Crazy week, including the apartment I had lined up falling thru. More posts soon, I promise. I have some home cooking trials & some eating out experiences.
Tried to go see the Watkins Family but sold out. fingers crossed for November & also plotting to maybe be in Michigan for THanksgiving. or thereabouts.
Having an iced coffee at Cafe de Leche . They use Stumptown. Nice atmosphere but I think I like the coffee at the Cafecito Organico better.
Trying the York pub in a bit too.
& now you all know why I never kept a diary, even in Junior High. golly, am I a boring blogger.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
So damn good it made me swear..
Who knew the wonders you coud create with basically left over mashed potatoes? Well, I kinda did, because mom used to fry them up with some scrambled eggs (& onions & cheese or whatever happened to be around)
Thank heavens someone at The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada feels the same. Now I'm guessing they weren't really just left over mashed but it was essentially that, a little cilantro & a thick medium spicy chili sauce on a corn tortilla. And it was SO fucking delicious that I'm swearing for reals & not just like cartoon characters (F$%King) or the Brits (effing) per usual.
Seriously. Seriously. Tasty.
It's a limited menu. they do one thing. they do it well. The potatoes were a special today. Usually it's just the fish taco or a shrimp taco. Seriously. Sodas or homemade tea (jicama or tamarind) or horchata for a $1 to wash it down with. & a condiment bar to doctor things up, including Sessy's Salsa (info on the website), a great cabbage slaw & the family recipe relish. I was partial to the crema jicama.
As owner Joe says -"it's not a food, its a sensation".
This is a great spot & I will be back for more. They have a couple locations but Joe was working the counter in Los Feliz tonight so I made a new friend. Kinda want to get a few more of those potato tacos for breakfast tomorrow......
Sunday, October 2, 2011
New Friends/Old Friends
followed up my Sean Watkins encounter by running into my old Chicago buddy, 'the' Brian Colbert, bartender at my first svisit to BeerBellyLa. Love it. will be back. frequently. Love it!
Review pending. when I'm not in a foodie induced coma. Pork belly & Eggs Bene. yeah. You heard me.
Review pending. when I'm not in a foodie induced coma. Pork belly & Eggs Bene. yeah. You heard me.
It takes all the fun out of meeting Sean Watkins when you can't call & tell anyone..
Because it's Sunday & no one is answering the phone. football fans. boo. Well, maybe not all the fun because I'm pretty happy about it.
But I really did! I'm sitting on the back patio at the Cafecito Organico , having an iced coffee after my bike ride. & there's 2 funny dudes talking Breaking Bad & one of them is wearing an L.A. Bluegrass Situation t-shirt.
So when he stands up to leave, I say - hey love your shirt. We start talking about the festival & other festivals & naturally I mention that B&RK recorded a duet with Sara Watkins & he says, "well, that's my sister".
Holy cow! Super nice dude. Very friendly & chatty about the future of their festival.
Making plans to head out to their Watkins Family Hour at Largo
So thanks for being a good sport, Sean, that I didn't recognize you at first & hope to see you down the road a piece, as we say. It would've thrilled my dulcimer building fiddle/spoon/saw playing grandpa to his bones to hear there's a thriving Bluegrass fest. What fun to get connected with something I'm so excited about attending.
But I really did! I'm sitting on the back patio at the Cafecito Organico , having an iced coffee after my bike ride. & there's 2 funny dudes talking Breaking Bad & one of them is wearing an L.A. Bluegrass Situation t-shirt.
So when he stands up to leave, I say - hey love your shirt. We start talking about the festival & other festivals & naturally I mention that B&RK recorded a duet with Sara Watkins & he says, "well, that's my sister".
Holy cow! Super nice dude. Very friendly & chatty about the future of their festival.
Making plans to head out to their Watkins Family Hour at Largo
So thanks for being a good sport, Sean, that I didn't recognize you at first & hope to see you down the road a piece, as we say. It would've thrilled my dulcimer building fiddle/spoon/saw playing grandpa to his bones to hear there's a thriving Bluegrass fest. What fun to get connected with something I'm so excited about attending.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Goodnight, Roger
Can I call it a revisit instead of a repeat? I'm doing some blogger housekeeping & I still think this is a decent piece of writing so I'm reposting. Intact, tho it's probably got some typos & maybe needs a little finessing. Some of you know & most of you don't that one of the reasons I moved to L.A. is to do more writing. Getting settled in hasn't lent itself to much time for that but I'm working on finding that space in my life. Just a little note from the lovely Paul Feig has inspired me. So I hope some folk take the time to have a peek at this. It's obviously dated, as Ebert has his gig up & running again on PBS. Good for him (tho, I still have mixed opinions about the newer hosts) but here goes:
Say Goodnight, Roger
So tonight was the last "at the movies". With no insult intended to Roger Ebert,(& plenty to the great pretender, Richard Roeper) I hold that event actually occurred the moment Gene Siskel taped his last episode.
