I don't want any more frozen yogurt shops in my neighborhood. They are taking up valuable retail space that could be gentrified into a delicious, organic salad bar like Mrs. Winston's.

I've had the fortune of working at two different office buildings which were both within steps from a Mrs. Winston's Salad Bar. Like a Whole Foods or City Bakery salad bar, they will rob your pocketbook. Unlike the aforementioned their selection is consistently stellar. My favorite aspect that sets Winston's on top is every cup of delight on the salad bar is finely chopped. No more messy cherry tomatoes. No more ginormous cucumber slices invading your lunchtime delight. And there are vegan options galore. I constantly crave the dairy free pasta salad choices, of which there are normally at least 4 varieties. Even if you go the omnivore route that's all the comfort with none of the guilt from mayo or processed animal bi-products.

After some time on the Winston's weekly fix and wearing out just about every possibility I stand by two original recipes. Start with the three compartment to-go container. Go in order on the salad bar line. Add a scoop of each ingredient.

Sunshine Salad
1. Mixed greens (that's your salad's base)
2. Dandelion greens
3. Cilantro
4. Shelled snap peas
5. Finely chopped cauliflower-broccoli mix
6. Broccoli sprouts
7. Shredded carrots
8. Corn kernels
9. Golden beets
dressing: Mustard Flax Oil
sides: Classic or dairy-free potato salad, Smoked vegan chicken pasta salad

I Heart Asian Salad
1. Romaine mix base
2. little spinach leaves
3. Purple basil leaves
4. Chopped red kale
5. Soy sprouts
6. Golden beets
7. Red beets
8. Hearts of palm
9. Cubed chicken pieces
dressing: Ginger Sesame
sides: Wasabi ramen noodles, Sugar snap peas

Items that make any salad better:
a. Purple basil
b. Finely chopped cauliflower-broccoli mix
c. noodles - crunchy or pasta
d. Tabasco (really!)


Mrs. Winston's Green Grocery only at these 3 Westside locations:

2901 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica, 90405

Water Garden office food court
2450 Colorado Ave.
Santa Monica, 90404

Century Towers office food court
1999 Avenue of the Stars
Century City, 90067

Just who is Mrs. Winston? I have yet to find out. All I know is she is one dedicated lady to providing all the flavorful healthy stuff. No stale brown rice cakes on her shelf! Still not organic-converted? Check out a song written by one very happy customer on Yelp.

Labels: DIY, food, reviews

Last night you could find me front row at LA Phil's Russian Chanson night at the Walt Disney Hall stomping my foot along to Devotchka. Many of the band's fans were there clapping and toe tapping along, cheering for every recognizable cue from the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack, and I couldn't help but wonder what we would have been doing if we were in another more rock friendly locale. We'd probably all be dancing in the front rows, maybe even experimenting with a Russian inspired jig, but definitely all kicking our heels up in glee every time Devotchka's Nick Urata whistled a perfect note or Jeanie Schroder danced under her sousaphone or Tom Hagerman took an accordion solo or Shawn King reached under his drum kit for his trumpet. These band members hail from Denver, CO and perpetuate a very big trend in indie-rock today: the multitasker. Rock bands of a high caliber already blow their audiences away with their culmination of talent and charisma but lately the need for a backing band is eliminated when a frontman sings, plays five different kinds of guitars, and even orchestrates a theramin, as Urata does so coolly. Studio sessions get recreated on stage without much need for a wall of sound accompaniment. On stage loops provide enough ambiance now and every musician comes off as a scholar to this new wave. Schroder keeps time on bass with sometimes a cello and sometimes a sousaphone, which was decorated with red twinkly lights for last night's performance. Hagerman came across last night as the true engineer of the group, melding the Slavic-Mariachi traditions the band draws on each time he seamlessly shifted from accordion to violin. He ended up sitting first chair in a quartet from the LA Phil at one point in the night with a beatific smile on his face. Hagerman impressed me in his sharp Beatles-esque thin suit bringing the rock-pop on drums to the traditional instruments which gave the evening its needed modernization. If it was appropriate to stand, he would have brought the crowd to our feet when his trumpet hit cinematic highs. Sometimes I heard Leone and sometimes Gypsies. Many times we felt like dancing but the formal Disney hall kept us all seated. My row twitched under their bobbing knees and snapping fingers. We met a woman who had come down from Denver for the night and said she hadn't missed a Devotchka show in years. She said they often have acrobatic dancers on stage with them. While no acrobats showed up last night the Chanson program hosted a handful of Russian vocalists and a very special performance from poet Saul Williams. The technical feat of the night was impressive, like taking in an opera where the grey-haired techies dispense their vast wisdom through each lighting and sound cue. Williams broke out from his expertly placed mic and shook the crowd with a thunderous quick speaking voice. He started with a previously published poem which examined Paul Robeson's testimony to the House of Un-American Activities Committee and then segued to a new piece which took us on an echoing journey finding new love, finding country, and finding your country at war. Slam poetry, indie-rock and Russians? It was slightly irrelevant to the general public. Several members of the audience left after Devotchka, but then they missed the finale where every musician was brought on stage to sing a traditional Russian freedom song. Two dancers in dresses suggesting Russian peasant girls kicked up their heels and linked elbows. If only we could have done the same.

