ShopEatSleep

Daily Grill's pepper bacon burger

The tried-and-true Daily Grill restaurants are shaking things up a bit with some new burger options, as well as a new bar concept soft opening at the downtown Los Angeles location March 8. Other food writers and I were recently invited to try out the new burgers — a wild mushroom and a pepper bacon — and take a look at new bar Public School 612’s menu. I left impressed with the new items, as my years-long memory of Daily Grill was more staid than current.

Keep Reading

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is at it again, offering complimentary 12 oz. cups of its new Spring Peach Tea Latte, Spring Peach Iced Tea Latte and Peach FruTea tomorrow, March 1, 2011, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The latte and the iced latte are pretty self explanatory — peach and honey — but what’s FruTea? Apparently it’s an Ice Blended beverage with a hint of green tea. Sounds good, but since it snowed in Burbank over the weekend, I think I’ll stick with the hot tea latte.

Lanterns light up the tables at Fresheast

Fresheast in West Hollywood is a newish fast-casual concept featuring a healthful pan-Asian menu. Located in a Pavilions shopping center – which means free parking, a rarity in WeHo – Fresheast offers dishes with Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and Indian elements, but with a decidedly L.A. flair (quinoa, anyone?).

We were recently invited to sample Fresheast’s dinner menu conceived by Executive Chef Jonathan Schwichtenberg. We appreciated the many options – you can choose from white or brown rice, baby greens or the fluffiest quinoa ever made to go with your proteins, which include the common chicken and beef to the less-common lamb, paneer cheese and tofu.

Keep Reading

Wine? Why not! Photo by Christina Lam.

This Friday, Feb. 18, is National Drink Wine Day. Now, we all know that you don’t need a special reason to drink wine, but now you can say you’re doing your civic duty when your boss asks why you’re having that bottle — er, glass — of pinot at 10:00 a.m.

Here are a few ways to celebrate.

While not technically happening on National Drink Wine Day, Pourtal wine bar is hosting tonight a screening of the documentary “Merlove: A Documentary about Merlot” with writer and director Rudolf McClain. As you watch, sip on some of the bar’s merlot Merlove and white wine Labor of Love-themed wines. Screening is free, but the wine costs money.

Pourtal
104 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

On Friday, downtown Los Angeles’ Corkbar will offer a specially-priced flight of three wines for $10. And if you check in on Foursquare and unlock the Swarm badge, you’ll get extended happy hour specials, including $2 off drafts, $8 select wines and half-priced select appetizers, for the rest of the night.

Corkbar
403 W. 12th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Also, Napa Valley Grille in Westwood will host Friday a “Guess the Grape” game led by Wine Director Christina Sherwood. Guests will be invited to sample a grape varietal not listed on the menu, and if they answer correctly will be rewarded with a complimentary glass of wine. Free wine, woo!

Napa Valley Grille
1100 Glendon Ave. Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Rose petal macaroon, lychee sorbet and fresh raspberry sauce from Nick & Stef's. Courtesy of Nick & Stef's.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or your mom’s basement, whatever), you’ll know that Monday is Valentine’s Day. If you’re celebrating this year, here are some options for you.

Staying in? Get some Karma single-serve bottles of sparkling wine to toast you and your loved one, whoever that may be.

Going out? Consider Patina Restaurant Group’s V-Day offerings, including prix fixe meals from Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, Kendall’s Brasserie, Café Pinot and Zucca Ristorante.

Want to do something fun with a friend? Try a blowout from JM Blowdry, part of Joseph Martin Hair & Beauty salon in Beverly Hills. Get two blowouts for $40 (regularly $60) Feb. 11 through Feb. 14.

Pinkberry Swirly Gram. Courtesy of Pinkberry.

Looking for a cute Valentine’s Day gift? You may want to consider Pinkberry’s Swirly Grams, which can either be actual froyo or a gift card packaged up with heart-shaped balloons and hand delivered. The frozen yogurt comes in a single serving size ($10) or a five-serving size ($20), and the gift card can be any amount you’d like plus a small packaging fee. Choose from three flavor combinations: original with toasted almonds, strawberries and dark chocolate crisps, chocolate with brownie bites, raspberries and shaved milk chocolate, and the new blood orange with blood orange pieces and a waffle cookie. Order online through Feb. 9 and in store through Feb. 10 for delivery between Feb. 11 and Valentine’s Day.

