6 / 09 / 06

AT THE STADIUM

L.A. Dodgers

Dodgers pitcher Derek Lowe has certainly had trouble off the field after leaving his wife for a saucy sports reporter, but he's clearly still focused on his game.

Lowe has been in great form on the mound lately and is playing a big part in the surprisingly good run the blue crew have been on recently.

He was pitch perfect when he helped the Dodgers destroy the Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 and got great support from the ragtag collection of rookies and veterans that make up the Dodgers team this season.

And how about the makeover the stadium has undergone this year?

The new seats seem roomier and more comfortable, and the Dodger Dogs are weiner perfection.
If Lowe and the team can keep up this form, there's every chance we’ll be sitting there in the fall watching the LA Dodgers in the play-offs.

Looking ready for October . . .

AT THE MOVIES

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont

Take a box of kleenex to this one, you might need them before the end.

A sweet and tender tale of a lonely old widow who moves in to a London hotel hoping for regular visits from her daughter and grandson who live nearby.

Weeks go by and her relatives never returns her calls, but Mrs Palfrey serendipitously strikes up a friendship with a young man named Ludo who comes to the rescue when she falls in the street in front of his flat. A magical friendship is created and suddenly the young man is the grandson she never had.

There's a great performance in the title role from Joan Plowright, who is the real life widow of Laurence Olivier, and Pride and Prejudice star Rupert Friend shows real star quality as Ludo - but he's going to have to lose those distractingly bushy eyebrows of his if he wants to make it really big.

Joan makes us part of the story	Lose the bushy eyebrows. . .

Il Piccolino

Recently under new ownership, this place is just great.
Eddy Karkoff(Le Dome) and Silvio Di Mori(Mimosa) really have a gem.
Called “The Little One”, this corner restaurant feels just like Florence.

Beef Carpaccio with shaved Parmesan and Arugula and creamy Burrata con Pomodori with sea salt are just a few good ways to start.

Perfect pastas with just the right herbs might convince you that you are actually Italian-even if it is just for the night. Nightly themes including Veal shank Mondays, Organic Chicken Tuesdays, and Loup de Mer Fridays could easily make me a regular.

Service is friendly, and the desserts outstanding. Put this one on your list of favorites.

Il Piccolino 350 N. Robertson, West Hollywood 310-659-2220
Lunch and Dinner, Monday thru Saturday.

Islands

It isn’t exactly upscale, but you can’t beat the big burgers. Piled high with anything you want, it really can be a great idea.

Even for take-out.

Everything at Islands is super sized, so sharing is easy. Baskets of fries enough for 5, covered in cheese, they’re a meal on their own. Plenty of vegetables for the salad minded.

An enormous Cobb salad loaded with bleu cheese and avocado is as satisfying as it gets. Or the BBQ chicken sandwich is enough for lunch the next day.

You can bring your kids and not worry about the mess, plus there are plenty of activities to keep them busy and amused while you unwind with a tropical drink. An easy going place that never disappoints.

Islands- 350 S.Beverly Dr. Beverly Hills- 310-556-1624

Rosebud Cakes

This place really is the last word in cake design. Elin and Alan Katz have been baking on Robertson for 20 years. With a team of Art School grads in their kitchen, there’s nothing they can’t make.

If you can dream it, they can bake it. Hazelnut, carrot, banana, tiramisu….the list goes on. After sampling about seven,they certainly proved their skills.

After talking to Alan Katz about someof his past creations, including a life sized candy and cake wonderland, I really wanted to know if Rosebud cakes ever had any limits. I decided to ask if they could bake an entire petting zoo, the size of my backyard. Without missing a beat, he replied “Would you like sound effects for the animals”?

Dog Cake	Topsy Ball Cake

Now that’s Hollywood!

Rosebud Cakes-311 S. Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills. 310-657-6207 www.rosebudcakes.com