This Saturday, May 26 the Shadows of Stalin program continues at Disney Hall with PRAVDA which will host some of the most revered DJ's including Amon Tobin, Cut Chemist and DJ Spooky. Watch a cute lil' promo video here. Tickets still available at ticketmaster.

Labels: music, reviews

I knew Blonde Redhead were touring a lot this summer but I am pleased as punch to know they will be making a stop in our own backyard. Sunset Junction is Silver Lake's annual street fair where local vendors and musicians takeover Sunset Blvd. for what usually falls on the hottest weekend of the summer. This year's heatwave is Aug. 18-19. The main stage on Saturday will see such great bands like The Parson Redheads, Autoloux, Seawolf, Blonde Redhead and Ben Harper. As of today the headliners for Sunday night are still TBA. Past year's bands have included The New York Dolls, Rilo Kiley, X, Sleater Kinney, Elliot Smith, and Beck to give you an idea.

Who would be your dream Sunset Junction headliner?

Labels: events, local, music

There's a new blog in the Gawker town. That's right. The Manhattan media blog that brings LA Defamer launched Jezebel this month. Written by three sassy New Yorkers, they praise Sassy magazines from the '90s and boo airbrushing and they do it with sailor-tongued abandon. So much so you think they must have been fired from at least three magazine internships before landing this gig. They have quite the manifesto out to reverse what they've identified as the 5 Great Lies of Women's Magazines:

1. The Cover Lie -- Basically, every women's mag cover is airbrushed making the identities of their celebs and models alien or one bland Caucasian invention. There's also the blurbs on those glossy covers promising thrilling articles on the inside that never live up to expectations. I.e. 15 Workouts to Burn the Bulge in 15 min. are really just a page of boring dumbbell presses.

2. The Celebrity Profile Lie -- quote "..As stars use MySpace and Blogger to expose the doting public to their innermost thoughts and crap spelling, the celebrity profiles found in women's magazines have actually managed to get flatter, more nakedly consumerist and less imaginative than the movies and TV shows they're shilling for, and we include Georgia Rule in that group."

3. The Must-Have Lie -- A magazine editor loves a certain nail polish because that nail polish company gave her free nail polish and probably a free dinner and/or a starter condo. On the flipside, the basic must-haves are big duhs. Everyone knows you should have a LBD (little black dress) and decent shoes.

4. The Affirmation Crap Lie -- If you ever once thought the girls from The O.C. looked fat you need to get some self esteem and get some quick before you sign up for another subscription.

