Recent Blog Posts

Go Billy!

Trevi — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:16:00 GMT

Having just graduated from the World Arts and Cultures department at UCLA last June, I took a couple performance studies classes which, while exceptionally grueling, were begrudgingly interesting and are still highly applicable to daily life. With this very brief intro to performance studies under my belt, I feel like I could sit down and write a ten-page essay on Billy Elliot the Musical--but I'll save that for another time and place. I will, however, tell you that if you have not yet seen this fantastic production, you should run to the Pantages now, before you miss it.

I absolutely adored the movie and have seen it at least ten times, if not more. It was one of those movies that was so moving--the heartache, the frustration, the sweetness--I cried every single time I watched it. But I haven't seen Billy Elliot in years, so while I remember the basic plot, the musical felt very fresh.

My friend Meaghan came with me on Tuesday night to see Billy Elliot the Musical and she agreed that because stage is much different than film, the production's director and art director are able to interpret scenes in a new way that elegantly interlaces the two main plot lines. I was only twelve or thirteen when the film was released, so the complex contrast between the stories of Billy and his striking coal miner father and brother were probably lost on me anyway, given my youth, my lack of political awareness, and my lack of worldly experience. But seen on the stage as a 24-year old the irony of Billy's father and brother fighting for justice while ignoring the excruciating oppression and injustice they cause Billy is unavoidable and heartbreaking. The spectacular Act I finale cements this conflict beautifully, when Billy's father forbids him from participating in the Royal Ballet's auditions and Billy proceeds to dance angrily (this time his choreography heavily influenced by modern dance, rather than the graceful and often peaceful ballet), first in his bedroom but then, when the set drops away, in front of and against riot police and their bullet proof shields. The result is striking, terrifying, and almost relieving, as if Billy is dancing for all the times you were a teenager and were forbidden from doing something you cared deeply about-and even for all the injustice happening in the US and the world in 2012.

Seems apropos, doesn't it?

For all the seriousness and sadness in Billy Elliot The Musical there is also plenty of humor. Michael (played by, I believe, Jacob Zelonky on Tuesday)-Billy's chubby, cross-dressing friend-provides perfectly-timed comic relief; the kid's hilarious. (He is usually silly, but the character of Michael also brings up further notions of "queerness"-an idea that deserves to be more fully fleshed out in that ten- or perhaps fifteen-page paper!) Also flexing her comedic muscles is Regan Mason Haley as Tracey Atkinson, one of Mrs. Wilkinson's other ballet pupils. Grandma also offers some curmudgeonly comedy, but it's often bittersweet. She has a song that definitely made my eyes well up!

Despite all the wonderful things happening on stage in Billy Elliot The Musical, there were a couple weak points. The actor who played Billy on Tuesday night was spectacular and, of course, adorable. But his accent was a bit forced, and unfortunately the bathroom scene where Mrs. Wilkinson convinces Billy to take classes with her was not nearly as passionate as it is in the film.

But my main complaint? Where's all the T. Rex music? I desperately wanted to hear some I Love to Boogie. It could have even been during curtain call! But no such luck.

After the show, Meaghan and I ran across the street to Wood & Vine to grab a drink. I'd been here once to work at a Hollywood Arts Council membership mixer, but only had a margarita (the special that night). This time we both got a couple of exotic-and insanely good-cocktails. I started out with a Magnolia (Rain cucumber vodka, ginger honey, cucumber, and lime juice) which was extremely light and refreshing-and I'm not usually a vodka person. Meaghan got a standard whiskey drink, maybe an old fashioned, which she said was tasty. After making friends with a Canadian couple in town for the woman's 30 ^th birthday, we ordered another round. I decided to try the Aviation (New Amsterdam gin, Maraschino, Crème de Violette, lemon juice) which was spectacular, and Meaghan tried the Sazerac, an amazing combination of Old Overholt rye, Peychaud's absinthe, and simple syrup. Yowza! I really like Wood & Vine-it's perfect for a post-theatre drink (late night happy hour!) or bite. Their hushpuppies are ridiculous.

