MAC Collection Inspired By Movies
New MAC Cosmetics Reel Sexy line takes cues from film.
April 06, 2012
MAC Cosmetics premiered its Reel Sexy line of movie-inspired makeup yesterday. The collection includes eyeshadow duos, lipsticks, cremesheen glass, eye kohls, blushes, and nail lacquer, in statement-making neons and saturated shades perfect for a flashier weekend night out. Like any hot Hollywood film, Reel Sexy also has its own trailer. Shot by fashion photographer Miles Aldridge, it features iconic model Kristen McMenamy decked out in the collection’s oranges, purples, and pinks. The line is limited edition and has already received rave reviews, so snap it up now. 55 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626-535-0154
Best Spots for Easter Brunch
Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, tuck into an exquisite Easter brunch this Sunday.
April 06, 2012
Commuter sandwiches take center stage at M Street Kitchen.
Comme Ca
10 AM-3 PM (alcohol served after 11)
Specialty waffles are the main event at Comme Ca with three topping choices—fresh berries, Chantilly cream and berry jus, or bacon lardon and spicy maple syrup—on offer. Other Easter draws include a lamb steak and a veal shortrib hash. Regular brunch favorites like the crème brulee French toast and a Gruyere and shallot quiche will still be available. 8479 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 323-782-1104
Café Del Rey
10:30AM-2:30 PM
Enjoy a beautiful seaside setting with an Easter meal by the marina. Café Del Rey’s three-course prix-fixe menu offers fare such as poached salmon salad, marinated lamb kebobs, brioche French toast, and eggs Florentine. Drink choices of sparkling wine, mimosas (bottomless), or sparkling cider are included as well. $38/adult, $20/child. 4451 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 310-823-6395
M Street Kitchen
8AM-4PM
Brunch meets bakery at this casual neighborhood eatery. A variety of M Street Kitchen's morning staples such as commuter sandwiches, breakfast tacos, and homemade English muffins are offered alongside baked goods like homemade muffins, market berry French toast, and lemon skinny pancakes. Everything is a la carte and children will leave with a basket full of sweet treats. 2000 Main St., Santa Monica, 310-396-9145
Whist Restaurant at Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica
10AM-3PM
Executive Chef Tony DiSalvo and Chef De Cuisine Chris Crary (a la this season’s Top Chef) serve up a lavish brunch fit for the entire family at Whist. Buffet-style options include fresh shellfish, farmer’s market salads, and a carving station with traditional Easter ham and prime rib, plus a pancake and French toast station. For the little ones, a mini buffet with classics like chicken fingers and mac n cheese is sure to please. Kids can hunt for Easter eggs placed around the resto, while parents kick up their heels with $10 bottomless Grey Goose Bloody Marys and mimosas. $55/adult, $25/child. 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 310-260-7511
Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
10AM-2PM
The notoriously celeb-packed hotel offers a decadent brunch buffet full of different cuisines at Four Seasons Los Angeles. Choose from omelets made to order, lobster eggs Benedict, roasted prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, house-made sushi, farmer’s market salads, and Mexican-style ceviche. Sweet tooths are sure to enjoy a "Candy Factory" featuring a donut machine, chocolate eggs, cotton candy, and a chocolate fountain with fruits for dipping. Children’s buffet also available. $95/adult, $47/child 5-12, free for children under 4. 300 S. Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-860-4000
Akvinta Luxury Vodka Lands In LA
Premium vodka brand Akvinta crosses the Atlantic and brings refreshing cocktail recipes, too.
April 05, 2012
The Akvinta Cooler uses Akvinta vodka for a light, refreshing beverage (recipe below).
Created in a micro distillery using only organic Italian wheat and pure Croatian artisanal water, Mediterranean Akvinta premium vodka makes its US debut this week. Touted as containing no impurities, no preservatives, no added sugar, and no artificial flavoring, the luxury liquor launched in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco first.
A light lemon-citrus taste and a hint of pepper make this low-calorie spirit perfect for health-conscious people who enjoy a refreshing cocktail. Look for it served at LA hotspots like Bar Marmont, Ago, Shangri-la Hotel’s Suite 700, Drai's Hollywood, Spago, Seventy7, and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse—or try one of these recipes at home, best served poolside. Purchase the vodka at Mel & Rose ($35). 8344 Melrose Ave., 323-655-5557
Kupina Fizz
1 1/2 ounces Akvinta
1/3 ounces creme de mure
1/2 ounces blackberry puree
1/3 ounces lemon juice
1/4 ounces simple syrup
Top with soda water. Shake and strain over crushed ice topped with soda and garnish with a blackberry and a slice of star fruit served with a straw.
