Photo: Citysearch

They’re baaaack! Sure to drain the life out of the competition, “Twilight: New Moon” and its cast of undead stars snarl into theaters this weekend. But what will you do when the lights come up? From all-you-can-drink bloody marys to the place to purchase authentic Transylvanian treats, we offer a few suggestions of where you might find an Edward Cullen in real life. What’s better: Vampire-filled or not, none of our picks actually suck.

Grab your crucifix and a bottle of holy water, then check out the best places to spot a vampire in L.A.

My dad’s thumbs hurt. I am pretty much 99.99999% positive that it’s due entirely to the Liliputian keyboard on the new Blackberry he recently got. My sister-in-law’s acupuncturist, however, has an entirely different theory: My dad needs to stop eating gluten. Go figure.

So, good son that I am, I did some gluten-free web crawling and stumbled-upon Special Gourmets–a rather handy interactive map that tracks restaurants, shops and hotels with options for gluten-, dairy-, peanut-, shellfish-, egg- and soy-free diets.

Art: Special Gourmets

In addition to the searchable map and lists, the site also provides some nifty resources like downloadable “Chef Cards” (fill in your allergies and hand them to your waiter) and a recipe index.  There’s even a digital magazine for your mobile phone that’s guaranteed to either vastly improve–or significantly worsen–my dad’s thumb condition if he reads it on his Blackberry.

Photo: Kelly Wardle

Anyone who questions the continued popularity of the food truck trend clearly didn’t see the line of people in the parking lot outside The Brig in Venice last night for the official launch of the much-anticipated Buttermilk Truck. The huge, hungry crowd was there to get a taste of Buttermilk’s late-night menu of diner-inspired items, like buttermilk biscuit sandwiches, Southwest veggie omelettes with cornbread, Hawaiian bread French toast sticks, buttermilk pancake bites, and the “Buttermilk Brick”–hash browns, eggs over-easy, a buttermilk biscuit and chorizo gravy.

So was it worth the wait?

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Photo: stu_spivack on Flickr

Steak frites, pepperoni pizza, homemade lasagna, two pints of chocolate ice cream, a double-decker cheeseburger and a side of chili-cheese fries: We all have our favorite foods. But what if you knew the dish you were about to eat would be your very last? Slate’s article about the final meals of death row inmates had us scratching our noggins, albeit in a more lighthearted way, when it came to our own last suppers.

What would we want? Where would we get it?

Below the fold, our staff pondered those questions and, ultimately, built a menu of must-have meals you oughta try—even if you plan on sticking around awhile longer. Bon appetit!

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Photo: Citysearch

They work hard to make you look as good as you do, so show your favorite salons, spas and gyms some love: Today is the last day for nominations for Best of Citysearch, Spa & Beauty! Know a hairstylist who makes you look like a star every time you step into her salon? How about a masseuse who works out the knots without emptying your wallet? Those are the kind of people you should nominate for a Best of Citysearch award.

Simply search for your favorite Spa & Beauty spots on Citysearch, then click the “Nominate for Best of Citysearch” button and select which category you think they should be honored in. It’s that easy.

The nomination period for Best of Citysearch, Spa & Beauty ends at 10pm (PST) tonight. Make sure you nominate your top spots, then come back on November 12 to place your official votes in all the categories–from best blowout and nail salon to top workout and weight loss program. We’ll tally the results and announce the winners you’ve selected on December 3.

Photo: The Suss-Man on Flickr

Don’t be fooled, folks. As much as “the man” would like you to believe the recession is finito, that you can go back to your crazy bill-racking, spend-happy days–it ain’t so. Not yet. But hey, there are many ways that you can keep a close eye on the Washingtons in your wallet and still enjoy the finer things in life. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy Los Angeles for free or, at worst, under $1.

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Photo: Ash-rly on Flickr

L.A. Weekly debuts their inaugural day-long music fest, L.A. 101, at the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City later today. The event, which they claim will become a yearly bash, is scheduled to overtake the Gibson’s outside concourse and highlight L.A’s best music and food starting at 3pm. That’s when KROQ’s Locals Only Stage will also thrum to life, featuring a handful of great indie acts thoughout the afternoon.

All that action is free to the public and worth a visit if you’re in the area.

As the sun sets, however, the Gibson itself will come alive. First with the Cambodian-American sounds of Dengue Fever, then with Brooklyn indie pop duo Matt and Kim. Following their set, the main stage belongs to Portland’s Dandy Warhols and, ultimately, L.A.’s very own Silversun Pickups (pictured). We’ll be there and can’t wait to hear tracks from their latest effort, Swoon.

If not for the top-notch music and top-shelf food, you should head over just to show support for charity. Twenty-five cents from each ticket sold to tonight’s main stage event will go to benefit Friends of Los Angeles River, and we hear there’s still plenty of space for music lovers to come on out.

Photo: City of West Hollywood

Los Angeles takes Halloween very seriously. Can you blame us? In a city that loves all things big, bright and outrageous, you can’t expect us to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve any other way.

This weekend, five hundred thousand people will descend upon West Hollywood for the 22nd annual Costume Carnival, making it the world’s largest Halloween street party. Expect uber-elaborate and wild costumes among the throngs of ghastly ghouls, as this isn’t the average wear-a-white-sheet-and-call-yourself-Casper type of celebration. From lions and tigers and bear costumes (oh my!) to fire dancers, contortionists, burlesque acts, live music and DJs, Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny and La Cienega will be transformed into an enormous party filled with tricks and treats from 6pm until the wee hours of Sunday morning.

For those attending, check out the West Hollywood Halloween website for the full lineup of events and street closures. And if you’re still in need of a great costume, watch this segment on Fox LA with Senior Editor Mar Yvette for some inspiration. Our personal fave? The Amy Winehouse corpse.

Happy Halloween-ing!

Photo: Sarah Golonka

Los Angeles is a conscious foodie’s paradise. From raw cashew cheesecakes to cassava root-based mac ‘n cheese, there’s plenty to order for those who like their food organic, all-natural and animal-free. With our herbivore friends in mind, Citysearch hosted a four-course vegan dinner at La Grande Orange in Santa Monica. Guests enjoyed vegan wines and locally sourced vegetable and fruit-based dishes specially prepared by the chef.

The dinner began with a light amuse bouche of roasted beets and cauliflower on top of arugula followed by plate after plate of crispy sweet potato, caramelized onion and asparagus sushi roll appetizers. Our veggie friends could choose between an entree of flavorful white bean chili or vegetable tacos, and to finish the meal, La Grande Orange served up bold organic coffee and farmers’ market-fresh fruit. Who knew eating your fruits and veggies could be so deliciously decadent?

For a play by play recap of our Veggie Thing dinner, check out Eco Vegan Gal’s video blog.

And there’s more mouthwatering photos from the event after the jump!

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Photo: Citysearch

Eat a loaf of bread and pad your briefcase with saltines because L.A. Beer Week is in full swing, and that means you’re going to need a li’l something extra to sop up all those suds. Another recommendation? Drink local. These days, any respectable watering hole sports a beer list longer than a baby’s arm. Make sure you don’t lose when you hit the booze by selecting a brew made at one of the 5 ultra-local Los Angeles breweries that we’ve uncovered. Bottoms up!