Magnolia on the left, whiskey on the right

After Wood & Vine the birthday girl invited us up to their king suite at the Redbury up the street. If you have never been to the Redbury, go! I had never seen the inside, and it's the coolest thing ever. Everything is red and moody, with giant black and white photos of Old Hollywood stars like Jean Harlow and Greta Garbo tucked into dark corners. It's all very luxe and sexy. And their room was fantastic. With a glass of wine in hand, we listened to some music, sat on their covered balcony, and watched the rain fall onto the Knickerbocker apartments next door. After our glass of wine, we parted ways (with a new place to stay if we ever visited Alberta !) and trudged down a very wet and slippery Walk of Fame.

Could she be any more rad?

It was just another night in Hollywood ...

Billy Elliot the Musical runs at the Pantages Theatre thru May 13. Check our calendar for dates and times.
Wood & Vine is located in the Taft Building at 6280 Hollywood Blvd. at Vine St. in Hollywood, CA 90028
The Redbury Hotel is located at 1717 Vine St. Hollywood, CA 90028

Sunset + Vine Pole Banner Contest

Trevi — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:29:00 GMT

This is a really fun, community-wide event. Get involved!

The Sunset & Vine Business Improvement District (BID) is a non-profit organization made up of property owners surrounding the Sunset & Vine intersection. Hollywood has long been recognized as a hotbed of talent and creativity, and with the Hollywood Palladium, Arclight Cinema, and myriad other entertainment venues, the famed intersection has them in spades. And now the BID has teamed up with Helen Bernstein High Schoolto showcase some homegrown talent right here in our neighborhood! Rather than hire a graphic designer to create new pole banners for the District, students enrolled in the school's art department have a shot at it as part of a class assignment and contest.

Art instructor Justice O'Neil broke down the contest assignment into smaller lessons on lettering, coloring, and design before the large, final works were created. Over 60 students collaborated to create 35 unique designs as part of the contest.

"It is so valuable for students to have the opportunity to work with the business community so they can experience, practice and learn what goes on in the real world," O'Neil said. "As educators, we talk to our students about the 'real world' all the time, but there is nothing like personal experience to bring that lesson home."

YOU can help foster these ideas within the art students of Helen Bernstein High School. Visit the BID's Facebook page at facebook.com/HollywoodHQ and vote on YOUR favorite design. Of the 35 entries, two designs will be chosen by the Central Hollywood Coalition, and two designs will be chosen by YOU! The four designs will then be used to create 150 street pole banners to be displayed around the district.

The students' original works will also be exhibited at the upcoming Sunset & Dine event, currently scheduled for June 7, 2012. This event will not only celebrate the renewal of the Sunset & Vine district, but will also showcase the local food and entertainment options within the neighborhood.

"We have been so grateful to work with the students at Helen Bernstein High School, one of the premiere LAUSD schools, located in a brand new building at the gateway to the District," Sarah MacPherson, executive director of the Sunset & Vine District, said. "We see this as one of the first of many partnerships between the business community and the future leaders in Hollywood."

Vote NOW for your favorite designs, and give a huge sense of accomplishment to the students of Helen Bernstein High School! Who knows, some of them may go on to become the next wave of successful Hollywood artists!

Public voting for this contest will last thru April 30, and final winners will be announced May 2, 2012. Good luck to all the participants!

Wicked

Trevi — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:50:00 GMT

I was raised in a family that REALLY likes The Wizard of Oz. We do not own a copy and watch it sometimes. No, we own an old VHS, a new VHS, and a limited edition DVD that came in a Yellow Brick Road box set with a reproduced copy of the script, a book about the making of the film, and a commemorative wristwatch. And when we come across it on television we shout to each other from the other room, " The Wizard of Oz is on!!!!" as if we have no other means by which to watch it. As a child, The Wizard of Oz often acted as my babysitter. I'm an only child so when my mother was cooking in the kitchen or working in another room, I'd get to watch The Wizard of Oz. I'm fairly certain that was the genesis of my recurring chased-by-tornadoes nightmare. We literally had a family viewing party (all 10 or so of us) at my parent's house to see if The Dark Side of the Moon really does match up (note: it totally does and it's awesome). We're the kind of people who think it's not just normal but expected to exclaim, "How 'bout a little fire, Scarecrow!" whenever anyone lights a match.

