Los Angeles

2005-06-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

ED HARDY - THE PARTY
Saturday June 11th - Hollywood

You and your guests are invited to join us Saturday, June 11th in Hollywood for ED HARDY - THE PARTY.
ED HARDY Clothing was started by Christian Audigier, the original designer for Von Dutch. Ed Hardy Clothing is "Inspired by the youth of America, vintage-inspired fashion, Hollywood stardom, and motorcycle and tattoo culture"

ED HARDY - THE PARTY will be hosted by Steve Fowler, Franck Fortet and Scott Paletz.

For those of you that attended the Ed Hardy Fashion Show two weeks ago, you know Ed Hardy knows how to throw a party. ADAM SAAKS will be cutting t- shirts for the ladies. There will be plenty of ED HARDY GIVEAWAYS. DJ Mike Palmieri will be spinning Rock, 80s, 90s and Dance all night long. A Suprise Guest DJ will spin at Midnight.

ED HARDY - THE PARTY will be held at the new Montmartre Lounge / Day After Nightclub. It is one of the most beautiful spots in Hollywood. It is located at 6757 Hollywood Blvd. @ Highland. The entrance is located in the rear of the building.

There will be a VIP open vodka bar hosted by Stoli from 9-10pm. make sure to RSVP to be placed on my VIP list.

TO RSVP, please email VIPParty@aol.com with your first & last name and the number of people in your party. Doors open at 9pm. It is going to be a crazy night, so please arrive early. There are limited VIP Bottle Tables still available.

DonEdHardy.com
Day After Nightclub 6757 Hollywood Blvd. @ Highland

Steve Fowler
Platinum Events

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RSVP: vipparty@aol.com
BOTTLE SERVICE 323 769-5478

2005-06-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

USC to ban alcohol sales at home football games

Alcohol will no longer be served at Southern California football games this fall at the Los Angeles Coliseum, officials said Wednesday.

The university and the Coliseum Commission agreed to end alcohol sales on game days starting with the Sept. 17 opener against Arkansas.

USC President Steven Sample said he has received dozens of letters from irate Trojan fans who said they can't enjoy the game because of public drunkenness.

"Longtime attendees at our games have witnessed an escalation in the rude behavior of fans, rudeness that is almost always exacerbated by alcohol consumption," Sample wrote in a letter to season ticket holders.

"I recognize that this new policy represents a big change from what we're accustomed to, but most of if not all of our peers have made this change, and we can too."

USC was the last Pac-10 Conference team to allow alcohol sales at its football games.

Sample added that anyone who is found at future games to have alcohol, be intoxicated or displays unruly behavior will be ejected from the stadium and will lose the privilege of buying tickets to other games.

2005-06-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

June 2, 2005 latimes.com :
California LAGUNA BEACH LANDSLIDE

Rain-Filled Winter Blamed for Laguna Beach Landslide
By Dan Weikel, Christine Hanley and Jean O. Pasco, Times Staff Writers

A landslide that sent multimillion-dollar homes crashing down a hill Wednesday in Laguna Beach was apparently a delayed consequence of last winter's heavy rains in Southern California, and could foreshadow more devastation to come, authorities said.

No deaths or serious injuries were blamed on the slide, which announced itself with a bang just before 7 a.m., and sheared away part of the face of Laguna's scenic Bluebird Canyon. But 17 homes were destroyed and 11 seriously damaged, fire officials said.

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The soil gave way near the site of an even more devastating 1978 slide, which destroyed 24 homes. Like that disaster, this one left behind a surreal landscape: houses, cars and streets that had been tilted and buckled, collapsed and smashed, with residents left to stare numbly from a distance.

It also appeared to validate the warnings of geologists, some of whom had questioned the wisdom of building in the canyon. And it raised questions about the safety of other hillside communities in Southern California in the aftermath of the near-record rainfall.

Among the areas to be closely watched, geologists said, are those that have already seen slipping: parts of Laurel Canyon, Culver City and Glendale in Los Angeles County; Anaheim Hills and Mission Viejo in Orange County; as well as La Conchita in Ventura County, where a fast-moving landslide killed 10 people and destroyed two dozen homes in January.

"We are not out of the woods yet," said Randall Jibson, a geologist and landslide expert for the U.S. Geological Survey. "This could happen for some time."

Some residents blamed the Laguna Beach slide on new construction, and city officials said they were reexamining two recent projects to see if they had destabilized the slope.

But City Manager Ken Frank said only 10 houses had been built since 1978 in the area affected by the new slide. And officials said they believed that the rain was primarily responsible for what happened Wednesday.

The crashing slope was particularly painful to critics who had fought efforts to build homes in an area prone to landslides.

"This just makes my heart sink," said Judy Rosener, a business professor at UC Irvine who served on the California Coastal Commission from 1973 to 1981. "Historically, it is known as a slide area. In 1973, I was told that this is known as a slide area. They told us that 30 years ago."

