A sad week for LAist as they lose their trusted and amazing editor Tony Pierce to the LA Times, but what a blast his last week was. He shared his 25 Favorite CDs of 2007 and wrote a great review of just a good movie, No Country For Old Men. At UCLA, thousands of students celebrated the end of their quarter by running around campus in their undies (lots of photos in a two-part photo essay, one, two). That wasn't the only photo essay either: Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy friends and Star Trek actors all joined in at the Writers Strike and KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas brought two nights of amazing bands that included Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park (Part I), Modest Mouse, Muse, Spoon and The Killers (Part II). Not only is L.A. a great music town, it has just been named the best city for bookish types. For those who are looking for something a little more active, American Gladiators are back (yes!) and if that's not enough, how about a Christmas gift of action and adventure? more ›

-- New Pornographers: Yay, the New Pornographers! We heart them ever so. Seriously. Heart them yourselves tonight as they perform along with Lavender Diamond and Fancey at 8 p.m. at the Warfield, 982 Market; $25-27. more ›

The Mahler cycle must go on. Expanded from the original scope of recording the symphonies to include, well, pretty much any orchestral work by Mahler, the cycle now welcomes the addition of das klagende Lied, released today. Technically speaking, it is not a new recording: it’s a remastering of the 1997 recording, re-issued under the SF Symphony label. The cover art has been updated, from a MTT in a black turtleneck with wavy hair to, well, MTT in a black turtleneck with wavy hair. MTT looks a bit thinner nowadays, a favor that those ten years did not grant us. more ›

...and Part II of today's episode: Everybody Hates A Porn Star/Financial Planner. more ›

We continue and conclude our interview with Dan Leone, San Francisco icon and food writer extraordinaire at the Guardian. If you haven't read it yet, Part I is here. Part II is where we ask our fav food reviewer about food. And the butter song. Since Last Tango we have been oddly fascinated with butter, so you know we had to ask. And we were not disappointed, oh no. Butter my brother, mmmm... more ›