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

the BEAT of the week: Make Music Pasadena.

Pasadena isn't usually known for being on the cutting edge of music and culture, what with its cleanly manicured neighborhoods and chain store shopping avenues, but Make Music Pasadena may change a lot of minds. For this one weekend in the summer, the city lets its hair loose to offer a totally rocking music fest featuring a number of exciting and up-and-coming bands and musicians -- and it's all for free. This year, you can check out the likes of artists like Grimes, Cults, Dam Funk, Dengue Fever, Grouplove and Milo Greene, among a slew of others. You're bound to discover someone new along the stages, and did I mention that it's all free?

Make Music Pasadena takes place this Saturday, June 16 from 11am-11pm all over downtown Pasadena. Check out the lineup here, which has specific addresses for the various stages.

-- Chau Tu

the BEAT of the week: L.A. Film Fest.

It's really no surprise that Los Angeles -- Hollywood, in and of itself -- boasts an excellent film festival every year, but this year in particular is rounding up to be a great one. The L.A. Film Fest returns to L.A. Live this year from June 14-24, and is offering a great selection of both major titles -- like Woody Allen's latest, To Rome with Love and the Channing Tatum stripper [bio-]comedy Magic Mike -- and promising indie films like the critic and audience fave Beasts of the the Southern Wild and documentaries The House I Live In and Queen of Versailles. These are the films everyone's going to be talking about this summer, and this is your chance to see them now.

You can make sure you're on top of the conversation by grabbing a festival pass starting at $200, or catch individual screenings for about $13 each. If you want to do the latter though, you'll have to act quickly -- some screenings are already sold out (there are standby lists, but don't count on it!). Check out the schedule of films here, and get started on your summer movie season now.

The L.A. Film Fest takes place from June 14-24 at L.A. Live, located at 800. W. Olympic Blvd. in downtown.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

The Washington Post just published a roundup of some great summer cookbooks, including the Meat Free Monday Cookbook. We're not vegetarians here at the BEAT, but are always interested to try delicious meat-free meal options.

Häagen-Dazs pistachio ice cream for dessert!

See it: Bernie -- a fascinating and very funny movie starring Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine, based on a shocking true story.

A great striped dress for the office or the weekends.

I got a mini version of this Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted lip balm from Sephora for my birthday, and it looks and tastes so good! Coral is the latest shade from the collection.

Summer sandals.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Kyle Books

the BEAT of the week: Hester Street Fair in Hollywood.

The Hester Street Fair is a huge outdoors market that's become a prime attraction on the weekends, offering lots of vintage and contemporary jewelry, clothing, art among food and entertainment. Sounds fun, right? The only problem? It's in New York City, on the Lower East Side.

Until now. Hester's finally headed west, and will be taking over Hollywood this summer. On four separate Saturdays -- beginning this weekend -- Angelenos will finally get a peek at what the hype's all about. First up is this Saturday's Bite Size Food and Craft Festival, with booths from L.A. restaurants and food trucks showing off their stuff in bite-sized goods. Then in July, there's the Hollywood Night Market, which will, appropriately, take place a little later at night and focus on a more intimate shopping experience among the booths. In August, there'll be the Indie Design Market, where independent goods will get a spotlight. And the last weekend in August will be the closing event, the Good Night Hollywood Blvd. Music & Indie Crafts Festival, the big soiree to end it all. Look out for a craft beer festival and music at all the weekends, too.

New York? Fuggedaboutit. Time to show that L.A. is where it's at -- and convince the Hester Fair it should stay! Check out all the info for the events here.

The Hester Street Fair kicks off this Saturday, June 2nd from 11am to 7pm at the parking lot at Argyle Ave. and Hollywood Blvd., located at 6200 Hollywood Blvd.

-- Chau Tu

the BEAT of the week: The Jubilee.

I can't even believe it's already Memorial Day weekend. If it snuck up on you too, you still have a chance of making the most of it with tickets to this weekend's Jubilee -- formerly known as the Silver Lake Jubilee. Probably looking to expand beyond being a simple neighborhood fest, the event this year continues to boast a musical lineup of both big and local names (Aloe Blacc, Kinky, The Soft Pack, Autolux, Abe Vigoda, and so on) plus the usual L.A. fanfare of food trucks and an all-out block party. A two-day pass ($35) gets you a free tote bag or T-shirt (until supplies last, of course), and a one-day pass is only $20!

