Music, Festival and Dining

Monday Nigh Supper

Celebrate the beginning of the week with a supper at Little Dom’s in Los Feliz.  Monday evenings they offer a $15 per person, three-course supper. The menu varies each week.  Three weeks ago the menu featured eggplant cakes with a grilled skirt steak with salsa verde and roasted potatoes.  For dessert, Pastry chef Ann Kirk prepared a chocolate budino (Italian pudding).  Bottles of Dago red or white wine are $12 and Peroni tap beer is $3.  2128 Hillhurst Ave., (323)661-0055

Calling all Chili Chefs

The popular Beverly Hills Farmers market attended by more than 6,000 people each week, is celebrating 16 years of family fun with a Chili Cook Off on August 1.  Cash prizes will be given to the top three contestants. There will also be a corn shucking contest and free chili sampling among fresh produce and specialty food items.  The market runs every Sunday from 9:00am to 1:00pm.  Visit www.beverlyhills.org/farmersmarket for more information and to register for the contest.

All Night Cocktail Hour on Wednesdays

On the Sunset Strip, the Hyatt Hotel used to be referred to as the “Riot House,” due to the rock n’ roll bands crashing for a night or two, while playing a gig around Los Angeles.  The RH Bar at the Andaz features rock n’ roll drink specials on Wednesdays from 5:00pm to midnight. Resident DJ, Julien Nolan will spin down-beat house music as guests nibble on foie gras and charcuterie or triple fried French fries with truffle oil ($6).  Some of the featured drinks are the “Sunset Strip” cocktail ($7) and Mr. Plant with No. 209 gin, cucumber, tangerine, and agave syrup.  South-of-France inspired cuisine by Executive Chef Sebastien Archambault is also available at the RH bar.  Valet parking is complimentary until 8:00pm.  8401 Sunset Blvd., (323)785-6090.

Dominick’s Italian Sunday Supper

Established in 1948, the original Dominick’s was the exclusive watering hole and Hollywood hangout for Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Marilyn Monroe. In 2004, Warner Ebbink and Chef Brandon Boudet restored the restaurant to its glory days and serve Italian-American favorites. Both were raised with families that had grandparents who cooked meals every Sunday. They brought the tradition to West Hollywood with their three-course Sunday supper for $15.  The menu changes every Sunday based on fresh produce purchases at the Hollywood Farmer’s market.  A few weeks back, Boudet prepared an heirloom tomato bruschetta, Bucatini (a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole in the center) with chicken sugo.  For dessert they served a panna cotta with aged balsamic vinegar.  Bottles of Dago wine go for $10 and Moretti beer is only $2.  8715 Beverly Blvd. (310)652-2335.

Happy Hours at Trader Vic’s Lounge

Instead of flying to the Islands, visit the Polynesian themed Trader Vic’s in the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The indoor/outdoor lounge offers a Happy hour from 5 to 7:00pm for daily drink specials, 50 percent off their tidbit menu and $7 self-parking for three hours. My favorite is the original Mai Tai that Trader Vic, himself, claims to have invented in 1944. 9876 Wilshire Blvd. (310)274-7777.

A Peach of a Dish

For a summer special, Chef Collin Crannell of The Lobster is preparing a pan roasted Alaskan Halibut with peaches for lunch and dinner.  The Lobster’s Dessert Chef David James recently won the “Best Dessert” dish in a recent Santa Monica Peach-Off competition with his vanilla scented peaches with Brioche and Grand Marnier Sabayon. 1602 Ocean Ave. (310)458-9294.

New Dishes at RockSugar

While recently visiting family in Singapore, Executive Chef Mohan Ismail returned to RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen in Century City, inspired to create new spicy dishes for his lunch and dinner menus.  Some of his new creations are grilled tiger shrimp with spicy lime jalapeno dipping sauce, Thai basil cashew chicken with Thai chilies, onions and garlic, and spicy Thai beef salad.  To calm the heat from the food, two exotic cocktails were created; the Red Lotus and Mandarin Tiger. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., (310)552-9988.

Summer Jazz at Descanso

Less than a 30 minute drive from downtown is an idyllic park nestled among oak trees and filled with gardens from around the world.  In the Japanese garden, stroll along pathways next to ponds filled with brilliantly colored Koki fish. Sip a refreshing cocktail and nibble on small plates at the new Camellia lounge. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 3:00-8:00pm. If you have never been to Descanso Gardens, the summer evenings are ideal to escape the heat for a picnic dinner and to listen to live jazz music.  Jazz Thursdays features some top talent.  Kenny Sara will perform on July 22 and Kristin Korb on July 29.  1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada, (818)949-4200.

French Festival

Listen to accordion players while tasting crepe suzettes and nibbling on a French baguette with escargot at the Bastille Day weekend (July 17 –18) in Santa Barbara from 11:00am-7:00pm.  Don’t miss the poodle parade, cancan dance girls and the boy’s choir from Aix-en-Provence. There are over 40 acts on three stages.  Admission is free. For additional details and directions, go to www.FrenchFestival.com.