Caroline on Crack | June 2009

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Monthly Archives: June 2009

June 10, 2009

N.Y. & C. Pizza: New York and Chicago Pizza Come to Santa Monica

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Chicago Deep Dish or New York Thin Crust? Which one kicks ass more? Ah, the age old question that no one can seem to reach a consensus on. But hopefully in five short weeks, you’ll get your answer. Thanks to Adam Milstein, Robyn Landrum, Philip Boyd and Chris Shanley (owners of my fave sports bar South in Santa Monica) their new venture, N.Y. & C., will bring both beloved pizza styles to SaMo in the former Toi on Wilshire space next month.

I had the chance to speak with Adam, a proud new papa!, about the new restaurant which will not only serve three or four staples of each style pie (appropriately named after landmarks like “Wrigley Field” and “Empire State”) but strombolis, salads and more. Apparently both Adam and Chris (each hailing from Chicago and NYC, respectively) did extensive research on authentic recipes from Staten Island to Chi-Town, even jumping behind the counter of some of the best pizza pie joints in the cities and adapting recipes borrowed from the likes of grandfathers and moms’ bffs.

To drive the point home of the different city and food styles, the new 1,800-square-foot restaurant will be effectively split down the middle with the left side dedicated to all things Gotham — jerseys and subway signs on the walls — and the right side to all things Windy City. There will even be six TVs displaying movies about the respective cities; think Ferris Bueller’s Day Off vs. Taxi Driver. And of course there will be sports on the tube. I can’t imagine what a Bulls vs. Knicks game will look and sound like here.

To quench your thirst between bites, choose from 12 beers on tap, like Brooklyn Lager, and good wine to pair with the pizzas. And no official details yet but, yes, there will be a happy hour and possibly fun events like they have at South.

But the best part is that since Toi on Wilshire had grandfathered in their late hours, N.Y. & C. will be open til 4am on weekend nights, complete with delivery til 3am! Perfect since I’m sure night owls are more apt to crave pizza more than Thai.

N.Y. & C.
1120 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, California 90401 (map)

Categories: Dining, Los Angeles

16 Comments

June 9, 2009

Blogger Prom 2009 Save the Date

Picture 8.png All right we just mailed out the save the dates last night for the blogger-only Blogger Prom 2009, held at beautiful Andaz West Hollywood on July 22, so if you’re a blogger and want to come and haven’t received one, just include a link to your blog and your email address in the comments. We have to be strict with the list and monitor it ever so carefully since there’s limited capacity for this event. You know, cuz of space, booze, food, etc.

In any case, if you did get the save the date, please don’t forward it to your friends. Again, cuz of the above reasons. Just have them contact us directly with their blog link. Thanks!

Categories: Los Angeles

11 Comments

June 8, 2009

One Night in Italy: An Underground Italian Dinner in Santa Monica

Enjoy a wonderful four-course Italian dinner al fresco at a bee-oo-tiful architectural home in Santa Monica. Sure it’s $75 (plus $1.88 processing fee) for One Night in Italy but each course is paired with wine plus there will be appetizers beforehand, and did I already mention the beautiful architectural home? It’s part of the underground dinner series, the Hidden Agenda, brought to you by Amy’s Culinary Adventures. Chef Amy Jurist has been hosting these bi-monthly dinners for about five years now.

From Amy’s Culinary Adventures:

A wandering intimate “bootleg restaurant” featuring multi course tasting menus, housed in apartments, houses and other private spaces, where you get to dine with other fellow foodies, at locations that are unknown until the entrance fee has been paid.

April’s dinner was a bacon-dedicated dinner, The Bacon Affair, that featured all things bacon, from homemade vodka in Bacon Bloody Marys to a caramelized bacon ice cream sundae. Drool! So mad that I missed that one.

The menu for the upcoming “One Night in Italy” dinner is a secret until the night of the event, but Amy did say that there will be four plated courses plus two to three hors d’oeuvres. “It always ends up being more than stated. I always have trouble narrowing my menus down. I want to make a million things,” she said. Awesome! More for us!

As for the location, that, too, is a secret until you pay for your spot. Buy your tickets here asap as these dinners are known for selling out weeks in advance.

I haven’t had the pleasure of attending one of Amy’s dinners yet, but the last underground dinner I did through the Ghetto Gourmet was a ton of fun. And you get to meet some cool people while enjoying yummy food.

EVENT: SATURDAY, JULY 11 from 7pm to 10pm

Buy tickets here. Location disclosed upon ticket purchase.

Categories: Dining, Los Angeles

Film Review: Up

I don’t know why I still resist watching animated movies. I LOVED so many of them after I got over the initial “toons are for kids” hangup. WALL-E, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. — all good stuff! But even with Pixar’s newest animated film, Up, I struggled a bit. I think it was because of Carl Fredrickson, the dour-looking senior citizen and main character of the story, whose frowny face populates the movie posters. Why would I want to spend an hour and a half watching a cartoon about a grumpy old man?

