Latest posts from our Los Angeles expert:
You'll be Cookin' like a Top Chef
Foodie-heavy Los Angeles is rife with restaurants that dish up creativity and comfort every day of the week. Ever want to barge into that kitchen and watch the preparations in intimate detail? Or, learn how to unleash such creations at home to amaze your family and friends? Sign up at one of these cooking schools where secrets of the trade are revealed. As easy as one, two, three...
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Sign up for one-day basic or advanced courses that focus on the art of making sushi. Basic classes instruct on the fine art of making California, cucumber, rainbow, and spicy tuna hand rolls. The advanced class covers special rolls, fish cutting, and nigiri making.
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This school offers a five-week series for beginning chefs that includes proper use of knives and other utensils, a variety of cooking methods for poultry and fish, and preparation of California-style pizzas and pasta sauces. Specialty workshops focus on Italian cuisine, the art of making soups, and creative hors d'oeuvres.
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Cool Clubs and Bars That Aren’t On The Strip
Although many people think of the Sunset Strip as the epicenter of L.A. nightlife, this vast city offers entertainment galore in nooks and crannies, on boulevards and side streets.
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This unbelievably cool downtown tiki bar sits within the Wilshire Grand hotel. Reminiscent of 1950's-1960's "tiki-ness," this plush club features three separate lounges where you can be as sociable or private as you like.
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Also downtown, locals hail the Redwood as a favorite watering hole. Pirate-themed, with perchance a skull or two atop the bar, the Redwood offers plenty of booze and a hearty gastropub menu.
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Set in the San Fernando Valley, ultra-modern Clear Lounge features Plexiglass stools and white-leather walls. Six nights a week hip djs spin funk, hip-hop, Motown, rock 'n roll, and other tunes. Sunday nights are devoted solely to the 1980's. Remember them?
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Funky, faux log cabin ambiance lives within the Los Feliz neighborhood. Come early as the place fills up with local and visiting hipsters. Among the specialty cocktails are Toasted Marshmallow, Girl Scout Cookie, and Smokey's Moonshine.
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Lookin' Good, Baby
In a city where fashionistas rank right up at the top with the wheels they drive, dressing the kids stylishly is ultra-important. Celebrities drop bundles of cash on their bundles of joy and have staked out favorite boutiques both for their own kids and to send over via the chauffeur for the offspring of BFF's and staff members. Even those who can't afford a cashmere onesie that will be outgrown in a week or two should be able to come out of one of these five shops with at least a little something (anyway, the bag you flaunt is what gets the nod).
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Founded in France and destined for Beverly Hills, Bonpoint offers chic collections for babies and older children.
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Within trendy Fred Segal, this is the place to pick up a biker jacket or black-tie garb for a red-carpet event.
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This modern one-stop boutique in the Los Feliz neighborhood is filled with hip clothing, toys, and accessories for newborns to age 6.
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Positioned on the fabled Sunset Strip, this contemporary shop stocks tutus, Italian tricycles, rock 'n roll-style t-shirts, and cool retro-style onesies.
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Tucked in Brentwood, Wonderland carries an array of clothing as well as fluttery mobiles, stroller accessories, and storybooks.
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The Patina Experience
Heralded as one of the major forces behind L.A.'s foodie phenomena since the 1989 opening of his flagship restaurant, legendary chef Joachim Splichal has spilled his mastery all over town. This lucky city now houses a variety of Splichal-originated dining experiences when you can sample the master's imaginative creations prepared with the freshest available local ingredients. Many locations offer cooking classes, lest you've always dreamed of creating your own little Patina at home.
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Within the stunning Walt Disney Concert Hall complex, super-deluxe Patina provides an exquisite dining experience that includes an award-winning wine list and meal-in-itself cheese-and-caviar carts. Expect fabulous service and a memorable meal.
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Studio City's popular Pinot Bistro features a relaxed atmosphere, a menu of hearty fare, and a lengthy list of California and French wines. Join locals who have been decreed their own menu for Sunday night dinners.
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Dine simply (think grab-and-go simply) at Patinette Café at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Food items, which can also be enjoyed on the outdoor patio, include creative salads and sandwiches.
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Dine indoors or al fresco in the central courtyard of Pentimento at Los Angeles Contemporary Art Museum. Among the classic fare with signature Joachim Splichal touches is "soup of yesterday," thus named because it's "always better the next day." Perhaps a single-malt Scotch to go with that?
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This chic eatery provides South-of-France ambiance in an upscale Orange County location adjacent to the South Coast Plaza destination shopping center and the Orange County Performing Arts Center.
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