Tonight is the night, more specifically, The Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk and the inaugural launch party for ILLUMINATED LA, an artist collective in Los Angeles that is bringing awareness to all facets of art and not just art itself. VivaLAfoodies is so excited to be an active participant and Adam Rubenstein as co-Founding Father of ILLUMINATED LA along with friend & local renowned graphic and visual artist Seth “Meex” Wilder. We have both been working to the bone, literally to get this off the ground and now is our time to showcase and expose the vast talent of artists curating the best of their craft from Culinary, Visual, Musical, Graphical & Performance. Our kickoff event will take place tonight, 1.12.12 at Nola’s, A Taste of New Orleans in the Downtown Los Angeles Historic Arts District from 6pm-2am for an independent Art Mart & Swap Meet. The talented folks from our collective will be creating art and selling their works throughout the evening.




MEEXONE sums it up best with the following quote: “Illuminated LA wants to shed light on stuff that doesn’t necessarily gain light-Things, People & Art that we believe in, that we think should shine”




Read the complete interview from Suspend Magazine and see why you should get involved and support Los Angeles’ newest movement. Prepare to get ILLUMINATED LA!



“ILLUMINATED LA”
FEAT. ARTIST SETH “MEEXONE” WILDER & ADAM RUBENSTEIN
Written by DIANE ABAPO

Over hot cocoa and two cups of cappuccinos, I sat down with food enthusiast/writer Adam Rubenstein of VivaLAFoodies.com and resident SUSPEND artist Seth “MeexOne” Wilder whom we featured not too long ago to discuss their new joint venture: Illuminated LA, an artist collective. I quickly complimented MeexOne’s retro 1940′s rockabilly hairstyle before eyeing the two pins on his denim jacket, one of Keith Haring’s work and the other a Murakami. We gathered together at a table in the outside patio of The Wood Cafe to discuss Illuminated LA’s first event to be held at the Downtown LA Artwalk this Thursday, January 12th.



On how they first met:

MEEX: I met him at a DJ school on the West Side, Scratch Academy that this cat DJ Hapa runs. Adam was taking a class there and DJ Hapa had me do a portrait of Jam-Master J and that’s how we met. It all comes back to art and love of art and love of food.



On tying in culinary arts with Illuminated LA’s first “pop-up” event, “A Secret Society,” centered around local art & food:

AR: The secret art component is culinary art. I consider Seth and I the founding fathers of Illuminated LA. I went from having a Business degree and a different outlook on life to deciding to go back to school for Culinary Arts. I’ve worked in kitchens with chefs and even remember our first Culinary Art classes where we had to display our food in an artistic way.



On deciding their first event venue in Los Angeles:

AR: After we did the last event in Santa Ana, it was better for us to find pop-up venues from the ocean to Downtown [Los Angeles]. Once we planted that seed, that’s when we started planting the idea of spaces like warehouses, etc. I happened to be at NOLA’s and I got invited for a special media tasting and I was looking around at the murals driving up and I thought, ‘This is it. We have to do something here.’



On the notion that there has been a resurgence of street art:

MEEX: It’s almost like the vinyl revolution where, I think, people sort of gave up on digital music and started bringing records back. I see it happening again. I hope people will get off the internet and actually want to experience art firsthand and go outside.



On designing the logo for Illuminated LA:

MEEX: The concept visually for the Illuminated LA logo was to draw a twist on the Illuminati idea. I wanted us to be conspirators of good instead of conspirators of bad. We took a Masonic symbol and made it art-related. So there’s a sharpie pen, an exacto knife, a spray can, and a compass.



CREDITS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY Diane Abapo
VIDEO BY Lovelin Descalso
LOCATION The Wood Cafe

Please visit the official event page for “ILLUMINATED Los Angeles presents A SECRET SOCIETY” on Thursday, Jan. 12th here.

NOLA’s “A Taste of New Orleans”
734 E 3rd St Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 680-3003
http://nolasla.com/

Feat. Illuminated LA | MEEX ONE | ADAM RUBENSTEIN from Suspend Magazine on Vimeo.

