Diary of a Dilettante

Art:LA 2007

2007-01-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

So I missed the boat in telling you about Photo:LA, a show each year at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium that boasts about 70 photography galleries, dealers and bookstores displaying (and hawking) their wares. It took place this past weekend, and I went yesterday. Although I couldn't fully enjoy the various offerings, owing to the crutches that impeded my mobility and left me huffing and puffing, it was on par if not better than last year's show.

Fortunately, I can still fill you in on the companion piece to Photo:LA, which takes place next weekend at the aforementioned location. Art:LA will showcase galleries, dealers and booksellers that offer works in an array of media.

Some artists I dig, whose work has been shown in the past and will likely reappear this year, include Megan Whitmarsh, former Royal Art Lodger Jonathan Pylypchuk, Souther Salazar and Saelee Oh. There are also galleries from far-flung and strange lands such as Vancouver, Milan, Stockholm and Miami, so there should be ample new discoveries to behold as well.

Check it out if you have a chance. It's a bargain at $15 for a day pass (Photo:LA was $20).

FAIR LOCATION

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401

FAIR HOURS

OPENING RECEPTION
Thursday, January 25th, 6 - 9pm

PUBLIC FAIR HOURS
Friday, January 26th , Noon - 8pm
Saturday, January 27th, Noon - 8pm
Sunday, January 28th, Noon - 6pm

Coming Soon: Domaine 547!

2007-01-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

In addition to the holidays and an injury, the Dabbler has been semi-absent because she has been hard at work setting up a new internet-based wine club and retailer, Domaine 547. The good news is that the website is getting ready for its launch (so long as the California ABC approves the liquor license). The bad news is...well, there is no bad news at this point (assuming the ABC approves the liquor license).

The club and store are directed at anybody and everybody (disclaimer: of legal age) interested in drinking wine, learning about wine, talking about wine -- in a welcoming and unpretentious environment. If you're curious to know more about the club/store, just email me and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. I would also love to offer DoD readers a special charter membership rate. For membership inquiries, please email info@domaine547.com.

Injured List

2007-01-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

The dabbler apologizes for not having posted in a while, but she is currently recovering from (minor) surgery and, prior to that, a hectic holiday season. She should be off the injured list and back in business in a week or two. Thanks for your patience. Maybe Ivy Pinkerton can fill in for her in the meantime.

Wine of the Week

2006-12-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Holiday Edition

While I don't want to seem repetitive, I feel the need to recommend the latest vintage of a wine I profiled last year, as it is much improved and worthy of note. Additionally, it makes a great, reasonably priced holiday gift (okay, I'm a little late in the game to be recommending anything for the holidays) as well as a lovely fireside swill.

So here it is, the 2005 Orin Swift "Prisoner". I was skeptical, as last year (though still recommended) was a little flabby in the mouth and definitely fell apart sooner than it should have. But I tasted the new vintage and was happy to find a bit more tannin and acid to ground the wine with a nice backbone. Okay, I'm starting to sound like one of those wine snobs, so let me rephrase that. This year's "Prisoner" tastes more like adult wine and less like it should have come out of a juice box. It has less Zin in it, and the fruit is less ripe with more tempered extraction.

As usual, the bottle is very handsome, with the label featuring the Goya painting after which the blend is named. Available at many retailers for $32.

Pinkberry in the media

2006-12-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

Click on the hypertext article title if you want to see Travel & Leisure's late arriving blurb on the oft-blogged-about yogurt emporium. My guess is that the Larchmont branch is doing close to the same numbers as Huntley, though the rent is undoubtedly higher. They have Baskin Robbins, two doors down, shaking in their boots as traffic to the ice cream shop has dropped drastically. Comparison photos to arrive here, soon.

This is not my beautiful house (finally): Photographic Edition

2006-12-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

Okay, so here are the photographs. I may as well post them here since you're unlikely to ever see them on the TV. I am guessing unless RAINES does gangbusters in the ratings, NBC will just cut their losses further and air only the first few episodes, and bury the additional. If it turns out to be a surprise hit, our living room may just have its television debut after all. But that's an uphill battle at best.

The above shows you the 'blacking out' of our living room that they implemented on the 'set-up' day.

