LA Weekly presents Food & Wine Festival at the California Market Center (CMC). Food porn…read moreextravaganza....oh heaven help me!! So many representing LA eats that the line to get in was weaving out the door. It was well worth it as 40 of the hottest restaurants presented an amuse bouche of their signature bites & alcoholic beverage samples. Mingling with chefs, meeting new people and talking about food was a nice way to end the weekend. Great venue at the California Market Center offering spectacular panoramic views of the city. It was large enough that I didn't feel claustrophobic with the volume of people attending and enough tables and chairs to pace yourself. Surprisingly it wasn't too bad getting out of the parking building either and thought it was well facilitated. LA knows how to do it and LA Weekly had a very successful event. Salud #theessentials till next year!

I signed up for this event assuming it would be like all other food and wine festivals. That is,…read morean overpriced, overcrowded mess of booths and people unsuccessfully intermingling in the hot sun or hot indoor space. Thankfully I can report The Essentials 2015 mostly chipped away at my negative stereotypes. The food we sampled was all quite good, the beer and wine quite drinkable, and the hard booze creatively mixed. Our group appreciated that none of the tables made a point to stamp the ridiculous "drink card" everyone was issued. Make no mistake, the event was PACKED, but once inside the crowds were only an issue for certain restaurants. Thankfully it didn't impact the temperature, as we were fully comfortable start to finish. Some vendors went above and beyond with their food, while others proffered more pedestrian bites. Though I don't remember too many specifics, a few establishments were just really, really good. A big "thank you!" to Connie & Ted's, L&E, and Providence for providing exquisitely fresh oysters on the half shell. Sounds like at least a 4-star review at this point, right? Yup, but I have to voice what I feel are a few legitimate qualms. First, the signs for each vendor were SO small they were often invisible behind the chefs and people in line. Second, a better laid-out map would have worked wonders, as the one provided was essentially useless. The third and fourth issues require their own paragraph. We arrived prior to the 2:00 p.m. opening time for general admission. However, the organizers let us in late, and the throngs of people waiting outside further delayed the process. Long story short, we finally got into the event at 3:00...not cool. To boot, most of the "prestigious" vendors (e.g., Melisse, Hungry Cat) completely ran out of food as early as 3:30. Either they received bad information about the number of tickets sold, or they simply brought whatever quantities they wanted. Regardless of the reason, this was completely unfair to those of us who paid to try their food. I couldn't help feeling a little ripped off. This was definitely an improvement over other foodie festivals. We had a GREAT time. However, there are certainly some kinks that need to be ironed out. I can't wait to go again next time and hopefully leave a 5-star review!

What a fortuitous circumstance that this festival started this year when I have just moved to…read moreHuntington Beach 3 months ago! I was very excited to attend since getting an uber was fairly inexpensive and the ending time of 10pm made it an early night. The festival was 2 days, but I only attended Day 1- the headliner on this night was Sublime with Rome but other noticeable acts that day were MAGIC!, SOJA, & Stick Figure. The start time was 1pm and began with unlimited beer tastings until 4pm. We arrived at 2:45pm and had a great time with the beer tasting, each line was no longer than 5 minutes and we easily sampled over 10 beers. What I love about reggae festivals is the vibe- super friendly people and welcoming environment! It was a great day and there were also plenty of food options- we enjoyed food from Pink Taco truck and also had a slice of pizza later on from an equally bomb vendor- wish I could remember the name, it was quality NYC style thin crust pizza! It was a very hot day, but there was some shade, water towers around the food and bathroom areas with free water, lots of port-o-potties to accommodate those drinking that evening and many people even brought blankets to lounge on the grass. All in all, it was a relaxed, fun day at the park with good music, food and beer. I felt that saying there would be carnival rides was misleading as there was ONLY 1 ride- no big deal, but just FYI. The cost of the entrance was $39-$65 depending on when you purchased your ticket but since the beer tasting was included, it was definitely worth it. On top of that, the beer vendors all sold pints for $10 so it wasn't insanely expensive to buy drinks throughout the day. Last but not least, it was an "all ages" events so it was nice to know you could bring the kiddos. I saw everything from toddlers to teens enjoying the day with their family and that's good, clean fun. Would definitely come back next year!

