Cake & Heels

Reverse Wedding Crashers... aka The Fake Bachelorette Party!

2012-03-04T15:15:00.001-08:00

OK I need to make 2 things perfectly clear before I start this post. One. No. I am not engaged. So don't go on and on with your congratulations, and oh that ring is so stunning, and ooo when is the wedding. It's not happening. (And trust me, you will know when it does actually happen.) Two. Yes, the boyfriend was fully aware of our game plan & begrudgingly supported it all in the name of booty.

Now that all of that's out of the way...

One boring night out my friend paused & took stock of her social life. Every weekend it was the same. Hit up the same bars, go about casually talking to a few guys, go home. Wash & repeat. She then thought back to her last few fantastic nights out... all at bachelorette parties. What made them different? What made her different at them?

I'd like to think of it as the Halloween Syndrome, put on a costume, a mask of any sorts and it gives you the ability to step outside the confines of your comfort zone thus enabling you to act out your uber confident persona that most people are only privy to after getting to know you for a while. While people love to hate on The Game by Neil Strauss, there's rhyme to his reasoning. People are inherently attracted to confidence. It's as simple as that. Girl's at bachelorette parties are confident. They're also generally intoxicated & to any single guy scouring a bar on a Saturday night, targets. What does that equal? The perfect storm.

Now my friend acknowledged that she didn't plan on meeting the love of her life at a bachelorette party (granted she wasn't opposed to meeting him either) but what she did plan on was meeting a flurry of single & cute guys, significantly lowering her bar tabs and having an excuse to walk up to a stranger and feel completely confident in asking him to take off his boxers or give her a lap-dance. So on that one fateful day, the idea of the Fake Bachelorette Party was born.

Rules

Do not talk about the Fake Bachelorette Party.

until the next day of course when you have to explain to people that you're not really engaged.

Commit to your Character.

beyonce, we're talking to you.

Brainstorm a list of "Games" designed to force you to talk to as many guys as possible.

scavenger hunts are a fantastic idea. get the competition flowing.

Pre-Game.

duh.

Choose a location filled with men you'd actually like to take home for a night.

i.e. do not go to Saddle Ranch or Bar 107

Make sure you know important details like Bachelor's Name, Wedding Date, etc.

justin bobby golden.

Go ahead, get yourself a penis gun.

oh and penis flavored lollipops while you're at it.

I have to say this was a deliciously wonderful examination of the social psychology of what it takes to change a perfectly normal & centered woman into what HIMYM proudly proclaims the "Wooooo Girl." (Yeah Slick Mahony, deal with all of those adjectives.) In our little Machiavellian game, being one of the few girls tasked with playing the bride to be, I opted to draw first shift. Plus (as you've noticed by now) I'm a huge fan of the "Have you met my friend..." and have no scruples about pulling it as many times as needed throughout the course of a night.

Without going into too many details, I will say this... objectives were achieved, tasks ticked, goals conquered and everyone had a fantastic time. This was a great little shake-up to our normal routine and do expect to see it pop up from time to time whenever anyone needs a little punch in the gut to their love life. I'll also apologize to those of you who call this little game misleading... actually. I don't. It was hilarious and amazing.

FOODIES || Chef Yealang's SOUL Pop-Up

2012-03-02T12:54:00.001-08:00

By now you guys are all familiar with that little FOODIES group I'm in with Michael Levinson & Gloria Fan, with stuff like penis shaped pigs tails, live octopus & still moving lobster sashimi, taco truck crawls in Highland Park, some korean fried chicken at the prince in k-town and Gottsui Okonomiyaki in little Osaka.

Well this time around they went for a more hip food adventure, the Moveable Feast of Chef Yealang's Soul Food in a pop-up venue previewing her new menu for her restro opening in October of this year. Mmmm mmm good. Being the ironic genius's they are, they were sure to include Frog Legs on this Leap Day edition of Foodies!

LE MENU

The Green Goddess Chopped Chopped Kale Salad With Pan Roasted Sun Flower Seeds To Live for and Roasted Beets

New Orleans Sea Food Gumbo

Smoked Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Holler Me Veggie Delight.... Brown Rice, Red Beans, Garlic, Onion, Celery, Bell Pepper and a Mouth Full of love

Fresh Marinated Fried Frog Legs with Chimichurri Dipping Sauce

The Jamaican Jerk Chicken Experience

Le Ox Tails Marinated in allspice, scallions,ginger, Onion and ''Lord Have Mercy''

Hot Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

All in all it was a fantastic meal & I can't wait to see what Chef Yealang can do with a professional kitchen!!

Chef Yealang Smith
Facebook Chef Yealang
Twitter @ChefYealang

Weekend Docket: 3/01/12

2012-03-02T09:54:00.001-08:00

HAPPY WEEKEND! Guess what guys. I'm going to be doing something insane + awesome on Saturday night all in the name of playing master matchmaker :). What you ask? It's a secret... but if you're really dying to know tweet me @nicolemiizuka.

Other than that, just spending my last weekend of freedom with some QT w/ the BF, Zero Is A Cat and my wonderfully cozy couch, mickey mouse blanket & tivo.

Oh and I might throw in a weekend Brunch at Mohawk Bend b/c I'm totally craving a nickle bag ;)

What about you guys? I want to hear all about your weekend plans too! Leave em in the comments below :). And as always... if you want to connect, you can follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

Friday, 3/2

Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week
March 1st - March 15th
I know Pasadena sounds like a hike for most of you, but with a ton of amazing bars, restaurants & the Huntington Library it's certainly worth a trip, especially for this Happy Hour week with $1 martinis, $2 beers & $3 gourmet sushi! Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week offers something for everyone. Diners will not only marvel in the adventure of taste that Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week offers, but will also enjoy free live musical performances. Participating restaurants include a/k/a American Bistro, Choza Mama Peruvian Cuisine, Haven Gastropub, Pop Champagne & Dessert Bar, Sushi Roku and more. All over Pasadena http://www.oldpasadena.org/happyhourweek/

Saturday, 3/3

11th Annual Lantern Festival
12pm - 7pm
Marking the closing of Lunar New Year festivities, Lantern Festival 2012 will feature a colorful street fair that blends traditional and modern-day Chinese entertainment with a hands-on, educational twist! Admission is FREE! Taking place at the Chinese American Museum, featured activities include stage performances, Chinese lion dances, cultural fan dances, Chinese folk dances, Chinese music, Contemporary/Hip Hop dances, acrobatics, martial arts, magic shows and shadow puppets. There will also be plenty arts and crafts workshops. Chinatown, Downtown Los Angeles http://www.camla.org/lanternfestival.html

Art as an Appetizer
11am - 3pm
Art as an Appetizer, part of the Pacific Standard Time is taking over the Pasadena Museum of California Art featuring an exhibit entitled "L.A. Raw: Abject Expressionism in Los Angeles, 1945-1980, from Rico Lebrun to Paul McCarthy. There will also be a ton of foodie trucks on hand like Border Grill, Casablanca Truck, Go Chew, Flat Iron Truck and Gourmet Genie. There are still cool special menus all around town as well at places like Playa and Rivera. 490 East Union Street Pasadena, CA 91101 http://www.lacma.org/event/art-appetizer

West Coast Premiere of “8”
7:30PM
Who wouldn't want to see this all star cast line-up in support of Prop 8?! George Clooney, Martin Sheen, Matthew Morrison, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others team up for a reading of Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black’s play about California’s Proposition 8 trial. Proceeds benefit the American Federation for Equal Rights. I think tickets might be sold out via their website... but I'd say this is worth a call or two to that agent who owes you a favor to sneak a few seats. Wilshire Ebell Theatre 743 S Lucerne Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90005 http://www.afer.org/8losangeles/

Sunday, 3/4

LA Weekly’s 4th Annual Gold Standard Food & Wine Event
12pm - 5pm
The Wine House and LA Weekly are proud to present “LA Weekly’s 4th Annual Gold Standard Food & Wine Event” featuring a selection of 40 restaurants curated by Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold. In their fourth year celebrating Los Angeles cuisine, Jonathan has welcomed back some of his tried-and-true favorites, and also invited a delicious array of new restaurant guests. As of this early release, a sample of confirmed restaurants include: Animal, A-Frame, Baco Mercat, Chego, Chichen Itza, Drago Centro, Guelaguetza, Jitlada, La Casita Mexicana, LaOn, Little Dom’s, Meals by Genet, Mo-Chica, Mozza, Palate Food + Wine, Street, Mezze, Nickel Diner, Lukshon, MB Post, Night + Market, Playa, Providence, Ramen Jinya, Salt’s Cure, Sotto, Spice Table, Starry Kitchen and Short Order, among others. In addition to all the great food showcased at the iconic Petersen Automotive Museum, The Wine House will be representing over 30 top-shelf wineries. Tickets are $75 each, or $95 for VIP, which will get you in an hr early. Peterson Auto Museum 6060 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036 http://www.laweekly.com/microsites/goldstandard2012/

Inside the Mind of the Arsonist
12PM - 4PM
I know we're all a little fascinated by fire, but after the recent arson spree, this sounds like a super interesting lecture... From Nathanael West’s imagined conflagrations to the recent Hollywood fires, our city is no stranger to flames. Visionary Professor Donald Johnson, in association with LAVA and Esotouric, invites you to participate in a special four-hour event at LA’s regional crime laboratory, on the campus of Cal State LA. Space is very limited and pre-reservation required for this unprecedented opportunity to tour the crime lab, learn from working forensic investigators and educators, and discover the real art and science of crime scene investigation. “Inside the Mind of the Arsonist” is an exploration of the scientific investigation of fire-related felony offenses, revealed through methods of evidence analysis, profiling and select case histories. Attendees will also have an opportunity to tour Cal State LA’s state-of the-art teaching and research facilities in the Criminalistics Department of the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. The Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center 1800 Paseo Rancho Castilla Los Angeles, CA, 90032 http://www.lavatransforms.org/crimelabmarch4

http://www.organicauthority.com

Lucques’ 9th Annual Cassoulet Night
5pm - 10pm
Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner and sommelier Caroline Styne present Cassoulet Night at Lucques, featuring the traditional slow cooked dish of beans and meats that’s become a classic of Southern French cooking. The $45 menu includes a salad of young greens and vernières roquefort, cassoulet de maison with duck confit, plus a gascon almond cake with roasted apples and prune-armagnac ice cream. Lucques 8474 Melrose Ave West Hollywood, CA www.lucques.com

Huntington Meats Demo @ The Farmer's Market
6pm
Suzanne Tracht, chef-owner of Jar, teams with Huntington Meats at the Original Farmers Market for a series of butchery and cooking classes. This first installment with butchers John Escobedo and Robert Ore focuses on pork. Upcoming classes will tackle lamb and beef. If you're wondering what you're in for, check out this Alie & Georgia video where they go bacon hunting... Topics for the class include breaking down a whole pig into primal cuts, talking about the different quality of pork, what to ask your butcher about pork, plus recipes and preparation guidelines, with generous samplings from Tracht’s dishes. The class is approximately two hours. Huntington Meats, 6333 W. 3rd St., Mid-City www.huntingtonmeats.com

Weekend Docket: 2/24/12

2012-02-24T10:37:00.001-08:00

Oscars Oscars Oscars! It's that time of the year where Hollywood glams and glitzs out, and everyone pretends they have important parties they're not attending. As for me? Last year was spent at the Governor's ball with Wolfie & Ms. Yard, but sadly this year will be a little more low key. Jersey Mike's Subs with my favorite Asian!

But before that, there are some other fantastic things going down this weekend. If you haven't had a chance to check out Short Order, GO. NOW. ON SATURDAY. And get ready to fill your tummy with burger upon burger & be sure to bring an extra bag so you can boot n rally!

What about you guys? I want to hear all about your weekend plans too! Leave em in the comments below :). And as always... if you want to connect, you can follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

Friday, 2/24

Welcome to Terrywood
Opening Party 6pm - 9pm
Terry Richardson’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, titled TERRYWOOD, presents over 25 of his latest photographs. Inspired by the multiple facets of Hollywood life, TERRYWOOD unveils a series of images of the famous locale, as seen through Richardson’s eyes. Terryworld meets Hollywood, as local characters, familiar landscapes, and architectural details, now verge on having a new identity. With images such as Hooray for Hollywood and NUDE, both photographs of the proverbial chintzy signs that are ubiquitous throughout Hollywood, Richardson illustrates his proclivity for branding whatever subject matter he approaches. Through a medium not typically understood as effective in translating an artist’s personality, Richardson manages to make his hand evident within his photographs. His identity is unmistakably present here, as if he created the very objects and scenes his camera captures. OHWOW, 937 N La Cienega Blvd http://oh-wow.com/terry-richardson/

Saturday, 2/25

Santa Monica Bar Crawl: Naughtical by Nature!
5:30pm Start
Wanna drink? Wanna drink for a really good cause? Join us with the Eagle Rock Yacht Club, purveyors of fine dodgeball fun and not-for-profit extraordinaires, as we booze our way from bar to bar in the name of raising money for open gyms and after-school kids activities! Invite whoever you want! All the bars will be within walking distance of each other in SANTA MONICA. There will be DRINK and Food specials at each bar! Wear something that goes with the Nautical theme! See you thaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrr! For the list of bars, pay your $5 participation donation in advance here: https://eryc.wufoo.com/forms/eryc-naughtical-by-nature-bar-crawl/

The Carnival of Magic Medicine
1pm - 4pm
This is an all-day fundraiser full of mini healing sessions, shamans, psychics, live music, silent auction, Great food and beverages, live entertainment and performances from projection-performance musicians WIFE, famed-violinist Ysanne Spevack, DJ Lady Dee, Dj Jeni Luv, Dj Seeps, Featherbeard, Mariea Antoinette and much more... All proceeds from event will be contributed to can-do.org for nonprofit fiscal sponsorship of Operation Get Shaman Durek A Kidney. 1503 S. Central Ave., at E. 14th Pl., Downtown https://www.wepay.com/events/the_carnival_of_magic_medicine

Test Kitchen @ Short Order
9pm - 1am
Being part of the Test Kitchen family is always a welcome and happy thing, especially when they put on awesome burger-tastic events like this one! Five Chefs, Four Mixologists, one amazing night. Short Order will host such former Test Kitchen occupants as Walter Manzke, Ray's chef Kris Morningstar, Adam Horton from Raphael, Short Order's own Christian Page, and Ori Menashe of Bestia alongside Julian Cox, Son of a Gun's Daniel Warrilow, Starck Bar's Paul Sanguinetti, and Chris Parke of Raphael. Reservations suggested. Burgers $14-18. Special Sides $5-$12 | All special menu items available a la carte. The Farmer's Market, 6th and Fairfax http://www.shortorderla.com/

12th Annual "Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica"
8pm
Brazilian Nites presents the 12th annual "Brazilian Carnaval: Exotica," the largest Carnaval celebration on the West Coast at L.A. Live's Club Nokia on Feb. 25th! This euphoric annual celebration before Lent, is the most anticipated holiday in Brazil to let loose and dance the night away. Brazilian Nites' magic formula of true Latin party spirit, sensuality and flavors features an All Star band of highly acclaimed international musicians curated by Chalo Eduardo (who performed with Sergio Mendes, Santana, Mickey Hart, Ricky Martin) playing classic Carnaval hits. DJ Chris Brazil spins additional Brazilian dance music and the band SambaDa brings its high-energy percussion, danceable grooves and visually dynamic show to the Carnaval stage. All ticket buyers are invited to join in a 100 drummer participatory drum circle by Remo and a free drawing for a trip for two to Brazil. An all night pageant of elite Samba Dancers and Capoiera, the traditional Afro Brazilian martial art dance add to the spectacle that is Carnaval. Costumes are encouraged! Club Nokia 800 W Olympic Blvd Ste A335 Los Angeles, CA http://www.braziliannites.com/

Eat Your Art Out
7pm - 11pm
When it comes to raising funds for your charity or cultural project, a silent art auction is a solid way to go. But tonight's fifth annual "Eat Your Art Out" is not your average fundraiser — it's more of a free big-top carnival, beer and DJ party, with a killer silent indie-art auction. Jane Dope's background in independent art and her long love affair with the glamorous, sexy and frequently violent sport of flat-track ladies' roller derby (as a leading member of the Angel City Derby Dolls) collided five years ago when the team turned its low coffers into high times — and this year is the biggest "Eat Your Art Out" yet. They're basically building a carnival park inside Titmouse animation studios, with food trucks, games and assorted fairground attractions strategically deployed to get your spirits up and prepare you to aggressively knock your competitors off the bidding platform at the main event — an auction featuring works by more than 60 local artists and designers who love this most rollicking sport of queens. All funds raised go to locking down a permanent home for the Angel City Derby Girls, and after years of looking gorgeous while kicking ass on wheels for your enjoyment, they deserve it! Titmouse Inc., 1121 Seward St., Hollywood http://angelcityderbygirls.com

Sunday, 2/26

Beverly Hills Wine Festival
3 p.m.– 6 p.m.
When you think of Beverly Hills, the first thing that comes to mind is luxury. In keeping with the spirit of this exclusive enclave, we have teamed with some of the most prestigious sponsors ever to bring you an experience of unparalleled extravagance. The Beverly Hills Wine Festival is proud to introduce the taste of some of the most revered wines, beers, and liquors available, as well as makers of exceptional products. The Beverly Hilton 9876 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90210 http://www.beverlyhillswinefestival.com/

Tuesday, 2/28

Closed on Mondays at Salt's Cure
5 to 10 p.m.
Salt's Cure will host a special Tuesday edition of Closed on Mondays to benefit the Edible Schoolyard at Larchmont Charter School. The three-course prix fixe menu will feature Meyer lemons grown, harvested and preserved by Larchmont Charter students, in addition to Tunisian braised-veal meatballs. Dinner costs $40 (cash only). Call 323-850-7258 for reservations; walk-ins are welcome. Salt's Cure, 7494 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; closedonmondays.com

Wednesday, 2/29

Hot Bartenders in Hollywood Crawl
7:30pm
The fabulous Minty pulls together some pretty amazing bar crawls, and I have to say I've been waiting for this one for a while. Um. Shall we gawk at hot bartenders? Why yes please! Bring em on... this crawl starts at the super tasty Wood & Vine (charcuterie anyone?) and then meanders through Sadie, Hemmingway's, Library Bar (yes, I can totally attest to the hotness of the bartenders here) and ending at the Spare Room. If you'd like to attend, hit her up on facebook or twitter! http://theminty.com/2012/02/22/hot-bartenders-in-hollywood-bar-crawl/

Weekend Docket: 2/10/12

2012-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

If there is just ONE THING you do this weekend... it should be going to see THE VOW. Seriously. Go. Just do it. You'll be happy you did. Or, more likely you'll make your date really happy you did. With Valentine's Day right around the corner, just trust me that it's worth it.

As some of you guys know I'll be starting a new gig in a little bit, so I'm giving you the fair warning now... I have every intention of continuing these weekend dockets but please, bear with me, they might be slightly more infrequent depending on my life at the moment. You can always tweet me @nicolemiizuka if you're looking for suggestions. Remember that. I'll still be here for you.

That said, this weekend is chock full o guns! Tonight I'll be bringing out the whiskey guns for the lovely B's birthday, making sure she gets nice and toasty. Tomorrow? Why, bring on the shotguns! Remember that best part time job ever that I have? Living Social Adventures? Well this is why it's awesome. I'll be shooting shotguns for a full day & then following that up with... what was that? More whiskey guns?

Sunday I'll be heading over to the LAX firing range to finish off the weekend with some handgun action. That's assuming I survive the shotgun adventure.