If you look closely, you'll see hordes of people shooting an exterior shot a couple houses up from ours. But mostly you'll see the roof of my car.

Above, you see the interior of our living room, dressed to resemble a crazy forensics artist/comic book nerd's lair. Oh, a dead crazy forensics artist/comic book nerd's lair...

Should we be concerned that they kept a few personal effects of ours to dress the fireplace, including three photographs of us? And, no, I'm not referring to the more prominent, and very creepy drawings. Those I will have to credit the art department with.

Below: I'm ready for my close-up...

And finally, at 5PM, they get to the scene at our house. Notice anything missing below? Like the black-out tent they set up the day before? Well, it was already dark, so no artificial movie magic needed. Plus, the grips got to wrap early.

You'll also note in the right photograph our driveway being used as a satellite craft services station as well as the sound guy's area. Nobody was munching on granola bars or pixie stix, however (except me), as the bulk of the crew was in our house, trying to get the day overwith. Plus, I was told that there was a truck around the corner with a much better array of foods.

Well, in the end it doesn't look like our living room looks so different from the way it usually does, but for the addition of those odd drawings and some clutter. They kept our rug, our furniture, even our drapes. Should we be flattered, or reconsider either our design standards or careers? I hear the LAPD is looking for forensics artists.

Camera charge

2006-12-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, so my camera is ALMOST done charging. I will post photos soon. But in the meantime it looks like Raines, the show that used our living room might be D.O.A., as it was announced in various publications this week that NBC has curtailed production as of episode seven (we were episode six).

2006-11-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

This is not my beautiful house...today a network TV show is shooting a scene in our living room. It currently looks like the lair of a comic-book obsessed madman. Pictures to follow.

Design Within Reach Coupon Alert!

2006-11-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

This might actually make DWR within reach for some of us whose wallets are stretched thin these days. For the next week or two, you can receive $50 off an order of $50 or more at DWR.com, when you enter code BB306 during checkout. That's right, $50 off a $50 order...the only catch is that shipping prices are steep on DWR, and that there are only a handful of items at that low a price. There's also a code for $250 off a $1000 order, but the Dabbler didn't pay much attention to that one for reasons already mentioned.

Enjoy!

No, I don't work for Pinkberry (but I post these updates anyhow)

2006-11-14T22:33:00.000-08:00

Pinkberry opened today on Larchmont, and supposedly cut into the sandwich business which was slower than usual today at Larchmont Wine, Spirits and Cheese. At 8PM PB was still bustling with customers, and its newest location really does provide the perfect cross-section of the K-Town and West Hollywood crowds, with lots of little kids thrown in to boot. The 'no cameras' sign is particularly large at this outlet.

I believe that it was ar least 8 months ago that Pinkberry leased the former Cafe Chapeau space. It's been a grueling wait, and I don't know why the hell they took so long to open. But now I need only walk six blocks for my acidophilus fix, and this, my friends, is good.

Wine of the Week: Two Hands Lily's Garden Shiraz, 2004

2006-11-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

I was going to tip you off on a lovely Pinot Noir Rose from Kosta Browne, in the Russian River of Sonoma County. But the wine appears to be unavailable so there is no point in being a grape tease. Instead, I offer you an Australian gem that appears to be readily available, and, in one case, offered for an amazingly reasonable price. Apparently, people are too busy looking for the Carnival of Love to pay proper attention to this one...

Robert Parker writes of the 2004 Lily's Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz, from Two Hands: "Even better than the Harry & Edward’s Garden is the 2004 Shiraz Lily’s Garden from McLaren Vale. With this cuvee, about 25% new American oak is added to the regime of French wood. Full-bodied with stunning, dusty, loamy soil characteristics interwoven with blackberry, cassis, cherry, and plum-like fruit, this rich, pure, intense Shiraz should be consumed over the next 10-12+ years." 95 points

The Wine Spectator says: "Lithe, almost elegant, with impressive depth of flavor and fine texture. The flavors center on blackberry, cherry, dried tomato, exotic spices and mineral notes as the finish sails on and on against refined tannins. Best from 2007 through 2016. 1,500 cases imported."94 points

The Dabbler says: "Mmmmmmmmmmm, yum. Great with Thanksgiving dinner, I would venture to guess." Two thumbs (or should I say hands?) up.

