Andrew Simmons

Late Monday, Congress released the final version of a bill responding to new school lunch standards proposed by the USDA. The Obama administration wanted to make school lunches more healthful, cutting back on the endless procession of potatoes, corn, refined flour, and sodium. One such provision was that a mere......

Seven months ago, we wrote about Hot Knives and the duo's scientific approach to pairing music and beer. The two local chloggers (chefs + bloggers) stuck to craft beers, which prompted Jonathan Gold to chime in with a comment: "I like craft beers and handmade bitters as much as the......

The Place: Circle Bar, 2926 Main Street, Santa Monica; 310-450-0508. The Hours: Sat.-Thu. 9 p.m.-2 a.m.; Fri. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. The Digs: The fact that Jim Morrison did some drinking at this downtown Santa Monica mainstay means nothing to us. He would do it anywhere he could, surely never turning......

At its best, Yelp help can help you find a lunch that won't ruin your day.  At its worse, the website is, if not a petri dish for extortion, a willful enabler of bad, whiney writers.  The first big problem is, according to a judge, no longer up for debate,......

The Place: Good Luck Bar, 1514 Hillhurst Ave. (90027) The Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sat.-Sun. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. The Digs: "Do you want a Shirley Temple?" our father once said as we walked past the bar area of our favorite Chinese restaurant. We were on the way to our......

The Place: Bao Dim Sum House, 8256 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles; (323-655-6556). The Hours: 5-7 p.m. and all day at the bar. The Deals: $1.99 Sapporo drafts, iffy wine for $4 a glass, "large" cups of hot sake for $5, and selected dim sum specialties for as little as $2.95......

On Sunday, October 30th, a caffeinated cabal of lucky citizens will gather at an unknown address in Pacific Palisades to celebrate the dark art of high-octane coffee-crafting. A Berkeley scientist's fast track to twitchy fingers, speed metal heartbeats, and eyes redder than an albino hamster's, boutique "coffee" Black Blood of......

The Place: The Backstage Bar & Grill, 10400 Culver Blvd., Culver City. The Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. - 2 a.m. The Digs: Why are bars so dark? You may say this to yourself when you step into the 70-year-old Backstage Bar & Grill. If you're drinking during the day --......