PRODUCT REVIEW: Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer

Finding the perfect item to accentuate your kisser is a lifelong quest for many women. In general I hate lipstick--I hate the way it looks, feels, smells & tastes. Since last summer I've been searching for the perfect tinted chapstick to give myself the illusion of wearing lipstick, but keeping within my comfort level. I found Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer on drugstore.com & fell in love. It's shimmery, sheer but packed with color, comes in 7 hues and feels like Burt's Bees chapstick. Basically, that's what it is, chapstick with color and shimmery sparkles. Like Burt's chapstick, the lip shimmer envelopes your lips with a mentholated aura of tingly goodness. Priced at $3.29 on drugstore.com (although I've seen them in stores for $5.00) this is a great value. My only complaint is that there's no SPF--I guess a girl can't have it all.

Recommended

FILM REVIEW: Elephant

Dreamlike realism is the chief characteristic of this 2003 production I recently rented from Video Journeys.

Director Gus Van Sant's camera haunts the mundane toils of several young people whose lives intersect at Columbine high school, on April 20th 1999. With the combination of the use of a ghost-like pov -most of the film is spent in enduringly held long-takes while following just 2 steps behind each person. This film manages to move from a place of quiet to a terrifyingly real account of the mass-carnage de jour. The mood is furthered by an often abstract musical score -like Sonic Youth playing live inside a sinking ship, overheard by a whale. Also there is some Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Elephant's starkly convincing sense of the real is cemented through a stylistic detachment. With unselfconscious poise and 'searching' voyeurism the story meditates the shocking countdown, recontextualizing it at eye level. From the outset, Elephant' use of an 'objective' perspective was inventive, hypnotically suggesting such a sense of truth. This sense was reinforced in a surprising way for me when during the peak of the action of the film each characters frame seems to shrink finally, but without really doing so. Without a zoom or cut to close-up, it was as if the negative space, like in a painting, was suddenly conjured up and signaled as being tantamount to all else. This overwhelming sense of an other or negative space surrounding and surpassing the tedious and serious existence of these characters had signaled to my mind something modestly on pare with the smallest understanding of the human entanglement involved in this real moment -the real thing on the real day in real life. I was left thinking of how that which was cropped and left out from the films' perspective, like in close-up, only lends an even greater realism. In this way the film attempts to address the very issue of its making, of reconstructing memory and of human consequence.

For another experience of this all too real' and wrenching historical node see Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. That film gives a greater topical and piercing analysis of this event in detail and in context to U.S. Empyreal Violence and deeper cultural history (i.e. 'manifest destiny') in reference to the national psyche -in pop terms.

Elephant remembers the ambience of real shock and awe.... and never forgets. There is a deeply sad silver-lining in these clouds shone in the reflection of the great beauty of the sky, that of youth and youthful desire and direness, pale and clear in shallow water as on a battlefield. This film is offered as a gift to the living world.


Recommended.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Malo

After a monster walk all over Silver Lake, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at Malo, a "taqueria chicana" that opened a few months ago in our hood. I've read mixed reviews about the place, but I've come to the conclusion that the people who didn't like Malo didn't like it because it doesn't serve "traditional" Mexican cuisine. The food is pan-American, with a gourmet twist--which is exactly the kind of food I've been searching for. But wait, before we get into the food, we've got to talk tequila. Malo specializes in tequila and boasts a tequila menu featuring about 70 varieties and ranging in price between a $6 shot of Sauza to a $55 shot of "Seleccion Suprema." After consulting with our helpful and enthusiastic waiter, we chose El Tesoro Reposado for our $8 margaritas--the best margaritas we have ever had. Really, I'm not sure how they made them, but my margarita tasted so fresh and complex, so amazingly good. I followed my margarita up with a truly amazing mojito. They've got several other interesting drink specials on the menu including a Mexican cosmo and horchata with Ciclone.

Malo is split into 2 wings--the bar wing & the restaurant wing. They've also got a dining patio, which is too rare in LA. There's a jukebox in the bar with a great selection of music from Brian Eno to the Shins. In the dining room they played loud rocking music which mixed great with our drinks. We went at about 7pm on a Wednesday night, and the scene was pretty much dead, but supposedly it's got a happening singles scene on the weekends.