Grab this from K&L Wine Merchants, who offers the wine for the lowest listed price around, $36. On the East coast, if shipping is a concern, Capital Wine in upstate New York stocks it for $45. Elsewhere it can be found for up to $60 a bottle, and it's easily worth it.

Lazy Thanksgiving

2006-11-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

A couple of years back, The Dabbler decided to make Thanksgiving into a 'date night'. I won't explain the thinking behind this, since it's far too complicated (not to mention, far too uninteresting) to share with you. But I will share some of my discoveries.

The past two years we've gone to the prix fixe ($65 a head) at JAR, where we have enjoyed the family style turkey dinner with fixings. I'm not a cranberry sauce kind of gal, but their homemade version is tangy and delightful. The turnips, potatoes gratin and Turkey with dressing were all perfectly cooked. (Sorry, I know foodbloggers usually provide lovely photography with their 'reviews', but I didn't think to bring my camera last year.)

The first year we attended, we were given so much food that we had a full bag of left-overs to bring home, making the whole 'Thanksgiving at a restaurant' experience feel a little more like going to your cousin's house, and taking home a tupperware container filled with noodle kugel and jello mold. Sadly, last year, we were given more modest portions and watched jealously as the petite Asian couple next to us picked at their overflowing platter that contained at least twice as much food as ours. We were left with clean plate awards and no doggie bags to speak of, and maybe that's why this year I've elected to try another spot instead.

Our decision? We're going to Upstairs 2, the restaurant above the Wine House, one of LA's best wine stores. We've dined at Upstairs 2 before, and have always had a good time. The food comes care of the former chef of Joe's in Venice, and is high quality grub. The price is even more attractive than JAR's, at only $39 a person. Additionally, any bottle of wine you've purchased at Wine House can be consumed with your meal for a moderate $10 corkage. And there's always the option of ordering a bottle from the large and moderately priced wine list that includes many options by the glass.

Some other restaurant Thanksgiving options to consider are:

Angeli Caffe, 1st seating is sold out but call (323-936-9086) to find out the details for seating number 2. This Thanksgiving dinner is a continuation of the restaurant's ongoing Thursday night family-style supper series. Chef Evan Kleinman is host of KCRW's Good Food program and this is a casual, comfortable place.
Campanile, $65 per person. This restaurant is ALWAYS good. So this time I'll forgive them for charging an extra $25 for the truffle option on the Thanksgiving menu.
Simon LA, $65 per person for 3 courses, or full menu available. Frankly, the website is rather annoying and I won't even provide you with a link. If you want cotton candy for dessert, this is the place for you.
Whist at the Viceroy, $75 per person. Personally, I've eaten here and it's just okay. And overpriced. But if the ocean calls you, then it's something to consider.
Zucca Restaurant, $34 per person for four courses. The name of the restaurant means pumpkin, so expect plenty of orange menu options.

And, if you're both lazy and cheap (nothing to be ashamed of), try Norm's. I'd be surprised if the tab goes over $15 a person.

Make your plans in advance, though, as space is limited at all of these spots (except for Norm's).

DJ Dabble: Running, running, running, and more running up that hill...

2006-11-09T16:59:00.000-08:00

Who knew there were so many covers of this song? I didn't even know there was one until the Placebo track was prominently used in a maudlin montage in the OC's terribly trashy season opener. And, knowing my taste in music, you will understand why the OC soundtrack sent me searching in the iTunes Music Store...

But where is the Kate Bush version (which I think is the original...unless it's Kiki and Herb)? Has she not given permission to iTunes to distribute her music? In fact, the bulk of her library is indeed on iTunes, with this particularl track noticeably missing. Hopefully these 11 covers will fill that glaring omission.

And, no, I can not send you a burned CD of these songs since there is no way I'm paying for eleven versions of the ditty. This one, you'll have to buy for yourself. But at the very least, click on this link and go to iTunes, then listen to the 30 second samples of each song. Pretty funny, I think.