Considering I'm not including any Valentine's Day plans in the docket (because really guys, if you haven't planned something by now, shame on you.) I wanted to give you guys a link to one of my all time favorite bloggers: Caroline on Crack 's10 Ways To Celebrate Anti-Valentine’s Day in LA!

What about you guys? I want to hear all about your weekend plans too! Leave em in the comments below :). And as always... if you want to connect, you can follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

Friday, 2/10

Living Social: Triple B Shotguns!
on sale today
Here's the thing. Working for Living Social obviously has it's benefits, but if I could pinpoint the one major change it's brought about to my life... it'd be my new infatuation with shotguns. I've never felt quite so powerful as that first time Duck Hunt became more than just a game. If you'd like to capture a little bit of that then here's a deal just for you. Triple B Clays has a deal that's well worth it's price tag, $109 for two or $199 for four. Clay target-shooting packages with an instructor, two boxes of shells, up to 65 targets, ear plugs, gun rentals, vests and even a golf cart! For those of you who missed the awesome LS Adventures "Shooting & Drinking" deal, here's your chance to create an adventure of your own! (Granted I still advise doing the drinking AFTER the shooting) Anyway. Check it out. You'll be happy you did. http://www.livingsocial.com/cities/4/deals/224636

Orson Wells Double Feature @ The Egyptian Theater
7:30PM
Having finally checked out the Egyptian theater last week for a screening of Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, I can absolutely say that seeing a flick here is a must do on any LA list. And what could be better than a doubleheader featuring Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons? Citizen Kane - Orson Welles was only 25 when he directed this masterpiece, and it remains one of the most phenomenal motion pictures ever made. Welles, of course, also stars as Charles Foster Kane, a ruthless man who built a newspaper publishing empire and a character supposedly modeled after the real-life William Randolph Hearst. The magnificent Ambersons - Director Orson Welles' poetic, tragic adaptation of Booth Tarkington's novel, centering on the fall of one wealthy family, with Stanley Cortez's dynamic camerawork providing a panorama of turn-of-the-century America and the decay of the old aristocracy. The Egyptian Theater 6712 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028 www.americancinemathequecalendar.com

Saturday, 2/11

American Menu Design
10:30am
Author Jim Heimann will lead a visual tour through culinary history in his talk, "American Menu Design," based on his book May I Take Your Order? The lecture will draw upon the book's 5,000 menu images from the 1920s to examine the ways design reveals American dining habits. Heimann, one of the Culinary Historians’ favorite speakers, is a native of Los Angeles. His books include California Crazy, Car Hops and Curb Service, May I Take Your Order? and Sins of the City: The Real Los Angeles Noir. Having worked as a graphic designer, illustrator, educator and author, he currently serves as the executive editor of Taschen Publishing America. He is a current faculty member of Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, where he has taught since 1987. The event is free and reservations are not required. Mark Taper Auditorium at Downtown Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., Downtown L.A. www.chscsite.org

Indulge LA: Los Angeles Chocolate Festival and Pastry Show
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Chocolate, Pastry, Cakes and Sweets show to Indulge all your senses. The world's #1 Chocolatiers, Pastry Chefs, and confectioners come together to put on a great chocolate show in Los Angeles. These heavenly delights will be paired with the worlds top Champagnes, Wines, and Spirits. This years chocolate festival master of ceremony Christine Devine Fox 11 news Anchor. Celebrity Chefs include Jean-Marie Auboine, Adrien Niento , Chocolate Doctor, Alicia Boada, Lee Smith, Sarah Lady Chocolatier, Annette Starbuck and my favorite Top Chef Carlos Enriquez. Plus all proceeds to benefit St Jude Children's Hospital. $65 / VIP $175 (1p entry) Olympic Collection Banquet and Conference Center 11301 Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA http://indulgela.net/

Sunday, 2/12

28th Annual Los Angeles Wild Mushroom Fair
10am-4pm
This is just too strange and awesome of an event to not post... Wild Mushroom Fair? Why yes shroom-heads, head to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden for the 28th Annual Los Angeles Wild Mushroom Fair. Included with your admission to the Arboretum, this fair includes cooking demonstrations, mushroom growing demos, wild mushroom displays, books, collectibles, art, children’s activities and wild mushroom identification. Nancy Silverton of the Mozza franchise will be the guest chef on hand helping you pick out the perfect recipes to pair with your freshly garnered wild mushrooms! Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia 301 North Baldwin Ave., Arcadia http://www.lamushrooms.org/fair-2012.html

Sex and the City Zoo III
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Have a wild Valentine's Day at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, where we'll be celebrating animal mating, dating, and cohabitating with a provocative "birds and bees" presentation by Zoo veteran Jason Jacobs, who will share some of his insights about the pros and cons of relationships and staying single in the jungle with this light-hearted and informative lecture. A pre-lecture reception featuring sweet treats, champagne, wine, and sparkling cider will begin at 5pm. After the lecture, keep this unconventional Valentine's Day experience going with a delicious, romantic dinner at Reggie's Bistro (additional fee required). Prices: $25 per GLAZA Member; $35 per non-member Witherbee Auditorium, Los Angeles Zoo 5333 Zoo Drive Los Angeles, CA 90027 http://www.lazoo.org/valentinesday/index.html

Heads Up: Monday, 2/20

Walter Manzke vs. Zach Pollack & Steve Samson in the inaugural Food GPS Lamb Showdown
7:30pm
On Monday, February 20, Food GPS presents the inaugural Lamb Showdown. It’s Walter Manzke from upcoming République and Factory Baking Company vs. Zach Pollack & Steve Samson, the chefs and co-owners of Sotto. Guests will enjoy a six-course meal, with the talented chefs going head-to-head on four savory courses featuring American lamb, and two desserts starring sheep’s milk dairy. Every diner gets a vote on which chef delivers the boldest flavor, most originality, and best presentation. The winning chef earns $500, and of course greater glory. Dinner costs $75 Guelaguetza, 3014 W. Olympic Blvd., Koreatown www.foodgps.com

Foodbuzz 24x24: The Art Walk presented by Cloak & Dinner

2012-01-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

As many of you know (mostly because of my constant barrage of tweets, emails & facebook posts) I have an underground supper club entitled Cloak & Dinner. Our mission is to constantly push the boundaries of cuisine & cocktails by incorporating a variety of eccentric inspirations in our intimate dinner party setting. With my good friend Sean Brogan to co-chef (and write all our witty invites) and my wonderful boyfriend Isaac Zucca shaking things up at the bar, we hope to warp expectations & redefine what one can expect from 3 amateur foodies.

Loving to share our crazy attempts and interpretations of food, it's always awesome when one of our dinners coincide with Foodbuzz's 24x24 challenge, (and of course even more awesome when we get accepted!) Every month Foodbuzz chooses 24 food bloggers was 24 different areas of the world to all host a party on the same day and then blog about it. Having participated in the 24x24 event last year with A Day in the Life, I knew what this was all about and am coming to the table even more prepared this time.

From ashen scrawls on the walls of Cro-Magnon caves to vibrant vistas rendered on canvas in glowing realism, humanity's artistic prowess has cemented our status as elevated lifeforms and established a language that every subsequent generation will understand. Tonight we praise a handful of the masters, the artists who reflect their small slice of history with dedication, passion, and bravado. With each course you'll take another step through a gallery that spans our favorite epochs of creative history, seeing the world at once through an artist's eyes and a chef's palette. It's often stated that every great meal is truly a work of art. Allow us to finally remove all doubt.

The table was set... up as a Piet Mondrian of course! Hey if we're going to do an art walk, we're going to do it all the way. One question we get asked a lot is "which came first, the food or the concept?" Unfortunately there isn't an easy answer, it's very chicken or the egg, but with this dinner I can most certainly pinpoint it's origin. For Christmas my amazing boyfriend invested in a lovely little cook anthology entitled "Modernist Cuisine" & after flipping through page after page of gorgeous inspiration, I knew that Cloak & Dinner was going to come back from our little break with something artfully magnanimous.

What it was hadn't quite come to me yet. Then one early evening, sipping Chardonnay at BLT's happy hour, reading "Ferran: The Inside Story of El Bulli," and imagining the exquisite dishes presented in the chapters, a warm fuzzy feeling took hold and I pictured a warm consommé as a perfect canvas to create something spectacular. The ocean perhaps? No, it was a little too small. A pond? A pond covered in lily pads & flowers? Monet's water lilies?

I immediately began texting my co-chef ideas & his first response was LOVE. A whole dinner inspired by art, how... well let's be honest it's a little pretentious, but it was also a ton of fun! Out of that moment our next meal began to take shape, and I'm so honored to share it with you all as well!

Abstract Italian inspired by Jackson Pollock

tomato, basil, balsamic, burrata, garlic, onion, bread

Monet's Water Lily Oxtail Consomme

oxtail consomme, spinach, flower croutons

Mark Rothko Multiform Tartar

spicy ahi tuna tartar deconstructed

Picasso's Cubist Porcine Heaven

rosemary pork tenderloin, honey pork belly, mirepoix of fruits & veggies

A Gargouillou Study in Edible Glass inspired by Chihuly

broken glass jello, pretzel crumble, lavender ice cream, lemon curd raspberries, fruits

And of course, who can forget the cocktails...

War & Beets - Leo Tolstoy

Beet, Lime, Brown Sugar, Ginger, Tequila

Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson

Mint, Cinnamon, Lime, Blackberry, Rum

The Long Goodbye - Raymond Chandler

Bourbon, Lemon, Maple Syrup, Jalapeno, Luxardo, Angostura & Orange Bitters

Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess

Gin, Irish Whiskey, Orange, Lime, Cayenne, Nutmeg, Chocolate Bitters

Weekend Docket: 1/27/12

2012-01-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

Life? What life. This weekend is all about the food pour moi. Cloak & Dinner is back & better than ever (we hope.) With 2 seatings this time around, we've just doubled the amount of work, so expect to find me elbow deep in some delicious pork belly, edible artwork and... well I think I've already given away too much!

And Sunday. Just saying it. Bagel Sunday. Jeff. I'm there.

If I'm not completely burnt out at that point, I'd like to say I'd want to hit the LA Times Travel Show, but let's be realistic. The rest of my day will most likely be snuggled with ZeroIsACat watching the boyfriend play video games.

What about you guys? I want to hear all about your weekend plans too! Leave em in the comments below :). And as always... if you want to connect, you can follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

All Weekend

Los Angeles Times Travel Show
Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
From safaris to scuba diving, wind surfing to wine tours, archeology excursions to relaxing on a pristine beach, here’s where you’ll discover amazing travel destinations, attractions, activities, resorts, products, luxury goods and services and so much more! This is the perfect time to make your travel plans for 2012, and if the allure of shiny & sexy destinations isn't enough to convince you to attend, I spy the lovely Alie & Georgia listed in the roster of speakers. And you all know that they are totally fabulous. The Travel Show will also feature activities designed to provide a mini-vacation in the heart of downtown L.A. And you will have the opportunity to hop on an exhilarating zip line presented by Ecuador Ministry of Tourism, "walk on water" inside bubble rollers, climb a rock wall and glide down a rappel tower. Entry $10 Los Angeles Convention Center 1201 South Figueroa Street http://events.latimes.com/travelshow/

Museums Free-For All
Saturday & Sunday
In a joint effort to present the arts and culture to the diverse and myriad communities in Southern California, the Museum Marketing Roundtable announces the seventh annual ‘Museums Free-For All’. The museums—presenting art, cultural heritage, natural history, and science—will open their doors wide and invite visitors free of charge. (May not apply to ticketed exhibitions). It’s a great opportunity to check out places like the Getty Center and Getty Villa, California Science Center, The Annenberg Space for Photography, Autry National Center, Pasadena Museum of California Art, and many more. Some museums are only offering the special on one day so make sure to check out the schedule at their web site. Various Locations http://www.museumsla.org/

Second Week

DineLA
Jan 22-27 || Jan 29-Feb 3
“This is an exciting time to be a chef in Los Angeles - not only are you blessed with great local product from the land and sea but so many talented people are coming to LA and opening restaurants. World class chefs like Michael Mina, Gordon Ramsay and others have decided to come here to do business, as well as tremendous local chefs like Suzanne Goin and Wolfgang Puck and others who continue to create amazing places to eat. dineLA Restaurant Week is the chance for diners to introduce themselves to these great new restaurants.” – José Andrés, The Bazaar by José Andrés. You know what to do. Start making those reservations! http://discoverlosangeles.com/restaurantweekv2/index.jsp

Friday, 1/27

L'Ermitage Wine Club hosts Vitalie Taittinger of Champagne Taittinger
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Bubbles & Beverly Hills? Why yes please! And throw in a handful of delicious edibles, including cheese, charcuterie and appetizers from Chef Joseph Elevado of the new Livello restro for kicks. This sounds like the perfect way to kick off your weekend. Once you meet Vitalie Taittinger, you'll understand why Beverly Hills and Champagne are a perfect pairing. As creative director and spokesperson for Champagne's only family owned and operated Grand Marque Champagne House, Vitalie will charm you, as will her champagnes, including Brut La Francaise NV, Cuvee Prestige Rose NV, Brut Millesime 2004 and Nocturne NV. $35 per person. L'Ermitage Beverly Hills Hotel 9291 Burton Way Beverly Hills, CA www.hollywoodandwine.net/news.php

Saturday, 1/28

Eagle Rock Brewery Turns 2
Noon to 4 p.m.
Come join us for our 2-year anniversary celebration at the brewery! We'll be celebrating another amazing year by featuring many of our special beers on tap in the taproom and an outdoor beer garden (Sorry, no pets or children permitted.). Grill Em' All and Mandoline Grill will be at the brewery to celebrate with us and serving up some of our favorite eats. Need more of a reason? It's only $12 for admission and all attendees get a commemorative taster glass to take home while supplies last. Verdugo Bar, 3408 Verdugo Rd., Eagle Rock www.eaglerockbrewery.com

Pinot Days Southern California
1 to 5 p.m.
Saturday's Grand Tasting will showcase over 80 phenomenal producers of pinot noir. Consumers will be able to sample up to 300 pinots from every important pinot noir region, from the Russian River Valley to the Santa Rita Hills, Oregon to the Anderson Valley, Burgundy to New Zealand to the Sonoma Coast. Come to the Barker Hangar to taste these highly acclaimed wines, meet the gifted and charming winemakers who create them, and experience the passion and romance that the pinot noir industry continues to embody. Discover and celebrate pinot noir in its many diverse styles, ranging from modern to earthy to elegant. Explore new producers, find wines you love, and become a pinot devotee if you are not one already. We call it Serious Fun. Come see for yourself. Plus there will be food from Le Pain Quotidien. All-inclusive event tickets cost $60 Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica www.pinotdays.com

113th Annual Golden Dragon Parade
1pm Start Time
Thousands of people will flock to the streets of Chinatown for the The 113th Annual Golden Dragon Parade. This colorful celebration along North Broadway in Chinatown has become the premiere cultural event in the Southern California Asian-American Community. The Golden Dragon Parade has expanded to include almost two dozen floats, multiple marching bands, government officials, various dignitaries, entertainers, local business leaders and cultural groups. The parade’s theme emphasizes ethnic diversity, Chinese Culture and exposure to Chinese-American businesses. The parade continues to be a rich and diverse experience for Angelenos of all ages and ethnicities. Chinatown, Downtown LA http://www.lagoldendragonparade.com/

Drink Eat Play International Wine Festival
5:00pm - 8:00pm
The Drink Eat Play International Wine Festival will feature dozen of wines hand picked by K&L Wine Merchants. Including wine from Italy, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Brazil, Australia, France, New Zealand and more. A selection of spreads, cheeses, and bread will be available to nosh and pair with the unique wines from around the world. The event takes place from 5-8pm a the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel, leaving you just enough time to hit the blvd and all the excellent bars and restaurants in the area. Admission is just $60. Hollywood and Highland Renaissance Hotel 1755 N Highland Ave www.drinkeatplay.com

Sunday, 1/29

Japanese Food & Sake Festival
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A simply elegant and delicious pairing, who doesn't love a little sushi or yakitori with sake? Why not learn some culinary tricks from three of the city's finest sushi chefs this weekend, just in time to impress your Valentine's date. Chefs Nobu Matsuhisha, Katsuya Uechi and Hitoshi Sigiura will demonstrate some of their most popular dishes, including Matsuhisha's famed sashimi salad. You can also taste your way through Japan at the various food vendors, and participate in a sake-tasting contest to test your skills. There are even Taiko Drum Performances. Sierra Ballroom at the Hilton Hotel, 555 Universal Hollywood Dr., Universal City japanesefoodsakefestival.com

Vintage Clothing & Textile Show
9am - 3pm
The Vintage Clothing & Textile Show in it’s 29th year, features 65 exhibitors selling and displaying a wide selection of antique textiles, vintage clothing and much more! Beyond the high fashion vintage and gently worn designer clothing, you will find an extensive array of other material from nostalgic eras including vintage table linens, bed linens, Victorian lace, draperies and cushions, a variety of wearable decorative trims, perfume bottles, jewelry boxes, buttons, shoes, handbags, jewelry, shawls, ethnic textiles and the list goes on. The show has attracted a very loyal and enthusiastic following. In recent shows, designer resale has been a noticeably strong trend. Participating dealers are known to save their best and most unusual items for this event and their audience knows it. There is always something for everyone, from the most discerning collector to the college student on a limited budget! The Pickwick Gardens 1001 Riverside Drive Burbank http://www.caskeylees.com/Vintage/Vintage.html

Welcome Inn Time Machine
4pm - 10pm
As part of Pacific Standard Time’s ongoing art exhibition in Los Angeles, the performance and public arts festival is wrapping up this weekend. Included in the unique events is the Welcome Inn Time Machine in Eagle Rock. The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound transforms Eagle Rock’s Welcome Inn into a venue for live performances. With a six hour event featuring experimental music originating in Southern California between 1949 and 1977. Welcome Inn 1840 W. Colorado Blvd. http://www.sassas.org/

Weekend Docket: 1/20/12

2012-01-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

What am I doing this weekend? Oh really? You'd like to know? Awesome. Because I'm going to tell you regardless...

Tonight I'm going to see if 2012 is my lucky year (even though I'm not Chinese) before I wander through a disappearing environment shrouded in a sea of dry ice fog. Then it's off to an early night's sleep so I'm fully refreshed for a hopefully rain free day of rooftop yoga at the shangri-la {with oysters and caviar obviously} a mini-work out sesh at the cycle house on la cienega with the always up for anything loveonthego and perhaps wrapping up the night with a photobooth shoot at The Churchill. Sunday is a day of football (or so I'm told) but I'm going to try and sneak in a dineLA early supper at Starry Kitchen before heading to Staples for a little Laker's action. But of course everything I mentioned above is all contingent on the hope that my constant fits of sneezing, coughing, runny nose & bursting out into giggle fests (just ask the Grumpy Bear) are the result of allergies & not the beginnings of a cold.

