Now it is more important that ever to support our local businesses. If you are eating take out, we suggest you support your local restaurants! Check out some below to consider purchasing take out from.

The Six Chow House – Calabasas

The menu from this incredible eatery has all you could ever dream of. From Pizza to wings to nachos to roasted Brussel sprouts, this local eatery has all the crave-able items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Open for takeout!

Badmaash – West Hollywood & DTLA 

Chicken Tikka Poutine– Salty, savory, and covered in cheese curds, this dish from Badmaash is basically Priority Mail heaven-sent. Yes, it’s as messy and caloric as it sounds, but when something tastes this good, who even cares? Plus, the rest of their menu, from saag paneer to chili cheese naan, is also available to-go. Both locations of Badmaash (Fairfax and Downtown) are available for takeout and delivery via various platforms.

Papa Cristo’s Catering & Greek Taverna – Westlake & Koreatown

Part-deli, part-bakery, part-Greek grocer, Papa Cristo’s is, to borrow a very niche industry term, a “triple threat.” And while we can no longer loiter like truant teenagers in their spacious dining hall, even to-go, their fantastic Greek food is still good for almost any occasion, like a quick lunch, celebratory dinner, or for when you glanced at a calendar then accidentally thought “What is time, really?” for, like, way too long. So order some moussaka, “spanakopita” pizza, and double the amount of saganaki (fried cheese) you think you can eat. Papa Cristo’s Greek Grill is available for takeout and delivery, call (323) 737-2970 or find them on various delivery platforms.

Cecconis – West Hollywood

Cecconi’s serves hand-made pasta, seafood and dishes from Italy using the finest ingredients. Cecconi’s is a modern-day classic Italian restaurant with some of the best Italian take out in Los Angeles.

Polo Lounge @ Beverly Hills Hotel – Beverly Hills 

The weather outside may not be turning frightful in Southern California, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cozy up and watch a holiday movie this weekend. Check out this list of Holiday Movies that all tied at #1 by Rotten Tomatoes! 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Where to watch:  Amazon or iTunes

The 1967 animated feature about a green Scrooge-like character who attempts to ruin Christmas for a whole town is where the song “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” comes from. The movie and its music “always brings a surge of fuzzy nostalgia every Christmas season that never seems to get old,” IndieWire said. 

Meet Me in St. Louis 

Where to watch:  Amazon or iTunes

The 1944 MGM musical is where the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” comes from. BBC News called the film, which stars Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien and Lucille Bremer, one of “the best Hollywood musicals ever.” 

Carol 

Where to watch: Netflix

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara play women who become romantically involved during the Christmas season in 1950s Manhattan. The 2015 film was called a “memorable romance gift-wrapped for the holiday” by USA Today. 

The Shop Around the Corner

Where to watch: Amazon or iTunes

This 1940 film by Ernst Lubitsch is based on the 1937 Hungarian play “Parfumerie.” It later inspired the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and the musical “She Loves Me.” The Chicago Reader called the Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan film “a romantic comedy of dazzling range.”

Holiday door decor is not necessarily at the top of your list of things to decorate during the holidays.  However, a well put together door speaks volumes to those who pass it by. There is some sort of energy influence that a well-decorated doorway has over those who acknowledge it.  Using decorations like wreaths, garlands, lights and decorative window art will have your whole neighborhood in awe. There’s no better way to welcome family and friends to your home this season.

Frost The Glass

Visitors will be in awe of these instant etchings – vines and fauna. As intricate as it looks, this artwork is easy to create! Start by printing out a template of choice, which comes in sections, onto paper. Trace onto the back of white vinyl using transfer paper, cut out designs with scissors, and align to form the larger design. Static holds the pieces in place on a glass or mirrored surface without the need for adhesive, so you can reuse this snowy silhouette for years to come. Talk about eco-friendly.

Dazzle with Evergreen Stars

Think of the front exterior of your home as a blank canvas. Pictured here, these eight-point stars are staggered, making the front door its focal point. Evergreens are formed on simple bases made from wooden strips; using varieties like rosemary, juniper, cedar, boxwood or white spruce. (Tip: When choosing cuttings, opt for cedar, which can withstand wintry weather). You can also gather trimmings from your backyard.

