Industries

The American Wine Market: More Good News

Market research from the Wine Market Council, in its annual analysis of the American drinks market provides more irrefutable evidence that the United States is becoming a wine culture. The country's drinking habits continue to move toward wine above beer and spirits, making it as the fastest growing ... More >>

L.A. Indie Book Publishers Are Thriving. How Is That Possible?

Starting a book publishing house in today's economic climate, Anthony Berryman acknowledges, was "insane." He admits, "From a business perspective, it was never a thought that I was going to be a book publisher. I'm a high school teacher. That's what I do."But start a publishing house is just wh ... More >>

Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar: Wine From the Cradle of Civilization

If you're into wine and were in Los Angeles this weekend, you were probably hovering around the Wine Spectator's Wine Experience, a wine affair that sponsors compelling panel discussions (another excuse, like you need it, to drink in the morning) and splendid wine tastings involving California's an ... More >>

How Wall Street and Washington Conspired to Spike Gas Prices

By Pete Kotz On July 11, 2008, the price of oil rose to $147 per barrel, a record high. Gas stations engaged in hot pursuit as the price of a gallon rocketed past $4. All hell was about to break loose. The country's largest banks had already begun to implode through arrogance and ineptitude. Now t ... More >>

Environmental Clean-Up Firms to Wipe Up After Carmen Trutanich's Broken Campaign Pledge

Remember Carmen Trutanich's "pledge to serve"? This is a story that refuses to die. Back in 2008, when he was first running for city attorney, Trutanich vowed to serve two terms and not to seek higher office. If he ever broke his word, he said, he would give $100,000 to the L.A.'s Best after-school ... More >>

A Work of Shrek

California Bullet Train to Nowhere Gets $6 Billion Via State Lawmakers

California's bullet train dreams have had a nightmare of a year, including lagging public support and a need for billions in a bad economy. But supporters eked out a dreamy victory today: The state Senate approved an $8 billion package to fund the first leg of the train (from nowhere to nowhere):

Bill Morrison/Johann Johannsson

Record Store Day 2012: Our Comprehensive Guide to Steals and Deals, Free Grub and Live Performances

Record Store Day is this Saturday. Because there are almost as many record stores in L.A. as there are donut shops, we compiled a handy guide to help you get your hot little hands on as much vinyl as possible. We called every record store in a 40-mile radius and made a list of all the day's deals ... More >>

In Memory Of A Fundraiser: Wally's Central Coast Wine & Food Event Ends Its 8 Year Run

Wally's Central Coast Wine & Food Celebration, a nonprofit wine and food tasting event that began eight years ago to support the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund, has unexpectedly been cancelled this year. "We just don't have a place to do the event," says the event's volunteer publicist, Janni ... More >>

Alexander Merman, Russian-born Artist Stabbed To Death in Santa Monica, Was Victim of Murder-For-Profit Scheme, Police Say

Updated at bottom: police believe there may be more victims out there. First posted at 10:54 a.m. on Mar. 2. Police believe they have identified the man responsible for the death of Alexander Merman, the Russian-born artist who was found stabbed to death inside his apartment in Santa Monica in 200 ... More >>

Mars to Eliminate King-Size Candy Bars

Shrink-size me? Candy bar maker Mars Inc. has announced that it is doing away with king-size candy bars. The company says that by the end of 2013, it will only sell chocolate products that have 250 calories per portion, the Chicago Tribune reports. While some might see the move as a cost-saving me ... More >>

The Image Comics Alpha Girl Show

NFL Stadium Along L.A. River a Better Idea Than Farmers Field-Convention Center Proposal?

AEGAn artist's rendering of Farmers Field.​LA Neighbors United, the group founded by City Controller hopeful Cary Brazeman, suggests in a letter to top city officials this week that alternatives to the downtown NFL stadium proposal have not at all been taken seriously. The group wonders aloud ... More >>

Occupy Ports: L.A. Occupiers to Halt Sea Commerce for 'Day Without Goldman Sachs'

Though they've arguably got bigger things to worry about right now -- like where in the world they're going to live, come LAPD eviction -- Occupy L.A. organizers are chattering about another big day of action on December 12: Occupy Ports. (And they'll have to recuperate by January 2, when they plan ... More >>

U.S. Still a Dumping Ground for Crappy Honey, Study Finds

Flickr/Joelk75​ They're calling it "honey laundering." More than three-fourths of the honey sold in U.S. grocery stores is filtered to the point where it contains no pollen -- which would make it flunk the quality standards set by most of the world's food safety agencies, according to testing ... More >>