What about you guys? I want to hear all about your weekend plans too! Leave em in the comments below :). And as always... if you want to connect, you can follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

All Weekend

The Affordable Art Fair
Through Sunday Jan 22nd
Twelve years ago, Will Ramsay changed the model of the traditional art fair by creating the Affordable Art Fair, where contemporary art is accessible to all. Now in ten locations around the world, with the L.A. fair being the eleventh, Affordable Art Fair proves that you do not need to be an art expert or a billionaire to have original works of art by living artists in your home or office. With prices starting at $100 (ranging up to $10,000) the Affordable Art Fair will present original, contemporary works to entice the entire L.A. community. Event Deck at L.A. Live 1005 Chick Hearn Court Los Angeles,, CA 90015 www.affordableartfair.us/losangeles/

Pacific Standard Time Festival
Through Jan 29th
The history of postwar art in Los Angeles is punctuated by dramatic examples of public artworks, large-scale spectacles, expansive performances, and small-scale interventions in the public sphere. The Pacific Standard Time Performance and Public Art Festival celebrates this history through a contemporary lens, with a series of adaptations, re-inventions, and commissions that are inspired by the installation and performance artists working in Los Angeles between 1945 and 1980. Throughout the 11-day festival, a group of new public artworks will be on view throughout the city. In addition, new performances will premiere every day, including outdoor visual spectacles, experimental theater and sound art, social and political interventions, and media art. A nightly after-party, Black Box, will provide a space for socializing, and include surprise performances each evening. Various locations across L.A. www.pacificstandardtimefestival.org.

Starting THIS Weekend

Friday, 1/20

Beverly Hills Celebrates Chinese New Year
6pm - 9pm
God I love the Golden Triangle. It will be a Chinese New Year to remember as Beverly Hills celebrates the Year of the Dragon with a spectacular evening of entertainment, shopping and dining. The festivities unfold on the 400 block of Rodeo Drive as an exciting Chinese lion dance and drum corps performance group takes center stage on the block for all to enjoy. Not only is the general public encouraged to join the revelry, but the first 1,000 people who register at the welcome table will also receive a Good Fortune envelope. Each envelope contains a commemorative pin and listing of special in-store events and offers. Additionally, a limited few might also be fortunate enough to win an exclusive gift valued at $200 or more from some of Beverly Hills' most exceptional merchants, restaurants and hotels. Several stores and restaurants on and around Rodeo Drive embrace the arrival of the Chinese New Year with in-store specials and dining promotions throughout the evening. The Golden Triangle, Beverly Hills http://www.lovebeverlyhills.com/dragon

Saturday, 1/21

LA Ri-ettes vs. San Diego Wildfires
6pm - 10pm
Are you ready for some All Women's Bank Track Roller Derby action? Founded in 2003, the L.A. Derby Dolls (www.derbydolls.com/la) are the West Coast's premiere women's banked-track, quad-skating, roller derby league. Within the league, four fierce teams battle for dominance: Fight Crew, Sirens, Tough Cookies and Varsity Brawlers with the Ri-Ettes featuring our best athletes that battle it out against All Stars from visiting cities. While their uniforms may be stylish and their names playful, do not be fooled by their appearance. The Derby Dolls are athletes who skate a sport that is unscripted and real. Honored as a Treasure of Los Angeles by the Central City Association, the L.A. Derby Dolls embody the do-it-yourself, "for the skaters, by the skaters" ethos of modern women's roller derby. The event offers a full range of entertainment on and off the track, with the Doll Mall featuring an eclectic assortment of boutique vendors, food from Garage Pizza, Hot Dog on a Stick, and other popular food trucks, as well as natural energy beverages provided by Ex-Drinks. Tecate and Jack Daniel's ready-to-drink bottles will be served by Alex's Bar. The Doll Factory 1910 W. Temple St., Los Angeles www.derbydolls.com/la

Sunday, 1/22

Free Dance Classes at Your Neighborhood Studio
1:30pm - 7pm
With a motto "When in doubt... DANCE!" who wouldn't want to check this place out? And for free? Located in Culver City, Your Neighborhood Studio offers 70 classes a week including Zumba, Club Karma, GROOV3, Burlesque, Samba, Bollywood, Cardio Ballet, Pop Video, Old School, Yoga Booty Ballet, Jazz Funk, Strip Hop, Contemporary Lyrical, Modern, Classical Ballet, Basic Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Hip Hop, House, West African, Tahitian, Tap and Breakin'/Rockin'... so many to choose from and on Sunday they're offering 30 minute intro classes on a first come, first serve basis. Here's to actually completing all your New Years Resolutions! Your Neighborhood Studio, 3625 Hayden Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232 www.yourneighborhoodstudio.com

2012 Hawaiian Slack Key Festival
2pm - 5pm
Kala Koa Entertainment presents the first and biggest showcase of its kind anywhere outside the islands and the most prestigious Hawaiian music concert event in the mainland U.S. Honoring one of the world's great acoustic guitar traditions, "slack key" (ki ho'alu), this year's lineup features some of the most respected names in Hawaiian guitar music today: Cyril Pahinui (son of Gabby Pahinui) performing with GRAMMY winner Jeff Peterson, Sonny Lim and sister Lorna Lim of the Lim Family, Jim "Kimo" West (recording and touring guitarist for "Weird" Al Yankovic), slack key guitarist and falsetto singer Steven Espaniola and one of Hawaii's hottest new groups, Hi'ikua. They will also have an Island Marketplace opens at 11am on the grounds of the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center and is free and open to the public. Tickets $34 - $55 Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. Redondo Beach, CA www.kalakoa.com

Georges Mélièls Shorts Program
5pm
If you've seen Martin Scorsese's Hugo, you've gotten a taste of the fantastical filmmaking of Georges Mélièls. Mélièls (pronounced mel-YEZ), who made films from the 1890s through the 1920s, is credited with making the first science-fiction film and was even known as the "Cinemagician." Time-lapse photography, multiple exposures and hand-tinted coloring were a few of the techniques he helped develop. American Cinematheque presents a Georges Mélièls Shorts Program with live musical accompaniment, featuring such rarely seen titles as L'Auberge du Bon Repos, Le Chapeau A Surprise (the surprising hat!), Le Monstre, Le Livre Magique and many more. $11 Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica www.americancinematheque.com

Wednesday, 1/25

Whole Hog Dinner at Wood & Vine
8:30 p.m.
Local favorites Wood & Vine and Lindy & Grundy are joining forces for a whole-animal dinner and discussion on sustainable meat practices. The four-course menu features such porcine goodness as house-made charcuterie, pork-cheek ravioli, slow-roasted pork shoulder, and bourbon ice cream with chocolate-covered house-smoked bacon. $50 with optional cocktail pairings. Wood & Vine, 6280 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood www.woodandvine.com

Thursday, 1/26

Studio Ghibli Retrospective
Jan 26th - Feb 12th
The American Cinematheque is thrilled to present a comprehensive retrospective of Studio Ghibli’s films, including new 35mm prints of several films that have never been released in North America. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see Miyazaki’s beloved favorites MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, PRINCESS MONONOKE, NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, CASTLE IN THE SKY and PORCO ROSSO, as well as seldom-seen films by Takahata, such as POM POKO, ONLY YESTERDAY and MY NEIGHBORS THE YAMADAS. Also included in this comprehensive program are the first Ghibli feature to be made by someone other than Miyazaki or Takahata, Tomomi Mochizuki’s OCEAN WAVES, Miyazaki protégé Yoshifumi Kondo’s sole feature WHISPER OF THE HEART and Hiroyuki Morita’s sequel to the Kondo film, THE CAT RETURNS. Screenings are at both the Egyptian and Aero Theaters. Check the website for dates/times. http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/castles-in-the-sky-miyazaki-takahata-and-the-masters-of-studio-ghibli

FOODIES || Gottsui's Okonomiyaki Adventure

2012-01-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

I'm seriously loving having a group of fellow adventurous eaters who gather monthly to check out the new, obscure and {mostly}delicious off the beaten path restaurants all over town. First there were the penis shaped pigs tails. Then they busted out the live octopus & still moving lobster sashimi. There was also that super awesome taco truck crawl in Highland Park, and some korean fried chicken at the prince in k-town. This time, the FOODIE group brings us to little Osaka for a taste of the Japanese Pizza otherwise known as Okonomiyaki.

Broken down, "okonomi" literally means "to one's liking" and yaki basically refers to anything grilled, so when presented with the "As you like it Japanese Pancake" offerings, we were giving a variety of choices as to what would go on top. The base generally consists of a batter mixed with cabbage, fried on a griddle and first topped with a sweet and smokey okonomiyaki sauce, which looks and tastes like a slightly thicker Worcestershire sauce. Then there's a squeeze bottle of Kewpie, (Japanese mayonnaise)shavings of smoked bonito (fish flakes!) and a sprinkle of anori, a dried powdered seaweed. From there you can customize it any way you want!

The FOODIES in command, Michael Levinson & Gloria Fan brought us to a new(ish) joint, directly imported from Tokyo, Teppan-yaki Okonomiyaki GOTTSUI on Sawtelle! (right in the same plaza as Hurry Curry & Volcano Tea House)

We started our dinner with a smattering of appetizers, from top left going clockwise... Moyashi Nikumiso (bean sprouts with house meat & miso sauce) for which our only complaint was MORE! Then came the super succulent Sujishio, a Gottsui original. Seasoned & salted sliced beef atop a bed of grilled cabbage, this was easily the favorite appetizer of the night. Not to miss out on Gottsui's other specialty, we were treated to a vegetable yakitori with corn, tomatoes & asparagus, and finally finished with a little sweet & sour bite of Ponzu Kyuri. Similar to sunomono, this dish came with crispy cucumbers marinated in salt & ponzu sauce & topped with pickled seaweed.

Then came the Okonomiyaki.

First off, can we talk about how cute their menu is? I mean, c'mon. Adorable. Kawaii illustrations. Handwritten ingredient instructions. The fact that there's a category entitled "Surprise" on their website. Sold.

Being a lover of anything covered in garlic, I went with the Angus Beef Okonomiyaki, and after the Sujishio appetizer, I hoped & prayed that my pancake/pizza would be topped with the same amazing short rib. Yep. It was. And it was heavenly. I opted to skip the Bonito flakes, the fish flavor is just a little overwhelming for me, but I did miss the mysterious "dancing" effect they create atop the dish. I think my only change on the next visit, is to add a fried egg on top. That and I definitely want to try the mochi & cheese Okonomiyaki.

Gottsui
2119 Sawtelle Blvd.
West Los Angeles
(310) 478-0521
www.gottsui-usa.com

Weekend Docket: 1/12/12

2012-01-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

To Whom It May Concern ~

Thank god for holiday weekends, right?! I plan on doing a lot of R&R, with a sprinkling of R&D for our next... wait for it... Cloak & Dinner! shhhh... it's coming back. So get READY!

Love & Movies,
Nicole

p.s. And as always... if you want to connect, you can follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

All Weekend

21st Annual International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition
January 12 - 16

photo l.a. returns to the historic Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for its 21st edition. Continuing the discourse on photography’s place in the fine arts, photo l.a. provides galleries from around the globe a platform for the exhibition of vintage masterworks and contemporary photography, as well as video and multimedia installations. This exciting juxtaposition creates the unique environment that characterizes photo l.a. Over the past twenty-one years, photo l.a. has exhibited more than three hundred galleries, private dealers and publishers and has presented more than one hundred and fifty lectures and collecting seminars to the public. Our continued efforts to create a dynamic experience for our patrons has not only increased our loyal fan base, but has attracted over eleven thousand interested collectors, curators and dealers of photography each year. As the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945 - 1980 initiative continues into January, photo l.a. will include installations focusing on post-WWII art created in Southern California. $20 Santa Monica Civic Auditorium 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA www.photola.com/

“HEY, MORGAN!” at The Black Dahlia Theatre
Runs through Feb 4th
I'm not one to normally post theater runs on the weekend docket, but this one in particular I feel compelled to share. I feel like most of you heard (I Gave My Heart To) CAA when it made the rounds but then probably forgot all about it like me. Well I've now heard from a few people that this is a hilarious, not to be missed show that just had their run extended a second time. So now's your chance to go see it... (does anyone want to go with me?) Logline: The show is the very funny and very relatable story of the life of Morgan Farkas, a typical Brentwood girl, from the age of 13 to 32. “Hey, Morgan!” was directed by Matt Shakman, Artistic Director of the theatre and the director/producer of FX’s “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” He has also directed episodes of “Mad Men,” “House,” “Weeds,” “Hung,” etc. The play was co-written by rising screenwriter Matt Fogel, who was featured on The Black List for his script THE TUTOR and is currently rewriting BOB THE MUSICAL for Disney. Tickets are $20-$25 The Black Dahlia Theatre 5453 West Pico Blvd. www.heymorgan.com

Friday, 1/13

Space15Twenty Happy Hour Sample Sale w/ St. Germain
5pm - 8pm
If you're looking for something fun to do this Friday but will likely be too tired from the work week to stay out late, then the brilliant party planners over at Space15Twenty have whipped up an event just for you. The concept space is teaming up with their current pop-up shop, (PUR) Project Urban Renewal, to host a happy hour sample sale from 5 to 8pm. In addition to sipping complimentary refreshments and dancing to tunes, you can shop exclusive merch by cult labels Nombre, Jill Lindsey, and Sophomore for $10 to $50 a pop. Project Urban Renewal Shop at Space 15 Twenty, 1520 N. Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood www.space15twenty.com

Doug Benson's Movie Interruption: Cocktail
11pm
Mystery Science Theater 2.0? Why yes! Tonight there's a special WFiFF installment of Doug Benson’s Movie Interruption, where Doug and a hand-picked selection of fellow comedians (who, in the past, have included everyone from Brian Posehn to Sarah Silverman and Zack Galifianakis) chill on the front row couches, mics in hand, and say whatever hilarious thing pops into their heads while a movie of their choosing unfolds on the screen. For January, they rock it with the cheeze-tastic 1988 Tom Cruise vehicle Cocktail! $10/free for members Silent Movie Theatre 611 N. Fairfax Avenue Los Angeles, CA www.cinefamily.org

Andrew Zimmern Pops Up at Royal/T
6pm - 9pm
"Bizarre Foods America with Andrew Zimmern" stops by Royal/T to create a spontaneous and captivating experience for Angelenos. This unprecedented event will bring Andrew's bizarre world to the every day restaurant-goer. Merging cuisines, Andrew has created a menu to appeal to the masses while simultaneously introducing them to new foods, ideas and art forms. Chef Zimmern's menu contains a few fun surprises that will expand guest's palates, but when all is said and done, be tasty! All meat will be sourced locally through renowned butcher duo Lindy & Grundy and seafood from the Imperial Fish Market in Los Angeles. Wine parings and suggestions will be offered from local wine shop Domaine LA with additional beverages provided by Royal/T. Chef Zimmern will be both in the kitchen and in the cafe to meet guests. Photo opportunities will be available with the chef at various times throughout the evening. Tickets are $150, with a portion donated to L.A. Regional Food Bank. Royal/T 8910 Washington Blvd, Culver City. http://andrewzimmern.eventbrite.com/

Saturday, 1/14

2nd Annual Bock Fest
1pm - 5pm
Los Angeles get ready for the Bock Fest featuring the best German Bocks and many more Winter Warmers from all over the world. Tired of those boring tasting events, well then come to the Bock Fest and try some of the world’s best winter beers before it’s too late. Beer lovers rejoice as some of the worlds unique brewers come together in Los Angeles for a Beer Festival. So come get your beer on with your own souvenir glass mug to take home to remember the best beer festival in LA. Funds raised benefit Children’s Tumor Foundation. NO TICKETS AT THE DOOR!! $25 General / $65 VIP Vanguard 6021 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA www.barcelona.la

IN-N-OUT Burger and Zin
1pm - 3:15pm
Founded in 1995, LearnAboutWine is Los Angeles' Source for Wine Education and Events. Hosting events on a multitude of topics and interests, LearnAboutWine is committed to educating people about wine and food, while eliminating the barriers of pretentiousness and information overload. From beginner to advanced wine enthusiasts, LearnAboutWine pushes aside the myths and legends and gives you the inspiration and information you need to advance your wine knowledge and appreciation. They're pouring a variety of 15 different zin's in a blind taste test paired with In & Out Burgers before revealing the wines at the end of the afternoon. Guests will drink approximately one bottle of wine by the end of the event. Tickets are $79 Loft 218 530 Molino St #218 Los Angeles, CA www.learnaboutwine.com

Perfect Pairing: Fresh Cocktails & Spitz Döner Kebab

2012-01-12T16:11:00.000-08:00

Street Cart Fries @ Spitz

I have been a fan of Spitz, Home of the Döner Kebab for quite some time... First, I simply enjoyed their well composed wraps, their crispy sweet potato fries, and their refreshingly delicious white peach & basil sangria which was perfect for an afternoon of wandering the streets of Downtown LA. Later they made my taste buds explode with the introduction of their seemingly healthy (what, there's veggies) yet slightly gluttonous "street cart fries" topped with garlic aioli, feta cheese, diced onion, green pepper, tomato, kalamata olives, pepperoncini's and a sweet chili sauce, which is an absolute Must-Do when thinking about the LA Food Scene.

So what could make this place even better?

The addition of a liquor license... duh! That's right, Spitz NOW HAS COCKTAILS! Dammit, there goes my liver. And New Years diet resolutions. Oh well, what can I say... it's more than worth it.

Mandarin Basil Mojito || Santorini Collins || L.T. Guavarita

The Spitz franchise, who's original location is in Eagle Rock, is owned by two rockstar Occidental College alumni Bryce Rademan & Robert Wicklund who kindly invited me to come check out their new line-up of fresh artisan cocktails designed by mixologist Kathy Casey. Delicious cocktails are one thing, but here's what makes their cocktails even more special... their affordable price tag. I love my aged and infused liquors like everyone else, but considering most of those drinks run $15 a pop, Spitz's refreshing menu priced entirely under $10 is a welcome addition to the downtown bar scene.

If there's one cocktail that's a must try, it's their Santorini Collins || apricot, lemon, date, fig and anise house infused vodka, fresh lemon & soda bubbles served with a boba straw so you're not struggling to scoop up the bits of alcohol laced fruit floating at the bottom of your glass. But honestly? Everything we tried was fantastic. Bottom's up!

Spitz Little Tokyo
371 East 2nd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0101
www.eatatspitz.com

Happy Hour: M-F 3pm - 7pm
All Day Saturday & Sunday

Chris Crary's "Wild Game" Dinner @ Whist || 1/5/12

2012-01-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

The truly awe inspiring element of watching Top Chef (and well really any cooking show) is it's ability to make your mouth water simply from delicately crafted descriptions and what the show appropriately labels as "food porn." However, visually and audibly tasting food is a far cry from actually EATING it, so when Jo Stougaard of @MyLastBite announced that over one of her countless spicy meals at Jitlada, she'd partnered with the delectable Top Chef Chris Crary to throw a "Wild Game" dinner inspired by Episode 7 of this season, I knew I had to go taste everything for myself!

Perusing the menu I couldn't help but notice the constant juxtaposition of traditional with a touch of modernist in each description... I wonder if he picked up any new tricks of the trade while checking out Nathan Myhrvold's Modernist Cuisine in Episode 9. It was pretty amazing tasting everything, a lot of cool techniques, great flavors and comforting undertones in what I felt was a very nice balance. Regardless I'm sure all you're interested in is the food... so enjoy! (Visually... muhahah)

Amuse Bouche

Octopus & Potato Gratin

A nice little bite of the "wild" sea to start off the dinner... very clean and crisp flavors.

First Course

Roasted Rabbit with a Carrot Panna Cotta, Thai Spices, Peanut and Lime

What a cool and clever idea! Bunnies & their carrots... I sort of wish the panna cotta had a little more depth, but the rabbit was delicious especially with the spices and the crumble of peanut. Plus the little bunny lollipops were super adorable.

Second Course

Venison Neck & Loin with Coffee, Huckleberry Mustard, Crispy Shallots and Forest Herbs

I've never had Venison Neck before... wow was that delicious! Texture wise it just crumbled apart and was perfect for scooping up the delicious sauces. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two types of venison on the plate as well.

