speaking of ANIMAL.....

How did I miss these photos from Vinny Dotolo of Animal Restaurant's wedding (catered by Prune)?

PIGS IN A BLANKET!

Also: We have confirmation that pie is officially the new cupcake. Which means it's time to move on to the next thing, obvio.

May I humbly suggest ice cream?

Photos by Charlotte Jenks Lewis via 100 Layer Cake via Grub Street Los Angeles

What should Pasty Minnesotans do in LA? (WEST SIDE EDITION: Part 1)

I thought Paige Appel was rad before she made me this offer....

I may be stepping over the (east side) line here, but when I read What should Pasty Minnesotans do in LA?, I noticed an absence of cooler side locations. (cooler meaning ocean breeze, don't get all up in arms) so I have taken it upon myself to educate all you east siders on the jaunts west of la brea.

But HOLY SHITBALLS do I think she's rad now.

I also think Paige's talents may be underutilized. I mean, sure, Bash, Please and The Cream are all that and more. But shouldn't we be lighting a fire under her ass to do a little more blogging?

Note: I was all ready to post THE WHOLE SHEBANG when blogger broke down in tears, so I've decided to break it into three parts. (I'll thank myself later when I'm driving around the west side scrolling through my own blog on my phone.)

Also, I fear we're too late to be helpful to the actual Pasty Minnesotans at this point, so "Pasty Minnesotan" will stand in for Everyman.

Without further ado, here's Paige on West Hollywood + Beverly Hills:

In my opinion, the west side doesn't go east of the 405, but I have to cover the neighborhoods slighted in the previous posts. I'm breaking it down by location and categories for easy reference in case those Minnesotans can only hit up a few neighborhoods. All of these recs have been tried and loved by me and mine. 

West Hollywood (La Brea to Doheny)

Eat. 

Repeat: Animal. Oxtail Poutine and done. BEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN. 

Comme Ca. Handcrafted cocktails (get the Ramos Gin Fizz at brunch), French bistro fare executed properly, and talk to the affineur (aka the cheese guy).

Tower Bar. Get a cozy booth with a view and order the burger. You will probably see some old Hollywood people having 3 hour dinners kissing each other's ass.

Tinga Buena. Short rib tacos and Arroz con crema. Agua fresca. Dirty Horchata. 

Dan Tana's. Old school italian, great steak, likely to see a few washed up Playboy bunnies. 

Angelini Osteria. Best Italian in the city. Sorry Mozza. 

O! Burger. Fast food made organically and deliciously. Best crinkle fries and veggie burger I've ever had with no hormones and yucky stuff. 

The Bazaar at SLS for cotton candy foie gras comedy that tastes really fucking good. (ex employees from El Bulli)

Roger Room for drinks.

(The Bazaar's Cotton Candy Fois Gras via Wine Stained Cloth)

Others to mention (all exceptional) Lucques, BLD, Terroni, Eva, El Carmen, Eveleigh, Loteria at the Farmer's Market, Golden State. Joan's on 3rd for ham and butter on baguette with cheese and sweets to go. Hugo's for "california" food, meaning vegetarian, vegan and flax seed friendly folk.

TIP: don't let the endless lines at TOAST fool you. OVERRATED, UNDERWHELMING.

Shop.
OK. Quirky, beautiful, vintage and modern design. [Editor's Note: We did our wedding registry here -- can't recommend them highly enough.]

Douglas Fir for men's clothes and shoes. Classic masculine. Also, stop into Esquivel behind Douglas Fir if you have a hankering to drop a mint on a fine pair of handmade shoes.

Noodle Stories. Minimalist high fashion for the ladies.

Opening Ceremony (do I need to say anything?)

Le Labo for the nicest (and hippest) smelling perfume on the planet.

Roseark for the diamond encrusted arrowhead necklace that everyone needs. Or a pair of moccasins.

Plastica for Danish design and cute baby onesies.