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Savory Malibu is a modern bistro with a gastronomic attitude. Perched on a knoll on Heathercliff Road and adjacent the infamous hidden bohemian surfer community of famed Point Dume is the home of Malibu’s newest dining concept that has plenty of style, grace & elegance as well as enough chutzpah to rival other better known established Malibu restaurants on the nearby power-block of Pacific Coast Highway. Savory supports living and buying locally and they also make it a point to embrace neighboring Malibu wineries as well as farmers markets up and down the coast from Ventura to Santa Monica.



Besides having a Fresh approach to quality ingredients, Savory pays homage to its New American bistro roots, while infusing a bit of old world European flare into its menu and any LA dining enthusiast would see the direct correlation to Escoffier and his classic Nouvelle cuisine on the bistros expansive menu.



A recipe for Savory’s success is the restaurants rising talent; Michelin Star Chef Paul Shoemaker with past residencies at two of Los Angeles’ provincial eateries, Providence and Bastide. His classically trained French influences are translated and reinterpreted for today’s laid back California diner who appreciates a taste of the good life.



Of equal importance is the mixology program from General Manager Sammy Espinoza that features 8 specialty cocktails in active rotation. We suggest the Mission Fig Infused Manhattan & Zeroz California “Surf” inspired Moscow Mule.



For the local wine enthusiast sip on pours from many of Malibu’s neighboring vineyards including Semler & Saddlerock.



No matter what you fancy you are guaranteed to find a plethora of menu items to indulge in, ranging from bar bites to savory entree delights. The pizza dough recipe dates back 350 years from Napoli and the topping combinations evoke rustic native Italian flavors.Malibu residents can now avoid hours sitting in traffic on the way to Mario Batali’s Mozza.



For those in need of a Crustacean fix, the Dungeness Crab Cake will satisfy your every craving.



Other notable dishes are the Duck Confit, the “Fresh Catch” Hamachi-Miso Bowl and the Wolfmother burger that will give Father’s Office and Umami Burger a run for its money.







As you can see, Savory Malibu has it all. Where else in Malibu can you get: Mixology, artisan
local wines and a Michelin Star Chef? Request Table 17 for a Sunset view and some fun people watching while sipping on some Italian Moscato and tasting the sweeter side of Savory with their ever changing and evolving pastry menu all made fresh daily.



Thanks Rico Mandel Photography for coming along for the ride and capturing this captivating imagery!

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Every year we have a few key local Food & Wine events on our wish-list to attend and the Los Angeles Magazine, “The Food Event” is one of those quintessential events that every Los Angeles culinary enthusiast must attend.



Situated on the expansive Malibu Family Wines property at the exclusive Saddlerock Ranch in the Malibu Hills is a living canvas of beauty and a perfect epicurean escape; even if it’s just for a day of culinary debauchery.



Los Angeles Magazine is our cities GO-TO guide for whats happening in the ever transitioning culinary landscape and it is their commitment to showcasing the “Best of LA” and putting on the highest quality events that tantalizes us and makes us want to come back every year for another morsel and experience the latest and greatest food, wine, beer, spirits and entertainment from this powerhouse publication.



With that being said, it also pay’s to have great friends in our amazing hospitality industry that share a similar passion for the finer things in life so in tribute to “Friends in High Places,” we tip our glasses to the Valentine Group for always rolling out the VIP treatment for Viva LA Foodies and making us feel like “The Biggest Boss.”



Every year there are always some restaurants that stand out from the crowd and this year was no different. Great dishes, Haute cuisine, Gastronomy and Food Forward thinking was ever present at this years Los Angeles Magazine, “The Food Event” in Malibu. We hand selected our favorites based on their innovative, flavorful and picture perfect dishes. Our LA Hit-list is below and I am sure after seeing the insatiable imagery you will run right out to these great city-wide dining institutions.