The slide occurred without warning on a typically foggy June morning, just as residents were stirring in well-maintained homes overlooking the Pacific.

Clara Candelaria, a physical education teacher at a local elementary school, was getting ready to go to work when the power went out at her home on Bluebird Canyon Drive, where she has lived for 36 years.

"I heard this big explosion like a giant gunshot," she said. The noise was apparently the sound of an electrical transformer exploding in the early stages of the slide as utility poles gave way to the moving ground.

Candelaria looked outside. "All of the sudden, right in front of me, the earth started moving, and I heard 'pop, pop, pop,' glass breaking and plants falling down the hillsides," she said.

Then she saw a gray home nearby begin "twisting and turning" as it was racked by gravity and slipping earth.

David Hurwitz, a 37-year-old business consultant, said he realized something was odd when he heard the sound of Bluebird Creek gushing.

"That was unusual because it only happens when it rains," said Hurwitz, who has lived on the same block as Candelaria for six years.

"Then I heard a sound that was very different," he said. "At first I thought it was the guys starting construction early on the house above me. But then I knew it was something else, because all of a sudden there were firetrucks and police vehicles coming up and down the hill. It was gridlock."

Authorities ordered the evacuation of 750 to 1,000 people living in 350 homes. Later in the day, some were allowed to return.

During the early stages of emergency response, word spread that two men had warned residents and helped them evacuate from the slide area. The two were a part-time city lifeguard, Craig Lockwood, 67, and his neighbor, Dale Ghere, 65, who both live on Meadowlark Lane.
Rain-Filled Winter Blamed for Laguna Beach Landslide

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Lockwood credited Ghere, saying, "Dale's the Paul Revere of our Meadowlark neighborhood."

About 6:46 a.m., Lockwood said, his neighbor phoned and then ran over and started pounding on his front door, yelling at him to get up.

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"I threw on my trunks and shoes, went to the door and saw Dale standing there saying we got to warn other people to get out of here," Lockwood said.

Together, the two men began running to other homes, pounding on doors, warning people to leave.

"We were telling them to get out … and move their cars to get out of the way of emergency vehicles that may be coming," Lockwood said.

Laguna Beach Fire Capt. Dan Stefano, who responded to emergencies during the Northridge earthquake of 1994, said some of the slide areas Wednesday looked worse than after that disaster.

Streets had cracked onto themselves, manholes had risen off the ground in the shape of volcanoes, and telephone poles were toppled everywhere. SUVs were stranded on islands of concrete, and one section of Flamingo Road had toppled 30 feet to a street bellow.

"It's absolutely devastating up there," Stefano said after returning from a late-afternoon survey of the area.

Remarkably, there were only four minor injuries Wednesday — cuts, scrapes and a twisted ankle.

Bluebird Canyon is known as a secluded, woodsy neighborhood with an eclectic mix of homes, including half-century-old cottages, Craftsman bungalows and recently built mansions. Nearly all have ocean views, with Santa Catalina Island plainly visible on clear days.

Housing prices range from $1.5 million for a fixer-upper to $4 million or more for a contemporary home, real estate agents say. The average price is about $2 million, said John Stanaland, owner of Laguna Seaside Realty.

"It's a beautiful place to live," said the lifelong resident of the town. "Unfortunately, it can come with a price."

The last reminder of that was in the 1978 slide, which affected 3 1/2 acres slightly below the site of Wednesday's disaster. Houses in that area had inadvertently been built over an ancient landslide during the 1950s and '60s.

Property damage from that event was estimated at $15.5 million. At the time, it was the most expensive landslide relief effort the Federal Emergency Management Agency had ever undertaken.

Although most of the homes in Wednesday's slide area are 40 to 50 years old, angry residents focused on new construction — in particular, a large, controversial home recently built atop a hillside — as a potential cause.

"This whole thing was a recipe for disaster," said Jeff Tyler, 42, who lives across the street from the 5,500-square-foot house on Oriole Drive. "I don't know why anybody should be surprised."

Residents complained that the house was too big, and expressed concern about the amount of soil removed during construction.

City Manager Frank said officials were looking into construction procedures at the house on Oriole. He said the city was trying to determine whether anything was missed during the survey of soil under the site.

According to city records, there were several geological reports done in connection with the construction project. The most recent, completed in 1998, concluded that it was safe to build the house but that the surrounding land could be unstable. The report also noted that the project would be only 200 yards from the path of the 1978 slide.

On Wednesday, the house on Oriole had buckled partially, and there were visible cracks on the structure.
Rain-Filled Winter Blamed for Laguna Beach Landslide

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City officials, however, focused on the weather as the primary culprit.

"The rainfall was a big factor," said Hannes Richter, a geotechnical engineer hired by Laguna Beach as a consultant. "At this point, this appears to be a very likely cause."

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Richter said the slide had caused the hill to drop 50 feet vertically and move 100 feet laterally.

