Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays and thank you for reading!

-- the BEAT

Photo credit: via thevoguevibes.com

Click It. BEAT picks of the week: the last minute guy's gift guide.

An always-stylish (and delicious) bottle of Hendrick's Gin. BevMo! also carries 50 Ml mini bottles that would make cute stocking stuffers!

A sleek cocktail shaker.

Chocolatey treats from Dean & Deluca.

A masculine candle from Molton Brown.

A classic scent from Penhaligon's.

A subscription to GQ magazine.

Sperry boots.

Cool sunglassses.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: ginreviews.com

Click It. BEAT picks of the week: wish list / girl's gift guide edition.

Sunglasses from KamaliKulture by Norma Kamali

Candles--Cire Trudon, Diptyque, Le Labo, Nest

Jo Malone: beautiful scents and clean, classic packaging

Books, books, books ... Carine Roitfeld's Irreverent, Grace Coddington's Grace: A Memoir, Kate: The Kate Moss Book, Rhapsody by Kelly Wearstler, Tomboy Style: Beyond the Boundaries of Fashion, Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller, Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi, Parisian Chic

NARS Andy Warhol Collection

The Zipcode Boot by Madewell

Polka dot iPhone case by Kate Spade

Red Velvet Sprinkles Cupcake Mix from Williams-Sonoma

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: via opensky.com

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Smoking slippers. I've been wanting these forever and finally got a pair.

DVF ankle boots.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day in Rosemary.

Green juice recipes.

Red Cross Hurricane Aid.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Steven Madden, Ltd.

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Mark your calendars with some great events coming up through the Library Foundation's ALOUD series: David Byrne and Trent Reznor on October 14; Ludo Lefebvre and Roy Choi on October 17; and an evening with Tom Wolfe (above) on October 29.

Listen to First Aid Kit.

Go see Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine's just-released Top 100 Best Buys of 2012.

A great unisex scent--Santal 33, by Le Labo.

Curated coolness at Bookmarc.

For dessert: Momofuku Milk Bar cookie mixes at Williams-Sonoma.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Mark Seliger via lfla.org

the BEAT of the week: Culture Collide Festival.

I really can never say enough about the plethora of great music and concerts that we have available to us here in Los Angeles. We're oh so lucky to have bands consistently play our venues, and we're lucky to have a number of unique and fun opportunities to find the next slew of up-and-coming bands.

The latest example: Filter Magazine's Culture Collide Festival. In its third year, the event is going stronger than ever, getting 25 notable bands from all over the world to come and represent their home countries. On the homefront here in the U.S., we've got the likes of Of Montreal, Zola Jesus, Diiv; there are bands like the Wombats and Patrick Wolf repping the U.K.; there's even John Talabot for Spain and Bondo de Role for Brazil.

They're all taking over the eastside for four days this weekend -- and I bet you can't even believe that the entire weekend, all shows for all four days, will only cost you $20. One Andrew Jackson! Spend it well.

Filter Magazine's Culture Collide Festival takes place Oct 4-7 in various locations all over the eastside of L.A. Get more info here.

-- Chau Tu

the BEAT of the week: Outdoor movies at Barnsdall Park.

One of my favorite summertime events is the Barnsdall Park wine tastings on Fridays, where Silver Lake Wine takes over the Los Feliz park to offer tastings of wines worthy of the beautiful view. Thankfully, although the summer is coming to its end, the fun doesn't have to stop.

That's because the wine tastings will continue into the fall -- and will now have movie screenings too. So you can cozy up under a blanket to watch a fun old movie under the stars, and still enjoy the wonderful offerings of Silver Lake Wine. This week, there's the classic comedy Fletch; next week, a personal fave: Edward Scissorhands. So don't be too bummed about summer leaving us, you've still got a chance to be outside and enjoy this California weather.

Outdoor Movies at Barnsdall Park take place Saturdays this fall at 5:30pm at Barnsdall Park, located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz. Tickets for the events include the wine tasting and movie and cost $25; or you can just see the movie for $10.

-- Chau Tu


Photo credit: Barnsdall Park

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Keanu Reeves narrates (and co-produces) a fascinating and pertinent new documentary about the movie industry shift from exclusive use of photochemical film to digital--or, in his words, "about the science, art, and impact of digital cinema". Numerous big name directors including film history aficionado Martin Scorsese, 3-D innovator James Cameron, and international art scene multihyphenate David Lynch weigh in. Side By Side is rolling out to theaters in select cities nationwide now through December.

Lana Del Rey on the October cover of British GQ.

Cat Power's Sun.

Favorite nail polishes of-the-moment (oldies but goodies): Essie's Russian Roulette, and OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark.

Delicious discovery: Chobani (sorry, Fage).