Time to kick off the summer.

The Jubilee is taking place this Saturday and Sunday at the Sunset Junction, located at 4000 Santa Monica Blvd. in Silver Lake. Get more info on the event here.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Ryan Adams (my favorite) covering Danzig's 1988 hit, "Mother".

A Los Angeles summer scarf from Madewell.

Discovery: Walmart sells Hard Candy nail polish. You better believe I have a brand new bottle of Sky.

Twelve Uncomplicated Summer Cocktails, by Mark Bittman.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

the BEAT of the week: Hero Complex Film Festival.

Despite the recent woes at the Los Angeles Times, there has been one bright spot of its content that's continued to grow and flourish. Writer Geoff Boucher's Hero Complex began as just another blog on the latimes.com website, but has since grown into a full-on online force, dependable for all things comics, superheroes and everything in between.

The latest proof of the blog's influence is the Hero Complex Film Festival, now its in its second year. This time, the four-day fest welcomes the likes of Malcolm McDowell to talk about A Clockwork Orange; Stan Lee to chat before a screening of X-Men; Nathan Fillion to discuss cult fave Serenity; and filmmaker Andrew Stanton to talk about Wall-E -- among others.

Hero Complex found its niche by feeding into the fandom that comes with the genre, giving it a home and making everyone feel welcome -- and you can bet these panels will be geared toward pleasing fans. And if you are a fan, move now to get your tickets -- festival passes are already sold out, but you can still get tickets for individual events for $20 each here.

Hero Complex Film Festival takes place May 18-21 at the Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live, located at 1000 West Olympic Blvd. in downtown. Check out the full schedule of events here.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Jenna Lyons's office (above).

#realtalk from your editor.

Want to give your manicurist a hard time? Choose Essie's 'Wicked' or 'Fiji'. Insider tip from my manicurist tonight (as she was painstakingly applying 'Wicked') ... those are the colors they use to test potential new salon employees!

My next book: Brooklyn. Nick Hornby (my favorite!) is adapting it into a screenplay, and in the film, Rooney Mara will play the lead.

A weekend treat idea: Starbucks Pumpkin Bread. It's ridiculously delicious, especially with a latte or hot tea.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Myra Iqbal / styleist.com

the BEAT of the week: Taste of the Eastside.

L.A.'s 'eastside' neighborhoods -- including that of Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Atwater Village, Eagle Rock, among others -- have become well-known for their 'hip,' young populations, a sort of nerve center thriving with those who care about all things culture: art, music, fashion.

And you can add food to that list. Among the classic eastside standards like Intelligentsia, Little Dom's and Cliff's Edge have come a slew of new restaurants and eateries in the past few years, enticing foodies and locals alike to dine on some of the best and creative foods coming out of this city.

Need to catch up? Get your forks out. This weekend is the second edition of the Taste of the Eastside, a full-on food and drink fest celebrating all that is cuisine on the Eastside. Participants this year include Elf Cafe, Good Girl Dinette, Hugo's Tacos, L&E Oyster Bar, Malo, Pazzo Gelato, Proof Bakery, Xoia Vietnamese Eats, Eagle Rock Brewery, Golden Road Brewery and Silver Lake Wine. A simple $35 gets you unlimited tastings from all the restaurants, another $10 will also buy you a flight of wines or beer. There'll also be cooking demonstrations, and the proceeds will help to benefit the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Barnsdall Park, Rose Scharlin Nursery School and SEE Los Angeles.

Time to get hip, and be well-fed while at it.

Taste of the Eastside takes place from 1pm-5pm this Sunday, May 6 at Barnsdall Park, located at 4800 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz. Get tickets here (price goes up the day of the event, so purchase now!).

-- Chau Tu

the BEAT of the week: Jonathan Lethem at Skylight Books.

As the author of such critically acclaimed contemporary classics as The Fortress of Solitude, Motherless Brooklyn and Chronic City, as well as an established essayist for McSweeney's and The New Yorker, Jonathan Lethem has become a revered name in the literary scene. And so it goes without saying that nearly every new piece published is sure to be scrutinized, and probably lauded, if not well-respected in the least.