5. The Big Meta Lie -- I'm gonna have to paraphrase the girls here: It's a postmodern joke when you know what the word postmodern means but still flip through the magazine pages under the guise that celebphemera and retail therapy is harmless escapism. "The big lie is that we haven't let the norms of the celebrity-sartorial complex seep into the way we see everything in the world, perpetuating the notion that all of life is high school, and the pretty people are the only ones worth your attention, and that all the world would be that way anyway. Because it wouldn't. And though we've found women's magazines to be a fairly trusty engine of hilarious tidbits, it is not all one big joke."

Wow. Hit the nail on the head with that last one.

My verdict is still out to see how successfully anti-disestablishment they can be and still hawk hair products. Gawker is a good gossip read but still ends up selling a bunch of ads and products like any other online 'zine.

But like I mentioned, they do not censor themselves which is admirable. (It worked for Carrie and Samantha, didn't it?) Take this lovely article "Decoding Cosmo" in which they dig out Burt Reynold's centerfold from the Cosmopolitan Mag vaults and generously sprinkle the sass:

Labels: fashion, www.internet.com

Tonight Silver Lake's one and only Anarchy Jordan takes his idealist politics to the masses via his new musical title Your Violent Desires who hail from the Dimension of Love, U.S.A. Nobody makes lyrics like "Liars keep the war-machine running" so toe-tapping. You can find Jordan's songs plus lyrics on his demo website The Poetry of Revolt.

Also playing at the latest coffee house jamboree stylings from the Magic Cafe are Morgan Rabbit and special appearance by rapper Apoc of Chicago's Lab-Oratory Records. If nothing else, come support the local coffee house that geniusly built a new coffee shop from an old gas station. Chango may be right across the street but who doesn't like more walls for amateur photography and more chai tea choices?

Monday, May 21st 7:00pm
Anarchy Jordan's Jailhouse Jamboree
Magic Cafe
1600 N. Echo Park Blvd.
Echo Park, 90026

Labels: local, music

Night Hawks opened a Flickr photo gallery this week from our last event Le Cirque du Titty Titty Bang Bang. The handful of photographers will be uploading their pics so check back often for new ones to grab for your myspace page or personal collection. If you have photos you'd like
to share of the event, contact me and I'll pass on the password.




The next Night Hawks is June 18th and the theme is Hawktronics - an electronic dance party. We're still taking artists submissions, especially DJ's, dancers, and installation artists. Send your pitch to nighthawksla@yahoo.com Attn: Danielle Holland.

Labels: Nighthawks, www.internet.com

Apartment Therapy's month-long Small Cool Aparment Contest had their finale when the four winners were announced online this morning. I am not a winner, and I knew it couldn't have happened when the competition is so fierce and the discrepancy between high and low end apartments are so huge. I was incredibly pleased just to look at the loads of generous comments from the AT community. Too bad I couldn't make the DWR party last night. It sounded like a lot of fun.


The winners are inspiring and would easily fit in to the pages of any glossy design magazine but I am ecstatic Laura from Santa Monica took second place. Her abode is free of pretensions. Someone actually lives in that apartment versus the sterile hotel feel of some of the finalists. Bravo to those who can take their architecture degrees and hire the best help, and have the best resources at their fingertips. But mad mad props to the people who fix up their living spaces in their image and don't walk around with formal design credentials. I always loved AT for their DIY attitude and empowering the little man with affordable and still attractive solutions but these days I find myself lingering less and less on their site. If I wanted Elle Decor and Architectural Monthly I would read them. Which I do. I just feel there are lesser known voices out in the home decorating/design world that often go unheard over the loud noise of overblogged (overpriced) topics.







Laura's studio stands out from the rest. It's a well though out use of small space and as practical as it is pleasing to the eye. Feminine and welcoming at once. Simple elegance and budget conscious. No wonder it was a favorite of so many readers. I am biased towards the single-woman and that she's an LA resident. She's also the only non East Coast finalist and the only renter out of the group. Maybe AT could tailor their contest next year for winners in separate categories. Renters v. Owners. Or take style or budget into consideration. Or even how small is small. There is quite a difference between an LA studio and a 2 bedroom custom made NY loft, for example.

