My friend Andrew Pogany, senior editor and chief LA-booster over at Flaunt, is presiding over yet another fantastic event (after curating LA-cultural-stuff affairs at Taix for some time (at one event, Eric Garcetti read an abridged early history of Los Angeles, and, if memory serves, sang a little song)). Now, “Twilight Drinks at the Griffith Park Clubhouse” takes over the historic, FDR-sponsored Spanish revival lounge and supper/brunch joint–and its gorgeous views of the Park’s golf course–every Wednesday night this summer, from 7:30p-11p. All this, and special prizes go to those in the best Caddyshack costume! The fine, fine film itself will be screened weekly on the outdoor patio. So, we’ve got that goin’ for us…which is nice.

Barbeque burgers, veggie burgers, grilled hot dogs & mac & cheese are on the menu, ranging from $6-$10. Full bar with drinks ranging from $4-$10 and beers on tap. Feel free to dress as your favorite Caddyshack character; however no golf attire will be required.*

The info on the event follows behind the jump.

* I love that they decided this was necessary to add

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Being vegan in any place on the planet Los Angeles, I get asked a lot where to find good vegan food in and around the town. Of course I’ve got my list of favorite stops, and so does everyone else. It’s high time someone started compiling those lists into one big resource, and Steve Cvar is apparently the person to do that. He dropped me a line yesterday about this Google Map he’s putting together with names and locations of vegan and vegetarian locations across the city and notes that it’s open so anyone can add to it. He’s off to a great start already, but I know I’ve got some things to add to it. Maybe you do as well?

Are you like me?  Do you like the Loteria Grill at the Farmers Market but wish they had a second location where you could get your drink on?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had this wish for years.  Sure, I could order at Loteria and then get a beer from the bar that is 10 feet away but I’m incredibly lazy and I like one stop shopping, or in this case, one stop eating and drinking.  So short of margarita flask (it’s hard to get the lime in) I’ve been out of luck when it comes to getting a drink with my Sunday morning huevos rancheros in one smooth transaction.

Good news everyone, the always awesome Eater LA reports that my dream of more convenient drinks has come true:  The long awaited second Loteria Grill is now open for business and this one is serving alcohol.

You’ll find the new Loteria at 6227 Hollywood Blvd, just west of Cherokee.   For those of you keeping score at home, they’ll be open until 3 am on the weekends.  Now you’ll have somewhere to go after stumbling out of Boardner’s.

Okay, I admit it; I teared up. A little.

Last night was the goodbye party for Antigua Cultural Coffeehouse in El Sereno,my little local coffeeshop just a short walk away from my house. Truth be told, one of the reasons we even made an offer on this house was because of the coffeeshop. We got used to living within walking distance of a coffeeshop when we lived in Hollywood, so it made sense. But Antigua lost its lease due to what sounds like shady shenanigans by the property owner.

When we arrived around 8pm, the place was packed. Julio and his wife Cuauhtli were behind the counter serving up coffee. The until-recently-off-limits patio was open in the back where alcoholic drinks were sold. It was jarring to see the murals and signs removed, along with the counter and the bookshelves. It it hit me that I really have no place to take my kids in the morning any more. I’ll no longer will be able to hop over to Antiqua to talk politics with Cuauhtli, Yancy and some of the regulars.

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You meet the nicest people blogging.  You meet the nicest people who comment on what you post.  Putting the two together turns out to be a lot of fun.

A group of bloggers out here in Far East LA are having a Pot Luck and Happy Hour and anyone who cares to meet us is welcome to join.  Bring a nibble to share.  Bring some pocket money as this isn’t a hosted bar. I’m bringing my soon to be infamous Margarita Tart.

Blog writers from all over the area will be there.  Some you may follow already from following their blogs.  Some you know from comments made here on Metblog posts.  Those in attendance: Miss Havisham, West Coast Grrlie Blather, 99 Cent Chef, Ed Padgett, 91204, Monrovia City Watch and Pasadena Photo.  Of course co-host to the silliness, unstoppable former Pasadena mayoral candidate Aaron Proctor will be in as well.  

All the good details after the jump. (more…)

Coffee nerds around the world bow in awe of the Clover coffee machine, and ramble on about it’s $10,000 pricetag as proof of the superior cup of joe it produces. For a while it was big news that Groundwork Coffee in Downtown LA had one. Well, they don’t anymore. I don’t know if people just weren’t ordering it or what, but as you can see from the notice posted above they’ve scrapped it and are acting like it’s no big deal. Maybe it’s not, but I know more than a handful of people who will drive way out of their way to get a cup from that machine and since Intelligentsia in Silver Lake seems to be the only one in town now that’s where I’ll be sending them.

