ShopEatSleep

• 

  Annenberg Beach House. From the beach house's Flickr stream.

  The Annenberg Beach House opens this weekend in Santa Monica. The former estate of William Randolph Hearst opens to the public after two years of renovation and includes a pool and event space. No membership is required, but there are fees for entry and parking. Reservations are recommended. More at CurbedLA.

• Starting April 28, Dakota Chop House at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be offering a weekly BLT night “featuring specialty bacons from artisanal smokehouses,” per the press release. You can build your own bacon creation or choose from the resto’s creations, which include pizza, pasta and burgers in addition to the traditional sandwich. Maybe Dakota is jumping on Animal’s popularity? A bacon chocolate bar doesn’t sound appetizing to me, but to each his own.

• “Top Chef” season 5 contestants Fabio Viviani and Stefan Richter will be competing in a cook off at The Grove May 20. Grove restaurants will also be having their own cooking demonstrations and offering samples. The event is free, but you need to RSVP with Los Angeles magazine, which is co-hosting the event.

Nick's Coffee Shop. From lataco.com.

Los Angeles magazine‘s May cover story “101 Cheap Eats” totally skipped over my personal favorite, Nick’s Coffee Shop, on Pico Boulevard just west of La Cienega. Huge portions, low prices, good service. There’s also S&W Country Diner in Culver City (yummy breakfast), King Taco (super cheap) and Don Antonio’s in West L.A. on Wednesday nights, when all tacos are just $1 (I know, Speidi’s appearances here on “The Hills” are annoying and the crowds on Wednesdays are thick, but the potato tacos are totally worth it).

By the way, what’s up with L.A. mag’s obsession with Langer’s deli in MacArthur Park? It makes all their food lists. I mean, it’s good, but when I interned there in 2006 and the mag sent me out there for a story, someone standing outside (not a restaurant employee) tried to sell me cocaine. I wasn’t scared, but it was definitely an experience and not exactly a selling point for the neighborhood or the restaurant.