OMG! My favorite…read moreevent I've been to this year! I only went to day one but I totally regretted not going to day two. The line up was absolutely sickening (the good way). Zhu and Gesaffelstein blew my mind! However Deadmau5 vs EP, Knife Party, everyone threw down. I danced so much I blew thru 7000+ Nike Fuel points easily. It was not overly crowded and all the attendees seemed super nice and chill, unlike the event I attended the night before. I didn't really eat but my friend let me have a bite of her pizza and it was great! Also there were non porta potty restrooms available that were kept pretty clean and the beer garden was perfect. Definitely attending future Hard events, just keep bringing back that dark techno and great house line up!

This is my 2nd year attending this amazing event featuring some of the best EDM DJ's, great food,…read morecool rides and of course amazing people. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance to ensure you get the best pricing and just to be sure get it from ticketmaster to avoid any discrepancies. Dress comfortable and have FUN!!!!

Friend got 4 guaranteed tickets for today (Aired 9/14/10)…read more Guest were Ken Jeong & Audrina Patridge Buddy went early in the morning to pick up the tickets, we got 7-10 NICE! So we got there at 2:30 like we were supposed to and there wasn't very many people there. Parked, checked in with security and let the waiting game begin. About 430 they started letting people in- man there's a lot of walking...... There's also a dress code that isn't really enforced - the email clearly states "business casual" and unless I'm mistaken, flip flops & shorts are not "business casual". I would stress to the ladys to wear some comfortable shoes & bring a jacket. I thought I was able to man up and take the cold inside the studio, but it was FREEZING! i had to sit on my hands to keep em warm (whenever we werent clapping which wasnt often( There is security check again once you cross the street, its a metal detector, no biggy unless your packing some weapons. George doesnt really interact with us at all, Ive been to tapings where the stars would talk to us during the commericals and such, but George isnt like that - he acts like hes above us. Even though he says hes one of us blah blah blah. Hes definately not down for the people like he says he is. MASPOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING A JACKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BRING A JACKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had the honor of accompanying my on again off again boyfriend to see him play on the Lopez show…read more (played bass guitar with reggae artist Shaggy.) The staff were amazingly nice and hospitable and seemed to be overall very happy people. The shows producer John Stewart came over and chatted while I was waiting for the band to finish rehearsing, I later discovered that he is Kristin Stewart's (from Twilight) father. I also met the air guitar champion of the world and he was super nice and funny too. I had an awesome time and was surprised by how nice everyone was! (You know how Hollywood blows people heads up...) Disappointed the show has been cancelled...

*** The 2nd Ann'l Parade & Festival was 25Sept'10. ***…read more It was serendipitous that I stumbled upon the end of this parade cruising down Pine Street at around 2pm today. I had no idea what the festival was about ... I took a look at the dancers, their costumes, the music and I was lost. Was it Mexican? Native American,? What? I didn't know. I loved the enthusiasm, kids, bright colors, drums and cars. So I stopped and took pictures. It was the perfect day for it: 90deg, sunny, sea breezes, blocked street, chilled crowd. It was laid back, and yet, it felt energetic also ... very nice. *** I will mark my calendar for this event next year. ***

This event was much smaller than I anticipated. There were only a handful of vendors, and not much…read morethat I found interesting. I bought a pair of earrings on my way out, so I guess it wasn't all bad. The artists who were painting canvases at the front were pretty cool, but we didn't have enough time to sit around and watch them. We spent the most time in the food truck food court. There were five or six trucks. I wished there were more, but then again, I can only eat so much, so it ended up being alright. This would have been much better if we didn't have to pay five bucks each to get in.

