Michelle Obama

LYFE Kitchen Review: This Would-Be Chain's Heart Is in the Right Place, But Its Food Isn't

Gage Middle School Students in L.A. Suburb Fight Back with Kale and Yoga after Being Dubbed California's Fattest Kids

Huntington Park was dubbed the city with the fattest kids in California in 2012, which prompted students and faculty at heavily Latino Gage Middle School in Huntington Park to team up and try slim down the student body's bodies. After an article posted by L.A. Weekly and headlined "Huntington Park ... More >>

Nickelodeon: Kid's Nutrition Enemy Number One?

Despite his relatively healthful diet of kelp jerky, seahorse milk and bran flakes, SpongeBob SquarePants is being accused of leading children astray in nutrition. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has placed a wanted ad with the Nickelodeon character looking disgruntled and rocking a 5 ... More >>

House Republicans Introduce Bill To Roll Back Calorie Counts in School Lunches

What's the most pressing thing for Reps. Steve King (R-IA) and Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) right now? Jobs? The economy? No, not those, not even working out some Machiavellian scheme to put oil wells on top of every mosque and gay bar in the country. Nope, it's rolling back the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Ki ... More >>

Short Attention Span Dinner Theater: Your Week in Food, 8/20 - 8/24

In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad. "Please get us another cocktail, Honey." Marriage Means More Drinking for Women, Less for Men. "Angelenos, there are some spectacular onion rings being fried up in our midst." 10 Best Onion Rings in Los Angeles. "But next t ... More >>

Obama's Homebrew Makes Its Public Debut In Iowa

For beer fans, the path from casual drinker to homebrewer is a carboy rite of passage. It's a fermenting allure that even presidents, it seems, are not immune to: Obama is reportedly on the campaign trail with bottles of his White House Honey Ale in tow. He's even occasionally handing out bottle ... More >>

Obama Foodorama Reports Conspiracy Theorists Not Amused By White House Pastry Chef's Molecular Gastronomy

Obama is in big trouble. Last election, he slipped by, almost tanking in the wake of the 2007 arugula dust-up. It was also reported, with near-devastating fall-out, that the would-be leader preferred wine to beer. And now, over four years later, the incumbent faces yet another scandal. It's not ... More >>

Disney Bans Junk Food Ads Aimed at Kids

The Walt Disney Co. announced yesterday that it will ban some junk food ads on its television channels, radio stations and websites aimed at children by 2015, Reuters reports. Disney is also starting its own "Mickey Check" label for food it deems to be nutritious, to help promote certain healthier f ... More >>

Michelle Obama's White House Kitchen Garden Book Out Today

Michelle Obama's first book, American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America, hits the bookstores today. Just in time for summertime gardening, for your kids' summer vacation projects (Cook your own dinner! Build your own compost bin!), and even for a season of ... More >>

Denise Hunter: The Really Good Wife

One of the fascinating Angelenos featured in L.A. Weekly's People 2012 issue. Check out our entire People 2012 issue here. Everywhere Denise Hunter goes, she's mistaken for Michelle Obama. "I was in San Francisco at a meeting," she says, perched in a fine Sunday pantsuit on a couch in a back room ... More >>

David Bowie and a dog named Felix

Food News Roundup: Farmers Challenge Monsanto, Sous-Vide Cocktails Possible Bourdain Book Deal for Marilyn Hagerty

Reuters: Organic farmers vow to continue challenging Monsanto's patents on genetically modified seeds, defying a court that ruled no controversy exists. Food Arts: Julian Cox, and others, are using sous-vide for cocktails. Call it "flash brew." Grand Forks Herald: A book deal with Anthony Bourdain ... More >>

Funny Food Cookbook: Just Imagine The Election Year Breakfast Table Fun

Sure, the intended audience for Funny Food: 365 Fun, Healthy, Silly, Creative Breakfasts, to be released later this month, is a few decades younger than we are. But hey, we could all use a little more food fun in these days of infinite online cassoulet critics, no? And it is pretty funny how those t ... More >>

Michelle Obama Pays Visit to Inglewood Today

As part of her "Let's Move!" nationwide health campaign for fitness and healthier food, First Lady Michelle Obama will be making a stop in Inglewood today -- the second day of her two-day visit to Los Angeles. She'll speak to supporters at a future site for a Northgate Gonzalez Market. The "Let's M ... More >>

Food News Roundup: Michelle Obama's Book Delayed, 800 Degrees Super Bowl Beer

​Obama Foodorama: Publication of First Lady Michelle Obama's book about the White House kitchen garden, American Grown, delayed a month, to May 2012. Tasting Table: More fun with pizza at the new 800 Degrees. Daily Dish: Five questions for the Tasting Kitchen's Casey Lane. Eatocracy: Beers ... More >>

Junk Food in Schools Not Linked to Childhood Obesity

Fat kids everywhere, rejoice! There's no link between childhood obesity and junk food sold in schools, a new study has found. Cities all over the country have been busy banning the sale of sweet and salty snacks in public schools in a bid to fight childhood obesity (thanks, Mrs. Obama). But a new ... More >>