The Culinary Triumvirate of accomplished young chefs from Raphael, Saddle Peak Lodge & Westside Tavern were in full-effect at this years event.

Saddle Peak Lodge
“Most Eligible Malibu Bachelor” and Chef Christopher Kufek dishes up his Elk Tenderloin with Vanilla Bean Purée.



Rafael
Chef Adam Horton formerly from Saddle Peak Lodge gets down on his Pana-cotta and Ceviche.



Other notable Malibu Restaurants:

Savory Malibu
Chef Paul Shoemaker from Bastide & Providence now has a new home in Malibu and his Stuffed Date with Goat Cheese presented by Sammy Espinoza & Lawrence Moore struck a cord with us so much that we decided to feature the restaurant on the site real soon in its own editorial feature.





Gladstones
Chef Dean Grill shows off a taste of the menu since SBE recently tookover operations and revamped this esteemed Malibu dining destination. The Bay Scallops Ceviche-Gaspscho with avocado purée was out of this world.



Malibu & Vine
Chef Matt Zubrod & Dean Meherin have transformed a once sleepy country club eatery into a wine-country style destination complete with its own Malibu Country Club golf resort. The Duck Confit Taco was dripping with flavor and its cal-French flavor profile was dead on.



South Bay Restaurants: Representing for Manhattan Beaches exploding “Hamptons-esque” emerging dining scene.

Manhattan Beach Post
Chef David Lefevre brings his signature flavors once again and his chef’s amuse salad of Cous-Cous, Feta & Marcona Almonds was divine.



The Strand House
Pumpkin Bisque was the seasonal favorite from chef veterans Neal Fraser(BLD) & Travis Lorton(Gjelina.)





Other Local Favorites:

Waterloo and City
Acclaimed Chef Brendan Collins showcases his Gastronomy and Garde-Manger range with his Smoked Salmon and Fois Gras Parfait with Mascato Jelli and Tobiko and Shiso from his acclaimed Culver City eatery.





The Royce at The Langham Hotel Pasadena
Chef David Feau presented his Wagu Russian Potatoes with Squid Ink Sauce and the unique Formage Blanc in Butter Sauce.



The Four Seasons Hotel-Westlake & Onyx Restaurant showcased A trio of Asian Delights: Short Rib, Tuna Tataki & Ahi Tuna Taco from the chopping block of Chef Masa Shimakawa. Watch out Nobu, these were some powerful bites that packed a punch.



Select Sips:



The usual local Malibu sips were in full rotation from the Malibu Family Wines arsenal that included Semler & Saddlerock and we experienced a nice Rose from Conway Family Wines with their “2009 Sea Flower”



Hoegaarden, Leffe & Stella Artois were also being poured throughout the day.



By the end of the day we had consumed enough food and drink to satisfy a small army. We also managed to have a nice tweet-up with the dineLA crew that included dineLA director Stacey Sun along with her entourage from Discover Los Angeles and Thirsty in LA.



The day wouldn’t have been complete without a toast and a hug from our good friend “The Bikini Chef” Susan Irby and a few of our other foodie friends in the crowd that we ran into including Rico Mandel from the Culinary Image. Cheers to another great year of Food & Lifestyle events.

Comments Off | In: Festival Fare | tags: BLD, dineLA, discover los angeles, Eater LA, Gjelina, Gladstones, Los Angeles Magazine, Malibu & Vine, Manhattan Beach Post, Onyx, Saddlerock, Saddlerock Ranch, Savory Malibu, SBE, Semler, The Four Seasons, The Langdon, The Royce, The Strand House, Thirsty in LA, Valentine Group, Vivalafoodies.com, Waterloo & City. | #

The International Culinary School At the Art Institute Of California- Los Angeles & The Fall 2011 Senior Culinary Practicum and À la Carte Students Present an exotic lunch and dinner menu starring the White & Black Truffle. Pick your poison, well not literally; and choose either the lunch menu with the Black Truffles or the dinner menu with White Truffles or in the spirit of the Holiday’s do both at Bistro 31 on 31st & Ocean Park in Santa Monica at the Art Institute of California campus.



