NEWS AND NOTES

NEWS NOTES

COMFORT ZONE

The new, expanded, ready-to-wear line from L.A.-based Donni features the summer basics your closet needs.

In 2009, former visual/image consultant Alyssa Wasko founded Donni when searching for a creative outlet to cope with grief following the passing of her father, Donald. While the L.A.-based brand was initially known for its signature oversized scarves, Donni has since expanded to include a curated offering of ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry. Rooted in both comfort and philanthropy, Donni has donated proceeds from each product drop to various organizations, raising more than $40,000 in 2021 alone for charitable initiatives, including the Marsha P.

Clockwise from top left: bubble button down, jersey tank, two-way zip hoodie Johnson Institute, Girls Inc., and Black Girl Ventures. This season, Donni launched its summer/ pre-fall 2022 collection, featuring tailored, ready-to-wear silk separates, including button-downs and vests, as well as a continuation of its new line of basics. Designed and produced in Los Angeles, the easy-towear, airy pieces are perfect for summer living. Think tanks, tube tops, Henleys, baby tees, and cargo sweatpants and shorts that are equally ideal for lounging around the home or brunching at Superba. $98–$297; shopdonni.com

WEB SUIT

> Swimsuit shopping just got more forgiving, thanks to local beachwear brand Cupshe, whose website features thousands of styles, from barely there bikinis to long-sleeved one pieces in sizes XS to XXL. The new Summer Glow Up collection features 36 new styles in a rainbow of bright pastels, ranging from lime to lilac. Strategically placed cutouts and ties are designed to flatter and improve fit, but nothing beats being able to try on in the privacy of your own home. Hilary Du , Olivia Culpo, and Eva Longoria are already fans. From $11; cupshe.

com —NING CHAO

TATA HARPER X ART OF TEA

> Monterey Park–based Art of Tea and Tata Harper Skincare launched their new collaboration of two ca eine-free, herbal beauty blends, Float Like a Butterfly and Flourish Like a Flower, made with high-performance botanical ingredients designed to support a healthy immune response, counterbalance stress, and boost vibrancy. “I’ve always believed that healthy skin goes beyond skincare,” says founder Tata Harper. “This time, I wanted to turn inward and focus on a practice that would help cultivate healthy skin from the inside out.”

Float Like a Butterfly’s adaptogenic blend of butterfly pea, tulsi, lemongrass, rose, and ginger was created to combat daily stressors, while Flourish Like a Flower’s phytonutrientrich blend was designed to enhance the body’s purification process and support a healthy immune system. $45/each; tataharperskincare.com —SARA SMOLA

GO OFF-GRID

> Hit the road this summer with luxury electric travel trailer Living Vehicle Creative Studio, an o -grid, solar-powered workspace for creative professionals. A game-changer for remote workers seeking adventure without sacrificing vacation time, each Creative Studio is outfitted with a top-tier range of hardware that can include options such as Apple’s Pro Display XDR, Studio Display, and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro or M1 Max. For the ultimate studio experience, the Creative Studio can be configured with the new M1 Ultra, the world’s most powerful chip in a personal computer, so you can work from the mountains to the ocean to the desert and everywhere in between, e ortlessly. Living Vehicle starts at $299,995, Creative Studio Package starts at $23,995; livingvehicle.com —S.S.

SUMMER SIPPING

> For those seeking the perfect picnic accompaniment or go-to glass this summer, Frank Family Vineyards released its new 2021 Leslie Rosé. Crafted with Pinot Noir grapes and full of fresh aromatics and vibrant flavors, it’s perfect for sipping at a backyard soirée, under the stars at a Pasadena POPS concert, or simply at home. The name pays homage to Leslie Frank, the woman behind the winery’s marketing and branding initiatives and the curation of one of the most welcoming hospitality experiences in Napa Valley. She also coordinates the Frank family’s charitable giving initiative, Frank for a Cause, which has raised over $100,000. $50/bottle; frankfamilyvineyards.com —S.S.

TOP RIGHT: COURTESY 626 NIGHT MARKET; BOTTOM RIGHT: FACEBOOK.COM/ROSEBOWLSTADIUM

BELLE OF THE BALL

> La Salle College Preparatory recently hosted its signature event, the Crystal Ball Award and Scholarship Dinner, dedicated to developing and supporting many of the school’s initiatives and scholarships. This year’s theme, “Together We Shine,” celebrated La Salle’s diverse and inclusive community, the end of the pandemic, and school unity. 2022 Crystal Ball honoree Gina Zhang was recognized for her exemplary work in the community, as well as her leadership position on the Board of Regents, advising the school president on global perspectives, cultural education, and cultural consciousness. lasallehs.org —S.S.