OK, the food: everything at Malo comes a la carte, meaning no complimentary chips & salsa, no rice & beans with your meal--it's all extra. This seems like a bummer at first, but it's actually great b/c they've got a wide selection of unusual sides like sauteed squash or fried bananas with garlic and cream. We went for the tortilla chips "fried to order" with a burnt habanero & creme fraiche salsa for $4. The salsa was amazing, so spicy and so sweet--not meant for people with delicate constitutions. The chips were fresh, but a little on the soggy side, but we didn't really mind. They've also got a Spanish chocolate & roasted arbol salsa which looked interesting, but I had to go with the creme fraiche of course. You can also get a "salsa flight" which is a sampler of all 4 of their unusual salsas. They've also got the prerequisite pico de gallo & guacamole for the less adventurous.

The menu is pretty extensive, but sadly there are only 4 vegetarian main dishes. I ordered the eggplant & potato tacos dorado for $5 & a $2 side of refried beans. Served in a paper dish, the tacos were stuffed, rolled & fried then smothered with guacamole and sour cream. Very filling and very very good. Oli got the verde and jack cheese enchiladas, $6, with sides of beans & rice. The enchiladas were fresh & the flavor(s) of tart lime and tomatillo were exquisitely combined with smooth jack cheese. The other vegetarian items on the menu were jack & cheddar enchiladas & a zucchini relleno, which I will return for--yum! Although most of the menu items are meat, they do sound interesting and unusual--several lobster dishes, rose petal & chocolate grilled chicken, and cola & orange juice slow roasted carnitas don't quite tempt me to eat meat, but I do wonder what vegetarian versions of these dishes would be like.

Recommended

Malo 
4326 Sunset Blvd at Fountain
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 664-1011

P.S. Watch out, the refried beans are made with pork! But the fresh beans are excellent.

FILM REVIEW: Super Size Me

This film is a mix of Michael Mooresque polarities and humor and a large dose of personal pain and joie de vivre' from subject/object -producer/director Morgan Spurlock.

A 30-day: Mc-Diet, a scientific quest for truth provides comment on topical litigation -that fast food is harmful and causes obesity, leads to three of Morgan's doctors and one nutritionist telling him he may die of liver failure. -"Like Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas." Aslo, he has a few ‘simple’ rules:
1) No options: he could only eat what was available over the counter (water included!)
2) No supersizing unless offered
3) No excuses: 3 meals a day and he had to eat every item on the menu at least once.

After damaging: Liver, kidney, and heart and also almost 25 pounds later Morgan is denied an interview with a Mc-E D's representatives. The film looks past this event to take into account the 6 month vegan/detox diet (a’ la Morgan’s girlfriend -a Vegan chef). Also, the year of physical activity it took to help undo the health damages of caloric excess, loss of muscle/weight gain, vitamin and mineral deficiency, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, shortness of breath - fatigue, depression, cravings and ultimately addiction.

This film has a concise and engaging visual style of animations and road-trip energy. There is a real sense that this is an intelligent person who is humbly -bearing witness to our self-destructive urges and the ‘enabling’ by powerful corporations and their profits. Are our bodies like their bodies? Just as bloated, as over whelming to Life as a lava flow?

As the films’ own website states: "Ominously, 37% of American children and adolescents are carrying too much fat and 2 out of every three adults are overweight or obese. Is it our fault for lacking self-control, or are the fast-food corporations to blame?
For me that question was answered quite plainly in a graphic gastric bypass surgery procedure.

An engrossing experience for mind and body. -Highly Recommended.

FILM REVIEW: The Saddest Music in the World

The Saddest Music in the World is Guy Maddin's latest cinematic romp. If you’re not familiar with Maddin, here’s a quick tutorial: he’s Canadian & he makes all his films appear as if they were made in the 1920s-1930s, but with a modern and literary sensibility. In one sense, Maddin’s kind of a one-trick pony. His kitschy 1930s filmic style looks cool, and is a fantastic ode to the fathers of cinema, but the challenge in any Maddin film is whether or not the plot is strong enough to support the film style. I think The Saddest Music works, for the most part--there are some slow or confusing parts in the film, but the bizarre plot line and the visual excess did keep my attention.

Here’s the basic plot outline: 1930s, Winnipeg--A legless beer heiress (Isabella Rossellini) devises a marketing ploy to increase America’s desire of beer to break prohibition in the US. She decides to hold a worldwide contest to find the saddest music in the world, since it is the Great Depression, and Winnipeg is the saddest place in the world. Musicians come from far and wide to face off on stage battle royale style, but the contest is merely a backdrop to a bizarre love pentagon between the heiress and a local family. As you can imagine, hijinks, confusion and love scenes ensue and culminate in a great finale.

There are plenty of Canadian jokes for those of us who think Canadians are funny. A must see if you have never seen a Maddin film before, for this is his most accessible film to date. Recommended.


P.S. If you click on the review title, you can watch some of Maddin's latest short films.

