The Visceral Company's Inaugural Shows at The Lex: Kill Me & Hemophelia's House of Horrors

Founded only three years ago, The Visceral Company has already produced the award-winning short film, Bugbaby, and a bunch of live theater, including the award-winning play, The Turn of the Screw.  After a few years of theater hopping, The Visceral Company is finally settling into its own theater. The Lex, a popular 99 seat house in Hollywood, is their new home. They've spiffed up the lobby and are promising at least a year of spooky and/or disturbing live shows. 

With their inaugural shows at The Lex, The Visceral Company is living up to its mission to bring the under-represented genres of horror and sci-fi to the stage, and bring a demographic in to see live theater that otherwise might not go see plays.

The first of the two shows currently running is Kill Me, a disturbing play about perceptions of madness, death and despair. When a young woman survives a terrible accident, she emerges from a coma believing that she has been made immortal...and, much to the chagrin of her sister and girlfriend, she keeps trying to prove it. Director Dan Spurgeon makes great use of the space and, with a minimalist set, really sets the creepy mood. I especially love The Four Miseries. The costumes look fantastic, their movements and sounds are super creepy, and they honestly gave me the heebie-jeebies. Kill Me runs Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons until June 2. Tickets are $20, but type the code MISERY in when buying to save $5. 

On the lighter side, Hemophelia's House of Horrors is their fun late-night variety show with lots of gorey laughs, musical numbers, and a few unexpected surprises! All tickets are $15, but you can save $5 with the promo code HEMO. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights until June 8 (no show May 17 & 18), plus Hollywood Fringe performances on June 11 & 13. 

The Lex 
6760 Lexington Ave.
Hollywood, CA 
917-399-2187

A Weekend of Day-Drinking Holidays

This Saturday marks the 139th Kentucky Derby...the best dressed two minutes of the year. Hats, horses, and Juleps galore. it's a great excuse to dress up and drink early in the day.  Here are a couple of fun places to hit for Derby fun, and one for a plain old non-Derby good time. 

The Spare Room: Between 1:00 and 5:00 PM, you can partake of classic cocktails, burgoo, and corn bread muffins at The Bluegrass Situation's party at The Spare Room featuring music by the super fun band, Dustbowl Revival. Of course , there will be a contest for the best hat and-so the men don't get left out- a contest for the best bow tie and suspenders! If you don't have a hat already, Goorin Brothers hat shop will  be there to customize one for you. 
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 769-7296

Franklin & Company, also in Hollywood, will open at 11 AM and offer $5 Mint Juleps. Ladies in their fancy hats get the first drink free. They're also offering a $15 barbecue that offers a main course and two sides. I heard they'll also have a horse setup for photo ops.
5923 Franklin Avenue  (323) 463-1552

Since one should never Julep and drive, it's great that Hollywood is conveniently located next to the Metro so you can easily get downtown. 

Seven Grand will be having its annual viewing party. There's no cover,  and there will be lots of fancy-dressed folks and $9.00 Kentucky Mint Juleps. 

515 W. 7th St. #2 (213) 614-0737

If you're not feeling particularly Derby inspired but still want to go out and drink in the afternoon, you're in luck! May 4th will be the first annual Angel City Heritage Music and Arts Festival. Newly(ish) revamped Angel City Brewery is finally officially opening its doors and offering a celebration of the culture and spirit of the Arts District. The day-long festival begins at 11 AM and includes a great lineup of music all day long. Food trucks will be parked outside,  and they'll be running brewer lead brewery tours every hour on the hour beginning at noon and running through 5 o'clock. A percentage of the day's proceeds will go to their neighbors at Art Share LA, and they are partnering with Sidecar, a new ride share service. Sidecar will provide a credit for a free ride to anyone who checks in on their mobile app during Heritage Festival. 

216 S. Alameda St. (213) 622-1261

Though Cinco de Mayo is widely considered a holiday for drinking amateurs, there's no denying that it's fun to have a Margarita. If I were in the mood to brave the crowds, Townhouse in Venice sounds like it'll be fun. The usual margarita pitchers and shot specials will be going on, but there will also be dollar tacos, a burlesque show, tequila and mezcal flights, jamaica, horchata, and agua fresca Highballs, and house Bloody Marias until 5. 
 52 Windward Ave. (310) 392-4040

Hostaria del Piccolo ~ Venice

                              photos by Jaime Torres

Following the success of Piccolo in Venice with a more causal yet still delicious restaurant seemed a good idea. And it was. Hostaria del Piccolo in Santa Monica was so well received that they were able to open yet another Hostaria del Piccolo, this time in Venice. I went with Jaime Torres to the newest restaurant to photograph and sample their newly launched Spring Cocktail Menu and some of their plates.

