Mayan Bar and Grill rating sheet

I recently got to participate in a Chef’s Tasting at the soon to be opened Mayan Bar and Grill here in Monrovia.  The Mayan will be in the historic Aztec Hotel in the space formerly occupied by the Brass Elephant.  It was a fun experience.  Tasting and rating menu items for a new restaurant before it goes public.  The Mayan will focus on Central American cooking a first for my little corner of L.A.

The food was simply pretty terrific.  First up was Ensalada Esmeralda which was a simple mix of roasted chilis and greens tossed with a bright avocado and cilantro dressing.  Next up was a Puerco Mole Verde, or pork medallions in a somewhat spice, but deeply flavored mole sauce.  The last course they gave us was the Tequila Lime Shrimp…with a spicy sweet mango salsa.  All in all I rated them all very highly, made comments where appropriate but really enjoyed the experience.  The new Chef at the Mayan did not disappoint.

Do you want to get in on the tastings too?  Simply friend the Aztec Hotel on FB and watch for their notices and instructions on what to do for the next event.  Its really as simple as noting date, time and emailing the hotels General Manager Art Desaultels that you want to attend.  This Thursday is nearly full and they just added in Friday for another tasting.  They fill fast so act fast. Read the rest of this entry →

With St Patty’s right around the corner its time for the annual Irish Fair and Music Festival at the Pomona Fairplex.  The event includes food, bands, storytellers, dancers, variety (whatever that is) and demonstrations.  The Irish Fair runs March 9 & 10th 2013, 10AM – 6PM.

This isn’t free and a complete breakdown of the admission for the event can be found on their web site HERE.  You can purchase tickets HERE.

All the details about the Festival that you could ever want are on their site HERE.  Just in case you don’t know how to make out to the nether regions of L.A for the event the MAP IS HERE.

Yup, it was such a success last time around at Santa Anita Park they are returning this summer.  If you made it to the Pasadena locations last year you were probably put off by the density of the crowds and difficulties with parking and stuff.  The move to Santa Anita Park alleviated those obstacles and made the event really fun.  Of course, if you made the ones after the move to Santa Anita you are well aware of how much fun the place was.

The folks at 626 Night Market are so happy with the change of venue they are looking to increase their crowds.  They are having a contest on facebook and are giving away 5 passes to each of the 10 winners.  To enter all you gotta do is like their page and share it with your friends.

626 Night Market is also looking for artists, food trucks and other vendors to pack the place with and add to the fun and enjoyment.  If you are interested visit their web page HERE.  Yes, the prices seem steep, but it includes your canopy, lights, outlets and most importantly your permits.

I’ll post more on the dates as we get closer to the event.  If you want more deets visit the main 626 Night Market site when you have time.

Hat tip to @Waltarrrrr who tweeted this morning.  The stealing of the tip jar at Antigua Bread in Highland Park was all caught on video.  Do you recognize the thieves?  If so you might want to tip them off their antics were caught on video or let Antiqua Bread know how to get in touch with them.

Sad, but the quest for domination in L.A. is taking place in the unincorporated areas of the county.  The looser regulations make it possible for them move into communities that don’t necessarily want them.  Altadena, the charming community northwest of Pasadena is the next target and so far no one I know there wants them or their stores.

The community is working on getting people educated but I doubt that will change the plans of walmart to put stores there and circumvent the regulations in Pasadena and other cities that keep them from entering their community and destroying their small indy merchants and downtowns.

Like Chinatown, another unique corner of the city is facing the doom that is walmart.

So some 18 million of us in the greater L.A. area can’t be wrong about the famed In-n-Out burger.  Food and Wine just named it one of the best burgers in the country. The only “chain” to make the list.

For my daughter and Son-in-law no trip “home” is complete without a trip to In-n-Out. There is much discussion on which version we prefer, I’m a purest and go for the regular cheese burger as does my daughter, the SIL likes it animal style. What’s your preference?