THEATRE REVIEW: URINETOWN The Musical

Well, well, well...So my mom won 2 tickets to the Los Angeles opening night of Broadway's newest hit musical PissCity, and then was called away out of town at the last minute...

Urinetown, a title which I was surprised to find being mocked more in the first five minutes of the show by those on the stage than by those in the audience (cast 1 / audience 0 - ?)...is a self reflexive, pee-stained farse about what life would be like in a far off and unfamiliar future where the 'the people' actually decide to revolt against the cruel domination of their bladders by an evil collusion of the regining neo-conservative government and their greedy, compassionate-conservative, corporate captains --lets just call them pee-profiteers shall we.

As far as my taste in socio-political commentary goes, I usually like it to have some greater depth beyond simply an obtuse exoskellatal allegory, especially when this is all that is standing-in the place where original plot should...or at least it should be funny. Though I consistently felt the dancing and the exhibition of voice talent were both consistently impressive, upon leaving and even now, days afterward, the melodies of this musical have not found their way into my long-term memory.

I have decided that I can no longer in good conscience, in what is really a stand on ethical grounds, align myself with the concept that musical theatre has a 'sustainable future'. I hereby declare it dead to me! Just like the average age in the audience itself (deceased). Not that I didn't find it amusing and heartwarming listening to this one old man try to convince another senior gentleman, who had no recolection of the former, that they had once known eachother and been fast friends in the time of yor...all while we sipped $6 wine in plastic cups and waited for the doors to open --I just love a world where total strangers can just talk to one another. Also for the record the gent with the velcro shoes and the feathered cap won our best dressed 'older' award of the evening.

The last bit of tantalizing trivia is that "Officer Lockstock" the narrator and head of the brutal town police, was played by non other than Jeff McCarthy a.k.a. the voice of the animated icon and mascot, Michigan J. Frog from television's the WB Network.

Not Reccomended

PRODUCT REVIEW: Le Creuset Grill Pan, 8"

$100 is a lot to pay for an eight inch grill pan, but Williams Sonoma has Le Creuset Grill Pans on sale for only $40!! OK, $40 is a lot to pay for a grill pan, but I have to say it is the best damn grill pan ever! Not only is it the best shade of red/ orange, it cooks like a maniac. So far we've grilled brussel sprouts, tempeh patties, and panini with marvelous results, but more is to come. Tonight: broccolini! Tossed in garlic olive oil, sprinkled with hot chili flakes, then cooked to profection on this little wonder. Recommended.

FILM REVIEW: Hell House

I have a few friends who are obsessed with this film & have been going on and on about it for a while. I missed it in theaters, but when I saw it on the shelf at the video store, I had to rent it.

HELL HOUSE is a documentary about a "haunted house" near Dallas, Texas that scares kids into becoming Evangelical Christians by showing them that they will go to hell if they don’t "accept Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior." Every October, for the past 13 years or so, as crowds shuffle through the highly orchestrated Hell House, they are shown scenes of sin and debauchery, then they are shown the sinners in hell & those that were Christians in heaven. There’s a gay guy dying of AIDS that ends up in hell (his main sin was believing that he was born gay (ie God did it) when according to the Evangelicals, he turned gay after he was molested by his dad). And a girl who goes to a rave, is slipped a date rape drug, gang raped & then admits that she was also molested by her dad and commits suicide, then goes to hell. There’s also a girl who gets an abortion & dies from the complications, but because she accepts Jesus right before she dies, she goes to heaven, but she still dies. After viewing all these scenes, the guests are ushered into a broom closet & confronted by a fire and brimstone talk by a minister then given to the count of 5 to choose between going in a room to pray and fill out cards affirming their acceptance of Jesus or awkwardly staying in a broom closet with the scary preacher man, and accepting the fact that they will burn in hell. Surprisingly, most of the people stay in the broom closet & are OK with going to hell. These are my kind of people.

The documentary also takes a behind the scenes look at people and the production of the house & the brain-storming sessions that lead to the crazy skits. The most entertaining thing about this documentary is that the Evangelicals are completely ignorant of the situations they are creating. My favorite part is when two of the pastors start arguing about what color paint should be used for the pentagrams in the occult scene. "Last year we had a Warlock come in and he said that nothing could be white, no white candles, and no white pentagrams!" one of the pastors says. The other pastor is shamed b/c he is caught with white paint. The film cuts to the occult set, painted in red is the Star of David!!! Not a pentagram at all!!! Oy!

