing the hell out of it? In the case of Danish R&B duo Quadron, it's been well worth the risk.  

Now, the Bad News for Orange County in Annual Beach Report Card From Heal the Bay

flickr user AndrewEick​As mentioned in the accompanying post on "good news" for Orange County in Heal the Bay's annual Beach Report Card, many OC beaches scored perfect A grades and, overall, our shoreline experienced its cleanest dry weather season in six years.But not everything smells like a r ... More >>

Mariela Rebollo of Barcelona On the Go, Part 3

Photo by Kimberly Valenzuela​We've been teasing you with the promise of a recipe from Chef Mariela Rebollo of Barcelona on the Go, but the day is here: if you head out to Santa Monica Seafood (the chef's recommendation for your octopus needs), you can make pulpo a la Gallega, or Galician-style oct ... More >>

Something Corporate Return to Studio

[Mental Notes] Andrew McMahon on Bamboozle and the band's new 'best of' compilation

[UPDATED:] Trabuco Canyon's Lila Rizk Guilty in Massive Real Estate Fraud

UPDATE: At her sentencing in a Los Angeles federal court today, Trabuco Canyon's Lila Rizk received a three-year prison term for her role in a massive mortgage fraud scheme that caused tens of millions of dollars in losses to federally insured banks.​A federal jury on Aug. ... More >>

TONIGHT: KCRW's Jeremy Sole Spins at Continental Room

Okay despite the fact that he mentions playing in the "IE" tonight on his Myspace page when referring to his gig at The Continental Room, we're willing to give Jeremy Sole a break. He's just that good. And maybe while he's down here, someone can remind him that Fullerton is still in Orange County. B ... More >>

Notable Releases - 7/21/2009 A Free Show at the Santa Monica Pier

Some notable releases for July 21, 2009:Sugar Ray-Music For CougarsAfter a six year hiatus to pursue other interests (like lead singer Mark McGrath hosting Extra),  Sugar Ray have returned to produce music for... um.. judging by the title, middle aged women who frequent clubs in pursuit of stra ... More >>

Light, Summery Recipe: Wolfgang Puck's Chinois Chicken Salad

I've had this dish a few times at the Wolfgang Puck Bistro inside Macy's at South Coast Plaza. At Chinois on Main, Puck's restaurant in Santa Monica, it's been on the menu for over 25 years, such is its popularity. It even includes Colman's mustard, which I blogged about yesterday.Cooking a chicken ... More >>

Weenie Roast Lineup Announced: Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Kings of Leon

Andrew YoussefThe full lineup for KROQ's annual Weenie Roast show was released today, a whopping TWELVE DAYS! before the show itself. Seems kinda quick, right? Oh well. It still looks like a pretty good show, headlined by Weezer and Jimmy Eat World (pictured)--they toured together in 2001!--Kings of ... More >>

If Your Tap Water Tastes Like Rocket Fuel, Go Here

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control, which oversees the ongoing cleanup of a toxic site in Chino Hills which for years had been an Aerojet manufacturing facility, is collecting public comment on its efforts through April 10. Some testimony will be gathered at a ... More >>

It's a Quick Read 17

Orange County Register: South Coast Plaza shoppers are oblivious to President Obama's visit two miles away. If they can still afford South Coast Plaza, they are oblivious to his message, too. . . . Another Kobe Bryant court appearance, another dismissal. This time he was getting out of jury dut ... More >>

Pounded Pavement

Pedestrian Perspectives

DJ Frane at the Continental Room Tonight

Don't try this at home: DJ Frane's infamous "lightning lip scratch" trick. Recent Sprawl of Sound star DJ Frane will be spinning at Continental Room's event in Fullerton tonight; he also plans to play some records. And oh what records he'll play. Anyone who's heard his bongadelic hip-hop instrume ... More >>

[Sprawl of Sound] DJ Frane's Heady Hip-Hop Goes Up in Smoke

Counter Intelligence

The quest for the perfect burger ends in Irvine

Saturday's Headlines & Surprises: One Down in Murder at Sea Case

Inaction Action! In their hunt for additional pay and perks, Orange County sheriff’s deputies flexed their muscles again Friday by delaying the transfer of incustody folks to court for criminal hearings. The, if you will, inaction action is designed to frightened county supervisors at the negotia ... More >>

Sonic Youth to Retrofit Urban Outfitters for Radio Benefit

Avant-garde jam band Sonic Youth and electronic-pop tunesmith Dntel (Jimmy Tamborello of the Postal Service) will be playing a free concert to benefit KXLU-FM 88.9 (Loyola Marymount University's campus station) at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade Urban Outfitters, Saturday, July 21 (time as yet ... More >>

Google Dolls

The other day, while getting the website that mirrors your favorite OC alt.-weekly pub ready for ya'all, Clockworken noticed something interesting upon opening Gustavo Arellano's popular column !Ask a Mexican! (Special Cesar Chavez Edition). Along the top of the virtual page was a Google advertiseme ... More >>

Wipe Out!

Lords of Dogtown lays it down and pretty

The Closing Of The Orange County Frontier

Green No More

Tuning in, turning on

All This Senseless Beauty

Peter Blake Gallery gets it right

Letters

New Column!

Ramblings From the Lady on the Megaphone at the Peace Rally Who's So Annoying You Almost Become Pro-

Nice Dish!

100 things you should put in your mouth

Raving In Wonderland

Electronic music goes mainstream

Letters

The Year in Dark Places That Smell of Popcorn