I expect his latest work will get as much attention, and more. For the also-well-beloved book series 33 1/3, where artists comment on influential music albums, Lethem takes on the Talking Heads classic Fear of Music. It's promoted to be a personal and passionate take on the 1979 album, delving into the music from the perspective of his New York childhood -- all of which fits perfectly in tune with Lethem's oeuvre. This is definitely Lethem's niche.

You can get an even more personal take from Lethem himself when he makes an appearance at Skylight Books this Sunday. He'll be promoting and signing copies of the book, and band Big Mess will be covering Talking Heads covers afterwards. Consider it a well-deserved party, celebrating two modern classics.

Jonathan Lethem will be appearing at 5pm this Sunday, April 29 at Skylight Books, located at 1818 N Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Penélope Cruz (above) is the Harper's Bazaar May cover girl. The subscriber edition cover is particularly cool.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a great start this season. Show your support for the home team with cute gear from Victoria's Secret.

Celebrate Earth Day 2012 by stopping by Sephora on Sunday with any empty cosmetic product container, and receive your choice of an Origins moisturizer--Starting Over, or A Perfect World.

If you love the baked goods from Joan's on Third as much as I do, you'll want to print Joan's Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, published in the Los Angeles Times last Saturday.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Terry Richardson for Harper's Bazaar

the BEAT of the week: Transmission L.A.: AV Club.

This is the sort of stuff that makes you appreciate Los Angeles: a full-on arts/music/film/food/everything festival curated by Mike D of the Beastie Boys, featuring works by people like Will Fowler, Benjamin Jones, Mike Mills, Takeshi Murata, Cory Arcangel and more. For 17 days, MOCA will host Transmission L.A.: AV Club, which "will illustrate how audio and visual art forms complement and influence each other." Kicking off the event is none other than Santigold, and Roy Choi of Kogi and Chego fame will be providing exclusive eats on the weekends.

This isn't your regular art exhibit. Stay tuned for exact scheduled events here at avantgardediaries.com.

Transmission L.A.: AV Club takes place from April 20 to May 6 at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, located at 152 N. Central Ave. in downtown.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

How beautiful does Jessica Chastain look on the cover of T Magazine? A great loose blowout, a strong red lip, and a pretty yellow dress is such a perfect spring look. This Reese Witherspoon red carpet look from 2007 is still one of my favorites.

A simple recipe for cinnamon-sugar pecans. I made these for a party Saturday night and they were a hit!

Speaking of easy recipes ... enjoy the end of grapefruit season with a Greyhound!

HBO's "Girls" premieres tonight.

Today at brunch I had arepas for the first time, and became an instant fan. Jonathan Gold divulges where to find in L.A.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Cass Bird for T Magazine

the BEAT of the week: The Deschutes Brewery Base Camp Tour.

We've all learned quite a bit about the hip city of Portland from the hilarious IFC show Portlandia -- where the '90s never died, where you should put a bird on it, where you should beware of good-looking co-op leaders that look like Jason Sudeikis -- but one thing that probably isn't touched upon enough is how great their hometown Deschutes Brewery is. Technically based in nearby Bend, Deschutes is beloved all over Oregon for its great assortment of fine brews.

And now it's looking to expand the fan base. Deschutes hit the road earlier this week for a West Coast tour, complete with -- yes -- a giant wooden beer barrel on wheels. Expect a party -- here are some of the grand festivities planned, via Grub Street Los Angeles:

Tues, 4/10, 6:00-9:00 P.M. Hats Off to Homebrewers (Steingarten LA)
Attention homebrewers…come hone your craft with the gang from Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery. The Deschutes crew, including brewer Robin Johnson, are heading to Los Angeles for Base Camp Week and will be giving away clone recipe booklets and bags of whole flower hops to use in your next homebrew. Specialty beer tastings of rarities like Black Butte XXII, The Abyss and The Stoic paired with some tasty appetizers will whet your palate. And that’s not all…five more Deschutes beers will be on tap including Obsidian Stout on Nitro and Chainbreaker White IPA. Robin will also be leading a deconstruction of the never-released Black Butte XXII, providing tastings of some of the specialty ingredients. We’ll even have commemorative glasses to give away while supplies last. Hope to see you here!