The two current & 'final' hosts, Michael Wlimington (from Chicago Sun Times) and A.O. Scott (of the NY Times) are actually, usually, not that appalling. My agreement level with either of them is mixed BUT agreement is not the point of "At the Movies". The argument is the beauty of that particular, now deceased, beast.
I grew up with Gene & Roger. being from the midwest, even in pre-cable days, we were able to access. i remember very clearly. the Grand Rapids station used to air old Harold Lloyd shorts on Sunday mornings & follow with "ATM". there was a very specific aging process in our family where you were old enough to skip first Sunday School & then eventually church service (or even the far less painful fellowship hour which involved treats) to rush home in time to watch the thumb direction.
My brother & I were film addicts from an early age. My dad's great aunt Peggy was the office manager at the Bijou in Battle Creek. almost weekly our mom would take us there after school on her 'grocery shopping' day. it was an excuse, i think, for her to indulge in the pleasure of that treat.
So the addition for us of two men from Chicago? a city our dad worked in. a city we'd been to. a city that was real, unlike the dream of NYC or LA at that time. two men who talked in a way we understood & told us that foreign movies were ok & that 'popular' & 'good' aren't synonymous & eventually to be on the lookout for the actors that weren't stars yet?
That shaped my view of the movies & the world like little else. I remember how they celebrated the Brits & the small films & made me realize that when you watched a movie & it made you uncomfortable & you had to think about it & not cement your opinion immediately, that it was ok.
I remember the old 'stars of the future' shows & i doubt not that they were my intro to Aussie films like "breaker morant" & "The Year My Voice Broke"--both of which i still own & love & still follow actors from. russell crowe in "romper stomper" ? they paid attention. as did I.
Tonight was an example of what led to the demise. Yesterday was admittedly one of the biggest release days of the summer & i understand they wanted to fit in the tributes. But the self proclaimed 'revenge of the nerds' hosts chose to ignore my beloved "Animal Kingdom" - a decision they'll regret come awards time & notably one the best 'indie' releases of the year. don't just take my word for it-- there's plenty of evidence to back me up.
hey--heres a hint. Don't be the thing you're trying to piss on. You're bemoaning the death of a show that would have celebrated a David Michod while ignoring his work. (that was the sentence i scribbled while the show was in progress).
it's the in-between years that killed the beast. the shabby way executives treated Ebert after Gene was gone. Those diaper clad morons who preceded the current hosts & what i refer to as the "Roeper" years.
Remember-I live in Chicago. I was familiar with his writing work prior to his assignment as permanent co-host. In other words, I had a pretty low opinion to start with. He's a pop culture commentator. Usually a fairly misogynistic one. & I appreciate that he was probably Ebert's favorite guy from around the office but it brings us back to the point. He's from a culture that doesn't understand the beauty that is the informed argument. that you get your best results and relationships when you agree to disagree. Siskel & Ebert are/were film lovers -in the best sense. Roeper is a celebrity analyst (look-i've sold the guy research material when i worked at Borders. this is an informed opinion)
Tonight Michael Wilmington said one thing that stuck with me particularly:
“you can’t wear the sweaters roger & gene wore in an ivory tower”
I don't mean that to sound like they would have survived being strictly a tea sipping, PBS broadcasted, accent embracing entity. Part of their beauty was dedicating entire shows to the impact of a Tom Cruise. But that's the key. Analyze the impact-don't oversell the importance. It's ok to love subtitled films & enjoy 'top gun'. and conversely. you like "The Godfather"? check out something with Vincent Cassel (Mesrine is coming soon)
Love Sundance. it's a great festival & it can have a huge impact. but don't ignore quality for publicity. or vice versa.
i fear i've gotten off track.
I loved & hated "At the Movies" for years. I was 10 when it premiered as "Sneak Previews" and probably watched it pretty reliably til I left for college in 1983 & for years following depending on it's access.
It makes me terribly sad to see it end, especially with two hosts with some potential. None of us expected it to be exactly the same. nothing survives in a vacuum. But i feel like, still, that I said good bye in 1999. Gene Siskel is a man whose opinion and life i respected immensely.
I still hope & yearn & pine for a situation like that. we've become so possessive of our own opinions. I express mine pretty freely & the older i get, the less I filter. but despite what you may be thinking, i'm pretty tolerant of disagreement. i'll tell you when i don't agree but i won't end a friendship because of it. i'll listen to your thought process, at the least. Siskel & Ebert were old enough to be part of the breed of writers who understood the concepts of a discussion vs. an arguement.