The 2nd Make It Funky Festival presented by the Flock Shop LA was just as hoped it would be. A…read moresmall festival with great musical acts, both by DJ's and Bands, unlike the huge festivals with mediocre acts all day. If you are in the likes of KCRW and anything other than top40 than the $10 entrance is very much worth it. Funk sounds from Connie Price, lyricism from Wildchild, brass horn's blairing from The Rebirth, to all the wonderful DJ's that play in some of the most renowned underground venues will keep you two stepping the night away (ie: Soul Sessions, The Rhythm Section, Afro Funke, and Sonado Sunday.) The festival also had a Food Vendor Court which was filled with a couple of LA's famous food trucks. The White Rabbit Food Truck and Spring Street BBQ kept my belly full as I walked around. I am personally not a big vendor fan, but there were plenty of vendors with great stuff. The live art was very entertaining while DJ's feed the artists musical inspiration. Overall Make It Funky is an experience that I hope Chinatown and Flock Shop continue throughout the years. It brings quality music as well as great people together to open your mind, fill your belly, and your keep your feet moving.

Lots of Booze and Little Piggy…read more I was lucky enough to have been invited with VIP tickets. This only allowed for an hour early entrance, which did not really matter because there were way too many VIPs and it was crowded. There were several "bacon" snacks but for the most part I was disappointed. This little piggy loves meat and eats Paleo. Very little bacon dishes here that were primarily bacon. The bacon that was available was miniscule? Bacon Fest? More like a Beer Fest. Betty Fraser Rocked the place with her Betty CrackBacon! Lots of free beer and some hard liquor drinks. Apparel-(-5 Stars) Some stands only sold T-shirts which ranged from 20-$45. Shirts were all cheap and some were mere advertising for the business. Why someone would pay $45 to advertise for someone else is beyond me. Highlights 1) Starry Kitchen Guy had great outfit; and 2) Betty Fraser and her crack bacon were both 5 Stars. The event was AOK, but if I had to pay $65 for VIP tickets it would be 1 Star. Way too many people and skimpy bacon options.

I had a lot of fun here! However it was definitely more like a beerfest with bacon on the side…read more There was at least as much alcohol as there was bacon if not more. I was also expecting it to be larger, or at least have more food options then what was offered. Also this is more of a "fancy bacon" event. What do I mean by that? Expect for bacon infused things then straight up bacon. That said a number of the things I ate tasted REALLY good, but nothing like bacon. Also there were more bacon desserts then savory dishes you would consider a meal. Sweets are nice but I was really looking for more entree type foods. I did appreciate the couple of stands that offered different types of bacon (lamb and duck) which was something different. Yes there were lines but the only one that was epically long was for Slater's 50/50 and they all actually moved really quickly. I found the lines useful because they give you time to eat and make room for more food. My only real gripe with this event was that SO many vendors came unprepared for the crowd. By 4:30 most of the food had sold out. By 5 it was pretty much a done deal. The only thing still open was the VIP section which didn't have extra food just liqour so I suppose that's a perk to consider for next year, however I was pretty darn tipsy off the free beer so prob not necesarry lol. However could be worth it simply to get your hands on all the food first and be able to go back for seconds if you like. Other random tidbits: The DJ was good and music wasn't too loud, even though the stands had lines it actually wasn't super crowded and there was plenty of room to move around, no one smooshing into you spilling your drinks or food. Make sure to use the restroom on your way in because going back inside and up to the 3rd floor takes valuable bacon eating time. Will probably go back next year because it was a fun experience and I had more then my tickets worth in beer alone so it's worth the money, it's just not AS epic as advertised.

