OC— Corona del Mar's the crow bar & kitchen gastropub welcomes in James Beard nominated chef John Cuevas. In the past Cuevas has cheffed at Muse within the Montage Beverly Hills and The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach. [EaterWire]
GOOD DEEDS— Chef Eric Ripert will donate ALL the profits from the sale of his four books (Avec Eric, On The Line, Return to Cooking, Le Bernardin – 4 Star Simplicity) for the next month to help those in Japan via Save the Children and Direct Relief International. [Facebook]
'BUCKSWIRE— Starbucks has been chatting up California-based Peet's Coffee & Tea about possibly buying the coffee retailer. Neither side has commented on the talks, but analysts speculate the sale is "not about the coffee shops. It's about growing the grocery business." [Reuters via Eater National]
CAFFEINATED COOKIES— Coffee plus baked goods always pair well, but how about coffee IN your baked goods? How about five shots of espresso in a cookie? All hail The Mocha Monster from Isabella’s Cookies. [Urban Daddy]