1.Running Up That Hill, Placebo
2. Running Up That Hill, Kate Bush Tribute (sung by a Kate Bush sound-alike)
3. Running Up That Hill, Icon and the Black Roses
4. Running Up That Hill , Faith And The Muse
5. Running Up That Hill, Danielle French
6. Running Up That Hill, The Lund Clements Churchill Trio
7. Running Up That Hill, Thee Heavenly Music Association
8. Running Up That Hill, Jenna Myles
9. Running Up That Hill, Kiki & Herb
10. Running Up That Hill , Karaoke (I believe this is all instrumental, and you provide the lyrics)
11. Running Up that Hill (A Deal With God), Dave Rummans (nice job adding the parenthetical to the title, Dave)

Dabbling in Democracy

2006-11-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

The Dabbler says GO VOTE (especially if you lean left).

Enjoy your Tuesday.

Pinkberry: secret menu alert and Larchmont update

2006-11-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

Three quick Pinkberry tidbits...

First, I discovered that there is a topping available for the yogurt that isn't in the display case, but is kept below in a refrigerated compartment. It's mochi (or some refer to it as 'rice cake'), and the gelatinous neutrally flavored chewy squares add a absolutely delectable texture to the whole yogurt-eating experience. Try it!

Next, the pink plywood is finally gone from the Pinkberry Larchmont location. In its place, a glass storefront and a floor of tiny shallacked pebbles (still a really stupid material choice considering all the foodstuff can get stuck in the nooks and crannies). I'm guessing that the store will be open around Thanksgiving or just after.

Finally, I have been to the Pinkberry location next to M Cafe several times now, all at different times of the day. I can safely say, given the steady stream of customers each and every time I've frequented the place, that Pinkberry is making a killing. They easily serve 100 customers an hour (yesterday they served more than 30 in the 15 minutes I was there), and probably even more during rush hours. At an average of $5.00 per serving (most opt for the cost effective 3-topping medium), 100 servings per hour, 10 hours a day, seven days a week...well, you do the math. Pretty unbelievable.

Wine of the Week: Mollydooker redux

2006-11-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

"I told you so (well, sort of)" edition...

I should point out to begin with that I don't (purely) go by Parker scores when buying wines, but I do like me some big Aussie Shiraz, as does Mr. Parker. So when something is released that seems like it might garner a big score from the Wine Advocate, I snap some up as quickly as possible, knowing that the wine will become unavailable should it hit the jackpot.

Case in point? Mollydooker. When I first published my 'Wine(ry) of the Week' article on the new Marquis venture, the Boxer and Two Left Feet ($20 each) had already scored high and were available, though not in huge supply. Soon after, the prices rose and they became impossible to find except on the secondary market.

Parker telegraphed the likelihood of high scores for the Mollydooker premium line ($60+ per bottle) in his suggestion to look for their scores in an upcoming issue of the Wine Advocate, and as soon as they became available I snapped a couple up (in small supply, considering the expense). I did this not so much as an investment, but because I hate the thought of not being able to try something -- and I know that high scores from Parker can easily make wines unavailable. Hence, the preemptive purchase.

Literally one day after I acquired my bottles, the wines were reviewed by Parker online and in issue #167 of the Wine Advocate. Lo and behold, the Carnival of Love Shiraz received a whopping 99 points. I did my best to track down a few additional bottles for some family members, and was lucky to find a handful still available at retail prices.

Now, just one week later, the only place to find this wine is on the secondary market, at auction sites such as WineBid.com or Winecommune.com. As you can see from the snapshots of current auctions (closing imminently), it's selling for more than double, sometimes triple, the original retail cost. Crazy what people will do for something they haven't even tasted.

My advice? Buy early, before scores have been released -- and buy based on your taste. It isn't any sort of prize to have a high scoring wine that you either likely won't enjoy (based upon your palate), or don't plan to drink as often people are afraid to open their trophy bottles. But it's a shame to have ridiculous scoring systems dictate what is or isn't available to you to try. The only way around it is to trust your instincts (as well as to trust the Dabbler's occasional picks) and buy accordingly.

