How come I’ve never heard of this Italian restaurant down the street from my j.o.b.? Our boss has been holding out on us. He has never mentioned this little gem of a place just south of Melrose Avenue on Robertson Blvd in West Hollywood – Il Piccolino (note: menu is not updated on website). Regardless, we are now aware and this eatery will easily replace our usual Italian lunch spot, Cecconi’s, which is incomparable in quality and taste.

Legendary film producer Jerry Weintraub apparently is good friends with the owners of Il Piccolino, which he frequents, among other celebrities, and even has a dish named after him – Jerry Weintraub’s Spaghetti Clam Show. His biography quietly sit on the top shelf above the register.

I plan on eating here again and again…

Where: Il Piccolino | West Hollywood

What: Spaghetti “Chioggia” – grilled shrimp, pine nuts, bottarga (cured tuna roe), black squid ink pasta | $23.95

Verdict: This dish was amazingly delicious in flavor, textured perfectly and high in quality. Pleasantly surprised, I ate well beyond what my stomach could hold but I was determined to finish the plate. Clean.

The grilled shrimp were perfectly cooked. The bottarga (the orange flakes you see in the pic) gave a hint of fish taste but was not overwhelming as it blended well with the spices/sauce of the dish. The black squid ink pasta was generous in portion and perfect in texture. Everything went well together and I am salivating right now just as I reminisce how I relished every bite.

Must. Order. Again. Must. Try. Every. Dish. Must. Return. Very. Soon.

This blew everything that Ceconni’s has to offer. And I’ve tried MANY dishes at said restaurant, which averages 2/5 stars.

Il Piccolino, you are a winner!

My newest addiction is Zynga’s Scramble With Friends mobile game.

I wake and scramble. I play before I go to bed. I sneak a game whenever I’m waiting for more than 30 seconds for anything.

It’s available for download on iPhones and Androids for free (with annoying ads) or pay $0.99 cents for a supposed ad-free version and faster time gaining tokens back. I eventually bought the $0.99 version because I was tired of the video ads and it was great while is lasted. However, now ads started popping up again before starting a game. (-_-). It can be easily skipped.

If we are Facebook friends, let’s play. I’m waiting to kick your a$$.

Scramble With Friends Twitter:  @ScrambleWF
Scramble With Friends Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/Zynga.Scramble

Last weekend, I flew myself to San Francisco for leisure. The last time I was in the Bay was a few years ago and I told myself I would visit again soon. I decided a few months ago that this year I had to make it happen. Besides, it’s an hour on the plane. No excuses.

I had no concrete plans on what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go but I knew I wanted to connect with a few friends I hadn’t seen in a while. There were the usual spots that I always go to while in SF and, of course, a few new places to try.

Waiting for food in SF is inevitable. I waited for EVERY eatery, bakery and creamery I visited. It wasn’t fun.

Overall, great relaxing trip. Going to return very soon…

FRIDAY – 9/28/12

I flew in Friday evening and my friend Nat was there to pick me up. We went straight to planning our night starting with a stop at her friend’s for a quick chat sesh. But of course food was on our mind.

I needed some comfort Chinese food and Kingdom of Dumpling was wear we landed. We ordered your usual dumpling items – green onion pancake (picture above), pork and chives steamed dumplings (picture above) and xiao long bao (not pictured) aka pork soup dumplings.

Pass on the green onion pancakes (not good) and get ready for some thick ass dumplings. The skin of the steamed dumpings were so thick and chewy, it took away from the spotlight that is the filling, or lack thereof. I concentrated on chewing more than I did tasting. Despite the thickness, I enjoyed it overall, eventually developing a special kind of appreciation for it. The xiao long bao was good but nothing special.

After dinner, I headed to Ashleigh’s to hang out, only to helplessly fall asleep on her couch as she met Nat for the first time. Bad friend but I couldn’t help it. They got along well, I think.

The word “dessert” woke me up, though, and we found ourselves quickly entering a dessert spot. My memory is foggy and I forget the name of this place but it doesn’t matter.

