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Market counter at La Grande Orange Santa Monica

After a Macallan scotch tasting at the Viceroy last night (set up by e*starla and attended by Caroline on Crack, LAist’s Julie Wolfson and LA-OC-Foodie – but more on that later), we headed over to La Grande Orange’s newest outpost in Santa Monica for dinner.

The good: The entrance is decorated with pots of homegrown herbs – nice touch. The market counter and wine display upon entering have a simple, clean presentation. This new location serves sushi, and the rainbow roll was excellent (go with the aioli dip, not the soy – too salty). The sweet potato roll, something I hadn’t seen before, was decent, though it was really just tempura-battered and fried sweet potato with avocado. The service was prompt and friendly. And when our server charged us for the wrong dessert item, she ended up comping it.

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Caroline on Crack via LAist has a great list of places to eat and drink today for Cinco de Mayo. Rush Street in Culver City – a place I like on non-alcholidays (Caroline on Crack’s word!) – is selling $1 tacos from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. tonight.  I love me some $1 tacos!

2004 Kentucky Derby. From photog1966 (Flickr).

I went to the Kentucky Derby four years ago. It was…an experience. Of course, my friends and I chose to go the cheap route and watched the race from Churchill Downs’ infield, which is nothing like what you see on TV. There are no rich people in oversize hats with mint juleps. The infield has mint juleps, too, but it’s more like Mardi Gras meets Nascar. But I digress. For those of you who are actually going to be in the Bluegrass State for this Saturday’s Derby race, here are some of my recommendations for where to shop, eat and sleep in Louisville.

• Sustain (Vogue Shopping Center, 3724 Frankfort Ave.) This boutique sells eco-friendly, sustainable and chemical-free products for you and your kids, pets and home. I have my eye on the phthalate-, BPA- and lead-free Laptop Lunch Bento Box.

• The Green Building (732 E. Market St.) The owners of this mixed-use building, a 110-year-old former dry goods store, are striving for LEED platinum certification. Housed within is 732 Social, a cafe from brothers Steven and Michael Ton who also own the James Beard Foundation Award-nominated Basa in Louisville. There’s also art gallery space, which is currently hosting work from Brooklyn’s Steve Keene.

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