Americans on a non-American beach (autumn in Italy)
Wow. There is so much going on this weekend – I can’t wait to tell all of them to you because I won’t be in town to enjoy hardly any of them! (I also can’t wait to be done with the press releases that are coming out of my ears!!) Too bad I can’t pull my weight at the Blogger Beach Cleanup – put on by Siel of Green LA Girl and Sara Bayles of The Daily Ocean! 
The cleanup fun starts at 4 PM on Saturday between lifeguard stations 26 and 27 in Santa Monica – and the best part is, you don’t even have to be a blogger to participate. Also, afterwards you’ll even reap rewards beyond your eco-conscience and get to enjoy an awesome happy hour at Pourtal. I mean, who wouldn’t get a chance to hang out with Siel and Caroline on Crack?!?!?!?!?! (You’re crazy.)
I’ll be at a wedding, which is a welcome obligation (yeah – I guess you could call him a “Good friend”) much aided by the fact that it’s at a winery in Paso Robles. That’s north, which means that I will be able to catch The Food Event in Malibu on my way back to LA. Super excited about that! In the meantime, here are the plethora of things to choose from this weekend…
Saturday, October 24, 2009
BevMo! Torrance Grand Opening
There’s a new BevMo! opening in Torrance and the launch party is on Saturday. You’ll have the opportunity to donate $15 to The Boys & Girls Club of South Bay, plus take home a 100th store commemorative wine glass and a goody bag full of miscellaneous … goodies. Complimentary hors d’ouerves will be served as well as Jim Beam BBQ. BevMo! will also be hosting a silent auction and live entertainment. I think it’s a good day to make it to the South Bay as any – especially with a chance to taste $6,000 cognac!
11 – 5 PM
BevMo!
2533 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite A
Torrance, CA 90505
Photo credit to suteki on Flickr
Hello Kitty Turns 35!
Royal/T – the place for all things girly – is hosting a birthday party for the cat who weighs “Three Apples.” Flux.net is hosting a full day of Hello Kitty activities on Saturday but the actual exhibit will be up starting Friday (October 23) until November 15. Royal/T is a 10,00 square foot playland where the following “special kitty cat” menu will be featured:
Hello Kitty’s Kawaii High Tea ($25)
Mmm Delicious Mixed Mushroom & Cheese Tramezzini ($8)
Say Hello Chicken & Artichoke Tramezzini ($8)
School is Fun Ham & Cheese Tramezzini ($8)
Super Yummy Waffles ($7)
I love Pancakes ($7)
I wonder if I can bring Rufus… I’d let him stay in his crate. Really.
Check Flux for Saturday’s activities
Hello Kitty art exhibit up October 23 – November 15
Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
310.559.6300
Beer Week Finale
If you’ve already been boozin’ the past week, congratulations. If you’re still asking, “What’s Beer Week?” there’s still time to catch one last hurrah. The setting is a “bowl” in the San Rafael Mountains where Descanso Gardens is situated, and the price for admission is $40 for unlimited 4 oz. pours. Populated with roses, it’s sure to be a beautiful, fragrant place to chu- sip your beer. Be sure to bring cash for food, which isn’t included in the price.
3 – 8 PM
Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Dr
La Canada Flintridge, CA‎ 91011
818.952.4391‎
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Photo credit to andrealjohnson on Flickr
Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
It may be over a week early (Dia de los muertos is actually November 1) but since Hollywood Forever will be hosting a screening of Halloween … on Halloween they’ve moved up their Day of the Dead festival. Walk around, enjoy Mexican cuisine set up at stands and be awestruck at the altars entered into the altar contest. There will also be a traditional procession in the home of Hollywood’s Immortals with traditional Aztec blessings and regional musical-dance group dedications. Explore 100 traditionally renowned community altars. Also on the schedule:
“Calaveras†art exhibit (Cathedral Opening)
Arts and Crafts expositions
Historical Lecture presentation
Interactive activities for families
Theater performances by local artisans
Evening concert for the beloved souls – a theatrical musical presentation featuring a “world renowned special guest”
4 – 11 PM
$10 admission
Parking available ($10) at:
662 N Van Ness Ave, 801 N. Gower St. & 5675 Lemon-Grove Ave.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA‎ 90038
323.785.4252‎
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Photo credit to stawarz on Flickr
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Farm To Table Tour by Toyota Hybrid
Wrapping up the Farm to Table Tour is an event at Brentwood Farmers’ Market where chefs and their partner farmers alike will be cooking up delicious options for visitors while highlighting fresh options available for consumers and how to buy and eat seasonally. Visitors will also have the opportunity to select potted culinary herb plant starts at the Mobile Garden Highlander Hybrid, and can also enter for a chance to win a “culinary prize package” – though nebulous exactly what that means.Â
Shopping for a green car? Ride in the 3rd Generation Prius or a 2009 Highlander Hybrid and take home a John Boos cutting board as a thank you gift. Toyota will be making a donation to Jennifer McColm, LLC, the organization that helps bring the Brentwood Farmers Market to life each week. And if you don’t bike there, you can feel a little bit better because Toyota is buying carbon credits to offset the carbon emissions as a result of the tour.
Chef/farmer pairings schedule for Tent 1:
9:30 – 10:30 AM Neil Fraser of Grace Restaurant + Atkins Farm
10:45 – 11:45 AM Mario Sabatini of Pecorino + Buenorostro Farms
12 – 1 PM Aimee Tran + TBD
Tent 2:
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM Eddie Caraeff of Interim Cafe + Santiago Produce
11 AM – 12 PM Stefan Richter and Leandro Bongarro of Stefan’s at LA Farm + R&L Farms
12:15 – 1:15 PM Ben Abdessamad of Tangine + Anna’s Farms
Tent 3:
9:45 – 10:45 AM Rosy Darwish of Normandie Country Bakery + Yang/Kou Xiong
11 AM – 12 PM Josiah Citrin of Melisse + JRB Farms/Tamai Farms
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Samir Mohajer of Cabbage Patch + Underwood Farms
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9 AM – 2 PM
Samples: 9:30Â AMÂ – 1:30 PM
One block west of Bundy at
741 S. Gretna Green Way
Los Angeles, CA 90049
The Food Event by Los Angeles Magazine
25 restaurants and 25 wineries in one scenic Malibu location is a hard combination to resist. Add to that a whole slew of celebrity chefs and cooking demonstrations and now you got some star power. Sommeliers will be on hand to give lessons and demonstrations in the art of pouring and palate-cleansing. And the part I can’t wait for: Dessert! A gelato bar! A portion of the proceeds will be donated to American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and Kids Courage.
Andrew Kirschner (Wilshire Restaurant)
Ludo Lefebvre (Ludobites)
David Myers (Sona, Comme Ça)
John Sedlar (Rivera)
Suzanne Tracht (Jar)
Fabio Viviani (Top Chef Season 5)
Betty Fraser (Top Chef Season 2)
Ilan Hall (Top Chef Season 2 Winner)
Marcel Vigneron (Top Chef Season 2 Runner Up)
I will see you there – wine glass in hand.
1 – 4 PM
Semler Ranch
31727 Mulholland Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
310.451.7600
I think that was the longest weekend roundup in the history of e*star LA! So many options to explore, so little time. Don’t let this weekend pass you up. 