We devoured their banana and oreos (thick) toast topped with cookies and cream ice cream and whipped cream. The middle section of the toast was diced into cubes with the crust unscathed. We didn’t have mercy on the crust. The plate was empty in minutes. We don’t play.

SATURDAY – 9/29/12

This was the day we dedicated to being in the city. We started with the one and only Brenda’s French Soul Food for lunch. To help us keep sane while waiting for a table (a long wait), we walked on over to Philz Coffee to try their MOJITO MINTED ICED COFFEE. Oh, yes.

CRACK. The wonders that mint has on taste. I’m not a coffee fanatic but I could drink this every day. Although on the pricey side ($4 for small; picture above), I’d pay for quality > quantity.

What seemed like forever, we finally get seated at Brenda’s.

Worth the wait. We immediately order the pulled pork benedict with grits (picture above), beignet platter (plain, chocolate, apple and crawfish; picture in gallery below) and their popular watermelon sweet tea (picture in gallery below).

The perfect benedict on top of oh-so-fluffy buttermilk biscuits. Yes. One word. Mouthwatering. Will order again next time and the time after that.

Be careful with the beignets. They are huge for appetizers. It was good but I wasn’t crazy for them. I’m no expert on this baked item nor a huge fan. However, the chocolate was pleasant.

Watermelon sweet tea. A must.

Every time I’m in SF, I make a stop at Upper Playground to check out what’s new. Unfortunately, they recently took down the Jeremy Fish “Where Hearts Get Left” exhibition from their gallery space. Dah well.

Artist: Kofie (next to Upper Playground)

The one thing I look forward to while walking the laid back streets of Frisco is the street art. I have a favorite intersection on Haight because it’s adorned with beautiful pieces from various artists. Last time I was there, it was not fully covered.

Today, it proudly shows off a new face that reflects the people and culture of Frisco – crazy colourful.

Street artist doing his thing outside Black Pancake Records on Haight St.

You cannot visit SF without making a stop at Golden Gate Bakery in Chinatown for their popular egg custard pastry.

Not realizing that moon festival was upon us, we were greeted with yet another really long line. While the egg custard is usually the main draw, this time everyone was waiting in line for their mooncakes. Why so special? Upon finally entering the bakery, I saw that they had GREEN TEA and TARO flavored mooncakes. I’ve never heard or seen such a thing. I understood the hysteria. These flavors were indeed special. I bought myself a green tea mooncake with one yolk (no picture). Yum.

Wanting to squeeze as much as we could, we headed straight to the Mission district for delicious ice cream at Bi-rite Creamery, one of the places I visit every time I am in SF. Their popular flavor is SALTED CARAMEL, which I had a scoop of. I also ordered a scoop of the seasonal balsamic strawberry (picture in gallery below)

I skipped dinner while Nat enjoyed some AYCE Korean BBQ, which was amazing. Amazing for the fact that she was able to continue eating while having already consumed the same amount of food as me in a short period of time. Trooper.

SUNDAY – 9/30/12

All of the original plans for Sunday in East Bay went to sh!t (our fault). But it was serendipitous and we were still able to hang in the area.

We picked Kitchen 388 in Oakland for lunch as an alternative to Bakesale Betty, since they are closed on Sundays. My friend Khanh, who lives in the city, joined us.

I had their chicken and waffles. The waffle was easily forgettable but the chicken was well seasoned. My glass of sangria was extra thick and weird. Decent spot but nothing to write home about. As long as the company was great, though, that’s all that mattered. Catch up session led to my first bloody mary across the street.

We walked across to Bar Three Fifty-Five because Khanh raved about their bloody mary. Cherry popped. Great recommendation. It was delicious. Bloody mary on steroids. Look at that bacon! It was crazy good and I’m afraid I won’t find another here in LA that’ll match. Must return…

Hung out most of the day in Oakland with a fantastic view of the Marina.

