Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Rev Up with Ciara at Sound By SoulCycle Then Recovery with RCVR By Lululemon.

By Laura Medina

The thirty-three years-old Los Angeles Marathon shouldn't be overlooked.  It's emergence took a long time coming.

The Friday night before the race was the most exclusive nightclub/party.  It's the second installment/spin class of Sound by SoulCycle, the trendy, cultish weight-lifting meets biking gym.

The first installment/class was at Wynn's very own SoulCycle, where Sin City's very own, The Chainsmokers, replaced the blasting canned soundtrack with their very own live concert, an extra adrenaline oomph of a boost of busting and grooving on stationary bikes while pumping weights to The Chainsmokers' live beats, Spinning with Soul Cycle...with The Chainsmokers...in Vegas...at Wynn's XS Nightclub, Detox to Retox. https://luxurist.blogspot.com/2018/12/spinning-with-soul-cyclewith.html. As a sweaty reward, the participating riders in The Chainsmokers' SoulCycle class, got VIP access to The Chainsmokers' real concert later that night.

As for Sound by SoulCycle's second installment, a SoulCycle devotee threw a live concert for a SoulCycle spinning class, Ciara for Sound by SoulCycle.

What really got this scribe was that Ketel One Botanicals Vodka did healthy, all-natural cocktails for the spin cycle concert, promoting their Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom Vodka, https://www.ketelone.com/vodkas/peach-orange-blossom-botanical/?ds_e=MICROSOFT&ds_c=B%3A+Ketel+One+Botanical_BMM_HV&ds_k=%2Bketel+%2Bone+%2Bbotanical&msclkid=e13f5bf9b96b19b572d60763e348e7e6&gclid=CL-zmM-joOECFZCNxQIdbacHsA&gclsrc=ds/


 If you were unable to sweat to Ciara live, you can sip like the non-exercising concert audience, while making participating riders thirsty, Ketel One's Botanical Vodkas are 405 fewer calories than white wine...


KETEL ONE BOTANICAL & SODA
Featuring Peach & Orange Blossom

1.5oz Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom
3oz Soda Water

Serve in a wine glass with ice and your choice of fragrant herbs, crisp citrus or other fresh fruit.

Ketel One Botanical Cucumber & Mint, 

KETEL ONE BOTANICAL & SODA

Featuring Cucumber & Mint

1.5oz Ketel One Botanical Cucumber and Mint
3oz Soda Water

Serve in a wine glass with ice and your choice of fragrant herbs, crisp citrus or other fresh fruit.


The participating spin class riders really earned their low-calorie, all-natural infused vodka cocktails and bite-sized hor d' oeuvres for dinner, and some fresh new athleisure clothes by Soul by SoulCycle at Nordstorm, https://shop.nordstrom.com/content/soul-cycle


Ciara's live concert, with her and her back-up dancers grooving in Soul by SoulCycle athleisure collection, got the riders bumping for a good whole hour.

That was just a warm-up to Sunday's 26 miles long LA Marathon.


This is why naïve newcomers and experienced native walkers either have legs like knots or wobbly like jelly.  This is why Lululemon is kind enough to offer post-marathon recovery wellness and pop-up shop, RCVR by Lululemon in Culver City's Platform, where yoga stretches and Breatheworks dot the landscape,  https://rcvrbylululemon.splashthat.com/


If you're really hurting or can't stomach yoga first thing in the morning, that's simple on the outside but complex in the inside Breathework to get the lungs, the sore rib cages, and stiff guts moving.  Good for your sinus.

Cyro Cafe's facials are a relief, not just for cooling down sweat but it:
  • Tightens the Skin
  • Increases Collagen Production for Healthier Skin
  • Increases circulation
  • Reduces Inflammation
  • Closes Pores
  • Improves sleep quality
  • Promotes happiness
  • Reduces headaches
Can't think of anything better than in sweaty, sticky, humid South Carolina summer.


For those whose legs are really are jelly, the convenient zip-up leggings of Normatec can message those legs back to normal, using hydraulic pumping and deflating air along various pulse points from toes to soles to ankles to calves to hamstrings to sore butts, with nary of an human touch.  A wise investment.