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Company Films LLC

Click It. BEAT picks of the week - Manhattan Beach edition.

It's no secret we're big fans of Kiehl's here at the BEAT, so to celebrate last night's opening of Kiehl's Manhattan Beach, here's a roundup of MB favorites ...

The Kettle - for a classic American breakfast or late night milkshakes. Don't miss their Honey Bran muffins!

Sloopy's - for post-beach burgers, and/or fresh fruit smoothies.

Mama D's - solid neighborhood Italian. BYOB.

The Beehive - a cute local boutique that stocks quality brands like            J Brand, Splendid, and JET. Great for browsing and for gifts! Their vintage-style candy selection is a fun touch.

Allison by the Beach - a great stop for pretty and unique jewelry.

Magpie - a well-named pretty home goods shop.

Kiehl's - to stock up on Coriander body wash, and Creme de Corps.

The Coffee Bean, Peet's, or Starbucks (all on Manhattan Beach Boulevard) to get a hot bevvy and a treat to-go for an evening stroll up the boardwalk.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: hlgz.org

the BEAT of the week: Summer Camp Allnighter at Cinespia.

I've already extolled all the wonderful virtues of a Cinespia screening in the summer, but this one is definitely on a level of its own. It's what happens when you combine the super-cinema-powers of Cinespia and Cinefamily, offering something so truly fun and unique and reminds you why you live in a great city like Los Angeles.

Kicking off Cinefamily's annual Everything is Festival, this all-nighter in the cemetery features one of my all-time favorite films, Wet Hot American Summer. But did you catch that? It's an all-nighter. In a cemetery. So the fun only begins with that summer classic. You'll also get screenings of the ‘80s horror film Sleepaway Camp, and Little Darlings, which stars Tatum O'Neal. Expect other fun movie mashups and highlights, plus DJs and even a photobooth. Bring a picnic and friends, and you won't even notice the night fly by you. And let me tell you, there's nothing quite like sunrise in Hollywood Forever.

Get in on the fun by reserving tickets here (only $10!).

The Everything is Festival at Cinespia: Summer Camp Allnighter takes place next Saturday, Aug. 18 from 7pm-6am at Hollywood Forever, located at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

-- Chau Tu

the BEAT of the week: LA Craft Beer Crawl.

We wrote about the LA Craft Beer Crawl when it first got started in 2010, and now in its third year, it's still going strong. You can still expect those great craft beer picks by The Beer Chicks (Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune) and from breweries near and far, like Green Flash, Duvel, Smog City, Bootlegger's, Eagle Rock, and more. This year, they've even added intimate seminars taught by leaders in the beer community, where you can taste exclusive beers (and whiskeys!) and learn all you can about them.


The event doesn't happen until Aug. 18, but you're advised to get your tickets ($54 for general admission, $74 for VIP) soon -- the event will sell out beforehand. Four hours of crawling, with unlimited pours -- what better way to spend your Saturday?


The LA Craft Beer Crawl will take place on Aug. 18 and will span over seven bars in downtown Los Angeles, beginning at 613 S Grand Ave.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Herb Ritts: L.A. Style at the Getty Center, extended until September 2.

Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill in The Watch. So funny.

Los Angeles Magazine's picks for Best New Bars.

BB Cream (Garnier's, at $12.99, holds its own against luxe competitors).

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Herb Ritts, via getty.edu

the BEAT of the week: PLAY MOCA.

Art and music come together once again in L.A. with PLAY MOCA, a three-part multimedia series event happening at the Geffen Contemporary in downtown. IAMSOUND Records is curating the shows, bringing up and coming musical acts like Salem, Zola Jesus and Lord Huron. Meanwhile, there'll be art exhibitions from Drew Barrymore (yes, that one!); a performance from the L.A. Dance Project / Benjamin Millepied and Rodarte; and DJing by Ariel Pink and Health.

All hip, all free. Get on reserving your tickets, though -- they'll go quickly! Get more info on the upcoming shows here.

PLAY MOCA takes place July 27, August 17, and August 24 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, located at 152 N. Central Ave. in downtown.

-- Chau Tu

the BEAT of the week: LA Street Food Fest.

It's back! Just as its website says, this is the first and the original of the numerous amounts of street food fests that now populate L.A.'s calendars. And the LA Street Food Fest isn't slacking on its game. This year, the truck lineup includes: Border Grill, Nonna's Kitchenette, Gravy Train Poutinerie, Waffles de Liege, Kogi BBQ, Frysmith and more. Restaurants like Haven Gastropub, Short Order, Lazy Ox Canteen, Starry Kitchen and Playa are even getting into the action. And of course, for dessert -- look out for Longboards Ice Cream, Mother Moo Creamery, Short Cake, Coolhaus, Beachy Cream and other icy delights. There'll also be Singha beer and wine and tequila tastings on site as well.

