Toi on Sunset came very highly recommended from a friend. The atmosphere’s great, the food is greater, and she even got to meet Quentin Tarantino in a daring after-dinner introduction during which she referred to him as “Quenti.” This being said, I don’t take Thai recommendations lightly; it is one of my favorite cuisines.

My friend Ellie and I got there around 8:15 on a Thursday night. There were some people crowding around the entrance and we worried there would be a wait, but we followed the instructions on the sign out front to wait for the doorman who showed us right to our table.

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It’s long been my personal opinion that Italian food should only be enjoyed every once in a while, mostly because of it’s rich taste and my gluttonous eating habits. However, watch out slim waistline! I may have just changed my mind and be inclined to start wearing fat pants soon, due to the fine folks at Miceli’s.

Miceli’s has been family owned and operated in the heart of Hollywood since 1949. They have three floors of everything you’d expect at a fine Italian restaurant, and more. Not to mention, a hidden downstairs dining hall perfect for a large sized family get together or a mafia shoot out, or both. Upon entering the front door your greeted with inviting sights, smells, and sound all designed to enhance your dining experience. Among the more prominent things to behold are the Red and White checkered table cloths, Plethora of hanging Wine Bottles, Original Dark wood framing from the Pig’n Whistle, and if you happen to be there at night, award winning Piano man Brian O’Rourke. This guy can play and definitely deserves a tip in his jar. High marks go to the staff as well who are attentive ,friendly, and also super fast. In fact, my meal was prepared so quickly that I had to cut short my dinner conversation with my best friend Mary Elizabeth.

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It’s long been my personal opinion that Italian food should only be enjoyed every once in a while, mostly because of it’s rich taste and my gluttonous eating habits. However, watch out slim waistline! I may have just changed my mind and be inclined to start wearing fat pants soon, due to the fine folks at Miceli’s.

Miceli’s has been family owned and operated in the heart of Hollywood since 1949. They have three floors of everything you’d expect at a fine Italian restaurant, and more. Not to mention, a hidden downstairs dining hall perfect for a large sized family get together or a mafia shoot out, or both. Upon entering the front door your greeted with inviting sights, smells, and sound all designed to enhance your dining experience. Among the more prominent things to behold are the Red and White checkered table cloths, Plethora of hanging Wine Bottles, Original Dark wood framing from the Pig’n Whistle, and if you happen to be there at night, award winning Piano man Brian O’Rourke. This guy can play and definitely deserves a tip in his jar. High marks go to the staff as well who are attentive ,friendly, and also super fast. In fact, my meal was prepared so quickly that I had to cut short my dinner conversation with my best friend Mary Elizabeth.

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Comedy

• Eddie Izzard: Stripped | Wednesday August 6th | 8pm | $35-$65 - Buy Now | 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood (Map) | In my mind, one of the best stand up comedian’s of our time. Izzard is sharp, witty, and is great for a good history lesson. This is the last week to see him in LA, so don’t miss out catch him while you can! Izzard will have you rolling in your seat with wave of finely manicured hand.

Music

• Peanut Butter Wolf vs. LA: 888 Tour | Wednesday August 6th | 7pm | 21+ | The Echoplex - Map | Price Varies | “888″ is the third in a yearly series by Peanut Butter Wolf: he did a heavy metal set  on6-6-06, and a 7-day gospel-themed set for the number of the savior,  7-7-07. We’re not sure what the theme is for 8-8-8, except it’s the year of AWESOME. Tonight he will be doing Reggae videos at the Dub Club at The Echoplex. Check out the rest of the week here.

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Burlesque

• Lucky Devil Burlesque at Forty Deuce | Tuesday August 5th | Cost $10 | 9pm-1am | Forty Deuce - 5574 Melrose Ave Los Angeles (Map) | All male burlesque show… oh la la! “Lucky Devil” at Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce will consist of three different shows featuring cutting edge songs ranging from George Michael’s ‘Father Figure’ to Kylie Minogue’s ‘Slow’ and M.I.A.’s “Bamboo Banga.” In only the first few weeks, already celebrities such as Dita von Teese, Macy Gray, choreographer Jamie King, Amazing Race’s Reichen Lehmkuhl as well as members of the Pussycat Dolls have joined the packed crowd at Lucky Devil! Sexy.

Comedy

• Comedy Death Ray | Tuesday, August 5th | 8:30pm | Tickets $5 | Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Map) | Pretty good line-up for tonight. Bruce McCulloch, Dana Gould, Nick Kroll, Jessi Klein, TJ Miller and hosted by The Birthday Boys. Enjoy some good laughs, good beer, at a VERY reasonable price.

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The Huntington Beach Farmers Market
Fridays, noon - 5pm
The Huntington Beach Pier Plaza
Parking Lot, off PCH and Main Street

Yes, I know, Huntington Beach is not technically in LA but in Orange County. But, its only a touch south of the Orange Curtain, not a far jaunt off of the 405, and is home to one of the few farmers markets where you will be socially accepted even with no clothes on.