Tonight's show made me nostalgic for the days i worked in video stores with people who used to hold gatherings to watch film & would go see "my left foot" on Oscar night so we'd understand why Daniel Day Lewis won & it made me miss the aforementioned Bijou & the Vogue in Louisville, KY, where i could gather a gang to go sit in the front row for opening night of "Heavenly Creatures" or meet up at Denny's to fuel up for a midnight "pulp fiction" showing & there was my friend Rob who could recite all the Best Picture winners from the beginning or Steve who came to a party in a sheriff's hat in honor of "Fargo" & double features of "shaolin executioner" & "straight to hell" & my buddy Dave reviewing things like "Die Hard 3" as BDF (big dumb fun)
So I guess I think the best way to honor the show & criticism & film itself is to embrace it. my buddy Tim went to a morning screening of "animal kingdom" in LA on little but the strength of my recommendation. friday i spent 15 minutes worth more than most of my week, with my buddy Matt, who gave up 15 minutes of his precious day to chain smoke, trade off "Empire" magazines & catch up on 3 months of movie conversation.
Find a way in your day, in your life to LOVE the movies. remember what a gift art is & what freedom we have in this country & remember to embrace films made by people who literally stake their lives on it.
It's worth it. It's worth your time & I promise there is a pay off.
I do so love the movies. I have since i was the little girl. Parked in the middle of our living room on a railback chair. with my fingers over my eyes out of fear & my legs clinging to the chair legs so my mom couldn't pull me away as i was afraid and thrilled by the flying monkeys & the witch in "Wizard of Oz". I love watching "sound of music" at a late night screening after christmas shopping & having the drunks wander in and sing along. i love my friend Ben, who handed out Trix to the audience so they'd have munchies for "Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".
I LOVE the movies. & the best remedy to this hole for me and you is to fight for the future of movies and not the future of the publicity machine.
I wish i had a more articulate ending. it's late. i'm sleepy. i've ranted.
but i hope at least one of you enjoyed it. even if you didn't agree. because that's the real point. the conversation. not winning the argument. let's all of us talk about why we love the movies for Gene. That's reason enough. Good enough for me, at least.
-C
Say Goodnight, Roger
So tonight was the last "at the movies". With no insult intended to Roger Ebert,(& plenty to the great pretender, Richard Roeper) I hold that event actually occurred the moment Gene Siskel taped his last episode.
The two current & 'final' hosts, Michael Wlimington (from Chicago Sun Times) and A.O. Scott (of the NY Times) are actually, usually, not that appalling. My agreement level with either of them is mixed BUT agreement is not the point of "At the Movies". The argument is the beauty of that particular, now deceased, beast.
I grew up with Gene & Roger. being from the midwest, even in pre-cable days, we were able to access. i remember very clearly. the Grand Rapids station used to air old Harold Lloyd shorts on Sunday mornings & follow with "ATM". there was a very specific aging process in our family where you were old enough to skip first Sunday School & then eventually church service (or even the far less painful fellowship hour which involved treats) to rush home in time to watch the thumb direction.
My brother & I were film addicts from an early age. My dad's great aunt Peggy was the office manager at the Bijou in Battle Creek. almost weekly our mom would take us there after school on her 'grocery shopping' day. it was an excuse, i think, for her to indulge in the pleasure of that treat.
So the addition for us of two men from Chicago? a city our dad worked in. a city we'd been to. a city that was real, unlike the dream of NYC or LA at that time. two men who talked in a way we understood & told us that foreign movies were ok & that 'popular' & 'good' aren't synonymous & eventually to be on the lookout for the actors that weren't stars yet?
That shaped my view of the movies & the world like little else. I remember how they celebrated the Brits & the small films & made me realize that when you watched a movie & it made you uncomfortable & you had to think about it & not cement your opinion immediately, that it was ok.
I remember the old 'stars of the future' shows & i doubt not that they were my intro to Aussie films like "breaker morant" & "The Year My Voice Broke"--both of which i still own & love & still follow actors from. russell crowe in "romper stomper" ? they paid attention. as did I.
Tonight was an example of what led to the demise. Yesterday was admittedly one of the biggest release days of the summer & i understand they wanted to fit in the tributes. But the self proclaimed 'revenge of the nerds' hosts chose to ignore my beloved "Animal Kingdom" - a decision they'll regret come awards time & notably one the best 'indie' releases of the year. don't just take my word for it-- there's plenty of evidence to back me up.
hey--heres a hint. Don't be the thing you're trying to piss on. You're bemoaning the death of a show that would have celebrated a David Michod while ignoring his work. (that was the sentence i scribbled while the show was in progress).
it's the in-between years that killed the beast. the shabby way executives treated Ebert after Gene was gone. Those diaper clad morons who preceded the current hosts & what i refer to as the "Roeper" years.
