Caroline on Crack | January 2011

Bonjour, mon ami! If you're new here and you like what you see, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this blog.

Monthly Archives: January 2011

January 31, 2011

Makeup & Go: Glam on the Run

Taylor at Makeup&Go by Caroline on Crack

Taylor made: It's $15 extra for curled hair.

I admit it, I’m no Natalie Portman. I’m not a glamorous girl with a team of stylists nor do I get my makeup and hair done for special occasions (unless it’s Blogger Prom, of course). Clean hair and red lipstick will do just fine, thanks. But when the PR folks behind make-up studio, Makeup&Go, invited me to check out their services to promote their new pop-ups in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills created for awards season, I couldn’t say no. What girl wouldn’t like getting pampered and dolled up (especially when it’s comped)?

Great product but no hard sell.

The story of Makeup&Go is that they provide quick and affordable makeovers for those in a hurry. And since they don’t sell any of the beauty products on site, they won’t waste your time with the hard sell. So those who turn to the MAC counter or Sephora for a quick makeover will appreciate that. While those who shy away from salon blowout prices (my fave salon Studio DNA charges $45-$75 for a blowdry) will appreciate what 45 minutes and $35 of blowout will get you here.

So I agreed to get my hair did and my face painted on at Makeup&Go’s original location near the Brentwood Country Mart — the WeHo pop-up wasn’t open and the Beverly Hills store’s stylists were pulled to the Brentwood store for a special event. Even though I had no special plans later that evening, save Season 5 of Law & Order: SVU on my Netflix queue, I just wanted to see if there’s something to this quick style makeover. Would it really be worth $35 for a wash and blowout and another $35 for “flawless” makeup application, all in a little over an hour or so?

When I arrived at the salon/clothing boutique, hairstylist Taylor, a model-gorgeous woman with long, stick-straight hair, sat me in a chair to lean back and wash my hair. Unfortunately, it’s $15 extra if you want a scalp massage and oil treatment, but at least the chair itself has controls for massaging and vibrating.

Afterward she brought me to another station. We had already decided that even though I wasn’t going anywhere after this, that I should at least experience a Victoria’s Secret hairdo — “long, luscious curls” is how she described it. Naturally I was nervous when she started rolling my hair in big curlers and spraying lots of hair spray on them. “Great,” I thought, “now I’m going to have to sleep with sticky, hard helmet hair.”

Hair in curlers.

But when she took out the huge curlers and set me in front of the mirror, I shook my head in that typical “I’m a girl!” fashion. The long tendrils swayed and when I ran my fingers through them, they didn’t get tangled in a web of shellacked hair. But what really amazed me is that my ‘do was gor-jus! “I didn’t realize I had so much hair!” I exclaimed. My normally flat hair now had some volume and I was struck with an inexplicable compulsion to strut down a catwalk in my chonies.

However, my transformation wasn’t yet complete. Taylor handed me off to Anna, the head makeup artist, who sat me down at a makeup station near the front of the store. Anna asked me for what look I was going for. “How about we just do something that matches the hair? Maybe something ‘romantic’ like for Valentine’s Day?” I asked.

Anna quickly cleaned off my old makeup off and then began to airbrush foundation on. I so want to get my own airbrush applicator after that. It sprays a fine mist of foundation on your face. All my redness and imperfections were erased. The process itself was a tickly affair, especially around the jawline. Anna was going to go easy on the eye makeup but heavy on the sparkle and maybe even add some bronzing.

About half an hour later, my look was complete. I liked the simplicity of the eye and eyebrow makeup as well as the subtle lip gloss but wasn’t all that crazy about the bronzing. It might have been fine in low-light settings but anything brighter than candlelight would expose its orangeness as well as how it was two shades different from my chest. But I just chalked this up to Anna not wanting to get makeup on my dress’ neckline. Definitely not something I’d wear in the daytime because of that.

Makeup artist Anna.

I was pleased with the results, though. I felt so glamorous that I couldn’t waste all this Victoria’s Secretness on TV night. So I convinced bf to take me out to dinner. He readily agreed.

In any case, I’m considering making an appointment for Valentine’s Day, when I’ll be judging prom king and queen candidates at Big Bar’s V Day prom shindig. I gotta look goood.

The store expects to do big business on that big date night so if you’re thinking the same thing, best make your appointments now. For any other day/night, Anna recommends calling in at least a couple of days ahead.

Pop-Up Hours:

Beverly Hills – 152 S. Beverly Drive� (makeup application and blow outs – open 12 to 7 daily)
West Hollywood – 8654 Melrose Avenue (makeup application – open 12 to 7 Wednesday � Sunday by appointment)

Makeup&Go in Brentwood
13038 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90402 (map)
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 12-6pm
Twitter: @Makeupandgo

Categories: Beauty & Fashion

7 Comments

January 28, 2011

This Weekend: IPA Express, Derby Girl Brunch, Boozy Food

Yay! The weekend’s here. It’s really here!

