Week 3: The Importance of Being Prepared

So, although I didn't keep track of week 2's breakfasts with blog posts, I did have a great week of eating interesting and delicious vegan foods. I think I started detoxing and was pretty tired last week, and my mind was really foggy, which is probably the reason why I didn't manage to blog every morning! Anyway, I will be better this week, because I really thinking the blog has helped me to stay on track. All of that aside, I ended up having a bunch of foods yesterday that normally would have been treats to me - hot chocolate (nonvegan), tea sandwiches with cream cheese, maracoons and pizza with cheese and sausage. I felt a little like indulging in what I thought would be yummy stuff (even though I knew they were not "kind" foods), but I ended up feeling so sick by the end of the night... bloated (I never used to feel like this!), heartburn-y, and head-achey. Ugh! So, that sure showed me - after nearly 2 weeks of eating great yummy healthy foods, my body totally rejected this gross stuff I put into it, and I won't soon do that again.

Next time, I think it would be helpful to keep sweets somewhat on hand to indulge without totally giving in to the crap, and also to bring food to parties to share and to make sure I eat how I want to eat. (Yesterday, at a Lost viewing party, I brought Malibu Monkey lemonade and macaroons from Chocolate Box Cafe.... sooo good, but I should have brought something more substantive for myself).

I think I also have to be wary of eating anything with white or cane sugar.... I'm such a sugar addict! I need to try out some of the brown rice syrup recipes so I can have some sweets without totally going on a sugar meltdown.

Yard Sale 5/23/10

I'm having a yard sale tomorrow! Come on over bright & early for some shopping. I'll also have a basket of fresh eggs... while supplies last!

6:00 AM to 12 NOON

Details here: FANTASTIC YARD SALE! May 23, 2010 ... - Malibu, CA 90265

- PennySaverUSA

"Write the Future" Best Nike Ad Ever

Bam!

World Cup starts June 11th. Here's how to watch, from ESPN:

ESPN will air 44 FIFA World Cup matches from South Africa – the most ever for the network in one tournament. ESPN2 will feature 10 matches. ABC will broadcast 10, beginning with the U.S. Men’s National Team’s tournament opener vs. England on Saturday, June 12, at 2 p.m. ET in Rustenburg. The tournament will conclude on ABC with the title match Sunday, July 11, at 1:30 p.m. ET from the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.

Coverage will begin Friday, June 11, on ESPN, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV, with the tournament’s opening match at 9:30 a.m. from the Soccer City in Johannesburg, host country South Africa versus Mexico.

L’origine du monde

I happened across this "only in Paris" moment captured on a Parisian English-language blog, and had to share. A mural-sized and EDIBLE version of Gustave Courbet's "L’origine du monde", considered "the artistic gold standard of female genetalia portraiture" has been installed in Paris by the artistic duo Zoom. It is a highly pixelated version of the painting composed of dark and white chocolate, cheese and bread. Inspired by the 1866 original hanging nearby in the Musee d'Orsay, the artists wanted to "titillate ALL the senses while experiencing art." It's hard to improve upon such a celebrated piece, especially such a beautiful form, but chocolate always adds a certain thrill...! Check out the video below that accompanies a serendipitous meeting.

"Tighten Up" Official Video

Happy Friday.

Spotlight on Matter of Trust

I heard about this great environmental organization called Matter Of Trust via Alicia Silverstone's blog post on The Kind Life, and I wanted to share their fantastic solution to the oil spill situation in the Gulf Coast. As they explain in the video below, they use hair clippings mailed to them from individuals, hair salons and pet groomers and stuff them into old nylon stockings to create what they call 'hair booms.' These hair booms float in water and, as if by magic, soak up oil completely! They are currently mobilizing volunteers and have storage locations set up to receive hair & nylons.

Here's what they're saying about it on their website:

A huge International Natural Fiber Recycling mobilization is currently taking place to help get hair boom to the Gulf Coast Spill. We have 19 donated warehouses spread along Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida that are receiving hair from donors all over the US, Canada and beyond! There are thousands of volunteers signing up to have Stocking Stuffers and Bar B Q parties where they're making the boom. They're calling them Boom B Qs.