Let's start out with the delightful Spring Cocktail Menu put together by Greg Bryson. Everything on this menu has something distinctly Italian, which is the theme slowly working its way through the entire cocktail menu. 

POMPELMO: Templeton Rye, Amaro Montenegro, honey, lemon & grapefruit juice, and vanilla bean syrup. 

You might be worried about this cocktail being too bitter, but it is a very balanced, refreshing drink. The vanilla really brought everything together for me, rounding it all out.  Perfect for the warm weather. 

ISOLA: Blackwell Rum, Campari, lime, pineapple juice

This is Greg's version of The Jungle Bird, one of the only tiki drinks to use Campari. Light and refreshing, but with a depth of flavor from the rum and hint of bitterness from the Campari. I love a good tiki drink, and this is one. Greg described this is a good 'introduction' drink for those moving from sweet cocktails into the realm of other flavors, with the bitterness not overwhelming the drink and just making you want to take another sip. 

MANDARINO CINESE: Fords Gin, Cocci Americano, kumquats, lime, mint, & soda

This is one of those dangerous drinks that is so deceptively light, refreshing, and delicious, you want to just sip upon it all day long. 

PRIMAVERA: Fair Vodka, rosé, maraschino liqueur, lemon, prosecco, Amarena cherry  

The vodka is perfect for Venice: organic, fair trade, and made from quinoa. Still, I was pretty sure I wouldn't care for this drink, fearing it would be too sweet. I'm pleased to say I was wrong. Once again, Greg made a beautifully balanced cocktail that could appeal to those with a sweeter palate, but without being sugary. He really made it a point to make cocktails that would go well with the food. A terrific bunch of drinks.

And now on to the food. Apparently we came when they had a busy night ahead and a lot of prep work to do, so the chef sent all of our food out at once. By the time things were photographed and we were ready to eat, nothing was hot. As testament to the quality of the food and menu that Chef Germano Minin created, it was even delicious cold.

Here's what we tried. 

Insalate

FOGLIA SENZA: White beans, shallots, heirloom tomato, tuna conserva,  pizza crust

Do not even THINK about ordering this without the pizza crust. The fried dough is heavenly and adds integral flavor and texture to the dish. Though the appearance is similar to that of canned fish, it is choice, fresh tuna that is cooked and placed in a combination of seasonings and oil by the chef. 

Antipasti

RICOTTINA: seared fresh ricotta, seasonal mushrooms, vincotto

I don't think I even need to say anything about this. Three of my favorite things together on a plate. I would order it every time. 

PIOVRA:  grilled octopus and roasted seasonal vegetables

Perfectly cooked and totally delicious. 

LINGUA: thinly sliced beef tongue, tonnata sauce

Beef is not my thing, and tongue even less so. That said, my bite of the beautifully presented, paper-thin tongue was quite enjoyable and the salty tonnata was an interesting accompaniment. 

Le Pizze

ASPARAGI: mozzarella, asparagus, egg, Parmesan shavings, truffle salt

The pizza crust is made with imported Italian flour, and the results are scrumptious. I loved this pizza. Simple and perfect, the egg yolk adds to the richness of the cheese and truffle salt while the asparagus adds a light touch.

Le Paste

GNOCCHI: Ricotta-potato gnocchi, fresh tomato, basil, parmesan

These delicate little cloud puffs will melt in your mouth and make you happy. 

I Dolci

TORTINO: Flourless Guayaquil chocolate cake, vanilla whipped cream, raspberry sauce.

The moist, rich cake, airy cream, and thick, fresh raspberry sauce ended the meal perfectly.  

It's definitely worth noting that they have a sizable happy hour menu in which select food and cocktails are served for about half-price. And the portions are the same size as the full-priced menu! The food and drink selections are different at both restaurants, and the Happy Hour lasts longer in Santa Monica, so you can hop between Venice and Santa Monica for more options. Now if they'd only open one closer to the east side...

Hostaria del Piccolo

512 Rose Ave., Venice

310-392-8822

        and

606 Broadway, Santa Monica
310-393-6633

Spring Cocktails at Del Monte Speakeasy

Spring has sprung, and so have the newest drink menus at your favorite cocktail bars. Here are Brandon Reynolds-Ristaino's latest offerings at L.A.'s oldest continuously-running bar, The Del Monte Speakeasy in the heart of Venice. For more on their history, click here.