The three course tasting menu will be offered at $48 per person and menu items will also be available a la carte from the Bistro 31 regular menu.

For lunch on the same days, the Bistro will be offering a Black Truffle Salt Cured Torchon of Foie Gras for $15.95.

The Art Institute is importing fresh black and white truffles directly from Italy just for this event. Additionally, they have also invited Urbani Truffles and Avalon Fine Foods, two of the event sponsors to organize a great educational display on truffles in the gallery space next to the restaurant.

This event has been entirely organized by our “Senior Practicum” students and all the dishes will be prepared by the talented “A La Carte” Class students. This event is designed to be a learning experience for the students as well as an epicurean experience for the public. It is offered “at cost” so that the general public can enjoy gourmet truffle dishes at an exceptionally affordable price.

Please note also that Bistro 31 does not serve any wine but guests can bring their own wine without a corkage fee.

Black Truffle Prix Fix Lunch: served from 11:30am to 1:30pm from December 6 through 8, 2011

White Truffle Prix Fix Dinner: served from 6:30pm to 9:00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from December 6 through 8, 2011

This special event is sponsored by: Avalon Fine Foods Inc. and Urbani Truffles. Due to the exotic menu and quality of the menu offerings there is limited seating so reservations are highly recommended. Mention that you found out about the event on VIVALAFOODIES and you may get a little something special from the chefs.



Event Chefs:
Chef Instructor Jerey Haines & Chef Instructor Andrew Pastore

For Reservations and more information: Call: (310) 314-6057

Bistro 31
The Art Institute of California-Los Angeles
2900 31st Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Event facebook page: facebook.com/bistro31

Menu

Starters

Cannellini White Bean and Fennel Soup $15

Served with Shaved Black Truffle and Crème Fraiche

Main Course

Classic Truffle Risotto $28

Thinly Shaved White Truffle with Parmesan Reggiano and Pecorino

~

Sous-Vide Roulade of Muscovy Duck Leg $28

Stuffed with Kurobuta Pork, Vanilla Bean and White Truffle

Accompanied with Celeriac Puree, Sautéed Spinach and Blueberry Glace

~

Dessert

De-constructed Truffle Banana Split $14

Banana Truffle Banana Cotta with Banana Foam, Chocolate Truffle Fun Gor,

Maraschino Cherry Sphere, Vanilla Truffle Gelato, Banana Powder and Cholate Dirt

You cannot call yourself a foodie until you experience a TRUFFLE-GASM for yourself. And like most exotic and adventurous foods, once you pop, you can’t stop. We hope to see you there in support of the rising culinary stars from the Art Institute of California-Santa Monica that also happens to be our culinary alma mater.

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Come hang out with us and our good friends from The Valentine Group and Los Angeles Magazine and experience the “BEST OF LA” while attending the largest communal holiday office party that Los Angeles has ever seen. With plenty of holiday cheer and food and drink to match and your favorite holiday tracks in rotation, a Karaoke sound-system and photo-booth will keep you stimulated for hours. Why not kick of the Holiday Season right at one of the best venues exclusively located in the Miracle Mile at the famous Variety Building?



Wednesday, December 7, at 5900 Wilshire Blvd. in the spectacular foyer of the Variety Bldg.

WHAT: 10+ bars offering seasonal cocktails – the largest spirits tasting Office Party in L.A. “think Mad Men on steroids;” mixologists, cocktail recipes and techniques, and more hosted by Los Angeles magazine.



WHEN: Wednesday, December 7, 2011; 7 – 9 p.m.
 
WHERE: The lobby of 5900 Wilshire across from LACMA in Miracle Mile

SEASONAL LIBATIONS: Tastemaker tequilas, vodkas, liqueurs, wines, and more by Herradura, Svedka, Pisco Porton, Chambord, Malibu Family Wines, The Naked Grape. Other participants to be announced at a later date.

