Michele Reverte

Freelance writer, photographer, proofreader and editor.

20 Of Our Favorite Finds From Unique LA's Spring Show

More than 14,000 people attended Unique LA's fifth annual Spring Show, which featured 350 handpicked designers and artists, many of whom are Los Angeles-based. The event, which was held May 11 and 12 at the California Market Center in Downtown LA, also raised $3,000 for the Downtown Women's Center. Some of the items we found during our shopping adventure were: the best strawberry jam ever, do-it-yourself school notebooks, backpacks that change lives, LA commute necklaces and playful cat silhouette bikinis.

Photo Essay: Behind the Scenes at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Open House 2010)

For one weekend each year, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena opens its doors to the public for a massive open house. This year's theme was "Worlds Beyond," and the event took place May 15 and 16. Special features such as a 25-foot space simulator, the actual camera that flew on the Hubble Space Telescope, 3D and infrared photos, assembly and fabrication facility tours, and gliding robots in the "Robo-Dome."

Photo Essay: Day 1 at Comic-Con

It's that time of year again, when many LA residents (along with others from around the world) make the trek to Comic-Con in San Diego. Given that 125,000 people are attending the convention this year, navigating the Comic-Con exhibit hall is an event in itself. You must be prepared to get up close and personal with the crush of people, and it's probably a good idea to keep an eye out for spiky plastic costume pieces that inevitably poke unsuspecting passersby.

Photo Essay: 826LA's Echo Park Time Travel Mart

Although it may look like a convenience store from a distance, as you draw closer, it's obvious that 826LA's "Echo Park Time Travel Mart" is something special. After all, it's not every day you get to purchase items that appear to be from the distant past...as well as the future! Some of the products are so whimsical that first-time visitors often ask, "Is this actually for sale?" Items range from "Robot Milk" to "Barbarian Repellent."

Photo Essay: GBK Oscar Gift Suite

Gifting events have long been a part of Oscar's history, and this year—more than ever—gift suites are going green and giving back. LAist attended the GBK "Circus of the Senses" event at the SLS Hotel on Friday, Feb. 20, to become familiar with the charities and artists involved with the event. Oscar nominees, presenters and other notable figures were given special wristbands that enabled them to receive goodies throughout the suite.

Photo Essay: Holiday Shopping and Nine Courses of Costco Food Samples

It's become a bit of a tradition. Each year, my co-workers and I spend one of our November lunch breaks at Costco. The seven of us help each other shop and have a fun time trying to find some deals. The first year we did it, someone posed the question: "But doesn't that mean we'll miss lunch?" Well, nothing could be further from the truth. Thanks to the little food sample stands set up at key locations around Costco, it's a treat for the taste buds, and with so many options, it makes one feel like a judge on Top Chef. This year the store outdid itself. We tasted morsels from nine different tables and I daresay it might've been the best lunch break all year.

Photo Essay: "The Blue & the Gray" Civil War Reenactment @ Tierra Rejada Ranch, 11/11/07

I’ve been hearing about Civil War reenactments for a while now, but until this year I had no idea there was one a few miles from LA County. According to the official event website, this particular reenactment (hosted by the Richmond Howitzer Battalion) is the largest in Southern California. The participants, many of whom are veterans, pay the expenses themselves and the attention to detail is amazing.