Bringing their passion for the emotional connection to sound, Sonos opened the Sonos Studio in LA to celebrate the listening experience. The new event space will host listening parties, screenings, lectures, workshops, concerts, and art installations. At their first preview event, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff shared tracks from his...

The magical world of My Little Pony (MLP) brings delight to everyone from school-age girls to grown men (we're looking at you, "Bronies"). This weekend the My Little Pony Project 2012 will debut at LA's Toy Art Gallery with customized 18" ponies, jewelry by Onch Movement and a month-long...

When David Driscoll of K&L Wine Merchants happened upon an experimental barrel of gin at Alameda, CA-based distillery St. George, one sip prompted a special request to add it to the Faultline series, a small collection of spirits bottled exclusively for the liquor retailer. Driscoll teamed up with St....

Next time you reach for Plymouth Gin, you'll notice their newly redesigned bottle. A welcomed transformation from the tall, square-shaped vessel with a navy blue and silver color scheme to a rounded antique-style shape and distinctive oval label—the trademark Mayflower stamp remains—the new bottle still houses the same gin...

Southern California's Bauer Pottery Company first made a name for itself in 1932, when the company released California Color pottery after the Great Depression. Before its sunny introduction, ceramics came in white, cream or brown—Bauer was the first to liven up kitchenware with brighter options, at a time when...

Often regarded as the ultimate indulgence, caviar consists of non-fertilized, salted sturgeon roe. The prehistoric sturgeon has become a significant symbol in Russian culture, but the depletion of the once-prevalent population in the Caspian Sea compelled the government to issue a ban on fishing in 1998, which was extended...

On our recent visit to Dublin we encountered a hospitable community recovering from the economic downturn with a resurgence of fashion, food and boutique hotels. Here, we share seven of the most memorable stops we made along the way. Indigo & Cloth When asking around for shops carrying the...

Three-time Irish barista champion Colin Harmon loves Dublin. We got a taste of his infectious enthusiasm for the city on a recent tour of his two Third Floor Espresso (3FE) coffee bars there—one in the Twisted Pepper building, where it serves as a cafe by day and cocktail lounge...

John Jameson's Dublin distillery was founded in 1780, guided by the family motto "Sine Metu", meaning without fear. To this day, those words appear on every bottle of Irish whisky. At the original distillery, located next to Smithfield Market, Jameson used well water, searched for superior strains of barley,...

Since 2004 Blue Hill Farm at Stone Barns in the Pocantico Hills has been on a mission to raise awareness about the effect of food choices on our everyday lives. Now the gastronomic purveyors behind New York Mouth are helping make some of the natural flavors of the gorgeous...

For the last few months, the corner of 5th and Mateo in the Arts District of downtown Los Angeles has been abuzz with activity as the WoodSmithe team puts the finishing touches on Handsome Coffee Roasters' flagship store. Handsome has made a splash in the specialty coffee world since...

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the city known as the gateway to bourbon country, Matt Jamie has found a new way to repurpose barrels that have been used to age the region's signature spirit. Bourbon Barrel Foods makes micro-brewed and barrel-aged soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, marinades and sorghum salad dressing,...

Textile designer Rachel Craven works out of her home in the Los Angeles suburb of Angelino Heights, a historic neighborhood that provides the perfect setting for creating her Southwestern-style, handmade printed pillows, tablecloths and linens. Craven, who cites influences from Agnes Martin to Marimekko, grew up in New York...

One bite of crusty bread spread with Sqirl raspberry and fresh lavender jam made by Jessica Koslow creates an explosion of local flavor. From the taste of such a juicy creation, it's hard to believe that Koslow swears she barely ate fruit as a child. Now, her sweet preserves...

The building that houses St. George Spirits in Alameda, CA may look like a naval air hangar on the outside, but inside lies a vast warren of copper pot stills and casks filled with artisanal spirits. St. George was founded in 1982 to make eau de vie fruit brandies,...

Nestled among the nail salons, kosher bakeries and breakfast joints on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, Garrett Colton has set up St&ndard Goods, a general store for shoppers who love high-quality goods with clean design. Step inside the small shop and the eye is immediately drawn to Colton's favorite...

Feasting on Drago Centro's celery root panna cotta topped with lightly smoked salmon, we discovered the story behind the beautiful piece of craft-raised fish, sourced by Chef Ian Gresik from Vancouver Island's Skuna Bay. In a world where fish populations are depleting, mercury levels are on the rise and...

