Trident General Store

I have always loved this photo of my friend Jill’s son, Barrett, taken several years ago at Great Point in Nantucket for some surf casting and his first time in the ocean. Who knew that it would become one of the influences behind Jill’s awesome clothing line, TRIDENT GENERAL STORE? Launched last year with her partner, Elvia Henderson, TGS features a line of preppy Surf Coast T’s – East Coast style. The trident logo is inspired by the Southern California town of Palos Verdes, where Jill and her family live, and each T-shirt features a different local beach. Currently the lineup includes: Abalone Cove, Haggerty’s, Lunada Bay, Portuguese Bend, and the PV Marine Trust Sign. Check out a recent photo shoot on the cliffs of PV with photographer Catherine Manzella:

Jill and I met a decade ago when we were both working in the style section of the Los Angeles Time Magazine. From there, Jill went on to E! Entertainment and The STYLE Network booking celebrity and fashion experts. She’s always had great taste, so I thought we’d catch up with her and Elvia for a quick Q & A:

What are your influences?

JB: the whole Sea King (PV High mascot) King Neptune (fountain in Malaga Cove) and trident thing that my town of Palos Verdes Estates has going on; Nantucket and Chatham; 1980’s faded Jeep CJ7; 70’s & 80’s red white and blue K2 skis; lifeguard jackets; country club, beach club and yacht club logos; whale pants; this photo of Bear (top), just barely 1 years old. Check out the faded blue on the truck and unreal number of over-sand passes on the font bumper – just as many on the back bumper. The owner looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if I could take a picture of the dude in front of his truck.

EH: Michael Stars; my years spent living in Manhattan – I tend toward dark colors, of course black as a staple in my wardrobe, I like it and it’s simple. My years at Princeton for undergrad – leads me to simple, east coast, somewhat preppy and of course an affinity for orange.

Best Beach?

JB: In nostalgic order:

growing up: Sasco, Southport CT

college: Cisco, Nantucket MA

living in LA: Windward, Malibu CA

Now that we’ve found ourselves in PV it’s the Lunada Bay bluffs but for a day at the beach with the kids it’s RAT beach, especially now that the snack bar is open!

EH: I grew up in TX so I went to galveston and South Padre Island and so of course those will be close to my heart. But I like a quiet beach where I can enjoy a cold drink. Most recently I have enjoyed the very remote and small, beautiful beaches of the rock islands in Palau.

Must-have fashion accessory?

JB: I wouldn’t say it’s fashionable but my current must have—that I can not live with out—is my Tory Burch Tory Tote used daily as my diaper/kid crap/purse with side pockets that hold the kids thermos straw cups (Batman and Cinderella). It’s waterproof on the bottom, it never tips over and the pattered canvas hides stains. The only thing I don’t love (Tory, I hope you are reading this) is the GIANT tory logo. Wish she would loose that, then maybe it would be fashionable!

EH: The striped scarves my husband brought back from me from Buenos Aires, colorful and lightweight perfect for LA. My Michael Stars black cashmere belle sleeve open cardigan.

Favorite indulgence?

JB: Fresh baked bread. Why is there not a great bread bakery in LA offering up hot slices?

EH: If I could eat french fries everyday I would. I also enjoy anything served at Mas on Downing Street in NYC. Their cocktails, dinner items and desserts, for me, it is all perfect.

Middle-Eastern Lamb Meatballs

Ack! I’ve been on deadline all day and this is the first second I’ve had to post! First, a huge thanks to our neighbors Martha and Alex for hosting a killer Oscar party last night. Martha, a fourth-generation New Mexican, made her legendary margs, as well as a huge pot of posole and tamales. She has all these gorgeous silver platters, passed down generations, and so everything tastes just a little bit more magical served on these family heirlooms. Here are some yummy sausages that Alex grilled (from Trader Joe’s!) as well as some of his wife’s margs.

Because they are irresistible, I had a couple of potent margs and got so caught up in the Oscar madness that I neglected to snap pics of all the other yummy food, like a delicious salad our neighbor Jen brought or the insane tres leches cake Martha and Alex’s friend Eli brought from Animal restaurant. Good—and dangerous—to know you can get that stuff to go!

I zigged from the Mexican-themed menu and, at the suggestion of Eating LA’s Pat Saperstein, paid homage to The Hurt Locker with Middle-Eastern Sesame Lamb Meatballs and a divine mint yogurt-cheese dip. Let’s start with the dip. On Saturday night I drained the whey from the yogurt overnight by pouring whole-milk plain yogurt into a sieve lined with cheese cloth, covering and sticking in the fridge till morning.

The result is a delicious, thick yogurt cheese. The next morning, I mixed in chopped fresh mint and a sprinkling of salt. It was so good I think I’ll do this regularly for breakfast! Even Tiny G was babbling for more.

The lamb meatballs themselves were pretty straight forward to prepare and went lickety split at the Oscar party. This recipe is def a keeper. Sauté some minced garlic and chopped onion in oil and then mix with allspice, mint, cinnamon. Add fresh breadcrumbs, ground lamb and beaten egg. I skipped the currants. Then mix and roll into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll meatballs individually in lightly toasted sesame seeds. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes and serve!

By the way – The Foodinista is now on Facebook! Become a fan!

Ready for the Red Carpet?

Countdown to awesome Oscar party at my neighbors Alex and Martha’s, starting at 4pm PST. Am frantically making lamb meatballs and yogurt mint sauce in nod to The Hurt Locker, which was epic and The Foodinista’s pick for best EVERYTHING. Switching gears, for a behind-the-scene look at getting ready for the Oscars and fashion predictions, check out my dear friend and stylist Vincent Boucher on today’s New York Times‘ Carpetbagger video. Click HERE for link. (Vincent, you are indeed the Mary Poppins of fashion.)