Meals

In an age of long commutes, late sports practices, endless workdays and 24/7 television programming, the image of Mom hanging up her dish towel at 7 p.m. and declaring "the kitchen is closed" seems a quaint relic of an earlier era. It also harks back to a thinner America. And that may be no coincidence. A new study, conducted on mice, hints at an unexpected contributor to the nation's epidemic of obesity - and, if later human studies bear it out, a possible way to have our cake and eat it too, with less risk of weight gain and the diseases that come with it. Just eat your cake - or better yet, an apple - earlier.

If you are traveling in Texas, a great dining stop is in the small town of Shenandoah, just west of Houston. Aldo el Sharif, who for years had a famous restaurant in Houston, semiretired here and opened Aldo's Cucina Italiana. He still has the magic touch and turns out authentic meals at moderate prices. With all the marvelous historic sites in the area, a great way to top off a day is with dinner at Aldo's. Pastas from $13, main dishes from $18. Aldo's Cucina Italiana, 18450 I-45 South, Shenandoah; (936)

Some good buys for your health and your pocketbook: Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season. Buy frozen otherwise. Frozen is cheaper and may even be better for you than fresh. That's because produce is usually frozen at its ripest, which is usually when it maxes out in nutrient content too. Some nutrients do break down or leach out in the freezing process, but most make it through.

WASHINGTON - The Republican-led House approved a plan for deep spending cuts in food stamps, Meals on Wheels and other domestic programs - while sparing the Pentagon - in a vote that showcased the party's election-year priorities. The legislation to cut $240 billion over a decade is expected to stall in the Senate, where Democrats have the majority, but the exercise Thursday allowed the GOP to contrast its agenda with President Obama's efforts to reduce the deficit. Democrats decried the bill as "literally taking food out of the mouth of babies," in the words ofRep.

The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas would appear to have lived up to its reputation for the second time in as many months: On Saturday, a woman collapsed at the restaurant known for gleefully serving up artery-clogging entrees. Owner Jon Basso said Monday that he wishes the customer a swift and full recovery. But, he added, the woman got exactly what she asked for: a brush with death. "We attract an avant-garde clientele -- thrill seekers, risk takers," he told the Los Angeles Times, adding that his restaurant is a "bad for you but fun" restaurant that "attracts people who don't really take good care of their health.

WASHINGTON - The Republican-led House approved a plan for deep spending cuts in food stamps, Meals on Wheels and other domestic programs - while sparing the Pentagon - in a vote that showcased the party's election-year priorities. The legislation to cut $240 billion over a decade is expected to stall in the Senate, where Democrats have the majority, but the exercise Thursday allowed the GOP to contrast its agenda with President Obama's efforts to reduce the deficit. Democrats decried the bill as "literally taking food out of the mouth of babies," in the words ofRep.

Farmshop. 225 26th St. (at San Vicente Boulevard), Brentwood, (310) 566-2400, http://www.farmshopla.com. Short Order. 6333 W 3rd St. (at Fairfax Avenue), Los Angeles, (323) 761-7970, http://www.shortorderla.com. Asador Etxebarri. Plaza San Juan, I 48291 Atxondo Bizkaia, Spain, (94) 658-30-42, http://www.asadoretxebarri.com. Bludso's BBQ. 811 S Long Beach Blvd., Compton, (310) 637-1342, bludsosbbqandcatering.com. Jaleo Las Vegas. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd.

The Laugh Factory in Hollywood will again throw open its doors on Christmas Day to provide food and entertainment to anyone who is in need of a meal or just some company. Meals will be served at 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m., with the laughs provided by such comics as Dane Cook, Paul Rodriguez, Tom Arnold, Paul Mooney and Larry Miller. "With this weakened economy and high unemployment rate, more and more people, especially children, need hope," said Jamie Masada, owner of the comedy venue.

Meals on Wheels of Fullerton Inc. is in need of volunteer drivers to deliver meals to the homebound. The organization's mission is to deliver food and books to those who cannot get out of their homes. The deliveries are made Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Drivers pick up the meals and books at the Meals on Wheels office, 224 W. Amerige Ave. To volunteer, call (714) 871-2200.

