As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice......

LAist was comped front row seats by the Dodgers due to Malingering being struck by a foul ball last week, and she came back with some great photos, and earlier made fun of 4th of July on Venice Beach. But the biggest stories of the week was that the Mayor's Hot Tamale was revealed, and that a Kwik-E-Mart was erected in Burbank. Phillyist was busy doing the Fourth of July up right, exercising their......

The -ists this week had politics on the brain. And what goes better with politics? Partying-- that's two great tastes in one. Oh, and Kevin Federline...can't forget about Kevin Federline. That's three great tastes in one. -Bostonist discussed two big state issues-- what sort of math constitutes a marriage and what kind of alcohol can be sold in most grocery stores. And the politically minded Curt Schilling went on "Jeopardy!". ...

Last year, we sat through the recording of an episode of the Mahler Project, the recording of all the Mahler symphonies by the SF Symphony with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting. We were wondering what the outcome of the taping would sound like. We have now a measuring stick, with the release of the 5th Symphony, which was recorded last season as well. Mahler's 5th Symphony is one of his most famous works: the 4th movement,......

Break out the blanket and brie, and check out our selected (not complete works of) Shakespeare. ...

The last time we actually posted something in this column (as opposed to our contest cop-out), it ended with something like, "blah blah, sick of chalk menus, blah blah, cafes are all the same, blah blah." Perhaps the problem wasn't with the cafes your Trimethyldioxypurist was visiting. Perhaps the problem was, in fact, your Trimethyldioxypurist. We tend to gravitate toward what we're comfortable with, toward what we know. So, in our efforts to find......

[Ed. Note: This, friends, would have been the 2,000th post on SFist, except our co-editor beat us to it. So it's the 2,001st! Thanks to the staff and readers for all the great writing, tips and comments over the past ten months!] Lots going on tonight, as you'd know if you read our music editor's column yesterday (SFist Jake is playing at Jupiter at 8pm!). Not into those bands? How about taking in Offenbach's......