FYI, here is Parker's actual review of Carnival of Love, which I am not so sure makes it sound appetizing (aside from the high score):

"Amazingly, the 2005 Carnival of Love ratchets up the level of quality. A selection of the finest Shiraz barrels, it boasts an extraordinary black/purple color, gorgeous notes of blackberry liqueur, camphor, and smoke, and an enormous voluptuousness that would make even Pamela Anderson jealous. Great purity, symmetry, and harmony as well as remarkable balance for such a rich, intense wine, as it sat in the glass espresso, vanillin, white chocolate, and additional black fruits also emerged. It should drink well for a decade, although the winemakers suggest it be consumed over the next four years. If you are wondering what to serve with this beauty, Sarah and Sparky Marquis recommend such fish as marlin, hammerhead, and great white shark, white meats such as snake and crocodile, red meats such as emu and kangaroo, and aged wallaby mild cheese. Yum!

Readers should not forget the value-priced Mollydooker cuvees from Sarah and Sparky Marquis that I recommended in issue #165 (6-30-06), including the 2006 Verdelho The Violinist ($15; 92 points), 2005 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Two Left Feet ($20; 94 points), 2005 Cabernet The Maitre d’ ($20; 92 points), and 2005 Shiraz The Boxer ($20; 95 points)." --RP, 99 points, drink 2006-2016, est. cost $60

Great white shark as a good food pairing for a 16.5% alc. by volume red wine? References to Pamela Anderson? That, to me, says 'ewww' more than it says 'yum'.

Come to think of it, if any of you are dying to try the Mollydooker Carnival of Love, and can't find it anywhere...the Dabbler just might be able to locate you a bottle or two at a very reasonable $175 per bottle, plus shipping and handling. Just let me know...

Coming soon, an article on wines that scored less than 90 by Parker or the Wine Spectator that deserve a try.

Has Jonathan Gold read my Pinkberry posts?

2006-10-30T07:51:00.000-08:00

From the yogurt trenches, the Dabbler reports:

The latest issue of LA Weekly features an article by Jonathan Gold, resident food critic extraordinaire, where he discusses the proliferation of Pinkberry and its many copycats. While I love that he references fellow Food/Pinkberry-blogger Colleen Cuisine (although not in completely flattering terms, tsk tsk Mr. Gold), his overall content made me wonder whether he had clicked a link or two on Rosie's website and read my article on how to open your own Pinkberry-style yogurt shop.

I'm NOT accusing Mr. Gold of plagarism -- he is one of my LA food heroes and will remain that way. However, his references to the Taylor machines used in all the yogurt shops, the cheapness of kiwiberri's aesthetic, and the Design Within Reach availability of yogurt-store furnishings are all right there in my little how-to primer, published weeks before LA Weekly's article appeared (September 15th vs. October 25th).

Hence, I will take it as a badge of honor that Jonathan Gold MIGHT have actually visited my site...though, it begs the question, why do people only read my blog when I talk about Pinkberry? Aren't you interested in cheap wine, Los Angeles culture, my television viewing habits or bad music? I realize Mr. Gold is a food critic, but the rest of you?...

Coming soon, an article on the latest La Brea/Melrose Pinkberry copycat. I won't ruin the surprise, but it involves a secret menu that includes pork products. Hopefully the promise of another Pinkberry-centric piece is enough to entice you to SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG since I know from my obsessive tracking of Google Analytics that my numbers spike high at the mention of tart yogurt.

Until next time...

DJ Dabble: Dorky Cardio Edition/Nike + iPod

2006-10-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've been trying to get back into the exercise mode lately. Recently my gym installed these very exciting individual television monitors on the cardio machines, enabling one to watch E! True Hollywood Stories while burning calories. At first, I found that I would work out longer just so I could see what happened to Pink and her dirt-bike racing boyfriend (they got married). But then Time Warner took over the cable company and deleted all the good channels, and all we seem to get now is C-Span and Eric Garcetti holding court on the LA City Council. Not really stuff that inspires you to push yourself to extreme physical limits.

