Best Vegan Restaurants to Visit

LOS ANGELES

Pure Luck Restaurant

707 N. Heliotrope Dr. 

Los Angeles, CA 90029

(323) 660-5993

Times: Mon.-Sat.11AM-Midnight, Closed Sundays

Menu includes: Tofu sandwiches and burgers, colorful salads, fried soy-protein nugget wraps, organic soy pasta, smoothies and shakes.

Best thing on the menu: Deep-fried sweet potato slices, served with a tangy dipping sauce.

Price Range: About $8-$10

Pure Luck restaurant is a quirky, fun restaurant where customers feel comfortable in the relaxed environment. They also promise a great selection of micro brews. 

Flore Vegan Cuisine

3818 W. Sunset Blvd. 

Silverlake, CA 90026

(323) 953-0611

Times: Mon.11AM-4PM, Tues.-Fri.11AM-10PM, Sat.-Sun. 10AM-1PM

Menu includes: Vegan dishes, but with a focus on Mexican food. They serve salads, sandwiches, burgers, but no desserts. 

Best thing on the menu: Baja tacos with veggie fish.

Price Range: About $10

The restaurant even has a pub and customers who are die-hard carnivores still rave about the flavors going on in this restaurant. 

California Vegan Restaurant

7300 W. Sunset Blvd. #A

Los Angeles, CA 90046

(323) 874-9079

Times: Mon.-Sat. 11AM-10:30PM

Menu includes: Family recipes with Thai roots and homemade sauces, dressings, and meats. The menu includes some unique items for a vegan menu such as pancakes, quesadillas, soups, and plenty of desserts.

Best thing on the menu: Mango and sticky rice.

Price Range: About $8

California Vegan is unique because they offer a wider variety on their menu for vegans and seem to have more creativity and fun with what they make.

Casa De Tree

3741 Motor Ave. 

Los Angeles, CA 90034

(310) 559-8138

Times: Tues.-Fri. 10AM-9PM

Menu includes: 100% Vegan dishes, sushi, pasta, baked goods, deli/bento, rice/curry, sandwiches and burgers, sweets, and drinks. 

Best thing on the menu: Go-go Croquette!! Burger (Fried potato croquette, onion, tempeh, on a bed of cabbage with special sauce).

Price Range: About $10
They offer Japanese and French recipes with sea salt and fresh herbs for spices. They also carry many wheat-free dishes and are 100% organic.

ORANGE COUNTY

Green's Cafe

15435 Jeffrey Rd.

Irvine, CA

(949) 653-1241                                                                           

Times: Tues.-Sat. 11AM-9PM, Sun 11:30AM-8PM

Menu includes: Tofu sandwiches and burgers, colorful salads, fried soy-protein nugget wraps, organic soy pasta, smoothies and shakes.

Best thing on the menu: Deep-fried sweet potato slices, served with a tangy dipping sauce.

Price Range: About $8-$10

Avanti Cafe

259 E. 17th St.

Costa Mesa, CA 92672

(949) 548-2224                                                                 

Times: Mon.-Fri. 11AM-10PM, Sat. 10:30AM-10PM, Sun. 10:30AM-8PM

Menu includes: Pizza, pasta, sandwiches, sandwiches, desserts. 

Best thing on the menu: Pizza Bianca (Avanti cheese blend, ricotta, garlic & shallot, greens, olives, pine nuts, and rosemary sea salt).

Price Range: About $10

Although the restaurant isn't completely vegan, it has a comfortable menu for both vegetarians and vegans. It's small place to eat that's run by two chefs who founded the restaurant in 2004 and now change the menu every three months. 

LONG BEACH

Zephyr Vegetarian Cafe

340 E. 4th St. 

Long Beach, CA 90802

(562) 435-7113                                                                

Times: Sun.-Thur. 11AM-4PM, Fri-Sat. 11AM-9PM, Closed Sundays

Menu includes: Burgers, sandwiches, drinks, and plenty of salads.

Best thing on the menu: Flame broiled tofu steak burger

Price Range: $8-$10

Zephyr's is an artistic cafe where a lot of musicians play and local art hangs on the walls. It replaced Papa John's four years ago and let's just say no one is complaining. 

House of Vege

2439 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Lomita, CA 90717

(310) 530-1180

Times: Mon.-Thur. 11AM-3PM, 5PM-9PM, Sat. 11AM-9:30PM, Sun. 11AM-9PM

Menu includes: Ovo, chinese, buffet, beer and wine. It consists of an All-You-Can-Eat menu. 

