After Christmas, I usually feel like I was run over by a truck. After the stress of holiday shopping, the grueling roundtrip in holiday traffic to NorCal, and family visits galore, I just want to do nothing but hit snooze well into the new year. Fortunately, friends told me about the little piece of heaven…
Category Archives: Los Angeles
A Blue Field of Dreams: The Blue Phase of Not a Cornfield
If you light it up, they will come. I keep hearing about this living sculpture in the middle of L.A.: a cornfield located on a 32-acre stretch of land north of Chinatown and south of Lincoln Heights. L.A. artist Lauren Bon created Not a Cornfield to “challenge notions of urban public space and inspire community…
Liquor Is Quicker: Beverages & More for Last-Minute Gifts
Not BevMo, Dad’s liquor cabinet. I wouldn’t be a procrastinator if I didn’t save my Christmas shopping for Christmas Eve now would I? At this point, I don’t have time to scramble around the mall looking for the gift that says “I knew you’d love this” rather than “This is all I could find.” That’s…
Nobody Smokes in L.A.: Last of the Cigar Bars
“Cigars are the perfect complement to an elegant lifestyle” – George Sand I don’t smoke and even if I did, I wouldn’t smoke cigars–so ’90s, so Ah-nold–but my friend, whose birthday is coming up, loves those big, fat smelly stogies and wants to celebrate old-gentlemen style. So she asked me to find an appropriate venue…
Beating Holiday Traffic Heading North
Like many other Angelenos, I have to make the dreaded trek up north via car for Christmas. Living in L.A. all these years and having to do this every year, I’ve experimented with different routes–all to avoid the hassle of holiday traffic or at least minimize it. Interstate 5: This is the straight shot to…
Soundtrack for L.A. Living: Sitting on Your Santa's Lap
What: “Santa Baby” by Kylie Minogue Who: Those who consider video iPods to be just another stocking stuffer and want to coax a lot more from their “Santas.” When: Now. There are still 5 shopping days until Christmas! But of course that special-ordered Mercedes SLR McLaren will have to wait til next year. Where: In…
Yummy Cupcakes: It's a Party in Your Mouth
Perusing through Daily Candy this fine morning, I saw a write-up of a new-to-me cupcake store in Burbank that’s sure to rival my beloved Sprinkles! It’s uncreatively called Yummy Cupcakes (of COURSE they’re yummy!) and is touted as “Delicious New York-Style Cupcakes,” whatever THAT means. And apparently they have a fancy cupcake bar where you…
Hot Ticket for New Year's: Giant Village NYE 06
It’s almost New Year’s Eve and I still don’t know how I want to spend the countdown. Do I wanna do it at a low-key celebration at someone’s house? “…3, 2, 1. Happy New Year. Yay.” Or go the total opposite route and do it up big with 20,000 other Angelenos in Downtown L.A.? “Happy…
Westwood Brewing Company: Beer, What Beer?
I haven’t gone to Westwood in ages so I jumped at the chance to drop by the Westwood Brewing Company when invited. All right, it was more like, “Really? There? OK.” My friends knew one of the bartenders so we were set for drinks, meaning we drank hard liquor and not any of the beers….
Make Someone's Holidays Happy: The Giving Spirit Charity Bag Drop
For most, the holidays are the time when you are surrounded by your loved ones, in the coziness of your home with your egg nog, figgy pudding and presents. And it’s times like these when you’re really grateful for all that you have. That’s why it’s around this time when I’m usually struck by the…