Akvinta Cooler
7 red grapes (muddled)
2 ounces Akvinta
1 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 ounces simple syrup (1:1)
1 1/2 ounces dry white wine
Shake with ice and pour into a Collins glass.
Recipes courtesy Akvinta
Weekend Recommender: April 5-8
Make it a mix of culture and the great outdoors with an art exhibit, moonlit horseback ride, and a play.
April 05, 2012
Foreign artists show intepretations of LA at Urban Exposure.
Los Angeles “Full Moon” Horseback Riding
Thursday, April 5 through Saturday April 7
Every month at the full moon, Los Angeles Horseback Riding features a weekend of moonlit rides. The 90-minute tour leaves the ranch at dusk and follows a scenic trail up the ridge of the Santa Monica Mountains. You’ll see LA’s breathtaking sunset and possibly some falling stars. Call ahead to reserve your spot. 2623 Old Topanga Canyon Rd., Topanga, 818-591-2032; losangeleshorsebackriding.com
Urban Exposure Exhibit: The Fabien Castanier Gallery
Saturday, April 7 through Sunday, May 6
Saturday marks the opening of Urban Exposure at the Fabien Castanier Gallery. The modern-art exhibition features raw views of the city by foreign artists—Britain's Charlie Anderson and LA-based Frenchman Guilaume Zuili. 12196 Ventura Blvd. Studio City, 818-748-6014; castaniergallery.com
Val Kilmer as Mark Twain in Citizen Twain
Sunday, April 8, Two Performances (Show: 3 PM, Doors at 2 PM. Show: 8 PM, Doors at 7 PM.)
See Val Kilmer as one of America’s greatest storytellers when he plays Mark Twain in the one-man show Citizen Twain at Hollywood Forever. Tickets are $40-$60. 600 Santa Monica, Blvd., Hollywood, 323-469-1181; hollywoodforever.ticketfly.com
Photograph by Chris Anderson/Fabien Castanier
Eco-friendly Style at Alternative Apparel
Eco-conscious brand offers deal to “buy a tee, plant a tree” to honor Earth Day.
April 04, 2012
Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) in style with Los Angeles label Alternative Apparel’s social responsibility campaign, “buy a tee, plant a tree.” From April 13-22, the company will plant one tree for every product sold from its Alternative Earth line, plus give you 20% off your purchase at its Venice location. The eco-conscious brand’s latest venture also celebrates the birthday of their Venice flagship store, which it shares with Earth Day.
The Alternative Earth collection features men’s and women’s clothing and accessories—all crafted using earth-friendly and sustainable best practices. Shop online to get a tree planted in your name now through April 22 by entering code FOREST (as well as 10% off Alternative Earth items; 20% off if you like Alternative Apparel on Facebook with special code). Otherwise, stop by the Venice location come April 13 and help them reach their goal of planting one billion trees for Earth Day. 1337 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310-482-3316
Delfini Citta Brings Unique Italian Dining
Beverly Hills restaurant provides delicious Italian options for every type of diner.
April 04, 2012
From the owners behind Santa Monica’s Caffe Delfini comes a unique eating experience at Delfini Citta. The Beverly Hills version of the 20-year-old favorite serves smaller bar bites and pizza in addition to the larger Italian plates of the original.
The standout here is that the 6,500 sq.-ft. space is divided into three parts: restaurant, bar, and pizzeria, each offering a vastly different vibe. If it's a leisurely lunch or sunset happy hour you're after, order one of Delfini Citta’s creative cocktails and enjoy loads of natural light streaming in from the central bar space's floor-to-ceiling windows.
Two eating nooks bookending the middle bar—one a chic row of tables and booths and the other a more conservative dining room—speak to those seeking a sit-down meal. Casual diners will want to dig into a pizza tasting that allows for three pie types to be combined into one. (But save room for dessert—the Nutella pizza is a must.)
For traditional fare and those missing the original resto, Delfini Citta also serves Italian favorites like scaloppini al marsala, fettuccine bolognese, risotto al funghi porcini in bianco, and linguine mare. 8635 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-659-9555
LA Photographer Herb Ritts’ Exhibit Now Open
Glimpse classics and never-before-seen works from late LA photographer Herb Ritts.
