Lucky Devils 6613 Hollywood Blvd.
What to do if your acting career has cooled? Open a restaurant, of course. Lucky Vanous, known mostly for a 1994 Coca-Cola commercial and an exercise video, is selling burgers, too, at his new Lucky Devils. His burger is Kobe beef, along with a Kobe beef hoagie and fancy grilled cheese sandwiches. The all-American theme carries through to Meyer lemon cupcakes for dessert. (323-465-8259; www.luckydevilshollywood.com)
Social Hollywood 6525 Sunset Blvd.
Even New Yorkers are expanding the L.A. dining scene. On May 3, restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow, who brought his Asia de Cuba west several years ago, is opening Social Hollywood, a Moroccan-themed mega-place with a restaurant, bar, screening room, ballroom, and more. The chef will be Joe Ojeda, who was at L.A.'s Asia de Cuba, and he plans to mix Latin fusion with Moroccan mezze. Global Hollywood? (323-462-5222; www.chinagrillmgt.com)
Mediterranean Diet: Fact & Fiction Florence May 21-26 Eating Mediterranean style is all the rage. To go to the source, you might want to sign up for a six-day conference in Florence on May 21-26. ''The Mediterranean Diet: Fact & Fiction," sponsored by New York University and the James Beard Foundation, will delve into the Italian way of eating and living. Naturally, there will be food -- cheese, wine, chocolate and more will be sampled. Giuliano Bugialli, cookbook author, teacher, and host of PBS's ''Bugialli's Italy," and nutritionist Marion Nestle, author of ''Food Politics," will speak along with others. Tours of wineries, food producers, and cooking classes will be available. Cost of the conference is $600; accommodation, dinners, and field trips are extra. (212-992-9380; www.steinhardt.nyu.edu/conference/tuscandiet)
Hawaiian cuisine Hotel Hana-Maui May 8-13 Discovering Hawaii's culinary and cultural heritage will be the focus of a five-day extravaganza at the Hotel Hana-Maui on the island of Maui. Tasting dinners with such guest chefs as Susur Lee of Toronto, Cal Stamenov of Marinus Restaurant in Carmel, Calif., and Craig von Foerster of Sierra Mar Restaurant in Big Sur, Calif., will be followed by discussions and autograph sessions with the chefs. There will be an authentic luau; trips to forage for tropical fruits; classes on traditional Hawaiian farming methods, and visits to a coffee and chocolate farm, as well as other excursions. Accommodation rates, which include all events, range from $6,100 to $7,450 double occupancy. (800-321-4262; www.hotelhanamaui.com)
Contact Alison Arnett at arnett@globe.com.