If you or your pet is getting a hair cut soon, definitely ask to keep the clippings so you can mail to Matter of Trust or have a Boom-B-Que with your friends! Also, why not ask your salon to send ALL their clippings, or volunteer to do it for them? In order to send in hair or nylons, or your completed boom, you need to:

1. Sign up with Excess Access via the Matter of Trust website... accessible HERE.
2. Click the Activation link that they email to you.
3. You will then receive an email with a location of where to send stuff. This is important and unique, as they are coordinating space in donated warehouses along the Gulf Coast to make sure distribution is efficient. (This may take a while, as they are sending emails out in waves once daily at 12pm PST.)
4. Once you have been emailed an address, get started with these instructions from MoT:
5. Set aside a designated box and line it with a plastic bag so hair (and fur, fleece & feathers) can't slip out.
6. Put all waste hair & natural fibers in the bag!
7. After you've filled it with hair, tie the top of the bag and tape the box shut.
8. Mark the boxes DEBRIS FREE HAIR (FUR, FLEECE, FEATHERS) or NYLONS.
9. Mail boxes in to the address(es) we provide you by email AFTER you sign up.

Hair specifications:

- ideally shampooed, but it doesn't have to be
- any length is fine
- every type of hair is fine but only HEAD hair, please!

-dread locks are OK to send, although we find they have fungus inside when cut open, so please separate in their own bag and mark "DREADS". They are handled separately.

- we also accept fur and other natural fibers like waste wool, alpaca fleece, horse hair, feathers

-please make sure hair and fibers are mainly free of garbage and other contaminants

- we also accept washed, used (even with runs) nylon stocking donations in a separate bag, please.

You can read more about the Gulf Coast project and Matter of Trust's other programs HERE. Here's a video about how to make your own boom... so easy!

"Cosmic Love" Video

I saw Florence + The Machine live last fall. What a thrilling performance! Her presence is so powerful and engaging; definitely one of the best shows I've been to. This song and "The Dog Days Are Over" are my favorites.

Dior Debuts "Lady Blue Shanghai" Directed by David Lynch

The French fashion house debuted its latest short film, "Lady Blue Shanghai", today, which centers around the mysterious appearance of a Lady Dior handbag in a hotel room. Written and directed by David Lynch, the short stars Marion Cotillard and features the art direction of John Galliano.

Though this is essentially a 16 minute advertisement for a purse, the Lady Dior itself has very little screentime, and in fact, I found my attention drawn more toward Cotillard's tailored skirt-suit, the old-timey tune blaring from the record player, and the gorgeous peek at Shanghai furnishings of a bygone era. I'm not sure that I would call this a "successful" ad, as, other than a potential purchase from iTunes, it didn't spur an acquisitive impulse in me. I am still thinking about it, though, but probably not for the reasons intended.

I initially wanted to post the videos just to share them, but after letting them sink in a while, I realized there is more to say about the film, in terms of what it says about our society. While I can appreciate the foray into film as an effective form of advertising and a beautiful art form at that, I'm wary of art that glorifies an object, especially one as subject to fleeting fashions as a handbag. I can only think of all the energy, talent, and resources that went into the making of this film (not to mention the purse!), and I can't help but think it a tremendous waste: all that to sell a purse? One that will be out of fashion in 6 months? I don't mean to single out the Lady Dior or demonize luxury goods altogether; I just think that for Marion Cotillard, John Galliano and David Lynch to all get together on a project, I expect it to result in something a little more meaningful than a drive for consumerism. (Though I guess they've got to eat, too).

Consumerism in America has often been lauded as a saving grace - helping the country to bounce back after World War II and encouraged by President Bush after the attacks of September 11th. No doubt our current economy is in dire need of a little saving, but so much of what I've been reading recently indicates that what has worked in the past is no longer a viable, sustainable option.