LA Marathon was LA's fitness weekend.









Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Zen Cooking of Waygu Beef, Nothing Goes to Waste.

By Laura Medina

There's more to beef than just the choice cuts of loin, shoulders, and short ribs.

Chef Thomas Bowman, from the protein-alternative Eclipse Foods, wants to show how to fully utilize beef, especialy Toriyama Waygu Beef, the softest beef there is.


There was the usual but simplest Shoulder Waygu Beef slice...


With beef, there is simplicity, such grilling Short Rib Gyutaki in sugar and butter as a quick, easy, and simple glaze, using cheap, daily ingredients to make something so chic.




You can even save and use leftover beef broth and juice, simmer in garlic and onion as dipping sauce for Beef au Jus, an Los Angeles invention thru a clumsy cook and an hungry cop.



The Kakuni Brasied Chuck Short Rib topped with Chicken Fried Oysters garnished with bacon then drizzled in mayo mustard sauce, it was so Southern that qualifies as fancy decadent for the Oscar Week that came before it.  A true surf & turf hor d' oeurves.  If you know now to fry and sear and grill, you can do this.


Even the most simplest of scrap and rejects brought back justice for fully utilizing Waygu Beef.

Chef Thomas made butter out of Waygu Beef lard as a spread for toast...


He used Waygu Beef lard butter in baking focaccia.


The best utilization of beef waste is using Waygu Beef lard butter in making caramel sauce, something Paleo people will enjoy.  Shoot, they'll enjoy stirring in Waygu Butter in their coffee.

He even incorporated traditional Japanese cooking into All-American sandwiches. Zabutton Gyu Katsu Sando is the Japanese version of Fried Chicken Sandwich. He did a Los Angeles invention, American classic, Beef au Jus, using tender, thin slices of Waygu Beef.

 

Simplicity rules again.  This time Waygu Beef goes Italian in Gooseneck Round Tataki Carpaccio.



Then, goes fancy with Top Round Wagyu Sugo: gnocchi, blue cheese, grapes, pine nuts, top with a lid of crispy parmesan.  Breaking out of the Japanese culinary stereotypes.



Then, Chef Thomas went traditionally Texan with 20 Hour Smoked Wagyu Brisket, still utilizing Wagyu dripping mixed with espresso to make it's own BBQ sauce, garnish with pickles and okra, to be sopped up with white bread.



No part of the Toriyama Waygu Cow goes to waste.  Chef Arai's Sukiyaki of Short Rib, Short Plate, and knuckle.


Don't worry, Toriyama Waygu saved the best to near last, Rib Eye and Short Rib with Pesto.


Chef Arai keeps on giving with one more Waygu grill Beef salad dressed in California Spring Greens and edible flowers.


As a finishing piece to a seven-course tasting feast, Chef Thomas Bowman poached apples in Waygu Fat then used Waygu Fat in making Paleo/Beef Caramel Sauce in a traditional, nothing-weird Warm Apple Crumble dollop in Sakura Vanilla Ice Cream, dusted in Pecan Crumbles.


According to Chef Thomas Bowman, the best way to use and eat meat, especially beef, is to use the whole animal and everything about it, returning to the Native American mentality and being Zen about it.

If you're thrifty and green, there's recipe video for this, https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Caramel+using+beef+lard&view=detail&mid=A253C4731FD62B91E5F3A253C4731FD62B91E5F3&FORM=VIRE

Nothing goes to waste with Waygu and with Chef Thomas Bowman.


Monday, March 18, 2019

Bright-Eyed & Bushy-Tailed, Korres' Citrus Guava Shower Gel Then Korres Wild Rose Smoothie Brightening Priming Moisturiser.

By Laura Medina

Need that extra of brightness first thing in the morning?  Spring around the corner?

The citrus notes and guava wakes you up.