Strawberry Fields Strawberry infused torontel pisco, house-made cardamum syrup, rose water, equal parts lemon and lime juice, and a cava topper make Strawberry Fields a refreshing delight. The nose and flavor of the aromatic torontel varietal emulates gin for this spin on a French 75. It's not too sweet, and just the kind of thing you want to sip all spring and summer long.

Number 2 The second drink on the menu features a cucumber-infused blanco tequila, muddled cilantro, agave, and fresh squeezed lime juice, served with a Yellow Chartreuse sidecar. It's a perfect spa cocktail made more elegant by the Chartreuse.

Friedman Fix The basic template for a Fix uses booze, citrus, and sugar or a syrup. But this is not your basic Fix. The one vodka drink on the menu uses an atypical vodka, and your typical vodka drinker his going to have his or her brain scrambled by this one. The flavor profile of Hophead Vodka is unlike any other spirit I've tried. It's, well, hoppy. I thought I disliked it at first sip, but then couldn't stop tasting and thinking about it. It's sure to please beer lovers. 

I'd definitely say that this combination of Hophead Vodka, Aperol, Lillet Blanc, and fresh-squeezed lime and grapefruit juices is the most unique of the cocktails, which is impressive considering vodka drinks are usually the most predictable.

Julep This unconventional Mint Julep features Smith and Cross Jamaican Rum, mint, house-made pineapple syrup, allspice dram, and bitters. This is an unconventional Julep in that it has rum rather than bourbon as its main spirit. Furthermore, the rum they're using is made in the style of a century ago when Jamaican rums were known for their strength and full and complex flavors.

Bianco Negroni This lighter take on a Negroni uses grapefruit zest infused gin, bianco vermouth, and Suze, a scrumptious brand of French bitters to take the place of Campari. Really nice.

Orange Crush This tasty beer cocktail features Allagash White Hefeweizen, bourbon, orange & lemon juice, Cointreau, egg whites, and orange bitters. Very refreshing.

Del Monte Speakeasy (at Townhouse)

52 Windward Ave. 

Venice, CA 

(310) 392-4040

Hours for Del Monte vary. Check website or call. 

What's Cookin': DFC Pop-Up Brunch

This Sunday, March 24, Sarkis Vartanian will host exalted chicken-fryer Dante Gonzales at his cozy downtown eatery, Daily Dose Cafe.

This pop-up brunch experience will go from 11AM-5PM, or until the food runs out. Priced at only $15 per person, the brunch is to feature Daily Dose's organic, locally sourced scrambled eggs, par-roasted then fried heirloom fingerlings, Dante's Sock-It-It-To-Me fried chicken, and a secret sauce collaboration made exclusively for this event.

RSVP required: Events@SaStudiosGlobal.com

Daily Dose 
1820 Industrial St #260 
Los Angeles, CA 90021. 

Get to Know a Booze Brand: Montelobos Mezcal

Award-winning, family-owned distillery, William Grant & Sons, teamed with fifth-generation mezcalero, Don Abel Lopez,  and agave spirits expert, Dr. Iván Saldaña, to bring us Montelobos Mezcal.

This artisanal mezcal is distilled with 100% organic agave grown in Montelobos, Oaxaca. The mature piñas are harvested and brought to a conical pit, or palenque, where they are roasted for nearly a week with wood and volcanic river stones. The cooked piñas are then ground into a mash (apparently by a mule named Rambo) and mixed with water where it sits in pine vats and ferments before being twice distilled and bottled.

The thing I really like about Montelobos is that, while it does not lack mezcal's characteristic smokiness, the smoke is not overwhelming and other aromas and flavors come though beautifully.  Vanilla, chili, even fruit and (my all-time favorite descriptor) leather are all distinguishable. It's a really lovely mezcal to relax with, sip and enjoy.

Of course, it's also good in cocktails. To inspire the mixologist in you, here are the delicious cocktails featuring Montelobos Mezcal we got to try:

El Diablo (Montelobos Mezcal, ginger syrup, créme de cassis, lime juice, Tapatío, and ginger beer) not pictured

Oaxacan Negroni (Montelobos Mezcal, Campari, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, orange slice)

Poblano Escobar (Montelobos Mezcal, Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao, cumin, muddled poblano chili, and fresh pineapple, lime, agave)

Lost Luggage in Oaxaca by Gaston Martinez (Montelobos mezcal, muddled pineapple and chipotle, honey, yuzu juice, chocolate mole bitters, and ginger foam)

Conquistador by Brad Robinson (Montelobos Mezcal, beet and cucumber juice, ginger syrup, and grapefruit)

El Diablo, Oaxacan Negroni, and Poblano Escobar are signature drinks at Las Perlas, so head downtown to try them out.

