According to Lucia, the term 'cougar' was coined by a player on Vancouver's hockey team, who started calling the older single women who came to the games cougars.

Also according to Lucia, to qualify as a cougar a woman must be at least 40 years old and exclusively date men at least 10 years younger than herself. The rest of you ladies are out of luck and just getting your freak on.

The event, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills, started with a 'speed-dating' type mixer, followed by a keynote address and the cougar-themed "comedy" stylings of Unique Monique, and then a dancing and drinking at the cash bar.

For those of you who were afraid of who you thought was going to show up, the actual event was attended by mostly normal-looking women, many of whom said they weren't looking for a younger guy per se, but were just curious about the event.

Most of the guys there, when questioned, admitted that they were interested in meeting any lady, not just an older one.

All in all, the event was very fun, and the ratio was good for women (it ran about two men per women, although the organizers tell us that changes from city to city), and as the event room filled up and the line and the tiny corner cash bar became unmanageable, the party spilled out into the hotel's lobby bar (where at least one could run a tab), where phone numbers were exchanged furiously before attendees melted away into the night.

The new venue brought a slightly different vibe to the affair—the feeling of an organic, community-driven block party left in the parking lot off of Cesar Chavez Boulevard where the event has been held in past years. But with an impressive island stage for the music acts—which included Conjunto Los Pochos, La Santa Cecilia and others—and a large lawn for the craft tents, there were advantages to the new location as well.

It was a perfect night for a warm bowl of pozole, a tall Styrofoam cup of champurrado and to remember and celebrate the dead.

Also receiving votes: Utah, Arizona.

Next we were able to order from the menu, and we tried to split them up so that we could all try everything. It didn't really matter, because so much food came flying at us we practically needed raingear. We definitely needed doggie bags. Then, just to make it crazier, ribs and brisket arrived family-style.

OK. So. The chicken was nice, but smoked to an intense pink, which some people like and others don't. The ribs were tender and falling off the bone. The hot link had a nice snap, but no crackle. They make it themselves with natural casings. It's nice that they chose not to make the hot links so hot they are rendered inedible. Some places make it into some macho trip.

The pulled pork was a little dry, but as leftovers the next day in a sandwich with BBQ sauce and coleslaw, it was revived and damn authentic. But that brisket. Wow. Angels sang. It was the brisket I will return for again and again.

There was simply too much to eat, even for professionals. The applesauce and potato salad were delicious, but there was no getting a bite of ham or most of the other sides anywhere near my belly. And when they brought dessert - nooooo. You're on your own. We did notice the pecan pie had pecans all the way through, instead of just resting on the top of the filling. But it was like a scene from "Le Grand Boeuf", or for a more popular analogy, Mr Creosote from Monty Python. "One thin mint. Wafer thin..."

The restaurant is sparkling clean, almost too clean for a BBQ joint. It is super corporate, squeezed into the Target complex that has enveloped the Formosa Cafe, Owner and pit boss Michael Rosen showed us the impressive giant smoker. The shelves don't rotate, but they switch the meats around by hand. They cook the brisket for a full ten hours.

While we were touring the kitchen, I asked to see the smoke ring on one of the briskets and he humored me. He answered all of my obsessive BBQ-ista questions in detail, if not too cheerfully, and passed with flying colors. He definitely knows his stuff. Bobzilla said it reminded him of the guy at the zoo who has to show all of the schoolkids the monkeys. And there is one kid who keeps raising his hand and saying, "Do monkeys eat bananas?" and he answers in a monotone for the hundreth time, "Yes. Monkeys eat bananas."

Zeke's owners definitely have the credentials. Michael Rosen was the Executive Chef at Reign restaurant in Beverly Hills, always maintaining a down-home Southern flair. He opened Maple Drive along with Zeke's chef and co-owner, Leonard Schwartz, late of 72 Market Street. For Zeke's, they decided to partner with Gelsinger Meats and Deli in Montrose to highlight the meats, and to provide fresh fodder for the pit. A perfect match. They traveled the country studying up on BBQ and returned home ready to 'que.

Zeke's "Build Your Own BBQ Special" lets you choose two meats from pulled pork, pulled chicken, dark 1/4 chicken, smoked ham and hot links. The sides are baked beans, collard greens, mashed potatoes, green beans, potato salad, cole slaw, applesauce, kettle chips and fries. Still, that brisket is so memorable. It may be worth going off the specialty menu. And hey, did you notice they have catfish? I didn't know they had catfish!

Loft Seven Sample Sale
The Loft Seven Sample Sale goes down every second Sunday of each month--and, hey, that's today! The store offers complimentary beverages to shoppers, sets the mood with guest DJ's, and gives killer discounted prices on designer clothing. Happens from Noon-6pm in Downtown LA.

Il Sole's Sunday Rustic Menu
If you're looking to wind up the weekend with a meal out, you might want to check out the debut of Il Sole’s new Sunday Rustic Menu. The menu is $35 per person, available from 5-9 p.m., and includes choice of one appetizer and one entrée from a selection of Il Sole favorites, as well as new dishes—all inspired by traditional Italian comfort foods and representing a variety of regions throughout the country. Select wines by the glass are also available from $6-8 and select bottles under $40. Desserts range from $6-8, including seasonal sorbet or tiramisu. This is the first time Il Sole is open on Sundays, so they are excited to welcome diners to what may become a successful tradition.

