Budget Diva

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo The Costa Mesa opera house audience in Orange County, California, went wild. The Segerstrom Center for the Arts’  performance, October 2,  featuring the Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece film,"The Godfather" with a full symphonic orchestra onstage providing the beautiful music of Nino Rota's Academy Award winning score, conducted by UCLA alum, Justin Freer, was sensational. The word was the symphony's trumpet player, Robert Frear, of Long Beach State music department, was the original musician from the film. His featured solo, The Godfather Waltz,  in that haunting opening scene in Don Corleone's office, as Bonasera is asking for a favor to avenge his daughter, primes the audience for what is to come. As an Opera Pacific docent I've enjoyed many operas in that theater, but I can not recall such a vocally appreciative audience. Of course, The Godfather, is, in a certain sense, an opera. It is something Puccini or Verdi might have fashioned. It has all the elements of a great opera - love, loyalty, betrayal and revenge. Especially loyalty and revenge. And there are certainly enough deaths to satisfy that element of operatic trauma. Poor Michael Corleone is the perfect Aristotelian tragic hero. His flaw of family love and devotion to his father causes him to lose his soul. He abandons his planned life to avenge his father. So sad. In ...

Directed by Bailey Kobe and Featuring Actors Shaun Sipos, Julie McNiven, Jessica Camacho, Michael Steger, Michael DeLorenzo, Mark DeCarlo, Phillip Garcia, and Kelly Perine “The Babymoon”, a film by Director and Writer Bailey Kobe (“Caterpillar’s Kimono” with Ben Savage), will be featured at Dances With Films Festival for its World Premiere on Friday, June 10th, 2016 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in West Hollywood, CA. An invite-only red carpet event at 1:45 p.m will be followed by the screening at 2:45 p.m and after-party at 4:30. RSVP is required for press line and admittance to the screening. Press is also invited to attend after-party at Loews Hotel immediately after. Please email kate@doubleententefilms.com by June 9th to RSVP. TCL Chinese Theatre is located at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, CA. For more information please visit the Facebook Page or website. www.fb.com/TheBabymoonAdventure or www.TheBabymoon.org. ba·by·moon (bābēˌmo͞on) noun: a relaxing or romantic vacation taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born. In “THE BABYMOON”, a fragile relationship coupled with an unpredicted pregnancy, takes the unsuspecting parents to a place they only dreamt of - only to find themselves in the throes of a poorly-planned political revolution. WHAT:   Film Screening: “The Babymoon” WHO:  Writer/Director Bailey Kobe (“Caterpillar’s Kimono” with Ben ...

Never before in recorded history has there been a visionary as gifted... or hilarious, as Dr. Lars Dingman, the iTunes Psychic. Award-winning radio personality Dr. Lars Dingman, will offer every audience member the opportunity to come on stage for a free psychic peek at their future during his live broadcast. Using only the last 3 songs, randomly picked by the subject's digital music player, Earth's first Digital Age Psychic will predict the future and reveal past lives. FREE VACATION: Someone in the audience will win a FREE CANCUN VACATION Lars already knows who's going to win, but you have to show up to find out. Don't miss the oracle the HuffingtonPost calls "Earth's funniest psychic... Dingman's uncanny accuracy - and lunatic hilarity - deftly merge comedy and Psychic phenomena. A MUST SEE!" See and Hear his amazing predictions at www.itunespychic.com and follow him on Twitter @itunespsychic. Video: https://youtu.be/t8Ge-JdLEoc WATCH LIVE THIS MONDAY! Dr. Lars Dingman, iTunes Psychic Monday, May 23 2016 7:00pm   $5 UCB Sunset 5419 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

By Angela Rocco DeCarlo When living in Chicago I covered California more frequently than other venues. Health spas. Theme Parks. Beaches. The entire state seemed to be a playland where the perfect entertainment could be located and devoured. Loved it. Now thatI’m living in exile in Southern California it is fun to display the land’s end treasures for Midwesteran pals who come to visit. When my friend, Dianne, and her family visited me recently, I wanted to give her a taste of Orange County, California, to take back against the next nasty Chicago winter. What could be better than lunch on the beach and a shopping spree on Balboa Island? As a Chicagoan I’m fascinated by the surfing culture of the Pacific Ocean beaches. I’ve been to the charming surfing museums in Huntington Beach and get a kick out of watching surfers calculating waves to catch the best ride back onto the sand. In fact, I’m still agog by my son’s next door neighbor’s garage which houses endless racks of wetsuits, ...

By Mark DeCarlo There's a place, just north of DTLA, where Angelenos - or visitors - can have an immersive experience of a fantastic meal, a tasting tour of a winery, and get a history lesson on LA's early wine making pioneers. And its been there over 98 years. Hidden along the industrial streets of the warehouse district, Los Angeles' San Antonio Winery has been making wine since 1917, surviving prohibition only by becoming a sanctioned wine maker for the Catholic Church... amen! Today, the renovated, working winery and restaurant embraces its heritage and boasts some of California's least known, yet finest wines. Yes way, dude. Winemaking in LA. Totally awesome. Anthony Riboli is the first member of the fourth generation to join the family business. He is also the first family member to have received a formal degree in winemaking and grape growing from the University of California, Davis. Winemaker Arnaud Debons worked in the Bordeaux and Cahors regions of France after graduating from the prestigious winemaking program at the University of Toulouse in France. He brings his expert tastebuds to San Antonio Winery and we get spoiled as we taste triumph with every sip and bite. Daily wine tours and tastings offer an authentic ...