There are lots of interesting characters in HELL HOUSE & it is definitely worth checking out. Recommended.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: AOC for Vegetarians

[In the interest of full disclosure, our good friend is a pastry cook at AOC, so yes; we got special treatment & a discount (& a tour of the kitchen!).]


Stepping off the rue we pass into the restaurant through a high and substantial portal -immediate sign that this will be an experience of elevating quality.

We find our way through the main dinning room, a lofty vault with exposed dark wood and balancing mellow clay colored walls, through subtly laid tables past the bar – where dining reservations are not required. There are three rooms in all, an upstairs patio, and a smaller room in the wing of the main dinning room. Here our party of six took up a booth near a deeply inset window that soared the distance up into the rafters, and we began to absorb the menu.

This was easily done with the aid of the timely application of bruscetta with harissa and olives. Toasted slivers of baguette brushed with olive oil and fresh herbs, a spread made of roasted Ancho chilies, and small dark French olives.

Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc 2001. A bright medium red – supple, creamy, but still juicy. This Napa wine from a family winery in St. Helena, California was so refreshing and flavorful we had to order a carafe to follow the bottle we shared. The wine list was extensive and priced fairly. Bottles ranged from $20 - $400.

We also enjoyed a cheese platter (normally "five cheeses" for $20 - we received a special array of 6 varieties, plus "accompaniments" which included dried figs, walnuts, quince paste, and Meyer lemon paste). Overall, the cheese was amazing, the arrangement was beautiful and thoughtful, we could have had only the cheese and been totally satisfied.

goat
*Le Petit Fiancé Pyrénées France —like a goat version of a Brie, but smoky, my favorite.

sheep
*Romao La Mancha Spain —an aged hard cheese, framed with dried herbs, drizzled with olive oil, great with the meyer lemon paste.
*Sfizio Pecorino Crotonese Lazio Italy

cow
*Robiola di Bosco Lombardy Italy
*Soumaintrain Burgandy France —like Brie, creamy, full flavored.

blue
*Roaring Forties Tasmania, Australia — yummy stuffed into a dried fig.

The Avocado, Schaner Farm citrus and green olives Salad ($8) was fresh and tart, a nice transition to the small-plate main course. The waitress recommended 2-3 plates per person--we were all very satisfied with 2 each.

From the wood-burning oven:

*cauliflower, curry and red vinegar ($7)

*artichokes, blood orange and house-smoked ricotta ($9) —a really great combo of different flavors and textures—mild, creamy ricotta with salty olives.

*brioche with prosciutto, gruyere and egg ($13) —I could eat this everyday for breakfast. The brioche was swimming in melted gruyere, a layer of frise, then a perfectly soft cooked sunny-side-up egg on top. I didn’t feel that I was missing out by not having the prosciutto because the dish was already so salty and smoky.

and more food...

*white and green asparagus with pistachio maltaise ($12) —white asparagus is always tough to eat, but the presentation was beautiful, and the sauce was buttery.

*english peas, snap peas and saffron butter ($8) —I’m a sucker for peas. Lightly cooked pea shoots were also in the mix. Bright yellow butter sauce, bright green peas were a visual delight, however there was almost too much butter.

*farro and black rice with pinenuts and currants ($7) —hearty and sweet, very satisfying.

*steamed fingerlings with crème fraiche ($7) —If you put crème fraiche on an old shoe, I would eat it, if you put crème fraiche on the cutest little rainbow potatoes, I devour it.

*young broccoli with garlic and chili ($7) —classic combo, but a little too simple for $7.

l*ong-cooked cavolo nero ($7) —"cavolo nero" translates to "black cabbage" and is similar to kale and oh so tasty. Somehow they made the greens crispy, juicy, and meaty all at the same time.

*spring vegetable ragout ($8)—very similar to the English peas dish, next time I wouldn’t get both.

*wild mushrooms persillade ($12)—"persillade" is garlic and parsley chopped finely together. The mushrooms were great. I loved the crispy little breadcrumbs on top.


Desserts (all $7)
*rhubarb crumble tart with buttermilk ice cream —not too sweet, not too tart, the buttermilk ice cream is icy, not creamy, and it goes well with the spoonful of whipped cream cut w/ crème fraiche the tart sits on.

*drop biscuit with gaviota strawberries and soured cream —this is how my mom would make strawberry shortcake, too good.

*meyer lemon fritter with vanilla ice cream and honey —when I see "fritter" I think of something small, but this was a large deep-fried triangle of dough filled with a lemon custard. I’m usually not a big lemon fan, but this was great. The vanilla ice cream was very refreshing.

