Arizmendi Pizza

I swear my big brother used to be the biggest butthead growing up. My most vivid memories growing up usually involves us fighting for whatever there was to fight about. The remote control, the captain chair in our mini-van, and that stupid little plastic cup that pizza joints put on their pizza before packing it away. Oh the memories of winning that prized cup. I looooooooved taking shots of Sunkist Orange Soda in those plastic little cups.

I never appreciated the times he would roll me up into a blanket burrito and then body slam me until I yelled out, "MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! Jeremy's being mean again!" Of course my mom never believed me and my clever older brother got away with tormenting me for years. UGH.

Then Jeremy went off to UCLA...and I never saw him again...

and...I...

I started to miss him.

And the two kids that were always fighting and screaming some how learned to appreciate each other. I think it's our time away, maybe we've just grown out of our selfish ways. In any case, the annoying kid that held me in headlocks and ate my food was no longer an enemy. In fact, I like him. Actually, I like him a lot. And even though he still picks on me, I like him enough to to help him move out of his Mother Cookie Lofts in Oakland.

Now that my brother is sweet and kind. He buys me things like Arizmendi Pizza. Yay for brother.

Arizmendi Bakery, inspired by the success of the famed Cheeseboard in Berkeley, opened up it's doors on Lakeshore Avenue over 10 years ago. Arizmendi Bakery is a worker-owned cooperative specializing in morning pastries, artisan breads and gourmet pizza.

The bakery, named after Father José María Arizmendiarrieta Madariaga, a Catholic priest and founder of the Mondragón cooperative movement in the Basque Country believe that worker ownership and participation in the workplace should be an integral part of a just and democratic society.

What kind of pizza should you order? Don't worry, there's only one type of pizza made each day. You can find the daily pizza menu here.

Although I'm glad my brother is back here in LA, I'm saddened that I won't get a chance to eat at Arizmendi again. Well, for now.

Arizmendi Bakery
3265 Lakeshore Ave
Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 268-8849

arizmendibakery.org

Campanile and Tablas Creek Vineyard Special Event hosted by Domaine 547

Last night I drank a glass of Twisted Oak's Verdelho. Dylan said he dropped by to hang out around 10pm, but instead found me passed out on the couch.

Dylan: Jeni....waaaaaaaake up.

Jeni: (Still sleeping.) Did you buy the McDonald's restaurant?

Dylan: Whaaaat?

Jeni: ZZZZ....

Apparently Dylan thought I drank half the bottle on my own. Not true. But he doesn't believe me. He thinks only wasted people would ask about buying a McDonald's in their sleep. Whatevaaah!

Any dream analyzers out there? Can anyone explain?

Speaking of wine, my friends at Domaine 547, the same people who threw the fun Ciudad tasting dinner will be throwing another dinner. But this time it's at CAMPANILE!!!

Join Mark Peel and a signature 5 course meal along with passed hors d’oeuvres and an intermezzo to complement 11 wines from Paso Robles' Tablas Creek Vineyard.

Tray Passed Hors d’Oevures:

Cumin Scented Shrimp wrapped with grilled zucchini and Chicken Liver Pate Crostini paired with 2006 Vermentino

First Course:
Fava Bean Angolotti with sauteed pea tendrils paired wtih 2006 Cotes de Tablas Blanc and 2005 Grenache Blanc

Second Course:
Spring Squash Risotto with Meyer lemon preserves paired with 2005 Roussanne and 2006 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc

Intermezzo:
Fried Totten Oyster with a nectarine mignonette paired with 2007 Rosé

Third Course:
Skewered Lamb, carmelized onion tarte tatin, tome de savoie paired with 2005 Cotes de Tables and 2005 Syrah

Fourth Course:
Roast Squab, sliced beets, pearl onions, mustard mashed potatoes paired with 2005 Mourvedre and 2005 Esprit de Beaucastel

Fifth Course:
Dessert paired with 2005 Vin de Paille dessert wine

Campanile/Tablas Creek Wine Dinner
When: June 3rd
Where: 624 S La Brea Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90036
Cost: $150 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity)
RSVP: Call Campanile at (323) 938-1447 and mention you are booking for the domaine547/Tablas Creek dinner

This event is sure to fill to capacity so book early! See you there!