Table Art for just that. 

Heath Ceramics for classic earthen and home goods.

Ahead Stereo for the audiophile. 

Du Vin for winos.

Book Soup for bibliophiles.

American Rag for vintage and good shoes.

(Esquivel Shoes)

Do.
Repeat - LACMA

Art galleries - Regen Projects, ACME, Marc Foxx. (and then head south on La Cienega to Culver City to hit up Blum & Poe, Susanne Vielmetter, Cherry & Martin, David Kordansky, Honor Fraser among others on the row)

People watch at Chateau Marmont lobby. 

Visit the MAK center to tour the Schindler House.

Get beaten by eucalyptus branches (platza) at under the radar Russian spa Voda.

See an indie move that is never going to come to Minnesota at Laemmle Theatre.

See an old, new, or camp (awesome) movie at revival house New Beverly Cinema.

See an avant garde, or sometimes ironic film at The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theatre.

Beverly Hills 
(You may cringe when hearing the 90210 moniker, but there are a few redeeming spots worth a see.)

Eat.

The Fountain Coffee Room for a basement breakfast in the notorious Beverly Hills Hotel.

Bouchon by the one and only Thomas Keller. 

Matsuhisa for Nobu's original sushi restaurant.

Red Medicine for awesome Vietnamese.

Papa Jake's for cheap and good hoagies.

Graffeo for coffee.

Mulberry Street for new york style pizza.

Shop.
Unless you love high-end chains via Rodeo (which I admittedly get sucked into Prada, Margiela and Miu Miu), don't bother.

(Coldwater Canyon Park via Travelin' Local)

Do.
People watch with cocktails on the patio at the Beverly Wilshire.
Picnic in Coldwater Canyon park next to the wading stream under the big oak trees. 

Drive up Coldwater Canyon to Mulholland and hike Franklin Canyon or visit TreePeople. 

Visit the Museum of Television and Radio. 

Museum of Tolerance for a real upper. weeeeeee.

Stay tuned for Parts 2 + 3.

Top Photo by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin for Vogue Paris August 2011 via I KNOW WHAT YOU WORE LAST SEASON

What should pasty Minnesotans do in LA? (Part 2: From the horse's mouth)

The instant I posted "What should pasty Minnesotans do in LA?" (part one) my friend M emailed me a 1900 word missive, much too long to post in the comments.

I intended to put it up immediately, but it's taken me two days to code the damn thing. That's how many bar, restaurant, museum + misc recs she had for you. M is, among other things, a professional LIVER OF LIFE.

Anyhoo, here it is:

As a former pasty Minnesotan myself....

From the "culture" standpoint, theater here will likely be a disappointment to you. Skip it. LACMA would ordinarily be something of a disappointment to you compared to the excellent MIA, but the Tim Burton exhibit is reputedly excellent. The Broad wing's collection can't compete with the Walker, but it's a good space, the Barbara Kruger elevator is fun, and there's a great view of the Hollywood sign and surrounding mountains on a clear day from the landing on the top floor. Those three things and the new Stark bar make a trip to LACMA well worth it (if you like cars, it's easy to swing by the Peterson Automotive Museum while you're there). MOCA is currently showing one of the world's first formal exhibitions of street art, "Art in the Streets," and it's gotten excellent reviews from people who've gone.

If you're downtown, it's worth taking a moment to ogle Disney Hall- whether or not you like Frank Gehry, it's a pretty spectacular anchor to the street. If you have time, the symphony as directed by Dudamel is very good, though you probably REALLY want to try to score cheap seat tix to something at the Hollywood Bowl... it's a lovely way to spend a summer evening. Note that only officially Bowl-sponsored shows (which is almost all of them) allow you the full range of self-brought food and booze options. The Greek Theatre, in Griffith Park, is a smaller, similarly pleasant amphitheater experience, but they have fewer shows than the Bowl and it's not as easy to grab a bunch of cheap seats. It's worth looking to see if the Bowl has a fireworks night while you're in town, they're always great. I assume that your wedding plans mean you won't be free on a weekend, but it's also worth looking up the Cinespia schedule- cool old movies projected in a graveyard, picnics encouraged.