Beatrice Wood's "Career Woman" exhibition at the Santa Monica Museum of Art celebrates more than her prolific ouevre of gorgeous ceramics, whimsical drawings and colorful paintings. As part of Pacific Standard Time, the show tells the story of Wood's intimate friendships with Marcel Duchamp and Henri-Pierre Roche, the discovery...

Far from the bars where rowdy patrons slam down shots of pale liquid with a lick of lime and sprinkle of salt lives ultra-aged tequila, meant to be savored like a glass of cognac. In the case of Grand Mayan Tequila the depth of the extra añejo dark amber...

This holiday season Poketo will launch a series of new tech accessories, including a sleek polyurethane iPad case that caught our eye. Harkening back to the heyday of snail mail, the envelope shape closes with a classic string-and-button fastener and is available in rust, gold, gray and black. Despite...

As the vice president of coffee for Intelligentsia and a green coffee buyer, Geoff Watts travels the world searching for the best beans, working to build relationships with the farmers that have helped make Intelligentsia a leader in the specialty coffee industry. We recently met with Watts in Los...

Korean ingredients are popping up in the most unlikely of places. A few years ago a kimchee slider would have been a curiosity, but now in cities across the country bibimbap-inspired breakfast dishes and Korean flavor in comfort foods are taking their place in the culinary scene. Chef Debbie...

Valerie Confections has launched its second chocolate collaboration with Commune Design, taking a psychedelic departure from last year's Byzantine tile-inspired box of sweets. Inside the new Woodstock-themed wrappers, chocolatier Valerie Gordon has packed more than a dozen ingredients inside her giant handmade Super-Choc-O-Food, transforming a sugary treat into a...

As the movement to recognize coffee as a serious foodstuff continues to grow, expert farmers from around the world are sharing production methods as a way of increasing quality and as a chance to experiment with new ways of cultivating beans. Intelligentsia, one of the leading artisanal coffee purveyors,...

While walking along the shady tiled walkways to the quaint shops of La Arcada in Santa Barbara, a peek inside Chocolats du CaliBressan reveals a candy case filled with tiny turtles, ruby lips, glistening buddhas and classic truffle spheres. After studying at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Pâtisserie,...

As a young boy growing up in Queens, Travis Louie would roam the hallways of his friends' houses gazing longingly at their vintage family photographs, realizing the lack of pictures of previous generations of his own Chinese-American family. Years later when Louie’s drawing career transitioned into painting characters inspired...

After numerous compliments and requests for her lavender shortbread, Sondra Wells decided to take her craft to the next level with Botanical Bakery. Soon, she'll even add Thai chili and gluten-free varieties to the roster of flavors of unusual, buttery Garden Shortbread cookies filled with aromatic herbs, spices, fruits...

From Japanese selvage denim to modern bohemian tunics, La Brea is quickly becoming one of the most creative shopping destinations in Los Angeles. The neighborhood redevelopment project has helped inspire several new stores to open their doors on the extra-large boulevard, revitalizing the blocks between Beverly Boulevard and 2nd...

Hollow-eyed portraits, glittering ornamentation and cavernous architecture haunt the canvasses of Israeli painter Oren Eliav. The Rappaport Prize-winner's otherworldly imagery creates tension between doubt and faith, exploring the historical implications of his subject by reworking old-world painting techniques to effects that toe the line between the grotesque and the...

In the summer of 2009 chef Ricardo Zarate found a daring way to share his bold Peruvian flavors with Los Angeles. After many years cooking in elegant restaurants in London and Southern California, he surprisingly opened Mo-Chica in Mercado La Paloma, a food court near USC. With a menu...

When Justin Chao of Le Bon Garcon discovered caramels in Paris, he learned that crafting classic handmade French caramels can be a labor of love. I first tasted his buttery confections at Artisanal LA, and was so taken by the mango-passion fruit combination I reached out to Chao to...

The New Mexican Cinema movement may have calmed to a simmer in recent years, but the country's presence on the international film scene is here to stay. At Los Angeles' recent Hola México Festival, festival-goers were treated to a secret midnight screening of "Salvando al Soldado Pérez" (Private Pérez)....

Most days find Los Angeles Times photographer Mark Boster on what he affectionately calls "the crash and burn shift," taking photos of courthouses, accidents and crimes to accompany the news of the sprawling metropolis of Southern California. But ask Boster about travel photography and you'll get a twinkle in...

Recalling the smooth swagger of Marcello Mastroianni and everything "La Dolce Vita," L.A. retailers TenOverSix recently joined forces with L.A. Eyeworks on a pair of shades that celebrate classic Italian design with modern flair. TenOverSix creative director Kristen Lee explained that she and TenOverSix art and design director Brady...

