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.

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: 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!

On this week’s “Good Day L.A.” segment it was all about Fun Theme Dining. We gave the first sneak peek of Royal T Café’s all-new Hello Kitty menu (hence the bows on our heads!), dished on Susan Feniger’s popular Street food and watched as Dorothy Lucey broke off a claw from Water Grill’s clambake lobster!

And be sure to watch Fox 11 News tonight at 10:30pm–we’ll be on air with Jane Yamamoto, bringing you exclusive access inside Royal T’s big opening celebration of  Hello Kitty’s “Three Apples” exhibit. See you then!

Photo: Nichalobeze8 on Flickr

With T-minus 10 days until Halloween, it’s probably about time to start scrounging together the array of household items you’re going to pass off as a costume this year. Hey, it’s easy! Dig up your dad’s old jacket, some leftover flour and a sprinkle of body glitter, then slap a creepy  stalker stare on your face and voila: You’re Twilight’s hunk du jour, Edward Cullen!

On the other hand, if you prefer to go the sexy, slinky route this Halloween (surely the thought crossed your mind, you saucy minx), Citysearch L.A. has you covered (and scantily so). We’re teaming with Frederick’s of Hollywood to give three deserving ladies, or lads, their pick of trick-or-treat-worthy duds. Head over to our Citysearch Los Angeles Facebook fanpage and post a picture of yourself sporting your most pathetic costume of Halloweens past, your favorite creepy get-up, or really, any photo of yourself wearing an outfit that ain’t so normal. Your pick.

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Photo: Anika Malone on Flickr

This weekend, the Brewery Arts Complex opens its doors to the general public. It’s an occasion that only happens twice a year, so we felt it was worth mentioning. That, and it’s really freaking cool: More than 100 artists-in-residence at the historic Brewery open their studios, allowing visitors to step inside their homes and galleries simultaneously. If you’ve never been, it’s a must-do L.A. experience. You’ll be able to talk to local artists directly, purchase art on the spot, eat and drink with fellow Angelenos and listen to some rather interesting music.

It’s all happening between 11am-6pm, and everything is free, including on-site parking. Gonna go? Take a look at this list of the weekend’s participating artists, and we’ll see ya there!