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Westside Negroni at The Churchill. Photo by Annabelle Abouab.

On Thursday, Oct. 17, stop by The Churchill on West Third Street for a combined celebration in honor of the restaurant’s 2nd anniversary as well as The Hudson’s 4th anniversary. Starting at 10 p.m., you’ll be treated to passed appetizers from Churchill Executive Chef Michael Bryant, half-off fall cocktails from mixologist Karen Grill and sounds from KCRW’s Garth Trinidad. With Bryant and Grill behind the eats, this is sure to be a tasty affair.

Set to be on the passed-app menu:

*Ahi tuna with cucumber and harissa aioli
*Mini tacos with fresh snapper ceviche, pico de gallo and guacamole
*Beef tartare
*Roasted market veggie kabobs
*Parmesan gougères
*Angus beef sliders

Grill’s new fall cocktails will be half-off at $6 and include:

*24th 1/2 Century: scotch, Punt e Mes, cacao, fresh lemon juice
*Mezcalifornia Dreamin’: mezcal, Cointreau, sage liquer, fresh lime juice
*Westside Negroni: London Dry gin, east india sherry, Aperol, lemon zest
*Caipeira: cachaca, pear brandy, lime segments, Peychauds bitters
*High Tea: tequila, earl grey tea, rhubarb liquer, orange bitters, fresh lemon juice, soda
*Tiki-Tiki Tembo: aged rum, Cynar, pineapple juice, orgeat, lime, grated nutmeg
*Churchill Manhattan: rye whiskey, vermouth, Angostura bitters
*Lily of the Valley: gin, aloe liquer, agave rose soda, fresh lime juice

Bryant recently took over for chef Bruce Kalman, who left to start his own pickle company, and Grill has taken over for Mia Sarazen. I recently tried both Bryant’s food and Grill’s drinks (the 24th 1/2 Century was my favorite, followed closely by the Westside Negroni, which is less bitter than traditional negronis) and can attest to their quality. Should be a good time!

The Churchill
8384 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
10 p.m. to close

J.Crew denim. From J.Crew.

Don’t miss out on the long weekend’s Labor Day sales!

Gap
Adult t-shirts $10 and baby tees $8 Thursday, Aug. 29, only
Up to 40 percent off select styles through Monday, Sept. 2
In stores and online

OpenSky
85 percent off clearance

Banana Republic
40 percent off purchase online and in stores with code BRWEEKEND through Monday, Sept. 2
Extra 20 percent off when you open a BananaCard in store by Monday, Sept. 2

Old Navy
30 percent off entire store or 35 percent off when you use your Old Navy, Gap or Banana Card online (with code SPREE) and in stores
40 percent off all adult Famous jeans (not combinable with other discounts) in store only
Through Monday, Sept. 2

Anthropologie
New items added to sale, and extra 25 percent off home sale items through Monday, Sept. 2

Diane von Furstenberg
30 percent off pre-fall 2013 collection online and in stores through Monday, Sept. 2

J.Crew
25 percent off denim Thursday, Aug. 29, only
Extra 30 percent off final sale items in stores and online with code HELLO30
Free shipping on orders $100+

J.Crew Factory
40 to 50 percent off everything online and in stores through Monday, Sept. 2

West Elm
15 percent off sofas, sectionals and upholstered accent chairs
15 percent off mirrors
20 percent off laundry and cleaning
Extra 30 percent off pillows and throw blanket markdowns with code XTRAPILLOWS
Up to 30 percent off bedding
30 percent off select rugs
Online and in stores through Monday, Sept. 2

C. Wonder
25 percent off full-price items online and in store with code LABORDAY through Monday, Sept. 2

Ann Taylor
30 percent off full-price items
Extra 40 percent off sale items
In stores and online

Barnes & Noble
15 percent off any item in stores and online with code BWJQV61LMZ6E3 through Monday, Sept. 2

H&M
Items available in store and online starting at $5 through Monday, Sept. 2

Lifebooker
Extra 20 percent off Loot with code LABORDAY

Travelocity
Extra 15 percent off hotel bookings with code GOWEEKEND15E Friday, Aug. 30, only

Gilt City
20 percent off with code THANKS20 through Monday, Sept. 2

Piperlime
25 percent off full-price women’s jeans with code DENIM through Tuesday, Sept. 3

Topshop
Extra 20 percent off sale items

Macy’s
Extra 20 percent off (15 percent off home, excluding furniture and mattresses) with code DEALS through Monday, Sept. 2
Free shipping on orders $99+

Williams-Sonoma
Extra 15 percent off clearance items with code SAVENOW
Free shipping with code LABORDAY
15 percent off table top with code LABORDAY
20 percent off cooking tools with code TOOLS20
20 percent off soap and lotion
Up to 75 percent off outdoor
20 percent off Williams-Sonoma cookware
In stores and online through Monday, Sept. 2

Junk Food Platter at L.A. Market by Kerry Simon. Photo courtesy of L.A. Market.