Keep it Pretty and Practical

Even the smallest front porch and its door can be an efficient use of space. On this front porch are the most important items: sturdy boots, firewood, extra pinecones, and moss for the weekend projects. The lush wreath requires no complicated tools for assembly – just floral shears and wire.

Upcycle Your Treasures

Among all the holiday guests who come flocking to your door, none are as charming as the feathered ones who already inhabit your backyard. An idea that caters to them is easy: Prop a weather-worn basket onto the door with a bundle of greenery and perhaps a pinecone or two coated with peanut butter as a special treat for the birds? Sit back with a cup of hot chocolate and watch the show from your window.

Add Greenery and Shine

Wreaths are considered the darling of any front door, but why not exaggerate its grandeur with a trailing greenery of laurel branches and silver baubles. For a cohesive look, you can enliven an urn or potted planter that’s empty for the winter with any leftovers of laurel and a gazing ball.

Invite Familiar Characters

Charm and tradition go hand in hand for the holiday season. At this holiday open house in Wilmington, North Carolina, the front door is decked out in merry red and green colors. On either side: ribbon-tied topiaries with poinsettias, glass lanterns and a larger-than-life Nutcracker standing at attention.

Craft a Whole New World

The most well-decorated front door offers your house guests a few telling clues about what awaits them inside. Outside, a welcoming sight of mushrooms, woodland gnomes and bottlebrush animals greet those who approach to enter.

Get the Party Started

If you’re playing hostess to a crowd, here’s a sweet idea to greet your guests: roll out a bar with your signature cocktail and a few decorative elements. At this whimsical holiday party, a life-size Nutcracker stands nearby, offering a fun photo-opp as people enter the party. And if you didn’t the transformative power of paint, just check out that cotton-candy pink hue.

***Most of these projects have an added advantage: the structural underpinnings can be saved and reused. After the holidays, you can dismantle the displays, discard the faded greenery and save the base decoration. Next year, when winter returns once more, you can unpack your creations and dress up your doorway for the holiday season. Ideas sourced from Martha Stewart.

With another Stay at Home Order in place, it is important to stay entertained while at home. Here are a few things you can do at home that are fun for the entire family!

Get Crafty

Let your creative juices flow freely, and bring all those crafty ideas you’ve brushed aside to life. One quick and easy idea: Wrap a journal in fabric, as shown, and add a hand-drawn “cross-stitch” label. Use the notebook as a place to jot down future crafting ideas.

Cook a New Recipe 

Dig into that stack of cookbooks (or browse best dinner recipes), and experiment with cooking. Your family will appreciate a new recipe or two mixed into the rotation of weeknight favorites.

Plant Flowers

Get outside, and get your hands dirty! Fresh air and a direct connection to nature can help clear your mind, whether you have a large plot for planting vegetables or a collection of containers for seasonal favorites.

Rearrange Furniture

If the same view from the sofa has you bored, try rearranging your furniture. Take into account where vents and electrical outlets are situated. The good news is if you don’t like it, you can move it back!

Tis the season! Let’s talk about this quintessential winter activity —  decorating cookies! Yes, you can order ahead and pick up a delicious cookie decorating kit (they also have a Gingerbread House Decorating Kit) from the Beverly Hills Hotel.  However, it is not too challenging to make your own kit. Check out these steps below!

Bake Cookies

Lookup any recipe for simple sugar or gingerbread cookies. While they bake, move on to the next step!

Make Icing 

Icing is a lot easier to make than you would think. With a few ingredients that you have on hand, you can make an amazing assortment of icing!

Get Decorating! 

Make sure your cookies are completely cooled. Handle with care and then decorate and make sure to LET DRY overnight so they don’t fall apart if you plan on showcasing them. If not, go ahead and eat them all right away!

Check out some of December’s new releases on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more! From documentaries to an incredible one-man show, we have you covered. 

“A Suitable Boy”

Where to Watch: Acorn TV

This series directed by Academy Award-nominated film director Mira Nair follows 19-year-old university student Lata, who seems to have her life already mapped out thanks to old traditions and an overbearing mother. Torn between romance and responsibility and inspired by rebellious writers and daring new ideas, Lata is determined to decide her own future in a newly independent India. 