Thurs, 4/12, 3:00-5:00 P.M. Deschutes Brewery Two-Bit Tastings (Silverlake Liquor)
Clean out under the couch cushions, break open the piggy bank and dig around on those car floorboards - you’ll be surprised at how you can utilize a mere 25 cents tonight at Silverlake Liquor! Let us surprise you while you visit with Deschutes brewer Robin Johnson, and frolic around the brewery’s giant traveling beer barrel, Woody - all while drinking Deschutes Brewery’s damn tasty year-round line-up of beers.

Thurs, 4/12, 6:00 P.M.-close Beer-lesque: Tastings & Tassels (Skinny’s Lounge) What’s better than an evening full of craft beer from Deschutes Brewery? An evening full of craft beer coupled with intriguing Burlesque dancers and Vaudeville variety acts. Each act will feature a different Deschutes Brewery beer equaling a night of excitement, laughter, and unforgettable fun. The evening is packed with excitement:

Fri, 4/13, 4:00-6:00 P.M. Deschutes Brewery Snacks & Sips (The Village Idiot)
Thank goodness it’s Friday, and it’s time to wind down after a long week with some damn tasty beers and snacks. That’s right, we’re welcoming the gang from Deschutes Brewery as part of their Base Camp for Beer Fanatics. What does that mean for you? You can spend Friday after work chatting about hand-crafted brews with the experts, while sipping on hard-to-find beers like Hop Henge Experimental IPA and Chainbreaker White IPA.

Fri, 4/13, 7:00 P.M.-close Grab Beer by the Horns (The Surly Goat)
Not only will the giant Deschutes Brewery barrel on wheels, Woody, be here, but you should be too! We’ll be pouring a limited amount of some Reserve Series brews like Black Butte XXIII, The Abyss and The Stoic along with the brand-new Chainbreaker White IPA. With live music on our back patio to help you get your groove on, and a Deschutes beer in your hand, you’ll kick off the weekend right and change your mind about the possible pitfalls of Friday the 13th.

And that isn't even all -- check here for the complete lowdown. No excuses to miss out on some great beer while you can!

The Deschutes Brewery Base Camp Tour continues until Saturday at multiple locations all over Los Angeles.

-- Chau Tu

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from the BEAT of young los angeles!

the BEAT of the week: 5 Second Films at Mohawk Bend.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and therefore it doesn't take a lot to tell a story. Such is a premise of 5 Second Films, which offers visual vignettes that are strictly 5 seconds long (plus 2 seconds for the title, and 1 second for the credit) and highlight the more comic moments in life.

So prepare for some quick hits of laughs when 5 Second Films take over Echo Park's beer-and-veggie-food-eats haven Mohawk Bend. The film group has curated one-hour segments of 5-second films (so that would be about 11 each minute...so more than 600 films?!) for the next three Tuesdays at the restaurant, and appropriately, a "5-second Filmmaker" drink will be on hand -- Cismontane’s Blacks Dawn coffee stout and Fog’s End Monterey Rye. Just try not to finish each drink with each film.

5 Second Films at Mohawk Bend takes place from 6pm to 9pm on April 10, 17 and 24 at Mohawk Bend, located at 2141 W. Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Mohawk Bend

Check It. BEAT pick of the week.

I spotted this beautiful Prada bag (Small Saffiano Lux Tote) in the JFK airport security line on Saturday morning. Dream purse. How well would it go with Repetto ballet flats, and a girly dress from Anthropologie?

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Neiman Marcus

the BEAT of the week: Taco Madness Party

It's yet another Tuesday. Need a way to spice up your week?

How about all-you-can-eat tacos from the best places in Los Angeles, homemade horchata and some live art and DJing?

What more do I need to say? Head on over to the classic Guelaguetza restaurant in K-Town tonight for all of the above, brought to you by taco connoisseurs LA Taco and the ever-hip Echo Park Records. $15 will give you all the tacos you'll ever need, including those from Mexicali Taco & Co. -- the winners of LA Taco's Taco Madness 2011 bracket (Interested in this year's? Vote here!). Bring cash for mescal cocktails, and you'll have a Tuesday you'll never forget (and if you do, well, you'll wake up knowing you had some great tacos.)