Re the Orange County Newswatch of Jan. 15, in which Jerry Bellsmith says of Meals on Wheels, "We simply don't have any more money": I have been a volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels for over six years and consider it a privilege to be able to do it. Most of the people who receive Meals on Wheels' services are adults who spent 30 or more years earning income and paying taxes to county, state and federal agencies. Now that they are in their "golden years" and need a very small amount of assistance from us, it seems we cannot find the funds to assist our needy seniors.

Google Inc., with its free meals, high monthly pay and relaxed work environment, was rated by interns as the best place to work in a report released just ahead of the peak summer internship season. A software engineering intern at the search engine giant can expect an average monthly pay of $6,463, according to career website Glassdoor. Google interns, who voted the company as the most satisfying place to work, also reported additional perks such as face time with managers and opportunities to sit in on meetings.

By all accounts, West Hollywood showered its employees with generosity. The city spent $2,070 at the Beverly Center for six Montblanc pens, given to workers who had reached employment milestones. An additional $1,500 went to Gelson's Market gift cards for city employees. One credit card in the city manager's office, used by various employees, accumulated $121,000 over three years. Then there were the meals. Receipts show that one city councilman, John Duran, charged dozens of meals, often multiple times a week.

Plan a private event, ask a friend to lunch or gather a large gaggle of people for a public meet-up - all from your smartphone or device. Great for business or leisure. Name: GiddyUp Available for: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Android What it does: Lets you organize events by inviting contacts on your iPhone, iPad, Android, and Facebook and Twitter accounts. Cost: Free What's hot: It's liberating to skip the back-and-forth email chains when planning a lunch or party.

The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas would appear to have lived up to its reputation for the second time in as many months: On Saturday, a woman collapsed at the restaurant known for gleefully serving up artery-clogging entrees. Owner Jon Basso said Monday that he wishes the customer a swift and full recovery. But, he added, the woman got exactly what she asked for: a brush with death. "We attract an avant-garde clientele -- thrill seekers, risk takers," he told the Los Angeles Times, adding that his restaurant is a "bad for you but fun" restaurant that "attracts people who don't really take good care of their health.

Julie Oelling's 6-year-old daughter, Zoe, began asking to go to McDonald's for Happy Meal toys when she started preschool two years ago. "When she was 4, it was kind of a big thing to do, but when she turned 5, it tapered off," Oelling said, adding that it's been about six months since her daughter's last request. "I'd even say she's starting to outgrow it now depending on what the toy is. " Long portrayed as a key contributor to childhood obesity, fast-food kids meals may be losing their appeal to youngsters — and, more importantly, their parents.

When Nguyen Tran emailed to tell me about an extravaganza he was setting up at an acquaintance's house, a special herb dinner in which each of the many courses would involve fresh marijuana, I did not necessarily beg to be included in the feast. The first time I met Tran, on a social-media panel somewhere, he happened to be wearing a banana suit, and he has been known to show up to food events dressed as a tauntaun from "The Empire Strikes Back. " I like his Starry Kitchen, a pan-Asian lunchroom in a downtown office-building food court, and I admire the running pop-up restaurant he mounts with chef Laurent Quenioux.

A small city has sprung up at a Pentagon parking lot in Arlington to offer hot food, clean clothes and comforting conversation to those enduring the grim task of combing the rubble on the other side of the crippled building. "Some of them [rescue workers] are having some real problems," said Ronald Hester of Asheboro, N.C. At the compound are trucks full of underwear and shirts for the workers. Under a Red Cross tent they can get treatment for minor injuries.

McDonald's Corp.can keep including toys in Happy Meals in most parts of California after a San Francisco judge threw out a proposed class-action lawsuit seeking to ban the practice in the state. Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer did not give a reason in his decision for dismissing the suit, initially filed in 2010 by the consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest and Monet Parham, listed in the suit as a California mother. Michael F. Jacobson, the group's executive director, said in a strongly worded statement Thursday that using toys to lure kids to unhealthy fast food was "a predatory practice" that involves "unscrupulous marketing techniques.

McDonald's Corp. can keep selling Happy Meals with toys to California children after a San Francisco judge threw out a proposed class-action lawsuit seeking to ban the practice in the state. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said it will discuss with its co-plaintiff - a California mother - whether to appeal. The group did not seek damages for its fellow plaintiff, though it alleged that she “suffered a monetary loss” because of McDonald's toy-marketing ways.