5% organic Distillates Marshmallow & Everlasting: Skin smoothing and soothing, anti-inflammatory, with regenerating and antioxidant properties in aloe vera gel base, containing vitamin C and E with antioxidants and collagen.
https://www.sephora.com/product/wild-rose-smoothie-brightening-priming-moisturiser-P423260?skuId=1986108&msclkid=da5494c3fac0198f504bc84c33b46aa4&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=X-USA-B-PLA-X-All-EN-RLSA-X-X-X-X-MFB&utm_term=4585307087680483&utm_content=KORRES&om_mmc=ppc-MSN_357022448_1307319487266555_pla-4585307087680483_1986108___c&country_switch=us&lang=en&gclid=CNnzg56QjOECFYrKDQodHgoDbw&gclsrc=ds
A lightweight, silicone-free priming moisturizer infused with super C, nature's most powerful form of vitamin C, infused with wild rose oil, powerful vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and turmeric extract, this weightless moisturizer delivers 24-hour hydration as well as brightening and priming benefits. This multitasking, super-nourishing solution helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and skin discoloration, while eliminating excess shine and decongesting pores with white willow bark—rich in natural salicylic acid. Skin will be perfectly prepped for makeup application and all day wear. 

Wild rose is nature's most potent skin brightener with nine times more vitamin C than found in orange juice. This formula is also boosted with super C, which increases skin's vitamin C absorption by 1,000 percent.

This priming moisturizer contains 96.9 percent natural ingredients, and like all Korres formulations, is made without petrolatum, mineral oil, silicones, propylene glycol, and ethanolamines. It is dermatologically tested, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and cruelty-free. 

Sunshine in a bottle and in a pump.





Tuesday, March 12, 2019

One Night Only, 311's Rock Doc, "Enlarged to Show Detail 3" on March 11th, 3/11...Uhm, Duh.


For a bunch guys who were thrilled to have a thousand people show up at their first show, 311's  Nick Hexum Tim Mahoney, Aaron "P-Nut" Wills, Chad Sexton, and  Doug "SA" Martinez, have unknowingly spawn a movement that steamrolled into a business empire, while still staying humble. 

They all owe it to their large, loyal fan base that have supported them for twenty-nine years solidly.  Forget Dead Heads. Move over Phish Fans. Some of them morphed into 3 Eleven-ers.  311 comments their fans today, range from teenagers, who still need to call their moms back, to people in their fifties, who are these kids' parents.  Some of the older fans are grandparents, who bring their grandchildren to the concerts.

This rock documentary, "Enlarged to Show Details 3" https://www.311incinemas.com/ show snippets and videos gathered over 25 year and backstage chats with fans and band mate interviews.

When they're not cruising with their fans on their 311 Caribbean Festival Cruises and 311 Pow Wow Festivals, they grow fruit in their garden groves at home, raising families, or kindly hosting a visiting die-hard but nice 311 fan in their studio/man cave or brewing green tea with ginger.  Through-out the documentary, the band were constantly surprise at their career success and steadiness then they humbly give credit where credit is due, their fans.
They always talk about making their fans, regardless of cred or color, feel welcomed and inclusive.  In return, their fans lyrically riff about the band's positivity, humanity, and kindness through rocking rhythms and raps over booming and blasting beats.

Business-wise, 311 can teach the Frye Festival a thing or two.

At first, 311 thought it was weird for them to headline a rock cruise and were worried and curious how their fans will take to it, way back in 2011.  2017 marked the fifth 311 Caribbean Cruise! Departed from Tampa to Cozumel, March 2–6, 2017, on board the Norwegian Jade. Lineup of bands, DJs and comedians, including Rebelution, Reel Big Fish, Stick Figure, People Under the Stairs, Ballyhoo!, RDGLDGRN, Los Stellarians (side project of 311 member SA Martinez) and ILL Communication. The band headlined set lists as usual and hosted other bands as well. 311 played their hit songs plus debuting two new tracks; "Extension" and "Too Late" while also covering Prince's "Let's Go Crazy".  

Once they land in the Bahamas, 311 throws a beach concert without snafus.

311's Festival Cruise has been a steadily growing success to the point, that it's Spring Break for their younger fans to a rocking booze cruise of an honeymoon for the older fans. 
Speaking of which,..

With such a large but loyal fan base that faithfully follow 311 on tour, love does bloom among the fans to the point that 311 not only has a three-generation fan base but the band members also officiates their fans' wedding.  

"Enlarged to Show Detail 3" shows the world 311 unknowing built.

Even the band is surprised.