If it seems as if State Sen. Richard Alarcon is always running for something, you aren't wrong. Last year he campaigned in the primary for mayor and lost, then immediately ran for (and won) a seat in the state Assembly. He'll be sworn in there next month, but on Sunday Dec. 10 he's holding his first fundraiser for his race for the City Council's 7th district. That one's at Tokyo Delve's sushi bar on Lankershim in North Hollywood. The invitation from Friends of Richard Alarcon asks $500 and $250 a plate for sponsors, $50 for mere followers. Rival Felipe Fuentes had a funder of his own last night at El Paseo.

Nice work if you can get it: Public meetings are being cancelled next week because many members of the City Council will be off at the National League of Cities convention in Reno. The Council has already taken off several weeks this year for travel to conferences and other events — and will adjourn for two weeks in late December for the holidays. The ritual takes on a little more resonance than usual now that they will be paid more than members of Congress.