Did you ride the subway today?  Did you notice anything out of the ordinary? Show off those New Year's Resolution-ready legs at Improv Everywhere's annual No Pants Subway Ride. Strip down to your skivvies and embark on a discreet mission with other half-naked Angelenos at Metro's North Hollywood (Red), Wilshire/Western (Purple), Culver City (Expo) and Atlantic and Sierra Madre Villa (Gold) stations. If all goes according to plan, No Pants participants should all pull into the Hollywood/Highland stop around 2:30pm—spot any in-the-buff commuters before that and they're likely your typical Hollywood lunatics. Stick around afterward for a debriefing at Loaded Hollywoood (6377 Hollywood Blvd). Unlike the parka-wearing East Coast participants, you probably won't have too many layers on (thank you, LA winters) so make sure to hold on to your TAP card—a day pass costs $5 ($6 if you don't have a TAP card already). PHOTOS: http://www.laweekly.com/slideshow/la-no-pants-subway-ride-2724740 Content borrowed from TimeOut Magazine and Los Angeles Times.

  Best Chai Tea Latte Recipe by ArtandLemons.com Yield 4 servings 2 1/4 cups water 2 1/4 cups organic milk (whole cow, almond, or soy) 1/4 cup organic dark brown sugar (or more to taste) 2 cinnamon sticks 16 cardamom pods (crushed; place them in a small bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin) 1 star anise clove 1 teaspoon whole cloves 2-inch piece fresh ginger (sliced thin) 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 2 tablespoons black or green tea leaves (I like to use 2 parts Darjeeling to 1 part Assam; or try Japanese Sencha Tea) Combine the first 9 ingredients (everything except the tea) in a 6-quart pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let mixture steep for 30 minutes. Return to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the black or green tea leaves. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Place a sieve over a pitcher or jar. Pour hot tea into the sieve to strain. Serve tea immediately, or let cool and serve iced. (This recipe is inspired by“Chai” found in The Joy of Cooking )and borrowed with permission from http://www.artandlemons.com.  

HOW TO MAKE TURKISH COFFEE You will need to have a Turkish coffee pot, a spoon, sugar and coffee that has been ground to a fine powder. Although most people use the Arabica beans, it really doesn't matter what kind of coffee you use. However, it should be a medium roast, because you will actually roast it again while making it. You can get the Turkish coffee in several different ways: A. Purchase a special Turkish Grinder (regular electric grinders with blades spinning at a high speed will NOT do the job) and grind the coffee yourself. We do have these available at our store if you are interested. B. Grind it at your local grocery store! Yes, that's right. You may not have noticed, but most grinders (99.9%) at your local grocery store in the U.S. have a Turkish coffee setting! Just select the "Turkish Coffee" setting and grind your beans. C. Buy it ready made from Turkish Coffee World. We sell it in our store but you can also find it at most Mediterranean stores if you live in a big city. Preparation Measure the amount of cold water you will need. Place your pot of water on the stove and turn the heat to ...

While visiting the marvelous and glittering Los Angeles, there are also places where all the hustle and buzz of the city can almost be damped by the soothing waves of the Pacific Ocean. One of the best areas to settle down and enjoy the charm of Los Angeles is Santa Monica, a beachfront area in the western part of the city. To truly experience Santa Monica, one of the best accommodation options presents itself under the name of Le Meridien Delfina Hotel, a trademark of luxury and elegance in Santa Monica, California. Located close to the ocean and near some of the most exciting attractions in the area, including the Santa Monica Pier, Getty Museum and Venice Beach, this hotel is a perfect choice for people who are looking for excellent services and a charming atmosphere.  Mark and I were happy to find this boutique gem over a weekend of lazy getaway from ourselves. Among the wonderful amenities and services available in this exclusive Santa Monica hotel, the spacious and pleasantly furnished rooms, the famous restaurants, the heated swimming pool, the valet parking options, the fitness room and the business facilities are just some of the exquisite features of Le Meridien Delfina… ...

With Valentine's Day around the corner, what's a Traveling Diva to do?  Restaurants will be packed full with obnoxious couples pawing at each other and for the single gal, Vday only shows the ugly side of commercialism and Disney-ized fantasies which you can read up on, on your own time. It's enough to drive you to hibernate until summer.   Luckily, you have options.  Internet savvy divas can always find that little hole in the wall that offers comfort and space, that off the beaten path experience that's a quick respite from Vday crazyness. One place to try out is WanderWe.com, an LA-based start-up that offers a new way to book close-to-home getaways, a travel site completely focused on the 2-4 day escape and the spontaneous weekend trip. While catering to the short-term, weekend and last-minute traveler, this site uses propriety algorithms combined with original editorial content, provided by locals (my favorite part.) Recommended itineraries are based on user-selected criteria including destination, budget and the type of experience they’d like to have (romantic, family time, bargains etc). Take a listen to this interview with Allison, from Wanderwe.com. https://soundcloud.com/aforkontheroad/sir-kenneth-branagh-musician If you've had an experience you'd like to share, we'd love to listen!  Email us at diva@travelingdiva.com.  Happy Staycation!