I'm not afraid of anything...except a lighted match.

Needless to say, when I was graciously invited to attend opening night of Wicked at the Pantages Theatre on December 1 ^st, I figured I should take my mother and make a night of it.

I left the Discover Hollywood office and met my mom at Off Vine, a little bungalow of a restaurant that is, quite literally, off Vine St. It was adorable! There are a million little white tables with fairy lights outside, but unfortunately it was way too cold to sit on the porch. Luckily it was nice and toasty inside, and charmingly decorated with wreaths and lights for the holidays.

The New American menu is impressive, with entrees like Smoked Mozzarella and Chicken Ravioli, Braised Short Ribs, and Wild Atlantic Salmon topped with sautéed garlicky veggies. Astoundingly-to me, anyway-they have an entire vegan section on the menu! I tried the Pistachio Encrusted Vegan Chicken. Much to my dismay I'm allergic to nuts, so I had to nix the pistachios. The chicken is served with a (very) sweet mango sauce that I wished was a mango salsa instead, but it was still tasty. I missed the saltiness of the pistachios with it, though. The vegan garlic mashed potatoes were insanely good, and the side of green beans was seriously cooked to absolute perfection. Mom got an off-menu special: Tilapia, served with a chunky olive and veggie sauce, with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans. She said the whole thing was absolute heaven. I got a glass of Pinot Grigio ($6 for a huge pour) and Mom got a cappuccino at the end of the night that looked delish. Oh and by the way, the bread is INSANITY and it comes with a little pot of fresh pesto that was immediately sopped up.

I apologize for all these terrible images,
my camera ran out of batteries and I forgot my charger
in Portland over Thanksgiving weekend!
This food was delicious though!

I want to take a separate paragraph to tell you that our waiter was incredibly sweet, funny, and seemed to genuinely care that we enjoyed our Off Vine experience. And we did! So thank you, kind sir.

Then it was off to the theatre! We parked a block or two away and, as if by design, walked right over Judy Garland's star on the Vine St. Walk of Fame.

Just as we arrived to pick up our tickets, Anne Heche and her family stepped out of their limo, greeted by a GIGANTIC crowd of paparazzi. I've never seen that scene in real life-it's mesmerizing. Everyone was silent. All you could hear was the clicking of the cameras and Heche's handler quietly saying, "Excuse us," and "Watch out." It was actually really interesting.

Anne Heche on the red carpet
Image courtesy of Getty Images

Other celebs were there, including Broadway, Television and Film favorites like Molly Ringwald, Candace Cameron Bure (who I sat one seat away from!), Kevin Sorbo, Regina King, and Patrick Warburton.

And the show was absolutely spectacular. Full disclosure: I had anticipated a little bit of cheese. But there was NONE! It was sweet and exciting and the songs were spectacular and catchy and sung to mind-blowing perfection. I'm sure you all know the basis of the show, but just in case: Wicked is the story of what happened in Oz before Dorothy "dropped in."

Mamie Parris as Elphaba (the Wicked Witch) galumphs around the stage in true Elphaba/Wicked Witch/Elmira Gulch fashion. She has truly transformed herself into this character. But for how unrefined and antisocial she manages to act, Parris can still belt out a tune. I mean, this woman is a serious showstopper. I could not believe the notes she held, or for how long she held them.

Images courtesy of Broadway L.A. and the Pantages Theatre

Meanwhile Katie Rose Clarke flits around onstage, oftentimes stealing the scene as the sickeningly sweet and popular Glinda who you love to hate but also just love to love. Clarke's Good Witch is a brilliant Mary Katherine Gallagher/Elle Woods lovechild: blonde, brilliant, and popular, yet spastically desperate.