The fashion industry is primarily an economy fueled by consumer purchases, so what happens to the creation of beautiful, awe-inspiring wearable art when people reconsider their purchasing impulses and buy vintage or heaven forbid, keep wearing the same clothes? Perhaps someday in the near future, visionary artists will come up with news ways to showcase the tremendous talents of the fashion industry without feeding into the mania of perceived obsolescence and retail shopping as "therapy". Until then, beneath Parts 1 & 2 of "Lady Blue Shanghai" I've included "The Story of Stuff" which explains exactly why shopping is no longer a solution to our economic problems and how it actually contributes to many of our current crises: health, environmental, financial, and others. You can learn more about The Story of Stuff Project here.

Week 1: Saturday Breakfast

Okay, so I woke up really hungry and craving something sort of indulgent. Unfortunately I didn't really prepare anything in advance, so I cut some corners. I made myself a quick bowl of oatmeal while I attempted to create a modified waffle recipe. We had Bisquik, but I decided I didn't want to mess around with bleached white flour, so I followed the Biskquik baking instructions using organic unrefined flour, some almond milk, some orange marmalade and, mistaking it for olive oil, some white truffle oil! (Ooops). The truffle oil made it pretty savory, but the consistency of the waffles was tough and chewy, and I think I can definitely improve up this. It tasted okay, but it was too sweet of a meal overall, and I should have balanced it with more veggies and maybe some veggie bacon or something along the lines of protein. Anyway, it wasn't terrible, but it did remind me to stay on track while I was eating and drinking at a wedding later that afternoon.

Week 1: Friday Breakfast

Today was a sort of dismal breakfast - in a rush, and all I could grab was some toasted cinnamon raisin bread with orange marmalade. It tasted good, but not very filling or balanced. I also had some baby carrots in the car. Still, I've been on track so far this week; I think writing about my breakfast really helps me stay in tune to my eating habits. I've been eating vegan now for 6 days, and pretty healthy at that! (Not like a gummy bear-only diet).

I made a really excellent ginger tofu dish and a bok choy salad one night this week...check out the photos below. It took a while for the tofu to marinate and for the rice to cook, but overall, it was delicious! Really, I will make this again. I think the key to eating according to "the kind diet" is preparing in advance (so you don't have to wait an hour before your food is ready to eat) and taking the time to cook flavorful, interesting meals. If all I ate was rice and beans every night, I would hate eating! (Even though I love both rice and beans). Eating is supposed to be enjoyable, and I have to say, so far the times I've made one of Alicia Silverstone's recipes, I've been really happy with the results. (Check out her book The Kind Diet for the recipe). I'm ready for the weekend for some more food experimenting!

Week 1: Thursday Breakfast

I missed posting about this yesterday, but I had a nice modified "oatmeal" breakfast. I had a lot of leftover rice, and just added my usual maple syrup, apples, cinnamon, walnuts & flaxseed oil... very good! It was cold, though, so not ideal.

ReVamp Your Wardrobe

I just discovered ReVamp in Downtown Los Angeles, while on a quest to find a vintage card case. I am so excited to spend more time perusing the website, and I am definitely booking a 1930's hair and makeup how-to class for my friend and myself this summer. In the meantime, for all you vintage style lovers out there, feast your peepers on this:

Cotton Candy for Your Eyes & Ears

1963 film by super avant-gardist Jeff Keen, titled "Flik Flak". (via Art Forum)

Acapulco Nights, St. Tropez Mornings After

Cointreau and Chanel are channeling the glamorous festivity and indulgence of by-gone eras in their recent promotional films. One thing is constant - summer dance parties never go out of style.

Check out Cointreau's "Original Margarita Story" below starring Dita von Teese looking glorious as ever in bakelite bangles, and reminding us that the classic drink recipe always includes Cointreau. Karl Lagerfeld's "Remember Now" features Baptiste Giabiconi and Freja Beha in Chanel's 2011 Cruise Collection.