Third Course

Boar Belly with Root Vegetable Cassoulet, Truffle and Apple Ephemere

Very similar to pork belly, this absolutely tender piece of meat was fantastic. So much so that it's how we met the table next to us who noticed I'd slowed a bit (you know taking photos etc.) and kindly offered to help out with anything that was leftover. Unfortunately for her, I cleaned my plate!

Fourth Course

Antelope Osso Buco with Pearled Barley, Acacia Honey, Gremolata and Goji Berry

Damn you hunger... this dish looked so yummy that I failed to get a completely in focus picture before diving in! I absolutely LOVED the honey presentation which sort of reminded me of the spiced honey glass in the Modernist.... Interestingly enough each thing alone on this dish was just OK but finding that perfect bite with a little bit of everything really made it sing!

Fifth Course

Duck Egg Flan with Wild Turkey, Cardamom Crumble & Cajeta Ice Cream

Not going to lie, this sucker was as rich and decadent as it sounds. It really needed to be served with a shot of very bitter coffee to help it go down, but it was incredible. My dining parter dusted hers I think before I was even done taking photos!

Chris Crary with Executive Chef @ Whist, Tony DiSalvo

All in all I thought Chris did an excellent job of cooking fairly exotic proteins with very familiar and comforting flavors while adding interesting little twists and tweaks to make them unique. Personally I think I enjoyed it even more since we had such enjoyable eye-candy wandering around the dining room as well :). That and the bottle of wine...

But really, Chris after tasting your food, I'm going to say that the Top Chef judges defiantly sent Malibu home WAY too soon!

Whist at Viceroy
1819 Ocean Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 260-7500
http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/santamonica/dining-and-nightlife/whist.php

Weekend Docket: 1/06/12

2012-01-06T16:15:00.000-08:00

I'm baaaack!

Barely recovering from the amazing Wild Game dinner last night at Whist with hottie Chef Chris Crary (vote for him as Fan Favorite!) and Jo of MyLastBite I think I'm going to lay low tonight... hitting up Jeff Goldsmith's HAYWIRE Q&A screening and then going to bed early so I'll be nice and refreshed for a fun weekend of Oceanside Rooftop Yoga, Oysters + Caviar!

Plus it's my best friend's birthday :). HAPPY BIRTHDAY MYRA! So we'll be doing a little whiskey tasting + ice skating Saturday night... good god my life is turning into one big living social adventure.

Also if you want to connect, you can always follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

Friday, 1/6

First Fridays on Abbot Kinney
6pm - 10pm
It's the First First Fridays of 2012 tonight, and I'd normally not mention the monthly gathering, but there's a new kid on the block that's worth checking out... Brian Dunsmoor and Kris Tominaga's pop-up eatery Wolf in Sheep's Clothing is still serving in their Capri outpost on Abbot Kinney, and if you're lucky enough to snag a seat, this is the perfect way to kick off the new year. Plus the normal smattering of awesome art, boutiques and food trucks will still be on hand should you have to wait. Plus, if you're lucky Cirque de Soleil will be doing ticket give-a-ways for their Iris show (if you win a pair, take me!) Abbot Kinney, Venice http://www.abbotkinney1stfridays.com/

Double Feature at the Egyptian Theater: The Goonies and Stand by Me
7:30pm
"How could you have never seen The Goonies?! What kind of film student are you..." was a question that constantly plagued me in my early Tisch years, so I never got any of those Truffle Shuffle jokes. What a sad life, right? So now, having FINALLY caught up to what I should have watched back in 5th Grade, I'm sort of excited to see that American Cinematheque is doing a double feature tonight at the awe-inspiring Egyptian. So if you're not going to Jeff Goldsmith's HAYWIRE Q&A tonight, this should be your Friday night movie choice. Egyptian Theater 6712 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028 http://www.americancinemathequecalendar.com/content/the-goonies-stand-by-me

First Fridays at the Natural History Museum
5:30pm - 10pm
It's back! This awesome after hours series at the Natural History Museum runs January - July, and they're kicking it off tonight. Once a month, the entire Natural History Museum stays open until 10 pm and features live music, exciting scientific discussion, and behind-the-scenes curatorial tours. Since its inception in 2004, First Fridays has been has been an immersive program designed for audiences of all ages, bringing together a dynamic discussion with scientists on the cutting edge of their fields and musical performances by fresh and innovative artists. In recent years the program has been hailed as Los Angeles’ “Best Intellectual Event in Disguise” (L.A. Downtown News, 2008) and “Best Museum Party Night” (Los Angeles magazine, 2009). First Fridays welcomes its audience back to the Museum they loved as kids, putting a new and exciting spin on an old favorite. There will also be musical performances by Mariachi El Bronx and El-Haru Kuroi from 8-10pm. Resident DJ Anthony Valadez featuring Travis Holcombe will be spinning from 5:30-10pm. Natural History Museum 900 Exposition Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90007 http://www.nhm.org/site/activities-programs/first-fridays

Saturday, 1/7

Graze Little Tokyo Walk
10am - 2pm
The Japanese American National Museum has pulled together a weekend of educational and enlightening events including a little walk around Little Tokyo, highlighting what else? Food! A food centric cultural exploration of the hidden corners of Little Tokyo. This walk provides opportunities to sample local Asian food from lotus root to pounded rice while learning about the history of the neighborhood. Plus afterwards you can certainly whet your whistle at Spitz Downtown that has a new (and tasty) bar!! $15 Members, $20 non-members, includes admission. Wear comfortable walking shoes. http://www.janm.org/events/2012/01/#07

Monday, 1/9

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret w/ David Cross Q&A
8pm Start
Join David Cross in person for a special presentation of what’s possibly his most warped creation ever! Created, written by, and starring Cross (“Arrested Development”, “Mr. Show”), IFC’s “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret” follows the awkward misadventures of an American office temp/convenient liar who bluffs his way into a senior sales position heading up the London office for the new energy drink/toxic poison Thunder Muscle. Aided in his imbecilic gaffes and misfortunes by his mysteriously devious and sometimes useless assistant (Blake Harrison of “The Inbetweeners”), Todd inadvertently wrecks havoc on the entire city of London, to devastatingly hilarious results. Co-starring Will Arnett, Janeane Garofalo, Amber Tamblyn and Russ Tamblyn. Come watch a special feature-length edition of Season One with us, followed by a Q&A with David Cross — and catch Season Two on IFC, Fridays at 10:30pm starting January 6th! Tickets are $10 for non-members. Silent Movie Theatre 611 N. Fairfax Avenue - Los Angeles, CA www.cinefamily.org

Tuesday, 1/10

That's me! With a rifle... awesome, right?

Living Social Adventures: Shootin' & Drinkin'
goes onsale
I think you guys all know that I have pretty much one of the coolest p/t jobs ever working for Living Social Adventures and while all of the adventures are awesome, THIS ONE deserves to be brought to your attention because really... what more could you want out of life than an afternoon of shooting shotguns & drinking whiskey!!!!! (before you ask, the whiskey comes after the shooting.) SO. Get Excited, Mark your Calendars, and be sure to buy early before the spots get snapped up and the prices increase! See, this is me giving you lots of planning time so you're not scrambling Tuesday morning trying to figure out if your friends are as cool as you & down for some Shootin & Drinkin. http://www.livingsocial.com/adventures

These are a few of my {favorite} things!

2012-01-05T17:26:00.000-08:00

House of Tender Beasts on Etsy

Raindrops on roses...

This is a list I've been thinking about making for quite some time, but never had the patience to write it all out. Thank god for New Years Resolutions, right? I'm clearing out the storm drain of all those "great blog post" ideas that have been cluttered in the back of my mind, and actually putting pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard) so they can finally be a reality.

So, in a continuation from my Bucket List of restaurants to visit in 2012 I've added to it all of my favorite bites & sips in and around the lovely city of Angels. I'm going to keep updating both this list and the Bucket List in my {favorite} things so now when you want my suggestions... you've got em!

Plus... if you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.

xoxo
Cake & Heels

these are a few of my {favorite} things…

25 Degrees {number one} onion, gorgonzola, crescenza, bacon, arugula, thousand (http://25degreesrestaurant.com/)

A-Frame {baby back ribs} air-dried with hoisin-chili glaze and sesame (aframela.com‎)

Animal {bacon chocolate crunch bar} and ice cream (www.animalrestaurant.com)

Attari Sandwich Shop {kashke bademjon} eggplant spread (http://www.yelp.com/biz/attari-sandwich-shop-west-los-angeles)

Baby Blues BBQ {suicide king} pulled pork (www.babyblueswh.com)

Bandera {aged prime rib} on the bone (http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/bandera/)

Bay Cities {meatball sub} with all the fixins (baycitiesitaliandeli.com‎)

Beer Belly {duck fat fries} you’ll be glad you did (www.beerbellyla.com/)

Berlin Currywurst {bear bender} bockwurst (http://www.berlincurrywurst.com/)

BiBiGo! {hot pot} black pearl rice, bulgogi, ssam sauce, sesame oil (http://www.bibigo.com/)

Big Deans Cafe {extra large blue moon} with an orange slice (http://www.bigdeansoceanfrontcafe.com/)

Black Market Liquor Bar {mussels} fennel, chili, garlic baguette (www.BlackMarketLiquorBar.com)

BLT Steak {chicken pate} and popovers (www.bltsteak.com)

Boiling Crab {king crab legs} and corn (www.theboilingcrab.com)

Botegga Louie {portobello fries} bacon monkey bread (www.bottegalouie.com)

Bouchon Bakery {nutter butter} cookie (http://www.bouchonbakery.com/)

California Roll Factory {chupa cabre roll} yellowtail, avocado, cucumber, scallion, garlic sauce (http://calrollfactory.com/)

Cana Rum Bar {coconut} rum and coconut water (http://213nightlife.com/canarumbar)

Casa Cocina Y Cantina {nacho} madre nachos (www.casadowntown.com)

Casey’s Irish Pub {shot of jameson} pickleback (http://213nightlife.com/caseysirishpub)

Clementine {grilled cheese} month (http://clementineonline.com/)

Copa D’Oro {buck fizz} gin, champagne, oj & cherry brandy (http://www.copadoro.com/)

Dominicks {rice balls} with mushrooms and mozzarella (www.dominicksrestaurant.com)

Doughboys {the earl of benedict} vegetarian (www.doughboyscafe.com/)

Eveleigh {pot-roast mussels} chorizo, lemon, chili, parsley, aioli (theeveleigh.com/)

Factor’s Deli {debbie’s chopped} #2 (http://factorsdeli.com/)

Feast from the East {chinese chicken salad} extra dressing (http://www.ffte.com/)

Fig & Olive {mediterranean branzino} with fig & balsamic (www.figandolive.com)

Fig {death by bacon} bacon waffles, bacon ice cream, bacon syrup (www.figsantamonica.com)

Fresh Corn Grill {veggie corn grill bowl} with shrimp & curry (www.freshcorngrill.com)

Golden State {sweet potato} fries (thegoldenstatecafe.com)

Griddle Café {tis the season flapjacks} with a side of bacon (www.thegriddlecafe.com)

Guelaguetza {mole negro} con pollo (www.guelaguetzarestaurante.com)

Harvard & Stone {r&d bar} anything on tap (http://www.harvardandstone.com/)

Honor Bar {fried chicken} sandwich (http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/southBeverlyGrill/)

Huckleberry Café {salted caramel} bar (www.huckleberrycafe.com)

Ink {corned beef} appenzeller churro, red onion, pastrami syrup (www.Mvink.com)

Jaragua {niki’s true love cocktail} (http://www.jaraguarestaurant.com/)

Jitlada {tom yum soup} with coconut. couldn’t handle the spicy challenge (www.JitladaLA.com)

Kobawoo {pork bo ssam} milky soju (http://www.yelp.com/biz/kobawoo-house-los-angeles)

Komida {duck confit taco} wasabi guacamole (http://www.facebook.com/Komida.LA)

Kyochon {honey wings} pickled radish (http://www.kyochon.us/)

La Descarga {rum} flor de cana aged 12 years (http://www.ladescargala.com/)

Le Pain Quotidien {praline spread} with jam and baguette (www.painquotidien.com/)

Library Bar {white truffle} eggnog (http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt/drink/library-bar)

Lukshon {dandan noodles} kurobuta pork and spice (www.lukshon.com)

M Cafe {kale salad} sweet potato fries (http://www.mcafedechaya.com/)

Mendocino Farms {blue buffalo, not a blue cow} sandwich (http://mendocinofarms.com/)

Momed {duck schawarma} tomato, fig confit and garlic spread (http://www.atmomed.com/)

Night + Market {hama hama oysters} or since that’s off the menu, pork toro (www.nightmarketla.com)

Olive Kitchen + Bar {beet & burrata salad} (theolivekitchenbar.com)

Orris {filet mignon skewer} roquefort butter (www.orrisrestaurant.com)

Palihouse {pork and truffle pate} toast (http://palihouse.com/dining.asp)

Pete’s Café {tomato basil soup} blue cheese fries (http://www.petescafe.com/)

Picca {chanfainita} oxtail stew... until I try the rib-eye (www.piccaperu.com/)

Pitfire Pizza Company {pumpkin pizza} fall special (http://www.pitfirepizza.com/)

Red Medicine {bahn mi} order at the bar (www.redmedicinela.com)

Salt’s Cure {2x2x2} slab o bacon (www.saltscure.com)

Seven Grand {the eastside} cucumber and gin (http://213nightlife.com/sevengrand)

Shaky Alibi {speculoos} and liege belgium waffles (http://shakyalibi.com/)

Short Order {short order burger} side o spuds (http://www.shortorderla.com/)

Simplethings {banoffe} banana and toffee pie (www.simplethingsrestaurant.com )

Singapore’s Banana Leaf {mee goreng} with chicken (http://www.singaporesbananaleaf.com/)

Son of a Gun {benton’s country ham} honey butter & cornbread (www.sonofagunrestaurant.com/)

Spitz {street cart fries} white sangria (http://www.eatatspitz.com/)

Steingarten LA {wild boar and berry} sausage (http://www.steingartenla.com/)

Stella Rosa Pizza Bar {distefano burrata} roasted grapes, bread (http://stellarossapizzabar.com/)

Stout Burgers {six weeker} fig, brie, arugula, caramelized onions (http://www.stoutburgersandbeers.com/)

Sunnin Lebanese Café {beef shawarma} with hommos (www.sunnin.com)

Sunny Spot {muh-f*k*n mofongo} overripe plantains, bacon, garlic, black pepper (http://sunnyspotvenice.com/)

Tavern Brentwood {pecan sticky bun} suzanne style (http://www.tavernla.com/)

The Apple Pan {hickory burger} slice of apple pie (http://www.applepan.com/)

The Bazaar {jamon platter} serrano, iberico, bellota (http://thebazaar.com/)

Urth Caffe {orange juice} fresh squeezed (www.urthcaffe.com)

Versailles {lechon asado} cuban style roasted pork (http://www.versaillescuban.com/)

Vintage Enoteca {aecht schlenkerla rauchbier} smoked (http://www.vintageenoteca.com/)

Waterloo & City {duck and walnut country pate} orange marmalade (www.waterlooandcity.com)

Whist {chris crary} best thing on the menu (http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/santamonica/dining-and-nightlife/whist.php)

Wood + Vine {gnocchi} pumpkin, brown butter, pecorino, crispy sage (http://www.woodandvine.com/)

Yoshi’s Sushi {sushi bomb} (http://www.yoshissushi.com/)

Where should we go tonight?

2012-01-04T19:06:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year when we reflect on all the unrequited things we've managed to not cross off our bucket lists, and I figured it was high time I complied my must-do's so I'm not met with the same embarrassing sense of regret in 2013 when I've realized I still haven't been to Starry Kitchen or Lazy Ox...

Plus there's always that constant question of, "where should we go tonight?" that sends me into a google-ing frenzy over the latest EaterLA posts to find that perfect "I've been meaning to try this..." restaurant to fill that quota. Wouldn't it be easier if they were already sitting there waiting for me? So to anyone who ever wants to "grab drinks/dinner" please refer to the below and help me cross them off one by one!

Sincerely,
Cake & Heels

1886 @ The Raymond (http://www.theraymond.com/)
800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria (http://www.800degreespizza.com/)
Aburiya Toranoko (http://toranokola.com/)
Angelini Osteria (http://www.angeliniosteria.com/)
Artisan House (http://www.artisanhouse.com/)
Baco Mercat (http://bacomercat.com/)
Biergarten (http://www.facebook.com/BiergartenLA)
Big Mista’s BBQ (http://bigmista.com/)
Bludso's (http://bludsosbbqandcatering.com/)
Capo (http://www.caporestaurant.com/)
Cecconi's (http://www.cecconiswesthollywood.com/)
Chichén Itzá (http://www.chichenitzarestaurant.com/)
Delphine's (http://www.restaurantdelphine.com)
DGM – Dwit Gol Mok (http://www.yelp.com/biz/dgm---dwitgolmok-los-angeles)
Fat Spoon (http://fatspoonfood.com/)
Guisados (http://guisados.co/about.htm)
Hatfield's (http://www.hatfieldsrestaurant.com/)
Hemingway's Lounge (http://hemingwayslounge.com/)
Hollywood Pies (http://hollywoodpies.com/)
Il Covo (http://www.ilcovo.com/)
JiRaffe (http://www.jirafferestaurant.com/)
Joe's (http://joesrestaurant.com/)
Laxy Ox (http://lazyoxcanteen.com/)
Lexington Social House (http://www.lexingtonsocialhouse.com/)
Little Dom's (http://www.littledoms.com/)
Maison Giraud (http://www.maison-giraud.com/)
Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market (http://www.malibuseafood.com/)
Mario's Peruvian & Seafood (http://www.yelp.com/biz/marios-peruvian-and-seafood-los-angeles)
MB Post (http://eatmbpost.com/)
Melisse (http://melisse.com/)
Mercato di Ventro (http://www.sbe.com/mercatodivetro)
Mezze (http://mezzela.com/)
Milo & Olive (http://www.miloandolive.com/)
Mo-Chica (http://mo-chica.com/)
Mohawk Bend (http://mohawk.la/)
Mother Dough (http://www.motherdoughpizza.com/)
Musso & Frank Grill (http://www.mussoandfrankgrill.com/)
n/naka (http://www.n-naka.com/)
Oldfield's Liquor Room (http://www.oldfieldsliquorroom.com/)
One Eyed Gypsy (http://www.one-eyedgypsy.com/)
Pace (http://peaceinthecanyon.com/)
Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ (http://www.yelp.com/biz/palsaik-samgyupsal-korean-bbq-los-angeles)
Park’s BBQ (http://www.parksbbq.com/)
Providence (http://www.providencela.com/)
Rustic Canyon (http://www.rusticcanyonwinebar.com/)
Sherbourne (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-sherbourne-los-angeles)
Show at Barre (http://www.showatbarre.com/)
SooWon Galbi (http://www.soowongalbi.net/)
Spare Room (http://www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/la/hollywood-roosevelt/drink/the-spare-room)
Spice Table (http://www.thespicetable.com/)
Saam @ Bazaar (http://www.thebazaar.com/experience/saam)
Starry Kitchen (http://www.starrykitchen.com/)
Sushi Nozawa (http://www.sushinozawa.com/)
Terroni (http://www.terroni.com/)
The Gorbals (http://thegorbalsla.com/)
The Tasting Kitchen (http://thetastingkitchen.com/)
Thirsty Crow (http://www.thirstycrowbar.com/)
Totoraku (http://www.yelp.com/biz/totoraku-los-angeles)
Urasawa (http://www.yelp.com/biz/urasawa-beverly-hills)

p.s. I'm keeping a permanent & updated copy of this list in {favorite} things.