AT for the first time this year also held contests on their specialty sites, The Kitchen, The Nursery and I was keeping tabs on Home Tech. Call me crazy, but when they first announced the rules for the Home Tech Small Cool Contest I was not picturing a bunch of entertainment centers and computer hutches, which is what I mainly saw posted.



The winners are all seamless integrated TV units. They're flat screens on the wall with hidden cables in stylish settings. They're lessons to those looking to streamline but not a whole lot more. Letting apartments enter multiple contests is not a bad thing, but it was outlawed this year. It could create some interest among entrants. Harder for the judges, I know, but they weren't lacking a flood of entries this year anyway. Step up the prizes to something else besides an iPod and I'll enter my flatscreen next year.

Labels: design, DIY, editorial

A guy friend of mine told me once he knows girls dress up for other girls (versus the fellas) and I couldn't agree more. Ladies, start picking out your outfit now - competition should be fierce come Saturday night.


All the beautiful hipster ladies ban together this Saturday. Fight the local sausage fest and join in the bunches of fun all for a worthy cause. Hang The DJs host their 4th Annual All Girls Benefit Dance Party at The Echo. Proceeds will go to The Downtown Woman's Center who have been helping find homes for women of Skid Row since 1978.

There will be a slew of female DJs, live music, Cory Kennedy shenanigans, cocktails, raffles, free manicures, free haircuts, and naturally, free ice cream from the Heartschallenger Ice Cream truck...

I'm especially stoked to see Catherine Campion take the stage with Hearts of Palm UK. She'll be on cello. They'll all probably be wearing something one-of-a-kind. You can catch their pretty tunes at the Silverlake Lounge tomorrow night as well. They go on at 10:00pm.

...About the dance party? Okay, fine. Your boyfriend can come too.

Saturday, May 19 8:00pm
Hang the DJ's All Girls Benefit Dance Party
The Echo
1822 Sunset Blvd.
Echo Park, 90026
18 year olds and up
only $10

Labels: events, local, music

In the book tour tradition, a very special lady graces cities across the country telling anecdotes and promoting the acheivement of her new book. Miranda July is indeed one special lady. Long before she was grabbing up indie film awards for Me And You And Everyone We Know she was holding unique lectures as part of her personal credo project to create art everywhere all the time. She pretty much does everything that requires any creativity and does it with open arms for the world to share. Her stop at the Hammer this evening to share her collection of short stories should be sweet and special. If you can't make it early for a good seat just peruse her new website for the book No one belongs here more than you. You'll get a taste of her wacky exuberance and like me you'll begin to wonder, why haven't I used my refrigerator for a white board before?

Tuesday, May 15 7:00pm
Miranda July reading
Hammer Museum
10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Westwood, 90024
310.443.7000
Free

Labels: art, books, events, freebies

The darling Jesse Bradford rocking to the delightful melodies of D Numbers at Night Hawks @ Bootleg Theater.

Labels: celeb sighting

Don't forget:
LE CIRQUE DU TITTY! TITTY! BANG! BANG!
Night Hawks' monthly art event has quite the full lineup sure to satisfy all the freaks at the freak show.




LIVE MUSIC BY:
D Numbers -- Santa Fe, NM
We Drew Lightning -- Santa Fe, NM
HowardAmb -- Project Runway's Santino Rice loves these guys and so should you.
Catherine Campion -- A veteran of stage & screen and the most delightful person you'll meet.