Bobs, Poodle Skirts, Acid Wash Jeans, and Peas

Today for lunch I brought some leftover brown rice and black beans, and a handful of English peas. Growing up, we grew peas on the vine in my backyard. I don't know if they were specifically "English" or not, but I always used to eat them pod and all. When I bit into one of these English pea pods that I brought, it was so tough and not at all chewable! So of course I googled the proper way to eat these. What I found, in addition to learning that the pods are best eaten when steamed, was delightful! Peas have an under-publicized pop history, according to Leah A. Zeldes of Dining Chicago. She writes:

They were mainly used dried until the 17th century, when green peas became all the rage in the French court as Françoise d’Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon, wrote in 1696: “This subject of peas continues to absorb all others, the anxiety to eat them, the pleasure of having eaten them and the desire to eat them again, are the three great matters which have been discussed by our princes for four days past. Some ladies, even after having supped at the Royal table and well supped too, returning to their own homes at the risk of suffering from indigestion, will again eat peas before going to bed. It is both a fashion and a madness.”

When was the last time a vegetable was all the rage! Too funny.

Week 1: Wednesday Breakfast

This morning I got up a little earlier and made the totally delicious oatmeal that I tested out on Sunday. It is SO filling, and SO sweet! I made it the same way I did Sunday, but I'm thinking I can start lessening my use of maple syrup as I don't normally use that anyway. (Are there health benefits to maple syrup?) I accidentally doused my bowl of steaming oats a bit too much with flaxseed oil, but I think I'll live. Flaxseed oil is apparently good to have daily, so since I don't think I had any yesterday or the day before, I should be nicely provided for! Here's what the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says about flaxseed oil as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids:

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important in the normal functioning of all tissues of the body. Deficiencies are responsible for a host of symptoms and disorders including abnormalities in the liver and kidney, changes in the blood, reduced growth rates, decreased immune function, depression, and skin changes, including dryness and scaliness. Adequate intake of the essential fatty acids results in numerous health benefits. Prevention of atherosclerosis, reduced incidence of heart disease and stroke, and relief from the symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis, menstrual pain, and joint pain have also been documented.^{2,3, 4}

It is important for vegetarians to include foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids on a daily basis. Alpha-linolenic acid, a common omega-3 fatty acid, is found in many vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fruits. The best source of alpha-linolenic acid is flaxseeds or flaxseed oil.

While supplements and added oils are not typically necessary in the vegetarian diet, good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fats should be included daily. It is important to take these two fats in the proper ratio as well. Omega-6 fatty acids compete with omega-3 fatty acids for use in the body, and therefore excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids can be a problem. The U.S. diet has become heavy in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3 fats, secondary to a reliance on processed foods and oils. It is necessary to balance this by eating a low-fat diet that is low in processed foods and with fat mainly coming from omega-3 fatty acids.

I used Spectrum's Organic Flaxseed Oil, and it added a barely perceptible nutty flavor, which was nice!

Week 1: Tuesday Breakfast

Yikes, I was a little rushed this morning, but I still managed to make a yummy breakfast to keep with my 4 week vegan goal, albeit on the go! I'll have to plan better for tomorrow, because I can't keep eating the same thing in a row! That oatmeal was really yummy on Sunday; now that I've got some brown rice syrup, I'm interested in trying that out as a sweetener.

Spotlight on SurfMonk (and Tiger Lily)

Today, as summer is slowly extending the daylight (if not the warmth!) of the days, I'd like to highlight SurfMonk, a beach apparel line started by a pair of locals. I initially heard about SurfMonk from my mother, who is friends with the owner, Claudia Taylor. It wasn't until I came across the SurfMonk twitter account that I realized it was all eco-friendly and locally manufactured! That certainly got my attention.

Here's the SurfMonk philosophy:

SurfMonk is 100% committed to sustainable and local manufacturing. Made in Los Angeles, all goods are sweatshop-free, organically dyed and made of raw materials developed without the use of chemicals. We believe in the use of natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of our world.