And…

*rocky road bread pudding with toasted marshmallow —this dessert has been a topic of conversation many times, and I was afraid that I would feel let down after all the buildup, but as soon as the first spoon broke through the crust of toasted marshmallow topping, I knew… An absolute must for chocolate lovers. My favorite aspect was how the brioche was partially disintegrated into pure chocolate in some places, a richness matched only by the rich creaminess of the marshmallow.

The menu changes often, and there are more than enough vegetarian options to warrant several return visits. Bon Appetit –Highly Recommended

AOC
8022 W Third St at Crescent Heights Boulevard
(323) 653-6359

RECIPE REVIEW: Grilled Artichokes

This recipe is from the Diabetic Gourmet Magazine website. I've made it twice now, and I highly recommend it.

http://diabeticgourmet.com/articles/383.shtml

Grilled Artichokes

Yield: Makes 6 servings
2 artichoke halves per serving

* 6 medium Ocean Mist Farms artichokes
* 1 lemon, sliced
* 1 to 2 cloves garlic
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/3 cup lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, mint, basil or tarragon
* 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper

1. Rinse artichokes in cold water. With a sharp knife, cut off the top 1/3 of artichoke. Cut off just the base of the stem, leaving most of the stem in place. Turn artichokes stem side up and cut in half lengthwise starting at the stem. With spoon or knife, scrape out the fuzzy choke in the center and discard.
2. In saucepot heat 3 inches of water to boiling. Add artichokes, lemon slices, garlic cloves. Return to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover, simmer until artichokes are just tender when base is pierced with a fork, 15 minutes to 20 minutes, depending on size. Drain well.
3. Combine all remaining ingredients in 9x13x2-inch glass baking dish. Add drained artichokes, cut side down. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill. (Can be done a day ahead.)
4. To grill: Lift artichokes from marinade, reserving marinade, and place on grill over hot coals, cut side up. Cook until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Brush with marinade, then turn and cook until cut side is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Brush with marinade. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutrients Per Serving:
calories: 173,
total fat: 9.0g,
saturated fat: 1.2g,
% calories from fat: 40%,
protein: 7g,
carbohydrates: 23g,
cholesterol: 0mg,
dietary fiber: 10g,
sodium: 465mg

Notes: They sell "Ocean Mist Farm" artichokes at Trader Joe's, but really, any artichoke will do. I've made the balsamic marinade with rosemary and basil, and the lemon marinade with sage, mint and thyme--both were good, there is a lot of room for variation and creativity, which is what I like. It is necessary to grill the artichokes until they're nice and golden and crispy, which may take a little patience, but you'll thank me. It's not necessary to have a dipping sauce with the artichokes, but a little Wildwood organic vegan garlic aioli never hurt anyone.

CONCERT REVIEW: Lionel Richie at the Project ALS Benefit

Word association game: You say "Lionel Richie," I draw a blank. I've heard the name before, of course, but I have no idea what kind of songs this guy sings, or what he looks like. He's Nicole Richie's adopted dad, right? So when I heard that he was performing at the Project ALS Benefit, I was neither delighted nor dismayed.

He plays 4 or 5 songs on that blustery night on a soundstage on the Disney lot, even though he insisted that he had prepared to play 2. Dispute being accompanied only by a keyboardist the sound was rich enough to assume that there was an entire band up there if you couldn't see the stage. Surrounded by actors and celebrities, I was sitting in the second row of tables, centerstage.

He opens with "Hello" to high squeals coming from the table in front of me. "Oh, Lionel Richie does this song," I say to myself. I recognized it from the playlist of an easy listening radio station in San Diego, KYXY 96.5FM. So this is Lionel Richie. He has an amazing voice, and the songs sound just like the recording on the radio. He is putting everything into his performance and beads of sweat appear on his forehead immediately.

Next he gets everyone up on their feet and dancing and singing along with "Dancing on the Ceiling"--unfortunately I had never heard this song before, so I was a little lost. He's back on track with "Easy" and he plays one more song before the big finale "All Night Long (All Night)." Everyone is dancing and screaming & energized for the ride home.

The only disconcerting part of the evening is when I noticed that Lionel's shirt was completely transparent under the bright stage lights. This guy is in great shape and he has the body to pull off the see-through look, but I was surprised to notice that he was adjusting a nipple ring on his left nipple. Most piercings gross me out, and nipple rings are pretty bad, but I can't believe he adjusted it onstage!! For the remainder of the performance, I could only focus on the glint of the silver jewelry shining through his see through shirt.

Did I go out & buy a Lionel Richie's new CD when it was all over? No, but I now know who he is, and that's half the battle.