Thank gawd I saw that Rottentomatoes.com gave it an uber fresh 98%. Because here you have a road trip movie, a buddy flick and a love story (my eyes are watering up just thinking about it) all in one. Up is hilarious and yet has depth that adults will appreciate — from the unspoken need of a boy for his father’s approval to an old man’s desire to fulfill his wife’s lifelong wish.

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

From the title onward, Up is a stratospheric success. It’s guaranteed to lift your spirits, and not with a pushy DreamWorks-style gag reel of celebrity voices and committee-processed one-liners.

There were many moments when I was laughing so hard that tears were rolling down my cheeks — the scary-looking villain with the unexpected chipmunk voice HI-larious! — and then there were moments when I was silently bawling and struggling to hide this fact from my bf; “Why are my contacts so dry?”

But not to fret, there were also colorful creatures and cute talking animals — I love Dug “SQUIRREL!” the tracker dog — as well as a mysterious world with crazy landscapes. And who can forget that fantastic mode of transportation that rivals James’ Giant Peach: the house held aloft by a bajillion happy-hued balloons.

In the end Carl endeared himself to me. I ended up loving his frowny face, his walker with tennis balls for feet and his even his grumpiness, appropriately voiced by Ed Asner. And even the 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer, Russell, voiced by non-child actor (he’s a child who’s not an actor, that is) Jordan Nagai, wasn’t annoying but pretty cute in that awkward and sweet way.

But, for me the talking dogs stole the show. If you’ve ever had a dog as a pet, you’d understand, recognizing and appreciating the dog culture, from the “Cone of shame” to the irresistibility of tennis balls and hatred of squirrels.

I’d totally go see this movie again and even own it when it comes out on DVD. It’s screening in 3D but I saw it in the regular way and it was still mighty enjoyable. Although, this 9-year-old I know excitedly told me that I just HAD to see it in 3D. With the colors, the flying scenes and even the action sequences, I may just have ta. BTW, if you’re not crazy about kids, see it at night when it’s past their bedtime.

Categories: Film Reviews, Los Angeles, Movies

9 Comments

June 4, 2009

This Weekend: Whiners and Winos, Carnevale!,Doughnut Tasting Menu

Where is that rackin-frackin summer?

Friday, June 5

National Doughnut Day at Grace
Are you too fancy for Dunkin’ Donuts’ or Krispy Kreme’s free doughnut special? Fortunately for you Grace, much celebrated for its gourmet doughnuts, is doing up National Doughnut Day with its $18 tasting menu ($15 additional with wine pairing). Stuff your face, I mean, slice off a piece of the plain salted caramel glazed doughnut with bourbon pecan ice cream. Ooh, and that pistachio-cream filled one with a side of chocolate sorbet. Piece de resistance is the chocolate doughnut served with the world’s best nightcap, a mug of warm rum-enhanced milk. Drool.

Friday-Sunday. Grace, 7360 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 934-4400.

The Hills: Staged Reading at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
After Speidi’s whinefest this week on that new NBC show that shall not be named here, you’re probably jonesin’ for them to get their just rewards. And you’ll probably get to see that happen, sorta, at the UCB’s staged reading of MTV’s The Hills. Sounds so awesomely hilarious. Sure, advanced reservations are already sold out but I’m thinking this will be worth waiting in that stand-by line. I’m sure all that dramz will translate well.

8pm. $8. UCB Theatre, 5919 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

Saturday, June 6

James Perse Sample Sale
Mmm, soft, soft clothes. Just in time for the warmer weather…whenever that shows up. Buy new cozy wear at this semiannual sale where you can score up to 80 percent off retail on men’s, women’s, and even kids’ cotton and cashmere basics.

9am-5pm. Siren Studios, 6063 W. Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Venice Carnevale 2009
This free beach festival, an ode to its namesake’s notoriously colorful celebration, is going to be hoot. Join the drum circle, strut your weird stuff in the Dogtown Artists Group costume contest or just peruse the artsy vendors and the cast of eccentric beach characters. There will also be DJs and live acts and a pyrotechnical grand finale.

12-10pm. Free. Venice Beach Boardwalk, 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice (map).

LA Wine Fest 2009
If you’re a big ol’ wino, chances are you already have your tickets to this huge wine festival. Oh yesss, over 500 wines, beers, sake and booze to sample in two days! It’s normally $100 for the 2-day pass but you can still get it for $60 (+$7.50 fee) on Goldstar. The Saturday pass on Goldstar is sold out but Sunday’s ($33 Goldstar) is still available.