Thankfully, Nike and iPod have teamed up to give us what more or less amounts to a really high-tech pedometer. With the 'Nike +' adapter for the iPod Nano, a pair of 'Nike +' compatible sneakers, and some good tunes in your music library, you can have your own personal trainer in your ear. Additionally, the device allows you to keep track of your workouts and load all the information on to Nike's website, setting calorie, distance, time and speed goals if you choose. At the end of a workout, If you've run faster than usual,Lance ~~Bass~~ Armstrong might congratulate you and encourage you to keep up the good work. Pretty nifty, even if it's just a gimmick. God I'm such a sucker (and consumer).

Of course, Nike and iPod have compiled some of their own personal-training/music combos that one can download for a fee. But I've browsed through the selection and the music is just not up to DJ Dabble's standards. Which is to say, the music is just too damn good.

When it comes down to it, I want to work out to terrible pop music. And if I'm getting tired , the music should be all that cheesier. Luckily, this gadget has a special function: at any time I can simply press the center button on my Nike enabled Nano and it will jump straight to my 'power song', which currently is set to a Linkin Park anthem: nothing quite says 'sprint' like soft-metal-rap-fusion.

What follows is the mix I've been jogging to lately. Criterion for inclusion? A song must have a more than fair chance of appearing on the soundtracks of TV shows such as The OC, Grey's Anatomy, or Laguna Beach. For the more dated music, I should probably also include The Real World New York (second edition) and Las Vegas. I'll leave it up to you to guess which songs might appear on which shows, though suffice it to say Grey's Anatomy, with its KCRW taste, is on the under-represented end of the spectrum, and MTV's Laguna Beach is there in full force. Yay for Kelly Clarkson!

Without further ado, here's the mix which you can purchase at the iTunes Music Store (or, as always, write me and maybe we can work something out):

1. I Write Sins Not Tragedies, Panic! At the Disco
2. Crawling, Linkin Park
3. Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind
4. Move Along, All-American Rejects
5. Hips Don't Lie (featuring Wyclef Jean), Shakira
6. SOS, Rihanna
7. Here It Goes Again, O.K. Go
8. In the End, Linkin Park
9. Bring Me To Life, Evanescence
10. Hung Up, Madonna
11. Miss Independent, Kelly Clarkson
12. Soundtrack to Your Life, Ashley Parker Angel
13. Diry Little Secret, All-American Rejects
14. Steady as She Goes, The Raconteurs
15. How To Save a Life, The Fray
16. What's Left of Me, Nick Lachey

LA Times does espresso

2006-10-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

Today's food section in the LA Times is devoted to coffee and espresso, and where to find the best of the best in Los Angeles. Take note, the feature writer uses a Rancilio Silvia and Gaggia MDF at home, just like the Dabbler! Click on the post title to jump there.

Wine of the Week

2006-10-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

Well, this is more like a "Winery of the Week" entry. As some of you may know, it can be difficult to get on the mailing lists of some of the better California wineries, with Sine Qua Non, Sea Smoke, Williams Selyem and others boasting long, sometimes multi-year waiting lists to even be offered the chance to buy their wines.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I signed up for the Pax mailing list earlier this week and immediately got a personalized email from the owner of the winery, Joe Donelan, inviting me to buy an array of their upcoming releases. Pax is a highly regarded, high Parker score earning Sonoma winery that specializes in Rhone style Syrahs, though also offers a couple of nice whites and a delightful rose in the springtime. Their packaging is meticulous, with ultra-thick bottles that fall somewhere between Burgundy- and Champagne-style in shape, and a hand-dipped wax seal over the cork that is almost so beautiful that it seems a crime to actually open a bottle of their wine.

Joe explained to me that they do things differently at Pax, and want to give an opportunity for all to try their wines. So if you sign up for the mailing list, you will receive the same treatment as I did, as long as the wine they've allocated for new mailing list customers lasts. NB, the Pax wines are not inexpensive, averaging about $50 a bottle (but for the rose for $18 and the whites which are in the $30 to $40 range). As far as I know, there is no minimum order so sign up even if you only want a bottle or two, as certain vineyard designations can be hard, if not impossible, to find in retail stores.

Art: free booze and culture (and a good cause)

2006-10-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

If anybody is interested in contemporary photography AND a good cause (along with a free wine tasting), check out the Larchmont Charter School Auction Benefit hosted by the Paul Kopeikin Gallery. The event, to be held from 6 to 9PM on Friday, October 19th, will feature a silent auction including work from J. Bennett Fitts, Jill Greenberg, Kahn & Selesnick, and Chris Jordan among others. In fact, a Jordan owned by the one and only Dabbler might just be hanging in the show...