Separately and as an onstage team, Parris and Clarke are incredible in Wicked. The two of them, combined with the rest of the show's amazing cast, as well as the gripping story makes this a super fun, if sometimes heartbreaking, production. GO NOW!

Off Vine is located at 6263 Leland Way, Hollywood, CA 90028
The Pantages Theatre is located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028
Back by popular demand, Wicked is at the Pantages Theatre through January 29. Visit www.broadwayla.org for more information.

Irish Hollywood

Trevi — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:45:00 GMT

My friend Peter and I enjoyed a very Irish night out in Hollywood last night, and it was, in a word, epic.

The night started out at Dillon's Irish Pub, with an exorbitantly expensive Patron on the rocks for me and a super cheap pint of Guinness (or two) for Peter. We had both eaten dinner beforehand, so we just stuck to drinks, but I took a peek at the menu. Not much in the way of vegetarian fare, but for your average Joe, who presumably would be going to Dillon's to watch a soccer or basketball (RIP NBA) game with the dudes, there were a ton of delicious looking options. Plus, they had a page of specials with lots of Irish dishes. The little specials menu on the table had a page of desserts, many of which featured a whiskey caramel sauce, namely the Irish bread pudding: bread pudding, topped with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled in whiskey caramel sauce. Oh my God I almost had to get it, but I resisted. Maybe next time...when I'm not saving up all my cheat days for Thanksgiving!

After we finished our drinks we walked literally two doors east to grab our tickets at the Pantages box office. This is the second time I've been to Dillon's before going to a show at the Pantages, and both times it has been a GREAT decision. You don't have to worry about parking all over again and, even when it is crowded (like it was the first time), Dillon's is a fun place to hang out for an hour or so.

So, what were we seeing at the Pantages that night, you ask? RIVERDANCE. It's back for this weekend only, on the Los Angeles leg of their farewell tour! Fifteen years ago to the day was their opening night at the Pantages, and they're back to say goodbye to Los Angeles for good-or at least for awhile.

When I think of Riverdance one of the first things that pops into my head is a scene from arguably the best episode of Friends ever:

His legs flail about as if independent from his body! This is a true statement. Although the Lord of the Dance has long since retired, the new Riverdance lead, Craig Ashurst, is still incredibly impressive-not only with his footwork, but also in his ability to really work a crowd.

Peter and I both studied in the Department of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA-a department that is divided into Cultural Studies and Dance Studies. We were both on the Cultural Studies side of the department. Strangely enough, though, Peter is an amazing professional swing dancer. He teaches at schools and clubs all over the city, and is seriously talented. But neither of us had ever been to or thought about going to Riverdance before, so we sort of knew what to expect, but nothing could prepare us for the epicness of the show.

Everyone involved in Riverdance is insanely talented, but the best part of the show was how passionate and super into it they were throughout the entire performance. Keep in mind, too, that there aren't just dancers in Riverdance; singers and a live band make up the rest of the cast. A lone drummer (Mark Alfred) kept the beat the entire show, dancing along with the other performers between two combined drum kits. He never missed a beat. On the opposite side of the stage were three other musicians: a fiddler (Pat Mangan) with the fastest hands I have ever seen, a saxophonist (Dave McGauran) who had a sweet number with just him and the drummer toward the end of the show, and Matt Bashford who played the uilleann pipes and low whistles. I know nothing about traditional Irish instruments (I have no idea how a bagpipe works), but I'm pretty sure the uilleann pipes was the instrument he played that sort of sounded like bagpipes but it was a string instrument that was controlled with something that looked like a weird, giant version of a whammy bar. He had a solo at the very beginning of the show that was really amazing.

The musicians and dancers, including Ashurst and the female lead Caterina Coyne, really know how to keep an audience riveted. They made eye contact with people in the audience (probably including Cloris Leachman-she was sitting in the row in front of us!!), clapped to make everyone clap along (not that the audience needed help with this), shouted, and generally looked like they were having a great time. Not one step was missed, and they made it look like fun-rather than the intense work it surely is. Coyne glides and bounces between the other dancers like a fawn-quickly, gracefully, and smoothly.