Food Ads Geared Toward Children: Gov't Waffling on "Voluntary" Guidelines

Happy Clippings​ Is Uncle Sam trying to control what the kids eat these days? Well, maybe just their sugar intake. Earlier this year, the government proposed "voluntary guidelines" for food advertising. The proposed regulations asked companies to cut back on marketing to children between ages ... More >>

Rose Gudiel, Valley Resident Facing Foreclosure, to 'Occupy' Offices of Mortgage Giant Fannie Mae

Update: Gudiel was arrested, along with her mother and seven other protesters, at the Fannie Mae offices yesterday, about an hour into the sit-in. However, her supporters quickly bailed her out. The group is currently gathering for a march downtown, where Gudiel is planning to make "an announcement. ... More >>

A Better Life: The Music and The Message

Thomas Dolby

Sunset Beer Company Opens in Echo Park Tomorrow

Steven ArmstrongThe sun sets behind Sunset Beer Company​ In April, Squid Ink introduced Sunset Beer Company, a new craft beer bottle shop and tasting bar that was slated to debut in May. Today, the fledgling beer store, nestled in the southeast corner of an Echo Park strip mall, remains dark. ... More >>

Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup: Court Battle Begins

Guzzle & NoshA little sugar in your bowl?​This morning in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom, a bitter legal battle begins over identity. In one corner, a coalition of table sugar producers complaining about false advertising and attempted "food identity theft." In the other, high fructose corn ... More >>

The Chef vs. The Sommelier: Fig Restaurant's Pinot Chardonnay Face-Off

flickr user cherylknauerPinot or Chardonnay?​When we popped by Fig in Santa Monica recently for a Happy Hour glass of wine, sommelier Matthew Lehman was happy to chat about the new Fig Pinot Noir we spied on the menu -- Lehman helped make it under the watchful eye of La Fenetre winemaker Josh ... More >>

Ben & Jerry's Releases Schweddy Balls Ice Cream

Ben & Jerry's​Back in June, those of us whose love for ice cream is rivaled perhaps only by our love for Alec Baldwin were intrigued by the rumor that Ben & Jerry's was coming out with a Schweddy Balls ice cream flavor. Too good to be true, we thought. Just like the rumor that Baldwin was goin ... More >>

Brew at the Zoo: Craft Beers Party Animals

gourmetpigs/flickrEagle Rock Brewery's Solidarity​ A dive bar on a bad night can feel like a zoo. Mobs of sweaty and not infrequently hairy folk barrel through spaces designed for fewer bodies. They feed at over-populated troughs: the bar itself, studded with glasses and bottles. They bark ... More >>

Raw Milk Controversy Nothing New

Laurie AvocadoClosed Alta-Dena Drive Thru Dairy, Lincoln Heights​People holding signs supporting raw milk, others giving testimonials of how drinking it has benefited their health. Were these scenes from the Thursday downtown protest over the raid on Rawesome Foods?, no, they occurred in Janua ... More >>

Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard's Latest Mission

Jeff KirshbaumFamed winemaker Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard at his winery's tasting room.​Bonny Doon Vineyard's founder and winemaker Randall Grahm wants to do something really different. Once he ran the 28th largest winery in the U.S.; these days he's on a quest to grow grape vines fr ... More >>

Ferran Adrià Partners with PepsiCo: Your Nitrogen Tank, My Convenience Food

El BulliCan you find the vending machine in this flow chart?​ Ferran Adrià does like to play with products. And the El Bulli chef has a history of innovation and unlikely pairings. But Pepsi? Recently PepsiCo announced a partnership with Adrià, to work on procedures and techniques for new sn ... More >>

L.A. joins the Craft Beer Revolution: ColLAboration Rock & Brews

Daniel DrennonRob Croxall, El Segundo Brewing, with Jennifer Greenhalgh, Rock and Brews​ This past weekend, legions of L.A. beer fans descended upon two beer "events" -- ColLAboration 2 in Hollywood on Saturday and the Rock and Brews Festival in El Segundo on Sunday. The huge turnout and joyo ... More >>

Wine on Tap: Restaurants Get Into the Flow

Vinson PhotographyWine Cask Santa Barbara​ Wine has always been tapped from barrels. Rarely though, except at a winery, can you drink it that way. That is changing as more California winemakers are packaging wine in multi-gallon kegs and restaurants junk bottles for tap systems. Draft wine is ... More >>

Statue of Liberty on U.S. Postage Stamp Is Actually Newer, Hotter Vegas Version From 'New York-New York'

​​Everything's sexier in Vegas! Even New York's world-famous Statue of Liberty, apparently. Her likeness stands over the Las Vegas strip, torch raised...

