The Weekend Feast for November 18th - 20th

Before you get busy with all that pie next week (and honestly, I can hardly contain myself) why not pre-work it off by getting on your bike and heading over to the grand opening of the Santa Monica Bike Center Friday morning, November 18th?

 You and your wheels are invited to the ribbon cutting ceremony. Meet at City Hall at 9:15 for a bike ride to the ribbon cutting or meet at 2nd and Colorado at 10am for the ceremony.  The full service bike center, the largest facility of its kind in the country, features 5,300 sq ft of space in 2 locations with almost 360 bike parking spaces. Facilities are located at 320 Broadway within Parking Structure 7,  and 215 Colorado in Parking Structure 8.  The center (s)  is designed to provide secure parking spaces and other bike related services including bike repair, rentals, a retail component, lockers and showers.  The website is not yet completed but click here for more details and stay tuned.


Oh and pssst - here's a treat secret for Friday morning.

Milo and Olive, the new pizzeria from the lovely Rustic Canyon, Huckleberry, Sweet Rose folks is scheduled to open their bakery from 7am - 11am.  You can't get pizza until December 1st (11am - 11pm)  but in the meantime you can show up at the bike center ceremony with what is sure to be a beautiful baguette in your basket.   
Milo & Olive
2723 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica

This weekend, as a part of Pacific Standard Time, the Getty presents a fascinating program- How Los Angeles Invented the World .  Lectures include  How Los Angeles created the Good Life, How Life Imitated Art,  and The Past and Future of LA's Global Image. Check-in for a full afternoon of programing begins at 12:30, guests are encouraged to arrive no later than 1:30 to insure that they are seated.   The event takes place in the Harold M. Williams Auditorium.  It's here for details.



MOCA gets further into its Pacific Standard Time programing with Naked Hollywood, the first Southern California museum exhibition devoted to the work of the photographer known as WeeGee.   The mulit-media exhibit looks at the "lurid, irresistible undersides of Stardom, fandom, commerce and publicity" in mid-20th century LA.  This exhibit is a do-not-miss for you but it's not for young kids.

Sexualized, twisted, and warped (literally, see above) the work is incomprehensible to kids (yes, even your little genius) under 12 and would only serve to confuse and disturb.  Kids 12- 14 and older, with guidance and conversation, might appreciate the artist's unique perspective and you're going to love it.  Go here for details.

On Sunday afternoon I will be taking my kids to Express Yourself, a benefit for P.S. Arts at the Barker Hanger at Santa Monica airport. This is a fantastic event which we have been attending for several years. The enormous hanger is filled with a huge variety of arts and crafts booths; puppets, jewelry, tee shirts, tote bags, hair bands - so many things to make and bring home. With fun food, music, a dance floor (or wrestling floor depending on whether there are more boys or girls on it at any given time) it's a great afternoon for a great cause. Tickets are $175 and can be found here.  For 20 years P.S. Arts has brought arts education to public schools with little or no arts education. More that 11,000  Los Angeles and Central Valley students have participated in weekly P.S. Arts programs this year.  I love this organization and I'm looking forward to another great Express Yourself!  

The warm, modern, quintessentially Californian beauty of Heath Ceramics can be yours this weekend for 20% off.   Just in time for Thanksgiving - and suddenly you must have new napkins - the Heath Ceramics sale runs Friday the 18th through Sunday the 27th.  Saturday afternoon the Beverly Store is hosting a kids party from 1-3. Let your kids enjoy the coloring station,  modern kids photography and treats while you shop. It here for details.

I have been hearing about this for a while now but word is the Cool Haus store front is actually opening this weekend.  The store is located at 8588 Washington Blvd in Culver City.  If you get down there and in fact it is not open you can a) go to the nearest Whole Foods (which is at 11666 National Blvd West Los Angeles) where you will find a few flavors or b) check out the Cool Haus tweets.

And finally it is with pleasure (and a bit of anxiety, so much butter, so very much butter... ) that I share with you that the best croissants in Los Angeles are back as Maison Giraud is now open (for breakfast, full service next week) in the Pacific Palisades.  Chef Alain Giraud, of Bastide and Santa Monica's Anisette has opened his dream project, a casual french cafe serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I have tasted and things are delicious.... Maison Giraud 1032 Swarthmore Ave. Pacific Palisades 310 459-7561

Have a wonderful weekend!