Stories by Mar Yvette

Got Crabs? Tuesdays @ AnQi

Stories 26 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

If you're in the mood for crab, hit up AnQi at South Coast Plaza for the Tuesday night roasted crab special. Every week, matriarch and chef, Helene “Mama” An, leaves Crustacean Beverly Hills (her original SoCal family-owned restaurant) to bring dozens of Dungeness crabs to be served at AnQi. Best of all, the savory crabs are served with Mama's famous garlic noodles.

Emanuel Andren elderberry - Photo by Mar Yvette

Q&A: Candy Man Emanuel Andren

Stories 26 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Call it crazy. Call it couture. Just don’t call it boring. Emanuel Andren Gastronomy AB Chocolates have arrived in the US and they aim to be the world's most luxurious chocolates. (And at $29 a pop, they better be.) Naturally, I couldn’t pass up the chance to meet Emanuel Andren and taste these pricey pralines myself. I met up with the candy man to get the sweet scoop and indulge in a crash-course tasting of elderberry, sea buckthorn, Västerbotten cheese with cloudberry marmalade and um, cigar.

Sumo Wrestlers, Bacon Mania, OC Food Truck, Tha Boogie

Stories 25 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Food and fun expert Mar Yvette features Origins International Martial Arts Festival with USA Sumo Wrestlers, OC Foodie Fest with Bacon Mania and OC Food Truck, and Tha Boogie on the Good Day LA Show (08/25/2011).

Labor Day Backyard Boogie

Stories 24 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Summer might be coming to an end but the fun is just getting started. On Sunday, September 4, Beer Belly is joining forces with The Park's Finest for a Backyard Boogie that's putting an Asian twist on two favorite American pastimes: BBQ and beer! Expect lots of 'cue with Filipino flava and plenty of beer pairings.

Shake, Battle & Rolls: Sumo in So Cal!

Stories 23 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Blame it on those vintage Baby Huey cartoons I watched as a kid, but I just can't help but have an affinity for sumo wrestlers. And if you share my fondness for the ancient Japanese tradition of overgrown men in diaper-like getups wrestling one another, now's your chance to see all the sweaty larger-than-life action up close and personal.

Freebie: It’s An Undie Party!

Stories 23 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Ever wanted to run into a store semi-naked and walk out with a totally free outfit? That's never been my fantasy, but the crazy folks at Spanish clothing brand Desigual (of course they're from Europe) are betting that it's a dream come true for some of you. On Tuesday, August 30, the first 100 people who arrive at Desigual’s new Third Street Promenade store--wearing just their underwear--will walk out in a FREE two-piece outfit.

Back for Seconds: OC Foodie Fest

Stories 23 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

It's baaack! After a successful first run with a crowd of more than 8,500 people, OC Foodie Fest is returning with an even bigger venue that promises a better selection and more entertainment than last year. Going on Saturday, August 27, at Angel Stadium, the festival will have 100 different food trucks, live band and DJ performances, shopping booths, a farmers' market, car show, kid’s entertainment area and beer garden.

Beer Belly: Craft for Crap Party

Stories 22 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Budweiser. Coors. Pabst. Olde English. Schlitz. If you're still clinging on to your BFF's from freshman year (or know someone who is), it's time for an intervention. Beer Belly's "Craft for Crap" event is here to help. On Sunday, August 28, simply take in whatever bottle or can of crap beer to the new K-town bar, and in exchange you'll get a fine brew from featured So Cal brewery Cismontane for just ONE PENNY. Bottoms up!

Bao Wow Wow: MoKo Hits LA

Stories 19 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

UPDATE: Sadly, due to health issues concerning chef Gary Robins, MoKo has closed. It will reopen as Gyenari 2 (G2) on September 1, offering a "less expensive and more accessible option" with "all-you-can eat-Korean BBQ and a lively happy hour." READ ON FOR THE ORIGINAL REVIEW of this short-lived yet highly impressive restaurant ...

Onch Movement, Antonello’s Ristorante, The Dirty Heads

Stories 18 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Food and fun expert Mar Yvette features Onch Movement, Royal T Cafe, Costa Mesa Restaurant Week, Antonello's Ristorante and the Sunset Strip Music Festival with the Dirty Heads on the Good Day LA show (08/18/2011).

Sample Sale: Michelle Jonas

Stories 18 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Did someone say sample sale? Oh, yes! Michelle Jonas Travelwear--a favorite of celebs like Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez--is having a huge end-of-summer sample sale this Saturday, August 27 with items like $25 silk chiffon tops, easy-breezy linen pants for $50, tie-dye jersey maxi dresses for $100 and other must-have pieces that'll work even after Labor Day weekend. (After all, we are in LA, the land of year-round sunshine.)