Friday, January 28

The Federal Bar Opens Tonight
This new gastropub in a Prohibition-era bank in NoHo not only features specialy cocktails, wine and 20 craft beers on tap like Allagash Black and Stone IPA but also a boozy food menu brought to you by the chef from The Belmont, Toast and The Counter! Wild Turkey meatballs, IPA spare ribs with melted leeks and red wine poached halibut. The bar opens tonight. Time to make a cocktail withdrawal!

5303 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood (map). (818) 980-2555.

Saturday, January 29

IPA� Express: Beer Tasting Event
All aboard, IPA fans. The Big Red Bus will transport drinkers from the Seaport Hotel to Congregation Alehouse and then to Brix for a total of 10 4-ounce tastes. At the final destination, Brix, beer savvy folks from Bootleggers, Strand and Noble Ale will be on hand to answer questions and pour some beer.

12:45-4pm. $35. Seaport Hotel, 6400 East Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach (map). Reservations: (562) 852-9888.

Patton Oswalt Booksigning at Book Soup
Patton Oswalt was one of my fave comedians back in the day when I used to frequent alt-comedy clubs. Now he’s all growns up and writing books! Swing by the book shop to grab a copy of his new book Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, an autograph and some laughs.

5pm. Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (map). (310) 659-3110.

Sunday, January 30

Party With the Angel City Derby Girls at Rush Street
Have brunch and party with the Angel City Derby Girls. Enjoy $20 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys with the girls before their bout at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium and after the game back at Rush Street on the second floor patio. Flash your derby ticket and get 10% off your order.

11am-3pm, 7-10pm. Rush Street, 9546 Washington Boulevard, Culver City (map).

Syrah 4 Ways & Heirloom LA at Silverlake Wine
Spend a wonderful Lazy Sunday afternoon sipping on Syrahs and noshing on fine apps from Heirloom LA. The Syrahs you’ll be tasting include Tintero “Grangia” Vino Bianco Piedmont NV from Italy, Chante-Perdrix “Empreinte” Saint-Joseph 2008 from France, Chono Reserva Elqui Valley 2008 from Chile, Grammercy Walla Walla Valley 2008 from Washington and California’s own Qupe “Sonny’s Vineyard” Edna Valley.

3pm. $20. Silverlake Wine, 2395 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). Reservations: (323) 662-9024.

Categories: Lists, Los Angeles, Nightlife

Wine and Super Bowl Junk Food Pairings by Wine Pimp

Wine that goes with everything by Caroline on Crack

Try this with Whoppers and honey Dijon potato chips. But not at the same time.

When you think Super Bowl party, you naturally think beer, beer and more beer. Hey, I’m the same way. But when I had a chat with “wine pimp” David Haskell (Magnum pop-up, Bin 8945) he made the case for why vino is a better complement to game time junk food.

“The Super Bowl or any game or anything in life, the worse feeling in the world is sitting down and feeling like you�re so stuffed,” Haskell said. “And I think the French paradox is right. Two glasses of red wine helps your metabolism and makes you thin. Speeds everything up, helps you digest. The Super Bowl is a three-hour game. What happens in a three-hour game? There�s food and food and then we have jelly beans and then food.”

And despite the traditional sports bar combo of burger and a beer, he disagrees. “A burger and wine is one of the best pairings in the world. A burger and beer is not a good pairing. The two carbohydrates of bread and bread, why would you ever pair that? Like this [$24 Mas du Soleilla Coteaux du Languedo] with a Hatch burger at Umami? That would blow your mind. All that pepper and then the meat is salty.”

Sold! Haskell was good enough to take this further and offered wine pairings with usual game time fair like sausage pizza, Doritos, guacamole and chips and even Whoppers for my LA Weekly Squid Ink post. But he doesn’t just match wine according to which food would taste nice with it but actually alters your palate’s sensation.

During dinner at Comme Ca, he demonstrated the unlikely pairing of the Coteaux du Languedoc with malt balls and honey Dijon chips (fetched from Mel & Rose down the street). It was like magic. The chocolate-covered malt ball actually seemed creamier and the chips cheesier. Kinda reminded me of combining Jelly Belly beans to come up with a new flavor.

Other fun pairings?

A Rhone with licorice and cherry jelly beans which result in a cherry fondant flavor on the back palate.
A Grenache Blanc with white cheddar popcorn causes a sparkle, almost like champagne and create a cheesy champagne sensation going through your palate.
Eric Texier’s Cotes du Rhone ($12) goes well with really spicy food. “You need a wine that’s going to show a lot more earth, no spice. You don’t want heavy heat. And you don’t want acid. Because what happens with spicy…if you get spicy food and acidic wine it causes fire in your palate,” he said.