LIVE ART BY:
Ashley Huizenga (video)
Christina Amezquita (photography)
Shon Kim (video/drawing)
Andy Ayala (mixed media)
Annie Terrazzo (mixed media)
LD Grant (painting)
Teresa Moore (painting)
Portland, OR Free Music Project (video)
Nichole Navar (video)



LIVE PERFORMANCE BY:
Gumby Girl (contortionist)
John Monastero (clown)
Nameer Khadi (juggler)
Zoe Nissam (fire)
Mimi Moss (fire)

BURLESQUE BY:
Bobby Burlesque (burlesque)
Lolita La Vey (burlesque)
Lola Ramona (burlesque)


All appearing at Night Hawks
This Monday May 14th
10:00pm
Bootleg Theater
2220 Beverly Blvd.
LA 90057
$10 donation

Labels: events, Nighthawks, performances

I wish more concert posters were as literal as this. Has a great old school feel to it, don't you think?

Labels: events, music

Night Hawks is proud to present another band from the Santa Fe, New Mexico High Mayhem family. Formerly known as Derail, We Drew Lightning takes instrumentation to new highs. Loud feedback, dreamy vocals, and even an old school light show follow them on tour these next few months. Art geeks and rockers alike will be deeply left in their powerful wake. As has become Night Hawks' signature, we pack the stage with the highest quality musicians who have the most heart. This Monday's circus will not stop buzzing once these guys leave the stage.

We Drew Lightning
performing at Night Hawks
Monday, May 14th 10:00pm
Bootleg Theater

Also at...

Pehrspace, Echo Park
Friday, May 18th

The Smog Shop, San Diego
Saturday, May 19th

Labels: events, music, Nighthawks

I'm looking for new ways to declutter my home life. An obvious step is to cut back on the magazine subscriptions. While Vanity Fair used to rule my living room in tall sleek and glossy piles I now pick-up only cover stories that interest me. I faithfully buy the annual Hollywood Portfolio issue and five-finger discount any others from my gym. I've started my own library swap system actually. Last month's Jane for their US Weekly, for example. Pretty much everywhere there are magazines to be perused I'll leave another in its place then return the initial borrowed one. My coffee table as well as my recycle bin rejoice as the clutter keeps walking out the door with me. What is harder to get away from are the beautiful design and decorating magazines I keep on my shelf for years. Thank goodness for two sites which are my daily landing pad for inspirations. Desiretoinspire.blogspot.com & decor8.blogspot.com. I never have to cut a single page ever again. One question: How long should I hang onto my Lucky Magazines? One year? One month?


Desire to Inspire
Can now check Domino and Elle Decor off the list - they've done the work for me. The two-person staff trolls the web for sumptuous modern design images and then places them on their site in one cohesive collage. It feels so right. Loose categories for trends and specific designers are giving me quite the education each time I stop by. The house tours are especially inspiring. They usually showcase London's Living Etc. - a beautiful gallery for decorating solutions. Now I can get back to work and not have to hit up two sites in one day.





Decor8
Another blogger favorite. Holly Becker, a freelance writer outta Boston, posts gorgeous things all day long. Her aesthetic ranges from cool modern to handmade treasures. A store directory by city doesn't hurt either. Remove catalogues from the list. Her list is my shopping destination now. Everything on Decor8 would just look perfect in my apartment (see above couch & rug). And boy, is Holly thorough. Every subject she tackles she finds pages and pages worth of ideas. Her post on new doormats about a month back blew every other design blog away. Becker keeps price, proportions, and trendiness all as factors. Her personality delightfully shines through in every sentence. She's a blogger's inspiration too.

Labels: design, www.internet.com

Paul Groetzinger, Ben Wright, Brian Mayhall make up the members of D Numbers, the experimental band that's gathered quite the local following in Santa Fe, NM. They now bring their signaturely singular sound and lovey-dovey energy to the rest of the west. Catch their only LA appearance at Night Hawks next Monday.

Groetzinger, aka DJ Feathericci, handles his drumset with a natural grace and keen ease missing from most line-ups. And he spins a mean turntable. Mayhall on lead guitar puts any music school grad to shame and has been known to dabble in keyboards and experimental processing. Wright completes the neo-wall of sound and writes music and unique beats. You'll have to see the men in action to find out what they're really made of. A guess? Slugs, snails, mad beats, puppy dog tails.

