University of California-Davis

What's in Season at the Farmers Market: GMO Blues First Summer Corn

When you Google Monsanto, the website link has both the company's name and its slogan -- A Sustainable Agriculture Company. It's a website that works very hard from the first click to reframe the conversation around the most controversial issue in worldwide agriculture. Perhaps with good reason. ... More >>

What's In Season at the Farmers Market: Morels, Kind Of

Acclaimed American poet William Jay Smith has so far painted the most accurate picture of the morel mushroom, in a short excerpt from his 1969 nature poems series. "Not ringed but rare, not gilled but polyp-like, having sprung up overnight -- these mushrooms of the gods, resembling human organs upro ... More >>

Firestone Walker's Jeffers Richardson at Chloe in Golden Road Tonight

There are two compelling reasons why you should head to Atwater Village tonight, Thurs. at 7:00 p.m. To have unlimited access to Jeffers Richardson, Firestone Walker's "Barrelmeister" on one of the most exciting new barrel programs in craft beer. And to do your brainpicking at Golden Road's exclusiv ... More >>

What's in Season at the Farmers Market: A Mini Strawberry Primer

The buzz from the official arrival of spring this week was summarily squashed when a sage market-goer clucked her teeth at a friend and said, "please, I've been eating spring for two weeks. Have you seen Zimmerman's asparagus?" She had a point. Seasonal eating around here has a slightly differen ... More >>

Marijuana In Vaporized Form Is Proven Painkiller, Says UC Research

The federal government has yet to recognize marijuana as anything but an outlaw street drug. But we told you about a recent study in which MRI analysis indicated that cannabis could work on pain. That's big news in L.A., the medical marijuana capital of the nation. Yet another fresh batch of resear ... More >>

Naked Wines: Invest In A Winemaker (And Drink The Benefits)

If your resolutions include expanding your wine fridge offerings beyond Trader Joe's corporate specials, UK-based Naked Wines opened a Napa outpost last year with a wine program that, in theory at least, makes small-batch bottles straight from winemakers more affordable. The California winemaker's ... More >>

Olive Oil Investigations Launched With Public Hearing on Quality & Market Conditions

Olives are on the pressing block. Earlier this week, the U.S. International Trade Commission held a public hearing to launch an investigation into the olive oil industry that was largely fueled by a UC Davis study two years ago. The study reported many of the imported olive oils on our supermarket s ... More >>

Turkey Abuse: Watch The Animal Rights Video That Will Ruin Your Thanksgiving

Updated at the bottom with a statement from Butterball, which says the action caught on tape was under investigation. First posted at 12:03 p.m. Pretty soon animal rights activists will be decrying the suffering of corn -- all that slow grilling and hot butter. The humanity. For now, however, the ... More >>

Vets and Doctors Don't Usually Talk to Each Other. Zoobiquity Is Trying to Change That

Clad in a white coat, teal scrubs and leather clogs, the doctor describes the case to the group. He explains that 27-year-old Rosie had painful periods and trouble conceiving. "She just wouldn't get up in the morning, and she wasn't eating or drinking during her periods," he says. After a sonog ... More >>

Q & A With Shafer Vineyards' Elias Fernandez: Summer Wines, Cycling The Upside of High School Band Practice

Elias Fernandez has been the winemaker at Shafer Vineyards in Napa for 28 years -- a lifetime in winemaking terms. While some winemakers hop from winery to winery over their careers, Fernandez says he prefers "the community, the quality" of working for the same vineyard that snatched him fresh out o ... More >>

Marijuana Farm Poisons Killing Furry Little Animals in California (VIDEO)

California's demand for high-grade marijuana, whether it comes from dispensaries or the dude down the street, has led to a high-dollar growing industry that some have said is the most valuable cash crop in the state. A sad side-effect of the industry, however, is that the rare forest carnivore know ... More >>

Make a Joyful Sound

Baño Gallery: Turning the Bathroom Into an Art Space

Commercial enterprises devoted to the sale of visual art generally adhere to a common formula, with elaborate lighting racks, delicately framed work and pristine white walls the common attributes of the average space. Yet a new West Hollywood based gallery, namely Bleicher Gallery's Bano annexe, is ... 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 >>

Santa Monica College Protesters Pepper Sprayed: VIDEO

Students protesting a proposed class-free hike at Santa Monica College tonight were hit by pepper spray from cops. Video (after the jump) depicts some of the mayhem. The demonstrators are unhappy with a plan to possibly quadruple fees to $180 per unit or more for the most popular classes, which are ... More >>

What's in Pepper Spray?

