Retox in LA

It's more than just matzoh...America is confronting it's first experience with food rationing, as demand is starting to exceed supply of staples such as flour, rice, and cooking oil. Read more in this NY Sun Article.

Here's a recent review of the Homegirl Cafe. This restaurant part of Homeboy Industries, the organization I previously posted about.

I read about the 29-Day Giving Challenge thanks to Siel over at Green LA Girl. Give one thing away for 29 days. Just how it sounds. I'd like to say I will start tomorrow; realistically, I'll begin in June.

Another item of note is A Day of Beauty I saw mentioned on Daily Candy. Do you own any gently worn women's clothing? Bring it down to 1715 North Gower (just north of Hollywood Blvd on the West side of the street) this Saturday. Help make a woman's day on May 4th, when stylists, hair and makeup artists, and many others will team up to give "a day of beauty" to some very deserving women at the Good Shepherd Shelter.

After years of making the trek out from Boulder to attend Coachella, it seems logical that I would certainly be going this year since it's only a car ride away, right? Yeah, not so. It's a bummer as I would have loved nothing more than watching Devotchka's set on Saturday. Portishead, Chromeo, Mum, Black Kids, Cut Copy, Sia, Booka Shade, Spank Rock, Prince, MGMT, Aphex, Cinematic Orchestra, Sharon Jones...this list goes on...would have all been amazing as well, I imagine. Fortunately for me, LA is amazing too...and there is a ton of cool shit going on this week...I'm a little overwhelmed by my options for Thursday...

We have Throw Me the Statue playing at The Silverlake Lounge.
We also have Dress Right (8-11) followed by Dance Right (10-2) with Z-Trip and MSTRKRFT.

I really don't know much about the last two events except that I read free drinks, ice cream and sample sale on the flyer and that was enough to convince me. Um Z-Trip and MSKRTKRFT - not bad either!

Friday, I'd like to check out Yeasayer and No Age at the Ukranian Cultural Center...so we'll see about that. Ideal Emily says this is the time where she will cut herself off from all things fun and put all her efforts and focus into studying. So far that isn't going to well.

I know there is much more happening this weekend, but like I said, I'm trying to focus and as such, avoid my endless blog reading. Coachella will be a blast too, I'm certain.

Last Thursday, I went to Ralph's to begin buying food in preparation for my Passover seder on Sunday. There were about 6 boxes of matzoh left. I bought two expecting to come back for more on Saturday. Bad call. The rest of the weekend turned into an endless hunt to find matzoh. Sunday morning included trips to two Ralphs, Albertsons, Trader Joes, Longs and then finally the cracked out Von's before I was finally able to find the last three boxes of matzoh in the ENTIRE city of LA. Oh, and it was whole wheat matzoh too...Turns out LA, as well as other areas including SF and New Jersey, experienced a "matzoh shortage" this Passover. Oye vay, to say the least. According to the Daily News, this was due in part to "decisions by Costco and Trader Joe's not to carry matzoh - and a bit of stockpiling by shoppers who bought up supplies early at Vons, Ralphs and some other supermarkets". WTF.

And what does this mean, pray tell:

Faced with a barrage of media queries, a Trader Joe's spokeswoman said the chain was essentially developing a new matzo strategy. "We are taking this year to evaluate how to supply this product better to our stores and our customers," Trader Joe's spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said in a written statement. "We also want to hear from our customers and what they expect from us."

A matzoh strategy? I didn't know there was such a thing. I love Trader Joe's, but that does not sound like much of a strategy to me. This is LA. There are lots of people here. And lots of Jews. And the Jews expect the matzoh during Passover. I'm glad Canter's was there to save the day for some people. I must add, I am intriqued by the coverage this matzoh debacle has recieved; LA Obsereved also covered the story, twice!