HOLIDAY BITES: Market Restaurant will provide festive “office party” cocktail fare and a hot chocolate and dessert bar

ENTERTAINMENT: DJ Hem will provide music; a karaoke lounge and Santa photo ops are also available.  

RSVP: Tickets are $30* at www.lamag.com/holidayparty or $55 regular price; *use code BHOPSALE at checkout through Friday, December 2 for discounted tickets (or $25 off).

Special thanks to The Ratkovich Company where the event will be taking place in an iconic, 31-story building in Miracle Mile, home to the city’s emerging and established leaders in media and entertainment. The Ratkovich Company is a Los Angeles development company that engages in both new development and the imaginative reuse of existing buildings. The company has won numerous awards for its restoration of historic landmarks, including the art deco Wiltern Theatre and adjacent Pellissier building, Chapman Market and the city of Glendale’s Alex Theatre.

For more information, contact Caitlin Rafferty at Valentine Group L.A.; 323.801.0019 or Caitlin@valentinegroupla.com

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Nestled in the Avant-garde section of the Downtown Los Angeles Arts District lies the cities newest Cajun and Creole eatery simply dubbed NOLA’s; a name interpreted in shorthand as an ode to its culinary roots in New Orleans, Louisiana. Situated next to K-Town BBQ & Zip Fusion Sushi and set in the foreground of Little Tokyo, NOLA’s and its ethnic cuisine neighbors have created their own Restaurant Row with some great views of LA’s dynamic and famous “Street-Art” murals that include a head-on-view of “Cream of the Crop“, a piece recently completed by the Melbourne, Australia graffiti team duo, Dabs and Myla.



An abundance of other famous mural art is all around the neighborhood including art from Shepard Fairey, Revok, and a “Guernica-esque” mural from New York street artists How and Nosm. NOLA’s Live jazz music with Curtis Parry and other musicians shed some soulful notes to the late night happy hour menu that has awakened this one time sleepy section of the Downtown LA Historic Arts District.





The Nola’s team under the culinary direction of Chef Edric Ocampo and restaurateur Jason Ha sure know how to get down on it; New Orleans Cuisine that is. These veterans of the restaurant and hospitality business are a dynamic duo and they know that guests today are looking for more than just a dining experience. They have built a menu that provides not only value but an abundance of food, vibes and atmosphere.





The expansive menu is built around the idea of regional comfort food and upon arrival guests are treated with Southern Hospitality with miniature Cornbread muffins served alongside Nola’s own cinnamon butter. Cornmeal battered Fried chicken, Mac and Cheese with Smoked Gouda, Seafood Gumbo with homemade Andouille sausage, the extra-large NOLA burger and the mixed Po’boy sandwich were some of our favorite dishes that showcase the range of traditional Cajun and Creole menu offerings that are reminiscent of the French Quarter and Bourbon Street.





The next time you venture Downtown and are looking to savor a little taste of the Dirty South in LA, Nola’s has you covered and you can get your dose of Soulfood delights morning, noon and night. Look for something very exciting from the Nola’s team during the first art-walk of the new year in January 2012. Nola’s is the place to be in the eclectic Arts District.





Special Thanks to Rico Mandel Photography,The Culinary Image & Miz En Place Marketing for the wonderful art direction and culinary imagery.

Comments Off | In: Affordable & Healthy Eats | tags: Arts District Los Angeles, downtown los angeles, DTLA, NOLA, Nola's Los Angeles. | #

The 4th Annual ‘La Feria de los Moles’ held on October 9, 2011 literally made it rain, well maybe not in actual rain but in the form of an endless splattering cauldron of Latin flavors working together to demonstrate the powers and the essence of pure Latin Flava & SABOR to hungry Angelinos everywhere.



The festivals goal was to showcase the diverse culinary cultures that exist in Mexico and it focused on two infamous Mole regions that helped put this infamous sauce and style of cooking on the map. Puebla and Oaxaca are the originators of “the Mole” and the dish reflects the convergence of both Indigenous and Spanish cultures. Over 13 different Mexican Moles were on display and flavor profiles included sweet, savory, spicy and everything in between in La Placita Olvera(Olvera Street).



