Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles

Have you heard about Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles? In a revamped warehouse near the Port of San Pedro, Crafted is a hodgepodge of artisans selling their wares in little market stalls. Remember my Handmade post from December? It's like that, only with food options as a bonus.

OK, so here's my take: red velvet cakepop from Cake Bar; macaroons from Soft Peaks - are you ready for these flavors: Apple Pie, Lemon Acai, Chocolate Chocolate, Raspberry Kettle Korn(!), and Salted Caramel; leather necklace and ring (you can't really see it but it's there) from Leather E; paper-ribbon flower pin from California Bungalow; and grapefruit sorbet body lotion from Skin Like Butter. Oooh la la!

Crafted is currently open Friday through Sunday. They have artist demonstrations, food trucks and musical performances throughout the day. I'm definitely going back, because not all of the artists were there today. I gotta see what else they have!

Click here to go to Crafted's Web site.

Shakespeare in Griffith Park

Add another attraction to my Griffith Park rave list: free Shakespeare performances (#10 and counting!). Thanks to the Independent Shakespeare Company (ISC) and a number of community organizations, you can get your culture on at no cost through Labor Day!

On the grassy glen near the Old Zoo caves (see December 2009 post), ISC has been performing "The Winter's Tale," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "The Comedy of Errors" to packed crowds this season. I've seen - and heard them laughing - when I've been hiking in the evenings. I decided to finally see "Dream" on a whim after work, so I grabbed some grub from Whole Foods and found a seat out on the lawn for my picnic and the play. What fun! I'm bummed that I didn't make it out earlier.

Sorry for the late notice, but who wants to see "Errors" with me?!

Click here to go to Independent Shakespeare Company's Web site.

De Temps Antan at the Skirball

Working at the Skirball Cultural Center, I get to see fabulous world music on a regular basis. These guys - De Temps Antan - are my latest faves I "discovered" at the Skirball. Eric Beaudry, Andre Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis SOUND like they have more musicians in the band because they use their FEET for percussion. How fun to see them singing and jamming on the guitar, fiddle and accordion while the tootsies are clomping, stomping and clogging at a blurring speed! The Quebecers sang in French, but it didn't matter. The crowd was clapping and cheering because the music was so invigorating. Go see them!!

Click here to go to De Temps Antan's Web site. Note it is in French!

See's Scotchmallow

I'm getting braces in the morning. Apparently, "as we get older" our teeth can shift. Great! And, once they start shifting, they usually keep on moving. Fabulous!

Knowing I'm not supposed to have anything sticky or chewy for the next year or so, it's last call tonight. See's Scotchmallow – with the delicious and off-limits combination of caramel and marshmallow – answered the call.

If you don't know Scotchmallow, it is a layer of buttery caramel topped with soft marshmallow and dipped in dark chocolate. Yummy! Scotchmallow is my favorite from See's; no other chocolate can stack up. And I have four of them to stock up on tonight.

Scotchmallow, I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Click here to go to See's Scotchmallow page.