Katherine Spiers

OK, let's all make fun of the Valley now and get it out of our systems. Because here's the thing: there's a lot of fun history here, and some interesting restaurants.

This tree-lined little slice of yoga-panted civility in the middle of the city has a surprisingly varied food scene. And only some of it will make you roll your eyes.

Ice cream is it, everyone. Los Angeles has moved on from frozen yogurt and is ready for the big guns. The big full-fat guns.

Restaurants in South L.A. don't get a lot of media attention, but there are some excellent options -- and they tend to embody the American dream, to boot.

South L.A. isn't just a food desert. Even if we're only talking about food, and ignoring everything else that makes a community whole. There is an active food culture in Watts and the neighborhoods and cities surrounding it.

Win two passes to see "A Walk in the Woods" at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica!

"Human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide fundamentally change the chemistry of seawater. Animals living in seawater are accustomed to a range of chemical conditions, and those conditions are changing, rapidly, due to human impacts."

"We'd like to see public policy changed to make it legal to forage non-native, invasive species on public lands. Instead of spraying herbicides on "weeds" (and suffering the ecological consequences) we can eat the aliens!"

The Valley had a culinary moment way back when it introduced sushi to the U.S., but it hasn't been known as a dining destination for years. Might that be changing?

Master Food Preservers who earned their status in L.A. County will have to give up their titles for the time being.