LA Live: Rock the Red Kettle Holiday Concert Giving in a Rockin' way

To get in the Christmas mood I attended the annual Rock the Red Kettle concert put on by the Salvation Army every year in downtown LA. At the LA Live event center the intimate venue and Christmas decorations as well as the nice weather make the outdoor concert a great one. This year the main performers included R5 and You Tube sensation Shawn Mendez. Every year the Salvation Army puts on the Rock the Red Kettle concert with up and coming musical artists to spread awareness for the foundation and help promote giving. The concert started out small but has grown to have a large turnout and this year was definitely a success.  Be prepared for a long line and a long wait.  Upon arrival I was directed to the ticket line, three blocks from the actual venue, where I climbed stairs and wound through the ropes.  The attendants were taking guests in groups so we stood at the front of the line waiting for a large enough group before they walked us all back to where we started to enter the concert.  Despite this slightly inconvenient process, the event was worth it.  I was able to get great seats in the press area so I can share the most exclusive concert coverage with you.

The opening act was Josh Levi, an up and coming artist, with a fan following nick named Levination. The next act was Exist Elsewhere, a trending California band with a cool sound and great performance.

 I really enjoyed seeing Exist Elsewhere as I hadn't heard of them before the concert. They have a unique sound and really capture California music. Next up was Becky G the young rapper and winner of Disney Channel's Next Big Thing or N.B.T. Becky G. is currently on tour with Jason Derulo and quickly gaining popularity as a young rapper. She gave a great performance and got the crowd excited. then cam R5 the band starring Disney Channel's Ross lynch from Austin and Ally and his siblings. 

They have been on tour in Europe and played their most popular song Smile for the excited crowd. Then there was Bea Miller the young singer who is gaining popularity on the itune pop music chart with her song Young Blood. She performed her new song for us "Rich Kids" which was a great song with a pop vibe. I think she will continue to gain recognition with her great attitude and talent. 

And the act the whole crowd was waiting for, Shawn Mendez, closed the show with a great acoustic performance of his most popular songs. The young YouTube singer has a large fan base and gained recognition by posting videos of himself singing his own songs and covers on Youtube. The giant Christmas tree and lighted tress along with the ice skating rink gave the LA live event some great Christmas cheer. Rock the Red Kettle is a great way to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday season, giving back. I am definitely looking forward to see which up-and-coming bands will perform next year. Hope to see you there! For more info on the rock the red kettle tour go to http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/2014/12/17/youtube-talents-encourages-viewers-to-donate-to-the-salvation-army/.

WB24: Sushi with a View at the Ritz Carlton Downtown LA

After a great concert put on by the Salvation army called Rock the Red Kettle at LA Live I headed over to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in downtown LA for some dinner. If you want to know more about the free holiday concert read my review here. I decided to try the WB 24 Asian restaurant by Wolf Gang Puck. The Asian fusion restaurant is located on the 24th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel. With a great view of LA and a modern design aesthetic the restaurant was the perfect place to relax and look out on the city lights. I even got the chance to use my Hyperlapse app for the first time since I downloaded it 3 months ago. I took a great video of the freeway lights amidst the downtown highrises. The appetizer menu looked so enticing, I decided to order the tempura green beans.

 This delicious appetizer turned out to be more filling than I though and by the time my Chinese chicken salad came I could only eat a few bites, but they were delicious. 

The fresh ingredients and yummy Chinese dressing paired with crunchy wontons on top make this salad a great choice. 

Then my California rolls came. These were not the traditional California roll but instead they had king crab inside along with the signature avocado. These were undeniably some of the best California rolls I've tasted. I was so full after the meal, I wished I hadn't ordered desert. But I did not regret the delicious green tea banana split I tasted. 

With an almond blondie and banana fried in green tea flavored batter and topped with orange flavored flower petals, this delicate desert is the perfect way to end your meal at WB24. It is certainly a unique dessert with distinctly strong flavors. 

The rest of the hotel was decorated with lighted Christmas decorations including the restaurant. The Christmas trees lights reflected off the window as I looked over the busy freeway and lights of downtown. It was quite a view. The Ritz sparkled with Christmas lights all over as I headed downstairs. 

I definitely recommend the restaurant if you are looking for some delicious sushi in some of best ambiance in downtown LA.