Other geologists agreed that the landslide was not surprising, considering the rainfall that ultimately saturated deeper soils and bedrock.

They also warned that the threat to landslide-prone areas in Southern California would continue through the summer.

Doug Morton, a Riverside-based geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said water could take months to fully percolate into soil and bedrock. Once it does, the water table rises, which can result in a landslide.

"This was to be expected after the rains," said Shell Medall, an engineering geologist with Associated Soils Engineering of Long Beach. "It just takes time for the water to seep down and get to a place of weakness.

"Take a jar of marbles," Medall added. "The space in between the marbles is the pore space…. Water made its way into those pore spaces and caused the hillside to fail because of the weight."

The 1978 disaster occurred in October, after the extremely wet winter of 1977-78. What happened Wednesday is a reminder that the effects of the recent winter may linger for months, geologists said.

In the Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles officials have seen unprecedented amounts of water gushing down like small streams, a possible precursor to additional slope failures in the next few months.

"You can see water running through the gutters that's coming out of the ground," said Bob Steinbach of the city Building and Safety Department. "There are streambeds and watercourses that are easy to see, but the underground springs that people don't see is where it percolates.

"Some people call and say they think it's a broken main…. We've looked underneath some homes. and it looks like a lake, the equivalent of somebody emptying their swimming pool," he said.

It was not clear Wednesday whether federal disaster assistance would be available to those in Laguna Beach whose homes were destroyed or damaged.

FEMA's David Fukutomi, the designee of President Bush for the recent winter storms, said it would be premature to speculate about whether state and local officials would request federal aid. If they do, he said, it's not clear what, if any, assistance will be provided to individual homeowners. The federal government, he added, cannot indemnify residents from known threats.

"Sometimes we see unrealistic expectations that FEMA is going to come in and take care of things," he said. "We'll take care of the basics … but we're not going to indemnify you for all those hazards and the effects of those hazards."

*

Contributing to the coverage of the Laguna Beach landslide were Times staff writers Jennifer Delson, Jeff Gottlieb, Christine Hanley, Mitchell Landsberg, Philip Le, Natasha Lee, William Lobdell, Claire Luna, David McKibben, Seema Mehta, Jean O. Pasco, Valerie Reitman, David Reyes, H.G. Reza, Mai Tran, Andrew Wang, Dan Weikel, Erica Williams, Daniel Yi and Nora Zamichow.

2005-06-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

My Favorite Weekend: Tony Alva
On wheels or waves, it's all about the board

Long before Hawk took flight, another Tony was skateboarding's biggest star. His last name is Alva, and aside from catching air, he's caught some screen time. He starred alongside Leif Garrett in the 1978 skatesploitation flick "Skateboard," tore it up in 1986's "Thrashin' " and was documented alongside his fellow Zephyr team members in 2001's "Dogtown and Z-Boys." The same crew now has its past fictionalized in the film "Lords of Dogtown," which opens on Friday.

Alva, 47, who's relocated from Santa Monica to San Clemente, still runs Alva Skateboards, the company he launched when he was 19. His weekends begin Friday evening when he closes up his shop in Oceanside and grabs his board.

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Friday night skate

We'll go skate a pool or a drainage ditch or maybe a skate park depending on what is new and happening. We're usually skating backyard-style stuff because that's the most fun. I'd rather have something that's not built for skateboarding — the side of a building, an empty swimming pool, a drainage ditch, a sewer pipe, maybe a smooth long downhill, whatever is skate-able. When I'm in Santa Monica, I skate Bicknell Hill, Ocean Park and Paul Revere [school]. In the evening, we're usually playing music, because a lot of us are musicians and DJs. We have a studio behind my shop where we record music.

Surfing's like yoga

On Saturdays we usually go to Antoine's in San Clemente. We meet there, have coffee and check the surf. They have killer poached eggs.

Every day is surfing no matter what. It's like yoga. First thing in the morning, that kind of tunes you up, gets the biorhythms straight and flexibility in the muscles. I usually surf at Trestles, which is one of the most famous surf spots in the world.

After that, we usually skate. We'll take the little kids with us, like my son, who's 10. We'll go to San Clemente skate park and skate with them there. Usually for lunch we'll go to this coffee shop near my shop called the Hill Street Café. The best thing for the middle of the day is the tuna torte. If you go there, you've got to have it.

For dinner there's a really good Italian place called Sonny's. There's always a wait to get in, but it's worth it because it's the most affordable and best place to eat in San Clemente. It's kind of like a meeting place with a really cool atmosphere. The stuffed shells are to die for. They're like, the bomb. The other thing that is really good is the Margherita pizza, but we add sausage or pepperoni to it. That's unbelievably good because of the sauce, the garlic and the combination of the basil. There's nothing like it.

Southwest fiesta

Sundays are a good day to surf because people are hung over and partied out, and they don't like to get up early in the morning, so if you're on top of it you can get some uncrowded quality waves.