Happy Taco Tuesday!

Taco Madness Party takes place from 9pm to 1:30am at Guelaguetza, located at 3014 W. Olympic Blvd. in Koreatown.

-- Chau Tu

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Lana Del Rey will be at L.A.'s El Rey Theatre June 3, 4, and 5. Tickets are on sale now.

Gourmet edibles from Barneys.

Show off your love of cake for breakfast!

Mark down the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on your calendars - April 21 and 22.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: via Lana Del Rey Web

the BEAT of the week: ForYourArt's "Around the Clock: 24 Hour Donut City."

Yes, you did read that correctly: 24 hours of donuts. And it's for art, so it's cool and not totally gluttonous, right?

Right. ForYourArt, a bi-coastal arts organization aimed at bringing awareness to great art, is opening a 24-hour pop-up donut shop in collaboration with LACMA's screening this weekend of Christian Marclay's experimental film, The Clock, which also lasts 24 hours. The film is actually more like a video montage, slicing together "thousands of moments of cinema and television history depicting the passage of time," all synched up to real-time. So when the screening starts this Saturday at noon, it'll be noontime in the film too.

But let's get back to the donuts -- which, like the screening, will all be FREE. The shop will be right across the street from the museum, and will serve coffee and a rotating menu with picks from the likes of Donut Man and Stan's Doughnuts, all curated by L.A. food and travel writer Krista Simmons. Apparently, Simmons' choices were directly influenced by the movie itself. (Plus, don't forget donuts are round like clocks!) It's all interconnected!

Free donuts, coffee and artsy film. Have a good Saturday.

ForYourArt's "Around the Clock: 24 Hour Donut City" is taking place from noon on Saturday, March 24 until noon on Sunday, March 25 at 6020 Wilshire Blvd. in Mid-City. The Clock will be screening across the street at LACMA, during the same time. Both events are free.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: ForYourArt

Do It. 21 Jump Street.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credits (from top): 20th Century Fox Television, via Fanpop, and Columbia Pictures, via Get the Big Picture

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the BEAT of young los angeles! Some ideas for celebrating ...

Try Real Simple's recipe for Ale-Braised Corned Beef, Brussels Sprouts, and Carrots (above).

Or Bon Appetit's Grilled Corned Beef and Fontina Sandwiches ... and for dessert Chocolate Stout Cake.

Guinness Cocktails

Wear: Pleated tank dress by Parker in green, from Intermix

Soundtrack: U2: The Best of 1980 - 1990

-- the BEAT

Photo credit: Real Simple

Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

Jeff Who Lives at Home. Jason Segel, Ed Helms, and Susan Sarandon all in the same movie? Yes, please.

J. Crew's classic leather ballet flats in tawny sand - perfect spring/summer shoes.

Starbucks' Kona coffee, because daylight savings is making early mornings rough.

Layer Cake Shiraz - delicious and well-priced red wine. On 'ClubBev' sale now at BevMo!

Start listening to A.A. Bondy now, so you'll know all the lyrics when he's at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles on May 1. Start with "When the Devil's Loose".

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures via allmovieinfo.com

the BEAT of the week: Los Angeles Beerathon.

One wouldn't normally put beer and exercise in the same thought or sentence, but we here at the BEAT like to break some rules every once in a while -- in the name of fun, of course.

And thusly, we introduce you to the first annual Los Angeles Beerathon: 26 beers at 26 bars, taking you all over downtown (including places like Wurstkuche and the Downtown Independent), with all kinds of brews (like Hangar 24 and Magic Hat). Couldn't be more simpler than that, and probably couldn't be more fun either.

All you've got to do is sign up. One $55 ticket will get you access to all 26 different venues and beers no matter if you finish the actual marathon or not -- the event creators admit it is actually quite a challenge -- so you'll be set to have an adventure either way. You'll have to be 21+ to participate, but otherwise, pretty much anything goes!

Drink safely out there!

The LA Beerathon takes place at March 31. Check out the website for more info on starting points and for tickets.

-- Chau Tu

(Correction: an earlier post said the event would be 26 miles long -- this is not true. Just 26 beers at 26 bars in downtown Los Angeles.)