It was my first time going to one of these events and had an amazing time! Went with a couple of…read morefriends and did one day only. Came to check out deadmau5 and Calvin Harris. Wished I got a chance to check out the other performers. I would suggest to get dropped off since parking is insane! Also, wear comfy shoes that u don't mind getting dirty. Be prepared to get dirt all over it and getting them stepped on by other people (rude!). A huge negative are the porta potties. DISGUSTING. I mean, I don't expect them to be clean or smelling like roses. But it got so bad that I stopped drinking alcohol And water just so I won't pee!!! Yea...that bad. I won't go graphic on how it looked. Also FYI they don't check bags as thoroughly as they do with you. They pat you down like nobody's business.

HARDfest's Halloween installment, wisely planned the weekend after Insomniac's Escape from…read moreWonderland, brought an impressive lineup and dense crowds to the Los Angeles State Historic Park. It was a BLAST. And now it's time for a breakdown! LOCATION & PARKING 5 stars here. LA State Historic Park is a 20-minute walk from Union Station (and even closer to the Chinatown stop of the Gold Line), and HARD worked with the LA Metro to provide free rides on all Metro lines for anyone with a ticket. SCORE. And if you planned ahead like me, you found a station with free onsite parking (although it may have been far away, at least you didn't have to sit in traffic to get to your destination!). A festival that encourages you to save money on both gas AND parking is already awesome in my book. GETTING IN & OUT This is the single biggest reason that this event wasn't 5 stars for me. Some things can't really be helped, like a rowdy crowd, but about an hour and a half after the music started, apparently some people moved some bike racks that had been used as barricades and totally messed up the lines to get in. HARD had to reset a bunch of stuff and so by the time I got there (punishment for being late?), I stood in a huge, nebulous crowd with no idea where the entrance was and no clue when I'd ever reach it. I can tolerate this bullshit when I have a bajillion decibels coming at me and lazers melting my eyes, but just to get in? I'm ready to murder the next person who so much as brushes up against my shoulder. Overheard in the crowd: "C'mon man, don't make me smoke all my weed out HERE!" I understand that bad crowds aren't necessarily the organizers' fault. BUT a bullhorn and a soapbox would have been really useful at this point. SOMEthing to let us know what was going on, or that we were even in the right place. Instead there was a slow movement as people were let in and eventually I found myself at the entrance, 40 minutes later, having missed the first set that I wanted to see. EVENT LAYOUT Super manageable. In some cases, almost too close. There were four stages with - true to form - a small variety of genres to please different palates. You had moombahton tucked in the back, dubstep towards the middle, the big headliners on the main stage, and even a smaller stage (charmingly called the Red Bull "DIscotheque") for funky house. This was a great setup, even though at some points there was a little sound bleed between the Red Bull stage and the main HARD Stage. But walking from one end of the event to the other was less than 10 minutes. There was an assortment of food and beverage vendors, but it was $4 waters for me all night. CROWD Yeah, so we talked about the bike racks. That aside, this was another super cool crowd. Less dressed up than Escape the weekend prior, I think, but overall super chill. I actually was meeting up with friends, but in some cases had lost them by the end of the evening, or didn't even get a chance to meet up with them before my battery went dead. No matter; there were plenty of people around and striking up conversations and making festival friends was a piece of cake...it's actually part of the experience. One note about cell phone service in the LA State Historic Park: IT SUCKS. Even with my robust Verizon 4G megamegamegabattery phone, it still ate up half the battery life just getting a signal. If the damn thing didn't double as a camera, I'd have opted to leave it behind. MUSIC Noooooo complaints here. Justice. Major Lazer telling people to throw shit up in the air (for reals! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151139787248920&set=a.391711083919.169340.7739623919&type=1&theater). Bro Safari. Knife Party yelling at some clown to get down off the truss. Soul Clap playing Ronnie Hudson's 1982 "West Coast Poplock" from which you'd recognize Tupac's "California Love" chorus, and making several new fans (one here!). Overall it was a ridiculously fun night under the stars and a great way to send out a spectacular Halloween week. Come for the music, come for the lights, stay for the experience, because it doesn't have to end just 'cause they're shutting it down at 2!