At a loss as to what to do this weekend? Well, everyone’s gotta eat. And if you have to eat, why not do it in the sun, accompanied by all of your friends and family? This weekend, Santa Monica will be hosting two separate food events the LA BBQ Festival and Taste of Santa Monica.
Start at the BBQ Festival, which runs both Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6pm on the Santa Monica beach. Grillers, smokers and hard-core que-ers will be showcasing their wares on the beach to live country tunes, and only you can decide which is better: Kansas City, Texas or Mississippi. General admission is $10, and 1/3-1/2 lb portions of meat can be purchased from each pitmaster for $10. Santa Monica Beach at Ocean & Colorado
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Tags: Edibles · Upcoming events
Montana Avenue has a couple of staples, Father’s Office probably being the most popular amongst them. Beyond the beer and burger, Montana Cafe and 17th Street Cafe have been there forever, and Babalu even survived a fire. Fireside Cellars has an impressive selection of high-end wines, but the Duck Blind is the only liquor store around that sells high-end nudie magazines. With a constantly revolving selection of specialty stores pitching blink and you’ll miss them trends, it’s easy to ignore a new store opening.
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Tags: Edibles · Reviews
I’m a frequent visitor to Main Street: Clever is an adorable store full of fun toys I never knew I needed, Varga is my go-to shop for inexpensive sunglasses and Monday trivia nights at Finn McCool’s are always good for a laugh. While walking along Main the other night doing a little shopping (mostly of the window variety) I found a new shop in the base of the relatively-new Archstone apartments just south of Pico.
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Tags: Edibles · News
My mother didn’t allow us to answer the telephone at the dinner table, and I imagine that yours didn’t either. We never ate at the mall food court unless it was a necessity - Mom thought it was all junk food. Now imagine her horror if each family member had his or her own computer - complete with touch screen - at every place setting. At the mall. I want to say that uWink is slowing killing the American family dinner and I would - if only the food wasn’t so darn tasty.
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Tags: Restaurants · Reviews
Having spent a disproportionate share of my lifetime at the mall, I can repeat normal mall business hours backwards, forwards and in my sleep. 10am to 9pm, Monday through Friday, weekend and holiday hours vary. For your average shopper during the non-holiday period, that is more than enough time to get your goods and go home. But what about movie-goers? After catching an 8pm movie, they exit at 10pm only to find locked doors and restaurants packing up for the night. If you’re lucky, the soft pretzel shop might still be serving.
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Tags: Restaurants · Reviews
I remember back in olden times when a trip to the mall was just that: a shopping trip to the mall. Cruise through the department stores, stop by the specialty shops and threaten violence against the guy on the hand lotion cart. But with the advent of lifestyle centers offering everything from movie theaters and sit-down restaurants to the more traditional specialty shops and boutiques, a trip to the mall is not a simple outing. It is work and work requires sustenance, which is why we’ve created this multi-part series devoted to the best mall eats in town.
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Tags: Editorials · Restaurants
This weekend The Wine House in West LA will be hosting its Super Summer Clearance Sale. Saturday from 10-7 and Sunday from 10-6, over 750+ wines will be marked 30%-50% off. The website claims that the deals are too good to post, and no telephone or internet orders will be accepted. 2311 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles, 800.626.9463
DailyCandy LA suggests taking up canning with the Fallen Fruit collective. Fallen Fruit began as an art project that grew into an organization dedicated to locating fruit trees on public property and posting the maps online for all to view and benefit from. This weekend’s event in Echo Park will focus on the basics of making your own jams and jellies - bring your own fruit, bring your own jars. Machine Project, 1200d N. Alvarado St., b/t W. Sunset Blvd. & Reservoir St., Echo Park 213.483.8761
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Tags: Local Happenings · Upcoming events
Hey darlin’ it’s hot outside. Screw the oven, to hell with the kitchen, I’m drinking dinner this week.
