Posts Tagged ‘Restaurants’
Interview With Celebrity Stylist Denis De Souza
I recently interviewed celebrity hairstylist Denis De Souza over on Hair On The Brain. Denis is the hair color whiz behind Rachel Bilson’s gorgeous brunette locks. He can be found expertly painting on high and lowlights at Andy LeCompte Salon in West Hollywood. Denis was kind enough to answer some Take Sunset questions about his transition from native Brazil to Los Angeles, his favorite LA hot spots, and more. Check it out!
Take Sunset: How do you like living in LA?
De Souza: I’ve lived in big cities like Sao Paulo in Brazil, London, and now LA. I’ve been in LA for 10 years now, and I think it is fantastic! Not only do we have the best weather, but in a two hours, we have the desert, the beach, the mountains, the snow… We are really blessed.
Take Sunset: Since moving to LA, where have you lived?
De Souza: When I first moved here, I lived in Hancock Park. Now I live in Beverly Hills, but right on the border of West Hollywood.
Take Sunset: How do you like that area?
De Souza: I’m in a very quiet and safe area, but it’s just blocks away from all the shops, cafes, and restaurants on Robertson. And even better, I’m only a few blocks away from Andy LeCompte Salon where I work. It’s convenient and quiet. I love it! At the moment I rent there, but I’m hoping I can buy something next year.
Take Sunset: Do you gravitate toward a particular interior design style?
De Souza: Because I rent at the moment, I haven’t really gone all the way with a design that I like. I pick things I like and enjoy having at my apartment, but when I get my own place, I will trick it out just the way I want it to be! I love Kelly Wearstler, and I’d like to have a Hollywood Regency style mixed with a more contemporary look and simple lines.
Take Sunset: I love Kelly Wearstler! I miss Top Design. What’s your favorite LA restaurant?
De Souza: There are a few restaurants I love in LA, and that I go to often with friends, clients, or even on a date, like Cecconi’s, Sur, The Little Door, Mozza, and The Soho House, which I love!
Take Sunset: What are your favorite places in LA to shop for clothes?
De Souza: For clothes I like Opening Ceremony, Church, Maxfield…
Take Sunset: Where do you go for housewares?
De Souza: I like to browse at Cassina and all the design shops between Robertson and Beverly to get inspiration for when I’m ready to decorate my new home.
Thanks for answering all my questions, Denis! For more information on Denis De Souza, visit his website at denisdesouza.com. Or go see him in person at:
Andy LeCompte Salon
616 N Almont Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 273-4100
Interview With Kelly Lamb
A while back I wrote about artist/designer Kelly Lamb’s beautiful geo-birdhouses, planters, and terrariums. Kelly has also designed interiors for Malo restaurant in Silver Lake, the Echo nightclub in Echo Park, and she’s designed and produced artist’s campaigns with corporations like Salvatore Ferragamo and Coke. And she also renovates old homes. After reading up on Kelly, I just had to bug her for an interview. And, awesomely, she complied.
Take Sunset: I heard that you renovated a 100 year old home in upstate New York before relocating to California. What was that experience like?
Kelly Lamb: Yes, I renovated a big house built in 1906 in upstate New York. It was a crazy undertaking. As with something that old, you never really know what you are going to get when you dig in. The thing I really enjoyed about it was seeing the different layers of transition the house had taken over time. Each previous owner had marked the property with their tastes and personality. It was a trip to peel away the different layers and try to imagine what was going on in the home at a particular time. All the layers gave the house a crazy personality. There was a disco in the basement from the 70s, and there was beautiful stonework from the turn of the century. It was really fun and interesting for me to take into consideration all the things the house had been and add to the legacy of the home’s architecture and design.
Take Sunset: Have you renovated any homes here in Los Angeles?
Kelly Lamb: I just finished doing a house in LA that was built in the same year as the one in upstate NY. The process was very similar to what happened in NY, but the history was obviously more California based, and the weather had not taken as big of a toll on the structure itself as it did to the upstate NY property.
Take Sunset: How did you get involved in doing commercial interiors for restaurants and clubs like Malo and Echo? It seems like the creative process would be very different than working on individual art pieces.
