Can’t think of what to get for your favorite Angeleno who actually loves books? Yup, there are still some of us out there. Check out these L.A.-centric tomes ranging from cookbooks to sexy flipbooks. I’ve included where to buy them with an emphasis on independent bookstores.
Bubbly Bride ($16.95) by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen: Cocktail consultant and L.A. blogger Natalie aka The Liquid Muse has just come out with her second cocktails book which offers a cocktail for every moment a new bride has a reason to toast to, from engagement to the honeymoon. Bonus is that it includes some recipe contributions from top L.A. mixologists like Eric Alperin of The Varnish and Damian Windsor of Roger Room. Champagne cocktail recipes can also be used to toast the New Year. Available on The Liquid Muse site, The Bar Keeper and chain bookstores.
Crave: The Feast of 5 Senses ($49.95) by Chef Ludo Lefebvre: Foodie fans will follow wherever this tatted-up French chef goes, as proven by his sold-out dates at his too-brief pop-up LudoBites restaurants at Breadbar and, just this month, Royal-T Cafe. His 13-day stint at Royal/T ends tonight but if you’re lucky enough to be there, you can purchase an autographed copy of the book at the cafe. If he’s not too busy in the kitchen you might be able to ask him to inscribe it to you. Available at Royal/T Cafe and chain bookstores.
Dita: Stripteese ($30) by Dita Von Teese and Sheryl Nields: This fun and glamorous flipbook would be the perfect gift for burlesque fans and Dita groupies alike as it showcases L.A.’s celebrated performer, her gorgeous costumes and signature dances — the martini glass show, bird of paradise show and the classic striptease — in three separate flipbooks to be enjoyed anywhere. Ferget YouTube! Available at Hennessey+Ingalls in Hollywood and chain bookstores.
Eat 2010 Los Angeles: The Food Lover’s Guide to Los Angeles ($19.95): The second edition of this must-have foodie guide boasts over 1,200 listings that cover everything in our city from food trucks to ethnic markets to high-end restaurants. Pat Saperstein of blog Eating LA and Amelia Saltsman, author of Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Cookbook, are just a few of the top L.A. food writers behind this comprehensive guide. Available at Vroman’s in Pasadena and chain bookstores.
L.A.’s Original Farmer’s Market Cookbook ($22.95) by JoAnn Cianculli: Meet Me at 3rd and Fairfax: In celebration of the 75th anniversary of this Midcity’s foodie favorite, author JoAnn Cianculli compiled the recipes of the 48 restaurants, food stalls and bakeries on 3rd and Fairfax into this one handy-dandy book. L.A. history and a huge variety of recipes! Available at Taschen Bookstore in the Farmer’s Market and chain bookstores.
Los Angeles: Portrait of a City ($70): Who says our city doesn’t have history? This pictorial history coffee table book covers the humble beginnings of the City of Angels in the 1800s to the hey-day of Hollywood to present day with the help of 500 photographs taken from historical archives, museums, private collections and universities and shot by the likes of Julius Shulman and William Claxton. Available at Book Soup in West Hollywood and chain bookstores.
The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer ($19.95) by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune: L.A.’s own beer chicks cover the whole gamut of craft beerdom in their new book, from beer and food pairings that include recipes to a bucket list of beers you really oughta consume before you die. A must-have for any beer geek. Available at Skylight Books in Los Feliz and chain bookstores.