From The Museum of Jurassic Technology 
(Photo by Tony Perrottet courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine)

Both Getty Centers are worth a visit- note that the Getty Villa may require a reservation, and is solely focused on Greco-Roman antiquities. The Getty Center is some of the most spectacular architecture, perched above an amazing view, around. The permanent collection isn't spectacular, but their special exhibits are always well-curated and informative. Note that neither museum charges admission, but they DO charge a hefty parking fee, and public transportation/ walking options to the museums are limited. Still, with a full car, it's worth the trip. If you're into quirky abstrusities, the Museum of Jurassic Technology is a must-do, but they can have some wonky opening hours. On the east side of things, the Huntington (museum and gardens) and Norton Simon Museum out in Pasadena are both very nice and worth visiting- the Norton Simon has the better collection, but the Huntington is incredibly pleasant and not like anything in the Twin Cities. [Editor's Note: Their CACTUS GARDEN is truly amazing.] The Huntington serves a well-priced afternoon tea, but reservations book up well in advance.

If you're in the Pasadena area, stop in for a cocktail at 1886 at the Raymond. Excellent craft cocktails in a cute converted cottage.

The 1886's Honeymoon Cocktail
(Photo by acuna-hansen via Caroline on Crack)

As for food- agreed re: Animal, but their sister restaurant, Son of a Gun, can be easier to get in to... SOAG saves half their space for walk-ins at a long communal table. Arrive at opening, and you'll be seated right away (if there's a bunch of you and it's a friday or saturday, you may want to arrive early to ensure the space). SOAG is focused on seafood and cocktails rather than Animal's meat and wine, but it's equally good. Definitely have the shrimp toast, the fried chicken sandwich, and the deconstructed chocolate cake.

Also on the good-seafood-and-cocktails tip, The Hungry Cat is one of my favorites, and it's across the street from L.A.'s best (not most historic, but most pleasant) movie theater, the Arclight. Huge stadium screens, pre-assigned seats, no commercials. In that same part of Hollywood, there's a large Sunday farmers' market, which is a fun place to stroll around and snack on various local specialty items as well as all the free fruit samples. Local heros Valerie Confections have a stand selling their delicious homemade jams as well as various pastries and (usually) some of their famous chocolates stashed away in the shade.

If you like sushi, you need to get some while you're here. Depending on your budget and sense of adventure, I'd recommend one of the Ventura Blvd Katsu-yas (NOT any of the branded Katsuyas) or Sushi Zo, which was 96% as good as the 2-star Michelin sushi I had in Tokyo and about half the price. There are lots of good izakayas, etc., as well.

I also highly recommend the small plates and wine concept that's well-executed at Lou on Vine, Bar Covell, The Lazy Ox, Corkbar, and Palate (in Glendale). One of the best deals in town, if your timing is flexible and your party is small, is the prix fixe served at the amaro bar at Mario Batali's LA outpost Osteria Mozza. For $42 (formerly $35), you get a glass of wine, an appetizer, a plate of pasta, and dessert. It usually ends up being a 40-60% savings over ordering a la carte. Of course, if you just want a pizza, you can pop next door to Pizzeria Mozza, which is delicious.

Second Yuca's, but if you want more substantial Mexican food, take a trip up to La Cabanita in Montrose. The first mole that made me understand why people like it as an actual thing that one would crave, rather than just as an interesting food concept, and chiles rellenos of many varieties, all to die for. I particularly liked the one with the shrimp in the poblano cream sauce. I liked it so much, I almost didn't want to let my friends taste it.