Between the intense performers, the grand music, and the broad historical range of the production, Riverdance is epic in every sense of the word. They begin at what looks like some sort of a paganistic Stonehenge-esque location and end up in approximately 1930s Harlem. Epic and a really fun show! It kept everyone in the audience bouncing and clapping in their seats. My only complaint was a strange scene that involved 5 extremely impressive dancers, but left me feeling very confused.

After intermission the audience is transported to the white-sailed ships of the 19^th century and is serenaded with a beautiful song that touches on themes of inequality. Immediately after this song the Irish folk apparently disembark the boat and find themselves in 1840s tenement New York. For some reason, though, Ashurst and his gang run into some African American tap dancers who, it would seem, are supposed to be from 1930s Harlem. And they proceed to have a dance off. The dancing is more than impressive-it's nearly inhuman! Everyone's lightning-quick footwork and humor was definitely the audience's favorite part of the show. But it sort of changed the number into a scene from Newsies. On the surface it added some lightheartedness to the show, but in reality it touched on heavy racial and economic class themes that, had they been more fully fleshed out, could have been fascinating (barring the lack of historical continuity). Unfortunately, the show just doesn't have enough time to address those very important and interesting issues.

Nevertheless, Dillon's and Riverdance were both really fun. Peter and I are both ecstatic that we were able to go! If you haven't seen the show yet, or honestly even if you have, you're in for a treat!

Dillon's Irish Pub is located at 6263 Hollywood Blvd. in the heart of Hollywood.

The Pantages Theatre is located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd., also in the heart of Hollywood.

Riverdance runs from November 15^th to November 20^th. Remaining shows include: Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 1pm and 6:30pm.

Get Your Pants Scared Off at the Old Zoo

Trevi — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:04:00 GMT

It's a crisp and cloudless October night. A full moon peaks out from behind twisted, leafless tree limbs. Fog creeps around a bend in the road up ahead. We park in a bustling parking lot full of smiling faces, but getting out of my car I hear shrieks amidst the distant roar of a chainsaw. We know we shouldn't, but my boyfriend and I tentatively begin our walk toward the commotion. The fog grows thicker and, as we sneak around the bend, it takes on a curious orange glow. The screams get louder, the chainsaw more threatening. Closer we walk. Dark shadows up ahead slowly materialize. The orange glow becomes brighter, and more lights appear. Suddenly I am aware of faint music. It resembles carnival music, but it's off-key and manic. Closer we walk. The fog begins to clear. The screams are now deafeningly loud, and out of the corner of my eye I see a small group of people, running at full-sprint, from-what's that? The chainsaw gets louder and louder until I realize an escaped convict is chasing after them with a chainsaw! Although he looks much larger than they and full capable of outrunning them, he stops short, shakes the chainsaw at them, and defeated, retreats back into a dark, hillside barn. The shrieks turn into frenzied laughter as the group runs off into the darkness.

I have just entered the grounds of the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride.

It's October, but aside from a brief rainfall last week it doesn't much feel like autumn. Are you not quite in the Halloween spirit yet? A trip to the Haunted Hayride at Griffith Park's Old Zoo will quickly cure what ails you.

The drive leading to the site of the Hayride on Crystal Springs Dr. (from the 5 freeway) iscreepy enough to get you in the mood for a good scare. It's pitch black, and with all of the orange cones, construction equipment, and police tape due to the LADWP improvement project, it looks like zombies have taken over Griffith Park before you even reach the Hayride. Clever street signs that read "Cut Off A Head" almost help calm drivers' nerves, until you remember that you're descending into a canyon full of maniacs, murderers, and freaks.

Said maniacs, murderers and freaks greet you before you even have a chance to buy your tickets. But if you follow the lights blinking on the rooftop, tickets can be purchased at a ticket booth from a perfectly pleasant (and healthy) living human being. After that, though, you're on your own. Your ticket grants you entrance to the Hayride itself, the In-Between (a horrifying maze), and the Human Menagerie Sideshow which includes a hall of mirrors, a haunted merry-go-round, a magic show with Mister Wonder and his beautiful assistant, and a psychic reading with Madame April. Not bad for $35. ($25 if you opt out of the In-Between, but I highly recommend the full ticket. The maze is the scariest (aka most fun!) part of the night!)

