Local


17
May 11

Protected: Campaign contribution increase plan hits wall

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24
Apr 11

Colors of Santa Monica

IMG_20110423_174448IMG_20110423_181617IMG_20110423_181538IMG_20110423_181521IMG_20110423_181359IMG_20110423_174719
IMG_20110423_174651IMG_20110423_174644IMG_20110423_174631IMG_20110423_174556IMG_20110423_174505IMG_20110423_173754
IMG_20110421_204518IMG_20110423_173735

Colors of Santa Monica, a set on Flickr.


15
Apr 11

@WaterlooandCity Rocked My Mother-Loving Socks Off Last Night

This is the food I want the night before I go to the gas chamber.

Wow.

I’d heard about Waterloo and City about a month ago, and it really was that good.

Locavore decadence.

My last comparable dining experience was the first time I ate at Craft in Century City.

I started out with a five cheese plate (the medium-priced one) which turned out to be very tasty, with three exceptions:

1. Offer your guests descriptions of the nature of the selection they are tasting (name, region, and animal, if nothing more). The sheep deserve that much.

2. Supplement the standard cutlery. A butter knife will do the trick, but it’s not like we’re on a picnic.

3. A fromagiere (cheese monger) would serve thee well; he might also be a sommelier or a brewmeister. Ultimately, his presence will be felt be by all the kitchen staff, he’ll add boldness and complexity to your culinary DNA, and might just get you plus Etoiles Michelin when the time comes.

The complaints stop here.

The cheese flight was terrific and the bread (even the dinner rolls) was fantastic. I never found out what they were:

1. A firm cow’s milk cheese with a bold smokey flavor.

2. A bleu which I’m pretty sure was a Roquefort or Maytag (not Stilton) that hadn’t been stored properly (still tasty)

3. A buttery, white crusted brie or triple cream.

4. A chevre of some kind

5. Something tangy, maybe Manchego.

All-in-all, well-rounded flavors.

If you know what you’re doing, watch out for the Chicken Liver & Foie Gras Mousse ($12). I called the FDA after I was done and suggested they add this to the list of Schedule II narcotics.

I swear to God I saw trails after five minutes of eating this. The water in Tahiti is pretty much body temperature. This was the feeling my mouth experienced while I was eating the mousse.

The charcuterie plate of cured meats, cornichons, and pickled onions was fantastic, if only outshown by the foie gras mousse.

The tuna tartar was a nice way to slow down my gastronomic excesses: think of the parachutes on a top-fuel funnycar dragster.

Funny Car Parachutes

After a meal like that, the tuna tartar is a nice way to slow down toward the end.

Lastly, the wine and beer selection was truly awesome. If there’s any mixup at the bar, the waiter will straighten it out toute de suite. Saying, “I poured this one myself,” will make your customers gush at how well-taken care of they are.

Drop a knife and just try to get it before it’s retrieved and you’re handed a replacement, even on the enclosed and heated patio.

Really, this place was beyond reproach.

For variety, opt for a filling tapas-style selection of appetizers. With drinksthe pre-tip check for a party of for two should come to around $100.

On-site valet parking is $2.25 on Thursdays.

A-Frame is across the street. Near McConnell, east of the 99 Cent Store on Washington in Mar Vista.


11
Apr 11

CicLAvia Photos


11
Apr 11

Santa Spice?

 

 

If you don’t already idolize her, you should start.

Following reports that she used up her favourite girls name, Coco, on her pet bulldog, is seems VB is now leaning towards the name Santa, which is a popular name in Spain.

via Victoria Beckham Planning To Call Daughter Santa? | Victoria Beckham | News | MTV UK.


11
Apr 11

Bum Attacks Synagogue with Oversize Potato Gun

This is what happens when prejudice meets boredom and insanity.

The man who constructed a never-before-seen launcher that fired a projectile into the roof of a building adjacent to a Jewish outreach center in Santa Monica, Calif., is a transient known in Los Angeles for towing a trailer full of possessions behind a bicycle, police sources said.

via Santa Monica Synagogue Attack: Police Say Transient Made Improvised Launcher – ABC News.


8
Apr 11

Machete Used In Sunday ‘Ninja’ Attack at South Coast Plaza

WAT.

Robert Carl Hopkins Jr., a Costa Mesa resident who could face charges of assault with a deadly weapon and will likely remain in custody until he can post $25,000 bail, wore what authorities say was an all-black “ninja” outfit during the incident.

via UPDATED: Machete Used In Sunday ‘Ninja’ Attack at South Coast Plaza – Orange County News – Navel Gazing.


8
Apr 11

Destroying Art by Famous Artists

 

 

I know its inherently temporary and its destruction reminds of the futility of existence, but still …

A mere week from the opening of “Art in the Streets” at MOCA, works by Os Gêmeos, SABER, REVOK, RIME, RETNA, NORM, JERSEY JOE are currently being destroyed by the City of Los Angeles, even as tax money goes to supporting contemporary arts. Furthermore, the city also plans to buff the murals on Melrose, which have served as an outdoor gallery for thousands of Angeleños for the past few years and drawn thousands of visitors to the city.

via LA TACO » One Week From “Art in the Streets” and Someone is Destroying Art by Famous Artists.