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December 21, 2007
Palm Springs Follies
Filed under: On the Road — StyleGuide @ 12:31 pm
I’m taking a little break for the holidays. I’ll re-post some of my earlier entries up until I get back to the regular schedule in 2008!
For a near-by get-away that feels more like a trip through a time warp, there’s no place like Palm Springs. And come fall, once both the temperature gauge and the snowbirds descend, one of the greatest shows of all time lights up the night.
They come in wheelchairs and retirement home buses, an audience “with an average age of dead” packing into a gargantuan theater for a sold-out show with music from the 20s, 30s, and 40s — featuring performers from the 20s, 30s and 40s.
It is the inimitable Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, a Vegas-style revue with a cast ranging in age from 59 to 84 years old.
Some may balk at seeing the elderly in little more than skimpy bathing suits and strategically placed feathers. But the artistry, dedication and endurance of these performers will win you over.
Tickets are a little pricey, but sometimes I like to splurge a little on vacation in the interest of expanding my mind. And in this case, mission accomplished.
Price: $$$$ ($50 and up)
Where: 128 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California
Call: 760-327-0225
Have the Follies blown your mind? Tell us about it.
December 18, 2007
Golden Bird Fried Chicken
Filed under: South, Midtown, Eat — StyleGuide @ 8:07 pm
I’m taking a little break for the holidays. I’ll re-post some of my earlier entries up until I get back to the regular schedule in 2008!
A bold statement, I know, to declare the best fried chicken in a city full of strong birds, whether Dinah’s, Roscoe’s or Honey’s.
But I have to say, there’s something about Golden Bird.
First, the name. “Golden Bird” is the perfect appellation for a chicken that, fitting for Los Angeles, is the color of a deep, dark suntan glistening with oil. The tender meat sports a batter coating that is smooth, crispy and light.
Served with the ubiquitous (but odd) side of crinkle cut sweet pickles in a tiny paper cup, the chicken is consistently good. Sides, however, can be hit or miss, but heaven can’t be much better than those days you strike upon a buttery, flaky biscuit with its salty top baked a rich brown, creamy mac and cheese or greens spiked with tender chunks of pork and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper.
There’s a lot of nostalgia for Golden Bird chicken, an L.A. institution since 1953, as locations have diminished over the years. Expect a resurgence with 14 new locations soon to be added to their five existing L.A. stores.
I hit the one at 4725 West Venice, just west of La Brea near the OSH.
Price: $ (under $10)
Where: Check www.goldenbirdchicken.com/contactus.html for locations
Call: 323-525-0488
Do you love Golden Bird? Or does your heart belong to another poultry shop? Tell me about it….
December 12, 2007
Mmmm sandwiches: Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese
Filed under: Midtown, Eat — StyleGuide @ 7:39 pm
Larchmont Village is a weird little universe, a couple of blocks populated by small shops and restaurants with a neighborly vibe. Overall I’d characterize the area as upper-income, what with the denizens of Hancock Park parking their BMWs and frequenting the pricey little shops. Somehow, though, it avoids the snobby feel — perhaps because there are some real dining gems tucked in between that high-end shopping.
A favorite for lunch is Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese. They have an odd little counter tucked in back, serving sandwiches with gourmet ingredients at affordable prices. The Soppressata salami, imported Black Forest ham and Italian prosciutto are sliced as you wait, then piled high on baguette or ciabatta. A little cheese here, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar there, some tapenade and mixed greens — it all seems so simple. Yet every time I finish my generous sandwich, I wonder how ingredients so basic could combine in such rich and satisfying ways.
But if there’s anything I know about getting a great sandwich at a good price in this town, it is that the experience is never without its toll. At Larchmont you can expect that you’ll face a line, that they’ll close when they run out of bread, and that the counter will keep odd hours (e.g., they’re closed Sundays).
My best tip? Call your order in and make sure “the sandwich that will make your day” is waiting for you at the register.
Price: $
Where: 223 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca 90004
Call: 323-856-8699
December 10, 2007
Breakfast Under Pressure: Dim Sum at Empress Pavilion
Filed under: Downtown, Eat — StyleGuide @ 8:45 pm
If your idea of an enjoyable weekend breakfast doesn’t involve people screaming at you in Chinese while shoving steaming steel carts at you, then maybe dim sum at Empress Pavilion isn’t for you.