So, not only can I feel good about buying these products, but they are super cute!! Some of my favorites are below, all of which you can order online here.

SurfMonk also features cool accessories from other brands - my favorite of which is Tiger Lily. My neighbor, Heather Gardner, designs all of Tiger Lily's exquisite, nature-inspired pieces, and I love her stuff. Her feather earrings are featured on the SurfMonk website, but you can also see her whole collection here. Heather was on of the boutique vendors at the Tribute to the Human Spirit Awards gala that I produced last week, and she lent me a beautiful gold/blue Swarovski crystal set of necklaces and earrings for the evening!

Week 1: Monday Breakfast

This morning I had a thick slice of bread from Julian Bakery (of San Diego) with a slather of almond butter and some orange marmalade on top. To add some veggies into the mix, I had a side of baby carrots. A little strange, but very satisfying and yummy!! I like to dip carrots in peanut butter usually anyway, so this was an easy stretch.

Guide to Buying Locally Grown, Seasonally Fresh Produce

Do you live in Southern California, and want to know what's on nature's menu for early May?

Here are two great sources, ready to tell you about this month's "specials":

The National Resource Defense Council has a page specifically devoted to helping you eat locally-grown, fresh produce. All you have to do is type in your State and the half-month you are interested in. For early May in Southern California, the NDRC suggests:

• Apricots
• Artichokes
• Asian Pears
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Basil
• Beets
• Black-eyed Peas
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chard
• Cherries
• Collards
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Dates (Medjool)
• Eggplant
• Figs
• Grapefruit
• Green Beans
• Green Onion
• Green Peas
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Kumquats
• Lemons
• Lettuce
• Mushroom
• Mustard
• Navel Orange
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Onions
• Passion Fruit
• Peaches
• Plums
• Potatoes
• Raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Turnips
• Valencia Oranges

L.A. Weekly's blog Squid Ink features a "What's In Season at Farmers' Markets" column, that gives great insight into particular featured varieties of your favorite local fruits & veggies. Right now there are so many treats available: ramps, morels, spinach, lettuce, stinging nettles, strawberries, English peas, celery, artichokes, fava beans, cherimoyas, onions, lemons... and lilacs and lavender, too! Stay up on the report by visiting the Farmers' Market Report here.

Alicia Silverstone Speaks About the Kind Diet

All I have to say about this is, I'm so excited and happy that there are people like Alicia in the world! I read Skinny Bitch a couple years ago, and finished Alicia's Kind Diet over the weekend, and her approach to veganism is so much more friendly, empowering and easy-going. Whereas Skinny Bitch is somewhat of a rant-expose, luring readers in with the promise of weight loss, and then completely getting in their faces about everything from sugar to beef, Alicia is so radiant with health and love that her lifestyle is naturally attractive, and I can't help but want to share it. So here you go...

For Kicks: Leon Russel "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Young Blood" Medley

I heard this on the radio recently, and fell in love! The talent on the stage for Bangladesh is awesome. Enjoy!

Week 1: Sunday Breakfast

Today I made my first official breakfast on The Kind Diet, "Quick Date-Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal", taken from a recipe off Alicia Silverstone's vegan list. Technically, this was only Quick Apple-Cinnamon oatmeal as I didn't have any dates on hand. Now, I am a long-time lover of oatmeal, but this was particularly delicious and super easy to make. Usually I boil two cups water, add in a cup of oats, turn off the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then I add in some cinnamon, and that's usually it. Since I've been staying away from milk lately, it hasn't had the douse of milk I used to add.

However, today's oatmeal was quicker and tastier, and Alicia-approved! Yay! I boiled some water in a saucepan, and meanwhile combined the following in a stainless steel mixing bowl:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (more like 1... I was at the bottle of the bottle)
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (I used a handful and broke them into pieces)
• 1/3 crisp apple, cut in cubes
• some ground up sea salt
• 3 shakes ground cinnamon
• a drizzle of flaxseed oil

Once I'd combined those, I got the pot of water, turned off the stove, and poured the water over the mixture so that the oats were just barely covered. I put a lid on the bowl, and let it sit for 2 minutes or so, and it was ready! It was sooo yummy and very filling. I have a nice warm feeling in my belly now, and I feel very relaxed.