Best thing on the menu: Veggie chicken made from soy protein and deep-fried seaweed rool with taro. 

Price Range: About $11, $16 for All-You-Can-Eat

Although this restaurant is often ignored by people passing by because of it's outer appearance, those that have tried the restaurant swear by it's authenticity and continue frequenting the place.  

Katie Cervantes

Live OC Magazine

www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Where the Wild Things Are Movie Review

With Urban Outfitters selling Where the Wild Things Are apparel and Arcade Fire remaking one of their songs for the movie trailer, it's no wonder that the movie topped the box office the opening weekend with $32 million in revenue. For most young adults, the film is a glimpse back at childhood when our mothers used to read us Where the Wild Things Are before leaving us to dream of creatures and imaginary deeds. Both the film and the book are popular because the story awakens the part in us that still believes in adventures yet to come.


Although this film is one of the better ones to come out this year, it was hard to ignore the disappointing feeling after leaving the theatre. (When hype doesn't live up to expectations, the movie- goer feels cheated.)

Where the Wild Things Are was beautiful and had an art with it's cinematography with the scenes and metaphors. It was definitely original, unique, and a wild ride. What was disappointing is that it seemed to promise a warm good feeling after watching it, of the sweet things of childhood, of what the book always provides. Instead, the movie had a depressed and lonely theme. The young boy, Max, seemed to always be distressed and a little on the bi-polar side. One minute he'd run away from home distraught, only to return completely happy and smiling. He seemed alone, sad, and kind of left to be on his own with his imagination throughout the film.


Let's not forget that Spike Jonze is an incredible filmmaker and is easily compared to Tim Burton or Wes Anderson, but when high standards are set for a film of one of the most memorable childhood books, people often expect the same emotion and theme to come alive in the film. There's enough sadness in life so when we watch a movie that has a lot of significance to most young adults it can be hard feeling more sad than when we walked into the theater. 


Katie Cervantes
Live OC Magazine
www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Fall in love with fashion

SHOES

Don't resort back to your old Uggs that you bought in the eighth grade. It's time to dress it up a little more, snow or not, and keep your toes warm in some booties. These things are all over the place, between Urban Outfitters and Bakers you're sure to find yourself a pair. Also, try some moccasins because they're warm and come in great colors like browns and mustards. Minnetonka moccasins are great because they're more authentic and last forever. For men, old construction boots look great with a dark pair of jeans.

COATS/JACKETS

Leather jackets are all the rave right now. Weather pleather or the real thing, you can dress up any outfit by wearing it over plaid button-ups or long sleeves. Blazers area also hitting the runways, including jean jackets. There are a variety of options for jackets so please don't resort to drowning yourself in an over sized coat, unless you get a form-fitting peacoat.

SKIRTS

Don't ditch your skirts just because the holiday season is coming around. Zip-up jean and leather skirts are great to pair with tights (like we mention below) and go great with chunky gold, eighties-inspired jewelry. Plus, you can always re-wear them during any season for the nightlife.

VESTS

Just because they don't keep you cozy doesn't mean you need to put them away. Vests are great to wear over hoodies and sweaters. If anything, they'll be an extra layer--even if it's a light one.

SCARVES

Trends come and go, but scarves don't. They've been hanging in there and even in the summer people wear them. This Fall Eternity scarves are really popular, and at Anthropologie you can find worn looking ones.

TIGHTS

If you're not ready to toss out your shorts or skirts, wear tights under your basic summer attire. Anthropologie, Forever 21, and Nordstrom all carry lovely floral tights and designs that will keep you both fashionable and warm.

Katie Cervantes
Live OC Magazine
www.LIVEOCMAG.com

Haunted Attractions in Southern California

Southern California has some of the best haunted houses and attractions to hit up for Halloween this year. Although going to Knott's Scary Farm in Buena Park, CA is a given, there's plenty of Michael Myers and Chuckies in other places that are waiting for you to arrive.

You can definitely get picky when choosing what haunted house or tour you want to see. If you're into more blood and guts then go for something that has a lot of costumes and characters, but if you're into the paranormal then visit a site that is already considered a haunted landmark and is a bit creepier.