Walmart pulled a fast one and pushed through its permitting knowing city council was voting to prevent them from going into Chinatown a few months ago.  They won.  The community is upset that they pulled a fast one but aren’t taking it lightly.  (This isn’t the only store they are opening that caught a community off guard and isn’t entirely welcomed either as Altadena recently discovered).

At the rally there will be many speakers to help explain why Walmart in Chinatown is a bad idea.  Among them:Speakers and performers will include 2012 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dolores Huerta, U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu, Grammy winning musicians Ben Harper and Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman, United Food and Commercial Workers President Joe Hansen, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the L.A. County Federation of Labor Maria Elena Durazo, Chinatown residents, Walmart workers and other Walmart supply chain speakers.

Deets:  Rally starts at 10:30AM at Los Angeles Historic Park (Corn Fields) with a rally at 11AM, then to march for a final Rally at Cesar Chavez Blvd. & Broadway: 12:00 Noon for the close.

Full press release after the jump. Read the rest of this entry →

Paseo Spring Fest Post Card click to embiggen

I’m not a fan of malls, but I am a sucker for a good fine art event.  At least Paseo Colorado is a semi-open mall.   Paseo Spring Fest promises to be among the better ones as it is a juried event, meaning the artists have to be reviewed by a jury panel to ensure they are accomplished at what they do.

During your time at the art show if you need a break and feel the need for a little libations do stop in at the Bodega Wine Bar.

Parking is fairly good at the Paseo.  It is about 6 blocks, an easy walk from the Gold Line Memorial Park Station which is a pretty good option if you are mass transit enabled.

Details: Sat 10AM-6PM, Sun 11AM-6PM, 280 E. Colorado Blvd.Pasadena, CA MAP HERE

pay dragon logo

It launched this morning.  PayDragon is a free app for your iphone or android.  It hooks you up with a participating food truck or restaurant, lets you order and prepay cutting down the hassle of lines and worry if you have cash on hand.  Actually it does quite a bit of nifty stuff for you…

• QR reader: scan codes with participating PayDragon merchants to instantly begin a transaction
• A discover tab: locate nearby participating merchants
• A game layer: earn points toward incentives from merchants
• Exclusive deals: take merchants up on sales and food deals
• Facebook integration: tell your friends about the great meal you just enjoyed
• Receipts for transactions: keep track of purchase activity
• Notifications: receive alerts when an order or item is ready to pick up

Participating vendors include the sweets chain Beard Papa and a number of LA-based food trucks such as The Bun Truck, CambalaCHE’s,Auntie’s Fry Bread, Chunk n Chip, The Grill Sergeant, The Wien, and Rounds Premium Burgers.

You can get your free download for your iphone HERE and your Android HERE.  I’ve been told by the good folks that other formats…Blackberry and Windows are being worked on.

Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival poster, click to embiggen

You’d think I live in Pasadena given how often I post about the place, I don’t, but they always have something of interest going on.  This Saturday its the 10th Annual Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival to be held in and around the Armory Center for the Arts across from Memorial Park.  Here’s the run down of things that will be at this FREE festival:

• huge eco-market place with exhibitors private and public helping you to live green
• The Green Truck and Coolhaus food trucks for sustainable noshing
• First ever sustainable beer garden with a biodegradable “little red cup” featuring the beer from Craftsman Brewing Company and Eagle Rock Brewery
• Fallen Fruit will be there with its jam making wisdom.  Feel free to bring in your found fruit from public spaces or your own back yard.

For gawds sake take public transpo to the Gold Line and exit Memorial Park Station…you’ll be right at the park and only a very short walk to the Armory Center.  Show your metro pass or ticket at the Transportation Booth and they will have a gift for you…well a gift as long as the supply lasts.  Beats the difficulty in finding parking in the area which can be expensive when you do find a space and don’t forget that PPD does patrol hard for scofflaws.

