Caroline Ryder

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Unchain Your Heart

Illustration by Max KornellContrary to the East Coast caricature that narcissistic illiterates populate this town, Los Angeles is positively teeming with bookworms (many of whom probably are narcissists... but that’s another story). Statistics show that Southern California is the largest book market in the U.S., and L.A.’s thriving independent bookstore......
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Tall Drinks, Short Hops

With fuel prices at three bucks a gallon, now’s a good time to put on your walking boots and explore your neighborhood watering holes on foot — even if your neighborhood happens to be Hollywood and Western. “Isn’t it kinda ghetto ’round there?” asks my drinking buddy Richard. Truth be......

Mandingo Versus Metal

My rock-drummer friend Justin, unhappily on the dating circuit, is heartbroken, and he needs a drink. “I went out with this chick who works at Trader Joe’s, and she brings another chick on our date, and they’re, like, making out, and they’re, like, exclusive about it,” he explains.We find ourselves......

Return of the Winged Hussar

A pirate and his wench sing “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum” as they stumble past a 12-tent Roman encampment. Inside, centurions chitchat in Latin and polish their shields. Yards away is a Wild West mining town, complete with Bank (recently robbed), Saloon, and Surgery, easily identified by......