Between all the sushi, ceviche and fish tacos in this town, it’s easy to forget that there are many fine places to get seafood more classically prepared. Here’s my Top 5:

It’s that time again. One of the grandest events of the season arrives next weekend: the 18th Annual Palos Verdes Concours D’Elegance. Hosted again at the Trump National Golf Club, the CDE is perhaps the ultimate charity automobile exhibition, combining a Road Rallye and remarkable motor display.

Coupon clipping is not really what this blog is about, but sometimes a deal is just too good not to share—and that deal is Spa Week. A national promotion shared by literally hundreds of spa and salon facilities, Spa Week, from September 13-19, offers a huge variety of hair, facial and body treatments all for a flat $50.00, giving you the chance to sample many different products and services.

Los Angeles has plenty of boutique hotels and spas, but none quite as singular as the Miyako Hybrid. A branch of the popular Japanese chain hidden in Torrance among the US Headquarters of several Japanese corporations, it offers a truly International experience, with authentic Japanese touches that are nonetheless accessible to Western tastes.

Despite many laws and a prevailing Prohibitionary environment about smoking, there are still many places for cigar lovers in Los Angeles to enjoy a good Cohiba, Montecristo or whatever your favorite stogie. Here’s a Top 5:

It’s almost here! The biggest fashion party in history is less than four days away, and Los Angeles is getting ready to play a major part in the worldwide event.

On September 10, Fashion’s Night Out will be celebrated in cities around the globe with special events, promotions and prizes from some of our greatest houses of Haute.

Ottawa may not be regarded as much of an artistic incubator, but that was the unlikely location of Yousuf Karsh’s studio. For those who don’t know the name, Karsh was one of the 20th Century’s most respected and admired portrait photographers, responsible for iconic images of Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot (above), Humphrey Bogart (below), Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Walt Disney, Christian Dior, Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, Marian Anderson, Albert Einstein, Fidel Castro, Andy Warhol, and Nelson Mandela among many others.

You’re having a holiday barbeque. You’ve gone the extra mile to make the invitations, decorations, desserts and drinks special and different. Are you just going to get the meat from the supermarket? No, you are not. And without maligning our fine market meats, sometimes you want to see a specialist.

When it rains, it really pours. Not only does LA have the four-day-long Taste of Beverly Hills celebration this weekend, featuring some of our best chefs and restaurants, but on Sunday September 5, food lovers will be torn between that and the annual Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food and Wine.