How To: Bacon Jam (courtesy of loveonthego)

2011-12-28T11:01:00.000-08:00

Dearest readers ~

Happy Holidays! My friend LoveOnTheGo has been working on her shooting & editing skills and likes using me as her guinea pig (mostly because afternoons cooking at my house involve lots of booze & food). Here's to hoping she makes more of these awesome little videos, but here's her debut on my Bacon Jam!! Enjoy!

xoxo

Cake & Heels

how to make bacon jam from angela l. on Vimeo.

*The recipe is slowly evolving, but I now have a secret spice mixture I've concocted to get the right amount of heat & spice & everything nice :). If you ask really sweetly I might share it with you!

Weekend Docket: 12/9/11

2011-12-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone's schedules are chock full of Holiday Parties and whatnot, but in case you find yourself with a little free time, there are some great events going on this weekend (albeit the really cool ones are in Pasadena, what gives?!) you should check out. As for me, it's back to the Trapeze for a little Living Social Life, Christmas Tree shopping & a tasting at the new and fully stocked bar at Spitz Little Tokyo! Yes you can expect a full report next week... their cocktail list looks delish!

Also if you want to connect, you can always follow me on twitter @nicolemiizuka or find me on Facebook!

Friday, 12/9

Vintage Denim Party @ Fred Segal
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Shopping, shopping and more shopping... it's that time of the year where every store outfits their sales with gratis booze to get your fashion styling & your credit cards loose. I wouldn't normally mention an event like this, but they're also advertising gratis Umami & PBR along with their stellar line of denim, and it's hard to pass up an offering of delicious happy burger. So if you're in the mood for a little retail therapy check it out. Levi’s XX Shop at Fred Segal, 500 Broadway, Santa Monica www.fredsegal.com

Saturday, 12/10

Eat My Blog: Charity Bake Sale
10 a.m to 4 p.m.
Who doesn't love a good calorie fest? This time they're headed to Old Town Pasadena for the fourth Eat My Blog bake sale which features a ton of sweets and treats from local restaurants and all your favorite food bloggers. Plus it's for charity! There's normally a whole smattering of bacon inspired confections, as well as hot coffee on hand to wash it down. All the proceeds benefit the L.A. Regional Food Bank in case you needed justification to eat your heart out. Pita Jungle, 43 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena eatmyblogla.wordpress.com

FinerThingsLA Christmas Kegger 2011
9:00pm - 1:00am
The drunk+fat girls of Finer Things LA are throwing their 2nd Annual holiday bash with free beer, tons of booze, food, raffles & fun. Plus, they're all about helping charity & all the proceeds will go to Food on Foot (www.FoodonFoot.org). Some of the cool raffle prices include Blow Outs @ The Dry Bar, Morrocan Wines by Exotic Imports, Bites Bakery, TooFaced MakeUp and Night Tap. Entry costs $10 and includes your first two beers + $3 shots all night. The Fat Dog - Hollywood, 801 N. Fairfax Ave. christmaskegger.eventbrite.com

Hyundai Re:Mix Lab L.A. w/Jason Bentley featuring director Jason Reitman and turntablist Cut Chemist
7:00 PM
Join KCRW for a very special, intimate evening with KCRW Music Director, Jason Bentley as he interviews director Jason Reitman and DJ/producer Cut Chemist. As fellow creative innovators and close friends, director Jason Reitman and turntablist Cut Chemist use music as a connecting point in their personal discussions. For the first time, they will be bringing that conversation - and their deep music collections - to a live audience for a free, one-of-a-kind event. With two turntables and a microphone (ok...two microphones) Reitman, the filmmaker behind the acclaimed movies Up in the Air and Juno and renowned DJ/producer Cut Chemist (aka Lucas MacFadden) will explore the songs that have inspired them and their creative process in a loose "conversation through music." Both artists have new projects in the works and will give us hints about what's ahead. Free w/ RSVP Farmers & Merchants Bank - 401 S. Main Street www.kcrw.org

Sunday, 12/11

Artisanal L.A.
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Probably one of the best events for locavore foodies, Artisanal L.A. is back with more than 50 vendors for its second annual Holiday Pop-Up Shop. This unique shopping experience will feature some of the finest in local edibles, including Plush Puffs Gourmet Marshmallows. In addition to tasting and shopping, there will be workshops from the Institute of Domestic Technology. Admission is $5. The first 500 attendees get a special gift bag. Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena www.artisinalla.com

The Minty: Fried Chicken Crawl
3pm - 6pm
The lovely Minty who's forever putting together amazing food & pub crawls has combined forces with Hungry Hungry Hanh and they're doing what sounds like a golden fried delicious crawl this Sunday in & around LA / Culver City. Fried Chicken!! They're starting with Roscoe's, then heading to Golden Bird, Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken, and finally ending at A-Frame for some Roy Choi beer can chicken, and of course dangerously good cocktails. Don't forget to RSVP! As usual, we pay our own way and you're welcome to come to all stops or just one or two. Please bring cash as it's handier. Start @ Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles 5006 W Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019 www.theminty.com

Weekend Docket: 12/2/11

2011-12-02T11:42:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like... a spectacular weekend for drinking! Where will you find me? Perhaps at Jaragua tonight, visiting old friends. Tomorrow, I'll be on the hunt for boozy clues in Hermosa. Sunday? Well people, it's Repeal Day! And the secret Bartender's Ball... Want to know more? Follow me on twitter: @nicolemiizuka

All Weekend

Unique LA
Sat & Sun 11am-6pm
This Holiday Season Buy Local! UNIQUE LA is an exciting two-day shopping event that showcases fresh, hand-selected design talent. With no ‘middle man’ you’ll shop directly from the designers themselves, which means prices will be less then retail. Shop from over 325 designers & artists, support the local economy, join in community and have a blast! Only 1000 pre-sale tickets are available. General Admission gets you your very own collectible tote bag, exclusive-to-the-show and #5 in our series, free drinks (IZZE, Honest Tea, beer, wine and more!), unlimited re-entry for both days and access to giveaways all weekend long, and free workshops with crafty handmade activities and free gift-wrapping. From 11am – 6pm on both days. The cost is $10. The California Market Center 110 East Ninth Street, LA, CA 90079 http://stateofunique.com/unique-la/

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing Opens in Venice
Open tuesday - sunday
In lieu of Cloak & Dinner concocting a winter wonderland (we're too busy doing things like Pub Crawl Scavenger Hunts) I wanted to offer you an alternative for all your underground dining needs. Chefs Brian Dunsmoor (formerly of Axe) & Kris Tominaga (formerly of Joe's) have created a very unique 'pop-up' dining experience within the confines of Capri Restaurant on Abbot Kinney in Venice, Ca. Their mantra is to pursue gimmick free food that real people want to eat. Offering communal rustic country fare, the two young chefs focus on offering unpretentious food inspired by locally sourced ingredients. Plus, they have baked oysters with bacon and shrimp. Can't go wrong there! So if you're looking for somewhere fun to eat, check out Wolf in Sheep's Clothing at Capri, 1616 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice. www.wolfinsheepsclothingrestaurant.com

Friday, 12/2

"Uncork a Wish" Wine Tasting and Auction
6:30pm
This magical red carpet holiday extravaganza, a major fundraising event for the local Make-A-Wish chapter, is designed to raise critical funds to grant over 400 wishes this year for courageous children, ages 2.5 to 18 years old, who are fighting life-threatening medical conditions. Proceeds from this spectacular event will support heartfelt wishes which fall into one of four categories: I Wish To Go…I Wish To Meet…I Wish To Have…or I Wish To Be. It’s going to be an event unlike any other! Make-A-Wish volunteers, donors, along with other Los Angeles business and philanthropic leaders are coming out in support of our wish children. Everyone will be treated to a unique whimsical journey of gastronomic delights and wine tastings, wish-making fun, unique live and silent auctions, along with some very special surprises. Come meet Mario Lopez and help us raise dollars to grant more and more wishes! Tickets $200 Beverly Hilton, 9876 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA www.wishla.org

LudoBites Truck: Foie Gras Friday
6pm - 9pm
The sexy and lickable Chef Ludo Lefebvre is back with even more foie gras, and this time he's mobile. Heard he's serving up a foie gras & corn soup, foie gras beignets and a foie gras terrine sandwich with celery root remoulade, apples, curry, diced fruit and crispy chicken skin. Wonder if he's also bringing back the foie ravioli from his now infamous foie gras pop-up at Animal? Domaine LA 6801 Melrose Ave [EaterWire]

Saturday, 12/3

~~ColLAboration Craft Beer Garden: Winter Wonderland~~

this event has sadly fallen prey to the winds & has been cancelled.
It's back!!! L.A.’s small-but-mighty craft beer scene is coming to a head. Some of the biggest names in L.A.’s acclaimed craft beer industry (Tony’s Darts Away, Verdugo Bar, 38 Degrees, Surly Goat, Blue Palms, and Mohawk Bend) are joining forces to bring you: COLLABORATION, a series of pop-up mobile craft beer gardens where true beer enthusiasts can gather and enjoy the best in brews under the warm California sun. And it's now time for a little Winter Wonderland themed. Golden Road Brewing 5410 N. San Fernando Rd West, Los Angeles, CA 90039 www.collaboration.la

Drink & Hunt: Show Me the Snow Hunt
2pm Start Time
Drink & Hunt combines the thrill of a live scavenger hunt and the fun of a pub crawl rolled together into our very own web-enhanced game accessed via your Internet enabled phone (iPhone, Android, Blackberry). Drink & Hunt provides an exciting social atmosphere that you can enjoy with your friends, family or co-workers. With 6 bars & an after party with prizes, this is sure to be an awesome time. Team Cloak & Dinner is hunting this time around, so we'll be sure to report back. If you want to join, entry is $30 and our team is McNuggetini (thanks A&G) Hennessey's, 8 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.drinkandhunt.com

6th Annual Los Feliz Village Holiday Festival
6pm-10pm
Los Feliz Village's Eclectic Annual Holiday Festival Features lots of incredible Gifts, Cheer and Goodwill. Complimentary Trolley and Open Air Bus transport revelers around the Village's main streets of Hillhurst and Vermont Avenues and Hollywood Boulevard. Carolers, puppeteers and Santa himself create mirth and an unforgettable holiday experience. Admission is free to public. 1874 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Angeles, CA http://www.losfeliz.biz/directory/events

Irregular Wine Tasting
7pm
Get thee to the Echoplex, aka the Julius Shulman Memorial Hall, this night for the forty-third edition of Irregular Wine Tasting, an adult-beverage haiku about which Lt. Cheryl MacWillie of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office never said: “I’ve got nothing against her personally, but Flo, the fictional cashier in the regressive insurance TV commercials, was an a–hole as far as the A-bomb was concerned.” This evening we pair five wines from Planet Vagina with four suicides from Suicide Club, then segue seamlessly into SuicideGirls presents Summer Suicide, featuring “beautiful naked punk rock, goth & emo girls with tattoos & piercings.” $20/person The Echoplex 1154 Glendale Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90026 http://www.attheecho.com/2009/07/31/friday-08-07-09-irregular-wine-tasting-4-suicides-from-suicide-club-echoplex/

Sunday, 12/4

Pig & Pints
1pm to 4pm
Who said nothing eventful happens between Thanksgiving and Christmas? On December 4 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Food GPS presents a lazy Sunday at Biergarten that combines three of my favorite things: pork, craft beer and ice cream. The casual event features a whole Filipino-style roast pig from Neri’s Curbside Cravings, seasonal sides from Biergarten executive chef Eddie Hah. Attendees will also receive two pints of California craft beer – Ballast Point Sculpin IPA and The Lost Abbey Red Barn – plus a special flavor of Scoops ice cream involving a certain Belgian beer, crafted by ice cream wizard Tai Kim. $30/person Biergarten 206 N. Western Avenue http://www.foodgps.com/pig-pints-biergarten/

Cole’s Red Car Bar 103rd birthday
All Night
Remember when alcohol was illegal and you had to distill your own White Dog to catch a cool buzz? Of course you don’t! It’s been quite a long time since Prohibition was repealed, but to celebrate the anniversary of this glorious day we are throwing a bash that may go down in history. Starting at 9pm, Cole’s, in conjunction with its 103rd birthday, will be kicking off the evening with a Repeal Day for the masses. Not only will there be a life size ice bathtub filled with Gin, but a live 3 piece jazz band, cocktail competition and last but not least, free French Dip sandwiches for the first 200 guests. Get in here and have a toast to, well… being able to toast with alcohol. Cole's Downtown 118 East 6th Street
Los Angeles http://213nightlife.com/celebrate-repeal-day-with-us?id=December%204th,%202011&tt=9:00

Monday, 12/5

"Sip, Smoke, & Savor" Paul Marie et Fils Dinner Event
8pm - 10pm
Join us in celebration of life's finest pleasures at Hollywood's most enthralling and exclusive venue, La Descarga. We'll be joined by the incredible Nicolas Palazzi, Cognac's new golden boy. Mr. Palazzi is known for bucking the trend and beguiling his competitors. He has breathed new life into France's most prestigious and circumspect AOC. Nicolas is one of the only importers and bottlers of Cognac that is committed to selling brandies unadulterated by additives and produced by true artisan masters of the craft. Palazzi will lead a tasting of his finest imports including a Paul Beau VSOP Cocktail, the Paul Beau Hors d'Age ($130), Guillon Painturaud Hors d'Age ($300), Paul Marie "Faultline" K&L Exclusive ($129.99) Paul Marie "Devant La Porte" ($600, 98 points Robert Parker), and super rare vintage bottling yet to be announced, think pre-1930s and totally priceless. You're ticket will get you unlimited tacos and quesadilla from one of SoCal's best Taqueria. Finally, you'll be treated to two of La Descarga's finest custom hand rolled cigars, to be enjoyed with your cognac at their beautiful outdoor cigar bar. This will be a once in a lifetime oppurtunity to taste some of the world's finest brandies and celebrate life with great food and unique cigars. Space is incredibly limited. Tickets are $70 La Descarga 1159 North Western Avenue Los Angeles http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1080083

Thanksgiving Stuffed Croissant!

2011-12-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving... that delicious time of the year when all of the classics make their appearance in abundant quantities only to sooth hungry eaters into a tryptophan induced slumber, before they wake up to a household filled with leftovers and only so many trips down Thanksgiving lane before they're sick of the turkey, stuffing, yam and cranberry combo.

Determined to not fall prey to the usual pitfall of reheating the same meal over & over, only to eventually throw out plates of week old turkey, I wanted to figure out a new way to snack on delicious Thanksgiving leftovers without feeling like I was stuck in a rut. Then Momofuku walked in and saved the day. Serious Eats posted a video of their November only Milk Bar Thanksgiving Croissant. Stuffing flavored croissant, minced turkey, gravy & mashed potatoes, sold. The idea was great, but not going to lie, the execution looked a little, well, muddy. I'm sure they taste fantastic, but visually they were pretty unappealing. I was missing the bright colors I normally associate with Thanksgiving, the deep red cranberry sauce, the bright green beans, the sweet orange yams etc. So I decided to try it out for myself, but with a few of my own tweaks!

Step 1: Portion out your leftovers into little stacks about the size of an iPhone, layering mashed potatoes, with stuffing, turkey, green beans and finally topping with a dollop of mushed yams. Also add a few scoops of cranberry jam to the plate & freeze overnight.

Step 2: Being lazy I started with store bought puff pastry, but this did inspire me to want to try and make my own croissants from scratch one day. Let it come to room temperature & set aside. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 3: Cut your pastry in half on the bias to make two large triangles. You might have to stretch them out a little to get them into an isosceles shape. At the flat end, load up your frozen ingredients. Then start rolling neatly, making sure to seal in the gaps.

Step 4: Lay your Croissant on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with an egg wash & then bake for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Step 5: Let them cook on a wire rack & then serve while warm.

Step 6: Enjoy!!!

p.s. these also travel really well, keep refrigerated after they've cooled and then re-heat in a hot oven (or toaster oven) for 2-3 minutes.

Short Order || 11/22/11

2011-11-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

I mean, I'm just taking Top Chef Antonia Lofaso advice "Stop dieting around the holidays people!" What with indulging myself at Chef Roy Choi's Sunny Spot on Monday & then pigging out at Amy Pressman & Nancy Silverton's Short Order Tuesday, this Thanksgiving Weekend is going to prove very rough on my gym routine... thank god I got that Equinox membership! Because at the end of the day, I'd MUCH rather be enjoying delicious food & working off the calories later verses living my life on a diet.

The newest burger joint to hit LA is a love letter from Chefs Amy Pressman and Nancy Silverton to the Short Order food scene. Out with the greasy, cheaply manufactured & overly processed foods on the fast, and in with a handcrafted selection of locally raised, organic and artisanal ingredients to elevate fast food to the next level. While their concept isn't entirely original to the whole burger revolution we've been experiencing in the recent years, their love of the food they're creating is easily apparent, and their stylized cocktails courtesy of master barman Julian Cox will keep me coming back for more.

While the opening of this restaurant was clouded with the terrible news of Amy's passing, Bill Chait, a partner in the new restaurant summed it up best, "Amy was the one of the singularly most passionate people I have ever met. She was more than my partner. She was my sister. She will be with me the rest of my life and there is no advocate I would rather have by my side. For me, there will never be a moment where I eat a piece of cake, or now, a burger, without thinking fondly of my dearest friend." ~ LA Times. I think she would be so proud of what was accomplished.

Nancy's Backyard Burger [$13]

Nancy Silverton's beef blend, artisan bacon, comté, avocado, tomato, onion, iceberg, spicy mayo

I really wanted to love this burger, but as it goes, everyone always has their favorite that they use as their gold standard & mine forever will be the original Shake Shack burger. That said, the beef was well seasoned, and the bread was spot on. My complaint was the abundance of avocado (gasp, what kind of cali girl am I?!) but it ended up overpowering the burger & making it a little mushy.

Short Order Burger [$12]Grass-fed beef, morbier, griddled mushrooms, bibb, mustardy mayo

While the first burger left me feeling a little underwhelmed, this burger is one I could sing praises of all night. The meat was rich and tender, the cheese luxurious & the griddled mushrooms adding a hint of decadence that left me wanting more. Plus the mustardy mayo was thick with seeds and I found myself scooping up fallen drippings with the spuds not wanting to let any go to waste.

Short Order Spuds w/ Dipping Sauce [$6]

Now these are what potato heaven should taste like... torn pieces of baked potato that are deep fried & salted. The creamy interior + the perfectly crunchy exterior was like a little mouthful of potato explosion! We tried out the "dipping sauce" as well which basically amounted to a bowl of baked potato toppings, sour cream, bacon, chives etc, but it sort of ended up being a little bland. Next time? Who do I need to sleep with to get Short Order to add the Mustardy Mayo as a side dipping sauce???

Granny Smith Apple [$12]

This is where I curse myself for not taking better notes (and/or taking a copy of the cocktail menu) but from my hazy memory this was a superb & thematically awesome cocktail just screaming holiday cheers. My friend Devin described it as "a mouthful of caramel apple." so I'm going to go with that...

Fist Full of Dollars [$12]
Craft method brandy, Combier, Amaro Montenegro, fresh lemon, cinnamon bark syrup, angostura, spiced castor sugar

Normally I have my Cloak & Dinner bartender lying around to analyze and break down the cocktail ingredients for me, but since he was off working, we had to google this one ourselves. The best thing is looking up an ingredient, only to see the words "the exact formula is a closely guarded secret." So with that in mind we knew we had to try this & like the drink before it, it reminded us perfectly of the holidays. While the drink was chilled, the spices and flavors left us with a very warm fuzzy feeling in the pit of our tummies, perfect ground to pile on a few dozen spuds.