Details:Saturday April 14, 2012 11AM-5PM, 145 Raymond Street, Pasadena CA, MAP HERE

It isn’t often I get jazzed about a press release’s contents but this event sounds too cool to pass up.  A tradition in some Asian countries is a night market wherein streets become giant markets for the night. That is is exactly what is happening this Saturday night in Pasadena on Oakland Avenue between Union and Colorado.  The event promises to be filled with music, food and merchandise all with an Asian flare to it.  Admission is FREE!

Parking is tough (and expensive and extensively patrolled for scofflaws) in that area.  I strongly suggest that if you are mass transit enabled do so and get yourself onto the Gold Line and take it to the Memorial Station and walk the couple of blocks it takes to get there.

Details: April 14, 2012, 5-11:30PM, Oakland Avenue, Pasadena  MAP HERE. 626 Night Market Web Site.

Full press release after the break. Read the rest of this entry →

This is a novel way to get rid of that suspect, as in “is it really pink slime or not” stuff you have in the freezer or fridge that you haven’t already tossed out in disgust.

Today, Wednesday 3/28 bring that suspect package from another store to any Fresh and Easy and swap it out for their ground beef.  You can read all about the swap in the Pasadena Star News, their web or blog or just take it from me that its really happening.

There are a couple of caveats. You are limited to up to 2 lbs of their 80/20 stuff.  IT is only good as long as supplies last…maybe call ahead to verify they are still doing it at your local Fresh & Easy.  They have a handy store locator  HERE.

Marci of Co-op 28 and her counter of books

Me, I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than go to a mall the week before Christmas. I prefer to do most of my holiday shopping at places like Unique LA or Handmade, so how happy was I to hear about Co-op 28 in Los Feliz.

Behind a fairly unassuming store front, Co-op 28 houses a gallery and what a more pretentious blogger might call a “curated” gift shop/boutique. The shop hasn’t been open long, but it has the feel of a place that should become a neighborhood staple. You’ll recognize some of the artists/designers from Unique LA if you go there, but of course, Co-op 28 is open every day and doesn’t cost $10 at the door. Not that it’s cheap–I easily spent far more than I intended–but most things are priced as you’d expect for handmade, one-of-a-kind items. The owner Marci Siegel has put together a great collection–a rack of clothes, a table of bath items including eucalyptus bombs that steam up your shower, fun and fancy jewelry, guitar straps, clocks made from old pulp fiction novels and Dr. Seuss books, purses . . . even a selection of classic candies. Because who doesn’t want a handful of bit-o-honeys to go with that lomography print?

To make the whole thing irresistible, the shop is on Vermont right off of Prospect, which is to say, next door to Paradis, the amazing Danish ice cream shop that earns my wholehearted love for periodically featuring licorice ice cream. So go, finish your shopping, have an ice cream, chat with Marci, and avoid the mall. Merry whatever-it-is-you-celebrate.

It’s become our custom at b.la to share some ideas about how to help those in need during the holidays. We’ve been posting about places or organizations where you can volunteer your time or donate your money and truly participate in the spirit of giving this holiday season. But I know what some of you are thinking: All this helping-the-less-fortunate is well and good but what about the 1%? What to get them this holiday season? Thanks to a Thrillist email a few days ago, I have the answer for you. Read the rest of this entry →

I love businesses that support the art. I even like them better when they give up space to showcase new and emerging artists.  That is exactly what South Bay Lexus in Torrance has done.  They have donated space on their lot for a bunch of pods to be set up as pop up gallery spaces.  There are over 50 pods, over 400 artists, curators, museums, galleries and fun, one-stop shopping for art.

More information on the art and artists can be found on Fine Art Trekkin’ Torrance and Fine Art Trekkin’ South Bay.

Deets: 9/3 & 9/4/11Saturday and Sunday Sept 3, 4 noon-6pm. South Bay Lexus.24777 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, California 90505