Thai food in L.A. is excellent... one of the most famous of the Thai Town restaurants is Jitlada, but there are others that will be equally exciting- Ruen Pair is a good backup. However, Jitlada has gotten used to the attention from Chowhound devotees and their staff is very good at guiding people out of their comfort zones without going overboard.

 Jitlada's Jungle Curry (Photo by Jo Stougaard)

Indian food is by and large not that exciting here compared to what you can get in the upper midwest, but if you want to make a bit of a schlep, you can head to the San Gabriel Valley for delicious Chinese food of the variety it's hard to find outside the west coast, particularly Shanghainese soup dumplings. There are delicious hole in the walls where the staff are very friendly but speak no English, but it's easiest to join the crowds at Din Tai Fung.

Korean food is also plentiful and delicious.

Downtown L.A., though quite sketchy in places, has enjoyed a real renaissance thanks to art galleries and good bars. The best is still The Varnish in the back of Cole's, though the excellent tequila- and -mezcal- focused Las Perlas across the street can give it a run for its money. The Edison is an incredible space, and makes an interesting counterpoint to Villains, another bar that can make you feel like you're in a bizarre indie movie. Drago Centro is another good option, as they have a special perma-happy-hour menu in their spacious bar area and patio with a number of ridiculously well-priced bar snacks and a rotating list of four $5 classic cocktails to offset the cost of their more expensive marquee creations. Although I haven't yet been to either of them, I've been hearing good things about Aburiya Toranoko (from the owners of the Lazy Ox) and Spice Table, both in Little Tokyo.

The Varnish's Old Fashioned

Of course, coming from MN, one of the things you'll most want to do is enjoy the landscape, which means hiking or beaching. For the beach, skip Santa Monica and head up to Malibu... Zuma and El Matador. Parking can be tricky, but the scenery is much more spectacular. While you're in the area, you can head into the Santa Monicas for a gorgeous hike- if you time it right, you can see the sun setting over the gathering evening mist. You can also head east to the San Gabriels, where if you get to a high enough altitude, the high summer temps at ground level are mitigated. If you're sticking in the center of the city, Griffith Park has a number of pleasant trails that can offer lovely vistas of the city. Unless you're in it for the people-watching, I'd avoid Runyon Canyon, which is like going to a gym filled with poseurs and dog poop, and stick with the less-populated trails on the eastern and northern sides of the part. I like the Hogsback trail up to Mount Hollywood, above the Observatory, myself, but it can be very hot on a sunny summer day, so you're well-advised to go on the dawn or dusk end if you're sun/heat -sensitive.

If you're sticking with the ESB stomping grounds, Sunset Junction features hilariously quintessential east side people watching at famous-Chicago-coffee watering hole Intelligentsia, along with great leather goods at Dean and delicious gelato just down the block at Pazzo. If you like comic books, Secret Headquarters is possibly the most civilized comics shop in the universe, and is located next to an excellent tea and spice specialty shop. For a delicious locally-produced lunch or dinner, stop into Forage, where they don't serve booze, but everything is high-technique farm-to-table deliciousness.

In the OTHER part of Silverlake, near the reservoir, you'll find LAMill, which has very fancy coffee drinks and tasty food- it's also a quite a scene, but their blanco y negro, a kind of affogato-cum-granita, is insanely good and worth a stop on its own. Their tea drinks are also quite lovely. There are a number of cute shop-y shops in this area as well, like Yolk.

Over in Los Feliz, Skylight Books is still a thriving indie bookstore divided into adjacent storefronts, and nearby Big Bar at the Alcove serves quite good craft cocktails that you can bring out to a very pleasant patio. There's also a bit of a burgeoning restaurant row with Covell,  the famous-but-controversial Umami Burger (people generally feel it's either the best burger in town or not worth talking about), and the new "authentic Italian" pizza place Mother Dough.