“About the 3/8 pole I saw Zenyatta going,” Mine that Bird jockey Calvin Borel said. “I tried to follow her because I didn't want her to get away from me, but he couldn't do it."

As the horses approached the final turn, Zenyatta was still trailed Regal Ransom by a considerable margin and things looked bleak. While everyone knew her modus operandi was to make a late surge, even this huge deficit seemed too much to overcome.

“Zenyatta has a lot a lot of ground to make up,” Santa Anita race caller Trevor Denman announced. “Zenyatta, if she wins this she will be a superhorse.”

Right after Denman said that, Zenyatta made a move inside coming out of the turn with 300 yards left to go. At 200 yards, Zenyatta made a move outside getting the crowd on their feet. She kept her head down and with 25 yards left took the lead.

“This! Is! Un! Be! Lievable,” Denman exclaimed as Zenyatta approached the finish line with the crowd roaring. “Zenyatta! What a performance! One we will never forget! Looked impossible. But it is Zenyatta still unbeaten under Mike Smith.”

Jockey Mike Smith celebrating after Zenyatta's victory. Photo courtesy Benoit Photography.

“I still never got to the bottom of her,” Smith said. “That’s the amazing thing. She still had run left. She’s incredible.”

Christopher Clement, trainer of second place Gio Ponti, said, “She’s a freak. What can I say? She’s a freak.”

Zenyatta is now perfect in her 14 races becoming only the fifth horse since 1900 to reach that mark. And in this Classic she defeated the Kentucky Derby winner in Mine That Bird and the Belmont Stakes winner in Summer Bird. She defeated a four-time Grade I Stakes winner Gio Ponti. It was arguably the best Classic lineup since its inception in 1984.

Announcer Trevor Denman said it all after the race.

“What a dramatic performance! One of the most sensational ever! Zenyatta wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic. “

Zenyatta hamming it up for the cameras in the Winner's Circle after winning the Breeders' Cup Classic. Photo courtesy Benoit Photography

Frank Black Francis Thompson IV is in fine form; barking, howling and screaming effortlessly. Dave Lovering has a way of banging out a straight driving 4/4 beat that feel innovative in its simplicity. Joey Santiago’s dissonant anti-wank guitar heroics are the true secret to the Pixies sound. His showcase moment comes during the second encore - an extended take on “Vamos” that pokes fun at guitar heroics while also being a great example of them. Kim Deal is the only band member who talks to the audience. Frequently reminding that audience that they are still on Side One*, or making self-deprecating comments about the songs - introducing “There Goes My Gun” as a “deep cut”, and adding “you can’t skip ‘em.” I want to tell her that there’s no need to apologize for the songs. They are the reason we are here.

There’s a discernable difference in the bands playing between the “hits” that have remained in the bands post-reunion repertoire, and the other tracks that they clearly had to relearn for this tour. In some cases (I Bleed, Dead), the band feels a little rushed, on others however, the rehearsal produces surprise results. “Sliver” is one of the evening’s unexpected highlights; Black and Deal’s beautiful harmonizing on the song’s refrain of “sorrows” is beautiful and haunting.

When the Pixies end their set, they stand on the edge of the stage, arms around each other, waving at the audience and smiling. A giant video of the band members smiling and waving plays behind them. It’s a moment that’s more adorable than menacing. For a band who built a career on the bizarre and unexpected, these days, the weirdest thing about them is how normal they seem - and that is truly the weirdest thing of all.

*I actually still think of “Doolittle” in terms of Side One and Side Two. When I first got the record, I misread “There Goes My Gun” as “There Goes My Guy”, and, as the fifth song on side two, thought they intended it to be an answer to the fifth song on side one, “Here Comes Your Man”.

The Center for the Arts is located at 2225 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, 90041. For the full line-up of artists, check out Outpost's website.

Want more art? Don't forget the Silver Lake Art Crawl today; tomorrow's events also include a handful of those food trucks you know you've always wanted to try.

Family Jam
Arrive early to Ghettogloss tonight because we imagine you'll have to wait in line to pick the brain of Amanda Milius, the artist behind this photography exhibit for which subjects channeled Charles Manson's "Family" while tweaked on LSD. Milius used her obsession with Sadie and Gypsy, a little spiked water and lots of film to, in her own words, "teeter on the edge of love, fear, life and unlife, to blink twice at something beautiful, to see trails, have a shared experience, and in that to sense the happiness and freedom amongst friends who were and are, searching and striving for the same things [Manson's] girls were." Cocktail reception runs from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Discover Beethoven's 5th
For some, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 conjures up cartoony images of some villain tying Bugs Bunny in drag to the railroad tracks, but tonight Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra music director Jeffrey Kahane leads an exploration of the classic work that will make even the most rookie orchestra-goer appreciate its finer points. Once the piece is broken down and its subtle nuances exposed, a performance of the entire work will follow as wells as a Q&A with Kahane and the band. Purchase tickets here.

As a final side note, Thornton's rebirth also has him in the running for the 2009 Comeback Player of the Year award, whose winner will be announced this coming Tuesday.

Congratulations on a well deserved award and good luck on Tuesday.