The “El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument” is an amazing structure and was once a part of Mexico and dates back to 1781. The Village or “El Pueblo” as it is know is a living museum that continues to be a historic site that showcases our cities diverse Native American, African American, Spanish, Anglo, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and French influences that contributed to its early development and are also a part of everyday life in the diverse melting pot known as LA.





So if you are asking yourself, what is mole the following explanation from the founders behind “La Feria de los Moles” will have you up to speed and you may even run for the border to your nearest Mexican Restaurant. “Three states in Mexico claim to be the origin of mole, Puebla, Oaxaca and Tlaxcala. The states with the best known moles are Puebla and Oaxaca, but other regions in Mexico also make various types of mole sauces. Moles come in various flavors and ingredients, with chili peppers as the common factor. However, the classic mole version is the variety called mole poblano, which is a dark red or brown sauce served over meat.



The dish has become a culinary symbol of Mexico’s mestizaje, or mixed indigenous and European heritage, both for the types of ingredients it contains as well as the legends surrounding its origin.” The event exclusively featured a culinary style battle between the signature Mole Poblano from Puebla and the traditional Oaxacan Black Mole.



We were honored to have experienced ‘La Feria de los Moles’ right here in the City of Angels in the oldest part of the city. I am going to plead the 5th in this particular battle because both regions represented well for their recipes and what’s the point of choosing one Mole out of 13 when you can eat them all. Viva Los Moles!



Thanks Remezcla and Vesper Public Relations- Los Angeles for including VivaLAfoodies.com in the tasty festivities.

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The 16th Annual Redondo Beach Surf ‘N Turf Lobster Festival crept up faster than a pod of dolphins in the midst of a feeding frenzy. The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & the Visitors Bureau were well equipped this year and like previous years of the festival the food, music, fun, games and Maine Lobster dinner meal keep getting better. This years festival menu even provided the first ever “Surf & Turf” option complete with a Certified Angus Beef ® Center-Cut New York Strip Steak and Maine Lobster Tail or even a stand-alone 12 oz. Certified Angus Beef ® Center-Cut New York Strip Steak dinner for the meat lovers.



The Main Event:

Lobsters take your positions, well not quite, they just had to remain Lobsters and the skilled chef’s from various Redondo Beach & South Bay restaurants take care of the rest in their efficient pop-up kitchens specifically constructed for the event to maximize the freshness and showcase the beautiful Maine Lobsters on each and every plate. Our camera had a moment to sneak behind the scenes to catch a glimpse of the magic.



Other Food highlights & Happenings:

Besides the Lobster and Steak meals, there were many other tasty morsels to be consumed from the over 50 vendors that provided everything from pork-rinds to kettle corn.



We were not surprised to see one of our favorite Redondo Beach restaurants, Baleen at the Portofino Hotel in the Redondo Beach Marina dishing up the goods as usual. Executive Chef Jesse Souza served up their notorious Lobster Mac & Cheese and his signature New England Clam Chowder.



Que Churro! was hard at work frying away their freshly made crisp and sweet Churros! These tasty morsels were enough to make the average gringo scream out “Aye dios mio” Translation, simply put O-M-G!



Nailbag BBQ hit the nail on the head with their Roasted sweet corn with optional flavored butters loaded with flavor and ranged from Cajun to Rosemary Garlic. Toss in several or all of 17 toppings of spices available and you have a virtual party in your mouth. “Now that’s what we call Elote”



No food festival is complete without some freshly grilled Sausage and that is why Ambros Sausage has become a festival resident for so many years. They have been making and selling sausages in the South Bay since 1982. Their German and Swiss recipe mash-up will keep you coming back for more of the traditional as well as some exotic flavors.