Saturday-Sunday 2-6pm. $55-$100 regular or $33-$60 Goldstar. Raleigh Studios, 5300 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

Categories: Beauty & Fashion, Dining, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Recreation, Shopping & Sales, Sweets

2 Comments

June 3, 2009

Ciudad: A Night of Rum and Cigars on the Patio

Flickr shot by ldandersen

Ciudad, Downtown restaurant of The Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, and Zaya Rum are offering an awesome deal for those who want to spend a fancy night under the stars on a downtown patio with a cigar, four cocktails and four courses while not breaking the bank. Yup, this Rum and Cigars on the Patio event is only $55 (if you join their free-to-join frequent buyer program aka Ciudad Good Neighbors) or $68 general admission. Quite a deal if you consider that cocktails here usually cost about $12 each and you get a hand-rolled see-gar and food, too!

Here’s the yummy-sounding menu of the cocktail (featuring Zaya Gran Reserva 12-Year-Old Estate Rum) and food (by Ciudad Executive Chef Jeremy Tummel) pairings:

Zaya “Champagne” Cocktail: blood orange bitters, lime, sparkling water, crushed ice
Smoked Rainbow Trout Salad: shaved baby fennel, olives, citrus, chile threads

Zaya Supremo Mojito: fresh mint, lime, sugar, hand muddled
Caribbean Shrimp Cakes: green papaya and mango slaw, jalapeno ginger jelly

Zaya Manhattan:Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, aromatic bitters, Serrano ham-wrapped bing cherry
Star Anise Scented Duck Confit: cherry brioche stuffing, squash blossom salad

Zaya Straight: in a snifter with a hand rolled cigar
Cajeta Flan: organic goat milk flan, warm caramel sauce

Make your reservations asap by calling (213) 486-5171.

Now, back to that Ciudad Good Neighbors program. Apparently it’s like a frequent flyer program that’s free to join, you get a membership card and you get benefits like priority reservations and 15% discount every time you dine at the restaurant.

EVENT: THURSDAY, JUNE 11 from 7pm to 10pm

Ciudad
445 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, California 90071 (map)
Reservations: (213) 486-5171

Categories: Cocktails, Dining, Los Angeles, Nightlife

Paulette Macaron: A Cute and Compact Cupcake Alternative

The first time I ever had a Paulette Macaron was at a FoodDigger blogger dinner at Jinpachi in West Hollywood. It was 9:23pm on September 10, 2008. The delicate, little cookie — touted as the best macaron in L.A. by the dinner’s hosts — was like a bit of heaven in my mouth; the initial crispness of the cookie shell gave way to a creamy ganache that knocked my salivary glands into overdrive. And after that first bite, even I was inclined to believe the hyperbole.

Needless to say, I’ve been meaning to visit the Paulette Macaron store in Beverly Hills ever since. Especially after the closure of Boule, my previous go-to place for little fancy French hamburger-looking cookies, earlier this year.

Paulette Macaron, a collaboration of owner Paulette Koumetz and celebrated French pastry chef Christophe Michalak, makes their Parisian-style cookies daily, featuring 12 everyday flavors and a couple of seasonal ones. And macarons are all they sell.

My friend Mei-Mei, my sweet tooth soul sista, and I just had to visit the store, which apparently has won a couple of design awards. Fortunately, it was in the not-too-touristy part of Beverly Hills, south of Wilshire, so finding street parking wasn’t too difficult. FYI, the store isn’t located on the main stretch of Beverly but rather the side street Charleville.

On a Saturday morning, it was empty, save for one customer and one lady behind the counter. M2 and I walked in quietly, eyes locked on the beautiful rainbow of cute, little cookies behind a glass partition.

Oh, dear lord, so many flavors! I didn’t even know where to begin. And such pretty colors, I wanted to collect them all! But I also had to keep in mind that each tiny cookie costs $1.60 and I certainly didn’t want to find myself spending $22.40 for an afternoon’s supply. So I just bought six ($9.60): Columbian coffee, sweet wedding almond, caramel, coconut, Caribbean chocolate and violet cassis. BTW, this costs a little less than, say, three Sprinkles cupcakes.

The macarons were bagged rather than boxed, making me worry that I might accidentally squish the delicate cookies so I held them aloft like I was carrying a bag of live butterflies. I was able to get them home without any breakage fortunately.

Out of the ones I bought, it’s no surprise that my favorites were the sweet wedding almond, Columbian coffee and Caribbean chocolate. The almond one had some really hard-crunchy pieces decorating it but mmm, almond ganache!

Because they’re so tiny, these cookies aren’t as hearty or as satisfying to eat as a cupcake or a chocolate chip cookie, for that matter. You just pop them in your mouth and…done. Not counting those seconds of heaven part. But they are pretty cute, making them perfect as hostess gifts or tea party/bridal shower treats. You can order a five-tiered tower to showcase 60 cookies ($106) or pack them up in gift boxes ($19 for 12 macarons, $36 for 24).

I think I’d order up my next batch for a day of pampering pre-mani/pedi or a girls’ shopping day out (the Anthropologie store is just around the corner).

Paulette Macaron
9466 Charleville Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90212 (map)
(310) 275-0023
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm

Categories: Dining, Los Angeles, Sweets

12 Comments