In California, the toxin TCE

Jack Sparrow Gets Worst of It From Catwoman as Characters Fight on Hollywood Boulevard

Clarification at the bottom. There's no stopping the costumed characters of Hollywood Boulevard. After the LAPD tried to ban them from the area near Highland Avenue, they sued and won: Freedom of speech. And now they're free to kick the shit out of each other once more. The surly, salty folks who ... More >>

VIDEO: UC Students, Occupy L.A. Protesters Shot With Rubber Bullets at Out-of-Control Regents Meeting

University of California police became iconic "bad guys" of the Occupy Wall Street movement back in fall, when an officer from UC Davis pepper-sprayed a peaceful line of protesters directly in the eyes as they sat, motionless, on the ground. (That incident has since been ridiculed, memed and Christm ... More >>

Pepper-Spraying Cops 'Occupied' by Hot Models in L.A. Fashion Shoot by Tyler Shields

Tyler ShieldsOWS porn.​After the Occupy Wall Street raids, and especially one pepper-spraying incident at UC Davis, cops around the country are getting flak in many forms: Anonymous leaks. Twitter wars. Brutality blogs. Christmas sweaters. Memes for days. Actual punishment (sort of). It's off ... More >>

Green Bike Lanes in Los Angeles: City Officials Waste $15K on Premature Paint Job

LADOT Bike Blog via FlickrSecond time's a charm. (We hope.)​Mixed feelings, these past few weeks, about L.A.'s quickly expanding arsenal of green bike lanes -- part of an adorable national trend. The new lanes are, literally, neon green. Though some grumpy drivers see it as yet another blight ... More >>

UCLA Protesters to be in Full Effect Today as UC Regents Consider Costs: Occupy Principles Invoked

Updated at the bottom with the UC Regents voting to essentially head off another tuition increase. First posted at 6:05 a.m. As expected, UCLA students and other protesters will be out in force at the Westwood Campus today as some of the UC Regents hold a meeting that could ultimately decide the fa ... More >>

Last Supper Painting Protected From Smog With Help of USC Prof (But he Couldn't Save it From Pepper Spray Meme)

On this Thanksgiving week the good folks at USC are doing their part to save Leonardo Da Vinci's "Last Supper" from the ills of modern-day air pollution. (Unfortunately, they couldn't save it from the visual pollution of the above UC Davis-pepper-spray-cop meme).

Bill Bratton Tapped to Head Pepper Spray Inquiry at UC Davis

UC Davis has tapped former LAPD Chief Bill Bratton to head an "independent review" of the pepper spraying felt around the world. As recently as summer the ex-chief had been toying with the idea of heading Scotland Yard, the British police agency under fire following revelations that cops stood by a ... More >>

Occupy-Affiliated Group ReFund California Threatens Lawsuit if UC Regents Meet Behind Closed Doors

ReFund California​Protesters concerned that University of California Regents will meet behind closed doors as Cal State University trustees are accused of having done this week amid loud demonstrations are threatening legal action. ReFund California, which staged a raucous protest outside the ... More >>

'Stop SB 48' Doesn't Want California Students to Know About Gertrude Stein?

​​Carl Van VechtenWriter and art collector Gertrude Stein​​​In the history of the world, gays and lesbians have always contributed to advances in many different societies. One such person is Gertrude Stein, influential writer and art collector who grew up for a period of her life in Oa ... More >>

Ever Wonder Where All the Stray Bullets From Gun Fights and New Year's Parties End Up?

A bullet in the head. ​Stray Bullets. These scary little suckers can whiz past -- or directly into -- your head during a hunting trip, a neighborhood shoot-out, or while celebrating New Year's Eve, firing these deadly rockets straight up into the sky, only to land ... wherever. They're not some ... More >>

Urban Wine Making: Rock Wall Wine, Or How To Share That Bottle Opportunity

www.alamedamagazine.comUrban Winemaker Shauna Rosenblum​Back in the early days of pre-Prohibition winemaking, setting up a winery adjacent to a vineyard was hardly a winemaking prerequisite. A warehouse or garage worked just fine for turning those purchased grapes into wine, particularly in Ca ... More >>

Top 5 Weekend Food Events: Dueling Pig Roasts, Crawfish, Wine, LQ @ SK

18th Annual Long Beach Crawfish Festival Long Beach hosts a crawfish festival that features two days of the tasty crustacean battered, boiled, fried and more. There's also the usual array of Cajun music, booths, games and -- bonus! -- beignets. Where: Rainbow Lagoon When: July 30 - 31 Cost: $13 - ... More >>

New Crop: Red Walnuts from K&K Farms

Felicia FriesemaRed walnuts from K&K Farms at the Hollywood market.​ K&K Farms out of Orosi semi-debuted a striking new walnut at the Hollywood farmers market this season. They've actually had the Yolo Red walnut for a few years now, but haven't consistently brought it to market. This year i ... More >>

Book Review: Tomatoland , A Tale Of Tasteless Tomatoes, Toxic Chemicals And Slavery

​Forewarning: If you ever want to buy a grocery store tomato again, you should not read this review. Tomatoland by Barry Estrabrook is a contrasting story of McMansions and crumbling shacks, the bright red, beauty pageant-worthy orbs on your $8 Angus burger versus the fruit sprayed with so ma ... More >>

SoCal Beer Co. Launches: Doctors Drink Beer and Open Breweries Too

SoCal Beer Co.Reza (left) and Nader Jadvar​Add another California craft brewery to your Friday afternoon tasting rounds. Emergency room doctor Reza Jadvar and his brother, USC radiology professor Nader Jadvar, are quietly gearing up for their SoCal Beer Company launch next month. Currently, th ... More >>