After a brief glimpse at Metromix’s list of restaurants with free corkage, I was pleased to hear that the urban legend about Cobras & Matadors policy was just a myth. I’d buy my wine at the place next door anyways, but it’s nice to know that my Vons six-pack (10% off!) is also accepted. Cobras and Matadors 7615 W Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, 323-932-6178
As a born and bred Santa Monican, sometimes I find it hard to justify the carbon emissions necessary to make it to Beverly, so I may just plop myself down at the most recent addition to the Beverly Hills Hotel, Bar Nineteen 12. Although a solid 10 degrees cooler than it is at LACMA, Beverly Hills isn’t immune to a heat wave every now and again which is why alcoholic popsicles and jelly shots in flavors ranging from watermelon to apple martini are always a good idea.  Bar Nineteen12, The Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd (at Beverly Dr), Beverly Hills, 310-273-1912
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Tags: Beverages · General
Hey darlin’ it’s hot outside. Screw the oven, to hell with the kitchen, I’m drinking dinner this week.
After a brief glimpse at Metromix’s list of restaurants with free corkage, I was pleased to hear that the urban legend about Cobras & Matadors policy was just a myth. I’d buy my wine at the place next door anyways, but it’s nice to know that my Vons six-pack (10% off!) is also accepted. Cobras and Matadors 7615 W Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, 323-932-6178
As a born and bred Santa Monican, sometimes I find it hard to justify the carbon emissions necessary to make it to Beverly, so I may just plop myself down at the most recent addition to the Beverly Hills Hotel, Bar Nineteen 12. Although a solid 10 degrees cooler than it is at LACMA, Beverly Hills isn’t immune to a heat wave every now and again which is why alcoholic popsicles and jelly shots in flavors ranging from watermelon to apple martini are always a good idea.  Bar Nineteen12, The Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd (at Beverly Dr), Beverly Hills, 310-273-1912
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Tags: Beverages · General
Feeling Lazy? Why spend your precious time clicking from site to site trying to figure out where to eat when we’ll do it for you? Here’s the latest round-up of all the LA-centric sites from the foodie point of view:
The Rundown: They’re a little late to the game - everyone and their mother has already raved about Anisette Brasserie in Santa Monica. Per the hostess, the restaurant’s kitchen is currently closing around 10pm, but they have plans to extend hours till midnight in the upcoming weeks.
Daily Candy: Food events abound this weekend according to Daily Candy. There’s a cupcake cookbook signing at Big Sugar Bakeshop in Studio City, and while you’re in the Valley might as well swing by Valley Village’s newest hole-in-the-wall bar, The Fifth.
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Tags: Local Happenings · News
Feeling Lazy? Why spend your precious time clicking from site to site trying to figure out where to eat when we’ll do it for you? Here’s the latest round-up of all the LA-centric sites from the foodie point of view:
The Rundown: They’re a little late to the game - everyone and their mother has already raved about Anisette Brasserie in Santa Monica. Per the hostess, the restaurant’s kitchen is currently closing around 10pm, but they have plans to extend hours till midnight in the upcoming weeks.
Daily Candy: Food events abound this weekend according to Daily Candy. There’s a cupcake cookbook signing at Big Sugar Bakeshop in Studio City, and while you’re in the Valley might as well swing by Valley Village’s newest hole-in-the-wall bar, The Fifth.
[Read more →]
Tags: Local Happenings · News
Where to go, what to do? It’s so much easier when others do the research for you. Here’s what the web suggests for this festive three day weekend.
Serious Eats suggests spending the 4th at Blue Velvet and indulging in some suckling pig, then Breadbar’s Build-Your-Own-Burger on Saturday and Wilshire’s Sunday BBQ night. See the whole article here.
Citysearch LA thinks that there is little else you should do this weekend other than enjoy the weather with a nice meal at one of their recommended outdoor restaurants. If you can afford Geoffrey’s, have a good time - you’re probably more likely to see me at the Galley.
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Tags: Local Happenings · Upcoming events