National Junk Food Day is Sunday, July 21, and it’s the best snack food day of them all. You know why? Because it’s all-encompassing. You could eat just about anything to celebrate!

L.A. Market by Kerry Simon at the J.W. Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE gets it. That’s why the restaurant offers the Junk Food Platter ($17) with coconut Bounty, Snickers cake, banana Nutella macaroons, baby churros, red velvet whoopie pies, brownies, cookies and cotton candy (and maybe popcorn, if you’re lucky?).

And then, because you’re already at a hotel, why not crash in one of the J.W. Marriott’s rooms with views of the downtown skyline? There’s also a rooftop pool to lounge by while enjoying even more junk food, if you’re so inclined.

So pig out! Why not? It’s summer.

J.W. Marriott Junior Suite. Photo courtesy of J.W. Marriott.

Stacy Keibler in Naeem Khan at the 85th Annual Academy Awards. From FabSugar.

I know everyone is talking about Jennifer Lawrence’s dress (and her stumble up the stairs to receive her award, which just seemed so fitting for her — in a good way), and Anne Hathaway’s nipple dress (why would you wear a dress with darts placed there?), but my favorite dress of the evening was hands-down Stacy Keibler’s Naeem Khan gown. With its head-to-toe sequins and well-placed patterns, Keibler looked positively statuesque. And her date wasn’t bad-looking, either.

George Clooney and Keibler. From Huffington Post.

Public Kitchen & Bar. Photo courtesy of Public Kitchen & Bar.

What’s the next best thing to actually attending the Academy Awards?

Watching a live telecast while enjoying a meal at Public Kitchen & Bar, located in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel — the site of the first Academy Awards in 1929 — of course!

On Sunday, Feb. 24, the Oscars ceremony will be shown on large televisions around Public’s main dining room, so you’ll be able to see all the glitz and glamour while noshing on Executive Chef Tim Goodell’s three-course prix-fixe menu. For $99 per person, you’ll get Wagyu beef tartare with crostini and quail eggs; Dover sole with cauliflower, brown butter, pine nuts, golden raisins and capers; and lemon Napoleon with honey ginger ice cream.

Or, choose from a selection of à la carte items, including the Oscars Ultimate Burger & Wine combo with the restaurant’s signature burger topped with four-year aged cheddar, bacon, and bread and butter pickles served with a side of black truffle Kennebec fries and a glass of Cain Cuvée cabernet for $39.

Want to take in the splendor without being tied down to a table? Then head over to the hotel’s main lobby, where you can watch the ceremony on a 15-foot screen while partaking in a selection of fresh oysters and sushi.

And since this is Hollywood and all, champagne and bottle service with the likes of Cristal, Dom Perignon, Grey Goose and Patron will also be available to toast the winners — or play some really expensive drinking games — throughout the evening.

Public Kitchen & Bar
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 466-7000

Sunday, Feb. 24
5 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Shrimp n’ grits

The pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, helmed by Chef Kevin Kathman (Gramercy Tavern, French Laundry), is offering a special New Year’s Eve four-course prix fixe meal for $75. The Venice restaurant, which just opened in October, offers all kinds of Southern foods, and this holiday menu is no exception.

For the table:
Complimentary black eyed peas (a Southern good luck charm!)
Jalapeño cheddar cornbread with pear butter

First course, choice of:
Cauliflower soup, almond, gruyere and brown butter
Smoked trout salad, Meyer lemon, potato, fennel, horseradish and caviar
Kumamoto oysters, lime, cucumber and cilantro

Second course, choice of:
Braised pork belly, chicories, pickled watermelon and spicy mustard
Shrimp ‘n grits, garlic, bacon, shallot and cheddar grits (pictured above)
Caramelized salsify, and roasted, puréed and raw sun chokes

Third course, choice of:
Pan seared venison chop, huckleberries, turnip, onion and potato
Halibut, Maine lobster hash, pickled herbs and root vegetables
Dry aged New York strip steak, mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, shallot and bourbon béarnaise sauce

Dessert, choice of:
Sweet potato pie, cinnamon cream and candied pecans
Warm chocolate cake, vanilla bean ice cream and salty bourbon caramel
Passion fruit panna cotta, blueberry, grapefruit and basil
Plus ginger cookies for the table

Monday, Dec. 31, 2012
Reservations available from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
(310) 392-2425

Daniel Nelson, head mixologist at the Writer’s Room in Hollywood, designed the restaurant’s cocktail program, so you know the special New Year’s Eve drink, the Louisiana Purchase Champagne Cocktail ($12) with Peychaud’s bitters, brown sugar and praline liqueur, will hit the spot. The Car Car, with gin, jicama, ginger, apple, kaffir lime leaf and anise seed, is interestingly tasty, too.