Kelly Lamb: When I moved to LA, I got involved doing interiors for commercial venues. One thing led to another and I was asked to do the interiors for part of the Echo nightclub, which led me to doing Malo and so on. Yes, the process is very different than doing an individual art piece because ultimately it is a collaboration with the owners of the venue, where as art is a solo venture. I also look at doing interior design as collaboration with the audience or the “customer,” as I take into consideration how the final product is going to be used and perceived by the public. When I was making art, these ideas were not really as much a part of my practice. Read more…
Barbrix In Silver Lake
I’ll admit it; sometimes I complain about eastside restaurants. But never about Barbrix. Since it opened in spring of 2009, Barbrix has been a favorite of Silver Lake residents and beyond. The simple, Mediterranean-inspired menu seems to be exactly what I’m always in the mood for. And Los Angeles Magazine recently named Barbrix one of the city’s ten “best new restaurants”.
Barbrix serves small plates, so you can taste many different things over the course of one meal. Some of my favorites are the pan seared sea scallops; the spring farro salad; the roasted cauliflower salad with chickpeas, green beans & charmoula dressing; and the deviled eggs (love these). The wine selection is stellar and reasonably priced for a bottle or a glass.
The ambiance at Barbrix is fantastic too. It’s a great place to go for a date or to relax and people watch. Just remember to make reservations if you go on a weekend.
Barbrix Restaurant and Wine Bar
2442 Hyperion Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 662-2442
Photo Source: Barbrix
LAMILL Coffee Boutique
LAMILL Coffee Boutique in Silver Lake has the potential to ruin you for life. You know those people that take a tentative sip of restaurant coffee, grimace, and wax poetic about the importance of the correct beans? Or Syphon brew vs. French press? After a few trips to LAMILL, you could become one of those people.
And while you can expect to pay a bit more at LAMILL than you would at other coffee shops, the product is just so much better that you really won’t care. On a regular day, I brew a mini pot in my craptastic Mr. Coffee. But I’m dreaming of curling up on a teal green alligator chair underneath the crystal chandelier at LAMILL while a cute waiter or waitress drips a fancy cup right at my table.
LAMILL’s Organic Iced Coffee was named Best Iced Coffee by L.A. Magazine in 2009 and is house-made by 16-hour cold water extract. (See? Life-ruiner.) Their other coffee options are Bali Coffee, with notes of maraschino cherries, vanilla and key lime, Ethiopia Coffee, with sweet floral perfume and lemon zest notes, and Rwanda Coffee, with notes of spice and cocoa, as well as daily offerings, and teas. And if you need something other than a caffeine fix, you’re in luck. LAMILL serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, and now alcohol as well. Whenever I’m there early in the day, it seems every table has the House-Made Brioche Doughnut Holes with a Side of Madagascar Vanilla Cream. They have a pretty substantial menu too, with items like Chilled Pea Soup, Kimchi Flank Steak Salad, House-Cured Tasmanian Sea Trout, egg dishes, sandwiches, and more.
I’ve read some reviews of LAMILL that claim their service is rude, but I’ve had nothing but nice service, even while asking a million coffee novice questions. There is also prime sidewalk seating, which is a great hangout for the dogs of Silver Lake.
LAMILL Coffee Boutique
1636 Silver Lake Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 663-4441
Forage in Silver Lake
There has been quite a lot of chatter about Forage since it opened in Silver Lake. But for those just driving by its Sunset Junction location—as I do daily–it managed to open relatively quietly, nabbing the space previously occupied by Town & Country.
Forage’s menu is right up my alley–super fresh ingredients that rotate with whatever is in season. There are lots of fresh options, like the raved about Pork Belly Sandwich or their daily quiche offering. Particularly tempting are the combo plates where you can order a protein, like Jidori Rotisserie Chicken, and an option of sides–Market Vegetables, Beets with Citrus-Ginger Slaw, Creamy Scalloped Potatoes and more.
Forage also holds a harvest call every Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. You can drop by with your homegrown produce, and members of Forage’s culinary team will figure out how they can use it on their upcoming menu. They also post forage calls on their site of the produce they’re actively foraging.
The Eagle’s Landing In Eagle Rock
As I was driving through Eagle Rock after a showing yesterday I noticed this new little coffee shop that just opened up in a quiet residential part of the neighborhood. Eagle’s Landing is part of the non-profit and community focused Rock Community Center and caters towards students from nearby Eagle Rock High School and Occidental College.
The shop serves typical coffee beverages – mochas, lattes, esperessos, etc – as well as sandwiches and breakfast. In addition, half of the proceeds goes to benefit the local teen center which shares the building. Make Eagle’s Landing a stop on your morning commute and help this good cause!
