SM PIER — After a journey across the country and back, Armand Young, of West Virginia, is stuck, like the Israelites on the border of Canaan, at the Staples on Wilshire Boulevard. Young, who has marched from Santa Monica to New York City and back again, promised his mother, who died in his arms, that he'd collect one million signatures on... Read more →

CITY HALL — After about 500 meetings and thousands of hours in the Council Chambers, Bob Holbrook will take to the dais one last time tonight. Holbrook, elected in 1990, is the longest serving member of City Council in Santa Monica’s history. The elder statesmen has survived six elections and without the help of Santa Monicans for... Read more →

PALISADES PARK — After 10 months of enforcement, city officials say the controversial ordinance that restricts the usage of public parks for outdoor fitness training had its intended effect but could use some tweaks. They proposed some changes to the ordinance — a one-year pilot program that expires in January — including a move... Read more →

WILSHIRE BLVD — With Callahan's scheduled to close on New Year's Eve, building owners are moving forward with their plans for a farm-to-table diner and a restoration of the 58-year-old building. Ingo's Tasty Diner got its alcohol permits earlier this year — though it won't have a bar — and its design proposal easily passed the... Read more →

Michael McCarty, owner of Michael's restaurant provides his thoughts on the Thanksgiving holiday and a pair of recipes to keep the celebration going for those that would rather eat (and drink) than shop.   Why are these recipes good fits for Thanksgiving? As much as how they're going to roast the perfect turkey, what's going... Read more →

BUFFER PARK — “Cookies and Cupcake” has a nice ring to it. It rolls off the tongue easier than “Too Damn Close to the Sidewalk Park” or “Too Close to the Building Park.” The community submitted 135 name suggestions (including those three) for the city’s newest park, which is currently going by the place-holder “Buffer... Read more →

PLAY TIME — The set is absolutely brilliant. And so is Itamar Moses. His play is called “Completeness”, and once again he takes us into an esoteric world and explains it so convincingly that we almost think we understand it. In his earlier masterpiece, “Bach at Leipzig”, he submerged us in music, explaining the intricacies of... Read more →

CULTURE WATCH — If you're a fan of Alfred Hitchcock movies and you're not afraid of laughing at them, this is your last chance to see the international smash hit play, “The 39 Steps” in Malibu. Inspired by Hitchcock's film, this madcap comic thriller follows an unwitting hero who is lured by a bewitching female spy into a nefarious... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — Family traditions are often so ingrained in us, it's hard to remember how or when they started. When it comes to a day like Thanksgiving, many of those traditions have been handed down generation to generation. However, Yousef Ghalaini, the new chef at FIG restaurant, can clearly remember the origins of his holiday... Read more →

SMO — The parent company and owner of a now-closed Santa Monica restaurant have pleaded guilty to serving meat from an endangered whale. Typhoon Restaurant Inc. and owner Brian Vidor each entered guilty pleas Monday to one count of unlawful sale of a marine mammal. They were charged with serving meat from the endangered Sei (say)... Read more →

DOWNTOWN — November 26 is a significant date for the Farmers' Market. It's the largest, busiest, and for many people, most important market of the year as customers descend en-masse to purchase the final ingredients for their Thanksgiving Feast. Think of it as the Black Friday of sustainable food. All the Santa Monica markets, (Main... Read more →

CITY HALL — City Council moved a step closer to launching the first significant bikeshare system in the region Tuesday night. Council voted unanimously to have city officials negotiate a $5.6 million contract with CycleHop for the purchase, installation, and operation of 500 bikes and 65 to 75 stations throughout the city and beyond.... Read more →

CULTURE WATCH — Next Friday, November 21, the world premiere of a new Henry Jaglom play will finally overcome its unique set’s construction problems and will open at Edgemar Center for the Arts. “Last Train to Zakopané” stars Tanna Frederick, Jaglom’s wife. Jaglom provided me my first experience with “independent film” with... Read more →

CITY HALL — In late 2013, CycleHop was boasting plans open a 500-bike bikeshare in Phoenix by early 2014. They’d add 500 in Tempe and Mesa by the spring, they told the Phoenix New Times. They had plans to bring 300 bikes to Tampa by this time last year. In Ottawa they planned to open by the end of this past summer, maybe sooner, they... Read more →

TOUR DE FEAST — A couple years back the Tudor House, purveyor of British goods, served its last cup of tea. In a bittersweet departure, Tudor House owner Lee Morton, set up shop across the street at the Ye Old Kings becoming the only British bakery in town.  It's been the go-to place for savory pies in Santa Monica. Lovers of Lee's pies... Read more →