Car Car

If you can’t make it to WiSC for New Year’s Eve, then weekend brunch is another good option. The shrimp n’ grits are available then, and don’t miss the pancakes topped with candied pecans, bourbon roasted bananas and maple cream.

Pancakes with candied pecans, bourbon roasted bananas and maple cream

Note: A brunch meal was complimentary.

Further reading:

Good Morning Eats: Brunch at Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by LAist

This Saturday, Nov. 24, is Small Business Saturday. Support your favorite local small business in between getting your deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Some of my favorites include Goo Salon, Giant Robot, Valerie Confections and just about every restaurant in Los Angeles.

Yes, Small Business Saturday is a movement founded by the large business American Express, which charges all businesses a lot for its services (that’s why a lot of stores won’t accept AmEx), but it’s still a good idea to shop small when you can. Small businesses give your city, your neighborhood, character, as well as provides jobs (duh!). If you haven’t seen the commercial, here it is:

If you have an AmEx card, sign up to get $25 back one time when you spend $25 at a qualifying small business on Nov. 24.

Happy shopping!

Mini sea urchin tostada with chicharron and esquites (Mexican street corn) from Cacao Mexicatessen

People always ask me what’s the best Mexican food in Los Angeles. Well, now those people — it could be you! — can find out for themselves at the 2nd Annual Taste of Mexico on Nov. 30 at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles. Some of the best Mexican food in the city will be represented, including Playa, La Monarca Bakery, Guelaguetza, Cacao Mexicatessen and Guisados. I was recently invited to try some of these eateries’ offerings, and every single bite of food I had was delicious, especially the sea urchin tostada with chicharron and esquites (Mexican street corn off the cob) from Cacao Mexicatessen (above) and the Oaxacan mole negro pollo tamal from Guelaguetza (below). You won’t go wrong at Taste of Mexico.

Mole negro chicken tamal from Guelaguetza

The event, which promises to be a veritable party judging by the hosts, will also feature Mexican beer, Baja wines, mezcal and tequila in addition to unlimited samplings from the participating restaurants. For even more fun, you’ll also find live music, mariachi and DJs. A portion of every ticket sold will benefit Los Angeles’ Downtown Art Walk.

Tickets cost $50 for general admission and $70 for VIP, which includes the uber-pricey Casa Dragones tequila and early admission to the event.

Charcuterie and cheese board at Wood & Vine

If you haven’t already heard, Chef Gavin Mills will be leaving Wood & Vine in mid-November, less than two years after opening the Hollywood joint known for its whiskey drinks and chicken and waffles. Current Sous Chef Eric Buss will take over as interim executive chef and continue to prepare the restaurant’s menu favorites.

As a last hurrah, Mills is putting together an “Offal-y Spooky” Halloween menu featuring snout-to-tail dishes, including blood sausage, calf’s liver, beef tongue, and something described as “cock’s comb and turkey testicle poppers.” Head barman Bayardo De Murguia has also put together a couple of special drinks, including the Are You Afraid of the Dark? with Famous Grouse scotch, Amaro Averna, toasted marshmallow syrup (what?!), Miracle Mile Forbidden bitters and a Laphroaig scotch spritz. Interesting…This special menu will be available on Halloween, Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 5:30 p.m. to close.

While the Halloween menu sounds a bit scary (pun intended), if Mills’ and De Murguia’s regular offerings are any indication, it should be an offally (OK, I’ll stop now) good time. The chicken liver mousse (pictured above) is smooth and fluffy, and the chicken and waffles with a maple glaze and sage butter are satisfying. The shrimp and grits is another good dish, but my hands-down favorite is the gnocchi, which is airy yet hearty. Both the food and cocktail menus change seasonally, so you might find variations depending on when you go.

Chicken and waffles

Shrimp and grits

Gnocchi

If you can’t make it for the Halloween meal, you can always go on a Monday night when you can get a three-course farmers market dinner for $18.

Further reading:

Wood and Vine (Hollywood, CA): Monday Market Dinners and Chicken and Waffles by Gourmet Pigs

Wood & Vine: That Cozy, Warm Space on Hollywood Boulevard by estarLA

Gingerbread house at Fairmont San Francisco

Looking for some holiday cheer? The historic Fairmont San Francisco hotel once again has its larger-than-life gingerbread house on display in its lobby. If you’re in SF sometime before Jan. 1, then this is a must-see. Just try not to eat the house, mmmkay?