Anyway, whether you’re a Packers or Steelers fan, or just like to watch the commercials (me!), enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday and check out these pairings.

BTW, you can experience Haskell’s pairings for yourself at his upcoming pop-up with chef Joseph Mahon: Pal Cabron vs. Magnum: An Eastside Story, on February 15th and 16th. Click here for a peek at the food menu. Four courses for $48, $27 to include pairings.

Categories: Featured, Los Angeles

Drago Centro Debuts New Winter Cocktail Menu

Violette Femme cocktail by Caroline on Crack

Punk rawk! Violette Femme cocktail.

Los Angeles may be over those lame below-75-degree temperatures but Drago Centro downtown has just debuted its new winter cocktail menu created by Drago Centro’s beverage director Michael Shearin and head bartender Jaymee Mandeville. It features some hits like the comforting hot buttered rummy January Jones and some misses like the mouthwash-green Watcher in the Woods. But cheers to the use of diverse and unique ingredients like blood orange “caviar,” pear puree, Clear Creek Douglas Fir Eau de Vie and Limoncello candy garnish.

Here’s the cocktail menu with some tasting notes scribbled during the media preview:

Violette Femme: Real Blanco Tequila, Luxardo Maraschino, creme de violette, Ventura Limoncello, Yuzu. Looks punk rock with purple rim and hot pink of flower. Very floral flavor. A punk rock girl drink.
Puro Sangue: Karlsson’s Vodka, Solerno blood orange, honey, blood orange “caviar.” Orange-y, s’OK.
Watcher in the Woods: Death’s Door Gin, Clear Creek Douglas Fir, Nocello, lavender, mint bitters. Limoncello candy garnish. Beautiful-looking cocktail, pretty green, kind of like mouthwash. Not crazy about this one, subtle but not a great flavor.
Morning Courage: Bols Genever, serrano tincture, celery bitters, beet, lemon, Hawaiian red salt. Very vegetable-y, but not in an appealing way.
Smoke on the Horizon: Zaya Rum, Drambuie, Carpano Antica, atomized Sombra Mezcal, mole bitters. Looks like a Manhattan, very bitter.
January Jones: Appleton VX Rum, demerara syrup, cinnamon tincture, butter, clove, star anise, hot water. Flavorful, spicy hot buttered rum. An instant favorite.
Cusco’s Crown: Campo de Encanto pisco, housemade pear puree, Angostura bitters, lemon. Citrusy in finish, pear flavor very subtle.
Unbridled: Laird’s Applejack, Chartreuse Verte, mint, lime.

The cocktails are $12 each.

Posted on LAist.

Categories: Cocktails

1 Comment

January 25, 2011

Library Bar’s New Beer Cocktail: Name It and Win Free Drinks

Matthew Biancaniello by Caroline on Crack

Yes, Matt includes the beer in the shaker.

I’ve wanted to like beer cocktails. I mean, come on, the best of both worlds. But, alas, I just have no interest in Irish Car Bombs anymore. I know, guess that means I’m ollld. In any case, when I visited Matthew Biancaniello at Hollywood Roosevelt’s Library Bar over the weekend, he showed me his reinvented beer cocktail: Hopping in the Rye.

Several weeks ago, he first introduced me to this cocktail as an IPA Manhattan, made with hops-infused rye. But since I don’t like IPAs — too pine-needley for my tastes — it wasn’t my favorite of his creations. But fast-forward to this weekend and Matt totally rejiggered the recipe with tasty results.

Now the cocktail is made with hops-infused gin, caramelized honey, grapefruit juice (to complement the IPA), lemon and IPA, provided by his friends at Golden State on Fairfax. The hoppiness emerges really late on the finish so I enjoy the cocktail from beginning to end. Since Matt includes the IPA in the shaker with the other ingredients, the liquid pours out all frothy, resulting in an almost creamy concoction. Do that up over ice and it’s a thirst-quencher.

But definitely the best beer cocktail I’ve ever had and you definitely have to try it. While you’re there, help Matt come up with a new name for it. You see, “Hopping in the Rye” is an old name for when it was that IPA Manhattan. Since the cocktail now calls for gin, it doesn’t really make sense anymore. But Matt said if you can come up with a new name for it that he likes, you get three free drinks from him.

I’m horrible with names but figure the drink will call for something with a sense of humor since it involves beer. Fun!

Here’s my post on LA Weekly‘s Squid Ink, which includes which famous beer fan whom Matt hopes will like it, too.

