In 1905, tobacco tycoon Abbot Kinney founded what he hoped would be a cultural utopia inspired by Venice, Italy. He envisioned a literate and morally upstanding society on the shores of the Pacific, 14 miles west of Los Angeles. Skip ahead five score and a dozen years, and it’s safe to say that Venice Beach isn’t exactly what Mr. Kinney had in mind. In the … Continue reading A Case of the Munchies in Venice Beach
On a mild fall evening earlier this week, on a breathtaking Beverly Hills rooftop, Crateful founder and CEO Emanuele Ponzo hosted an intimate gathering of wine aficionados for a four-course dinner pairing featuring Italian winemaker Ca’ del Bosco. It was one of those rare meals that food writers fondly catalog among their more memorable experiences. Then again, that’s what a Crateful dinner is. If you’re … Continue reading A Sparkling Italian Debuts in Beverly Hills
Recipe for fun: Get your best friend, take the top down, and inch your way down the 405 to Surf City, USA, aka, Huntington Beach. Full disclosure, I did some growing up in the not-really-that-immediate vicinity and when someone said the word, “beach,” it was just assumed they meant Huntington. A lot’s changed since then (there’s now an internet, we all have cell phones, Communism … Continue reading Welcome to Dog-Friendly Surf City
As promised, here is my second installment in an ambitious attempt to highlight our local Native American gaming resorts. Today, we’ll be discussing Viejas Casino & Resort. In the small high-desert town of Alpine in Viejas in the distant southeastern corner of San Diego County, you’ll find an oasis known as Viejas. Locals come to play casino games, enjoy great dining, partake in the nightclub … Continue reading LA Getaway: Viejas Casino & Resort
Southern Californians have a variety of casino resort options. Every metropolitan area has on its distant outskirts at least one gaming establishment on Native American lands. Your humble correspondent has launched an ambitious undertaking: to experience these local hospitality providers and report back to you, the would-be informed traveler. In future posts, I intend to offer feedback on some big names in the genre: Morongo, … Continue reading LA Getaway: Pechanga Resort & Casino
No matter what the calendar may say, summer doesn’t really begin in L.A. until July fourth. The gloom of June has at last burned off and temperatures are on the rise. In this city, the Fourth of July — beloved by pyromaniacs, despised by canines — is the sun’s official coming out party and it is celebrated in every neighborhood with a quintessential American tradition … Continue reading July 4th BBQ Bash at Marina del Rey Hotel
On Wednesday, Wexler’s Deli hosted a three-course mustard tasting. That sentence doesn’t really do justice to the event. You’re thinking scoops of mustard served in spoons, right? Some elaboration will help explain why this evening was something of a tastebuds celebration party. Mustard is, for anyone not struggling through undergraduate life, a condiment. It plays a supportive role in any dish. Don’t let that diminish … Continue reading The Joy of Mustard
Last week, Los Angeles was treated to a sneak peek of a coming attraction from Down Under. Chef Shaun Quade of Melbourne, Victoria’s Lûmé, hosted an intimate group of food writers in the Arts District with a four-course sampling of his multisensory culinary approach that has earned him accolades in his native Australia. Victoria is renowned for its food scene, which is centered in downtown … Continue reading Lûmé Comes from a Land Down Under
If America was ever a melting pot, Los Angeles didn’t get the memo. We’re not fondue. To keep it in culinary terms, L.A. is more of a TV dinner, with separate and distinct sections that, together, create a meal. A look at the city’s demographics reveal what Angelenos intuitively know: for the most part, our neighborhoods are rather homogenous. But in that homogeneity, certain traditions … Continue reading Food for Thought – A tour through Koreatown
The overhaul of Robertson Plaza is off to a great start. In addition to a Blue Bottle Cafe, the space also now boasts a chic new eatery. The former site of The Newsroom is now occupied by The Henry, an elegant all-day dining locale and watering hole (that could be interpreted as an “all-day watering hole,” which would be entirely too self-revealing…). Located on Robertson … Continue reading Regarding The Henry
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