After that, we all get together and make our own deal. A lot of my friends are from the Southwest, and they all cook. They're not like hackers, bachelors, just throwing garbage in a frying pan. They really know green chiles and red chiles and Southwest-style cooking. So we all get together and make barbecue and tacos and have like a big fiesta.

2005-06-02T08:58:00.000-07:00

College?
http://www.ucla.edu/

Calif. Landslide Sends 18 Homes Crashing

2005-06-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

By BEN FOX, Associated Press Writer

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. -- A landslide sent 18 multimillion-dollar houses crashing down a hill in Southern California early Wednesday as homeowners alarmed by the sound of walls and pipes coming apart ran for their lives in their nightclothes. At least four people suffered minor injuries.

About 1,000 people in 500 other homes in the Blue Bird Canyon area were evacuated as a precaution.

In addition to the 15 to 18 houses destroyed, several homes were damaged and a street was wrecked when the earth gave way around daybreak in the Orange County community about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

"People were running down the hill like a bomb had gone off. I mean literally, they had their bed clothes on," said Robert Pompeo, 56, a retiree whose home is about 75 yards from the ridge where the most homes were lost.

Officials said they had no idea what caused the disaster. The landslide followed the second-rainiest season on record in Southern California, but Laguna Beach has been dry since a trace of rainfall nearly a month ago.

Residents began reporting problems around 5 a.m. and the hillside gave way between 6 and 7 a.m.

"The pipes started making funny noises and the toilet sounded like it was about to explode," said Carrie Joyce, one of those who fled. "I could see one house, huge, we call it `the mausoleum,' 5,000 square feet or more. It had buckled, the retaining wall in the front of it was cracked. It just looked like the whole house was going."

Jill Lockhart, 35, fled with her sons, ages 2 and 4, after being awakened by the noise. "You could hear the homes breaking. You could hear the cracking wood," she said.

She said a teenage neighbor grabbed one her boys and they clambered down the ridge because the street was buckling and sliding. Lockhart's two-story home was destroyed, she said.

"We had to run for our lives," she said. "I don't know how everyone got out alive."

Multistory homes came to rest at odd angles, some nearly intact and others splintered and trailing debris. One house, snapped in two, had an American flag fluttering from a balcony.

At the top of the hill, the foundations of several homes were left exposed, their corners jutting out with nothing underneath to support them. One road ended abruptly, with the edge of the pavement hanging over a tangle of debris scattered downhill.

Fifteen to 18 homes were believed to be total losses, police Capt. Danelle Adams said. About 20 others were "very tenuous," she said.

"There is still movement so I think that we are still in a danger zone," Adams said.

Sheriff's deputies went door-to-door to check for victims. Search-and-rescue crews were standing by.

Two children were admitted to a hospital in good condition, and two others were treated at the scene for minor injuries, authorities said. A 71-year-old woman whose house was destroyed was taken to the hospital, suffering what appeared to be the effects of stress.

Laguna Beach, offering vistas of the Pacific from coastal bluffs, has some of Southern California's most desirable real estate. The damaged homes, situated about 15 blocks from the ocean, were each worth $2 million to $3 million, residents said.

The neighborhoods have been hit before by flooding, mudslides and wildfire. In February 1998, a rainstorm triggered slides that damaged 300 homes, 18 of them severely, and killed two people. An October 1993 fire swept down into the city and destroyed some 400 homes. Most were rebuilt within a half-dozen years.

Last January, a landslide crashed down into the coastal community of La Conchita, in Ventura County northwest of Los Angeles, killing 10 people.

Laguna Beach's Pageant of the Masters -- a festival in which famous artworks are recreated with live actors -- has drawn crowds for decades. The community was prominently featured on the MTV show "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" that debuted in September, chronicling the lifestyle and love lives of local teens.

The Los Angeles Housing Market

2005-05-27T03:59:00.002-07:00

by Henry Springs

Los Angeles has a market that is continuing to move forward despite its share of problems, a shortage of space and rising prices that are still reaching new records. The median price for single family homes in Los Angeles rose 24.3% to $ 459,660 just shy of the median price of $ 465, 540 for the state of California that also saw a 21 percent increase. Los Angeles is still a growing market made up of several sub markets: Burbank, Long Beach, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Beverly Hills just to mention a few.

Prices and sales for homes have been growing at an alarming rate. There are more people looking for housing than is available. Vacancy rates for rentals in Orange County have reached a negative “5% for the first quarter.” The homeless population is still gaining ground while available space for development is shrinking and homes have continued to appreciate at rates in the double digits.

In the land of swimming pools, Rodeo Drive and movie stars there’s more that makes tinsel town, Los Angeles go round and round and one of them is the median price of a house, the value of real estate.

“Prices for single family homes in Los Angeles, Orange County CA have continued to ride “a roller coaster ride.”