But if you are up for a little adventure with a cosmopolitan feel, this is the place to get big heaping spoonfuls of it for not a lot of cash.
Dim sum, typically referred to as Chinese breakfast food, looks like little appetizers or pastries. Women push steaming trolleys the size of shopping carts around the dining room, offering guests different types of dim sum served three or four pieces to a tin.
My first visit was stressful because we were a table of neophytes. There’s no time to acclimate yourself to the regulation basketball court-sized dining room or peruse the menu (I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a menu). The mayhem begins the minute you take a seat.
The carts come charging, and we learned quickly to just say yes to a whole bunch of stuff (2-3 tins or plates of dim sum per person). Otherwise, after the initial onslaught there can be a wait before carts return to your part of the dining room.
This is the sweet spot — when the pressure ends and you can sip tea, sample the flavors, relax and chat.
We’ve eaten like kings till we were stuffed for as little as $8 a piece.
Price: $-$$
Where: 988 North Hill St., Los Angeles, Ca 90012
When: Go early on weekends (9 or 9:30 a.m.) to avoid the lines
Call: 213-617-9898
December 5, 2007
Furniture: Hotel Surplus Outlet
Filed under: House + Garden — StyleGuide @ 7:50 pm
This is my new table.
This is my new marble table.
This is my new marble table from the Mondrian Hotel.
This is my new marble table from the Mondrian Hotel, designed by Philippe Starck.
This is my new marble table from the Mondrian Hotel, designed by Philippe Starck, for which I paid $80.
This means two things: 1.) I have to stop reading children’s books, and 2.) There are some amazing finds at Hotel Surplus Outlet.
When hotels redecorate or close, the Hotel Surplus Outlet picks up the discards. Sofas, dressers, tables, chairs, mirrors, VCRs, armoires — anything you see in a hotel room you’ll find here.
The huge warehouse is stocked with furniture ranging from motel (oh, no) to luxury (uh huh). Prices aren’t garage sale or Goodwill, but you’ll find high quality, only slightly worn furniture.
Price: $$$$
Where: 6843 Valjean Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91406
Call: 818-787-7807
December 3, 2007
Stylish Six: Custom Gift Baskets
Filed under: Best Of, Shop — StyleGuide @ 8:35 pm
Gift basket prices always seem inflated for just a bunch of stuff packed in wicker. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your own.
First, try unique local fillers:
1. Galco’s Soda Pop Stop: Family owned and operated since forever, Galco’s carries 400 different sodas, plus unique beers from around the world and a collection of old-fashioned candy. Last year we filled a cooler with a ton of “nostalgic” pop from the Highland Park landmark — it made a fun gift for an office.
2. San Antonio Winery: Yes, Virginia, there is an L.A. wine country. Established in 1917, San Antonio is the city’s only producing winery, still in its original location near downtown. Bottles run $6 and up.
3. Gust Picolas Nut Company: It’s not much to look at (see photo), but inside the factory store at this downtown L.A. packaging facility is an affordable selection of nuts and dried fruit (including neat stuff like dried strawberries). Get buzzed in at the front door, then choose generous packages of smoked almonds for $4.25 or peanut brittle for $3.25.
4. A1 Imported Groceries: Fill your basket with Italian imports like tapenade and salami, sold at this San Pedro gem at low low prices. Read more about how much I love A1 here.
5. Papa Cristo’s: An institution near downtown sells imported goods perfect for gift baskets, but I’d go for the bakery’s wide selection of rich, sweet, flaky baklava.
6. Fruit from The Farmer’s Market: Hit the stands at Third and Fairfax for beautiful and unique fresh fruit.
Honorable Mention
Ross: As a mega chain, they can’t crack the top six, but this is a great place for inexpensive baskets. Find piles of them — usually at the back of the store.
Second, assemble your basket with these three tricks: a.) Gifts don’t actually go inside the basket — fill the basket to the top with stuffing and set the gifts so they seem to hover above the basket, b.) choose a smaller basket, and pack in the gifts, and c.) wrap with that crinkly cellophane they sell at the drug store.
A more personal, handmade gift basket on the cheap — and you don’t need a crafty bone in your body.