All in all, the food was good, the cocktails great, the location perfect & our waiter Damien awesome. I will certainly be back, especially considering there's an entire upstairs menu I've yet to try!

Short Order
6333 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 761-7970
http://www.shortorderla.com/

Sunny Spot || 11/21/11

2011-11-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

Anyone who's met me knows that I am a huge fan of Roy Choi, so I couldn't wait to check out his new Venice eatery Sunny Spot in the old Beechwood locale on Washington. After tasting a few of his Caribbean inspired dishes at the Test Kitchen Reunion Dinner where he partnered with Chef Ricardo Zarate of Picca, I already knew that I was in for a treat.

My only failure? Going with just one other person... we were full after 4 courses, so I don't think we did the menu justice. Next time I'm gathering a big group, so who wants to come??

After perusing the menu for a little while, Loveonthego & I opted to skip the few dishes we'd tried before... but will absolutely be back to eat again. First was the Papaya Guava Salad which Georgia from the lovely Alie & Georgia duo pretty much licked clean of any stray bits of decadent honey. There was also a plate of the Red Bean Stew with the Roasted Pineapple Pork which was easily my favorite dish of the dinner, and a sampling of the Short Ribs with Chef Choi's Slaw, which rounded out the meal nicely.

So what did we get?

DIABLO PRAWNS rum glaze, garlic butter, herbs (13)

Lit up with 2 heat bombs I was a little worried about the spice factor, but it wasn't that bad at all. Slightly spicy and a little sweet, these jumbo prawns ended up being my favorite dish of the night & a must order for trip #2. I could have eaten the plate by myself!

MUH-F*K*N MOFONGO overripe plantains, bacon, garlic, black pepper (5)

Mushed plantains with bacon and garlic? Why yes please, I'll certainly have a spoonful or twenty. I do wish we had ordered a rice dish to go along with this, it was a little rich on it's own, but I'll just chalk that up to poor planning on our part.

WHAT A JERK WINGS double coated, double fried (11)

While delicious, these actually reminded me a little of the sweet & spicy Korean Fried Chicken wings at KyoChon mixed with a little island spices. A little messy to eat, these needed to come with their own set of wet-naps. And a few pickled daikon would have actually been nice.

slow roasted G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) pickled mango (15)

So on Friday when Sunny Spot opened, I was leaving for Vegas. I've never been so torn about going on vacay, what with all these amazing eateries opening in the city, so when my friend Sam inquired what I was up to on Sunny Spot opening night, I cursed him for making me even sadder about leaving the city & having to miss what I'm sure was their ordering every single thing on the menu. Regardless the moment I got back I grilled him about what to order & he said the one MUST was the G.O.A.T. I can stand behind that statement, this was a delicious combination of sour & sweet, and the little goat, mango, lettuce wraps were a nice spice break from the other hot-hot-hot items.

NOVEMBER PIE SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE with walnut crust, toasted marshmallow ice cream (6)

The other thing Sam told me, you MUST save room for dessert. What with it being Thanksgiving and all I was certainly in the mood for some sweet potato and toasted marshmallow goodness & this dessert did not fail to impress. However I think that the cookie sort of overwhelmed the dish & I wish there was a little more sweet potato to be found. The ice cream was amazing however!

And onto the cocktails...

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS white rum, brandy, maraschino, lemon, champagne (12)

Don't you love the candle behind the cocktail look? I know I do!! I was a little disappointed, having spotted a jar of luxadoro's hiding behind the bar, I assumed this would be topped with a gusher of sweet cherry flavor, but it sort of ended up being a simple drink. Nice, but nothing spectacular.

WESTFALL tequila, mezcal, lime, falernum, apricot (12)

The nice thing about having a bartender for a boyfriend is that I know what all of these ingredients are! Decidedly complex with a nice fall flavor, I really enjoyed this cocktail.

CHILCANO BAY pisco, lime, ginger, lemongrass, fernet branca (12)

I've been on a Pisco kick for probably the last year, ever since I demanded said bartender boyfriend learn how to make me a delicious pisco sour, so I knew this was one I wanted to try. I really enjoyed the hints of ginger & lemongrass, plus the presentation was very pleasing to the eye.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed Chef Roy Choi's offerings & I can't wait to go back and try out the rest of the menu. Plus while we were there, we met Chefs Brian Dunsmoor and Kris Tominaga of Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, who's new permanent pop-up in Venice is due to open December 1st. Goodness, another reason to head back to Venice? Who would have thought I'd find myself there so often.

Sunny Spot
822 Washington Blvd
Venice, CA 90292
Open till Late, 7 days
310.448.8884
http://sunnyspotvenice.com/

Weekend Docket: 11/18/11

2011-11-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.asdlabs.com

If I weren't going to Vegas this weekend... you'd easily find me at one of these 3 awesome eateries, and if any of you go, just remember you're going to have to go back with me in the near future!

Deliciously Lickable Roy Choi is opening his new Venice eatery Sunny Spot, Short Order is finally slinging their much anticipated burgers & the place that I think was robbed of Eater LA's Best Restaurant, Picca is hosting a Mystery Meat dinner Sunday night... this may be the first time I've been a little sad about heading out to Sin City for a weekend.

At least I'll be surrounded by nerds :). TheGameStation is headed out there with the loveable Yogscast duo to cover the Minecraft convention... MineCon. And I'll be spending my time searching for that elusive China Poblano taco at 2AM.

So what else is there to do this weekend besides pig out at 3 awesome restaurants?

Friday, 11/18

Bouchon 2 Year Anniversary Party
10am - 10pm
Bouchon in Beverly Hills is celebrating it’s 2 year anniversary with $2 glasses of champagne all day long. It’s the perfect excuse to blow off work early, grab a seat on their outdoor patio order some frites and enjoy some bubbles. Plus it's a great way to start the weekend! Bouchon Beverly Hills 235 N Canon Dr Beverly Hills, CA 90210 www.bouchonbistro.com

Saturday, 11/19

Great Walk LA 2011
9am
SO sad I'm missing this... a great chance to check out a huge chunk of Los Angeles all in the name of having a good time. This is something I've always wanted to do, but am weirdly always out of town during. 19 miles spanning Downtown to Santa Monica, be sure to check out their FAQ if you plan on going. Also, if you are planning on Tweeting the walk, please (a) follow @greatlawalk if you don't already, and (b) message them or respond to them on Twitter to let them know! Also, even if you won't be Tweeting, make sure to follow @greatlawalk to get updates on where we are (and where we're making pit stops) throughout the day. Meeting spot: Triforium sculpture at Fletcher Bowron Square across from City Hall (map). http://www.greatlawalk.com/

Sunday, 11/20

L.A. Works 20th Anniversary Beer Garden Celebration
2pm - 5pm
Spend a day outdoors enjoying music and top quality craft beers while supporting a great cause at the beautiful Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. Only minutes from downtown L.A., the center is a hidden jewel, with a ivy-covered walls, beds of roses, a three-tiered fountain, a tiled reflecting pool and an expansive courtyard. Your ticket gets you a souvenir commemorative glass with unlimited refills of beer from ColLAboration, L.A.'s pop-up beer garden pioneers and owners of Golden Road Brewery, Mohawk Bend, Tony's Darts Away, Blue Palms, and Verdugo. Plus, there will be food trucks on hand in case you get hungry. This event supports L.A. Works, Inc., a nonprofit volunteer action center that creates and implements hands-on community service opportunities throughout the greater Los Angeles area. $35 tickets. Los Angeles River Center and Gardens 570 West Avenue 26 Los Angeles, CA 90065 http://www.laworks.com/

Filipino Food & Cocktail Event with Six Taste
6pm
Six Taste is going all-out Filipino tonight, with an event featuring lechon--a Filipino-style whole-roasted pig--served alongside cocktails and desserts provided by some of the city's premier Filipino chefs and food writers. Guests will receive a swag bag filled with gift certificates and have the opportunity to win raffle prizes, including a dinner for two at Andre Guerrero's Maximiliano. The event costs $50. Nola's, 734 E. 3rd St., Downtown www.sixtaste.com

Picca’s Mystery Meat Dinner
6pm - 10:30pm
Test Kitchen's doing it again... "For our first Sunday night service, Chef Ricardo Zarate is preparing a special, one-night-only dinner -- but what he's serving is a secret. We're calling it the "Mystery Meat" dinner. And we're thrilled to invite LA's most adventurous eaters to join us at Picca on Sunday, November 20 for a wild dinner of little-known, but very, very delicious animal parts." For reservations, please e-mail info@piccaperu.com or call 310 277 0133. $50 per person, 6 courses Picca Restaurant - 9575 West Pico Blvd www.piccaperu.com

Weekend Docket: 11/11/11

2011-11-11T17:23:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Michael Naud

I'm one to say ENOUGH ALREADY with the 11/11/11 stuff going on... but then I'd also probably have to photoshop myself out this awesomely adorable photo one of my co-workers got me to participate in.

Yep. Enjoy.

But at least note that we have a baller staircase in our building that I didn't realize existed until today. Cool, right?

So for all of you that have crazy 11/11/11 parties or whatnot, have fun? I guess? I'll be chowing down at the new Beverly Blvd eatery Cooks County from Chefs Daniel Mattern and Roxana Jullapat with @T_Sooz and @loveonthego, so expect a full report on that. Or not. Depends on how good/strong their cocktails are...

All Weekend

International Food Blogger Conference
Friday, 11/11 through Sunday, 11/13 1 to 10 p.m.
Santa Monica is host to the inaugural International Food Blogger Conference this weekend. The three-day event feature seminars on topics ranging from styling food photos to developing recipes and writing styles. The keynote speech will be given by Jonathan Gold. Plus a variety of chefs will be on hand cooking up a storm to give you nice subjects to photograph. While tickets are a heafty $350 for the weekend, there will be plenty of mouthwatering bites to go around. Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, 1707 4th St., Santa Monica foodista.com/ifbc2011/samo

Friday, 11/11

18th Annual Single Malt Scotch & Whisky Extravaganza
7pm start time
The Extravaganza was the first and is the only tasting event that offers both the novice and most discerning enthusiast the opportunity to properly sample the participating whiskies in a sophisticated and elegant environment, with an array of sumptuous foods that greatly enhance the attendees' enjoyment. Unlike any other "whisky event", the Extravaganza focuses exclusively on single malt & Scotch whiskies. At evening's end, a selection of premium, imported cigars are presented for the attendees' enjoyment after the event. $120-$135. Loews Santa Monica, 1700 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica http://singlemaltextravaganza.com/

Saturday, 11/12

Bride-Cake and Apple Tarts: Cakes, Pies, and Other Sweets in the Time of Jane Austen
10:30am
The Culinary Historians of Southern California turns its eye to the desserts of the Regency Era this weekend, as referenced in various Jane Austen novels. Kirstin Olsen, author of Cooking With Jane Austen, All Things Austen, and other books, will discuss sweets and cakes in the Regency Era. She will explain the sweet and savory pies, the “bride-cake” mentioned in Emma, and other items, and explain how sweet dishes fit into a meal in the year 1800. Recipes will be provided. A themed reception with refreshments will follow. Mark Taper Auditorium at the Downtown Central Library, 630 W. 5th St. www.chscsite.org

LA Pizza Festival
1 PM – 5 PM
It's one of America's favorite foods and everyone has their favorite style. Whether you like thin crust, deep dish, or NY-style pizza this festival has you covered, bringing together some of the best pizza-makers in town. The pizza festival is a series of special events in 15 states from NY to Chicago to LA bringing the best pizza makers together for a celebration of Pizza. The festival features several competitions to pick the best pizza in each city. Your festival ticket gets you all-you-can-eat pizza and beer. $35-$65 tickets Olympic Collection 11301 Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064 www.lapizzafestival.com

Sunday, 11/13

Tequila Against Cancer Charity Event
1PM - 5PM
Next Door Lounge in Los Angeles we be playing host to the Tequila Against Cancer Charity Event and this is your chance to be sipping and bidding on some of today's and yesterday's hottest tequilas for charity. From vintage tequilas to new age tequilas there is something for everyone. Plus, someone may also have the ability to win a trip on a Tequila Distillery Tour!!! Tickets are $40 per person. Cash at door or credit via this site. This will include tequila tasting, light fare & the chance to win a trip to Mexico! Everyone will also have a chance to bid on some amazing items like vintage tequilas, tickets to shows, gift certificates to restaurants and so much more! And if you purchase advance tickets to Speed Rack (below) you can get into Tequila Against Cancer for $25 instead of $40, just bring your Speed Rack receipt! Next Door Lounge, 1154 N. Highland Avenue, Los Angeles http://www.tequilaagainstcancer.myevent.com/

Speed Rack LA Cocktail Competition at Hollywood Roosevelt
3pm - 7pm
Speed Rack is a competition created for and by female bartenders to promote female bartenders. And, while we're at it, we're going to raise some money for breast cancer research. Your ticket gets you complimentary punches, cocktails, beer and food as well as a chance to watch the best female bartenders Southern California has to offer duke it out in this fun and unique competition. All net proceeds will go to breast cancer research, prevention and education. Tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event for $25 (cash only) on a first come, first served basis, depending on capacity and availability. $35 gets you the Speed Rack tee and a koozie in addition to admission. Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood Speed Rack LA on Facebook.

How to Cook Perfect Pasta

2011-11-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Ryan Tang

Cooking the perfect “al dente” pasta is a secret skill passed down from generation to generation in every Italian family, but for the rest of us lacking ties to the old country, here are a few tips and tricks to help you achieve that flawless bite. Here's a hint, it all has to do with maintaining the integrity of the starch in your pasta.

Salt your Water.
There have always been arguments for and against adding salt to your pasta water, but unless you are a fan of bland and flavorless pasta, don’t skimp on the salt. Salting your water is your best opportunity to introduce seasoning that will be absorbed into the pasta which adds a dynamic flavor to the dish rather than a dash of salt that simply sits atop the sauce in hard granules.

Another reason to add salt is that it helps keep the starch in pasta from breaking down into a mush. If you’ve ever made or tasted a risotto, you’ll notice it’s developed a creamy almost sticky consistency that comes from the starch breaking down. It’s perfect for a comforting risotto but it has no place in al dente pasta.

Add a teaspoon of Lemon Juice.
In addition to adding a tablespoon of salt to your water, you may want to add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Tap water in many cities has alkaline added which breaks down the starch in pasta faster, so a few drops of acid will offset this effect and help keep your pasta from getting gummy.

Make sure your water is Boiling.
First, you want to have more than enough water in the pot. It's important that all of the pasta is submerged so that it cooks evenly and there's enough room so that the pasta doesn't stick together. Also, make sure you always start with boiling water before you add your pasta. It needs to boil in order to seal the starch into the pasta. Remember, it does not need to be a raging boil. Turn down your heat once it’s reached a high point to prevent an overly vigorous boil from breaking up delicate pasta.

Don't stir too often.
While your pasta is cooking, keep from stirring too frequently. You want to keep the pasta from sticking to itself and the walls of the pot but that's about it.

Finish cooking your pasta in the sauce.
Cook your pasta for a minute less than instructed and then drain. Make sure you don't rinse because it takes off a layer of starch which is integral for helping the sauce stick to the pasta.

In a separate pot bring your sauce to a simmer and finish cooking your pasta in the sauce so it can absorb the flavor of the sauce while cooking to the perfect consistency.

And finally... Enjoy!

Cupcake Trend Forecast: Sweet is out, Savory is in!

2011-11-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the year, Heirloom-LA made quite a splash with their announcement of the “Lasagna Cupcake” which inspired a heated debate over what makes a cupcake a cupcake. Some people called it a gimmick, while others called it genius, but one thing is certain, it planted the seed for a whole new generation of savory treats which are here to stay.

Arguing the fact that the “Lasagna Cupcake” was simply appetizer sized lasagna baked into a cupcake shape inspired chefs to take on the challenge of creating cupcakes that still resembled the key ingredients of a baked cake, a whipped frosting and a delightful garnish, all while incorporating extremely non-traditional flavors into the mix. We can thank these cupcake wizards for introducing the “Maple Bacon Cupcake,” the “Fried Chicken ‘n’ Waffle Cupcake,” and the “McNuggetini Cupcake” to our lives.

Have you tried any savory cupcakes from your local shops and what are some of your favorites? Have you ever attempted to bake some of your own?

Weekend Docket: 11/04/11

2011-11-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

I'm so ready for a weekend of relaxing... reading... cooking... oh right and doing some other super Legen-wait for it-dary activities. Yep, that's all you're getting ;-). If I had more motivation to kill myself however I'd absolutely want to do the Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge Race, but I guess that will have to wait until next year.

What about you guys?

Friday, 11/4

Opening Night: Licorice Flix, Edible Movie Mosaics @ Iam8Bit
7pm - 10pm
While LA is a movie town, characters from the big screen have never been immortalized quite like this! Artist Jason Mecier has chosen some of his favorite icons from the silver screen, creating large-scale portraits made exclusively out of Red Vines! Yes, that's right! Every piece of art hanging on the walls of this Licorice Flix exhibition is an edible movie mosaic, comprised entirely of that favorite theater snack. We invite you to come out and enjoy this celebration of Hollywood and all its popcorn stars, featuring odes to: Harry Potter, Charlie Chaplin, Willy Wonka, Freddy Krueger, E.T., Showgirls, Twin Peaks...and others! Plus they literally have a ton (yes, a metric ton) of Red Vines candy to give away for all who join! Iam8Bit Gallery 2147 W. Sunset Blvd. www.iam8bit.com

Saturday, 11/5

LA’s First Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge Race
8am
Imagine a creative collision between a military style training course and wild and crazy game show inspired obstacles spread throughout a 5K course! The common theme is ridiculous and challenging fun! Well it's finally come to Los Angeles and Thrillst is running a deal, so in case you're looking for something fun & challenging to do Saturday morning, here you go! Fairplex in Pomona 1101 W McKinley Ave http://www.rocrace.com/

Orange County Chocolate Festival
Noon to 9 p.m.
The O.C. Chocolate Festival is a fun, charitable event where guests can enjoy chocolate tastings, wine tastings, shop for holiday gifts and entertainment. This year's Orange County Chocolate Festival will bring together over 70 chocolatiers, bakers, candy makers and wine vendors for an event benefiting charities of the Fountain Valley Community Foundation. Tickets range from $25 to $50. A VIP upgrade gets you unlimited chocolate tastings, access to a private party room, and hors d'oeuvres. OC Chocolate Festival 16400 Brookhurt St., Fountain Valley www.occhocolatefestival.com

Sunday, 11/6

Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Festival
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
patchwork indie arts & crafts festival is a bi-annual event showcasing local emerging artists, crafts & designers. attend one of our events and eat & drink from local cafe & restaurant booths as you listen to tunes and peruse goods from the best southern california creators. look & shop... clothing for men, women & kids, handbags, accessories, art, ceramics, home goods, garden finds, plushies, jewelry, paper goods, edible treats, pet gear, crochet & knit goods, kits & patterns, bath & body goodies & more. the patchwork team carefully selects unique creations. Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Festival, 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach; www.patchworkshow.com

Holiday Artisan Bazaar
8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Vintage clothing, jewelry, holiday cards, paintings, glassware, and other objets created by costume designers, illustrators, and artists are available for purchase at this Costume Designers Guild-hosted event being held in the Art Directors Guild parking lot. A $1 donation at the door supports the Motion Picture Television Fund $1. Art Directors Guild, 11969 Ventura Boulevard #200, Studio City

LA Loves Alex's Lemonade Culinary Cookout
noon - 4pm
Chef Suzanne Goin and partner Caroline Styne (Lucques, AOC, Tavern), chef David Lentz (The Hungry Cat), honorary hosts Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, and emcee Jimmy Kimmel will all be at the second annual LA Loves Alex's Lemonade Culinary Cookout at Culver Studios in Culver City. The culinary cook out to fight childhood cancer creates a picnic atmosphere for those in attendance and in 2011 will be emceed by Jimmy Kimmel. Dress is California casual and tickets ($175) must be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be available for purchase at the event. Culver Studios, Culver City, CA 90232 http://www.alexslemonade.org

Monday, 11/7

Momofuku Milk Bar @ The Mandrake
2 p.m.
Christina Tosi, the woman responsible for Momofuku Milk Bar's infamous Crack Pie, is in town to promote her new cookbook. Band of Outsiders, the L.A.-based fashion brand, is hosting a book signing with Tosi on Monday night, during which plenty of cookies and cereal milk will be consumed. RSVP for this free event by emailing band@bandofoutsiders.com. The Mandrake Bar, 2692 S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City; www.momofuku.com

Wake Up your Weekend: Pumpkin Spice Latte & Fresh Apple Turnovers

2011-11-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

As the weather cools down and we ease into fall, lazy weekend mornings beg for comforting flavors and warm treats that can still be enjoyed in the last days of lingering sunshine. Pumpkin spiced lattes with fresh apple turnovers are a surefire way to wake up your tastebuds this weekend. Why not treat yourself and a friend (or two) to this decadent breakfast while trying to figure out the perfect Halloween costume to catch that cute neighbor's fancy?

