Looking to create more family time in 2011?  Then head down to the Santa Monica Williams-Sonoma this Saturday January 22nd, where Laurie David and Kirstin Uhrenholdt will be signing copies of their book The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time.  The signing will start at 12:00 noon and you must have purchased your book from W-S. 

While we’re on the subject of out with the old, in with the new, it looks like Leonidas, the Belgian chocolatier at the corner of Santa Monica and 4th in Santa Monica has called it a day and it didn’t take long for the store to be stripped to the bones.  There is a sign on the door stating that Jamba Juice is renovating the space.  As confirmed by an employee at the Jamba Juice almost across the street on Santa Monica Blvd, they will be moving into the new location sometime around the end of February. 

It looks like Malibu’s old-school Italian staple, Tra di Noi is expanding into Beverly Hills.  It didn’t take long for another old-school Italian, Prego at 362 N. Camden to clear out and make way for Tra di Noi’s spinoff La Focacceria, as per the sign on the door.  No word on the menu yet, but I’m going to take a big leap here and guess old-school Italian.  I’ll keep you posted… In the mean time, here’s Tra di Noi’s menu: http://www.tradinoimalibu.com/MENU.htm.

I snapped a photo of the progress on the Market At Santa Monica Place, the Ferry Building style fresh marketplace atop the new mall in Santa Monica.  Still boarded up and wrapped in plastic, it’s difficult to get a glimpse inside.  It looks like they still have a way to go, but you can get a sense of the individual stalls from the photo.  I’ll keep you posted…  Read more at https://toddrickallen.com/2010/10/04/the-market-santa-monica-place/

Overdid it a little during the holidays? M Café de Chaya has got the solution to too much figgy pudding and eggnog.   Jessica Porter, author of  The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics leads a “post-holiday detox” cooking demo at the Beverly Hills location. The menu includes carrot-daikon tonic, rice and avocado and corn salad, and purple passion stew and greens. The demo will be followed by a macrobiotics Q&A and booksigning.  Cost is $45 per person. 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13. E-mail amy@mcafedechaya.com to reserve a space.

9433 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills; (310) 858-8459; www.mcafedechaya.com.

With four locations in California and others throughout the US, it looks like CrêpeMaker, a chain of restaurants that specializes in a variety of savory and dessert crepes is coming to the food court in Santa Monica Place.  Check out their website here http://www.crepemaker.com/. 

I just noticed the sign up tonight in the old Claypit Indian Restaurant space at  145 Barrington in Brentwood Village announcing that the fresh and cheerful restaurant Lemonade will be moving in.  With four locations in LA and one in USC, it looks like the upscale lemonade stand in spreading out.  Check out the menu here http://lemonadela.com/menu-ii to see what you’re likely to get besides sugary citrus beverages.

I haven’t been able to check this out because the store is closed until January 6th, but I noticed this sign in the window of L’Epicerie de Paris in Beverly Hills that clearly states that the store is moving out of its present location.  I’ll post more info after I talk with Arnaud, the store manager.  Read more about L’Epicerie at http://wp.me/pIwAN-7Q.

L’Epicerie de Paris 310 North Camden Drive in Beverly Hills,  90210

So I got a chance to pop into the new Veggie Grill at 2025 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica for a Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’ sandwich (which I love) and chatted with the manager.  Besides telling me that they expect their liquor license to arrive any day (Thank God!), he informed me that they are opening two new branches.  One in Rolling Hills Plaza on the corner of PCH and Crenshaw in Torrance, and the other will open in late May in Farmer’s Market at Fairfax and Third.   Go Veggie Grill!  http://www.veggiegrill.com/

On Tuesday Dec 21, from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, M Cafe de Chaya at 9344 Brighton Way in Beverly Hills will be hosting a vegan  baking demonstration by Erin McKenna of Babycakes NYC.  Included in the program will be a recipe for brownies, Q & A, and booksigning.  Cost is $25.  Sign up at amy@mcafedechaya.com.  You can read more at http://www.mcafedechaya.com/or http://www.babycakesnyc.com/.

Breaking news!  Just heard from the manager Sauro, that Bar Toscana is now open, next door to sister restaurant and Brentwood mainstay, Toscana at 11633 San Vicente Blvd.  The cozy space features a menu of Italian tapas and an emphasis on mixology utilizing fresh herbs, fruits, and other fresh ingredients.  I’ll post more shortly… Until then, read more at https://toddrickallen.com/2010/10/25/bar-toscana-brentwood/.

Ok, so I had a peek into Jeffrey Cerciello’s FARMshop in the Brentwood Country Market.  Obviously the ‘Shop’ part is incomplete.  But the restaurant half bears a striking resemblance to the previous inhabitant, City Bakery.  This left me and a number of local business patrons with whom I spoke wondering what the hell they were doing behind those boarded up doors for such a long time.  The restaurant is structured exactly the same.  Even the pastries look the same.  Hmmm.

Just noticed that a sign went up at the Veggie Grill construction site on the corner of Wilshire and 20th in Santa Monica indicating that Mexican chain Poquito Mas is somehow also going into the same space.  Interesting…

Here’s a great opportunity for fans of Amarone della Valpolicella:  Osteria Mozza is hosting a special wine dinner next Monday, December 6th featuring the Italian red.  On hand will be Tony Apostolako from Masi Agricole whose vineyards have been producing wine since the 12th Century.  He will be guiding the tasting of rare wines coupled with Matt Molina’s food.  Cost is $150 and seating limited so act fast!  Contact Sara Parenti at Mozza for rezzies or more info at  sparenti@mozza-la.com . 



Well it looks like popular neighborhood watering hole, JP’s Grill on the corner of Wilshire and 11th in Santa Monica got caught by ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) on the 18th of November and will remain closed down until the 2nd of December.  While I don’t know the charge, usually ABC sends out stings to catch establishments that serve liquor to minors.  I’m continuing to see a steady stream of depressed partiers wandering aimlessly around the front door, not sure what to do next…