In Atwater, just across the 5, you can step back to the 1940's with a stop in at the Tam O'Shanter, a faux-tudor cottage with a cozy British pub feel and a delicious cut meat sandwich station. The full restaurant is more than you probably want to pay for the kitsch experience, but the sandwiches in the bar area are affordable, delish, and a fun vibe. Across the street, the Griffin is a great place to stop during non-peak hours for a quiet glass of brown booze, of which they have a solid selection and surprisingly reasonable (for L.A.) prices. Of course, if you just want a quintessential dive bar that's fun, not scuzzy, you can head to Footsie's, on the edge of Highland Park.

Also in Atwater are Sweets for the Soul, possibly the best brownies in L.A., Proof, a bakery that serves excellent coffee but is better-lauded for its excellent French pastries, and Canele, which has one of the best brunches in town (another great brunch option is Little Dom's in Los Feliz, or Malo in Silverlake, for a Mexican twist).

L.A. is a burger town... check out the LA Weekly's recent "30 burgers in 30 days" feature, which they're now repeating with ice cream.

I could go on and on...

Photo at top of SHARKPIG (who is, in fact, from Wyoming) by Lou Mora

what should pasty Minnesotans do in LA?

May 11

Dear ESB,

I have a close-knit group of high school friends from Minnesota. Over time we've all moved away from home and live in various parts of the country, but we still keep in contact and are involved in each other's lives. We get to see each other during holidays, but that's usually a hectic time filled with family obligations. Weddings are our best chance to party together, and now one of my dear friends is getting married in L.A.! All of us are super excited about our friend's wedding. Not only is he marrying a kick ass girl, but we will be meeting up in California instead of Minnesota, which will be a fun vacation for us pasty Northerns. We are planning to stay several days for the wedding and explore the city as much as possible.

I thought maybe you and your L.A. readers, as insiders and very cool people, could suggest fun and interesting things for us to do in L.A. Or restaurants. We love food, especially strange food. The wedding is in July.

On a related note, I'm also getting married this summer, and my FH and I are going to Coronado for our honeymoon. If people in the San Diego area have any suggestions, those would also be welcome as well.

Sincerely,
Wannabe in LA

*****

June 13

Make a reservation at Animal (ANY RESERVATION YOU CAN GET, trust me) and await further instructions.

*****

July approaches!

Hokay. Rather than giving you an exhaustive list of my favorite spots in LA, I thought I'd narrow it down to five or so and let everyone else chime in.

Animal
I hope you made that reservation. Be sure to order the foie gras loco moco. It's the most expensive item on the menu, but I swear to you it's one of the most amazing things I've ever eaten. The bacon chocolate crunch bar is also killer. All of it is killer.

Yuca's
A James Beard Award-winning taco stand. You have to get the cochinita pibil torta (slow-roasted pork sandwich), which is the specialty of the house. I can't do tortas because of the whole gluten thing -- I get the tacos -- but H always orders at least two tortas for himself.

In-N-Out Burger
You know you have to visit In-N-Out while you're here, right? There are all kinds of secret ways to order that are not listed on the menu. I order my burgers "animal style" (with pickles and grilled onions), "protein style" (on a bun made of lettuce), "with mustard instead" (mustard instead of the special sauce).

Jumbo's Clown Room
This is a super fun place to have drinks in the early evening, when it's easy to get a table and the hipster pole dancers are the most skilful. Legend has it Courtney Love once danced at Jumbo's, and David Lynch used to come here to write. Bonus: It's just a few blocks away from Thai Patio, one of our perennial faves. The food is delish and there's usually an ambiguously gendered Thai person singing very sincere covers of 80's/90's hits.

Flore Vegan
LA it up for realz and go to Silver Lake for a vegan smoothie. (I mean, you did just eat all that meat.) The raw avocado & citrus smoothie from Flore is sooooo good. Bonus: You can stop into Reform School and the Mohawk General Store while you're in the neighborhood.

Polaroid by Raymond Molinar