A VENICE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL JUST AS SWEET

        That is of course if you consider the smell of corn dogs, self produced Hip Hop CDs, and Egyptian Musk incense to be sweet.  If you’ve spent any real time in Venice, you know it’s so much more than a boardwalk and street performers. What we know as Venice, CA was originally won in a coin toss by conservationist Abbott Kinney in 1898. His dream was to create a great ocean side cultural mecca.

         If you walk a few blocks from the beach and take a stroll down Abbot Kinney Blvd, the culture, art, and cuisine ooze from every corner of this bohemian chic neighborhood. And every year on the last Sunday in September, The Abbot Kinney Festival comes alive with over 150,000 people to celebrate all things that make Venice authentically unique. Mr Kinney was a helluvah gambler. My coin tosses may get me a round of drinks, at best. This is a teachable moment; I need wealthier friends to coin toss with. Anyway, from 10am-6m this Sunday the festival brings art, crafts, good food, music, and an environmentally green way of doing things and wraps it neatly in a bow made of hemp. If you have kids, bring them, because the Kidsquad area will keep everyone busy with music sing alongs, games, art, and snack making.

         This date could be a true Tri-Fecta. You can hit the Abott Kinney Festival, walk the Venice Canals, and finish with a beach stroll and a creative Henna tattoo that reads “Got Henna ?”.  Yes you are that cool!

Details:

Website: http://abbotkinney.org/

When: Sunday, September 25^th, 2011 10am-6pm

Where: Abbot Kinney Blvd at Venice Blvd.

Why: Hanging with the Bohemian, Artsy, Tree Hugging, Hipster crowd is fun even if you secretly miss shopping at Mervyns.

Cost: Entrance is free

Don’t Let Me Down Chinatown. It Won’t!!

        When you hear the term Chinatown, you probably don’t immediately think of the area in downtown Los Angeles, just south of Dodger Stadium. Images of Chinatowns in San Francisco or NYC are what usually come up. Take an old note out of Sisqo’s book and unleash the dragon at The Chinatown Summer Nights Festival. It’s the perfect event to re-introduce yourself to our Chinatown in The City of Angeles. 

         If you want to learn how to train your dragon, you’ll have to watch the animated movie. This festival is about Food, Art, Shopping, Djs, Martial Arts, and Chef Battling. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Awww yeah, Iron Chef all up in your face!! And I’m also thinking, this would be a Great Date. The Festival is Free and is this Saturday(September 10^th) from 5-midnight. There’s plenty of parking, bike racks, and shuttles running every 10 minutes from the Metro Goldline Station. “I don’t care how you get here, just get here if you can”(Thank you Oleta Adams).

Details:

http://chinatownla.com/index.php 

When: Saturday, September 10^th from 5-midnight

Where: Chinatown-Central Plaza & West Plaza
                                  943-951 N. Broadway
                                  Los Angeles, CA 90012

Why: Culture and Courting go together like Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan.

                 

Dates Don’t Have To Be Deep. Stay Close To The “Surfas”

          If you’re like me you’re disgusted at the paltry selection of cooking shows on television. I mean come on, not one show that inspires me to use my Forman Grill. Maybe it’s time to mature and get a Panini press. For the time being I’d rather go check out a live cooking demonstration at Surfas in Culver City. As much as Emeril likes to “Kick it Up a Notch”, I’ve never tasted the first notch. Maybe it was notch perfect to begin with. Surfas’s cooking demonstrations take the guess-work out of the equation by allowing you to taste what’s being made

       And its FREE!! They have demos almost every Saturday. Make sure you check their website for their upcoming demos and events. If you’re really feeling the mood, they offer cooking classes for a fee. Surfas is a store that specializes in gourmet foods and professional cooking supplies. If you’re still hungry after the demonstration, they now have a café. But if the date is going really well, grab a few unique gourmet food items and take it to the house for a couples cooking night. Behind closed doors feel free to do what you wish with your “Notches”.

http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/ 

Details:

Cost: Free

Where: Surfas National, Culver City

When: Saturdays(Check website for schedule)

Tip: If you want a good seat, get there 10-15 minutes early

Why: Free food and you learn how to throw away your Top Ramen, together.