At the end of last year the National Association of Realtors reported a 6.9% increase in sales of existing homes, translating to 6.47 million annually at a seasonally adjusted rate. The national median price for a home in December of last year was $173,000 up 6.7%, the median price for a home in Los Angeles was close to $350,000. The current median reflects a significant increase but “ the typical consumer in Los Angeles can only afford 68%” of a median priced home. Prices in California continue to rise, sitting at some of the highest medians in the country: San Diego at $573,080, Riverside at $396,180, and the San Francisco Bay area at $642,360.

Los Angeles tells a similar story as do the other markets that make up California. Rising population along with a decrease in available property is not only creating an active market but developments to keep pace with it, all across the board.

Although Los Angeles boasts a healthy market and plans to see continued growth in 2005 there are still some things that low interests rates and more prospective buyers won’t satisfy. There’s an overall housing shortage in Orange County despite the increase in sales and developments. Unfortunately even a growing ethnic market, “inner city minority communities" that are “beginning to prove their value don’t say much for a situation where “the $1400 average rent is the highest in the region” and those who are stuck renting will undoubtedly stay that way until “the market flattens and personal incomes rise,” something that is not expected to happen anytime soon.

The growing number of young professionals and working families who have seen a gradual rise in their incomes and buying power are still poised to take advantage of low interest rates to buy homes.

With a wide variety of housing options in Los Angles those who can afford to shop around will continue to do so, buying into a market that’s already overpriced while hoping to reap the benefits of continued appreciation.

Things have been good for a long time now, maybe too long. With continued increases in prices and sales for over four years the 3.9 % decrease in sales for the Los Angeles market in Sept compared to last year won’t deter buyers who want to make the most of an opportunity. Analysts have already warned that what goes up must come down but thankfully the Los Angeles market continues to be infused with growth in population and development that could sustain the increases in prices and sales and not ”bottom out,” dramatically decline as they did in the early 90’s.

At least that is what everyone would hope for but most are still waiting to see if the growth in population, earnings and continued development will support itself over the long hall.

Many fear that the bubble is about to burst, they just aren’t sure exactly how and when.

The Los Angeles Housing Market

2005-05-27T03:59:00.001-07:00

The Los Angeles Housing Market

2005-05-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

Summer loving at the Beach

2005-05-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

Going to Santa Monica this season?
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Hot Spot Home Rentals

2005-05-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

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Hot Spot Home Sales

2005-05-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

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LA Food Reviews ! Check'em Out!

2005-05-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

reviewed by Andrea Lita Rademan

Asia de Cuba at the Mandarin Hotel
8440 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood; 323-650-8999.
The frosty attitude has melted away leaving just massive portions of
inventive and delectable Asian-Cuban fusion cuisine, lots of beautiful people and a gorgeous patio with city views.

Deep
1707 N Vine St, Hollywood; 323-462-1144.
Burning up the infamous intersection of Hollywood and Vine, where the Brown Derby once stood, is Deep. Neal Fraser created the menu of 15 appetizer-sized dishes and desserts, including barbecued quail under brick; filet of beef with potato gratin, Swiss chard and molten Gorgonzola; and seared foie gras atop a toasted brioche with Riesling gelee. But not even desserts like chunks of banana and strawberry dipped in hot chocolate can compete with the Red Light District decor, where provocative and nearly nude women gyrate on a dance floor behind one-way mirrors. Get your name on the list, dress up, and bring $15 for the cover charge after 9 pm if you hope to get past the velvet rope and mingle with the hip young crowd at this sizzling hot club du nuit.

Delmonico's Lobster House
133 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-854-9077; 16358 Ventura Blvd., Encino, 818-986-0777; more on the way.
Delmonico's lure is Maine lobster, made 17 different ways and, best, nine of them are under $20. Chef Tony Da La Cruz does a Maine lobster medley: two-pound stuffed lobster; lobster cakes; roll; cocktail; cobbler; ragout; salad; cutlet; risotto and more. So far, the dishes weâ€™ve tasted have been decent to delicious and the prices are impressively reasonable. Manila or Littleneck clams come on the half shell, steamed in white wine broth, with red or white sauce and linguini; or sauteed. Counting the stuffed Fiji escolar on spinach; steak, duck, lamb, veal and chicken, there's enough variety here to keep you coming back way more than 17 times.

Engine Co. No. 28
644 S. Figueroa St., Downtown LA; 213-624-6996.
Engine Co. No. 28, in a vintage firehouse, is an American bistro with
masculine cuisine (beef, chili and meat loaf) and masculine decor (leather,
brass and tweed. It's a popular meeting place after work and jammed with business people at breakfast and lunch. The spicy meatloaf, fried chicken and mashers stick to your ribs but there is plenty of lighter stuff too.
Regardless, it's hard to pass up the tart, creamy lemon meringue pie topped with fluffy meringue. For pre-theater dining, take the free shuttle to the theater. This firehouse is hot!

