About the Author

Andrea Richards writes about cultural history, forgotten philosophical systems, and life in Los Angeles for a variety of organizations and publications, such as the "Believer," "BUST," CicLAvia, "make/shift" magazine, and "LA Weekly." She is a contributing writer to "Los Angeles" magazine and the author of the forthcoming book "500 Hidden Secrets of Los Angeles." Her first book, "Girl Director: A How-To Guide for the First-Time, Flat-Broke Film and Video Maker," was a celebration of women's history and DIY filmmaking that Kim Gordon called "a true reminder of the possibilities." An avid fan of LA-based anything and an enthusiastic proponent of indie publishing, Richards is proud to be part of the Narrated Objects collective. Born in 1968, Giovanni Simeone grew up to study photography in Milan, Italy. In the early nineties he worked in Germany for a photo agency and traveled for almost three years around the world before moving to Paris to start shooting as an exclusively contracted photographer for "Le Figaro"magazine, producing more than fifty stories for that publication. After this incredible experience, Giovanni founded his photo agency, Simephoto (www.simephoto.com), driving a group of 50 of among the best landscape and travel photographers in Europe. Giovanni's portfolio includes clients such as "The National Geographic Traveler," "Le Figaro," "Outside," "Geo Germany," "Stern," "la Republicca," "The Sunday Times," and "The Guardian." In 2011, Giovanni founded a publishing house (www.simebooks.com) dedicated to creating books with new imagery and new atmospheres. His latest book, "Not Food for Old Men: A Mexican Culinary Adventure," reached the top ten in four different categories on Amazon.com. Giovanni currently lives in Italy and Los Angeles; and just south of the latter he discovered a land where photographers have so far missed out on an ample supply of shooting opportunities: Baja California. Vincenzo Marianella is an Italian-renaissance barman and one of the most celebrated mixologists in America. Vincenzo worked at bars in New York and London before permanently relocating to Los Angeles in 2004. Before Vincenzo, the cocktail scene in LA, compared with New York and London, was a sticky wasteland of sweet-and-sour mix, triple sec, and bottled lime juice. Then Vincenzo stepped behind the bar at Providence, started using fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, and changed everything. He then opened Copa d'Oro in Santa Monica and in 2006 launched his cocktail consulting business MyMixology. Vincenzo, who believes he's not in the bar industry, but the hospitality industry, is best known for his versatility in cocktails, from a simple gin and tonic to molecular mixology.