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
Recipe via Sweet Happy Life

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients: Makes 2 servings

1 level tablespoon pumpkin puree (canned)
1 cup milk (whole if you dare!)
1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed and leveled)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg (+ a pinch for dusting later)
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups strong coffee (brewed using 2 tbs per 1 cup of water)
You can also use a shot or two of espresso instead of coffee.
4 tablespoons half-and-half
Sugar to taste
Whipped cream

Directions

Begin brewing coffee.

In a blender puree the milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the milk is warm and begins to froth slightly. (About 4-5 minutes.) Remove from heat.

For each serving: Pour 1/2 cup of the pumpkin mixture into your coffee mug. Add 2 generous tablespoons of half-and-half. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, then add 1 cup of brewed coffee. Top it off with a touch more ‘pumpkin milk,’ add sugar to taste, then cover with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Apple Turnovers
Recipe via Taryn Cox: The Wife

Apple Turnovers

Ingredients: Makes 20 Servings

1 1/2 cup) apples, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/3 cup apple cider
1/2 cup Applesauce ( See Apple Sauce Recipe)
2 (10-by-13-inch) sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
All-purpose flour, for work surface
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

In a small saucepan, heat apple cider until simmering and pour in apples. Stir to combine, and let stand until juice is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in applesauce; set aside.

Place puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Trim edges, and cut out twelve 3-by-3-inch squares, discarding excess dough. Place a teaspoon of apple filling in center of each square. In a small bowl, stir together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of each pastry square with egg wash. Fold pastry over filling to enclose, forming a triangle. Lightly press edges to seal. Using a floured fork, crimp edges decoratively with tines, if desired. Transfer turnovers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees with the rack in center. Brush turnovers lightly with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until deep golden brown and puffed, about 20 – 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature and Enjoy!

How To: Throw your own Pumpkin Patch Party

2011-11-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: ourbigearth.com

It’s that time of the year when gourds and ghouls alike start to pop up at every corner, so why not throw a festive bash that celebrates one of the best aspects of fall, the mighty Pumpkin! For those of us stuck in the city without massive pumpkin patches nearby, here is a great way for adults and kids alike to recreate their favorite childhood memory of hunting through pumpkin patches for the perfect Jack O'Lantern. All you need are a few simple supplies, a fun imagination and loads of pumpkins big and small for your guests to pick and take home! Here are a few decorating schemes and menu ideas to get you started on your path to planning the perfect Pumpkin Patch Party.

Photo Credit: www.bhg.com

Fun Pumpkin Party Invitations

Card stock, glue, markers and scissors are all you need to make cute and colorful party invitations to send to guests. This is a great activity to do with a friend while gossiping over a batch of pumpkin pie martinis. Why not try this simple invite idea from Better Homes & Garden?

Photo Credit: goodhousekeeping.com

Build your own Pumpkin Patch

Use any colorful corner or crevice in your house to build a fun pumpkin patch where guests can pick out their perfect pumpkin to take home. Try decorating a few pumpkins with paint or construction paper to add a festive touch!

Source: sweetpeaskitchen.com

Pumpkin Cornbread

Give your guests something to nibble on while sipping their cocktails and admiring all your hard work at decorating the space. Why not try some delicious Pumpkin Cornbread with homemade honey butter to get them started?

Source: busy-mommy.com

Hot Apple Cider

Nothing goes better with fun fall flavors than a hot cup of fresh apple cider. Try out this cute idea of using hallowed out apples as cups and cinnamon sticks for stirrers.

Photo Credit: lhj.com

Chili-Filled Mini Pumpkins

These pumpkin bowls are the perfect vessel to hold a warm and comforting chili. Plus they make for a very easy clean up at the end of the night!

Source: bhg.com

Ham and Cheese Jack O'Lanterns

And of course you need something for the kids, try out these open faced ham and cheese sandwiches that are almost as fun to make as they are to eat!

Photo Credit: ohthelovelythings.blogspot.com

DIY Mini Caramel Apple Dipping Bar

Once your tummies are full, guests will have a ton of fun making their own mini caramel apple pops at your candy dipping bar. Find a bunch of twigs & stick them in mini apples to make your pops. Then fire up your fondue pot, fill it with caramel and set up your table with lots of different toppings like peanuts and chocolate chips. Make sure you have wax paper cut out so guests can let their apples dry without dripping everywhere.

Source: verybestbaking.com

Bite Sized Pumpkin Pies

And what's a pumpkin party without pumpkin pie? Bake up a batch of these tiny tarts for guests to enjoy on their way home.

Cloak & Dinner: Carnevale di Venezia || 10/22/11

2011-11-01T18:34:00.001-07:00

Our first private supper, booked exclusively by my parents for their friends who've all had yet the chance to try our cooking, even though we take over their house on a monthly basis and turn it into our own private kitchen studio. Knowing that we were cooking for a group of massive wine fanatics, we decided to head to Italy for a little Carnevale experience...

A tavola non si invecchia!

Tonight, we travel to Carnevale di Venezia! Each year, forty days of pageantry light up the ancient canals and corridors of Venice, as masked revelers sing, dance, and feast their way to Martedì Grasso. A Venezia, you talk with your hands and cook con il cuore... (with your heart.) We've gathered tastes da tutto il paese to capture the intoxicating spirit of the Queen of the Adriatic, but in truth, the food is only one small part of the eternal essence di Carnivale. Unirsi a noi per gustare i sapori d'Italia, e, così facendo, diventano una vera famiglia. Mi scusi, I got carried away there for a moment. Park your Gondolas, don your bauta, and viva la vita! Tonight we celebrate il Carnevale, wishing it could last all year.

As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you'd like to be added to the mailing list for future C&D dinners, please email rsvp@cloakanddinner.com. and remember you can also follow us on twitter @cloakanddinner.

Antipasto

compartmentalized caprese

deconstructed caprese salad with pesto olive oil in pipettes & sweet balsamic reduction

Zuppa

gazpacho of melon with prosciutto duo

a play on melon & prosciutto with both fried & fresh and a garnish of mint

Primo

smoked salmon lasagna

a fan favorite from the Rags to Riches dinner!

Il Contorno

a walk through the garden

edible mushroom dirt with an elderflower spiked salad garden

Secondo

array of scented sea salts with steak

taken from our A Day in the Life dinner we accented with baby potatoes, cauliflower & exotic sea salts including ghost pepper, garlic & hickory smoke

Fromaggio

goat + parmesan panna cotta

a goat cheese panna cotta topped with a parmesan tuile and "kalamata olive" grapes reduced in red wine

Dolce

not your traditional tiramisu

deconstructed. chocolate mousse with sponge cake, espresso mascarpone and bacon cocaine

And of course... onto the cocktails!

with a few non alcoholic drinkers in the midst, Isaac got to flex his creative muscles for some non-alcoholic libations

Eastern Standard Time (non-alcoholic)

cucumber/cranberry/lime/sugar/salt

Faux Kir (non-alcoholic)

raspberry/sparkling cider

Winter Warmer (non-alcoholic)

pear/cranberry/lemon/cinnamon

Clockwork Orange

gin/whiskey/orange/lime/miracle mile chocolate-chili bitters/nutmeg

Basil Gimlet

gin/basil/agave/lime

Honey Fig Redemtion

rye/honey/mint/lemon/fig/shiraz

Weekend Docket: 10/28/11

2011-10-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treat, or really should I say Liquor Treat, because it's that time of the year again and I can't wait to see everyone's super skanky (let's be honest here) costumes. With far too many parties to ever compile into just one Weekend Docket, I've selected what I think will be the coolest & included lists from some of my favorite bloggers who've already done all the hard compiling work.

As for me, I'm still working on convincing someone to come play Giant Jenga with me at Villians Tavern, but assume I'll end up hanging with the slutty hipsters at Bigfoot. Tomorrow it's a jump onto the Liquor Treating wagon & hopefully cooking up an awesome cupcake & cocktail pairing. Sunday night is Aidan Demarest's Degenerate's Ball at his Glendale hotspot Neat, and Monday as always is a trip down memory lane via the West Hollywood Halloween Parade.

And since I've flown the way of the twitter bird, you can always follow my mis-adventures @nicolemiizuka!!

Friday & Saturday 10/28 - 10/29

A Dark Carnival II and The Eccentric Circus
Friday 5pm-2am and Saturday 1pm-2am
Two of downtown L.A.'s best bars, Villians Tavern & The One-Eyed Gypsy are hosting an all out Halloween extravaganza complete with 12 bands playing on various stages, carnival food, boozy punch, outdoor bars, fooseball, skee-ball, tarot cards, palm readings, photobooths, bacon caramel popcorn & what I'm calling now as the best part of the event, Giant Jenga. I mean, Giant Jenga, c'mon people. That sounds amazing!! There will be a free shuttle bus between the two locations & a portion of all the proceeds will go to Sunset Free Clinic. At Villains Tavern & The One-Eyed Gypsy Downtown http://www.villainstavern.com/

Sunday, 10/30

11th Annual Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade
Start Time 2:30 p.m.
They're going to attempt to break the world record for the number of costumed dogs in a parade. The parade is expected to include more than 500 costumed dogs and a few thousand human gawkers. Haute Dogs will raise thousands for spay/neuter programs, rescue groups, Operation Santa Paws and other Long Beach service projects. In addition to all the adorable pups, there will be pre-party "feast"-ivities starting at 12:30 that will include vendor booths for the owners, bobbing for Howl'oweenies, a dog treat stacking contest, a Bulldog Kissing Booth, fun contests, a pet adoption fair, photo opportunities, and a guess-the-weight of the HUGE pumpkin contest. 4900 E Livingston Dr, Long Beach, CA 90803 http://hautedogs.org/howloween.html

Nightmare on Elm Street: Barnsdall Outdoor Movies
Doors open @ 5PM
Hands down my favorite outdoor screening series in Los Angeles, the Barnsdall Art Park movies are back & kicking off with Nightmare on Elm Street this Sunday. Bring a blanket and a picnic to enjoy outdoor screenings on the West Lawn of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, perched on the beautiful Olive Hill at Barnsdall Park. All screenings are 17+ to attend and 21+ to drink. Tickets are $25 for entry + 3 drinks or $10 for just the movie. All profits from the screening will benefit Barnsdall Art Park Foundation programs and projects, such as Free Sunday Art Classes for children and families in the community, as well as capital projects like the Monument Sign and restoration of the Hollyhock Motor Court. Barnsdall Art Park is located at 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90027 http://www.barnsdall.org/events-2/outdoor-movies/

http://kristencraft.blogspot.com/

Blogger Roundup
Caroline on Crack, one of my Los Angeles blogger guru's has a wonderful roundup that she does weekly & you can check it out here http://www.carolineoncrack.com/2011/10/27/this-halloween-weekend-narnia-at-la-descarga-candy-wine-pairing-extreme-tim-burton/

The lovely V + K of FinerThingsLA know how to stay classy while getting drunk + fat and have compiled an awesome list of boozy places to hit up this weekend. Check it out here http://finerthingsla.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/halloween-2011/

LA Weekly has their selection of Just Say No to "Slutoween" parties in & around town here:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2011/10/lina_la_no_slutoween.php

Weekend Docket: 10/21/11

2011-10-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

I know I'm still playing catch up from last weekend's massive LA Food & Wine festival, so hopefully this weekend will be a little easier with our first private Cloak & Dinner event on Saturday and some work into future Cloak & Dinner R&D events... Here are a few other fun events happening in & around the city. Personally I think everyone is just in a momentary lull so they can justify going all out for Halloween.

http://thebeatofyounglosangeles.blogspot.com/

Friday, 10/21

Dionicess IX at Steingarten LA
all night
Beer cocktails & vegetarian food? Yep, finally paired together at last. With bartender Matt Biancaniello mixing up beer cocktails and chef Randy Clemens (author of The Sriracha Cookbook) pulling together food, this sounds like a delicious way to spend a Friday afternoon. Cost is $65/person. Steingarten LA, 10543 W Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064 www.steingartenla.com

Saturday, 10/22

K&L Wine Merchants Champagne Tent Event
4pm - 7pm
Add some sparkle to your fall calendar with K&L Hollywood’s Annual Champagne Tent. There will be over 50 different bubblies and their largest number of small producers ever will be flying in from France to present their wines and talk to guests, including folks from Ariston, Franck Bonville, Loriot, Goutorbe, Baron Fuente, Fleury, Leclerc Briant and Champagne Gonet. This is a rare opportunity to engage with the people that grow the grapes and make the wine and to learn more about their approach to Champagne. K&L will also be pouring prestigious grande marquee Champagnes from Louis Roederer, Deutz, Moët & Chandon, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Perrier-Jouët, Bollinger and Salon. A perfect way to get a head-start on your holiday shopping. Tickets are $75-$85 K&L Wine 1400 Vine Street Hollywood, CA 90027 http://www.klwines.com

Sunday, 10/23

3rd Annual LA Beer Week Beer Festival Closing Ceremonies
Noon - 4pm
Taking place at the Historic Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, October 23rd, the Festival will feature over 70 local, regional, national, and international Craft and Artisan breweries, pouring a wide array of their beers, including some rare beers, and a special few available only for LA Beer Week. On hand will be a selection of the famous Los Angeles food trucks, offering their specialties to pair with the variety of beers on hand. PreSale Tickets are $45, and includes unlimited 4 oz. pours of beer. Union Station, 800 N Alameda Street, Downtown http://www.labeerweek.com

Los Angeles Magazine’s Food Event 2011
1pm - 4pm
The Food Event 2011 is Los Angeles magazine's sixth annual culinary extravaganza. The day features great chefs, culinary experts, sommeliers, plus lots of food, wine, and other treats -- all for one price. Watch celebrity chefs in the demonstration kitchen and participate in panels with the experts in the Conversation Lounge. The icing on the cake that sets this culinary event above others is the incredible rural setting, the Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu, home to Semler and Saddlerock wines. The ranch boasts acres and acres of natural beauty, vineyards, rolling hills, animals like llamas and zebras, and space to spread out and relax for a true escape from the city, but with just a short drive. $95-$100. Saddlerock Ranch, 31727 Mulholland Highway, Malibu http://www.lamag.com/thefoodevent/

Taste of Abbot Kinney
3pm - 6:30pm
The Taste of Abbot Kinney is a fundraising event for Inside Out Community Arts. Join us for an afternoon of eclectic tastes featuring chef demonstrations, select food, wine and cocktail tastes and an walking-eating tour of some of Abbot Kinney’s favorite restaurants. All proceeds benefit Inside Out Community Arts. Participating restaurants include: Gjelina, Hal’s Restaurant & Bar, Joe’s Restaurant, Lilly’s French Cafe & Bar, Shima Sushi, Primitivo, Casa Linda and Lemonade. Tickets $60 - $100 901 Abbot Kinney, Venice, CA 90291 http://www.insideoutca.org/

Hollywood Magic Bar Grand Opening
Doors Open at 7pm
The Hollywood Magic Bar at the Level 3 nightclub in the Hollywood and Highland complex will be the home of our unique new venue featuring some of the finest award-winning magicians in the world with all new magic acts each week performing on stage and close-up at your table. A variety of other acts including comedians, jugglers, aerialists, fortune tellers, go go dancers, and more will also be entertaining you along with DJ Prophecy the popular Highland's Nightclub resident DJ throughout the night and for dancing after the shows. Our magic potions are mixed and presented by Magixology. You will want to experience the Hollywood Magic Bar for a magical Hollywood night. Doors open at 7pm. First show at 8pm. Dancing till 2am. Hollywood Magic Bar, 6801 Hollywood Blvd http://www.hollywoodmagicbar.com/

Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival

2011-10-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

How I Spent my Weekend...

Red Carpet Premiere

Pigs, Pins + Pinot

I Heart Champagne & Caviar

California Clambake with Tom Colicchio

HEAT - LA's Spiciest After Party

Tyler Florence - Stirring The Pot

Lexus Grand Tasting

Guy Fieri's Brew B'Que

Lexus LIVE On The Plaza Featuring Train

Decadence Hosted by Sherry Yard - LA's Sweetest After Party

This past weekend Los Angeles finally got itself it's very own Food & Wine Festival with over 100 Celebrity Chefs and 70 events spanning from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills to Downtown LA. Assuming I can ever recover from 4 days of events + 13 hours of sleep, I'll certainly pull together my lovely lists (especially one for the most Lick-able chefs) but for now, I'll leave you with a smattering of photos to whet your taste buds.

Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival 2011
photos taken for popsugar.com

Weekend Docket: 10/7/11

2011-10-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for the weekend? I know I am! Tonight I'm hitting up Aiden Demarest's newest venture Neat before heading to the El Rey to check out the Plain White T's. Tomorrow, after hanging out with Sparky for a bit at the New World F.E.S.T. I'm headed to the pier for a little Sushi + Trapeze love with the awesome Living Social Adventures crew! Sunday it's time for more mixology with Table 20's Best Bartender competition, and if I can wrangle the troops, I'd love to check out the Veuve Polo Tourney... it's been a "must do" on my bucket list for a while now, but I've never quite made it.

What are you guys up to this weekend?

Remember, you can always Like Cake & Heels on Facebook and leave comments, or tweet me @nicolemiizuka!