I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go into great detail about anything. But the Hayride is awesome. It's definitely more funny and campy than it is scary, but the blending of humor and horror is the beauty of Halloween! I had a headache from laughing and screaming so hard after the second go-round.

A man, fully outfitted in Levis, plaid, and a rancher's hat, drives a tractor which drags behind it a huge hay-blanketed trailer bed. So yes, in case you had any fears, this is a genuine Hayride. (Bring your inhaler!) Riders slowly creep up an incline, through lighted stone gates resembling those at the beginning of the Jurassic Park tour. (As I'm sure you know, anything having to do with Jurassic Park is a good thing.) Immediately the trailer bed is hit with an inordinate amount of fog, which billows out from the gates and encircles the riders. Up ahead we encounter the ghostly visions of the Clifton twins, the daughters of Zoo Keeper Ferdinand Clifton, around whose night terrors the experience is based. They beckon you to come play with them, and-like it or not-off you go, into their demented, childlike dreamworld. What follows is a cast of characters whose sole purpose is to frighten riders of the Haunted Hayride. And they do.

After the Hayride, Mathew and I enjoyed the Human Menagerie Sideshow. Before mounting the spindly white horse skeletons on the carousel (or should I say, Carous-Hell), we watched as a ten-foot tall black scarecrow swayed through the crowd and stopped, ominously watching the ride, before gliding away into the darkness. As Mathew and I whirled backwards on our ghostly equines, a baby, the size of a full-grown man, and looking like he had suffered third-degree burns, wore a skeleton jumpsuit and stood beside the ride. He stuck his tongue out at me and pointed, waiting for us to exit the carousel. When we finally did, he slowly chased us until we reached the Hall of Mirrors. I didn't have much luck escaping to the Hall, as a dead, life-sized doll whose mouth had been stitched together cornered me in the claustrophobic space. She finally let me go, but not before putting her nose to mine, and screaming.

We ran out of there and headed to the entrance to the In-Between-the maze. Handsdown one of the scariest mazes I've ever been in. It's in an old barn they've constructed, and it is pitch black. They give you a light that somehow emits a red glow but offers your eyes no assistance. I don't scare that easily, but when it's that dark and you just know something is around the corner, it's hard not to get goosebumps. We made it through, but just barely.

After recuperating, we walked past the Grub Shack, which sold Children of the Popcorn, Sin' Omen Apple Rings, and the like. It all smelled delicious. Beyond it was Madame April's psychic reading table. I recommend doing this either at the very beginning of the night, at the very end of the night, or at the very least during Mister Wonder's magic show (located right next to the table) so you'll have something to entertain you. The line was not long, but it was very slow-moving. After about 20 minutes, we gave up and decided to go on the Hayride one last time. Worth it!

Conclusion: If you need something to jolt you into the Halloween spirit, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride is the way to go. It's fun, it's spooky, and there are enough murderous crazies to chase after everyone. And they will! Consider yourself warned.

The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride is located at 4730 Crystal Springs Ave. The event continues Thursdays-Saturdays for the remainder of October. Visit their website for more information.

Dinner and Drinks in Hollywood

Trevi — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:10:00 GMT

I've been petsitting my grandparents' dogs in the Valley for a couple weeks now. I normally live about ten minutes away from our office at Crossroads of the World, but since petsitting began, my morning and evening commutes have stretched to about an hour an a half-each! As a result, I normally have to hurry home every day after work to get back to the house and give the dogs their dinners. Last night, though, my boyfriend, who has been very busy himself, was amazing and gave me the night "off!" We had an early dinner at Doomie's, and then he went out to the Valley to feed the dogs so that I could meet up with a girlfriend--who I hadn't seen since she got engaged!--at Café Stella.