Porn Legends Who Love Vinyl, Part 2: Jasmin St. Claire on Record Store Day (and Being Metal 4Ever!)

Diamond Bodine-FischerJasmin St. Claire at The Rainbow Room​Yesterday we found out where crossover porn queen/indie musician Shash Grey goes to get her vinyl (read "Countdown to Records Store Day: We Found Sasha Grey's Favorite Record Store!") Today we were lucky enough to corner one of West ... More >>

$9 Billion California High Speed Rail Route: The Planning is So Inept That it's Souring Residents from North to South

California bullet train: little rooting for the route​Investigative reporter Tracy Wood writes today about the inept, cloaked, and somewhat creepy PR strategy followed by the California High Speed Rail engineers and Parsons Brinckerhoff, who have not followed basic transparency and outreach ru ... More >>

Parent Trigger Showdown in Compton Gets Increasingly Heavy; Jerry Brown, Kamala Harris, and Barack Obama M.I.A.?

Governor Jerry Brown​Update: Former state Sen. Gloria Romero accuses Compton Unified of strong-arming parents to stop charter school. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and another huge law firm join Parent Trigger effort pro bono. Things get increasingly heavy in Compton today when the McKinley Parent ... More >>

Price Fixing Lawsuit: Egg Cartel Not Giving Consumers A Break?

Several of the country's largest egg producers stand accused of participating in a scheme that drove up the wholesale price of eggs by 40%. And they did it under the guise of treating animals more humanely: By systematically killing off egg-laying hens, supposedly to increase cage space for the rema ... More >>

Three Victims, Possibly Taggers, Dead After Amtrak Train Hits Them In Commerce

Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.​Updated throughout. Third man confirmed dead. First posted at 11:02 p.m. Monday. Three males were dead after an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train struck them in Commerce Monday night, according to reports. The pair might have been suspected taggers, and the area wher ... More >>

Kids in the Courtyard

Synthetic Marijuana Makers Are Working Around DEA Ban (For Your Holiday Shopping Pleasure)

Man-made or synthetic?​This week we told you about how the DEA is essentially outlawing the synthetic pot known as K2 and Spice. A commenter who claims to represent an online retailer of Spice says no big: Makers are churning out new "blends" as we speak, with recipes that will sidestep the D ... More >>

And the Winner Is...The Television Networks!

L.A. Advertisers And Anti-Billboard Activists Pissed Over City Council's Bright Idea To Slap Billboards With A 12 Percent Tax

PHOTO BY TED SOQUI​The Weekly has long had an eye on sketchy billboard deals throughout Los Angeles. In 2008, we reported that 4,000 of the city's 11,000 billboards were illegal, built without permits or earthquake regulations. Then came the Westside "Mad Men," fat-cat entrepreneurs who were ... More >>

Grinding Justice

Operation Streamline Costs Millions, Tramples the Constitution, Treats Migrants Like Cattle, and Doesn't Work

Beer Lobby Gives $10,000 To 'No' On Proposition 19 Pot Legalization

Beer​Update: We got an email from Tom McCormick of the California Small Brewers Association -- they're the ones who make good beers. He says, whoa, we got nothing to do with this effort to beat Prop. 19. Text of the email appear at the end, after the jump. A political action committee of the ... More >>

LAX Concession Clash: Councilman Bernard Parks Hands $30 Million To Magic Johnson's Company

Ka-ching! Magic Johnson cashes in.​Overturning the wishes of LAX staff, a five-member council committee on Monday awarded an airport retail contract worth $30 million a year to a business group that includes Magic Johnson. Councilman Bernard Pa ... More >>

Meet Your Grape Grower: Charlie Barra, The 84-Year-Old Owner of Barra and Girasole

Evan JohnsonCharlie Barra​Should you be fortunate enough to reach your 65th grape harvest -- as a grower, not simply an imbiber -- you know when it's time to put those Sangiovese and Pinot Grigio grapes to work. And when to step back and let them enjoy a few more weeks on the vine. Squid Ink w ... More >>

Addicted to Oil: Can the Earth Recover?

Peru Day

The Mad Men of Los Angeles

Living the good life, thanks to the big profits from illegal outdoor advertising

Shutting Down Public-Access TV

AT&T and L.A. City Hall quietly lead a national push to silence the little guy

Credit Crunch Hits Hollywood Studios

Paramount Is First to Feel Financing Woes

Los Angeles Art Show