All Weekend

New World F.E.S.T.
October 7th - 9th
All I have to say is... Sparky The Dragon Oven - World's fastest rocket oven - very sustainable - and wait til you try it's delicious pizza. This weekend Santa Monica plays host to the New World F.E.S.T. (Festival of Eco-Friendly Science & Technology) with over 150 cool exhibits, six different stages with live music, keynote speakers, demos and of course, ROBOTS. Visit their website for a full overview of everything the event has to offer, but I think based on the appearances by "Sparky" and "Susan Fries aka The Termite Lady" this is an event not to be missed. $12 Adult ($8 Child & Senior) Ocean Park Blvd and Barnard Way Santa Monica, CA 90405 http://www.thenewworldfest.com/santa-monica/

IndieCade
October 7th - 9th
Imagine a series of global showcases and festivals serving developers as well as the general public – collectively forming an international marketplace and a traveling celebration of this community’s new voices and their trailblazing work. Imagine thousands of independent creators, developers, thinkers, players, and fans from across the world, sharing this sense of community and the work at its heart with the rest of the world. That’s IndieCade. And it's happening this weekend. The IndieCade Festival, featuring dozens of games, including Big Games, a Game Walk in which attendees can play new games and meet their creators, and Night Games with - you guessed it - games at night. Various Locations throughout Culver City. http://www.indiecade.com

FILTER Magazine’s Culture Collide Festival
October 6th - 9th
FILTER Magazine’s Culture Collide is a four-day international festival welcoming artists from 24 countries and counting, bringing their unique perspectives on music and culture to LA’s East Side for a musical melting pot of live performances, film screenings, and happy hours featuring food and drink from around the world. The festival will once again end with the Toyota Antics Block Party, a free all-day event in Echo Park on Sunday, October 9th. A limited number of festival wristbands, providing access to all Culture Collide showcases, are available now for $20. Locations vary between The Echo, Echoplex, Taix, 826LA, The Church, ReForm Academy, Co-op and Origami. http://culturecollide.com/

Baja California Culinary Fest
October 5th - 9th
The first annual Baja California Culinary Fest is an international event that will allow the projection of Baja California is an important culinary venue with first class cuisine and innovative proposals. An event that is based in the culinary art of Baja California and those activities related directly to gastronomy and the love for good food taking place form the 5th to 9th of October 2011. Great talents of the culinary arts from all around the world come together at the Baja California Culinary Fest to show their original creations using the natural resources of the region. 5 days of intense flavors, delicious smells, ecotourism, adventure, romance and discovery. Locations Vary. www.bajaculinaryfest.com

Friday, 10/7

Noir Soiree @ LA Athletic Club
7pm - 9pm
Join us for an exceptional evening at the newly renovated ballroom of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, created in 1880 by prominent Angelinos, sons of pioneers, adventurers and athletes. Experience a Noir repertoire filled with vintage art & fashion, fine wine & gourmet fare couplings and live music. Enjoy strolling models in a fashion show produced by Dave Temple of Clever Vintage Clothing and a silent auction. Do not miss this unique opportunity to surprise yourself, relax and mingle at a really amazing historic location. Tickets $68 Los Angeles Athletic Club - 431 West Seventh Street - Los Angeles, CA www.lawinetasting.com

Sunday, 10/9

Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic
10am - 4pm
Angelenos are invited to watch world-renowned polo player and event co-host Nacho Figueras and his team, Black Watch, go head-to-head against some of the best polo players in the world, all while sipping Veuve Clicquot and enjoying fare from some of Los Angeles’ most beloved gourmet food trucks. Bleachers will be provided for watching the match, and there will be plenty of room for picnicking on the grounds. Set on the idyllic grounds where Hollywood celebrity and polo connoisseur Will Rogers used to play polo himself, this historic site is located just outside Rogers’ former private home. Tickets to attend the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic are $15, with the event benefiting the Will Rogers State Historic Park. Will Rogers State Park Road Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 http://vcseason.com/lapolo/

Table 20's 2nd Annual LA's Best Bartender Competition
3:30pm - 7:30pm
This is not a typical bartender competition. Our purpose is to celebrate your favorite bartenders and to crown one of them as LA's Best Bartender for 2011. On 10/09 the LA community is invited to attend the competition and party. Come taste and vote for the best Karlsson's Gold Vodka cocktail (created by the finalist bartenders), shop at Barkeeper's pop-up store, slurp boozy snow cones from IceIceShavie, witness the competition, and give our bartenders love & appreciation. Nominated by fans, the top 5 bartenders are going to duel it out this Sunday with guest judges Johnny Iuzzini, Dale Degroff, Matthew Biancaniello, Marcos Tello, Bricia Lopez & Jessica Gelt. Tickets $25 Elevate Lounge 811 Wilshire Blvd 21st Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017 http://labestbartender.eventbrite.com/

B.A.M Fest (Beer, Art & Music Festival)
1pm - 6pm
18th Street Arts Center is bringing its renowned Craft Beer Festival, BAM Fest (Beer, Art & Music Festival) to Santa Monica on October 9, 2011. BAM Fest is a celebration of locally produced art, music and California’s finest craft beers – 20 breweries, 4 bands, 3 galleries, open artist studios, an artist market, and gourmet food trucks make up this one-of-a-kind event. All proceeds benefit 18th Street Arts Center, a Santa Monica 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.Pre-Sale Tickets: $35/person or $40 at the door gets you a BAM Fest logo tasting glass and unlimited sampling, 5 hours of live music, exploration of artist studios and galleries and the joy of drinking some of the best beers around. 18th Street Arts Center 1639 18th Street, Santa Monica http://18thstreet.org/blog/bam-fest-2011

CicLAvia - La's Biggest Block Party
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
CicLAvia will open 10 miles of normally congested streets into a car-free, safe, family-friendly place for exploring the city from a new perspective and at a leisurely pace. CicLAvia is free and welcomes Angelenos of all ages, interests, and every kind of non-automotive transit imaginable - from sneakers to stilts and bikes to trikes. (Members of the city's vibrant canine community are also welcome, provided that they are accompanied by an adult and properly leashed.) Food trucks, restaurants, and neighborhood watering holes will all be providing food and beverages for the day of the event. The route runs from East Hollywood to Boyle Heights with expanded routes to include a north-south extension, stretching south to the African American Firefighter Museum on Central Avenue and north to El Pueblo de Los Angeles and Olvera Street, ending at Cesar Chavez Boulevard. www.ciclavia.org

Coming Up

3rd Annual LA Beer Week
October 10th - 23rd
From the always lovely Caroline on Crack: "The 3rd Annual LA Beer Week kicks off this coming Monday, with a beer-intensive party at Naja’s Place in Redondo Beach (which you can still buy or win tickets for by the way). What follows after that is 14 days of beerlicious events. Take your pick: a musical beer crawl, a 12-course beer paired dinner, a beer float showdown or a brewery opening. Only the truly ambitious will attempt them all." http://labeerweek.com/

Check out her website Caroline on Crack for a full rundown of all the great week-long events!

L.A. Food & Wine Festival
Thursday, 10/13 through Sunday, 10/16 Hours vary
Hospitality entrepreneurs and founders of Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Robert Weakley and David Alan Bernahl of Coastal Luxury Management, together with dick clark productions (dcp) and AEG announce the debut of Los Angeles Food & Wine, coming October 2011 to L.A. LIVE, the downtown Los Angeles sports & entertainment district and other locations throughout the city of Los Angeles. This new breed of culinary festival will gather all-star talent from both the entertainment and culinary platforms to celebrate the very best in food and drink culture throughout Los Angeles. More than 100 celebrity chefs will lead demonstrations, seminars, lunches, dinners, and dedicated after-hours events featuring tastings from over 300 premier international wines. Famed chefs participating in the citywide celebration are among the country’s finest, including Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud, Rick Bayless, Nobu Matsuhisa, Tom Colicchio, Nancy Silverton, Masaharu Morimoto, Tyler Florence, Michael Chiarello, Michael Mina, Sang Yoon, David Myers, Rory Herrmann, Walter Manzke, Sherry Yard, Josiah Citrin, David Myers, and Joachim Splichal. (tickets for individual events range from $50 to $2,000; click here to purchase). visit www.lafw.com

Cloak & Dinner: Aztec Chocolate Lava Cakes

2011-10-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

As your spoon breaks through the sponge-y exterior of this delectable chocolate cake, and molten liquid fudge pours out, you find yourself enveloped in what can only be described as death by chocolate. Invented by chef extraordinaire Jean-Georges Vongerichten as an accident, the Molten Lava Cake has taken on many forms, but one thing remains constant, the oozing hot center for which it’s named.

For our most recent Cloak & Dinner: The Time Machine, I’ve taken the French classic that literally melts in your mouth and added a spicy twist to awaken your taste buds. Easy to prepare, these delicious treats are a surefire way to impress even the toughest dessert critic.

Aztec Chocolate Lava Cakes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes || Cooking Time: 10 minutes || Yield 4 servings
Ingredients

6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
6 oz. Butter (Room Temperature & Diced)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
Orange
Powdered Sugar
Butter for Ramekins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt the chocolate on a low flame in double boiler. (Or if you don’t have a double boiler, very carefully microwave the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until its liquid smooth.)
While your chocolate is melting, in another bowl beat together the eggs and sugar until it starts to whiten and foam up.
Take the melted chocolate off the heat and stir in the butter, cayenne, cinnamon and chili powder. Keep mixing until all of the butter is melted.
Mix the chocolate into the egg mixture, and then very quickly mix in the flour until it’s all incorporated.
Butter 4 individual ramekins and then pour in the chocolate batter.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes, then immediately tip the ramekins upside down onto a dessert plate.
Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar and some orange zest to serve.

Tips & tricks

You can prepare your Aztec Chocolate Lava Cake batter ahead of time and then simply toss your pre-made cakes into the oven 10 minutes before serving.
Play with the cooking time, 10 minutes gives a nice cake exterior with a melted chocolate interior, but if you prefer more liquid cake then bake for a shorter time, or if you’d prefer a stiffer cake, add on a minute or two!

Ingredients

6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
6 oz. Butter (Room Temperature & Diced)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
Orange Zest
Powdered Sugar
Butter for Ramekins

Preheat your oven & melt your chocolate!

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt the chocolate on a low flame in double boiler. (Or if you don’t have a double boiler, very carefully microwave the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until its liquid smooth.)

Crack your eggs & add the sugar.

While your chocolate is melting, in another bowl crack 3 eggs and add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.

Whisk it all together.

Vigorously beat together the eggs and sugar until it starts to whiten and foam up.

Take the chocolate off the heat.

Take the melted chocolate off the heat and place on the counter.

Add the spices.

Stir in the cayenne, cinnamon and chili powder to flavor the Aztec chocolate.

Melt the butter.

Add in the room temperature butter to the still hot chocolate. Keep mixing until all of the butter is melted.

Which came first, the chocolate or the egg?

Mix the melted chocolate & butter batter into the egg mixture.

Add in the flour!

Then, working quickly so there aren't any lumps, mix in the flour into the batter until it’s all incorporated.

Butter your ramekins!

Butter 4 individual ramekins and then pour in the chocolate batter. (Or if you don't have ramekins, you can use lightly buttered silicon pinch bowls or cupcake molds.)

Bake your cakes.

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, then immediately tip the ramekins upside down onto a dessert plate.

Enjoy!

Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar and some orange zest to serve.

Tips & tricks

You can prepare your Aztec Chocolate Lava Cake batter ahead of time and then simply toss your pre-made cakes into the oven 10 minutes before serving.
Play with the cooking time, 10 minutes gives a nice cake exterior with a melted chocolate interior, but if you prefer more liquid cake then bake for a shorter time, or if you’d prefer a stiffer cake, add on a minute or two!

Ease into Fall with 5 Deliciously Comforting Beet Recipes

2011-10-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

As the weather starts to cool down, and the leaves begin their descent into warm fall hues, the grocery store bins begin to fill up with gorgeous root vegetables just begging to be taken home. Fresh beets that range from golden yellow to royal purple have long been a staple in fine-dining, but they’re great for home cooks as well. Beets add a splash of vibrant color, a delicious flavor and a silky texture to any meal. Plus they are extremely nutritious and high in antioxidants.
When buying fresh beets, be sure to look for small to medium globes that still have their stems and leaves attached. You want to make sure that they are firm, with a smooth skin and free from any soft bruises. If you’re storing them, be sure to trim the stems to about one inch and keep them refrigerated in plastic bags for up to two weeks. And if you’re worried about stains try picking up a pair of disposable latex gloves from the drugstore.
Here are a few of our favorite beet recipes to get you started with this festive fall super-food!
Photo Credit: nextbarnover.com

Red Beet Risotto

Try adding a handful of red beets to your risotto for a vibrant color that's certain to brighten up any meal.
Credit: figsantamonica.com

Fresh Beet and Carrot Slaw

Brigthen up your side dish with a fresh mix of earthy beets and crunchy carrots!
Credit: sheknows.com

Borscht

Try out a classic Eastern European beet soup called Borscht for a refreshing afternoon meal.
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner-Jan Gautro

Beet Chips

Instead of stuffing yourself on trans-fat filled potato chips, why not try some fresh beet chips as a healthy alternative?
Credit: marthastewart.com

Golden Beet Cupcakes with Dulce De Leche Butter Cream

And finally a little something sweet. Since beets are high in sugar, they make a great substitution in all sorts of baked goods like these sinful golden beet cupcakes which are relatively guilt free!
Credit: norecipes.com

What Do I Do With This? || Durian

2011-10-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

Most commonly known as the "Stinky Fruit" the Durian is very distinctive for its large size, its hedgehog-esque, thorn-covered husk and its unique odor. If you ever see one rolling your way, buyers beware! People are generally split on their supreme love and intense hatred for this fruit. It's popular in many Southeast Asian countries and is often referred to as the "king of fruits," but many hotels and restaurants ban the use of Durian within their walls.
Durian's are a very good source of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, but because of its rich nature, be sure to eat it only in moderation. Once you've gotten over the scent, which sometimes is described as smelly gym socks, here are a few recipes to get you started!

Photo Source: epicureanenthusiast.blogspot.com

Durian Sticky Rice

Durian Sticky Rice via Kitchen Tigress
A traditional treat in Thailand, sticky rice with Durian is a sensational meal.

Durian Cake

Durian Cake via Grace Kitchen Corner
Light and fluffy with a very rich texture, making a Durian Cake is a great way to incorporate the fruit into your daily diet.

Baked Durian

Baked Durian via Mochachocolatarita
Durian is very versatile and can be used like many root vegetables. Try baking up a batch in a yummy phillo dough!

Durian Ice Cream

Durian Ice Cream via Nasi Lemak Lover
Ice Cream just makes everything taste better. Perhaps the most traidtional way that people consume Durian's here's an easy recipe to help you get started on your Durian adventure.

Weekend Docket: 9/30/11

2011-09-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Underground Rebel Bingo what?? Yep. That's where I'll be tonight. Shh... wait, I mean I'm going to a HEALTH & FITNESS SEMINAR. That's right. HEALTH & FITNESS SEMINAR at 9pm in Silverlake.

What can I expect? I honestly have no idea and that's half the fun! That and the fact that there will be some "hardcore bingo" going down. For any of you slackers who didn't buy tickets soon enough, they're still selling them at the door for $15.

Other than that, doing a little Champagne Brunching on Saturday, and a whole day of SUP Love on Sunday with Living Social! Stand Up Paddleboarding + Margaritas? Yep, this is probably one of the coolest jobs in the world. Now we just need to convince them to get Living Social wetsuits for the November + December trips!

Would love to hear what you guys are up to this weekend!

Remember, you can always Like Cake & Heels on Facebook and leave comments, or tweet me @nicolemiizuka!

All Weekend / All Week

DineLA Restaurant Week
Oct 2-7 || Oct 9-14
It's back & better than ever! dineLA Restaurant Week is a two-week dining event, showcasing Los Angeles as a premier dining destination and highlighting the diversity of culinary experiences that LA has to offer. Presented by LA INC. and American Express, dineLA Restaurant Week has been designed to stimulate business and introduce new customers to restaurants located in the many neighborhoods throughout LA County. Bonus: If you sync your American Express Card & save $5 at each DineLA restaurant when you check in on foursquare. www.dineLARestaurantWeek.com

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair
Oct 1 & 2
Join us for a weekend of family fun, music, live entertainment, arts, crafts, kids games, wine & beer gardens for adults. The Fair is fun for all ages. Great fair food, beautiful arts & crafts from hand selected vendors, free entertainment on our Main Stage and South Stage, games for kids of all ages and of course, the Kids Country are just some of the venues available for visitors. This event is a Manhattan Beach tradition! Live Oak Park, Dorsey Field and the Joslyn Center, Manhattan Beach, CA www.mbfair.org

Friday, 9/30

The Macallan After Dark
10pm - 1am
Join The Macallan as we dim the lights and turn up the music at our exclusive Macallan After Dark event. Sip The Macallan to discover why it’s a top choice among single malt scotch connoisseurs around the world. Sample a flight at your table – or while flirting at the bar. Come party the night away, drinks are on us. There will be a $5 donation collected at the door to benefit the charity (i.e. water). Exchange LA, 618 S. Spring Street www.themacallanafterdark.com

Saturday, 10/1

The 13th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival
4pm to 11pm
The Eagle Rock Music Festival will welcome the eclectic, local lineup for which it is known, highlighting the ethnic and cultural diversity of the Los Angeles music scene. Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock experiments with a multitude of genres to create a truly groundbreaking experience. The mix of localism and innovation has paved the way for many other community festivals. Musicians perform at ten unique one-night-only venues ranging from auto shops and formal stages to historical buildings and a motel balcony along Colorado Boulevard, which will be open to pedestrians between Eagle Rock Boulevard and Argus Street. Admission is a suggested donation of $5, and free parking is available at Eagle Rock Plaza. Eagle Rock Music Festival, Colorado Blvd. (between Argus St. & Eagle Rock Blvd.), Eagle Rock eaglerockmusicfestival.wordpress.com

Food Truck Festival at Santa Anita Park
11am - 5pm
The Santa Anita Food Truck Festival is back, and is going to be BIGGER and BETTER than the first. Enjoy gourmet food from 80 of Southern California’s finest gourmet food trucks including The Grilled Cheese Truck and the Lobsta Truck. Food trucks and foodies everywhere will take over the ENTIRE Santa Anita Infield. There will also be carnival games and live music as well as pony rides for the kiddies. $5. Santa Anita Park, 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia http://www.santaanita.com/specialevent/2011/food-truck-festival-ii

LA Burning Man
1pm - 2am
8 Stages of Entertainment, Tons of Art and Activities for All Ages. This is the official Burning Man Los Angeles Decompression event. Experience the art and culture of Burning Man brought to life in downtown LA. Be a participant in the LA Burner community and immerse yourself in twelve hours of art, performance, live bands, DJs, theme camps, art cars, green technology, puppetry, circus, marching bands, fire and 2011 imagery. Come be a part of the experience. $20. Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N Spring Street, Los Angeles www.laburningman.com

Taste of Italy
4pm - 10pm
The third annual Taste of Italy, Los Angeles’ premier cultural-gastronomic event, takes place on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Featuring dozens of the region’s exceptional Italian and Italian American restaurants, wineries and purveyors of culinary specialties, as well as a variety of live entertainment, Taste of Italy benefits the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. $45 pre-sale, $50 at the door (includes 6 food tickets and 6 drink tickets) 424 N Main St., Historic Little Italy, Los Angeles 90012 www.italianhall.org

Footloose @ Devil's Night Drive-In
6pm Start Time
Probably one of the best outdoor movie screening series, the Devil's Night Drive In is a totally awesome rooftop drive-in in the heart of Downtown LA. On Saturday they're screening an all time classic, Footloose! You can also munch on popcorn, burgers and hot dogs that are delivered to your window, car-hop-style, by the ladies of Angel City Derby Girls. Tickets cost $10 Devil's Night Drive-In, 240 W. 4th St., Downtown www.devilsnight.com

Sunday , 10/2

Sunday Night Sex Talks
8pm Show Time
From the always fabulous Jessie of 20-nothings, you should check out Sunday Night Sex Talks which is a monthly, girl's-only storytelling series featuring L.A.-based performers telling R-rated tales. The theme of September's show is: The first time I __________ I felt ___________. Prepare for candid, irreverent, genuine and hysterical stories told from the first-person perspective by some of this city's hottest talent (looks and skill-wise). Tickets are $6 Bar Lubitsch 7702 Santa Monica Blvd http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/194978