The Kind Diet

I bought Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet after discovering her great online community The Kind Life, and am totally on board. I've been "flirting" with going vegan for a few years now, but am ready to take the plunge for real. Today I'm starting 4 weeks of plant-only eating. The things that I usually succumb to are butter, cheese, chocolate, and bread. I'm going to simply seek out vegan alternatives instead of totally depriving myself, because that's not what this "diet" is about. It's about embracing all the wonderful gifts nature provides, celebrating life's blessings, being happy, taking care of myself and doing my part to make the world better for everyone and everything in it by making informed decisions.

After four weeks, I'll see where I'm at and throw myself a little party! I don't rely on too many processed foods, so hopefully the jump to full on "superhero" will be easy and gradual after that. I have no problem eating lots of whole grains and beans, but I need to try to eat more veggies than I already do, and keep fruits as occasional snacks rather than a big basis for my diet. What will be new for me is all the sea vegetables and exotic-sounding foods that are commonly used in eastern cuisine. I'm an adventurous eater, though, so this should be fun!

I plan to post what I eat for breakfast everyday with pictures so that I can 1) remind myself of my commitment daily, 2) start each day off on the right foot, 3) share that healthy, "kind" eating can be easy and delicious, and 4) track my progress! I hope this will be beneficial to others as well, since making small changes, even if only at breakfast, is a great way for us all to make a positive impact. I will of course use the same principles that inform my breakfast choices for the rest of my meals, but I don't want food to completely take over my blog!

Malibu Cooks Tour Mini Recap

Check out my Tweets for a brief look at yesterday's Cooks Tour. Full write up later today!

My live Tweet starts here. You can also check out the hashtag #MalibuCooksTour for related Tweets.

HLife Interview of Annie Jubb

I just read a fascinating interview of Annie Jubb, founder of LifeFood Organic, on the Los Angeles-based blog HLife. HLife stands for "Holistic Health for Humanity" and it's mission is "To empower you to take control of your well-being by understanding and maintaining a lifestyle of optimum physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health."

This statement of purpose really resonates with me, especially because it very closely relates to the mission of The Wellness Community, the non-profit where I work. TWC's mission is "To ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community."

The interview, conducted by Sylvie and Maryl Celiz, co-founders of HLife, touched on many areas of health, and Jubb's anecdotal, poetic, frank way of speaking about the subject matter is so refreshing!

Here is one of my favorite passages:

SC: How important is lifestyle in health?

APJ: Very important. There were some studies of two islands in which populations lived to be very old. And what they found is that, basically, there are conditions of longevity that need to be met. One of them is laughter and community, that they recognize you for your contribution. The other is partnership with family. Also, dancing. Some sort of purpose, whatever it may be, even if it’s “I grow grains, that’s what I do and do it well,”. And a couple of other factors. The other thing in both of these two little islands is that the water was very highly alkaline. And that’s the basis of Secrets of an Alkaline Body, is that if we create a perfect pH balance – 80% alkaline, 20% acidic – you can live very long lives. Anything from pH 7 and above is alkaline and actually rinses the cells clean of acid. So, what is cancer. Cancer can only be met with two conditions: It has to be an extremely acidic environment – about 4 something – and there has to be an anaerobic environment as well, not much oxygen, the blood has to be very viscous, very slowly moving through the body, lots of artifacts, red blood cells that are really weird shapes (they should be really round and bright). But all of it is completely reversible. I’ve seen people with the worst blood and couple months or a year later, beautiful blood.

I love how how Jubb personifies on the cellular level - calling blood 'beautiful' and earlier in the interview, she calls cancer cells 'fat' and 'dopey'. She's got such a great perspective.