Zachary’s Chicago Pizza was the rebound for dinner. I’ve never been to Chicago so I cannot say I’ve had an “authentic” Chicago deep dish pizza but I can say that I’ve had a pretty damn good replica and Zachary’s was NOT the place. I think the crust is just as important as the contents of your pie. It’s what holds everything together and it’s usually the finish to a bite of a slice. The popular mushroom and spinach (picture above) pie lacked in all things flaky and buttery in crust form, which in turn made my experience lacking in awesome. I enjoyed the sauce (a bit chunky and tangy) and the mushroom and spinach was a good mix. But that crust. Oh, that crust. Zachary, please take some tips from LA’s Masa of Echo Park.

While walking to our dessert destination in Berkeley after dinner, we stopped at impromptu dessert destination #2, which became #1 - Tara’s Organic Ice Cream. Ice cream was thick, creamy and good but I cannot remember the flavors.

It probably was not a good idea having dessert before dessert but while on “vacation,” you have to do it up, right? Worst excuse to overeat. I’m guilty.

Dessert destination #2 Ici is known for their chocolate filled tip waffle cones and, apparently, Meyor lemon ice cream bars. Didn’t try the bar but ordered a waffle cone with my scoop of COCONUT TOFFEE and something ROSE (ha). The coconut toffee flavor was AMAZING. It easily overshadowed the forgettable rose. Found a winning flavor but the ice cream was too airy for me. Not only that, it melted fast due to this light consistency. Waffle was nothing special either. Reminded me of Drumsticks. I’d go again just for coconut toffee (picture in gallery below).

Sunday was funday. T’was great.

——————————————————-

Like with most of my trips, this one was food centric. No clubs. No parties. Just food and people.

Didn’t have plans. Planned a few leading up to. Then squashed from not responsibly planning. New plans worked out very well. With no expectations, how could one be disappointed? Until the next one, enjoy the rest of the pics below.

sorry i’ve been away for so long. last time, i promised to post coachella pictures, which didn’t happen. then my cannes, france trip happened in may (film fest) and i planned on posting pics from that trip as well, which never saw the light of your monitor screen. it all just started piling up and i kept lagging until it no longer was in the forefront of my mind.

sincere apologies.

my readers have reminded me of my idleness on ¢hung¢hange. i didn’t realize i had dedicated readers to begin with. thanks for encouraging me to start back up.

i’m still enjoying food in all its glory, going to concerts, discovering the many cultures that exists within beautiful (and not so beautiful) los angeles. i’ll do a better job at highlighting my adventures with you in the upcoming weeks.

promise. 

Had a long weekend at Coachella (my first time!) this past weekend and plan on blogging about that.  In addition, also went to Fafi’s book signing/mini art exhibit at Gallery Nucleus this past Monday that I plan to update you on as well. Stay tuned!  But in the meantime, wanted to share a video from my buddy Thurz….

Los Angeles-based rapper Thurz (“L.A. Riot”) and singer/songwriter/producer Miguel (“All I Want Is You”) chops it up real quick with Andreas Hale of TheWellVersed and Shake from 2DopeBoyz during this past SXSW Festival. The two discuss how they met, their remix collaboration (a shout out was given to my buddy Nick from TruthStudios), future projects together and culture/art scene in Los Angeles.

When discussing Los Angeles artists, Miguel said it well when he explained that “L.A. people get the worst rap from transplants that come in, and like, act like douche bags, you know what I mean?” He further adds that “in reality, all the people who are born and raised, like L.A. people, are mostly really cool and we all have, like a really unique perspective because of where we come from.” Well said.

Check the rest of the video below:

Los Angeles-based artist Lucky Bunny from creator Rich DeSimone returns to the thriving Las Vegas art scene for his second art exhibition “Strength in Numbers 2″ on Friday, April 6, 2012 at the Joseph Watson Collection for Las Vegas’ famous ‘First Fridays’ art celebration. DeSimone will showcase limited edition silkscreen and giclee prints from his iconic imagery. This exhibition will include a new series (can be found at: www.richdesimone.com) that features his signature display of ironic and humorous art mixed with his acclaimed Lucky Bunny imagery. Select photos will also be featured, for the first time, from DeSimone’s “BunnyWoman” photography series, a never-before-seen project in collaboration between DeSimone and photographer Jeremy Jackson.