Sri Lanka's rich history as an important port and trading post in the ancient world has contributed to the mouth-watering cuisine—combining traditional ingredients with influences from merchants around the world—that the country is known for today. Born in Sri Lanka, self-taught chef Dinesh Perera has vivid memories of growing...

Erika "Grundy" Nakamura and Amelia "Lindy" Posada are readying their knives and cleavers to butcher the finest sustainable California meats. Opening up shop in L.A., Lindy & Grundy will peddle locally-sourced charcuterie including Rancho San Julian beef, Reride Ranch pork, Sonoma Direct lamb and Rainbow Ranch Farms chicken. After...

"Multiplayer" relives the beauty and simplicity of the '80s arcade with a group show—including the likes of Dave Perillo, The Silent Giants, Mike Budai and more—atGallery 1988's newly-opened westside location. Sponsored by OMG Posters, the screen-printed works span Zelda to Frogger. Artist Kevin Tong's labor-intensive take on Tetris (seen...

Today Threadless launches ten selected designs printed on Baggu Duck bags. With adjustable straps, snap closures and interior pockets, these canvas bags are large enough to carry groceries and strong enough to safely transport books or a a laptop computer. Designs by Ross Zietz include a rainbow umbrella, a...

With small batch spirits and one-of-a-kind bottles on the rise, an increasing number of producers are literally bringing something new to the table. Whether it's a 100-proof rye whiskey or champagne encased in copper you're after, these boozy options will make you welcome at the door of any holiday party....

Like the originals, Tegu makes their new line of colorful building blocks using sustainably harvested tropical hardwood, reflecting the Honduras-based toy company's commitment to creating imaginative projects while giving back to the community. Tints also keep the original inspiration of high-quality European wood toys at the core of the...

Inspired by Byzantine tiles, Commune Design and Valerie Confections collaborated on a new collection of handmade chocolates. The cardboard box comes printed with an image of the tile design inside, which itself is comprised of 49 pieces of 72% bittersweet chocolate embellished with chocolate transfers made from colored, tempered...

As a one-stop furnishings marketplace, H.D. Buttercup's enormous Culver City showroom filled with furnishings, art, rugs, bedding and accessories leaves most interiors junkies wanting for little. Last Friday saw the launch of the one thing the complex might be missing with a new 3,700 square-foot section bringing together the...

In his new book "101 Whiskies to Try Before you Die" whisky expert Ian Buxton poses the fun challenge of learning about whisky by drinking a lot of whisky. Having the enviable job of working in the whisky industry for over two decades, as a consultant, Marketing Director of...

The creative and influential group of artists and activists behind Re:Form School have a very specific goal—to transform public schools and help students flourish. Their desire to reinvent the American public education system has inspired countless hours and tireless determination to create a major group art exhibition, as well...

For their new album Lisbon, Brooklyn band The Walkmen wrote several songs during their many visits to the Portuguese capital. But when it came time to think about merch, the group looked a little closer to home, tapping the DIY experts at Etsy. The upshot—t-shirts, limited-edition silkscreened inserts, and...

While nothing beats a vintage picnic set for the kitsch value, when we head to the park to eat, we more often find ourselves tucking an old tablecloth into a tote and rifling through last night's takeout bag for plastic cutlery. Below we highlight a few ways to class up...

With an obsessive approach to materials, in his first U.S. solo show at NYC's Keszler gallery Chinese-born, Dutch-raised artist Zhuang Hong Yi manipulates thousands of rice paper flowers. Combining them with layers of acrylic and oil paint, he creates large-scale fields of petals—both on canvas and in coffee tables....

Discovered by chance on a recent trip to San Francisco, artist Amos Goldbaum caught my attention with his intricate line drawings that he applies using both traditional mediums and on t-shirts. Goldbaum started selling his drawings on the street about three years ago, and built up his curbside shop...

One of the Internet's newest winning retail concepts, Gilt, joined in to celebrate online crowd-sourced tee company Threadless' 10 years in business with their new limited edition shirts sold exclusively through Gilt Children. Printed on cotton with a soft vintage feel, the shirts feature reinterpretations of some of Threadless'...

Inspired by the spectacle of matadors and bulls, potter Adam Silverman's new works merge "beauty with ugliness, elegance and violence." The artist, also the L.A. director of Heath ceramics, will display his gorgeously tortuous works in the upcoming show "Faena Nueva" at Heath's L.A. studio. Drawing on childhood memories...