Egg House, a funky egg-themed pop-up, has opened its third location amid the boutiques and cafes on Melrose Place. Unlike the previous two stops, the LA location will run for one month only, without any extension. Or so they say at this time but we'll see ;)

You’ve seen it in the news everywhere – there is a beautiful superbloom that the state of California is experiencing right now thanks to the heavy rainfall received this year. People are posting pictures and media has covered it far and wide – flowers as far as the eye can see in orange, purple, yellow and other shades typically unaccustomed for the desert state. For those habituated to the dry green landscape found in the southwest, these are welcome sights to behold. But the superbloom is attracting attention from locals and visitors alike and many parks have already restricted visitation due to the masses flooding the area. Protecting the habitat is essential. 

The second annual Santa Barbara Restaurant Week Feb 22 - March 3 is your chance to experience and explore the best of Santa Barbara's food scene at a fraction of the cost. The 10-day event will showcase the vast culinary world that exists in Santa Barbara with restaurant options that will apply to all tastes, ranging from Asian to Farm-to-table to Vegan, and more. The participating restaurants offer a prix-fixe menu, which includes a $25 2-course lunch and a $40 3-course dinner option, along with local wine tasting rooms offering special tasting experiences.

Huckleberry Bakery & Café’s 10th Anniversary is coming up on Monday, February 18, and the team is cooking up some fun specials to celebrate! If you didn’t know, Huck is only one arm of a family of restaurants that come under the Rustic Canyon brand including Sweet Rose Creamery, Milo & Olive, Cassia, Tallula’s and Ester’s – all pretty well-known in the city thanks to the winning team behind these culinary endeavors. 

Visit Carlsbad’s third annual Petal to Plate, a 10-day celebration of fine flowers, food and drink, is back in bloom! From April 4 to April 14, 2019, the city of Carlsbad will focus on all things floral in venues throughout the city. Tour The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch and enjoy the delights of spring with floral-inspired creations from participating resorts, spas, restaurants, and breweries.

Crustacean Beverly Hills, the iconic restaurant from House of AN’s Master Chef Helene An, introduces a Lunar New Year menu for the first time ever. Available from February 5-8, 2019, the menu features traditional dishes that represent good luck and prosperity, including an 8-Hour Massaged Suckling Pig to honor the Year of the Pig. Crustacean also incorporates colors and other food that have symbolic meaning into the Lunar New Year celebration, including red for good fortune or luck; gold for wealth; and sticky rice and noodles for longevity.

Executive Chef Helene An and lauded Chef Tony Nguyen, who is newly spearheading the kitchen at the restaurant, have worked closely together to create their modern interpretation of Vietnamese gastronomy while also paying homage to Lunar New Year’s history. While An’s Asian fusion cuisine remains intact, Nguyen utilizes his impressive culinary training and techniques to modernize the dishes at Crustacean, which can be seen throughout the Lunar New Year offerings. 

Consider options such as Lacquered Quail, Dover Sole Congee, An’s Famous Garlic Toasted Dungeness Crab, Lemongrass Steamed Chilean Seabass and more. To complement the cuisine, Crustacean’s new sophisticated and versatile design features several floating walls that can shift to accommodate multiple dining experiences, such as an intimate family dinner for Lunar New Year. Booths, communal tables, indoor and outdoor dining and a chef’s table with an open glass kitchen are also available throughout the restaurant. 

If you plan to dine here, Crustacean is located at 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. 

Confession time: Not that I am particularly into the game itself but I do love the ads, the half time show, and just the all around general camaraderie the event brings about so here are some spots in the L.A. metro area you can check out to watch the game, pick up food for your house parties and enjoy some game day brews!

The Craft & Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) and Farhang Foundation are bringing to L.A a juried exhibition titled ‘Focus Iran 3: Contemporary Photography and Video’ - a series of biennial exhibitions that features distinctive perspectives about Iran through photography and video works. This year's theme puts a lens on Iranian youth culture.