Doomie's Home Cookin', in a little strip mall on Fountain and Vine (tucked way back in the corner!), is one of the most incredible vegetarian restaurants I have ever been to. It's all vegetarian, and most menu options are vegan or can be made vegan. I'm vegetarian and Mathew is vegan, so when I found a post on QuarryGirl about it, I knew we had to try it. We picked up sandwiches from them on the way to a Dodgers game this summer and they were amazing. But when the hot food arrived at our table last night, I knew it would be even better.

My grandmother used to whip up the most incredible fried chicken known to man whenever my parents and I visited her in Oklahoma City. Having been a vegetarian for 10 years, it's been a long time since I've tasted that greasy, crispy, fried glory. But I miss it. A LOT. Obviously I ordered the vegan fried chicken without hesitation and I swear I almost cried when it arrived at the table! It came with mashed potatoes (red, with some skin on-my favorite!), corn on the cob, a dinner roll, and a small side of AWESOME coleslaw. The chicken itself was tender and-I know it sounds crazy-incredibly juicy. And the fried bit was totally Colonel-worthy: salt-and-peppery with a hint of sweetness, light, crispy, and just the right amount of greasy. I know it's been a full decade since I've eaten meat, but let me tell you: not even my Oklahoma-born meat-and-potatoes eatin' father would be able to tell the difference between it and real chicken. I was blown away! All of the sides were awesome, except the corn--it was a little overcooked. But I didn't miss it with all the rest of the food we ordered!

Mathew ordered the chicken parmesan sandwich--again, because it was just that good!--and it, of course, did not disappoint. It's big, it's sloppy, it's cheesy (he ordered vegan cheese but they have several real cheese options too)--everything chicken parm should be! Of course he got fries on the side. Before all of this, though, we ordered one of the most amazing menu options for an appetizer: vegan mac n' cheese! It sounds terrible, but this is serious stuff. They make the cheese sauce themselves, from scratch, every day in the kitchen. It's a super secret, super awesome recipe. One of vegan cheese's (many) problems stems from the difficulty it has solidifying. They usually have to add a bunch of stuff to it to make it a "block" capable of being shredded, and all that stuff makes it taste "off." The stuff they put on the mac n' cheese is strictly a sauce, though, so it thankfully doesn't have this problem. And it is AWESOME. I swear it's (almost) better than the real thing! And the noodles are cooked al dente to perfection. It's a definite must-try.

After Doomie's, Mathew went out to the Valley to test his pet allergies and I went off to Café Stella, a little French brasserie in the Sunset Junction. If you've never been here, GO. No vegan food here! But no worries, we were there for a glass of wine.

The restaurant has three spaces: an enclosed seating area and a covered patio, where lunch and dinner are served, and a small bar off to the side of the entrance. The patio stays warm when its cold outside thanks to heat lamps suspended from the ceiling. The water glasses tucked in the French armoire, the terracotta-colored walls, and the specks of greenery also add to the space's warmth. It glistens with candle light and fairy lights strung from the ceiling. We sat at the bar, which has only about 15 seats but a handful of 4-person booths are in the same space. Dinner may be ordered here as well. The bar, backed with an antique mirror, is cluttered (in an elegant, French way) with old, probably found oil paintings and French knick-knacks. It's beautiful and welcoming.

We ordered two glasses of a newly arrived white wine. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of it, but it was delicious. At seven or eight bucks a pop, it happened to be the least expensive white on the by-the-glass menu. A little steep, but it was worth every crisp, refreshing sip. Stella is not an inexpensive place to eat or drink, but it is delicious. The wines (white, red, rose, and sparkling) are all fantastic, and the food is insane (get the artichoke!) I suggest going there for special occasions or, if you really want to impress him/her, a first date. It's festive and gorgeous--in every way!

Doomie's Home Cookin' is located at 1253 N. Vine St. Suite 9 in Hollywood, CA 90038
Café Stella is located at 3932 W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA 90029

A Night Out in Hollywood

Trevi — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:35:00 GMT

Although I wasn't planning on it, Thursday night turned out to be a night full of Hollywood events!