Globe Venice
72 Market St, Venice; 310-392-8720.
Despite running two restaurants in the Bay Area, Joseph Manzare (ex-Granita, Spago Hollywood) has undertaken to open this already-popular replacement for 72 Market Street. His smart decor and friendly service, great starters, various versions of roast chicken for two, and home-style desserts are the draw. Plus, prices are palatable and he's open late; lucky us.

Hal's Bar & Grill
1349 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310-396-3105.
Linda and Don Novack's converted antique shop has more impressive modern art than many galleries. Named it for Hal Fredericks, a local bon vivant, and partner, Hal's Bar & Grill is as much the essence of Venice as the cement boardwalk. monthly. Many dishes change monthly but grilled half chicken, classic made-to-order Cobb and Caesar salads and a turkey burger the size of Mars, stay. On certain nights there are special menus and live music and dancing. Thursdays are reserved for Mexican Madness. Desserts are homemade: Hal's special sundae, baseball-sized scoops of dark chocolate and vanilla bean ice cream slathered with caramel and chocolate sauces, whipped cream and chunks of mixed nuts in a soup bowl, hit a homerun.

The Hump
3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica Airport, Santa Monica
(310-313-0977).
Brian Vidor created dining as an adventure at Typhoon, his insanely popular pan-Asian restaurant, and upstairs at The Hump (aviator slang for the Himalayas). The best ingredients make their way here from as far away as Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market. They periodically include such seasonal
delicacies as Hama oysters, Seka aji (Japanese Spanish mackerel) and tai
(Japanese snapper), shown to best advantage in an omakase (chef's choice) dinner. Sweet shrimp nearly leap out of their bowl even before the chef slices them and are still waving at you on your plate. A forestscape of okra "trees," enoki mushrooms, a fairy bowl of chawan mushi and a tiny, edible still life crab are more than a meal: this is theater.

Jar
8225 Beverly Blvd., L.A.; (323) 655-6566.
With light redecorating, the former Indochine is now a steakhouse by
Campanile's Mark Peel, chef Suzanne Tracht and New York's Jason Lapin. The menu focuses on meat with your choice of sauce, side orders to share, a beer list, wines by the glass and All-American desserts.

Lucques
8474 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323-655-6277.
Suzanne Goin is a graduate of the Campanile school of deliciousness. Her
"potatoes parisienne," a la Joel Robuchon, are russets and yukons milled
three times, enriched with butter and milk and dotted with black peppercorn pearls. Devour them on the high-walled brick rear patio of what used to be Harold Lloyd's carriage house, or in the the rustic dining room with its cozy bar. You'll be enraptured by the gnocchi in sage brown butter and grilled sardines "escabeche" once you choose between the devil's chicken and quail with polenta, bacon and dates. Your final hurdle are desserts such as cranberry clafouti and persimmon pudding. Warning: host-partner Caroline Styne insists her customers practice self-control.

Mastro's
246 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills; 310-888-8782.
Huge everything: appetizers to desserts and all in-between. Beef is prime,
piping hot and mostly bone-in. Seafood starters are dramatic in dry ice.
Sides are family-size. The action is upstairs.

Michelia
8738 W Third St, LA; 310-276-8288.
Chef Kimmy Tang offers Vietnamese sandwiches at lunch and Alaskan king crabs, crab cakes and basil chicken at dinner. The setting is charming; prices are bargain-rate; it's a welcome surprise.

Nick & Stef's
330 S. Hope St (Wells Fargo Center), Downtown; 213-680-0330.
Huge cuts of beef age in a glass-walled temperature-controlled chamber. The wine list is outstanding and the menu lists 12 of everything, nearly
everything's fine and it's near the Music Center.

Noé Restaurant & Bar
Omni Hotel, Downtown L.A.
213-356-4100

Chef Robert Gadsby oversees Noé, located on the 3rd Floor of the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza. Noé's cuisine is best described as progressive American with Japanese aesthetics. But because Chef Gadsby selects the finest and freshest ingredients, the restaurant menu is always evolving according to the availability of the best possible meat, fish, and produce. The 6 or 9 course tasting menu paired with wines can't be beat. Trained staff, 100 wines, and an elegant cocktail lounge all make for a special evening.

Noe Restaurant & Bar

Pig 'n Whistle
6714 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 323-463-0000.
Chris Breed and Allan Hajjar (Sunset Room) recently reopened Pig 'n Whistle, where Shirley Temple, Spencer Tracy and Howard Hughes ate in the late 1930s and '40s when it was a family restaurant. The soda fountain and organist are gone but the rear is again a dining area, albeit with several queen-size dining beds. The builders reconstructed the elaborate cornices, heavy wooden paneling, booths and bar, and the Gothic coffered ceiling. The original dancing pig logo is on 1920s tiles throughout the restaurant. Start with leek and potato soup, end with the warm chocolate cake with molton center and have the honey and lime glazed roasted young pig. But the real reason you came is for the late-night clubby atmosphere when, with the lights lowered, you half expect Marilyn to slink through the door.