I am really encouraged and heartened to learn of such dialogues going on out there, especially right here in Los Angeles! From my quick perusal of HLife, I can already tell I'm going to be a loyal reader. Finding kindred spirits is always such a joy!

Raw Food Expert Annie Jubb

Annie Jubb's new store/cafe LifeFood Organic on Cahuenga will be featured in the Cook's Tour this Saturday in Malibu. (See previous post). Here, Annie introduces some of the ways she gets nutrients from her raw food diet. Everything sounds so amazing!

24th Annual Cook's Tour

So apparently my house is going to be part of the Cook's Tour, which is happening this Saturday, May 8th. The Cook's Tour is a progressive dinner benefit for the Malibu Methodist Nursery School's scholarship program. Tra di Noi will be serving food at our home. Here's the scoop, according to The Malibu Times:

The Malibu Cook's Tour is a long-standing tradition in the Malibu community and is limited to 300 passports. The tour begins at Malibu Methodist Nursery School, 30128 Morning View Drive. Passport tickets are $65 per person. Reservations can be obtained by calling 310.457.5144.

The official website from the school says there are 350 spaces, and it's a self-guided tour of "magnificent Malibu homes" featuring "a gourmet traveling tasting menu prepared by local prominent chefs."

The print version of the Times' article included vignettes of three of the four homes, along with photographs. The descriptions appear re-printed below. (Only the first house's photograph appeared in the online version).

"This home called 'Whitesands House' is one of four homes to be seen on the Malibu Cook's Tour May 8. Laurel Anderson of LifeFood Organic will serve her organic and raw food treats here." (photo above)

"The Tuscan style Villa Sancti di Bella Vista will be one of the four homes seen on the Malibu Cook's Tour on May 8. Tra di Noi will serve Italian treats at this home."

"The 14,000 square foot Villa Cascata (House of the Waterfall), situated on 20 acres of land, with view of Paradise Cove, Little Dume and beyond, will be catered by Chef David Price of Terra restaurant."

I hadn't heard of LifeFood Organic before today, but I am totally intrigued! I'll hopefully head out to Cahuenga soon, so I can try something at at the raw, organic, gluten-free new restaurant!

The Black Keys Are Hollywood Bound

My whirlwind weekend of Black Keys delights has reached its zenith: Jason Bentley announced this morning on KCRW (89.9 FM) that Dan and Pat will play at the Hollywood Palladium September 27th. Tickets go on sale Friday on Ticketmaster. Wonder if there is a fan pre-sale? The list of recently added shows just went up on their website. San Diego show at Soma on September 25th. Scenestar also reports.

Perfect Red Lips

Just discovered Lisa Eldridge, and I love her refined take on the Youtube makeup How-To. I had had a bit of trouble with my Ruby Woo lipstick, mainly due to a careless lack of lip balm or liner, and sought out the best technique online. Here it is:

Isn't she gorgeous? Her prettiness supercedes any imperfections. That's the beauty of well-applied makeup!

Can You OD on a Good Time?

Because that's what this feels like, and it feels good.

And here's why you should brave the sweaty, hot masses of music festivals:

What an absolute DREAM. See Florence + The Machine live if you get the chance. She is so powerful! And man, Cold War Kids... "Audience" is my favorite song of 2010 so far. So happy it's actually getting airtime! (Even if it is only on the obscure stations). Music makes me happy.

INCOGNITO With Jason Bentley

After I graduated college, I was an intern at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. Every now and then I'll stop by GRACIE to check out the funky jewelry and merchandise or help out at an event. Last night I volunteered for SMMoA's annual exhibit and benefit sale INCOGNITO, which features what is definitely the coolest way to sell original artwork (made specifically for this event). Over 700 artists - big name, emerging, local, and international - submitted an 8" by 10" two dimensional piece and signed the back. The fun part is, the identity of the artist isn't revealed until after the piece has been purchased! The whole point is to "trust your instincts" and just buy what you like. Most of the pieces, which were selling for $300 plus tax, sold, and there is a sale of the few leftovers going on at SMMoA today with $10 admission.