First Lady Praises Olive Garden Changes

Anne Fishbeina forkful of spaghetti at the Olive Garden​ How many years does it take to set down a salt shaker? For the Olive Garden (read Jonathan Gold's review here) and Red Lobster restaurants and their four sister chains (LongHorn Steakhouse, the Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 5 ... More >>

Oran Z's Black Facts and Wax Museum: A Brutally-Honest African-American History Collection in Baldwin Hills

Christopher J. LynchWax figures of Barack and Michelle Obama​ Oran Z began his quest for a wax head of Barack Obama even before the president took office. The creator and proprietor of the Pan African Black Facts and Wax Museum in South Los Angeles met resistance from his supplier, who wanted ... More >>

Short Attention Span Dinner Theater: Your Week in Food, 7/25-7/29

Flickr/Lauren Manning​ In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad. "Plus, there's a citrus slush, a bioflavonoid bomb enhanced with pomegranate vinegar, that is to a Jamba Juice concoction what a Kia Soul is to your mom's Subaru Forester." Iota: K-Town Teen Heaven ... More >>

Mrs. Obama Approves: McDonald's Selling Apples Trimming Calories

iirraa/flickrApples at McDonald's​ Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama and James Gavin III practically shed tears of joy over Wal-Mart's professed commitment to selling good food cheaper and expanding into barren Whole Foods-deprived "food deserts." Gavin said, perhaps jokingly, that he hope ... More >>

Michelle Obama Charges $10K for Photo Op, 'Private Time' at L.A. Campaign Fundraiser (Unless You're J.J. Abrams)

This could be you, for 10,000 dolla!​The first lady landed quietly in Los Angeles this morning, avoiding another #ObamaTraffic nightmare with an early arrival at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. There to greet her were director J.J. Abrams -- basking in "Super 8's" critically acclai ... More >>

Short Attention Span Dinner Theater: Your Week in Food, 3/14-3/18

Flickr/Lauren Manning​ In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad. "Have we ever tried poutine? Don't come around here much, do you?" Ask Mr. Gold: Poutine in Los Angeles, or The Endurance of Boy Food. "'You're not nearly as fat as I expected.'" 30 Burgers in 30 ... More >>

Michelle Obama Signs a Book Deal: The White House Garden Family Recipes

The White House / Joyce N. BoghosianMichelle Obama gardening with kids​ It's not just former presidents who get book deals, but sitting first ladies too, for which we are grateful. First Lady Michelle Obama has just signed a book deal with Crown Publishing to write a book about the White Hous ... More >>

TUTU MUCH

Whoopie Pies: Maine Can Claim Them, We'll Just Eat Them

Baking Whoopie/We Heart This​ While Michelle Obama pushes to bring more healthful food to the masses, and Jamie Oliver fights to get more vegetables into Los Angeles schools, across the country, it's a different kind of food fight: Mainers are trying to make their beloved, sweet whoopie pie th ... More >>

Congress Approves Child Nutrition Bill, Finally

Flickr/Sea Frostwhat Congress has been eating lately​ Despite some last-minute histrionics (of course), today Congress approved the child nutrition bill. The House passed the bill by a vote of 264 to 157; the Senate passed the bill unanimously in August. The legislation will expand the school ... More >>

The Cookie Monster: Sarah Palin Tackles the Issue of Sweets in Schools

Flickr/neil conwaycookies​ Maybe after her new show, Sarah Palin's Alaska, is over, the former governor and VP candidate can get a show on the Food Network. Because there's every indication that Palin will be tacking food next. Or rather the government's policies on food. "Who should be mak ... More >>

Short Attention Span Dinner Theater: Your Week in Food, 11/15-11/19

In which we highlight the past week in food, either at home or abroad. "As you might have expected, A-Frame, in what looks like an old IHOP tricked out with enough pine and track lighting to make it resemble a ski chalet, is pretty different from the legion of gastropubs." First Bite: Take the A ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- Clifton's Cafeteria Being Taken Over by The Edison's Andrew Meieran. [blogdowntown] -- Fall Is for Food (Event) Lovers. [Chow Balla] -- Glenn Beck mocks Michelle Obama's healthy food drive at Right ... More >>

Michelle Obama Has Sunday Supper at Lucques Monday Dinner at Mozza

APMichelle Obama talking childhood obesity​Thanks to the good people at Obama Foodorama, we've discovered that Michelle Obama arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday, whereupon the sustainable-food conscious First Lady took her daughters to Lucques in West Hollywood for Sunday supper. Said the restau ... More >>

Plate Spinnings: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- An interview with Shut Up, Foodies, a new satirical food blog. (More on this one later.) [Eat Me Daily] -- Walmart's exclusive Ben & Jerry's flavor: flourless chocolate cake ice cream. [Serious Eats] ... More >>

The White House Easter Egg Roll: Live Streaming With The President & The Easter Bunny