Tanino Ristorante
1043 Westwood Blvd, Westwood Village; 310-208-0444.
Back in Sicily, mamma and pappa Drago work the family farm. "The only things my mother buys in the market," says owner-chef Tannino Drago, "are sugar and salt." It was their mother's love of cooking that inspired the Drago brothers to become chefs. Creamy burrata mozzarella, lamb shank ossobuco so tender it falls apart if you look at it, or Tortellini in pheasant broth, make a good beginning and panna cotta, cooked cream with berry compote, makes a good end. A nightly special, Sicilian penne, is earthy with capers and black olives. Tanino prepares daily specials and he does a completely different menu for lunch and dinner. Chefs like to boast they use fresh, local ingredients: Tannino doesn't know any other way to cook. Just like at home.

Trattoria Tre Venezia
119 W. Green St., Pasadena, 626-795-4455.
An Old Town standout, the dishes here are abundant and so is the hospitality. The only thing miniscule, in fact, is the adorable patio. The menu highlights the Friulan specialties of Gianfranco Minuz: fruit-stuffed gnocchi; lobster-sweet potato soup with Trieste-style crepes; Venetian pressed noodles and such. If you have room for dessert, try the strudel (Italy was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire a while back) and cooked cream with caramelized sugar and toasted almonds. Hopefully, they'll never update the hospitality that's an Italian tradition even older than these recipes.

vermont
1714 Vermont Ave., Los Feliz, 323-661-6163.
Host-partners Michael Gelhizer and Manuel Mesta, greet everyone at with the enthusiasm most people reserve for Ed McMahon showing up with a sweepstakes check. Wait for your table on a banquette, sipping a glass of bubbly. Gratis. The understated menu doesn't prepare you for the great tastes. Short ribs are tender enough to chew with your gums; salmon is so fresh you wouldn't be surprised if it moved; a mountain of mussels bathe in a bathtub-sized portion of broth. Flourless chocolate cake makes you forget you've had it too many times and old-fashioned vanilla custard with caramel sauce makes you remember you've had it too few. Hungry hoardes are descending on this nabe fave from nabes all over town.

Water Grill
544 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles; 213-891-0900.
LA's best seafood restaurant is not on the water but at the Water Grill, in
the heart of redeveloping Downtown. Regal table appointments, a seafood-complementary wine list and perfect service are the perfect backdrop for Chef Michael Cimarusti's exquisite fresh fish, giant seafood platters on ice and daily blackboard specials. Pastry chef, Wonyee Tom's, peach tart, black and white "coupe" and vanilla creme fraiche cheesecake delight. Dorothy Parker called Los Angeles "a hundred suburbs in search of a city” look no farther.

Zax Restaurant
11604 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, 310-571-3800.
Restaurateur/wine pro Chris Schaefer and wife Chantal left the used brick
walls and planked floors and added the fine art photography of Keith
Williamson and the terrific dishes of his rising star daughter, Brooke. It's
a sight to see this tiny, pretty, young and gifted chef in the wide-open
kitchen, pumping out seasonal menus of New American dishes (Maple Leaf duck breast and leg with purple potato salad, herbed ricotta gnocchi in mushroom broth with farmers' market veggies) and equally adept with desserts (banana profiteroles; warm chocolate tart; panna cotta). This so-called neighborhood restaurant is drawing folks from neighborhoods all over town.

Stealing Venus

2005-05-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF FUN OPTIONS ON A MONDAY NIGHT....

BUT DON'T YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE SOME ROCK???

TONIGHT AT THE DRAGONFLY!

______________________________________________________________
6510 Santa Monica Blvd./Hollywood
(at Wilcox between Highland and Vine)
(323) 466-6111
______________________________________________________________
~Valet Parking is Available~
Cover: $7.00

Stealing Venus starts at 9:15PM!
Also performing: Man vs. Clock, Big Elf, Loudest Tragedy, and Delicate Mess

