Cafe Habana West, Andale!

I only lived in New York (Queens, that is) for one year and I spent much of that time broker than a joke. I'm talking constant ramen/cereal status. But best believe, come payday, I was heading out to explore the city's restaurants and front with the best of 'em. On more nights than were in any way reasonable, I could be found walking from my Soho office to Nolita's Cafe Habana.

It was teeny, always crodewd and offered little that fit into my then-vegetarian diet. But, oh...the tlacoyo tres marias! That cornmeal cake bursting with goat cheese, beans and sun-dried tomatoes was always well worth my hard-earned shillings (so what if I'd have to bum a token to get back to the outer buroughs afterwards). Just the warm, cheesy, bean-y memory of the meal has me shooting daggers of disgust at the bowl of peanut butter Puffins sitting in front of me. I've been looking for a close approximation ever since I left NYC, but kept coming up with nothing. Until now!

The restaurant just opened a West Coast spot. Sure, it's all the way the friggedy-frig up in Malibu, but I vow to make the trek sooner than later.

There are a ton of pix on Eater LA and it looks laid-back, yet gorgeous. Lush Caribbean vibe aside, the new restaurant will automatically come up short for me, because their (temporary) menu doesn't have ttm!!! (I eat meat now, though, so I'm willing to try new dishes.) There won't be the long waits that afforded an excuse to window-shop at Nolita's exquisite boutiques. There won't be the always amusing site of PYT's huddling around the corner cafe's outdoor benches, trying their best to eat cotija-encrusted corn cobs without losing their aloof miens, or jeopardizing their expensive outfits. And, let's talk about the time I waited outside for a table, only to look up and into the window and lock eyes with a dining Mos Def, who smiled and waved at me! Really, what is the likelihood that I will be able to replicate this dream-like scenario in Malibu?

There's only one way to find out!

3939 Cross Creek Road, Malibu, 310.317.0300.

Wantables — The Housewarming Edition

Where have I been?! Yeesh!

After a feverish house-hunt, we've finally found the right spot to house all of our books, dolls, shoes, books and Trader Joe's snacks. And, though I am currently surrounded by boxes and bubble wrap, I thought it best to neglect the blog no longer.

Instead, I will now blog about home decor that I would love to own (and, subsequently, have to pack into boxes with bubble wrap the next time I move).

Interestingly, much of what makes my eyes bug out is stuff that I would buy for my daughter (at least, she would be my red herring). As with most of the stuff I pick for her, these really just speak to my inner-child. If she is as infatuated with them as I am, well then, all the better!

Something to lift my husband's spirits about the new house's shared bathroom scenario...

Chrome Rollerstop Door Stop, Fitzsu, $190 (!).

UK artist Mandy Sutcliffe's Belle & Boo offers cuteness that I know for a fact my daughter would like as much as I do; we sat on the sofa last night cooing over every single item (she made sure I was very thorough). All of their retro-inspired prints, cushions and paper goods feature whimsical kids that call to mind the Morton's salt girl.

"Lola Freedom" print (I'm pretty sure this one's getting got!), £35.

"My Favorite Spot" Cushion (this is one in a collection, each depicting a different season), £42.

It has taken the better part of five years, but I've finally come to terms with the color pink. I'm never going to be a fan, but to humor the little one, I go along to get along. It's easier to do so when pink is used to ironic effect. Check it...

"Tigers*pink" pillow covers (pink and a tutu, without being too girly!), by Karin Soderquist, €19.99, Envelop.

Here, some good dirt camouflage, more balance for the rampant girliness and some built-in entertainment.

Hopscotch rug, $199, CB2.

Blogs posting about wall decals? That's pretty much done to death...but these glow-in-the-dark ones kinda rule!

Wallcandy Night Lights, $48, Velocity Art and Design.

And, hey, even a little something for me. Imagine this filled with a spray of sweet peas, ranunculus, or some other farmer's market finds.

Test the Waters Vase, $34.99, Mod Cloth.

Um...yeah, so...if you need my new address for shipping purposes...just give a shout.

I Might Have To Jack This Idea...

I'm not one to get into the "half-birthday" phenomenon, but I'm kinda giddy right now. As of last week, my daughter has but six months until the big 0-6...meaning I don't have to wait too much longer to rip this idea right on off.

It (allegedly) took just four days for this Nested blogger to whip up a DIY party inspired by the Disney ride.

In addition to capturing the cool retro vibe of the iconic ride, this crafty mom went the distance and even customized Small World characters to match the ethnicities of the party guests! What better theme for the heir of the Swirl Syndicate empire?

Weigh In On Our Swirl Syndicate Poll!

Click "Participate" below and help me decide which one of these two Swirl Syndicate shirts stays and which gets auf'ed!

Poll closes 5 PT, 5.18.10.

Update: Thanks to all those who voted. Your voices were heard and the choice has been made!

Song of the Day

I started my day asking myself this very same question...

Art I Heart — "Where They At" Puts New Orleans Rap In Focus

"Treme" is not getting me where I need to go, guys. I was obsessed with David Simon's "The Wire," so his new HBO series, focusing on the musical culture in a post-Katrina New Orleans, was a must-see for me. I love seeing Wire actors Clarke Peters ("Lester Freamon") and Wendell Pierce ("Bunk Moreland") back on the screen. And I will admit Steve Zahn is good for predictable chuckles. Aside from that...a few episodes in, the show is feeling like a chore.