Growing up in India and Oman, I knew of this person named Martin Luther King who was famous in America because he fought for the rights of black people in the country. He gave speeches everywhere and the black community held him in high esteem. He did a lot of work to promote equal rights for black people in society. His famous speech was "I have a Dream"...then one day he was shot and the world mourned his loss. This is literally everything I knew about him/learned at school until I moved to the US at the age of 25. I expected more out of MLK Day in the US other than it being a holiday for government employees and a few people mentioning him on the news. This resulted in some reading up on him and his story to understand the true importance of MLK Day here in he U.S and globally. Here’s a note from contributor Shannon Luders-Manuel on this day and how people can learn more of his efforts and legacy…

Beverly Hills’ BOLD Holidays launched this month with the debut of interactive artist Alexa Meade’s whimsical and innovative art exhibition, Immersed in Wonderland. Meade has transformed nearly 3,000 square feet of space located at 262 North Rodeo Drive into the pop-up, featuring three-dimensional painted holiday vignettes, which create the illusion of a two-dimensional painting when photographed. You can explore these vignettes, interact and touch them, and become part of the artwork. Each vignette offers a different color theme and its own matching painted clothing and accessories that can be worn. 

Recovered from the Thanksgiving weekend yet? If you've still got holiday shopping on your mind then you'll be glad to have this on your calendar! District La Brea is hosting its Holiday Shop & Stroll event December 1st from noon to 4 p.m. and retailers are offering special in-store promotions, gifts-with-purchase, and giveaways. There are new holiday pop-ups as well as a holiday-themed “parklet” created by Ben Goods. While shopping, enjoy FREE entertainment ranging from interactive selfie stations to a live DJ spinning festive holiday tunes.

Months of hard work and planning by Japan House LA staff culminated in a grand opening celebration Friday August 24, 2018, that witnessed actor George Takei as master of ceremonies with musician and celebrity Yoshiki performing on the occasion and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti addressing the gathering. 

I live down the street from here so I have to share the latest - Hollywood & Highland, Los Angeles’ iconic shopping, dining and entertainment destination has launched a VIP ACCESS CARD with insider access, offering exclusive savings and complimentary items at 18 of the center's popular eateries, shops and entertainment venues. For the full Angeleno experience! 

As of this month, you can pick up the card on Level 2 at L.A. Visitors Center and present it to participating retailers. The card will be a continuous offering at the center with new savings and free items available on an ongoing basis. No special fee or RSVP required. 

Whether a movie buff, foodie or shopaholic, the deals in VIP ACCESS cater to all types of interests and feature offers like Dolby Theatre Tour’s $5 off each regular ticket; Jinya Ramen Express’ complimentary two-piece Crispy Chicken Topping upon purchase of any Ramen order; Quay Australia’s 15% off full price sunglasses and accessories; and Cabo Wabo Cantina’s free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees; among many others. 

Hollywood & Highland is the entertainment center of Los Angeles for tourists and locals alike, featuring the Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards. ® Just steps away from landmarks like the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Walk of Fame, it is usually the place for a Hollywood tour beginning or ending. 

With contemporary fashion and beauty brands, over 20 restaurants, unique entertainment attractions, movie premiers and celebrated live theatre, it’s the ultimate entertainment destination. I can vouch for it because I am there half the time - they have great sales and their summer concerts are so fun!

All month long, head to Beverly Hills for it Open Later Days with energizing nightlife, shopping and festivities until 8 p. m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Enjoy live entertainment, art installations, restaurant specials and more on Rodeo Drive and throughout the Golden Triangle. 

Rodeo Drive will kick off its second annual BOLD Summer on August 2 from 6 p.m.–9 p.m. You can experience live music, fireworks, delicious food and more. Step into a world where flash floral installations take over Rodeo Drive, monogramming booths leave you with a personalized take-home memory and live painting performances bring art to the forefront on the iconic street.

Nothing beats summer in Los Angeles and the folks at The Sofitel at Beverly Hills have some fantastic offers in store!
 
Riviera 31 now offers a new summer mixology collection, created by their very own Mixology Master Frederic Zemmour. The new beverage lineup highlights the vibrant colors of the blooming flowers on the restaurant’s patio and the magical flavors of their herb garden. From cilantro to thyme, from coconut to apricot, all the way to yuzu and roasted bell peppers, expect the unexpected to play on the flavors and strength of mezcal, bourbon, cognac and other robust liquors. 
 
Eclectic Jazz Nights are in every Monday and you can stay on till the wee hours of the morning. Opt for a VIP experience to hear the unparalleled sound of Ryan Cross and his band. If they aren’t pretty badass themselves, there is also the lure of celebrity sightings to consider. We hear Imagine Dragons took the stage in an impromptu performance one time! The open mic format means that celebrities can show up and sing covers or their own songs or for hidden talents to be discovered during the night. Every Monday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Call ahead to reserve, I can say fro experience the place gets packed pretty quick and usually has a standing crowd only situation. 
 