*YOU CAN STILL GET ON OUR "COOL PEOPLE WHO ROCK" LIST FOR A $2.00 DISCOUNT OFF THE COVER! JUST RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL AND GIVE US YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME IN THE REPLY!
~~~~~~~~~~
SEE YOU TONIGHT!

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New "overlay" telephone code in Beverlyhills?

2005-05-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Will it Still Be Area Code 310?
By: Courier Staff Writer
Public Utilities Commission held public hearings this week to gauge reaction to a proposal for a new “overlay” telephone code in the Beverly Hills area, including the Westside and South Bay areas now using the 310 area code. Growing telephone use, especially cell phones, means the 310 area code is rapidly running out of available numbers. The PUC will have to decide what to do before the numbers run out. An overlay would add a new code in the existing 310 area meaning customers with 310 numbers would keep those numbers, but many new customers in the same region would have a different area code. In the US, about 40 areas have overlays, but so far none are in California. An alternative would be to split the area geographically, with one part continuing to use 310 and the other getting a new area code. In 1997, when the commission broke off Long Beach and southeast Los Angeles County, there was need to create the 562 area code. The commission authorized another split in 2000 when the need arose, with West Los Angeles, Malibu, Santa Monica and most of Inglewood remaining in 310 and 424 area code was created for Santa Catalina, San Pedro, Wilmington, Carson, Lomita, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Harbor City, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Lawndale, Gardena, Compton, the Harbor Gateway, Hawthorne and Lynwood. Opposing the split because of expense, inconvenience and confusion are merchants, government officials, residents and phone-service providers. Wireless telephone companies also oppose overlays, but officials with Verizon Wireless, Verizon, Cingular, Nextel, Sprint and T-Mobile said this week they would support a “triggered” overlay, in which a new area code would not be added onto an existing area code until numbers in the old code ran critically short. It is thought customers in the 310 area code will experience the least impact from the triggered overlay because all current land lines and wireless customers will keep their existing phone numbers. They won’t experience the cost and inconvenience of changing stationery and business cards.

Hungry? Call Pink Dot!

2005-05-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

Try the Darlene.
Start with a Baguette , grilled chicken and then add red onion, avocado, lettuce, roasted red pepper , black olives, cheddar cheese and finish with basil-pesto mayo.
It's tasty!
Call the West Hollywood location because,that's where it was invented.
323-656-6060
(Sunset Blvd. at La Cienega)
http://www.pinkdot.com

New Boxing Gym in LA!

2005-05-05T02:49:00.000-07:00

Terry Claybon took over" El Boxeo on La Brea" and put some coin into it.
I watched him train some cats and he's legit.
This place has always been the real deal and still is !
The new name is "LB4LB Boxing Gym"

LB4LB Boxing Gym
726 s.La Brea
Los Angeles,CA,90036
323-525-0120

Good food at Grand Central Market

2005-05-05T02:22:00.000-07:00

Maria's Fresh Seafood
D-3 (213)626-7593
I had the Beef soup and it was insane.
Big chunks of beef ,chunks of corn on the cob,
hearty pieces of potatoes,etc and served with hot sauce.
I was blown away! Trust me.
"Completely authentic Latin cuisine"
The Guys were really nice and quick with the food and that's important when your in a rush.
www.grandcentralsquare.com

Had a late night bite at Swingerst

2005-05-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Swingers!
Only in LA would you expect to find a diner where meatloaf and mashed potatoes harmoniously co-exist with tofu saute. Not surprisingly, the four-page menu at this hipster haunt attracts everyone from edgy artists to local families to health fanatics from the gym across the street. The concept is comfort food with flare like an ostrich burger and fries, Creamsicle shake and Mickey Mouse pancakes. And yes, that probably is a member of Hollywood's bohemian set sitting under the mural of a purple cow. With squeaky-clean Formica countertops and flamboyant retro decor.
Swingers
8020 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Cross Street:Crescent Heights Blvd
(323) 653-5858
This review says it all "I had a damn good meal!" "Plus.it's open late night"

Beverlyhills Wheeler and Dealer on Rodeo Drive

2005-05-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

Now,this Guy takes the cake!
www.bigbullshitter.com

Moving to NYC?

2005-05-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

www.4rentinnyc.com

Philly Cheesesteaks in LA?

2005-05-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

Who has the best cheesesteaks in LA?
We will post some LA favorites later this week.
If your from Philadelphia or you've been to Philly and had the opportunity to eat one of Philly's finest then you qualify to click the link and vote! http://www.phillycheesesteaks.blogspot.com/

Found a video of the Santa Monica Pier

2005-05-02T20:33:00.000-07:00

This is a neat ,check it out.
http://www.vresorts.com/VRPages/California/LA/SantaMonica/smpierbig.mov
It reminds me of someone special...

Lofts on Sunset!!

2005-05-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

" Thought this sounded cool!"
Please find this update regarding The SUNSET BOULEVARD LOFTS.

The SUNSET BOULEVARD LOFTS continues to be Hollywood’s most highly sought-after new residential development, and we appreciate your continued interest in this project.

Pre sales begin May 2005. The estimated price range for the twelve lofts is from low $600,000s to the low $700,000s. We will be accepting reservations at this time.

All buyer's must be pre-qualified through GMAC Mortgage, please contact Jung H. Kang-Woolsey at (818) 783-7800 ext.240.

Note: the following pertains to you. “The Sunset Boulevard Lofts” is a construction site with potential hazards. If you would like to see more information regarding these lofts you can schedule an appointment with the sales office.

Urban Environments very much appreciates your interest and we encourage you to inquire about other Urban Environments Inc. properties. Please revisit our website at www.urbanenvironmentsLA.com for more information.

Los Angeles California

2005-05-01T05:11:00.000-07:00

Need new digs?
www.4rentinlosangeles.com