DeSimone is well known for his successful Grenade Bunny vinyl toy design within the Las Vegas art community. The last special edition Grenade Bunny sculpture accompanied by a handmade wooden crate will be on display and available for collectors. Limited quantities of t-shirts and stickers will be available for purchase.

DeSimone’s fine art takes its imagery from pervasive public signage, and its aesthetic from the decaying layers of urban archeology created when ads and flyers are layered over each other in public spaces, ad infinitum. His work is often simple and purely graphic, with a tongue-in-cheek slyness that belies a deeper conceptual background. His urban ideas find unexpected coupling with rabbits, who are curious, sensitive creatures. The cuteness of the bunnies draws viewers in, then forms a striking contrast with a rough city grunge aesthetic, war-related content, and DeSimone’s signature heaping dose of irony and humor.

Oldies but goodies:

Lucky Bunny Website: www.luckybunny.net
Rich DeSimone Website: www.richdesimone.com
Lucky Bunny Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/luckybunnyart
Lucky Bunny Twitter: @lucky_bunny

Fafi, one of my favorite female artists, will be at Gallery Nucleus on Monday, April 16th for the opening reception of “The Carmine Vault,” a mini art exhibit and book release party (6pm  - 9pm). If you’re not familiar with her art, please do some research!

Hailing from Paris, Fafi will be in the building to talk about her new book “The Carmine Vault” (click here to pre-order yours today!). About the book:

Centered around a character called Birtak and his desire to join the Paris Opéra Ballet, The Carmine Vault brings to life Fafi’s colorful and irreverent world for the first time in a lavish graphic-novel format. Combining comic book elements with the prestige and allure of art books, the book employs elegant compositions and innovative printing effects to reproduce vivid, never-before-seen work from this celebrated artist.

What you can expect that evening:

• Brand new original works will also be on display. 3 new exclusive prints will be released at the event
• Free Fafi cupcakes served by “Little Sweeties Cupcakes”
• Free raffle prizes to attendees only. Prizes include 2 signed books and 3 limited edition Fafi Tote Bags. Only 40 available!

About Fafi:

Fafi’s creative output has turned the definition of street art on its head. Fiercely feminine and extravagantly rendered in color, her particular style has won her global acclaim. Appealing to consumers of streetwear and high fashion, her art and designs can be found everywhere from the streets of Tokyo and New York, the boutiques of M.A.C. Cosmetics and Adidas, to the pages of Vogue, Elle, Nylon, and XLR8R. A favorite of Colette Paris, her work has been shown in the gallery of the Faubourg St-Honoré institution multiple times. As a multidisciplinary artist, Fafi has developed an international cult following that has transformed her from artist to brand. 

Here are some samples of Fafi’s art for your viewing pleasure (courtesy of her website and other sources):

Fafi “The Carmine Vault” mini exhibit/book release party
Opening Reception: Monday, April 16, 2012
6pm – 9pm

Gallery Nucleus
210 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
http://www.gallerynucleus.com

My good friends over at Truth Studios, a boutique recording studio located in Hollywood, are doing something really special. A lot of exciting things will be exploding from there. In the meantime, let’s just enjoy an exclusive video of producer Chuck Inglish talking about making the beat for Rick Ross’ “Party Heart” in the lab. The video (after the jump) was shot and produced by Truth Studios TV.

Truth Studios have worked with some of your favorite artists that includes Black Thought, Asher Roth, Tyrese, Los Angeles-based rapper Thurz, Miguel, producer Exile, J*DaVeY, Pac Div, Freddie Gibbs and many others. The roster of talents just keeps increasing!

By the way, go download their mixtape if you haven’t already.