Enter to win your own Swirly Gram complete with a $10 Pinkberry gift card by leaving a comment on this post stating why you want Pinkberry for Valentine’s Day. Contest ends Sunday, Feb. 6 at 11:59 p.m. PST. I’ll pick one winner at random to be announced the following day. Good luck!

**This contest is closed.**

Congratulations to Bryant Verador, winner of this contest!

UPDATE: Due to popular demand, online ordering for Swirly Grams has been extended to Feb. 11 at 12:00 p.m. PST, and you can purchase them in stores through Feb. 14 to deliver on your own.

Candela oxfords at Gossamer

During the whole month of February, ShopEatSleep readers get 20 percent off at Gossamer, a new-ish clothing and accessory boutique on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. The store reminds me of Anthropologie but cozier — and definitely more local. Mother-and-daughter team Gwen and Ash Heier opened the shop back in September and offer everything from Michael Stars to Black Orchid denim to Daftbird. And in keeping with the local and homey aesthetic, the store features a living wall of plants and furniture from neighboring AK vendors. To get your 20 percent off coupon to use in-store, email thegirls@gossamershop.com with “ShopEatSleep – 20% off” in the subject line.

Gossamer
1410 Abbot Kinney Ste. 101
Los Angeles, CA 90291

Wall Paper cocktail

Staten Island cocktail

It’s easy to pass up while driving along Fair Oaks Avenue, but The Raymond is one Pasadena restaurant that you wouldn’t want to miss. Sure, it’s been around for nearly 35 years, but with a recent makeover and the new 1886 Bar, The Raymond is new again while maintaining its old-school feel.

We were recently invited to dinner at The Raymond, which was originally established as a hotel in 1886. The hotel is long gone — a victim of the Great Depression — and the current incarnation of the restaurant is located in the property’s former caretaker cottage. The interior is kind of like eating in your mother’s house: it’s intimate and homey. But it’s also sophisticated enough to make you remember you went there to dine, not do your laundry.

Keep Reading

I’ve been dying for a new bag, and I’ve been on the lookout for a cross body that’s the right size and style. The Daily Brights Satchel at Anthropologie immediately caught my eye, even though it’s a bit big for cross-body purposes. No matter; the clean lines, multiple compartments, bright color and fun lining all made me swoon. Too bad it’s $188 — totally out of my price range right now.

Inside of Daily Brights Satchel

Daily Brights Satchel from Anthropologie

Smashed Irishman at Les Deux

The nightclub formerly known as Les Deux (of “The Hills” fame) is now the gastropub Les Deux. Les Deux Estate, actually, but you can keep calling it Les Deux. Anyway, the folks behind The Buffalo Club in Santa Monica took over the former nightclub space and turned it into a classy restaurant and bar with a more-than-respectable food and drink menu.

I recently visited the new Les Deux during happy hour, which goes until 7:30 p.m. but applies only to food. Boo. But the cocktails are really pretty great, so that makes the $12 to $15 price tags a bit more bearable (not really; those are steep prices!). Anyway, if you’re going to shell out for one of the drinks on the menu, try the Smashed Irishman made with Jameson whiskey, lemon, basil, red bell pepper, honey and a Guinness reduction float. It’s reminiscent of Rivera’s Blood Sugar Sex Magic, which is one of my favorite cocktails. If you’d like something custom made, ask the friendly mixologist behind the bar for a Dealer’s Choice, which he will create for you based on your preferred flavor profile.

The grilled cheese with caramelized onions is also a good choice, though the tomato soup that comes with it is just OK. When I was there, it seemed that the staff was still working out some kinks: I ordered the grilled cheese off the happy menu, which listed fries as the accompaniment, but got the soup, which is part of the dish on the regular menu. Oh, well. The mac and cheese is another worthy menu item, with its topping of bread crumbs and a bruschetta-like mixture giving it a little something special.

Grilled cheese sandwich with caramelized onions

Mac and cheese

Les Deux is definitely going to become one of my go-to Hollywood happy hour spots. Now, if only the cocktail menu were part of the discount…

Further reading: Les Deux Estate, a Hollywood Sequel You Need to See by Thirsty In LA