Taco Truck

Here's something about dealing with criticism that they don't tell you on the way to becoming one of America's biggest pop singers. All the tequila shooters, glitter lipsticks, sold-out world tours and slavish affection from boys in spirit animal hoods can't balm a vicious review. And no one learned this lesson better in the last year and a half than 24-year-old Kesha Sebert, known to pop fans the world over as, simply, Kesha. "I never expected negativity like this," Sebert said, regarding the meteoric rise and stratospheric loathing she's attracted as a tart-mouthed, hook-drunk singer and songwriter since the January 2010 release of her debut dancepop album "Animal.

For the last two months, Green Truck mobile catering services would park on Wilshire Boulevard along Los Angeles' Miracle Mile and serve handmade organic fare to the neighborhood's lunch crowd. "It was wonderful," said Bobby Allen, general manger of the Culver City-based company. "We had a line of people every day." But last week, the lines disappeared after police officers swooped in and forced Green Truck and several other mobile food vendors parked in the mid-Wilshire area to move on. Some drivers said they were cited for minimal violations such as parking too close to the curb, or parking too far away.

Go on and talk about: "(500) Days of Summer." To celebrate the first day of summer (and promote its upcoming picturesque, downtown L.A.-set romantic comedy starring indie darlings Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel), Fox Searchlight has teamed up with street vendors across the city to hand out freebies to the first 500 people who arrive at the Sprinklesmobile, Cool Haus ice cream, Kogi's taco truck, Pink's hot dogs and more.

On the boulevard where the 72-year-old shopkeeper did business for more than a decade, he was simply known as "El señor de la 98." The man of the 98-cent store. He greeted customers modestly in English laced with a thick Iranian accent. He let nearby taco truck workers use his restroom. And when children rode up on bicycles offering him only a few pennies for candy, he gave them the treats for free. No one knew Fereidoun Kohanim's name. And on Monday at 4:10 p.m., apparently no one heard the fatal gunshot that followed after three men -- all alleged gang members -- entered his store in the 1300 block of West Venice Boulevard and demanded money, but left empty-handed.

Pasadena Police Chief Philip Sanchez asked a county law enforcement watchdog agency Tuesday to investigate the shooting of an unarmed man by two of his officers. Kendrec McDade, 20, was shot as the officers pursued two men suspected of ransacking a car and pointing a weapon at the car owner about 11 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. Sanchez said he asked Michael Gennaco, head of the Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review, to help conduct an investigation into the fatal shooting.

Alerted by Facebook, Twitter and plain old word of salivating mouth, foodies by the thousands descended Saturday on downtown Los Angeles for the "first annual" LA Street Food Fest. By midday, the line of eager epicures extended for blocks along South Beaudry Avenue, outside the grounds of Los Angeles Center Studios, and the wait to buy a $5 entry ticket was two hours. Once inside, the hordes queued up again to grab tidbits for a dollar or two or three from about 30 of the city's most popular food trucks, among them Flying Pig, Fishlips Sushi, Komodo, Frysmith and Coolhaus.

Two staples of Los Angeles street cuisine, the taco truck and the ice cream van, could face strict new regulations after the City Council requested the drafting Wednesday of new laws on where and when they can operate. The council asked for a draft ordinance that would prohibit catering trucks from parking in residential neighborhoods and limit parking to 30 minutes in commercial locations.

Joining the showroom this year, filled with sports vehicles and decorated concept cars, are none other than…  Food trucks.  The Grilled Cheese Truck and CoolHaus gave out samples in sleek Nissan NV vans, showcasing a design fresh from the more vintage look of most L.A. food trucks. “Nissan approached us with this sponsored vehicle, and we think it's a fantastic idea,” said Michelle Grant, CEO of the Grilled Cheese Truck. “Right now we use the standard taco truck.