With the backdrop of a burlesque circus behind them, this trio will bring a kind breath of fresh air to our California heatwave. Be sure to grab their new CD before the rest of the touring darlings snatch 'em up.

Monday, May 14th
D Numbers
10:00pm

Labels: events, music, Nighthawks

Congrats to the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music for its impressive fundraiser this past Saturday. A star-studded concert lead by Conservatory founder, Flea and the rest of The Chili Peppers headlining, raised a boatload of cash and showcased two student bands. Full story on LAist today.

Labels: local, music, newsworthy

Named after our favorite Roller Derby gal and inspired by circus freak shows along with vintage burlesque, next Monday's Night Hawks will be the biggest party yet.

Prepare to be awed. You'll want to dress up and you'll want to make sure your costume is fire-retardant.

Labels: Nighthawks

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Screenings are back. That means summer's right around the corner and my Saturday nights are taken. Start getting the picnic basket out of the closet. The good people of Cinespia already have a killer line-up. The drive-in movie experience, minus the cars and add a bunch of tombstones, is not to be missed.

A popular spot for the industry crowd and their dates, no one will be disappointed as the screenings season kicks off with Robert Altman's The Player and carries on with some recognized classics. Someone at Cinespia must be a huge Altman fan 'cuz they show at least one of his flicks each year. This year the number one spot serves as a tribute to the late great director and you get to watch The Player with a crowd who'll get all the Hollywood in-jokes.

Cemetery Screenings '07
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
6000 Santa Monica Blvd.
Hollywood, 90038
Gates at 7:00pm
Show at 8:30pm
$10 per person

Saturday, May 19
The Player








Saturday, May 26
Vertigo











Saturday, June 2
Gilda













Saturday, June 9
Harold and Maude










more to follow... check their fabulous new website each month.

Labels: film

Sunday evening Night Hawks alum Pedra Furmall shows her colorful figurative and plant studies along with photographer Yoshihiro Makino and painter Eszter Csaki in a mellow coffee house. Pedra and I cased the joint a couple weeks ago. I can finally say I've had a decent cup of espresso on the East Side. Atwater Village's Kaldi Coffee roasts all their own organic beans on the premises. The quiet easy-going vibe makes me think the laptop workers could actually get some work done in here too. With a couple small shops to the side and an authentic Cuban cafe a couple doors down, the old strip of Glendale Blvd. is finally living up to its Boho potential.

A reception with wine cheese and DJs will be held in Kaldi's courtyard. The art will adorn the walls until May 27th.

Sunday, May 6 6:00-10:00pm
GREEN art opening and reception
Kaldi Coffee
3147 Glendale Blvd.
Atwater Village, 90039

Labels: art, events, food, freebies

For the bohemian eastsider who has everything, get her tickets to the Silver Lake Film Festival kick-off party tomorrow night.

Not only will parties pop up all over town plus musical acts at all the usual suspects til next Saturday along with a huge list of new films, but Thursday Night will honor filmmaker Hal Hartley and Parker Posey in their new film Fay Grim.

The sequel to Hartley's critically acclaimed, offbeat, original, low budget, little seen 1997 indie Henry Fool Posey revives the role of Ms. Fay Grim in all her indie queen glory. Fay a seemingly normal unhappy housewife has to outwit the CIA to save her husband, or something. (Sorry, still waiting for my Henry Fool Netflix to show up). I hope Ms. Posey shows up rockin' that Jew-fro she had going on a couple years back. I will know she will look great and act adorably aloof. Hartley will eat up more critical accolades, and why not, he's one of the few writer/directors/composers we got out there.




Silver Lake Film Festival
May 3-12

Fay Grim Screening with Hal Hartley & Parker Posey
Thursday, May 3 7:30pm
Barnsdall Art Center
Tickets here
or call 1.800.838.3006

Labels: events, film, local