“Diary of a Mad Black Woman”

Where to Watch: Hulu

“Diary of a Mad Black Woman”: After being dumped by her husband for a younger woman, a woman seeks the comfort and advice of her tough and sassy grandmother Madea.

“Natalie Palamides: Nate – A One Man Show”

Where to Watch: Netflix

Meet Nate — your stereotypical masculine man just trying to be better. Natalie Palamides portrays this alpha male learning to express emotion and understand the rules of consent.

“Clifford the Big Red Dog”

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Come along with Emily Elizabeth, Clifford, and their friends in new episodes as they spend a day at the Birdwell Fun Fair, become hard-hitting reporters for the Birdwell Times, and build the coolest clubhouse ever!

When it is December, we know that means Pantone will announce the upcoming color of the year. In which, they did! They chose not one but two colors as the 2021 color of the year. They chose…

PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, two independent colors that highlight how different elements come together to support one another, best express the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021. Practical and rock-solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.

A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.

As people look for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity, and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality. PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power. PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray is emblematic of solid and dependable elements that are everlasting and provide a firm foundation. The colors of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, Ultimate Gray quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness, and resilience.

Emboldening the spirit, the pairing of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 highlights our innate need to be seen, to be visible, to be recognized, to have our voices heard. A combination of color whose ties to insight, innovation and intuition, and respect for wisdom, experience, and intelligence inspires regeneration, pressing us forward toward new ways of thinking and concepts.

About Pantone’s Color of the Year:  

For over 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design.

The Pantone Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms, and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.

How to incorporate in a home: 

Combine pops of yellow with natural earth tones like cement, rocks, or steel. The gray/silver color contrasting with the bright pops of color leave the ideal modern rustic look in your home.

With another Stay at Home order in place, it is important to support small business restaurants if you are choosing to place an order for takeout. Check out our list of a few in Los Angeles and the Valley.

Cofax Coffee

Located: 440 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

The debate about the best breakfast burrito could last until the pandemic passes, but this one tops the list of most Angelenos. The smokey potatoes and savory chorizo (they also do a meatless version) stuffed into a griddle-pressed tortilla are a great way to start your day.

Proof Bakery

Located: 3156 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Some of the freshest and delicious baked goods you can find in Los Angeles, period.

Felix

Located: 1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA

They’re providing pasta and cocktail kits, as well as a takeaway menu filled with some of their star items (the focaccia is life-changing).

Petit Trois

Located: 13705 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA

Known for their delectable and authentic French Omelet by their world-renowned chef, Petit Trois is one of the best in the valley.

The Six

Located: 23536 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302

The Society of Six and their passion for art, food, and wine-inspired us to create a new Six, an American rustic restaurant concept with the traditional, unpretentious fare.  Portions are generous and takeout fares well from this place.

Sweet Butter Kitchen

Located: 13824 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Quaint spot serving breakfast dishes & lunch fare like sandwiches & salads, with an attached market.

With another Stay at Home Order in place, it is important to stay entertained while at home. Here are a few things you can do at home that are fun for the entire family!

Throw an Indoor Picnic

Set out a picnic blanket and basket of food and eat your dinner as though you were having a picnic. Just having variety in your family life brings you closer together as a family unit. Events like this are often the catalyst for a fun-filled evening.

Film a Cooking Show

Have you ever watched cooking shows on TV? Cooking is a hot topic. In fact, cooking shows are so popular these days that there are networks that only broadcast shows about cooking.  Pick out a recipe you would like to try. Pretend you are hosting your own cooking show and video it. Make sure the whole family participates, in one way or another. You are certain to have a lot of laughs while watching your family episode.

Do a Puzzle 

Puzzle-making is a calming way to spend time together at home. Hours can be spent finding just the right pieces to add to the puzzle. The best part is when you see the finished product. This isn’t a one-night activity, so set aside a place that the puzzle can be undisturbed. You can find mats that roll your puzzle up when you aren’t working on it. If you have a spare table that isn’t used daily, you could have it there on display and readily available to continue on.

Make a Family Scrapbook 

Choose an assortment of family pictures taken during different events. Compile these photos into groups and begin to make a scrapbook. Perhaps you want to focus on a special trip your family took or another meaningful event you wish to document. The ideas for creating your family scrapbook are endless. Personalize this and make it your own; after all, this is your story.