Cattle & Claw is the new pop-up eatery onsite and the one-stop destination for all things burgers and lobsters! By popular demand, C&C just launched a brunch menu that features waffle + lobsters and lobster bloody marys! Think lobster tacos & lobster toast bites & lobster beignets...you get the picture. Sofitel LA’s outdoor patio is the perfect setting to experience the new pop-up. No reservations allowed, and we are not talking about space. 
 
They also have Salsa Nights on Wednesdays, Blues performances for French Quarter Fridays and female DJs for Saturday night shenanigans. Check out the Sofitel today and let me know if you enjoy any of these experiences there!

Here’s a quick rundown of some of this city’s offerings for Mother’s Day celebrations. I’m too far away from mom to take her out but if you are treating mom to a special day/s, then these local suggestions should come handy!

What are your plans to celebrate mom on her special day this month? Here's the first in a series of recommendations as we run up to the occasion!

This Mother's Day, enjoy a scenic brunch, taking in views of the Marina at SALT Restaurant & Bar at Marina Del Rey Hotel. Executive Chef Mark Gold has carefully curated a special Mother's Day menu that will be offered during brunch hours on Sunday, May 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00pm. This specialty menu provides the perfect selection and pairings to come together to celebrate Mom and highlights Chef’s authentic California cuisine.
 
The exclusive Mother’s Day menu will include many specials and favorites, including the Smoked Salmon plate (Norwegian smoked salmon with whipped cream cheese on a toasted bagel) and the Beausoleil Oysters, served with SALT’s very own house cocktail sauce. Be sure to try Chef Gold’s delicious Japanese Hamachi, hand cut sashimi with fresh citrus yuzu kosho and olive oil, served with cucumber ‘ceviche’. For the main course, try Chef Mark Gold ’s flavor-packed Halibut, served with whole roasted cauliflower straight from Tutti Frutti Farms.
 
Also on offer are SALT’s signature cocktails such as the “In Bloom” a mix of Vida Mezcal tequila, pineapple liquor, hisbiscus agave and lime juice, or “The Salt” consisting of sauza tequila, grapefruit liquor, lime, agave, and orange bitters. If you’re a wine enthusiast, SALT offers an extensively curated wine list including sparkling whites, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot ranging from wineries along the California coast. Cheers to mom!

Food and wine connoisseurs unite as the top chefs from Southern California battle for ultimate supremacy at one of LA's most mystical landmarks, the legendary Paramour Estate. The sophisticated grand entrance welcomes you into a decadent world of glamour and escapism from the entrance, with the highlight; a greeting all the way from Scotland. A bagpiper sets the tone for an afternoon of cultural immersion as the chefs prepare for the ultimate culinary face-off.
 
Taste of the World is a uniquely immersive experience featuring an orchestrated day fueled with excitement that transports guests around the world through food and beverage, accompanied by a masterfully curated entertainment experience, ultra-premium beverage offerings and a competitive Chef showdown where you decide who wins. As the competition begins, the chefs come to life and the spectacle commences as guests sample each and every dish in order to vote for their favorite at the end.
 
Sample all of the chefs' incredible creations, sip fine wines and specialty cocktails made by Flair Bartenders or visit the Rosé & Bubbly Bar provided by Celebrity Cruises while you are entertained by some of LA's top cultural performers throughout the day. From World Champion Salsa dancing to authentic Flamenco and Bollywood entertainment, the day will be filled with bright colors and big flavors from all over the globe.
 
Only a few lucky guests will be able to partake in this very private and exclusive event so get your tickets early! This is an exclusive event and space is limited. All attendees must be 21+ with an ID.  Uber/Lyft strongly encouraged as there is no street parking available outside the venue.
 
Get your tickets here! 

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You know that saying about April showers? Well, you can expect a downpour in May as well – one that will have you buzzing all summer! Effervescence, the first major West Coast event entirely devoted to Champagne and sparkling wine, makes its debut in Los Angeles May 3-5, featuring master classes taught by renowned industry experts. The three-day fiesta will also feature Champagne and sparkling wine tasting events at the historic Avalon Hollywood, and an exclusive gala dinner for collectors, winemakers and enthusiasts prepared by chef Walter Manzke at République. 

Andaz West Hollywood will be displaying collections from two young up-and-coming artists in its next Salon art exhibit opening March 29th. Both artists also happen to be Andaz employees! The collections will be unveiled with an exclusive event at Andaz West Hollywood on March 29, 2018 from 6-8pm that is open to the public and free of charge.