Update: Eric Richardson notes in the comments that this isn’t new, and can also be blamed in part on Starbucks.

As a child, my exposure to Mexican food was pretty much limited to Taco Juan’s in Woodstock, New York, where they served what my husband and I refer to as East Coast Tacos: hard shell, iceberg lettuce, shredded orange cheddar, black olives, and that “taco sauce” stuff that is basically ketchup, or hot sauce bred with enchilada sauce, all flavor somehow removed. Plus hamburger meat or pinto beans.

I did not like avocados, hot sauce, or sour cream.

I learned to love avocados in my late teens. I like to eat them with a spoon, sprinkled with salt and lime juice. Soy sauce or Bragg is also nice. Don’t you judge me.

But sour cream and hot sauce remained ingredients only; never condiments.

Until Los Angeles. Now, I’d love to tell you that I learned to love real Mexican condiments by eating real Mexican food, but the truth is that all I learned to love by eating real Mexican food was real Mexican food. No, the truth is much scarier.

I learned to love sour cream and hot sauce at the International House of Pancakes. Yes, folks. I learned to love sour cream at the IHOP in West Hollywood, and hot sauce when I first tried Cholula at the IHOP on 6th near Vermont.

Tonight the Montecito Fine Arts College of design is hosting an opening night reception for a show featuring the work of the faculty and staff.  The “Art Off the Canvas” show is presented in conjuntion with the East West Art Association.  The show itself will run June 21 - July 19, 2008.

Of course it being a reception means that not only will you get to enjoy some great art you will also get to take advantage of some great munchies and FREE booze.  (Almost a bottomfeeders post for a date night in my corner of LA).

Montecito Fine Arts arrived in Monrovia last fall.  They appeared at the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts October show and certainly got a lot of attention from us locals.  The work they had to show was definitely among the best I’ve seen.  I certainly am looking forward to the show tonight to see what else they can wow me with at this show.

DETAILS:  Saturday June 21, 2008.  7PM - 11PM.  121 E Huntington Drive,  Monrovia CA 91016.  877-Do-Design (for those of you alpha-phone challenged 877-383-3744).

Directions: 210 Freeway towards Monrovia, Exit Myrtle north to Huntington Drive.  Turn Right (east).  The campus is on the north side of the street between Myrtle and Ivy Avenues.

This weekend, people in Downey and the surrounding areas should come visit the Farmer’s Market. Since it’s debut a month ago, the market has doubled in size. More fruit vendors have set up shop, some prepared food vendors have shown up, more flower growers have arrived and there is now a band playing for the crowd.

The band was playing marimbas two weeks ago, and one week ago it consisted of a man singing with guitar accompaniment. It lends a friendly, welcoming air to the street scene.

As a teenager growing up in Downey, I believed it to be a stuffy, conservative city full of old people. I was glad to get out of it and go into LA proper, and I was thrilled when I left for college. Now that I’m approaching 30 (!), I appreciate the view of Downey that the farmers market is giving me: a diverse group of people who are not nearly as stuffy as they once seemed.

Downey Farmer’s Market
8200 2nd St.
Downey, CA 90241
Link to Google Maps

BOTTOMFEEDERS GUIDE TO LA: Free Family Movies

Finding fun on the cheap with the fam, especially when you have little ones can be a challenge.  Finding cheaper than a matinee is tough, Sierra Cup in Monrovia comes to the rescue.

The guys over at Sierra Cup started a new tradition here in town.  Movies under the stars on their patio.  Movies kids want to see.  Movies that are free.  Yes, a parents favorite “f” word, and you don’t even have to buy something to enjoy the movie. 

I’d however recommend their real frozen yogurt and custom blended coffee.  Make mine the basic tart with mochi and a cup of decaf.  (Sorry after years of caffeine abuse I need decaf that late in the day or I vibrate all night).

This weeks movie is Ratatouille.  A new movie will show each week.  They actually have free events almost every night of the week, much of it family friendly too.  A complete list of activities can be found on their Event Calender.

Details: Sierra Cup, 409 S Myrtle Ave, Monrovia CA 91016.  Movies start at 8PM.  There is also ample free parking in Old Town around Sierra Cup if you can’t just walk over.

Feel free to toss in any cheap or free kid movies in the comments. 

Ps…salute to Travis K for her idea on the Bottomfeeder Guide to LA!