To boot, the Dabbler will be not just in attendance, but 'working' the show as a wine pourer alongside Simon Cocks of Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits and Cheese. We will be featuring an array of Spanish wines including two Monastrells from the Gil Family of Jumilla, a Garnacha/Tempranillo blend, a Cava and two Chardonnay/Viura blends.

Silent auction is from 6 to 8:30, live auction begins at 8PM. RSVP to 323.937.0765 or info@paulkopeikingallery.com.

Paul Kopeikin Gallery
6150 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Weekend Update: Pinkberry hits K-Town, Cork Taint and the DSM-IV meets TV once again

2006-10-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

So I was slow to the blogosphere and got scooped about Pinkberry's recent opening at 6th and Berendo in Koreatown. It's definitely the most lively crowd so far, and makes you feel like you're not in LA, which is nice. I haven't been able to travel much lately, and eating dessert here is like a little journey to Asia all for five dollars, thirty minutes, and 150 calories. It's much more hospitable than the other locations, and I had to laugh at the 'no photo' policy since clearly it hasn't stopped the copycats: on Western and 6th, there's a sign for "Snowberry: Coming Soon!". I wonder what that could be...
I had my first day of instruction at the Laguna Culinary Arts school, and learned a few things. First, it only takes about an hour to drive from LA to Laguna at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. Second, it takes much longer to drive back in the afternoon. Third, we were given a 'systematic approach to tasting wine' which maybe I'll go into later, maybe not. And we also learned about wine faults. Did you know that approximately 10% of wines are ruined by cork taint (click on link for detailed definition)? Most people can't recognize the fault and assume they just don't like the wine, too shy to send it back at a restaurant or return it to the store where it was purchased. However, if something seems off, just send it back. The restaurant and retail stores can just return the wine to the distributor for a full refund, and won't lose any money as a result of your discerning palate.
You can get paid by film productions for doing almost nothing, like letting them put a few pieces of equipment in your driveway. We were lucky enough for a mid-season replacement show called "Raines" to come knocking on our door this past week. In exchange for postponing our planned termite fumigation, we were handsomely rewarded. FYI, the show stars Jeff Goldblum as a detective who solves crime with the aid of the 'voices' he hears in his schizophrenic mind. Hmmm, how many detective shows can there be where the crime solver has some sort of mental disorder? Well, exactly how many disorders are outlined in the DSM-IV? The pilot for this one was written by Graham Yost and directed by Frank Darabont, so it could be really good or really bad, considering the track records of both.
I promise, I'll write another blog entry complete with pretty pictures and witty remarks, soon. But not today.

TiVo Travails: 2006 Fall TV Season Begins! (Update)

2006-09-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I said I'd get back to you with my picks and pans for the new television season. But I have encountered a bit of a problem. I just don't care. I have searched far and wide for new series to get excited about, but I honestly can't find any. So far, I watched the new sit-com "Class" which is mildly amusing but not must-see fare; I glimpsed at M. Night-esque "Heroes" which, well, was too M-Night-esque for my taste, but in a cheap TV kind of way. I did force my husband to watch "Men In Trees" but he has since threatened divorce if I ever subject him to the 'Sex in the Northern Exposure City' skein again. Otherwise, I haven't even been able to get myself to even watch anything else.

(Oops, I lied. I did watch "Studio 60" and sort of like it but sort of don't care. Which is what I can say about all the other stuff out there. WHO CARES?)

With "The Office", "Earl", "Grey's Anatomy", "Lost", "Project Runway" and a few other things out there that I already watch regularly (yes, I watch "Grey's Anatomy" even if it is McCheesy, and "Lost" even if it is McConfusing-for-the-sake-of-being-confusing), do I really want to add anything else to my schedule? I am having far more fun blogging about yogurt and discovering widgets that I think I will be retiring the remote for the season and focusing on other activities.