Los Angeles based sustainable seafood mealkit company Trashfish has partnered with home delivery produce boxImperfect Produce to create a five course dinner elevating underloved produce and seafood. The dinner will take place on Sunday March 25 from 7-10pm at the Feastly Kitchen in Venice. The meal will consist of five courses, starting with a “toast to the imperfect” at 5pm. Long time Los Angeles chef Huntley See will run the meal with help of seafood and produce experts from the two companies.

This dinner is intended to expand diners’ seafood and produce palates and celebrate the produce and seafood that too often gets left behind. From wild caught California bycatch and bait fish to produce considered too "ugly" to make it onto our plates. The cost is $50 with an optional $12 organic vodka shooter with two local oysters. there will also be handmade pasta with opah carbonara and seasonal citrus uni butter as well as whole pacific sardines over an Imperfect Citrus Salad.

For dessert, enjoy an imperfect fruit spread and vanilla ice cream topped with coffee caviar, made from cold brewed organic coffee that bursts in your mouth. The two companies already share a deepy aligned mission, and now they’ll share a kitchen!!

Support their venture and learn more about their efforts - tickets are available and on sale now on eatfeastly.com  - use code “trashfish20” for 20% off tickets AND if you've never tried before, new members can use the code “imperfectfish” for a discount off the first Trashfishbox or Imperfect Produce box!!

Los Angeles has a few festivities on offer for the Irish event of the year. Take your pick from some of these options for your March 17 shenanigans!

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA) will present Sin Censura: A Mural Remembers L.A. featuring Chicana artist Barbara Carrasco’s landmark 1981 mural L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective, on view today until August 18, 2018.

This is the first time the full length of the mural, which portrays the city’s history through a series of vignettes woven into the flowing hair of la reina de Los Ángeles (the queen of Los Angeles), will be shown inside a museum setting, presented across three walls of an intimate gallery to bring visitors eye-level with the 80-foot panoramic work. The rarely exhibited mural was most recently on view last fall at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles as part of the Getty-led initiative Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. I didn’t get to see it then but plan on heading out for this soon.

The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles is hosting a series of sky-high events this December, featuring the first ever WP24 by Wolfgang Puck’s Cozy Cabana offering an exclusive holiday dining experience 26 floors above Downtown Los Angeles, an Asian-inspired caviar tasting menu, and festive cocktails.
 
The Coziest Winter Rooftop in Downtown LA
 
This December, The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles launches WP24’s Cozy Cabanas for the city’s most festive rooftop dining experience with nostalgic holiday décor, films, and crafts. Perched 26 floors above ground among the stars, each private poolside cabana will be transformed into a warm winter escape with a twinkling tree, plush throws, sequin pillows, and more. A dedicated cabana butler pours a seasonal punch and delivers a spread of modern fusion bites, including Caviar Toast and Szechuan Beef Tartare. A dessert basket includes playful sweets such as Passion Fruit Basil Pavlova Kisses and Pineapple Lemongrass Pate de Fruit. Complementing the experience is a choice of classic movies to screen within the cabana. AND you can add on holiday DIY activities, including cookie decorating and a customizable hot chocolate station. For this seasonal experience on the rooftop, a cabana can be booked for $300, Tuesday through Saturday.

Celebrate Christmas Eve with Crafted Cocktails & Asian Cuisine
 
From 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. this Christmas Eve, Nest at WP24 is hosting an elegant evening above the glistening city lights of Downtown Los Angeles. Chef de Cuisine John Lechleidner will serve a modern dim sum menu followed by Asian-inspired dishes for the table such as wok-fried shrimp and spicy beef stir fry and an assortment of small sweet bites to finish ($68.00 per person). WP24 by Wolfgang Puck is also offering specialty cocktails this season including the Love Lust Lace and Brown Sugar.

A Champagne Toast & Caviar Taste This New Year’s Eve
 
On Sunday, December 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Nest at WP24 is hosting a luxurious night of champagne and caviar among the stars. The Caviar Tasting Menu ($120.00 for two guests) includes salmon, whitefish, and kaluga. Matcha green tea, coconut cream and kaffir lime add a subtle Asian flare. Taittinger Brut Champagne completes the experience while additional Champagne supplements are available upon request.

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With the intention of celebrating a time-honored holiday tradition while staying true to modern sustainability efforts, Long Beach restaurant Roe Seafood is presenting a Feast of the Seven (Sustainable) Fishes dinner series from December 17-24, 2017. Chef/Owner Arthur Gonzalez is one of the area’s foremost figures in the sustainably sourced seafood movement. He is consistently innovating with his menus at Roe Seafood, a community fixture recognized for its elevated cuisine and convivial atmosphere.