VIP-LA gives Haute Living inside access to the most luxurious happenings in LA. Check out their recommendations for this week.

EAT: Mezze, Los Angles

Mouth-Watering Mediterranean food on “Restaurant Row.”

One step into Mezze, the mouth-watering Mediterranean restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard a.k.a. Restaurant Row, and you’d never know it was once the minimalist home of haute cuisine citadel Sona. The stark white walls are now awash in burnt sienna, the floors are well-worn reclaimed wood and hand-painted tiles add splashes of color. A row of windows in the front open to the sidewalk, adds a breezy flow throughout the space. The open, sky-lit courtyard of stained glass, Moroccan tile and Venetian plaster completes the Mediterranean feel. The restaurant is so bright; it’s airy. Spiced meats hiss from the open kitchen, and you can smell the flatbreads warming in a wood-burning oven.

It’s bustling, too; no longer just a spot for staid “destination” dinners. Casually cool West Hollywood scenesters linger over flatbreads and fattoush salads at lunch (see full menu HERE), or cocktails and a smattering of shared plates at dinner. There’s even a bar and a few sofas for drop-in drinks—sip on a classic gin rickey with a hint of cardamom, or a glass of lovely Moroccan rose wine.

TASTE: La Epicurean Festival, West Hollywood

Top Chefs, culinary students, award winning sommeliers and master mixologists compete for bragging rights; you be the judge.

Tasty treats from America’s top chefs, wine pairings from the Country’s top sommeliers and “summer” craft cocktails from top mixologists will be at the Sofitel for your taste bud’s pleasures this weekend in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Epicurean Festival at Sofitel LA will bring together culinary specialties and extraordinary wines & spirits, under one roof in a casual setting. Products that usually are only available to Chefs are being offered at the Festival. Attendees will be able to pair and compare, taste and take home their favorite selections.

The LA Epicurean Cup challenge will feature 3 culinary students, 3 Top Chefs, 3 renowned sommeliers and 3 master mixologists that will battle it out for top honors in their respective fields. Judging will be provided by a panel of prominent food-industry personalities, some include: Michel Richard, Chef/Owner of Citronelle and Central in Washington DC; Josiah Citrin, Chef/Owner of Melisse in Santa Monica; Sophie Gayot of GAYOT.com, Food Writer/Owner.

Each chef will retrieve ten Festival products of their choice to formulate the perfect cold appetizer, each sommelier will than find the perfect wine to pair from the Festival for that dish, each mixologist will concoct a tasty and artistic cocktail with five ingredients from the Festival; the theme is: “summer time”.

Food Demonstrations will be available every hour. There will also be a Book Signing by Michel Richard of his latest book Sweet Magic.

Attendees will discover over 500 boutique wines and spirits, cheeses, spices, coffee & teas, charcuterie, olive oils, mushrooms, organic chocolate, meat, fowl, fish, produce and much more. There will also be live entertainment by various artists.

DRINK: Seventy-Seven, Culver City

A back-alley speakeasy opening in Culver City; get the password and grab a drink!

Somewhere in Culver City, off the beaten path (in an alley off of Main Street, between Culver & Venice), you’ll find a nondescript door with a red neon sign that says, “Cocktails.” You nod at a man standing in this dark alley that you’ve never been down before and probably would have never gone down had you not read this, and say the password(find the current password on their Twitter). A small eye-height window slides open. You get a once-over by the set of eyeballs peering through the window from the other side of the door. You are permitted to enter once the door swings open.

Welcome to Seventy-Seven, Culver City’s newest speakeasy.

Located behind Roccos Tavern on Main Street, the red ceilings and crystal chandeliers in this place will make you feel as if you’ve transcended time back to the 1920s. Get cozy in one of the booths or at “belly-up” at the bar and order some small plates of food with a Jack and the Beanstalk(muddled watermelon, vanilla and Jack Daniel’s). Or if you’re feeling bold enough for a reinvented dirty martini, try the Peter Piper(dirtied with pickle juice instead of the standard olive juice). We know you like ‘em dirty!

So after your next burger outing at Father’s Office, swing by Seventy-Seven and try their S’mortini for desert! It will make you feel like you’re actually making s’mores at a camp fire…. In a speakeasy…. In Culver City….? Just try it, it’s delicious!

VIP EVENT: MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS

See your favorite music superstars perform LIVE and take home MoonMen at the MTV VMAs!

Its that time again! The 28th Annual MTV Video Music Awards return to Los Angeles on August 28th, 2011. MTValways creates the most over-the-top award shows and this year will be no different with confirmed superstar artists performing, including Lil Wayne, Adele, Chris Brown and more!

Will your favorite artists win a MoonMan this year? Check out the nominees in each category HERE. There is a brand new category this year; Best Video With a Message.

Hollywood will definitely be buzzing that whole weekend with all the stars in town. From the celeb-hosted pre-parties to the super exclusive afterparties, this is definitely a weekend in LA that you won’t want to miss! Walk the Red Carpet (or what ever color it will be this year), sit in the Orchestra Section of the Nokia Theater amongst all the Celebs and mingle with the Superstars afterwards at the Official MTV VMA Afterparty.

Contact VIP-LA for your Exclusive Access to the 2011 MTV VMAs!

VIP EVENT: I HEART RADIO MUSIC FESTIVAL

The biggest live music event in radio history, I Heart Radio Music Festival sold out in TEN MINUTES! Want Access?

September 23-24, 2011, the lineup of superstar artists is insane! View the website HERE. View the weekend lineup HERE.

Contact VIP-LA for special offers, reservations and packages for these VIP happenings and more!

Paradizo