Some funky & beachy tunes:



93.1 Jack FM played current & classic rock jams in between the many live music sets and performances that played throughout the weekend. “Now how’s that for some “Jack-tivities?” We also had a chance to jam to some California Surf tunes from the South Bay’s own John Brown Band as well as some Jimmy Buffett tunes from the tribute band Parrot Head who made us feel like we were at Buffett’s own: Margaritaville.



Food Coma:

We rode off into the sunset to the sounds of a Reggae/Calypso & steel drum rendition of “Soul Sister” by Train playing in the background of the Seaside Lagoon. Our food coma began to set in on the car ride home and that was all the proof that we needed and our body told us that we did the festival right. “We came, We ate, We conquered” In an excerpt taken from the foodie bible; “Next year in Redondo Beach.” As usual we owe an extra special thanks to the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and Maris Somerville from Somerville PR for taking care of us and our amazing VivaLAfoodies team!

Comments Off | In: Festival Fare | tags: 16th annual redondo beach lobster festival, baleen restaurant at the portofino hotel, chef jesse Souza, Maine Lobster, Maris Summerville, Nail Head BBQ, Parrot Head, redondo beach california. | #

On September 8, 2011, Foodies and Fashionistas, one in the same converged on Rodeo Drive for Fashion’s Night Out 9.0.2.1.0 for the global shopping event that included a Ferris Wheel, over 100 retail store events and Seventeen of LA’s Gastro-Gourmet Food Trucks strategically placed for an international block party event celebrating global brands for one exciting night of food, fashion, music and fun. The FNO programing is a collaboration between American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the City of New York in response to recession recovery with the celebration of retail commerce on prestigious Rodeo Drive’s own Walk of Style®.



Hanging out:

Our home away from home at FNO was the VIP media lounge at the LUXE Hotel Beverly Hills and our Social Media headquarters was their plush rooftop lounge with expansive views of Los Angeles’s own “Yellow Brick Road” known as Rodeo Drive. We enjoyed a sample of the best appetizers and cocktails with friends while we schmoozed with bloggers from various food, fashion, music, art, lifestyle and beauty publications.



Champagne bottles never had a chance to stop poppin, while strawberry shooters, Caprese skewers and crab-cakes showed themselves long enough for their own food-porn-paparazzi moment before being devoured by hungry fans.



The Entertainment:

A Complimentary Ferris Wheel Ride made us feel like we were part of the “Jet-Set” and it was pretty “Fly like a G6” soaring at 60 feet above the infamous Rodeo Dr. From the air we had a birds-eye view of stilt-walkers, flame-throwers and even caught a glimpse of Beverly Hills Mayor, Jimmy Delshad.



Next on the list was a trip to the retail stores. Inspired by the song “Gucci-Gucci” by Kreayshawn we made our rounds to all of the high end retailers to window shop and ended up wrapping up the night at the Guess by Marciano store where the latest pop-tunes were being mashed up and people were getting down in the store.





Guess is a classic brand and all of their parties and in-store events are classy and hip. A brief champagne toast and some artisan chocolates at the Juicy Couture Store got us back up to speed and we had a moment to rap with the Cobra Snake and even had a moment for a photo-op. All I have to say is “Please Pass The Proscecco”!





The Food Trucks, Cocktails and Snacks:



A worldly food court was sponsored by our good friend Patrick Dolemite Green from the LASF iPhone app and his organization presented 17 of LA’s top gourmet food trucks for everyone’s eating pleasure on Rodeo & Beverly Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills most prized fashion district. Since we are foodies to the max we patronized several of our favorites including Great Balls on Tires, Cool Haus & Cart for a Cause. If you haven’t had a chance to dine off of the GBOT truck you can also visit Villains Tavern in Downtown LA for the Tuesday night burger specials all night long. These guys are some of the hardest working Food Truckers in LA so please show them some LA Love.



The Sponsors:

Rodeo Drive 90210’s celebration of Fashion’s Night Out was presented by the Rodeo Drive Committee in association with the City of Beverly Hills and the Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau. Fashion’s Night Out in Beverly Hills was also sponsored by Cirque du Soleil, Gilt City, Southwest Airlines, Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, The Beverly Hilton, and FAB Photo. All of the sponsors deserve a mention for making this possible and we plan on returning next-year for even bigger festivities.