Photo courtesy of Independent Shakespeare Company

Freebie: Shakespeare Festival

Stories 14 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

To free, or not to free. That is the question. Actually, what kind of question is that? Of course 'to free' is the answer. If you're a sucker for the Bard or just want to prove to yourself (or your date) that your literary scope spans beyond Us Weekly, then check out the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival going on Thursday-Sunday nights until August 28.

Q&A: Onch Movement

Stories 12 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

What in the world is Onch Movement? It's a person, a fashion accessories line and a magical place, both real and imagined. Throughout the month of August, Royal T in Culver City is celebrating the whimsical world of Onch Movement with a "Perfectasy" pop-up shop and fun events. I caught up with the diminutive darling to talk about everything from unicorns and eyeshadow to being Paris Hilton's pet and why he only buys one detergent.

Watermelon Festival, Mar’sel, Ford’s Filling Station, Vaud & the Villains

Stories 11 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Food and fun expert Mar Yvette features Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival, Mar'sel at Terranea Resort, Ford's Filling Station, and Vaud and the Villains on the Good Day LA show (08/11/2011).

Photo courtesy of Phillip Lim - West Hollywood

Sightseeing: Structures & Style

Stories 11 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Calling all fashionistas, architectural savants and design buffs! Structures & Style, the super-fab guided walking and shuttle tour, is back in WeHo on Saturday, August 27, and it's your chance to get a behind-the-scenes peek at some of the city's most inspired fashion spaces--including Philip Lim and Alberta Ferretti--that ends with a rooftop soiree.

Tubas & Tatas: Vaud & the Villains

Stories 9 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

With their foot-stomping, hip-shaking, rule-breaking swagger, Vaud & the Villains are pure gold when it comes to putting on a good show. The 19-piece, 1930s-style New Orleans band and cabaret troupe conjures up the sultry circus stylings of Moulin Rouge with a horn-y Big Easy sound that lets the good times roll.

Go Hog Wild: OC BBQ Bonanza

Stories 9 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a rib village to handle all the pork, beef and poultry at the Orange County BBQ Bonanza this weekend in Fountain Valley. The Texas-sized barbeque feast is where America’s top pit masters will gather to grill juicy pork ribs, pulled pork, tri tip, sausages and chicken alongside country-western entertainment and a VIP "All You Can Eat" Rib Village. Yee-haw!

Eat It: Sunday Night Chef Fights

Stories 8 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Get ready to ruuuuuuumble!!!! On August 21, apron strings will fly at the Sunday Night Chef Fight cooking competition in Huntington Beach when defending champion Nicola Bellazzi of Enne Cucina Italiana goes pan to pan with challenging chef James Harris of The Royal Hawaiian. Did I mention the wine tastings?

Q&A: Debbie Lee’s Poutine Truck

Stories 6 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Nobody doesn't like Debbie Lee. And nobody doesn't love fries smothered in cheese, meat and gravy. So imagine the boundless joy and endless lip-smacking that ensue when you put these ingredients together. The Food Network star and woman behind the Ahn Joo Truck has now added the Poutine Truck to her growing list of culinary endeavors--because we all deserve some Canadian comfort food, dontcha think?

Juicy Fruit: Watermelon Festival

Stories 5 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

If you thought having a small-town experience was impossible in LA, that just means you haven't been to the Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival. Now in its 50th year, the tasty event (August 12-14) invites families to spend the weekend eating free watermelon while enjoying the summertime fruit in all its juicy glory.

Monsters of Hip Hop, Taste in San Pedro, Ritz Spa, Pacific Edge

Stories 4 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Food and fun expert Mar Yvette features Monsters of Hip Hop, Taste in San Pedro, Ritz Carlton Spa, Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna with Kevin Miso on the Good Day LA show (08/04/2011).

Nick & Stef’s, LA Market, Sound of Korea

Stories 4 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

Food and fun expert Mar Yvette features Girl and a Grill at Nick & Stef's Steakhouse, Chefs Kerry Simon & Nona Sivley of LA Market, and Sound of Korea on the Good Day LA show (07/28/2011).

Q&A: Chef Nona Sivley

Stories 2 Aug 2011 Mar Yvette

It's hard to keep track of all the cooking competition shows out there, but Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" is one that even non-foodies know. Earlier this year, Season 8 winner Nona Sivley took her grand prize post as Chef de Cuisine of LA Market. I finally made it over to this expansive space to get a taste of the food (hint: order the chicken and the cheesecake) and talk to Chef Sivley about the show, how she's fitting in to the LA landscape and why she has a pig on her arm.

Monday Movies, Martinis & Manis

Stories 29 Jul 2011 Mar Yvette

Forget stale popcorn, flat soda, unventilated theatres and no leg room! It's time to watch some old-school movies the new Hollywood-style way. Station Hollywood, the outdoor bar and lounge at the W Hollywood, has launched Monday Night Movies, Martinis & Manicures.