Happy Trails

Vegas was actually not horrible. I mean, granted, I spent nearly all of my time in the hotel, but what do you want from me!? Honestly, I was just happy to catch up on some sleep. But I also did the two things I wanted to do: have a drink at the Peppermill and grab some gigantor macarons from Bouchon Bakery. I don't know why I forgot that we have a Bouchon now in Beverly Hills...okay, probably because it's in Beverly Hills and I feel inferior and dirty just driving on Santa Monica Blvd. west of San Vicente. But anyway, it gave me something to look forward to, so in the end it was fine. The macarons were delicious but the only one that really stuck out in terms of strength of flavor was the coffee, which was amazing. If I had them again I'd just get a couple of those and bypass the rest. We stayed at the Aria, which I'm no fan of and I had no phone service the entire time I was in the hotel-which you already know was a lot of the time-so when I got to the airport Saturday I was deep into app withdrawal and sort of went crazy making mediocre Pic Stitch collages. That I will now subject you to look at.

Sante D'or Lovefest

Life is happily crazy-busy right now. Between overtime at work, some really productive projects for school, and my new role of being on the board at Sante D'or and trying to get some animals adopted, I don't have much time for things I really need to do like exercise, let alone extra things like blogging. One thing I found time for: buying some pretty little heart shaped sprinkles for the brownies I baked for tomorrow's adoption event at Urban Pet on Beverly Blvd. Since I rarely bake, I also made a run to Surfas in Culver City to buy some quality goods like Valhrhona chocolate, and discovered the wonder of Maldon salt. Holy crap is that stuff delicious and where have I been? Nevermind the fact that each crystal is legitimately pyramid-shaped like a mini Chichen Itza-the stuff tastes so good topped on everything from roasted cauliflower to baked salmon and would undoubtedly turn soft caramels into a godly treat.

What everyone who comes out and makes a donation, big or small, will be getting tomorrow.

Katsuno

For Christmas Mark's brother and fiance generously got everyone in the family tickets to see Wicked together at the Pantages Theatre. Beforehand we all met at Katsuya for dinner; I was pumped because having been designed by Philippe Starck, it had on my ever-expanding list of restaurants to someday make it to but with little expectation that I ever would get around to it. I should have known from the moment I couldn't figure out how the hell to open the door that I am not cool enough for this place, however. That's okay though, because it's really not cool enough for itself either. The waiter subscribed to the used car salesman mantra of upselling, the decor was (with the exception of the bathroom, of all things) a bit of a letdown, and while I enjoyed my food, it was neither spectacular or particularly memorable. Still, there were some highlights:

At the entrance to the restaurant and bar. 

A rainbow of color on the bar.

One of the house specialties, spicy tuna on crispy rice was like tuna on a hash brown. Not amazing, but satisfying.

The Dragon cocktail, which combined vodka and ginger with yuzu. After trying yuzu juice in Japan, I'll order anything with it! This was tasty. 

The mirrored bathrooms meant endless Ayelets. 

I just love the lip print on this DKNY dress Mark got me for Christmas! 

Mini Meal Woman

I'm a major snack ho. I'd much rather each a bunch of snacks throughout the day than have proper, sit down, meals. Lately I've been obsessed with both goat cheese and figs. I am probably one of the only people out there that really doesn't care about cheese one way or the other (I, gasp, even think soy cheese is okay so long as it's melted), but the creamy tang of goat cheese is the perfect foil for my annoyingly insatiable sweet tooth and compliment to the veggies like spinach and beets which I love. As for the figs, I had a fig tree growing up and my dad couldn't have paid me to eat one, so who knows where that one has come from. Either way, thankfully the two go perfectly together and after picking up some Feral Honey from local LA bees (take that, allergies!) at  The Village Bakery in Atwater Village, I've been treating myself to a snack that's akin to a simple summer picnic in my mouth. I spread goat cheese on crackers and top with either the honey or this ridiculously tasty fig jam from Girl and the Fig that I picked up at the Cheese Store of Silverlake. Next time I'm out I will pick up some nice peppery, dry salami to take it over the edge.

ink.sack: Weird name, tasty food

Today I finally had a chance to hit up ink.sack, the questionably named sandwich shop that just opened and which is owned by last year's Top Chef winner Michael Voltaggio. While I am glad I chose to wait it out a bit and showed up early to avoid the lines that still extend out onto Melrose Ave. (judging by their sign and roped off area), I had quite a tasty lunch, if nothing mind blowing. I went with the spicy tuna, which was satisfying and flavorful, if not quite spicy enough. I absolutely loved the inclusion of pickles. I don't mind the small size because one left me fairly full, but I do understand why some people are underwhelmed by the white bread roll they use. It was a throwaway, and when you're presenting yourself as a chef, sandwich making chef or not, it's sort of shoddy business for the one integral ingredients of a sammie to go undeveloped. The real highlight for me, though, was the compressed cantaloupe with sriracha and lime. It was the perfect combo of heat and juiciness, lightness and bite. I plan on figuring out my own recipe for that one before the summer fruits disappear completely. I'd say that if you're already shopping on Melrose or in the area this is a solid lunch spot with fun takes on the traditional, but I can't see myself ever going out of my way for it, especially if there is a line involved!

Photo of sandwich, courtesy Serious Eats.

Lovely Eveleigh

I'm not really what you would call a foodie. I mean, I love food, I like trying new things and going to new places, but I'm really not going to jump into the belly of the hype beast by fighting with industry folks for precious entry into the hottest new restaurant or go that far out of my way to try a new place unless it specifically calls to me. I rarely even go anywhere that requires a reservation, knowing that by the time the date rolls around, I'm likely to be in a completely different mindset-if I'm looking for a home-y atmosphere on a given night and I'm supposed to be headed to a Philippe Starck place with modern decor and filled with pretentious pretenders for days, I'm just not going to make it.