Come to think of it, there may be an even more reasonable explanation as to why I'm bored by TV. I am officially outside of the all important 18-34 youth demographic that advertisers salivate at, and that network programming is geared toward, by and large. Maybe, just maybe, I am not interested in TV because TV is no longer interested in me.

I might just have to consider a 'book of the month' column, transitioning to an old person appropriately touting old media.

Pinkberry vs. gelatoDay: a modern day David and Goliath battle for Yogurt supremacy

2006-09-26T01:45:00.000-07:00

I know, the whole 'yogurt' craze in Los Angeles is getting a little/lot tiresome. But I can't resist sharing with you the flyer that was placed on my car this weekend advertising gelatoDay, a joint very close to Larchmont Village that has the edge on the Larchmont Boulevard Pinkberry Franchise since it is actually OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Now, gelatoDay's product might not be the greatest (but it's certainly passable) and its portions may be small on the small end of the spectrum (but who really needs a vat of yogurt when a few ounces will do?). However, gelatoDay's marketing rocks. Its shaky grasp on the English language, and sheer boldness make me really want to root for the place. It's not some Starbucks-style corporate juggernaut, it's classic mom and pop, word of mouth, grass roots style stuff. And here it is in all its glory:

FRONT:

BACK:I have to give props to anybody who uses the descriptor "sweet and sour" to describe a food product that isn't a poultry dish on a Chinese take-out menu; or that touts "constipation" as one of its unique benefits (does the yogurt relieve or cause constipation? The flyer is unclear).

Also, to creatively target the large but underserved market concerned with both colon health/yeast infections and also seeking yummy dessert products is simply genius! I am equally intrigued by the term "grow food".

In any case, while the folks at Pinkberry are carefully developing their style sheet, decor guidelines and grammatically correct shelf-talkers and marketing materials that the 1000 franchise applicants will be forced to use in each of their branches, the yogurt-preneurs of gelatoDay brashly move forward with a charming innocence -- and tendency for malapropisms (or just bad translation) -- that is winning me over. Bigtime.

Wine of the Week

2006-09-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

2003 Chateau de Segries Lirac Reservee

I'm trying to branch out, to try wines from different regions and villages than I have in the past, and to be honest with you I've done things ass-backwards and am now arriving in France after having tasted a lot from the New World. The folks at Du Vin in West Hollywood suggested that this Lirac (the Rhone village where the wine is produced) would be a nice sipping wine, good to drink on its own and aside from a meal. So I bought it, and finally opened it up last night.

While I agree with them that it's a nice sipping wine, I found it to be more substantial than they had implied. It was defnitely lighter in body, but composed most likely of Grenache and Syrah, with possibly a little Mouvedre thrown in, the wine had an earthy texture and some strong berry aromas. The tannins were soft, just noticeale enough to give the wine some structure without coating my mouth. There was also a smokiness to the wine that I thought was a tad unpleasant at first, but then seemed to actually complement the food we were eating. I think on its own, I would have recoiled at the tar-like quality, but in this case it turned out to be a welcome layer of complexity.

For those of you who care, the village of Lirac is just across the river from Chateauneuf-de-Pape. I can't really compare this to its famed neighbor since I have yet to delve into those revered 13 grape blends. But at around $13 a bottle, this is an approachable wine that was a nice step away from the huge California Syrahs and Australian GSMs that I'm more familiar with.

The more experienced tasters at Gang of Pour have their own opinion, which I am reprinting here for your perusal. Their blurb was written over a year ago, and as a result the wine probably needs less air these days (we decanted, but poured less than a half hour later):

"2003 Château de Segries Lirac Reservee, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet, with a smoky tinge, and not giving much at all on the nose at first, but this is a wine that needs time to open and show what it has. With a few hours of air, what at first seemed a somewhat dull, clunky wine evolves to exhibit some real depth, with earthy dark plum, blackberry and black currant flavors and aromas that are accented with a little tobacco and underbrush. Medium tannins will take this at least a few years down the road, and bottle age should allow this to develop nicely."

You can find this wine at the aforementioned Du Vin (where it costs about $13.00) or at Wine House, for a mere $9.99. I was not able to locate (care of Wine Searcher) any east coast outlets carrying the wine, but that doesn't mean they don't exist...