Although many of us played with Easter eggs and celebrated the start of baseball season yesterday, the White House will be officially doing both of those things today. This morning the White House is holding the 2010 Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn: watch the live stream below. And later today Pre ... More >>

Plate Spinning: Listings From the Past Week

Some food for thought from local, national and international news sources from this past week: -- "100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do," part 2. [NYT] -- Pets on plates! Elizabeth Kolbert reviews Jonathan Safran Foer's lastest book Eating Animals. [New Yorker] -- After Gourmet: ... More >>

The Wednesday Edition: A Roundup of Today's Newspaper Food Stories

SapphireBlue22stack of newspapers​What's the country reading today food-wise? Here's a roundup of some of the food-related stories from other newspapers, many of which print their food sections on Wednesday. And remember, even if you don't actually buy papers these days (or not; this paper is ... More >>

Ozomatli to Perform for Barack and Michelle Obama at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Awards

LA band Ozomatli have stood on a lot of stages in their fourteen year career. They've faced 10,000 in Kathmandu, have been shuttled into a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan to perform, have gigged music schools in Burma, have done the Today Show. Next Wednesday, however, they'll play to what is the ... More >>

From Boy Toys to Ball Gowns: Wu Does Ru

Looks like Michelle Obama took our drag-hag advice when choosing her inaugural ensembles yesterday. Okay, sometimes color-coordinating is a crime, especially if the matchy-matchy shade offense includes puke green! Not sure how we felt about the ball gown (see post below) but the designer who made it ... More >>

Queer Town: President Barack Obama and the Gays

Almost a year ago to the day, I stood in the large kitchen of an elegant mansion in the Pacific Palisades at a political fund raiser, waiting to the shake hand of our future president, Barack Obama. When he approached, I said hello and immediately told him I was gay. I then asked Obama to include ga ... More >>

Finally, the Obama Inauguration Dress...with non-matching gloves

It's yellow! The nation waited months to see what Michelle Obama would wear to the Inauguration. Here it is: an Isabel Toledo sheath and matching beaded coat in sunny yellow. Michelle paired that with sage green leather gloves by J. Crew. At first, I wasn't feeling the green gloves and yellow dress, ... More >>

Michelle Obama's $17,313 Earrings

In this segment of our ongoing Michelle Obama fashion coverage: her earrings. Worn at the "We Are One" Inauguration Concert at Lincoln Memorial in DC this past Sunday. They're by Loree Rodkin and are white gold and diamond quatrefoil in a chandelier design with lotus earwire and black diamond cente ... More >>

Queer Town: The Holiday Education of My Dad

I flew back to New Jersey yesterday and on the drive home from Newark International Airport, my Dad and I talked about the Rick Warren controversy and Prop. 8. My Dad is a political guy, but he still didn't know everything about why people are so upset about the Prop. 8 loss and Obama's choice of Ri ... More >>

Michelle Obama's Election Night Dress

America did the right thing at the polls this time around. I'm so happy, even Michelle Obama's odd election night dress is looking good right now. The crisscross empire waist and side panels are meant to be strategically slimming, I believe. Sure, the swath of red splashed across the front is discon ... More >>

Election '08: Nevada's Turn of the Wheel

BY MARC COOPER Some quick hits from the Bistro Buffet at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas: -- Never before I have ever seen so many people wearing political trappings at the gaming tables. More than 95% is Obama-Biden. -- Both Michelle Obama and John McCain are buzzing through opposite ends of town. ... More >>

You Voted? I Voted!

Michelle Obama's Night Out in L.A.: Malia and Sasha Meet the Jonas Brothers

Dream come true for Malia, and indirect reference to Sarah Palin from Michelle, who says her husband is "not afraid of smart people."

Queer Town: The Obama Pool Report

Rather than watch the Republican National Convention or the U.S. Open in tennis, I covered Michelle Obama's visit to Los Angeles on Wednesday night as a "pool reporter." A pool reporter is someone who's chosen by a political campaign to cover an event that would otherwise be closed to the press. I ... More >>

The Delegate From Sadr City

Majid Al-Bahadli more than hopes Obama can change the world

Election '08: Hillary Hits A Home Run

On Tuesday night, as I sat through former Democratic governor of Virginia Mark Warner's keynote speech, which sounded more like a campaign speech for his Senate run than a keynote speech, I wondered when the transcendent moment of this convention would be. It wasn't Michelle Obama's opening address ... More >>

Election '08: All Dressed Up With No Riot To Go To

So, I was walking down the 16th Street Mall in Denver after (think Fourth Street Mall in Santa Monica, only a little bigger and a little less cheesy), taking in all the civic life, or such as it is in the USA, which consisted of lots of people dining out and taking in street performers and enjoying ... More >>

Maria Shriver for Obama

Maria Shriver, the first lady of the state of California and cousin of Caroline Kennedy, has endorsed Senator Barack Obama. Shriver made an impromptu appearance at an Obama rally at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion Sunday, where Michelle Obama, wife of the presidential candidate, Oprah Winfrey, and Carolin ... More >>