Check out who the Star readers voted Best of Glendale 2024. I wrote short bits about each of the 95 winners.
Read the entire issue at Glendale Star.
Best of Glendale 2024
Jessica Koslow
A Running Commentary About the Arts
Delicious To-Go: Ready-made meals for Runway’s outdoor events
Playa Vista is fun for families all year round. With its outdoor play structures and parks, the summer season ushers in more activities that pair perfectly with a picnic from one of the Runway’s restaurants.
In July and August, catch a flick on the big screen at Movies Under the Stars at Runway on select Thursdays at 8 p.m., or live music every Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Runway Summer Concert Series. Each week features a different genre — country, jazz, reggae and rock.
For both series, families can bring blankets and chairs. Although buttery popcorn will, of course, be available at concession stands during the films, below are a selection of to-go meals that will delight taste buds and bellies while the eyes and ears are being entertained. . . .
Read the full article at Playa Vista Magazine.
Staying Dry: Nonalcoholic beverages are having a moment
In 2022, Elizabeth Levitt was in an unusual predicament. She was a graphic designer in the alcohol industry and her husband decided to stop drinking.
“My job no longer aligned with my lifestyle,” she said.
Levitt eventually stopped drinking alcohol, too. She decided it was time for a change, which led her to develop Dri/kit. She launched the mocktail kit company online in March 2023.
“I started the online company just as I was adjusting to my personal lifestyle,” Levitt, who lives in El Segundo, said. “I was seeing these amazing non-alcoholic brands gaining popularity and the industry taking off. The non-alcoholic space is having a moment.” . . .
Read the full article at Playa Vista Magazine.
Tartine Venice Pops Up: Quality comes first at this neighborhood bakery
Last month, Tartine Bakery opened its sixth LA spot on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice. Exclusive to this location are three dishes: French toast made with Tartine’s croissant bread; a soft scramble with labneh, white cheddar, smoked trout roe, and horseradish; and a croque madame with gruyere, black forest ham, bechamel, and dijon topped with a sunny egg.
“My favorite dish on the menu is the croque madame,” Brian Bertelsen, Tartine’s culinary director, said. “I could eat it every day.”
When Bertelsen and his Venice team were developing special items for their menu, they wanted to add dishes that appealed to everyone. . . .
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
A True Maker Education: Kids encouraged to tinker at Rediscover Center
Rediscover Center’s executive director Jonathan Markowitz Bijur is a professional tinkerer. When asked to expand on this passion, the Yale University graduate explains the three areas in which he likes to tinker.
“I tinker with my sourdough pizza dough every Friday night when I make pizzas for my kids,” he started. “I tinker with the programs that I teach. I am always learning. Tinkering is part of my professional DNA, and I have helped to make it part of Rediscover’s organizational DNA. And then I tinker with stuff, like I am unafraid to take apart a piece of furniture or my KitchenAid mixer when something’s rattling. It is a satisfying experience.” . . .
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
Rollin’ in the Sea: Celebrate sushi on its special day
It is one of the best-looking items on a sushi menu, often referred to as a work of art, yet it has not always been the most popular. In 2018, however, hand rolls started receiving media attention as a national trend.
In 2019, July 6 was designated as National Hand Roll Day, which coincides with the birthday of master chef Kazunori Nozawa, who opened KazuNori, the original hand roll bar, in 2014. The holiday is the brainchild of Sushi Nozawa Group, which is responsible for SUGARFISH, KazuNori and Nozawa Bar, to honor Nozawa’s introduction of the cylindrical-style hand roll to the United States more than 40 years ago.
Angelenos are lucky to live in a city where good sushi is easy to find. The four eateries below can help you celebrate National Hand Roll Day with delicious and delightful-looking options, even with a take-home kit to prepare and eat rolls at home or at a summer outdoor event. . . .
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
A Sweet Development: Adrienne Borlongan debuts ice cream cookbook
In the last 10 years, Adrienne Borlongan’s passion for artisanal ice cream led her from crafting homemade batches of explorative flavors in her tiny kitchen to opening eight brick-and-mortar locations of her concept, Wanderlust Creamery. Next month, the mother of three is launching a cookbook, “The World of Ice Cream,” and on June 4.
Copies will be available at Wanderlust’s Venice location on Lincoln Boulevard. Every copy sold includes a free scoop of ice cream.
In addition, each person who purchases a book will be entered to win a Wanderlust Package, which includes a Breville ice cream maker, pints of Wanderlust ice cream, specialty ingredients, and an ice cream scoop and tea towel from Williams Sonoma. . . .
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
Eat.Play.Stay: The Westside is chock-full of fun, adventure
LA’s Westside is akin to a playground for kids of all ages (including adults and seniors). Think Disneyland by the sea. It is home to beaches, hiking trails, bike paths, piers and one of the biggest tourist destinations in California: the Venice Boardwalk, which hosts about 30,000 visitors daily. As summer approaches, tourists and locals will flock to the Westside all season in search of breezy temps and cooler hangouts. Below is a list of food to eat, things to do, and places to see, from Venice and Santa Monica to Mar Vista and Culver City, which are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exploring all the treasures that are sprinkled throughout LA’s westside. . . .
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
Birds of a Feather: Starbird comes to roost in Marina del Rey
Starbird is open in Marina del Rey. The location is the fried chicken chain’s third in Los Angeles, with a fourth slated to open in Torrance by the end of the year.
When Starbird founder and CEO Aaron Noveshen and his company, The Culinary Edge, surveyed the American marketplace in 2016 as they were gearing up to launch a brand and company, chicken presented itself as a big growth industry over the past nine years.
“Chicken was the next big thing,” said Noveshen, whose Culinary Edge is the largest food and beverage innovation company in the country.
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
The Coco Club: Catch the best sunset, sip handcrafted cocktails
Boulevard Hospitality is debuting The Coco Club. The opening of this rooftop bar comes just one month after that of their Middle Eastern-style restaurant Layla in the dining room adjacent to the lobby of The Beacon by Sonder Hotel on Ocean Avenue.
Inspired by classic nightclubs of the past such as The Cocoanut Grove and The Coconut Club, The Coco Club blends the art deco accents that Miami is best known for with Santa Monica’s breezy beach vibes.
Whereas Layla offers an elevated dining experience downstairs, The Coco Club delivers light bites and handcrafted cocktails on the penthouse level, where guests sit at eye level with palm trees, gazing at the horizon with an unobstructed, glorious view from LAX to Malibu. . . .
Read the full article at The Argonaut.
Jessica Koslow 