Rick Ross – Party Heart – Chuck Inglish Making the Beat : Truth Studios TV

Truth Studios Website: http://truthstudios.com
Truth Studios Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/TruthStudios
Truth Studios Twitter: @truthstudios
Truth Studios YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/truthstudiosTV

Los Angeles based artists rapper/singer Young De (aka Demrick) and producer/rapper Scoop DeVille teamed up and put out a bumpin’ EP last year called “Neva LOOK Back.”  They did a remix to one of the tracks “What’s Good!?” featuring Cliqou Nico and the talented Brevi. An oldie but a goodie, you can catch the music video and download the EP after the jump.

“What’s Good!?” is one of my favorite tracks off the EP and one of my top choices to listen to when I run. It gets me pumped up. The EP is on heavy rotation in my workout playlist. I especially like the tracks with Brevi – she’s one bada$$ gal. She’s a tiny girl with a big voice, something you wouldn’t expect from just by looking at her. I’ve been in the studio with Young De and Brevi, who have great synergy.  They come up with great content while brainstorming and it’s fun watching them work. The music they put out together are always great.

Check out the remix video to “What’s Good!?” and download the EP if you don’t have it already!

Download Young De & Scoop Deville’s “Neva LOOK Back” EP here (via DubCNN)

Young De & Scoop DeVille – What’s Good REMIX Ft. Brevi [ MUSIC VIDEO ]

Young De Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/DEMRICKisYoungde
Young De Twitter: @iamdemrick
Young De YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/YoungDeTV

Happy 18th anniversary, Juxtapoz magazine! Thanks to your group art exhibition (runs until April 14, 2012) at Copro Gallery this past Saturday, I found a few new artists that I am almost obsessed with – namely the highlighted artist of the event, Leslie Ditto, along with Charles Wish and  Tiffany Bozic.

The place was packed and the human traffic made it nearly impossible to enter/exit the gallery without a 15-30 minute wait time. Free wine RIGHT NEXT to the entrance didn’t help this situation either. I have a love and hate relationship with art openings because it usually means it will be super crowded. Unless you don’t care too much about the art, go to openings ONLY because that’s the most fun you’ll have during the run of the exhibition. If you enjoy art and especially personal space while staring at a painting, skip the opening and visit another day when it is guaranteed to be less crowded. Photos from the successful opening night after the jump…

Before entering the gallery, we encountered a band with various costume heads rocking out like nobody’s business. I didn’t catch the name of the band but they frequently shouted out “cheesehead” while a guy wearing a cheesehead costume ran around with his arms flaring out in all directions. It was quite entertaining.

The obvious star of the show was Leslie Ditto, who covered two walls within the Copro Gallery with her oil on canvas paintings. If I didn’t have bills to finish off paying, I would immediately invest my dollars on her very much affordable art. This particular “Riding the Dragon” solo show is rooted in Chinese culture, which explains why I was immediately drawn to her work. Beautiful, soft dragons painted alongside Chinese people who are giving life to this fierce animal.

I love her use of colors and technique with bold and soft finishing touches. The above painting is called “Hoisting the Dragon,” which sold for $1,050.

Here’s a painting of traditional headpiece that Chinese women used to wear and if they were getting married, there would be a heavy emphasis on the color red. Ditto’s work should be a good enough reason for you to check out this art exhibition.

Another artist who caught my attention was Charles Wish with this piece of work. There are a lot of things going on in this painting, which is something that usually appeals to me. It’s on some psychedelic sh!t.

Luke Chueh’s paintings (and toys) don’t usually grab my attention but I thought this particular piece was amusing.

But seriously. I thought this Tara McPherson piece was magnificent. The photo does not do the painting justice. Please go see it in person.

A highlighted piece in the exhibition was this Marion Peck painting called “Patty.”

This Tiffany Bociz ”Waking Up” drawing was one of my top favorites of the night. I have a photo in the below gallery of a closer look.

Hilarity. Wish I took note of the artist. If you know, please drop info in the comment section.

Along with free wine, they were also giving away free Rat Fink posters and a special Juxtapoz 18th anniversary issue. And if you were wondering, I didn’t stay long enough to eat the anniversary cake.

The rest of the recap photos can be found in the gallery/slideshow below. The posted ones were the highlights of the event, in my opinion. Enjoy!