POCKET LINT.

LA (AND BEYOND): THE BEST WEEK TO BUY GIRL SCOUT COOKIES (BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR AGAIN!)

Contrary to what some CRAZY people might think (yeah, K.L., I mean you!), Somoas are not only the best Girl Scout Cookie; they're one of the best cookies PERIOD.  I mean, the truth is--with all the caramel and coconut and such--they're basically candy bars masquerading as cookies.

Anyway, I happened upon a cookie stand outside my local grocery this weekend and I've decided that it's my civic duty to tell the rest of you peeps that this is the last week to buy them before they once again disappear into the girl scout cookie-free abyss.

Also, I would feel better about all my cookie-related weight gain, if the rest of you looked a little fatter too.

So, do a good deed and eat a box, please.  Seriously.  There's room for you on the couch.

xo - N.

 

LA (WEHO AND BEYOND): THE BEST WAY TO EAT COMFORT FOOD AND STILL FEEL VIRTUOUS

Now, you know I'm not ALWAYS sold on "meat-free" food.  And by that I mean that I don't always go vegan calmly.  So, when I headed to Veggie Grill at Sunset 5, I was half expecting  to eat and then go eat real food elsewhere.

But then I met co-owner, Kevin Boylan, who insisted I try like, well, the entire menu.  He explained that in an economy, where most restaurants can barely stay afloat, they've been lucky enough to grow.  He also explained that, until just now, they didn't offer any cheese items because they couldn't find a cheese substitute that was good enough.

Well, now they have "cheese" for nachos, cheeseburgers and such.  The restaurant itself is a counter order spot, but it's pleasant in a sort of more organic Pink Berry kind of way.  And actually, the restaurant does have a unique angle: vegan comfort food.  Yup.

My favorite item of all is probably the blackened chicken sandwich topped with guacamole and such, which tasted--well--like blackened chicken (somewhat like the above southern fried chicken sandwich). Of course, the sweet potato fries are just regular sweet potato fries, so what could be bad about that?

As a lactard, of course I'm also into the nachos.  The fake cheese tastes a lot like movie theater "cheez" (or so I recall) and everything is good with jalapenos, chili and guacamole.  And the brownie sized carrot cake?  BRING. IT. ON.

Yeah.  I know.  With all my bad talk in the past about vegan chow, I'm a bit of a hypo (hypoCRITE, I mean).  But at least after chowing down on vegan food, I feel like a little less of a hippo.

xo - N.

  

LA (LA CIENEGA): THE BEST SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Shrimp cocktail is just one of those purely good things in life.  It's not bad for you really (well, okay, cholesterol).  But it's not fattening.  It tastes fresh and good.  It's sort of special occasion food, but it is hardly forbidden.  Shrimp is the perfect mild vehicle for cocktail sauce.  Basically, it rocks.

And, with that, I've pretty much exhausted what I have to say on the subject.

EXCEPT, I had the pleasure of lunch at Tres in SLS last week and ended up tasting the above innovative shrimp cocktail incarnation.  First of all, the presentation is obviously beautiful, but it's functional too.

See, you put the shrimp in your mouth and squeeze the capsule as you eat.  The sort of toothpick thing that spears the shrimp is actually hollow, so as you eat, the spicy red liquid (which tastes like the world's best bloody mary mix) squirts into your mouth.

I mean, SHUT. UP.  And voila: the best shrimp cocktail!

And that is (sorry I have to) Tres bien.

xo - N.

P.S.  Apparently, the restaurant also just launched tea service and brunch.  Do you think the scones will have cream capsules attached?

P.P.S.  I also tasted these mini-short rib sandwiches and the chicken and dumpling soup and I highly recommend!

  

LA (HOLLYWOOD/BH): THE BEST SNEAK PEEK AT OSCAR SETS & THE BEST NEW CRUDO BAR

At first glance, the above two subjects might seem unrelated.  But look a little closer and, well, they're still pretty unrelated.  But, I promise, there is a common thread somewhere.

For one thing, many Oscar attendees get all dolled up for the event and/or stay at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills (which is where new neighborhood Italian restaurant Culina will be opening this week with a crudo bar).  So, both these stories would be of interest to those people staying at the Four Seasons and attending the Oscars, right?  RIGHT.  And that's obviously a large sector of the population, so.

But more importantly (that's right peeps): It's shameless self promotion time, yet again.  Yes, I am the common thread.  I am the walrus.  I am the president of the united states.  I am starting to make very little sense.  I am getting sleepy ... sleeeepy.

Before I lapse into complete gibberish, I'll get right to sharing yesterday's "Image" section story on this year's Oscar sets.  There were some smaller newsy pieces last week, but this one by moi goes in depth with architect and designer David Rockwell.

As for Culina, you can read my little write-up on Daily Candy LA today.

You could even read it while at the Oscars.  Wouldn't THAT be trippy?

xo - N.

LA (THIRD ST): THE BEST SALAD NICOISE (ON HOMEMADE BREAD)

Hello, Old Friend.  No, not you.  You're okay too.  But I'm talking to the above Pan Bagnat sandwich that I missed sorely over the last year or so.

Thankfully, Doughboys has reopened, although with slightly higher prices.  I guess you pay to not have to go to the bathroom next door at El Carmen.  Anyway, at whatever price, now I can eat my beloved sandwich again (artichoke hearts, olives, capers, tuna, oh my!).  And I did just that on Valentine's Day.

What better way to show deep love ... for a sandwich?  Next up, their famous red velvet cake.  An affair to remember.

xo - N.

LA (WEHO): THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE SOMEONE ELSE'S BDAY

I have only been married for a a little over a year, so technically I've only experienced one true wedding anniversary.  Still, since Andre and I have been together for about 500 years, we definitely lived through quite a few dating anniversaries.