Orange County

The Empty Grave

Cost: $13 per person, $20 for two tickets, $20 per person Fast Pass

Where:  321 West Katella Ave. Anaheim, CA 92802

When: Oct. 23-25, Oct. 28-Nov.1, 6:30 PM-12 AM Fridays and Saturdays, 6:30 PM-10 PM on weeknights.

Contact:  (714) 496-0744

Details: 50,000 square feet of terror and redesigned for 2009, the website has pictures of grown men screaming in the maze.

Boot Hill

Cost: Free, donations accepted for CHOC

Where: 16 Goldenrod Irvine, CA 92602

When: Oct. 23-25, Oct. 28-30, 7 PM-1O PM

Contact: (818) 633-0300

Details: A haunted house that includes graveyards, gunshots, and the legend of Jedediah Smith, who was killed and now haunts the building. The house looks something you'd find at Knott's Scary Farm, but not bad for free admission.

Sinister Pointe Haunted Attractions

Cost: $13 for a single maze or $20 for both mazes, $20-$20 Fast Pass

Where: 453 S. Associated Rd., Brea, CA 92821

When: Daily, from Oct. 22-31 7 PM-10 PM Weekdays, 7 PM-12 AM weekends.

Contact:  (866) 95-SCREAM

Details: Sinister Pointe offers two new mazes in an old Edwards movie theatre and is from the creators of the original SAW.  The first maze, Silent Hill, is based off of Davis Films Major Motion Picture and video games. The second maze, Fear, is fully interactive and "mind-bending."

Los Angeles

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride 

Cost: Sun.-Wed. $20 for hayride, Thur.-Sat. $25 for hayride, $35 for hayride and ghost stories, $50 Fast Pass for hayride. Group rates are available, including getting a private wagon for the hayride for $1,000.

Where: King Gillette Ranch, 26800 W. Mullholland Highway Calabasas, CA 91302

When: Oct. 22-31, 6:30 PM-10:30 PM from Oct. 25-28, 6:30 PM-12 AM all other nights.

Contact: (877) 342-6618

Details: It's hard to compete with going on a hayride in a wagon in 500 acres of woods on an old ranch. There's a story behind the hayride of patients escaping from an insane asylum and invading the ranch in the 1920s.

Old Town Haunt 

Cost: $13.50 General Admission, $18.50 VIP Admission (includes free shirt). Cost increases to $15 for General Admission on the eve of Halloween and Halloween night.

Where: 20 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103

When: Oct. 22-25, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, 7 PM to 12 AM

Contact: (626) 248-7652

Details: This is an award-winning attraction and is held in the oldest building in Pasadena. An apparent bank robbery occurred at the building where old catacombs were blown open after dynamite exploded. The maze promises to be bigger and longer than ever!

Vampyr Inn's: Bloody Ball

Cost: $16 General Admission, $21 Fast Pass

Where: The Haunting Factory, 8757 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069

When: Oct. 29 7 PM-12 AM, Oct. 30 7 PM-2 AM, Oct. 31-6 PM-2 AM, Nov. 1 7 PM-12 AM

Contact: cn@hauntingfactory.com

Details: The creators of this tour are award-winning producers and designers of Broadway plays, so the haunt is likely to be more established and realistic. The inn is rumored to have held the meetings of a secret society that supposedly never ended since it's members' ghosts still occupy the inn.

Long Beach

The Queen Mary, Shipwreck

Cost: $29 General Admission, $40 Fast Pass, Overnight Package $225

Where: 1126 Queens Highway Long Beach, CA 90802

When: Oct. 22-24, Oct. 27-31, 7 PM-12 AM

Contact: (562) 435-3511

Details: The Queen Mary offers seven different attractions such as Club Dead, Psychedelic Krazy Klown Maze, Paranoia House of Horrors, Pirate Maze, Isolation Ward, Graveyard, and Vampire Village. It even has an overnight stay for two that includes breakfast and Shipwreck tickets. The Queen Mary is a little more bang for your buck.

The Ghosts of Muckenthaler

Cost: $5 for members, $10 for non-members

Where: Muckenthaler Cultural Center , 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, CA 92831

When: Oct. 21-Nov. 1, 6 PM

Contact:  (714) 738-6595

Details: The Muckenthaler Mansion has a historical tour through the house as they'll tell you of the darker side of Muckenthaler and the ghosts that have "overstayed their welcome."

Katie Cervantes
Live OC
www.LIVEOCMAG.com