Huntington Beach’s farmers market and adjoining craft fair is not near the beach, it is on it, giving it a lot of Friday afternoon foot traffic from beach-goers and tourists. It sits at the end of Main Street, a crowded thoroughfare of pedestrians, loiterers and shoppers. Main Street is known for its surf shops, restaurants, and bars, and you could do worse on a day off than to hit the beach, buy some tomatoes, then gawk at the locals from the patio of some relaxed eatery.\ [ Read The Full Story -> ]

Fresh-filled black bean wowshi

Bella Pita, the small, blossoming family business that’s won the stomachs of the heart of Westwood, offers an affordable and satiating menu of freshly baked Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. With an informal order-at-the-counter set-up and a salad bar that makes mouths water with taste and sheer aesthetics, this newcomer to L.A.’s spread of international cuisine beckons Bruins, business-folk, and every diner with a taste for delicious hommos, authentic falafel, and—Bella’s most unique creation—the irresistible wowshi.

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Books

• Used Book Sale | Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | 12:00 pm | Fairfax Branch Library - Map | I can easily recall the one of the best feelings in the world: when I found out that a “book sale” at the library really meant that the books were free. Whether or not that’s the case here, it’s still probably worth a look for your budding personal library. For more info, call (323) 936-6191.

Amoeba

• Amoeba Charity Auction hosted by Brently Heilbron | Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | 4pm | Amoeba Record - 6400 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood - Map | Amoeba will be hosting their weekly Charity Auction to benefit gulf relief efforts! Brently (voted Austin’s Best Comic and Creator of Richard Simmons Mysteries & Star of Trapped in the Closet Live!) will be auctioning off a bevy of cool items - from Hollywood Bowl tickets to Slayer underwear.

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Comedy

• Comedy Death Ray- Sarah Silverman, Janeane Garofalo and more | Tuesday, July 29th | 8:30pm | Tickets $5 | Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater (Map) | They’re really going all out tonight. Sarah Silverman, Bob Odenkirk, Janeane Garofalo, Arj Barker, Rob O’Reilly and hosted by Brett Gelman. Wow. Tonight is really a night worth getting your sorry ass out of bed and over to the Comedy Death-Ray.

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Monday Blues got you down? Or perhaps it’s just the failing economy and offensive gas prices?

Well the good folks over at The Ideal Bite turned me on to a great little thing to look forward to: Luna Park’s Blue Mondays.

They’ve got a weekly rotating local and organic Blue Plate special for a measly $12, as well as drink deals (kumquat mojitos and red or white sangria for $5!!!), they’re just the thing to cheer you up after a long day in the salt mine.

And you can feel good about treating yourself, too: aside from the local organic thing, they recycle all their used vegetable oil into bio-fuel!

Click more for the info.

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Westwood Village Farmers Market
Sundays, 10am - 3pm
1083 Broxton, Los Angeles

Westwood Village is a neighborhood with a lot of pros and cons. On one hand, it is a busy walking community with plenty of restaurants and shopping, and of course the famous Mann Village Theater. On the other hand, it is impossible to navigate by car, and even more impossible to find parking, let alone free parking. Unfortunately, the Westwood Village Farmers Market is suffering from this same mixture of good and bad.

Westwood used to have a hopping farmers market on Thursday evenings on the corner of Weyburn and Westwood Boulevard. Some discrepancy with permits or certification closed it down, and for a few years the village was market-less. Now the market on Sunday mornings on the quiet Broxton Avenue is smaller in both offerings and attendance, perhaps suffering from the soiled reputation of its predecessor, perhaps from the demographic of the neighborhood (all students, none of which will wake up on Sunday and walk to the Village because of hang-overs or a lack of caring).

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Veteran’s Garden at the VA

Sepulveda at Wilshire, just east of the 405

It’s the peak of summer and the nectarines are delicious. The Westwood Farmers Market, located in the picturesque Veteran’s Garden just off Wilshire, provides a succulent, seasonal respite from L.A.’s muggy city heat and incessant traffic hubaloo. In fact, despite its proximity to many of the West-side’s main thoroughfares, this Thursday afternoon market is surprisingly slow-paced and serene with the ultimate spread of in-season and organic edibles.

Showcasing a range of vendors, spreading from fresh berry-sellers (a 3-pack for $10!) to preservative-free tamales, the Westwood Farmers Market is the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon lunch—get out of the office!—and stock up your kitchen for the coming week. The winding marketplace proffers a festive atmosphere, welcoming visitors with grilled corn on a stick ($3), samples of juicy Valencia oranges, and an open area bright with both cut and blossoming flowers. Local artisans and craft-makers also contribute to the market the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

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