So, with that in mind, I feel like I can comfortably say that I know how we celebrate: generally, we both forget.  Then, like two days later, one of us remembers and tells the other one.  We say, "Oh, yeah.  Huh."  Then we go eat sushi.

Anyway, some people celebrate their anniversaries with a little more pizzazz.  For instance, TODAY ONLY Cecconi's is celebrating their one year anniversary (or birthday, if you will).  So, every lunch and dinner guest will receive a blue frosted cupcake (complete with a candle to blow out!) and a gratis glass of prosecco.

Now, that's my kind of anniversary celebration.  Followed two days later, of course, by sushi.

xo - N.

VEGAS (AND BEYOND): THE BEST REASON TO STOP AT THE WORLD'S LARGEST THERMOMETER

They say, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.  For me, what happens in Vegas ... is that after a couple days everything gets very old very quickly.

Seriously.  At first, it all seems kitschy and fun.  Then, suddenly I start to notice all the depressing old ladies smoking Virginia Slims while playing two slots at once and all the weird tweaked out types, who visit the casinos daily.

Then I need to leave. STAT.

Maybe that's why I tend to love the drive home.  Or maybe I love it because on the way, you can stop at the World's Largest Thermometer.

The town that surrounds it is, okay, honestly just a strip of road off the highway.  But there are gems to be discovered!

Back in the day, when I made my first spontaneous drive to Vegas one crazy college night at 2am and returned to our dorm less than 24 hours later, R, T & I discovered The Mad Greek in the shadow of that amazing temperature telling monster. On another trip, I bought scratch off tickets at a gas station/general store that claims to be the luckiest quickie mart around.  And, on this last trip, Andre and I stumbled (out of the car) upon Alien Fresh Jerky.

This place is no joke.  They have every different type of jerky from beef to turkey to salmon and from cajun to teriyaki to whisky and carne asada, all in its best incarnation.  And the best part is that you can sample all the various options while there (see above).

Maybe, if this whole writing thing gets old, I'll start a franchise at Area 51.

Now, THAT idea is out of this world.

xo - N.

LA/NYC (BI-COASTAL): THE BEST "T" ON TAP

I'm a teetotaller.

Only, it's not 1920's prohibition era.  Instead, it's 2010, an era where you can create an avatar to virtually drink buffalo pee for you on a reality show, so you can win a million dollars, find a husband and claim Paris Hilton as a new BFF.

But enough about progress.

Like I was saying: I'm a teetotaller.

Only, I drink liquor.  A lot.

I guess I'm not a teetotaller.  But, boy, do I like tea.

So, you can imagine my excitement when I happened upon T Salon on Melrose (next to M Café).  The truth is that I spotted the new tea shop awhile ago (they opened in October), but I only had an occasion to stop in as I was walking all the way from Hollywood & Highland to my house the other day.

Long story.

Apparently, the original T Salon is in Chelsea Market in NYC.  And it turns out that the tea shop is not only a cute little café and tea boutique.  They also offer tons of both hot and cold teas--wait for it--on tap.  How cute is that?  I just love that they offer like eight different iced teas, just ready to drink.

Best of all, by sheer luck I happened upon a Red Tea that turned out to be an iced version of the Rooibos with which I'm obsessed from Chado Tea House.  My favorite tea--but iced!

The iced tea wasn't cheap, but the "plastic" cups are actually all eco and plantable and stuff, so you can't feel TOO guilty.

Hey.  At least it wasn't liquor.  See?  I'm the teetotaller.

xo - N.

 

LA (AND BEYOND): THE BEST NEWLY LAUNCHED LOCAL STYLE BLOG

To announce that I'm a BIG fan of local Third Street style blog, Blackburn + Sweetzer would be a major understatement (not to mention an insult to the intelligence of any regular PL readers).

Over the oh so long year of writing this . . . thing . . . this behemoth beast (swoon from exhaustion), I've constantly referenced my pal Tasha Nita Adams' blog as a daily "Crumpled Twenty" or even just as a resource.

Well, now her "little sib" blog is all grown up and part of a newly launched larger style website called Mondette.  With fashion world partners in crime Lilliam Rivera and Christina von Messling, the new website also covers the entire Melrose area (Rosewood + Martel).  Well, the parts worth knowing.

As the name Mondette suggests, these ladies translate this sprawling urban (and sometimes weirdly suburban) jungle into a small world, highlighting truly local happenings and finds in these central enclaves.  LA can be a hard city to get to know, but this is like a short cut to finding your favorite neighborhood spots and characters.

It's a cheat sheet, if you will, to making LA your style-centric home.

xo - N.

LA (THIRD ST): THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE NEW ORLEANS

Like most normal people (especially non-football fanatics), I associate the Super Bowl with two major components: chips and dip.  Oh, I know, I know.  There's also the whole game thing.  But the big draw is the food.

Basically, Super Bowl Sunday is like the one day normal women get to consume crappola (from seven layer dip to Ruffles) guilt-free like so many pregnant ladies or college frat boys.

This year, in honor of The Saints (even though Andre and I also sort of rooted for Peyton Manning too), we decided to mix it up and get cajun food from the Farmer's Market's Louisiana spot The Gumbo Pot.

Though I've probably eaten at the Farmer's Market a thousand times, I've never actually gone cajun/creole (though I fell in LOVE with New Orleans and the food there on a trip a few years ago).

For this occasion, Andre went on the quest solo and came back with a slew of incredibly tasty and spicy eats: Shrimp Po' Boys (made a million times more delicious with very thinly sliced, tangy lemon inside), Jambalaya with fish and hot sausage and the above peel-and-eat crawfish.

And it was all SO DAMN GOOD.  Now that's worth flashing someone for.  Mardi Gras beads be damned.

xo - N.