April 03, 2012
Nearly 23 years since it was taken, the black-and-white photo of supermodels Stephanie Seymour, Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell in a nude embrace still remains one of most famous fashion shots of all time. Photographed by Herb Ritts, the image will be included in a new exhibit at the J. Paul Getty Museum honoring the legendary photographer April 3-August 26. “Herb Ritts: L.A. Style” (also the title of a book, on sale today) chronicles the career of the late photographer and the strong role his native Los Angeles played in his works. Best known for his glamorous commercial work of the 1980s and 1990s, Ritts extracted a certain ease and effortless beauty in his subjects—who ranged from Richard Gere to Madonna to Magic Johnson.
Ritts was a master at meshing the worlds of commercial and fine art, and was noted for his modern nudes and close-up portraits of bodies in motion. It was LA, however, that served as Ritts’ true muse. By combining Hollywood’s glamour with California’s natural light and beach/desert landscapes, Ritts created photos that captured the essence of the city.
The exhibition showcases 87 framed images along with other print work and never-before-seen photos courtesy of The Herb Ritts Foundation. 1200 Getty Center Dr., 310-440-7300
den.m bar Debuts Custom Jeans
Jeans at den.m bar are tailored to be fashionable and fit well.
April 03, 2012
Recently opened den.m bar in Downtown LA is taking the guesswork out of finding the perfect jeans. The factory/store features custom-made denim that not only ensures an exact fit (acquired by taking eight precise body measurements), but endless style options to boot. Denim washes, pocket linings, body fit, thread color, and button size are among some of the choices to be made.
Compared to other custom denim shops, the pricing is also pretty reasonable. A pair of made-to-order jeans handcrafted by expert tailors and guaranteed to be repair-free for five years starts at $229. Other perks include a 7-10-day turnaround time and free shipping. Simply contact info@denmbar.com to make a fitting appointment ahead of time and start deciding if a polka-dot or houndstooth pocket lining is more your style. 111 W. 7th St. #R3
Woodley & Bunny Opens LA Outpost
Brooklyn-based beauty spot Woodley & Bunny finds home in WeHo.
April 02, 2012
Internationally curated beauty boutique Woodley & Bunny has set up shop in the heart of West Hollywood. The West 3rd St. apothecary/salon comes six years after the original Brooklyn-based store debuted a carefully edited assortment of hard-to-find cosmetics, fragrances, and skin- and hair-care products.
Founded by sisters Misha and Erin Anderson, Woodley & Bunny (their childhood nicknames) features over 100 of the world’s best beauty brands unearthed by the Andersons on their extensive travels. Look for cult favorites like Sachajuan Swedish hair care, Switzerland’s Tauer Parfums, Stop the Water While Using Me! cosmetics from Germany, and Australian Gascoigne & King Candles on offer. Although the space is too small for a full salon like its big sibling in Brooklyn, services such as brow shaping, makeup application, and mini-facials courtesy of LA-based Brad Biophotonic Skin Care will be available. 8318 ½ W. 3rd St., 323-951-9906
Rosie Pope Maternity Store Opening Event
Rosie Pope opens eponymous maternity shop in Santa Monica to star-studded welcome.
April 02, 2012
March 29, 2012
Rosie Pope, Santa Monica
Maternity maven Rosie Pope delivered an expansion of her popular New York store to Santa Monice. Read the full report here.
March 29, 2012
Rosie Pope, Santa Monica
Maternity maven Rosie Pope delivered an expansion of her popular New York store to Santa Monice. Read the full report here.
March 29, 2012
Rosie Pope, Santa Monica
Maternity maven Rosie Pope delivered an expansion of her popular New York store to Santa Monice. Read the full report here.
Maternity maven Rosie Pope delivered a new store to the West Coast last week. An expansion of her popular New York outpost, the Santa Monica shop will carry a stylish maternity mix of dresses, denim, diaper bags, and more, including those offered in Pope’s namesake line. The star of Bravo’s Pregnant in Heels, Pope (who is pregnant with her third child) feted her boutique opening last week. Other expecting celeb mothers including Molly Sims and Alyson Hannigan, and new moms like Sarah Drew, attended. 1528 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, 424-238-5902
Photographs by Jordan Strauss/WireImage