I made an exception for Eveleigh, where West Hollywood meets the Sunset Strip, though. It's been around long enough that I expected the scenesters had moved on and I had seen enough photos of the airy space and charming decor to know that this was right up my alley. While the service was sincerely lacking (fifteen minutes for our first round of drinks, no napkins supplied until food arrived and we asked, sticking us in a table where we were so close we might as well been sitting in the group next door's laps when there were other options), everything else was just about perfect. It had a charming touch of farmhouse decor (a nod perhaps to the menu's rotation based on Farmer's Market selections), the roll back roof meant alfresco dining, and the food was delicious. My roasted Jidori chicken was well worth the half hour cook time, combining the earthy nuttiness of almonds and olives with the sweetness of golden raisins and coming with a chickpea cake that gave the best falafel I've ever had a run for its money. The cocktails were also amazing-my Waterloo Sunset, a mixture of rhubarb infused gin, Campari, watermelon, sage, and lemon juice, was one of the best I'd had. As in, my life. I'll be back, either for a meal that affirms how enjoyable the simple things in life can be, or for drinks that are anything but simple but refreshing all the same.

The Eveleigh, with the adorable touch of dried mini roses.

My insanely delish Waterloo Sunset.

Perk Up Even the Blandest of Meals

I found this awesome cutlery DIY here, but like this funkier version even better:

It's the perfect way to display some beautiful antique flatware if you no longer have a complete set or punch up that cheap IKEA stuff-I'd spray a fork and spoon in different colors that pop off each other, like aqua and mustard or turquoise and tomato red, set them in a simple white shadowbox and hang them in the kitchen. Or if you want to get all Kelly Wearstler on the project, spray different full sets different shades, glue them onto fabric, find some ornate frames that will fit them, and use them to fill a wall in the dining room. You could go crazy with all the color combos, experiment with color gradients, who knows? They'd be great for a garden party if you were willing to go to the trouble of getting food safe spray or sealer, too.

Black Cat Bakery and Cafe

So by now it's pretty clear I'm a cat person on my way to being a crazy cat lady. I won't lie, despite the intoxicating images of muffins, individual pies, and creamy lattes that dominate the Facebook page for the Black Cat Bakery and Cafe, I actually went there because of the name. I don't often drive out west of La Brea unless you are offering me money, a shoe sale, or my daily dose of cutesy. Thankfully for all of you who aren't nerds, though, I'm happy to report that this place isn't covered in pink, kitties, and doilies; but is actually a beautiful, bright, airy little spot to grab a tasty lunch or breakfast. It's got a slightly rustic/modern vibe with the chalkboard menu, artisanal breads on display, and milk glass lighting contrasting perfectly with the stark black and white paint job.The environment is welcoming, with staff that is playful and helpful, and a set up that is perfect for those looking for a little more privacy too. Despite the fact that there weren't cats hanging from the rafters, or anywhere really, other than printed on their logo, this cafe is worth a return trip (only partially because the man behind the counter offered me a window seat, suggesting that having cute girls in the window draws more customers-I'm not all that cute, dear readers, but who doesn't like a compliment with their coffee?)

The menu ranges from your classical breakfast dishes of pancakes and omelettes done a little bit more sophisticated (think ingredients like shitake mushrooms, asparagus, and farro) to salads and sandwiches that are filling without being heavy. Intrigued by the mention of pickled shallots I ordered the crabcake salad, which was made quick work of thanks to that contrast of the acidic shallots to the buttery crab. In fact, I ate it before I thought to take a picture. Oops, bad blogger! I also grabbed a gluten-free pumpkin spice muffin, pretending that because it was gluten-free it was somehow healthier, though the addition of raisins and pecans does make it more muffin than cake-in-disguise. From the bits I've nibbled so far I can say that it is moist, imbued with tons of spice flavor, and definitely not going to last until tomorrow.

The three little two-seat nooks at the front of the cafe are great for privacy and people watching. 

I loved these milk glass light fixtures. 

Board by the restroom where you can rep your own black cats. 

Muffin soon to contribute to my muffin top. 

Tinga es Buena, Indeed

For someone who lives in LA, I don't eat very much Mexican food. My hips would be as wide as some of those crazy dresses Marie Antoinette used to wear if I did, but sometimes I'm willing to say eff it and go for tacos. One of new favorites is Tinga, with food that is colorful, fresh, and full of flavor. It's not heavy, except that it's definitely good enough to make me want to eat my weight in their tasy offerings. I also find the atmosphere, which is casual and unpretentious, great during lunchtime; the sunshine pouring into the little place is the perfect compliment to the food and how can you knock a place that has skateboards shaped like bullets and mermaids hanging up? I usually go for their short rib tacos, which come with pickled red cabbage, queso fresco, papas bravas, salsa verde and some other little tasty bits but I've got to try the mushroom quesadilla next. Wild mushroom pate and avocado salsa-nom. I have also had the best chocolate chip cookie there, with cayenne and cinnamon mixed into the batter. Seriously, I am also not someone who eats cookies very often but I still think about that one. You can be sure if I'm on the Westside and I'm craving some healthier Mexican fare, I'm driving straight to La Brea.

Look at the colors! I love how the food here looks as much as I love how it tastes.

Short tib tacos. Sorry the crappy photo doesn't do them justice.

First two photos courtesy Tinga's website