Animal Rescue Group Plans Foie Gras Counter Protest

Demonstrators will take to Melisse in Santa Monica as the upscale restaurant serves a special, all foie gras menu.

While Melisse diners indulge on dishes like foie gras tortellini tonight, protestors with the Animal Protection and Rescue League may instill at least a tinge of guilt. The upscale Santa Monica restaurant is hosting some of the Southland's best chefs for a one-night cookoff, serving up the delicacy and raising funds for their effort to replace an imminent statewide ban on the fattened duck liver with humane farming practices, such as hand-feeding of birds, cage-free farms and limits on fattening. But Amber Coon, an investigator with the league who's helping plan a counter-protest tonight, says there's no humane method of raising birds for foie gras—they are reportedly force-fed up to 4 pounds of grain and fat daily.  "Melisse has gotten …

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Mother's Day Specials in Pali

Wondering what to do with Mom this weekend? We've got some places right in Pacific Palisades that are offering specials!

It's time to celebrate Mom! Of course we should celebrate our mothers everyday, but Mother's Day is a chance for us to treat those very special ladies to a very special celebration. We have a list of a few local stops that are featuring Mother's Day specials this weekend. Hopefully it will help you treat your mom to a memorable day. If you know of any other specials going on in the area, please feel free to share them in the comments section below. Happy Mother's Day! Gladstones Malibu When: Sunday, May 13 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Cost: $39.95 for adults, $19.95 for kids 12 and under Details: This special brunch will feature an omelette station, brioche french toast, local halibut, assorted pastries and more. There will also be bottomless …

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Dodgers Play First Game Under New Ownership

Management says parking rates will be lower and fans will get more opportunities for autographs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will play at Dodger Stadium Monday night for the first time under their new ownership, with a lower parking price, more access to team officials and a tribute to Jackie Robinson. The $15 general parking price that had been in effect since 2007 has been lowered to $10. Other decreases could be coming. "I had a very good, constructive conversation with the concessionaire last week and we hope to look into those things as well," Stan Kasten, the new team president, said Wednesday when the members of the Guggenheim Baseball Management Team were introduced at a Dodger Stadium news conference, referring to Levy Restaurants. "We're very mindful that we become really successful when we can fill this ballpark up. We know …

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Check In at Yogurt Shoppe to Support Wendy Walk

The Wendy Walk, named for Palisadian Wendy Landes, works to raise funds for liposarcoma research.

The Yogurt Shoppe in Pacific Palisades has been known to hold "Happy Hour Fundraisers" for local schools, boy scout troops and sports teams. This week, shop owners Kevin Sabin and Clive Lewis are also raising money for the Wendy Walk by way of a Facebook "charitable check-in." The Landes children, Ali, Matt and Jackie, founded the Wendy Walk after their mother, Palisadian Wendy Landes, was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer. The foundation works to raise money for liposarcoma research and awareness. The third annual Los Angeles Wendy Walk will be on May 6 at 9 a.m. and will begin at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica. But, thanks to The Yogurt Shoppe, you can help raise money before the Wendy Walk even …

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Union, Occupy L.A. to Hold May Day Rallies

Travelers to LAX are warned of a labor demonstration and march that will temporarily close Century Boulevard while Occupy Los Angeles will converge in downtown Los Angeles' financial district.

Labor unions and the Occupy Los Angeles movement have major events planned for May Day, the annual day of celebration for the international labor movement, including a demonstration by an expected 1,200 union members inside Los Angeles International Airport. Travelers were warned by Los Angeles World Airports to expect heavy traffic between noon and 4 p.m. Tuesday due to the temporary closure of Century Boulevard between Airport Boulevard and the LAX Central Terminal area. Departing passengers were advised to add 45 minutes to their drive time to make sure they catch their flights. About 1,200 members of the SEIU 1877 - United Service Workers West will demonstrate at noon inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal and then march east …

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Patrick Meighan

9:44 am on Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Susan, Every now and then we Culver Citizens come up with some surprises! Hope you're well, Patrick Meighan Culver City, CA   more ›

Foreclosures in L.A. County Drops 18 Percent

According to a California-based real estate information company, lenders sent out less default notices during the first quarter of 2012.

The number of Los Angeles County homes slipping toward foreclosure dropped by 18 percent in the first quarter of 2012, compared to the same period last year, a real estate information service reported Tuesday. Lenders sent default notices to 11,443 homeowners in Los Angeles County in the first quarter, down from the 2011 first-quarter total of 13,957, according to San Diego-based DataQuick. In Orange County, default notices were sent to 3,733 homeowners, down 19.8 percent from the 2011 first-quarter total of 4,652. Statewide, default notices were sent to 56,258 homeowners in the first quarter of the year, DataQuick reported. That was an 8.5 percent drop from the previous quarter's 61,517 notices and down 17.6 percent from the first quarter…

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Rosendahl, Koretz Call for Safer Work Conditions at LAX

Councilmen Bill Rosendahl and Paul Koretz support union claims of poor working conditions at Los Angeles International Airport. The union plans more protests, including a large rally on May 1.

Responding to union allegations of poor working conditions at Los Angeles International Airport, two City Council members today urged airlines to work closely with contractors to improve service and safety standards. "It's clear to me that the conduct and practices of the airline service contractors are creating poor working conditions and causing these labor tensions," Councilman Bill Rosendahl said. "We need to address that problem now. I call on (Los Angeles World Airports) and the airlines to act swiftly to avoid major labor disruptions at LAX, the largest origin and destination airport in the world," he said. Rosendahl and Councilman Paul Koretz introduced a motion calling for the city to strengthen the airport's Certified Service …

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Jared Morgan

4:01 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Mary, thanks for offering the LAWA perspective and thanks for the heads up about possible travel delays on May 1.   more ›

Rent to Rise in L.A. County

The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate predicts average rents will increase 7.9 percent in 2012, with total growth of 9.6 percent by the end of 2013.

Multi-family rentals did well in Southern California in 2011, and the market should grow over the next two years, according to an annual survey released Wednesday by USC's Lusk Center for Real Estate. "A sharp drop in new construction, the dwindling supply of shadow-market units and improvements in the macroeconomy have strengthened fundamentals on both the supply and demand side,'' said Tracey Seslen, the lead author of the study. "This is boosting asking rents, reducing or eliminating concessions and filling units. However, the rate of increase will begin to level off a bit by 2013." The annual forecast, which Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire showed across-the-board improvements in rents and vacancy rates …

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Chez Mimi to Relocate to Mogan's Cafe?

According to Eater LA, the former Santa Monica restaurant may be moving to the Highlands.