Categories: Beer, Cocktails, Featured, Los Angeles

4 Comments

January 21, 2011

Why Blackboard Eats Now Charges

Photo by alancleaver_2000/flickr

I admit it, I was really irritated when Blackboard Eats first made the announcement earlier this week that it was going to start charging $1 per passcode or $20 for an annual membership. That $1 amount is small/big enough to be annoying.

The one thing that made this deals service stand out from the bazillion Groupon-Living Social-Yelp-Zagat models out there is that it didn’t cost you a thing to partake of the deal. All you had to do was be a subscriber. No biggie. Click on the button to get the passcode and it would be emailed to you and stored.

Plus, they were able to offer discounts off your entire bill at foodie-fave restaurants like Petrossian, Mo-Chica and Valentino because they didn’t charge as they are editorial, not advertorial. The other services require you pay for the coupon. I’ve lost money on these in the past because I failed to use the coupon in time. Ferget that!

Of course, because it didn’t cost you anything to get the BBE code, chances of your using it weren’t that great; regardless of the email reminders telling you that the expiration date for your discount was nigh. You wouldn’t lose any money if you didn’t use it.

Turns out, this became a problem for those who would have used it if they could have grabbed hold of the limited number of passcodes. And yes, I’m guilty of being one of the many who let their passcodes expire. Sorry. Still have a couple in my queue that I’m debating using. *ducks*

So Blackboard Eats tried to think up a way to hold click-happy deal hunters accountable. Apparently the company thought about this for four months, testing and polling people. They considered charging the restaurants but realized it would be too difficult to keep track of everything. So they started capping specials as a way to encourage people to think before they clicked. Still didn’t work.

Kaelin Burns, operations manager of Blackboard Eats, said, “After weighing all of the options, we reasoned that one buck was a small price to pay for saving tons of money and a small price to lose if you don’t end up going (unlike the other upfront models).”

OK, I understand it a little better now but how do you feel about it? Good idea or bad idea?

BTW, I should say that BBE offered to comp my annual membership. I’m debating whether to accept it because it seems unfair. But at the same time, I want those codes, and I promise to use them from now on. I swear.

Categories: Los Angeles, Shopping & Sales

5 Comments

January 21, 2011

Last-Minute Travel Deal: Priceline’s Roundtrip + Rental Car

United Airlines over LA by Caroline on Crack

Finally GTFO!

Have you ever done something so stupid that you just want to do yoga so you could have the flexibility to kick your own ass? Yeah, that happened to me last week when I realized that I forgot my ID at home right when I was walking up to the security checkpoint at LAX. With only 20 minutes til boarding, there was no way I’d be able to get home, retrieve my wallet (which was just sitting on my bed) and still make the flight in time. Arrgh!

Alaska Airlines, who I booked my flight with, was of no help. First they said I had the option of going on the next flight out for just a $50 fee but would have to call in three hours before said flight. They assured me that chances of getting on that flight were good since it still had ample space available. But when I did call later they said oops all booked up and then offered later flights for the full price. Um, thanks for nuthin!

Since this trip up to Oregon was a family vacation with my boyfriend’s sisters AND it was also to celebrate his birthday, I felt extra bad for making him miss it. No, he did not just leave my stupid ass behind, although he probably should have.

So I tried all the cheap airlines I could think of to see how much last-minute flights were. No luck with Jet Blue or Southwest, even if I picked the Long Beach airport. Everyone was charging $500-$600 for the one-way flight. “Guess we’re not going to Oregon,” bf said, defeated. But I would not give up and as a last measure, Googled “cheap last minute flights.” That pointed me to Priceline.

I’ve never used Priceline before, as I was turned off by having to bid on a travel schedule that isn’t revealed until after you pay for it. But I was desperate. Unfortunately, the Web site also only displayed the same $500 prices. And just when I was about to just throw myself in front of the next oncoming car, I saw further down the page that Priceline had a deal where you could get airfare plus a rental car for HALF the price of a regular flight!

That’s right, for two people, it was going to cost me $600 for two roundtrip flights and one rental car (two-day rental)! So much better than the $1,200 we thought we’d have to spend just to get over to Portland and about how much we paid for the original Alaska Airlines flights. Plus we wanted a car anyway.

We couldn’t get a flight the same day and had to go the next day instead and Priceline booked us on super early flights but still so worth it. (We ended up still taking our original return flight from Alaska Airlines since it was at a more reasonable hour.)

In any case, figured if any of you ever find you need a very last-minute flight, Priceline would be the way to go. Like I said, it was the first time I’ve ever used them and am really happy with how it turned out. Only minor complaint though is that you can’t call them if you have a problem until AFTER you book your flight. But at least they saved my weekend plans.

Categories: Other, Pond Skipping on the Cheap

4 Comments