Nyla Arslanian, the Editor of Discover Hollywood and President of the Hollywood Arts Council, was presented with a check from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at a mixer they held at Tekila on Hollywood Blvd. Oscar-Nyla's husband and the Publisher of Discover Hollywood-joined her, as did Shauna-the Hollywood Arts Council Executive Director-and myself. I got a bit sweaty running (almost literally) over there from our office at Crossroads of the World, but even walking just a few blocks in Hollywood blesses your eyes with some truly amusing sights. For example, there was a man outside a bar, wearing sneakers and talking on his phone. It seemed normal, until we realized he was wearing a Nylon skunk costume? Hey, whatever floats your boat!

Anyway, after our impromptu evening jaunt we made it to Tekila and I must say, this little annual party is lovely! I highly recommend that you go next year. We had hardly said hello to a soul before we were greeted with a GIANT tray of chicken empanadas. I'm a vegetarian so as amazing as they smelled, I didn't get to try one. Nyla, on the other hand, tried one and said it was delicious! After a few meet-n-greets with the nice folks of the Chamber, we entered the building. With our two free drink tickets, Shauna and I grabbed a couple of margaritas at the bar. Not only were they delicious, but they were strong-especially considering that they were free. We definitely left the bartenders some generous tips for treating us all so well.

We all schmoozed for about half an hour, and then they started presenting awards for the night. We got our picture taken with our check and Nyla thanked everybody. After finishing up our margaritas and chit-chats, we headed out.

My next stop was the Groundlings theatre on Melrose. I can't believe I've lived in Los Angeles my whole life and I've never been to a show at the Groundlings! ( Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on Franklin is closer to me, but still!) My boyfriend and some of his fellow UCLA teacher's assistants scored group discount tickets to the Crazy Uncle Joe Show that night, so I met them all there. The Crazy Uncle Joe Show is actually a really incredible long-form improv show-one of L.A.'s longest running!



It starts off with three suggestions from the audience, and the 7 or so comedians come up with stories based off of them. Then-and this is where the real fun begins-they begin to miraculously weave the stories together, which makes for some incredible comedy! They do this for 40 minutes straight-twice! Wow. All ten of us were literally crying with laughter the entire show, it was absolutely brilliant. Grape pickers, butchers, and police officers (the first set of suggestions) are an apparently hilarious combination!

It was nearly ten o'clock and I hadn't eaten dinner yet, so Mathew and I headed down the street to Swingers for some late night snacks with a couple of his friends.



The best word to describe Swingers is: hip. It's super hip. Hip in that it's flooded with hipsters, but also hip in the mid-century meaning of the word. Walking in, you feel as though you've walked onto the set of Pulp Fiction , or, fittingly, Swingers. A bar wraps around the whole front of the room, and giant booths line the windows. It's sort of 1950s and 60s themed, but not overpoweringly so. And the food is awesome. I haven't been there in years and the last time I went I only got a milkshake (although I still remember how delicious it was-chocolate/peanutbutter/banana/soy milk!) This time I was getting a full meal, and my stomach was excited about it!

There are about a millionmenu options, all fairly reasonably priced ($10 to $15 for full entrees, but there's way more than that on the menu) and all delicious. And for three vegetarians and a vegan, plenty of stuff for us to choose from too. One of our friends suggested the veggie sloppy joe, but I had my eyes set on the soyrizo scramble. So glad I went with it.  Two eggs (although tofu is an option) scrambled with soyrizo (veggie chorizo), blackbeans and salsa. I added plenty of hot sauce. It comes with tortillas or, as I ordered, blue corn chips. So amazing! Especially with the side of guacamole I happily globbed on top. It was incredibly satisfying. My only complaint is that I wanted a second one!

After a hearty meal and an hour or two of politics talk, we decided it was time to go home. I went to sleep feeling like I had taken advantage of the city for the first time in a long while! I recommend you go out and do the same. Enjoy!

Tekila is located at 6541 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, CA 90028
The Groundlings is located at 7307 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles, CA 90046.
Swingers is located at 8020 Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA 90048