How much can Tommy Lasorda eat?

When Dave Pearson's doing the cooking at Dodger Stadium, you'll have trouble keeping track.

Check out the video, where Lasorda talks to our own Steve Lopez ("What's your first name?") and Vin Scully and, of course, Chef Pearson. And Steve's story ("Lasorda dug in like it was the end of Lent.") is here.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Video: John Vande Wege / Los Angeles Times

Synchronized swimming - do try this in your office cubicle (And send us pictures, please!)

It's Tuesday; we're tired and we figure you're tired too. So from our workplace to yours, a new way to shake off the top-of-the-week blues. (And thanks to our own Christie St. Martin of Funny Pages 2.0 for the link.)

--Veronique de Turenne & Jesus Sanchez

There outta be a law...

No hands on the cell phone come July 1? No problem. Plenty of crazy and dangerous behavior is still legal behind the wheel, as our own car guru, Dan Neil, demonstrates. Admit it -- you've seen most of this stuff (and done some of it) on our local freeways.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Video: Jeff Amlotte & Dan Neil

MSRP is no match for a nest

An aw-gee story about why this shiny red truck in Orange is no longer for sale.

RIP Sydney Pollack 1934 - 2008

Obituaries in the LA Times, the NY Times, Salon, Variety, E!,  and Slate. Here's Robert Redford, who made seven films with the director, in Time. His body of work is here.

Vin Scully makes the call at UCLA

Sportscaster Vin Scully spoke (oh, that voice!) Tuesday at the unveiling of a plaque to celebrate the remarkable career of UCLA coach John Wooden. (And thanks to LAO for the link.)

-- Veronique de Turenne

An act of faith in Adelanto

A monk building a shrine to the Buddhist goddess of compassion explains why he's doing it, and what he hopes to accomplish.

--Veronique de Turenne

Video: John Vande Wege

Mmmm -- cheesecake

Too hot to go outside? Watch someone else do the work in this little demo of a master baker making his prized family recipe: old-fashioned Italian ricotta cheesecake. And if you get inspired, the story and some recipes are in our food section here. Need even more variety? Some crazy recipes (malted milk cheesecake? cheesecake with kumquats?) here.

--Veronique de Turenne

Video: John Vander Wege and Brent Foster / Los Angeles Times

Santa Monica's axed ficus trees make it to YouTube

Missed connection: she hit a guy with her car and...

...someone on Craigslist wants to meet her:

--Veronique de Turenne

Video: Katy Newton / Los Angeles Times

Eat your fruits and veggies

A visit to the farmer's market.

Video: John Vande Wege / Los Angeles Times

From the depths of YouTube, Mr. T on Mother's Day

Let's go surfing

Can't make it to the water today? Maybe a moment with surfer Andrew Doheny of Newport Beach can make up for that.

--Veronique de Turenne

Video: Sachi Cunningham / Los Angeles Times

And now, a moment with Tommy Lasorda

Video: Joe Amlotte / Los Angeles Times

Herding kids into Norman's Ark

"Norman's Ark" is a musical with a cast of hundreds -- already tricky. Add in the fact the actors are (mostly) inexperienced kids and you've got a taste of the challenge facing Peter Schneider. The veteran director is charged with getting the spirited new musical into shape for its West Coast premiere on May 27 at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre. Laurie Winer has the musical details in her full story.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Video: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times

May Day Voices: Teacher prepares for march

The sights and sounds of today's May Day rally captured by Times Staff Writer Robert Lopez. Tim Doherty, a Los Angeles Unified School District teacher, gathers for a march at MacArthur Park while others shout, "Si Se Puede," or Yes We Can. See more videos on the LAT May Day March gallery.

The hills are alive with the sound of money

Gas prices - ow! Food prices - kapow! Not in a certain spot in the Tarzana hills, though, where some people are shelling out big bucks for high-end audio equipment with nary a peep or a moan. Big Spender tells all.