Montelobos is still pretty new, so check with your favorite bar or liquor outlet to see if they carry it or ask them to order it.

Food Fare 2013 & The Corner Door

Thirty-four years ago, Julia Child did a no-frills cooking demonstration to help raise money for a cause she believed in. That little exhibition was the start of what has become Los Angeles'  preeminent, time-honored culinary gathering: Food Fare.

Produced by the Planned Parenthood Guild, Food Fare is a way to enjoy the finest food and libations L.A. has to offer while helping support PPLA's nineteen health centers throughout the Los Angeles area that annually provide care to over 136,000 men, women, and teens.

Thursday, March 7, at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, you can experience the oldest foodie event in Los Angeles. Buy your tickets in advance for a $25 savings off the price at the door. This year's refreshments will include goodies from Angelini Osteria, Drago Centro, Salt's Cure, The Beer Chicks, Summerland Winery, Tequila Revolucion, and so much more. 

One of this year's Food Fare participants, The Corner Door, hosted a small party of bloggers to get a literal taste what was coming. They fed and watered us well. Here's what was on the menu:

Warm, soft and toasty House Made Foccacia with olive, red onion, and rosemary served alongside a delectable bowl of olives. 

A scrumptious salad of Lettuces & Avocado with Bayley Hazen Blue Cheese and radish was paired with the King's Assassin cocktail. Gin, blanc sweet vermouth, salers, cocchi americano, and cointreau is cocktail manager Beau du Bois' delightful play on the classic Negroni. 

Paired with a delicious Old Havana Mistress (I know how that sounds, but it's aged rum, dry vermouth, dry curaçao, and px sherry),  Slow Cooked Ribs with orange fennel glaze and lentils were next out of Chef Luke Reyes' kitchen. My regular readers know that I don't eat ribs, but will take a bite in the interest of reporting. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I ate the whole thing. It was so tender, it just sorta slipped right off the bone and into my mouth. The lentils were lovely, also. A combination of pureed and whole legumes made for a perfect consistency. 

Agnolotti with grilled cauliflower, fontina, and currants was my favorite dish of the evening. It was just perfect, and served alongside a French 75 (gin, lemon, Lillet Rose, sugar, peach bitters, prosecco) that was a little too easy to drink. 

Roasted Halibut with cannelloni beans and anchovy aioli was coupled with a peaty Mezcallin (mezcal, lemon, ginger, pineapple gimme). The fish was cooked perfectly and the beans, again partially pureed for a thicker consistency, had a great texture. There were some fantastic flavors in there, but the overall dish was a bit salty for my taste. I mean, I ate the whole thing, but I had to follow it with two glasses of water. 

Slow Braised Beef with potato purée, carrot, cipollini, and horseradish was our final savory plate, and it came with a Lumberjack Liquor Cabinet (bourbon, apple brandy, maple syrup, cinnamon smoke). We were told that it's one of their most popular cocktails, and I can definitely see why. It's got a little something for everyone: oaky, smokey, slightly sweet...it all comes together beautifully. 

This time I was able to resist the meaty temptation and stop after a bite of the tasty, tender beef. I did, however, eat all of the veggies it came with, and they were scrumptious, too. I loved the potatoes with the horseradish.

Dessert was a big, warm Chocolate Chip Cookie with bourbon milk and  Handsome Coffee ice cream. The bourbon milk was actually their house made horchata with a touch of bourbon, and it was delicious. The ice cream was perfect and I could have eaten a tub of it. The cookie was perfect for the first couple of bites, but then got a little too sweet. So it was brilliant of Beau to bring us a "bonus cocktail," Grandma's Pack of Cigarettes. I don't recall what was in it, but it was delicious. Its flavors counterbalanced the sweetness of the cookie and, though I'd never considered cookies and cocktails for dessert, it made me rethink that position. 

Go try what The Corner Door is sampling at Food Fare, and then try them at their restaurant. 

Food Fare by Planned Parenthood Los Angeles Guild

Thursday, March 7, (10:30 AM- 2:00 PM) or (6:30 PM-9:30 PM)

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

1855 Main Street

Santa Monica, CA 90401

The Corner Door

12477 W. Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA, 90066

(310) 313-5810