Campanile Restaurant
624 S La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 938-1447
www.campanilerestaurant.com

Domaine 547
www.domaine547.com

Remember the Taco Truck!

Thursday, May 22, 7:30 pm at Los Angeles Theatre Center
Moderated by C. Thi Nguyen, Chow Digest Editor at Chowhound.com

Join Supervisor Gloria Molina and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors who've just passed the new anti-taco truck regulations. Starting today, if the trucks don't move every hour, they face $1000 in fines, and/or six months in jail. Zócalo writers, thinkers, and activists will also be in attendance to discuss the joys of the taco truck, their place in Los Angeles culture, and the politics behind the new regulations. Join Pulitzer Prize winning food writer Jonathan Gold, Barry Glassner, author of The Gospel of Food, Chris Rutherford, co-founder of saveourtacotrucks.org, and Chowhound.com's C. Thi Nguyen, as they discuss the future, and the history, of our taco trucks.

To Reserve a Free Seat at the Los Angeles Theatre Center Click Here

Los Angeles Theatre Center (New LATC)
536 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles Ca 90012
Parking is $5 after 4pm
www.losangelestheatercenter.com

Michael Jackson & Danger Dogs @ The Echoplex

It was 1983 and I just turned 5 AND a half. (You always have to add that half while growing up...such a huge milestone.) Some classmates and I were enjoying our recess when all of a sudden someone started singing, "Billie Jean is not my lover." Suddenly our group of friends started jumping and yelling, "Oooh ooh I love Michael Jackson too!" Then the jumping and yelling turned to a simultaneous line of Kindergarten moonwalkers.

Laughing and dancing, we were having some of the best times a 5 year old can have...well...that was until our teacher came.

With her hands on her hips our teacher yelled, "You can't dance like that at school. It's inappropriate! It's just not right!"

At that moment, I was taught there was an OK way to dance and a wrong way to dance. And I was in the pool of kids heading into a life of "inappropriate" dancing.

Luckily, I didn't get in trouble when I got home. My mom didn't mind me dancing my pathetic attempt of Michael's moonwalk. She encouraged it and allowed us to tape Billie Jean on our BRAND NEW VHS machine. So cool back then.

So when DJ Spinna rolled into town with his famed Soul Slam: Michael Jackson vs. Prince party...we were there. For four hours straight, DJ Spinna blessed the crowd with his set of back to back classics by both artists, as well as tracks from Jackson 5, Janet Jackson, the Time, and Sheila E.

And after hours of dancing to nostalgic beats, WE WERE STARVING.
Come out of any club in Los Angeles and the scent of bacon from grilled onions from our illegal gastronomical bacon-wrapped hot dogs aka "danger dogs" or "heart attack dogs
is the perfect way to end the night.

Watch Drew Carey find out why these delectable dogs are illegal in the eyes of the Health Department.

Echoplex

1154 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
www.attheecho.com

Let Them Eat Tarts - Bar Tartine

After a tight and squishy dinner at Ramblas Tapas in the Mission District, my brother, his friends and I weren't ready to call it a night. Regardless if I had two dosages of dessert before dinner...I wanted more.

Too much talking and hanging out and "what do you want to do" with a group of friends is just a waste of time. By the time we decided we wanted ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery, we were too late. Closed. Sniff.

But then you walk by places like Bar Tartine and all of our "what do you want to do's" just make sense. Some of us wanted dessert, some wanted cheese & wine, and some of us wanted coffee...Bar Tartine totally saved the night.

Oooh and antler chandeliers. Even better.

My brother says goodbye to his best SF friends.

Aged Chedder Plate with bread, cranberry compote, nuts, apples and honey.

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with earl grey ice cream and orange caramel.

Meyer Lemon Buttermilk cake with ginger crème anglaise and Three Sorbets strawberry, blood orange and grapefruit-rosemary.

Good call. I'll hang out at Bar Tartine over "what do you want to do's" on the street any night.

Bar Tartine
561 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 487-1600
www.tartinebakery.com/barTartine