Big Table Farm: From Pigs To Prosciutto Really Great Pinot Noir

bigtablefarm.comEverything Is House Made At Big Table Farm​There are the obvious reasons to start a food or beverage business. You love 16 hour workdays, wearing a back brace, and explaining (again) to customers why your small-batch goat cheese costs a few bucks more than the generic grocery s ... More >>

Q & A With Winemaker Greg LaFollette: On Bagpipes, Mouth Feel And Pinot Noir Love

Lafollettewines.comGreg La Follette And Assistant Winemaker Simone Sequeira​In the winemaking scene, "getting around" is all part of the gig. The best winemakers handle the grapes at various wineries throughout their career, and often more than one winery at a time, before they find "the one." ... More >>

Kiplinger's best value colleges: UCLA makes the list

​Several University of California schools are among the nation's best deals and offer the most bang for the buck. According to Kiplinger's annual list of the 100 best bargains among the country's public colleges, no UC school makes the top ten, but several do make the cut. Which ones, you ask?

Sorry, Jenny McCarthy: USC Study Finds Children Raised Near Freeways Twice As Likely To Be Autistic

Jenny don't lose that number. It's 5150.​More fodder for wacko autism conspiracy theorists (we're looking at you, Jenny McCarthy), or useful science? Dunno. But the findings, unleashed by USC Thursday, will surely set off more debate about what causes the disorder. Researchers said they found ... More >>

UCLA Basketball Players Contract Food Poisoning from Westwood Chili Fries

Flickr user Ron DolleteThese are not the fries in question​If you thought this season's UCLA men's basketball team needed more obstacles to overcome (remember the Kansas game?), you're in luck. The Los Angeles Times reports that, after beating Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 72-61 on Saturday night, ... More >>

Proposition 8: If Judge Vaughn Walker's Ruling Stands on Gay Marriage, Who Will Be Allowed to Get Hitched?

U.C. Davis law professor Vikram Amar​So let's say that U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling on Proposition 8 stands as it goes through the appeals process and the 2008 ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage in California is found to be unconstitutional. Will that decision ap ... More >>

Best Bargain Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Costco Kirkland Organic

J. GarbeeKitchen Window Essential​If you've been following our reports on the imported Italian olive oils that a recent U.C. Davis report claims are falsely advertised as extra virgin (in a nutshell, pretty much all staple supermarket brands, though there is still much debate), you're likely a ... More >>

Study Confirms: Most Imported Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Sold in California Is the Pits

Flickr/saragoldsmithA new study has found that 69% of imported "extra-virgin" olive oil sold in California is sub-standard.​ Last week's olive oil news has now been confirmed: Most imported olive oils sold in California that claim to be "extra-virgin" are not, according to a just-released stu ... More >>

Is Your Olive Oil Really Extra Virgin? U.S. Called a "Dumping Ground for Cheap Olive Oil"

Flickr/Kevan"Extra virgin" olive oil may contain safflower, canola or peanut oil--and there's nothing you can do about it.​BP isn't the only disreputable oil company in the United States. Apparently there are no rules regulating olive oil here. Which means that purveyors can sell consumers any ... More >>

Autism In L.A. Clustered Around Affluent Areas, Study Finds

UC Davis​Researchers at UC Davis have been studying geographic patterns that correlate to autism perhaps in hopes of coming up with an environmental link. On that front, they came up blank. But the school's recent findings are interesting nonetheless: For the greater Los Angeles region, the ac ... More >>

Experts: New Anti-Pap Law Could Hurt Legit Journos

Sometimes we feel sorry for the paparazzi. Sure, most of them didn't go to Northwestern, intern for big newspapers or get bright-green LAPD press cards. They don't bring us news we can use. But they do capture an aspect of history, work their butts off, and face great bodily harm daily (especially w ... More >>

What's in season at the Farmers Market: Persimmons

In a land that benefits from the tinkering of an ambitious UC Davis agricultural program, it's hardly surprising to discover that the varieties of persimmons available to the average consumer has nearly doubled in the past decade. But regardless, persimmons generally fall into two categories - fuyu ... More >>

Heath Bars, Lapin and Mash

Fusion Cuisine in Pasadena

The Key to Perfect Sauerkraut: Gigantic Cabbage

Jenn GarbeeNBA regulation cabbage If you're on a summer produce pickling binge, listen up. When you sort through the cabbage bin, steer clear of the lightweights - unless you're into kraut that is a bit on the scrawny side. A tightly wound, linebacker-size dicotyledon is what you want, says Gre ... More >>

Weekend Agenda: Wine Festivals, Champers Galore, Sunday in the Park with Gauls

'Tis the weekend of competing wine events and food festivals. The mega LA Wine Fest happens at Raleigh Studios Hollywood on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with hundreds of wineries representing, and special educational seminars ($55 one-day pass, $100 weekend pass). The Wine House's Santa Barbara W ... More >>

The Eternal Dustbowl

Paying for the sins of L.A.’s water barons has created a half-billion-dollar boondoggle

Finding Room in the New Century

Director Anne Bogart on taking up space

Frankenfoods

Should genetically modified produce frighten you?

Can Biology End World Hunger?