Assuming Simon makes this project stick, bounce is a N.O. musical trend he needs to clue into next season.

My good friend, Aubrey Edwards, shone a spotlight on the genre with her photo archive, "Where They At." Along with music journalist, Alison Fensterstock, she spent two years interviewing and photographing rising stars and local legends of the homegrown musical style. Here's their description:

Bounce’s signature rhythms and call-and-response chants are deeply rooted in New Orleans’ cultural heritage, including Mardi Gras Indian and second-line traditions. The exhibit “Where They At” documents pioneering New Orleans rappers from the 1980’s, 1990’s, and early 2000’s, the period when bounce music melded and interplayed with lyrical hip-hop and gangsta rap in New Orleans to create a unique, hybrid Crescent City hip-hop sound – the newest branch of Southern roots music.

All photos by Aubrey Edwards

Watch This — (After clicking the link, that is)

Follow this link to watch the trailer for "Waiting For Superman." Maybe I didn't have enough coffee, but embedding seems beyond me this morning.

The new documentary on how poorly our nation's schools are doing may not be groundbreaking material. Still, the trailer choked me up even more than "Babies," the life-affirming doc I'd gone to the theater to see. In particular, my eyes started stinging when I spotted the school featured at 1:07...it's right down the street from my childhood home.

Last Night Was All About A Mind-Reading Monkey

The family spent last night on the sofa giggling more than a little bit over our latest literary acquisition.

It's "The Purple Kangaroo," the latest book by comedian Michael Ian Black (who, at his best, made "The State" great and, at his less-than-great...well, you've seen all those VH-1 "I Love the...").

The book stars a very M.I.B.-esque monkey who boasts that he can read your thoughts. It was our second run-in with one of his kids' books. The first was "Chicken Cheeks," which we borrowed from the library a while back. It fell flat in our household, but if you have a kid who's fond of goofy gross-out humor who might find animal posteriors humorous, I say go for it.

The number one draw this new one had for me was its illustrator, Peter Brown. From "Flight of the Dodo" to "The Curious Garden," I can't say enough about how much I love this guy and endorse the purchase of his entire canon.

Here's me and my daughter meeting Brown at last year's LA Times Festival of Books.

Perhaps it was his punchy, modern sketches that elevated it, or maybe Black is just now hitting his stride as a writer. Either way, the book is a winner. It has sophisticated kid humor, but with silly tongue-twists that keep it light and fun. And, speaking practically, it's short enough that you won't immediately groan whenever your kid pulls it off the shelf. We actually had to fulfill an "Again, again!" request after the first read.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I think I do a better job of reading it than the author himself (though, I did so without wearing a furry monkey costume).

And for your parental viewing pleasure, here's a satirical Rated-R making-of clip, wherein, Black asks a beleaguered Brown, "Did you actually paint this with your vomit, or did you vomit on it afterwards?"

The Making Of Michael Ian Black's The Purple Kangaroo - watch more funny videos

Wait...If I Keep Doing Cool Stuff Like This, What Will I Whine About?

It's me...and I'm smiling!!! A lot!

Broken Social Scene's show at the Henry Fonda Theater this past Monday was sold out, leaving me out in the cold. As per usual, I (possibly, irrationally) blamed Orange County for my missing out. I pouted, fumed, slammed a few cabinet doors, then resigned myself to my fate.

Then, I got wind of a free in-store at Amoeba Records. Further fuming, as I figured there was no way I could maneuver myself from here to there in time to catch a 6p "show."

I was so blissfully wrong. I made it there in stunning, rush hour-flouting time, parked with relative ease and was able to breeze past the line of kids that went down and the block (not to mention the scads that were already inside waiting patiently in the humid aisles). Thanks to a fairy god-employee who shall remain nameless, my way-back Austin friend, Andy, and I got to stand stage adjacent and revel in the all the multi-instrumental Canadian goodness.

Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning were in good spirits, cracking Justin Bieber jokes, offering unsolicited KISS trivia and aping cheesy rock poses while playing. They introduced new stuff from Forgiveness Rock Record, which debuted that day (this was Tuesday, btw). Insert the usual drill of all the cool kids diligently nodding their heads and feigning extreme interest with material that they hadn't yet memorized. [Can I say...God, how I miss being in a room full of people well under the age of 50 and over the age of 5!!!]

Everybody made with the fist pumps and whoo!-ing, though, when older tracks — "Stars and Sons," "Cause = Time" and "Ibi Dreams of Pavement" — surfaced. I would go on record as saying it was one of the promptest, longest, most heart-felt and un-obligatory seeming in-store performance I've ever seen.

Follow that fantastic freebie up with a slammin'-ass burger across the street at Umami Burger and I felt rejuvenated (a feeling that would soon be sapped by a bleary-eyed solo nighttime drive back down to Orange County).

One great free L.A. show down...one to go!

'Cause I'm A Winner...No, Not A Loser

Finally, the mail contained more than just grocery circulars, pizza chain coupons and lasik surgery credits!

I won this "Dessert" letterpress print by Justin Richel from ever-cool online art boutique, Little Paper Planes, by entering a giveaway on Art Hound.

Yay, me! Not only am I enjoying this winner's glow, I now need a frame and, thus, have a somewhat valid reason to head to Ikea. (Never you mind how the remaining $200+ of that eventual purchase gets itemized!)