Anyway, I was working near the DJ booth, which was manned by none other than KCRW's Jason Bentley, he of the melted-butter voice on "Morning Becomes Eclectic". I geeked out a bit when he arrived and actually did a double hand wave to greet him. (I KNOW.) He said "Hi" and quietly set up his Macbook, while I regained my composure. A couple times throughout the evening I chatted with him a little about some of the songs, and it was so great to talk to somebody who knew way more about music than I did. At one point, though, the thrill of his presence was eclipsed by the sound of a familiar voice streaming out of the speakers...

I hadn't heard this song before. But I could distinguish "howlin'" in the lyrics. OH MY GOODNESS, was it the B side track of the new Black Keys single that had just arrived in the mail that very afternoon? (As I mentioned previously, I love The Black Keys' music so much that I bought the 45 so I could hear it in all it's glorious vinyl goodness. I still need to get a record player...).

Sans record player, I have't gotten to play it yet. I had seen the unofficial video for "Tighten Up", but I hadn't even heard a bootleg of the B side track, "Howlin' for You." Barely containing my excitement, I asked Mr. Bentley if this was indeed that song, and of course....IT WAS. The best part of the story is that this song is UN-EFFING-BELIEVABLE! What a great night. :)

Here's a nice review here of the 12" single for "Tighten Up"/"Howlin' for You". I'll see if I can find a decent version of it online. UPDATE: The Deluxe version of their new album Brothers, out May 18th, is available for order here. Oh yeah, see you on the road.

In Search of Wheat-Free, Organic Bread

Man, life must be hard for people with wheat allergies. I am not one of them, but I am trying to avoid wheat as an experiment to see if my skin clears up. (It always seems a bit inflamed). I am a devout Ralph's shopper because usually I can find most things I need. However, I'm beginning to really wish there were a Whole Foods in Malibu. PC Greens, which I've blogged about before, is great for hard-to-find health food, but their selection isn't very big and it's pretty expensive. These are the main grocery stores in Malibu: PC Greens, which is south (though technically east) of the pier; Ralphs, which is in the center across from the country mart; Vons, only a few years old, in the Point Dume center; and How's, further north by Zuma. There used to be Cook's, but that is now gone. Sometimes on my way home from work I'll stop by the Whole Foods in Santa Monica, where there are ALWAYS cute guys picking up dinner from the gigantic salad bar. That's where I discovered Rudi's Organic bread. To be honest, it was hard even at WF to find bread that didn't contain wheat. What gives? The documentary Food, Inc. stressed how prevalent corn is in America, but what about the preponderance of wheat? Most cereals, breads, and baked goods have it as one of the first ingredients. And now I'm on a mission to seek out tasty alternatives. I'll keep you posted! Let me know if anyone has any recommendations to try.

Eco-Friendly Swimwear

I recently discovered the clothing line LOYALE, and am so excited to have found it! It's ecologically-conscious clothing that is actually chic. I so applaud its designer Jenny Hwa for her philosophy and community-outreach. Did I mention that this line includes swimwear? I am not talking generic bikinis here; the Hermosa suit is so cute, eco or not, I want it! It has a flirty, retro vibe without looking like a costume. According to the website, the S and M sizes have sold out, (no word on larger sizes), so all that is currently available is size XS. Also, after having seen $100+ swim suits set the standard for years, I'm happy to report that this one retails for $84. What a steal!

I also love that the collection galleries are preceded by a blurb about the inspiration for the look, and followed by the mood soundtrack. Happy to see Goldfrapp's Seventh Tree featured in the Fall 2009 gallery.

Addendum: Apparently I don't keep well enough tabs on Vogue, because this very suit was featured in the March 2009 issue. That was a year ago! Oh, well.

Oh, so apparently I'm REALLY not alone on this one. Wow, I'm usually not so aligned with other fashion weighers-in. Here LUCKY magazine declares it their "obsession":