A Sweet Ending:

Pure pleasure and stimulation was experienced at every fashionably decorated corner of this mega FNO event and we were so glad that we could be a part of it. The Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel was an amazing host for the Fashion’s Night Out media event and we had so much fun that we will surely be back for a meal real soon at their own restaurant, Cafe Rodeo. We owe a very special thanks to our friends from the Pollack Group, LASF App and Guess by Marciano for making the night truly unforgettable. Without all of the amazing sponsors and team this event would’nt have been such a success!



Photography provided courtesy of Joseph Briscoe and Briscoe Photo.Los Angeles/Texas/NYC

Comments Off | In: Events | tags: City of Beverly Hills, Fab, Gilt City, Guess by Marciano, LASF app, Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, rodeo drive fashion night out, Southwest. | #

And we thought life couldn’t get any sweeter in Beverly Hills 9.0.2.1.0, but that was before the Los Angeles Times Taste LA events came rolling into town. The TASTE LA or TASTE, for short drew crowds from all over the city to indulge in over a dozen food, beverage and lifestyle events throughout the Southland over the Labor Day holiday weekend for a culinary free-for-all that provided a taste of LA, virtually at every corner of the city. We were fortunate enough to have “The golden ticket” for Duff Goldman’s “Desserts after Dark Pavilion” on swanky Rodeo Drive in the 9-0-2-1-0. There was so much sugar indulgence that even the original kids from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory would have had a hard time hanging, but we are foodies and we never give up without a fight.



The intersection at Rodeo Dr. and Wilshire Blvd. provided the VIP access point into “Desserts After Dark” and the team from Wagstaff Wordwide and our good friends Meghan Patke and Vanessa Kanegai had the entire event dialed in, so much so, that they didn’t event have a chance to leave their post for a TASTE of something sweet.



Since we didn’t want them to miss out on all of the tasty treats we decided to hand deliver a trio of alcohol infused Ice Creams from our client “Drunken Udder” that included the Dirty Elvis, Bourbon Salted Caramel and the Lemon Drop Sorbet just to name a few.



Since being featured at the event, “Drunken Udder Ice-Cream” has made its way onto menus all over Los Angeles including a most recent addition on the Backyard’s menu at the W Hotel Westwood via the dessert menu created by Chef Dakota with many daily flavors also in rotation.



We started the night off right by getting our palates wet with drink handcrafted by local mixologists and some light cocktail snacks that included some Wiz Khalifa inspired “Black and yellow” organic chocolates.



In between bites we had a chance to alternate sips between some bubbly Moscato and Prosecco. Marsatta Fancy Chocolates served up certified organic Coconut, Orange and Mint Chocolate Truffles and P-Diddy came through with his own personal Ciroc Vodka Lounge.





Not too shabby for the mean streets of Beverly Hills. The highlight of the evening was a chat with Duff Goldman, the celebrity host and MC who showcased a cake sculpture that was strategically placed on the median so that passer(s) by could see the amazing artistry that Duff and his team from Charm City Cakes bring to the industry on a daily basis. Look for Charm City Cakes West to make its LA debut in the next few months. You will not want to miss a bite of their unique and moist lemon poppy-seed cake. Literally “To die for” Pardon our cliche.





We made our exit from Rodeo when The Pharcyde track “Runnin Away” came on because we realized it was a good time to cut our losses, in calories that is. Being that it was Desserts after Dark we worked up an appetite for something savory and we were grateful that the Counter was tray passing their classic mini-burger sliders for a break in the sugar rush. Lets just say that Team Viva LA foodies left the event with more than a grin on our faces and the memories from the night of sugar induced gluttony will live on in our memories long enough to tide us over till next-year’s TASTE LA events.



Special Thanks to Joseph Briscoe from Briscoe Photo for snapping such amazing event imagery.

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