SAVE THE DATE

> These local events o er a fun way to beat the heat.

JULY 8–10, AUGUST 26–28

Celebrating its 10th season, the flagship 626 Night Market returns to Santa Anita Park. The family-friendly festival will feature more than 250 food options, crafts, games, music, and entertainment attractions. $6/ ticket; 626nightmarket.com

July 9, July 23, August 13, August 27

The 2022 Rusnak Summer POPS Series kicks o at the L.A. Arboretum, led by Principal Pops Conductor Michael Feinstein. From Gershwin to Aretha Franklin to Judy Garland, the POPS will play it all. Tickets start at $25; pasadenasymphony-pops.org

August 13

The Rose Bowl’s 1920s themed Party of the Century 100th birthday celebration will be held on its iconic field, hosted by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. Tickets start at $750; partyofthecentury.org —S.S.

QUICK BITES

Sizzling Summer Food News BY CAROLE DIXON

Kit Romano-Llobet, a native of Pasadena, has opened Dos Besos on Union Street in Old Pasadena with her husband, chef Alejandro Llobet, who hails from Barcelona and previously ran a local paella catering company. “We created a little piece of Spain in Old Town,” Alejandro says. The restaurant features traditional seafood and squid-ink paella, but also an Iberian grilled pork belly version with mushroom and asparagus, as well as a rare noodle rendition of the dish. Tuck into tapas made with authentic Spanish products jamón ibérico and Manchego cheese aged 18 months, along with entrees of whole Mediterranean seabass baked in rock salt, Spanish octopus, and New Zealand rack of lamb.

COMING SOON: Burt Bakman of SLAB BBQ fame has con rmed a new Pasadena spot will be on Arroyo Parkway as soon as August.

Dos Besos

De Buena Planta

The Marlou

In the ever-growing plant-based space, Wolfie’s Nashville Hot Chicken has landed York Blvd. in Highland Park with a beer garden. BeeWali’s Vegan AF has a brick-and-mortar spot in Eagle Rock after its former pop-up status serving Mediterranean to Indian fare.

Westside transplants to Silver Lake include De Buena Planta, a plant-based Mexican restaurant from Venice with a tuckedaway mezcal bar, and gluten-free Santa Monica bakery Breadblok is now on Grif th Park Blvd.

Silver Lake institution Fred62 has launched a new bar program with female-owned Wines of Impact that includes boozy milkshakes, micheladas, and low-ABV options.

Award-winning chef Michael Mina has expanded with Mother Tongue on La Brea in Hollywood. Designed by Martin Brudzinski (Pendry West Hollywood), the restaurant is located inside HEIMAT, the world’s rst social tness club, and will feature global cuisine rooted in wellness and sustainability.

Also expanding to Hollywood, Sa y’s on Fountain is a casual day-to-night spot by chef Ori Menashe and wife-partner Genevieve Gergis of Bestia and Bavel fame.

Big news at the Row DTLA: Pizzeria Bianco from Phoenix, where people are willing to wait hours for one of the six pies on the menu, has landed in the old Paramount Coffee space.

ALSO IN THE ARTS DISTRICT: kensho ‐ group from Hollywood has opened kodō in the old Firehouse space, and just added the daytime rykn cafe for coffee and casual lunch plus wine tastings in the afternoon. Nearby, Damien has added weekend brunch to its Mexican menu offerings with a burrito omelette, and Soho

SLAB BBQ

Warehouse now has a ground- oor Greek Turkish restaurant, Mandolin Taverna, that is also open to the public.

MORE NEARBY NEWBIES: Ukrainian-owned Hi Bakery, which features matcha cakes, pastries, cookies, bagels, and vegan chocolate-chip bread made with zucchini, uses stone-milled sprouted our exclusively and only works with organic farmers.

Bike Shed Moto Co. is a London import in a sprawling, renovated brick warehouse with leather sofas and motorcycles interspersed throughout the bar, lounge, and restaurant. If you want gear, there is a retail store, along with a barbershop and tattoo parlor.

Over on Flower Street, The Marlou and The Burrow Bar & Kitchen are new spots at the O Hotel, both helmed by chef Marcos Spaziani—you might recognize him from the current season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht on Bravo TV—and his partner in the popular ML Eats food truck, chef Louis Huh.