Suffice it to say, the LA Street Food Fest knows what it's doing. It's all taking place this weekend at the Rose Bowl, so get your all-inclusive tickets for $45 here. (or go VIP for just $65) Check out all the detail here, and happy eating!

LA Street Food Fest takes place this Saturday, July 21st from 5pm-9pm at the Rose Bowl, located at 1001 Rose Bowl Dr. in Pasadena.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Kiehl's new scent, Fig Leaf & Sage, from their just-released Aromatic Blends line

Iced Coffee

Woody Harrelson's semi-autobiographical play, Bullet for Adolph

The Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama Collection

" ... is James Bond" exhibit at LACMA

Ageless advice from Kelly Wearstler (as told to Harpers's Bazaar)

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: kiehls.com

the BEAT of the week: KCRW at Who Shot Rock & Roll.

This, no doubt, will be a fun one. L.A. public radio station KCRW is teaming up with the Annenberg Space for Photography for the museum's current exhibition -- Who Shot Rock & Roll, the first major museum exhibition of rock music photography -- for a series of outdoors concerts. Not only will you get to check out a fun, very L.A.-esque exhibit featuring works from a number of influential photographers -- Anton Corbijn, Dennis Hopper, Richard Kern, David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz, Laura Levine, Ryan McGinley, Mark Seliger, to name a few -- but KCRW has also rounded up some great musicians to bring the rock.

First up this Saturday is none other than Moby (with a DJ set by Morning Becomes Eclectic's Jason Bentley). Then there's Portugal. The Man next Saturday, celebrating the station's release of its “T. Rex vs. KCRW Soundclash” remix EP. And finally, on Aug. 4th, it's L.A.'s very own Band of Skulls and Raphael Saadiq, celebrating songs of Bob Dylan. Plus: It's all free. Just be sure to RSVP and arrive early!

Who said museums aren't cool?

Who Shot Rock & Roll is being shown until Oct. 7 at the Annenberg Space for Photography, located at 2000 Avenue of the Stars in Century City. For more information on the KCRW outdoors concerts, check here.

-- Chau Tu

Happy Fourth!

Happy 4th of July, from the BEAT of young los angeles!

Photo credit: greetingsisland.com

the BEAT of the week: L.A. Weekly's Pancake Breakfast.

L.A. Weekly may have recently lost its foodie guru, Jonathan Gold, but that doesn't mean it's giving up on the parties. Take note: it's 2nd Annual Pancake Breakfast. Does it get any better than a good excuse to indulge in the best meal of the day with some of L.A.'s best chefs? (Answer: No.)

The big soiree won't be happening until August 5, but you'll be smart to get your tickets once they go on sale today. And you should probably just start dieting now, because the event's lined up more than 25 different restaurants to offer their own tasty versions of the old breakfast standby, including: Salt's Cure, Langer's, The Nickel Diner, LA MILL, BLD, Tiara Café, Fred 62, Auntie Em's, The Hungry Cat and Square One.

What a great way to start off your morning.

The L.A. Weekly Pancake Breakfast takes place August 5 from 11am-2pm at Vibiana, located at 214 S. Main St. in downtown. Tickets are $30 each.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Anne Fishburn / L.A. Weekly

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

A lightweight version of my favorite sweatpants - Victoria's Secret PINK Campus Crop. Perfect knock around wear for summer.

TOMS canvas strappy wedges are their chicest shoes yet. 

Emma Stone is Vogue's July cover girl, photographed by Mario Testino.

The Little Black Jacket: Chanel's Classic Revisited (available for pre-order now).

Penny's (Keira Knightley) pale blue manicure in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is nail inspiration to crack open Sky by Hard Candy.

Alora Albiance's "isola" smells like summer.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: victoriassecret.com

the BEAT of the week: Cinespia at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

It's back! You know summer's just about in full swing when Cinespia, the extremely popular and quintessentially L.A. film series, returns, giving Angelenos the perfect excuse to day-drink and parade in what's become our excuse for a park. As always, the line-up of movies offers something for everyone -- having already screened Lolita, Nightmare on Elm Street and Cheech and Chong. On the slate for this weekend: the classic Jack Nicholson flick Chinatown.

Cinespia's now offering presale tickets for $10 in case you're worried about sold out screenings, but most should still be able to get in by buying tickets at the door. Nevertheless, remember to show up early, bring lots of snacks, and a blanket for when the sun finally goes down. Happy almost-summer!

Cinespia screenings take place on Saturdays this summer at 9pm at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, located at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Check out the list of films here.

-- Chau Tu