Eagle’s Landing Coffee House
4808 Townsend Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Most days 6am – 9pm
Gobi Mongolian BBQ House In Silver Lake
The other night I finally checked out Gobi Mongolian BBQ House, a restaurant I had been eying for some time now. The concept here is simple and great: grab a big bowl and fill it with meats, veggies, noodles and sauces and then give it to the cook who will fry it up for you on a giant flat-top grill while you watch.
Everything went great until I got to the sauce section – there are 11 to choose from and I found it a bit daunting. I went with a few spoonfuls of spicy sauce, some garlic and then had the cook add the traditional sauce. Looking back I should have a taken a few more risks and added some more flavors, but the dish was still tasty and very fresh.
Gobi gets its veggies from local Farmer’s Markets and you can definitely taste the difference. Overall this is a simple and fun place to go with a group of friends so you can try everyone’s concoctions. The prices are right too – dinner is $13.95 while lunch is $9.95 but you get a ton of food and can definitely take some of it to go. All in all, a welcome addition to the ‘hood.
Gobi Mongolian BBQ House
2827 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Open 11:30am to 11:00pm daily
Canelé In Atwater Village
I had heard a lot about Canelé before I tried it out – local residents of nearby Silver Lake and Atwater Villge love this little spot and for good reason: it’s pretty much the perfect example of a sophisticated local restaurant. Smart without being smug, Canelé clearly is run by some food-savvy cooks and you can feel the good vibes from the moment you walk in.
In the front of the space is a big communal table and stretching for most of the length of the restaurant is a big open kitchen. If you like watching chefs at work, you’ll want to snag a seat at the bar where you can watch them up close.
I tried the duck confit (delicious) with the Tahitian squash soup (very tasty). My dining partners (parents and girlfriend) loved their dishes as well. There is a definite French-American trend going throughout the menu and you should definitely be in a slightly adventurous mood if you want to take full advantage of what Canelé’s chefs have to offer.
Canelé is located on the very random stretch of Glendale Blvd in Atwater Village – walking distance for many local residents but street parking was abundant.
Canelé
3219 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Tamarind Ave Deli In Hollywood
When I moved to Los Angeles one of the first things I searched for was a deli to get a good sandwich. Sure there was Canter’s but what I really wanted was a local sandwich shop to pop into on a Saturday afternoon and get an Italian sub with a bag of chips and an orange soda. I searched and I searched but nothing fit what I was looking for.
Then one day I was heading west on Sunset Blvd and I saw a sign that said simply: “Tamarind Ave Deli”. At first I thought it was too good to be true – could this really be what it proclaims itself to be? Was this a film set posing to be Chicago or New York? Was this truly a simple, no frills deli? The answer, to my shock and excitement, was YES.
Rockwell VT In Los Feliz
In a slightly hidden spot behind the Vermont restaurant (go to the back end of the building, past the bank and coffee shop to the discreet entrance in the alley) lies Rockwell VT, the new open-air bar/treehouse hideout. Despite being frequently packed since its soft opening in September and official opening October 1, Rockwell VT manages to feel spacious and inviting. A beautiful coral tree stretches through the bar’s multi-levels, giving the space a woodsy, romantic feel.
There is a nightly DJ and room for dancing, along with plenty of seating for those that want to relax over their drinks. On the weekends, the patio is cleared out and the bar is more clubby. Friday nights lean more toward a gay scene, while Saturdays are more of a neighborhood party.
From the bar’s second floor, you get a nice view of all the action along with spectacular views of the Hollywood Hills and downtown L.A. There’s a large patio, a booth with a fire pit, and private areas for parties.
Rockwell VT got a surprise on its opening Friday night, when Christina Aguilera stopped by with her husband and friends and wound up staying all night. The cast of the Legally Blonde stage production has also stopped by, along with the crew from the new Fame movie.
The menu is surprisingly diverse — offering small plates of food, like tacos, flatbreads, a spicy calamari, and grilled shrimp served with a pesto dipping sauce. It offers plenty of rare beers to accompany the menu and specialty cocktails, as well.
Rockwell VT is definitely not the typical Los Feliz bar, so I will be curious if this spot attracts those from outside the neighborhood, or if it attracts locals. It will be great for those who live in the area and have been looking for a place to go dancing close to home.
Rockwell
1714 N. Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 669-1550
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