[Breakfast: 2 hard-boiled eggs, vanilla yogurt and green tea]

Animal is on my short list of best restaurants in LA. Its food is consistently great. I've been a bit reluctant to write about it because it's getting harder and harder to get into unless you want to go late. It's where Mozza's chefs go after work on Friday nights I've heard. You know a place is good when chefs go there regularly. Apparently there are a lot of star sightings there. Last time I saw Ilan from Top Chef fame (not a star, but I suppose a celebrity). Does he work? I've also seen him lunching at Joan's on Third. I wish he would stop following me.

I have such a crush on Animal. Too bad the days of popping in on a Sunday or Monday night are long gone. Soon you'll need a reservation three weeks in advance. My source told me that Chefs Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook of Animal are going to be named Food and Wine magazine’s best chefs of the year. They totally deserve it.

[Image Source for sale]

[Breakfast: Stonyfield vanilla yogurt. 2 slices turkey bacon. Green Tea.]

My old neighbor, who got blowouts 2-3 times a week, swore by Fantastic Sam's. I was kind of shocked, cringing at the thought of the cheap products they would use on my long, thick hair. I rarely get blowouts, so I wasn't exactly motivated to try a cheap place. On Christmas Day I had an accident with a serrated knife and couldn't wash my own hair for over two weeks. The first place I got a blowout at was Fantastic Sam's. I also tried a couple of other pricier places near me. DK said the first blowout was by far the best. Yes, they did use yucky, cheap products on my hair and there were some cleanliness issues with the salon, but they did a fabulous blowout. Next time I would bring my own hair products and brushes.

One of my biggest complaints about living in Santa Monica was the lack of good restaurants. Now Santa Monica has its own answer to Joan’s on Third: Huckleberry Bakery and Cafe. Well, Huckleberry is better than Joan’s on Third. First of all they’re committed to using local farmers’ market ingredients, free range, hormone and antibiotic free meat, poultry and dairy. I also don’t like most of Joan’s on Third’s pastries and few of their sandwiches do it for me. Huckleberry’s food has more of a rustic feel, like if you were over at your best friend’s house who also happened to be a baker and chef and she whipped up a sandwich with farmers’ market fresh ingredients, Niman Ranch bacon, and freshly baked bread. Yep, Huckleberry’s bread is made in-house. Did I mention that their croissants are to-die for? Try the Valhorona chocolate croissant or their La Quierica prosciutto savory ones.

Take a seat at a reclaimed wood table and devour their green eggs and ham. The “green” is pesto, duh. I already wish their breakfast was served later than 11 am weekdays. (Come on guys, at least have it until noon). It is served until closing on the weekend. Their coffee is from Caffé Luxxe, one of my favorite Westside coffee joints. Oh, they also have homemade cinnamon and sugar, and glazed donuts. It’s really good that I don’t live near Huckleberry because I would gain a lot of weight. I fell in love with pastry chef Zoe Nathan’s pastries @ Rustic Canyon’s now defunct Saturday café style breakfasts and it’s been torture going months without her luscious pastries since I haven’t been able to make it to Rustic Canyon for dinner. Nathan was just named as a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard awards. S. Irene Virbila from the Los Angeles Times also mentioned her on her shortlist of 2008’s Most Memorable Meals.

The bakery and café also has rotisserie items, soups and salads. (I want to try their warm turkey meatball sandwich next). Check their website for their full menu and daily specials. Be warned: you will drool.

Huckberry is in its soft opening stage with current hours 8 am – 4 pm., Wed – Sunday. Their hours and days will soon expand.

Huckleberry
1014 Wilshire Blvd. (between 10th and 11th)
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Website
P. 310-451-2311

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My favorite thing about flying is looking at the clouds.

At a dinner during the Sundance film festival I picked up a couple of freebies good for American Airlines Admirals club for the next time I fly. I will give these tickets away to anyone who is flying American before March 31, 2009. These are good for one entrance into their airport lounge club and will give you $50 off a year membership. Of course, this would be the best if you have an overseas flight. The first readers to e-mail me will get the tickets. Please note if you are traveling with another person and are the first person to leave a comment. I will e-mail the winner/winners to get your address.

[Breakfast: multigrain toast with homemade strawberry jam and whipped butter. White and Green Tea.]

Here are some clothes that won't break the bank. I have the thermal top in blue and the dress in a different style from XXI, a sister store of Forever 21. These clothes can all be found on Forever 21's website. I don't shop at Forever 21 often, but I've found some great items there. I get compliments on clothes from there all the time and people can't believe I got them there. A stylist was the one who got me into shopping there quite a few years ago. I always thought their clothes were cheap and too juvenile, but it's a great place to buy trendy items and I especially like their earrings. I brought the thermal with me to Sundance to wear skiing or out. I wore the embroidered dress (it had a v neck and long sleeves) with black stockings and tight, stretchy black boots by La Canadienne to a Willliam Morris party.

OMG, this is the first time I've seen an actor sucking in his stomach like an actress. Tom Cruise so needs to get over himself.

The paparazzi heart Lindsay Lohan and Sam Ronson. Seriously. I was walking to an appointment in Beverly Hills yesterday when I saw a swarm of paps jump on two people as they left a restaurant. I thought maybe it was Mary-Kate Olsen because the person was wearing a flannel and was little girl thin. The other person looked like a young boy. I was kind of stumped by the stringy uber long hair--remnants of a weave. But MK has messy hair, not long stringy hair. There were even two policeman walking close to the circus in case any of the paps got out of hand. I figured out this morning from the picture above that the celebrities had been Lindsay (little girl) and Sam (little boy). LL and Sam had a late lunch at Il Tramezzino on Canon and then the paps pounced on them. BTW: Il Tramezzino has delicious paninis--my fave is the grilled chicken one.

P.S. I just found out that my favorite radio station Indie 103.1 is going off the air. WTF?

I know that Kate Winslet's outfit isn't that interesting, but how amazing does she look? I like how she tied her scarf--it's a good look to copy. Her outfit is very slimming--that's a go to look that I do when I can't decide what to wear or a great outfit to pack when traveling to a city. This picture was taken as she was arriving to be on The David Letterman show last night and was weather appropriate.

Breakfast: 1/2 pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese and tomato slices]

Hot British import Sam Riley's star is about to rise. He's hot, can act, and is polite (read: not an asshole). I was lucky enough to meet him and observe him acting on set (in NY) of his latest film 13, which will be his breakout role. I still need to watch his turn as Joy Division's lead singer, Ian Curtis, in the movie Control which is supposed to be great. Riley can also be found modeling in the current Burberry campaign (see above). Who doesn't love an English accent, sigh. I hope he stays sweet and doesn't let fame go to his head when he breaks out.

[Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean with soy milk]

It's more like Here Comes The Groom and Bride. I guess the movie is really about two best friends falling in love. Would it have killed Anne Hathaway to wear something more feminine? At least wear a tight fitting jacket. I know those big, ugly double breasted things are in right now, but some trends should not be followed.