Remember-I live in Chicago. I was familiar with his writing work prior to his assignment as permanent co-host. In other words, I had a pretty low opinion to start with. He's a pop culture commentator. Usually a fairly misogynistic one. & I appreciate that he was probably Ebert's favorite guy from around the office but it brings us back to the point. He's from a culture that doesn't understand the beauty that is the informed argument. that you get your best results and relationships when you agree to disagree. Siskel & Ebert are/were film lovers -in the best sense. Roeper is a celebrity analyst (look-i've sold the guy research material when i worked at Borders. this is an informed opinion)
Tonight Michael Wilmington said one thing that stuck with me particularly:
“you can’t wear the sweaters roger & gene wore in an ivory tower”
I don't mean that to sound like they would have survived being strictly a tea sipping, PBS broadcasted, accent embracing entity. Part of their beauty was dedicating entire shows to the impact of a Tom Cruise. But that's the key. Analyze the impact-don't oversell the importance. It's ok to love subtitled films & enjoy 'top gun'. and conversely. you like "The Godfather"? check out something with Vincent Cassel (Mesrine is coming soon)
Love Sundance. it's a great festival & it can have a huge impact. but don't ignore quality for publicity. or vice versa.
i fear i've gotten off track.
I loved & hated "At the Movies" for years. I was 10 when it premiered as "Sneak Previews" and probably watched it pretty reliably til I left for college in 1983 & for years following depending on it's access.
It makes me terribly sad to see it end, especially with two hosts with some potential. None of us expected it to be exactly the same. nothing survives in a vacuum. But i feel like, still, that I said good bye in 1999. Gene Siskel is a man whose opinion and life i respected immensely.
I still hope & yearn & pine for a situation like that. we've become so possessive of our own opinions. I express mine pretty freely & the older i get, the less I filter. but despite what you may be thinking, i'm pretty tolerant of disagreement. i'll tell you when i don't agree but i won't end a friendship because of it. i'll listen to your thought process, at the least. Siskel & Ebert were old enough to be part of the breed of writers who understood the concepts of a discussion vs. an arguement.
Tonight's show made me nostalgic for the days i worked in video stores with people who used to hold gatherings to watch film & would go see "my left foot" on Oscar night so we'd understand why Daniel Day Lewis won & it made me miss the aforementioned Bijou & the Vogue in Louisville, KY, where i could gather a gang to go sit in the front row for opening night of "Heavenly Creatures" or meet up at Denny's to fuel up for a midnight "pulp fiction" showing & there was my friend Rob who could recite all the Best Picture winners from the beginning or Steve who came to a party in a sheriff's hat in honor of "Fargo" & double features of "shaolin executioner" & "straight to hell" & my buddy Dave reviewing things like "Die Hard 3" as BDF (big dumb fun)
So I guess I think the best way to honor the show & criticism & film itself is to embrace it. my buddy Tim went to a morning screening of "animal kingdom" in LA on little but the strength of my recommendation. friday i spent 15 minutes worth more than most of my week, with my buddy Matt, who gave up 15 minutes of his precious day to chain smoke, trade off "Empire" magazines & catch up on 3 months of movie conversation.
Find a way in your day, in your life to LOVE the movies. remember what a gift art is & what freedom we have in this country & remember to embrace films made by people who literally stake their lives on it.
It's worth it. It's worth your time & I promise there is a pay off.
I do so love the movies. I have since i was the little girl. Parked in the middle of our living room on a railback chair. with my fingers over my eyes out of fear & my legs clinging to the chair legs so my mom couldn't pull me away as i was afraid and thrilled by the flying monkeys & the witch in "Wizard of Oz". I love watching "sound of music" at a late night screening after christmas shopping & having the drunks wander in and sing along. i love my friend Ben, who handed out Trix to the audience so they'd have munchies for "Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".
I LOVE the movies. & the best remedy to this hole for me and you is to fight for the future of movies and not the future of the publicity machine.
I wish i had a more articulate ending. it's late. i'm sleepy. i've ranted.
but i hope at least one of you enjoyed it. even if you didn't agree. because that's the real point. the conversation. not winning the argument. let's all of us talk about why we love the movies for Gene. That's reason enough. Good enough for me, at least.
-C
Saturday, September 24, 2011
10 Reasons I ...
-Should stop making top 10 lists? Should not & never will use the expression 'gal pal' aloud. or in writing. unless i'm mocking something?
Suffice it to say this is 10 cool things about my getting ready to go out & then my first svisit to UCBTLA to see Seth & Ed's Puppet Show. That would be Seth Morris (aka -Uncle Ken) & Ed Helms (aka- well, geez what cave do you live in? It's Ed Helms)
!. Knowing you're heading out to a dry venue lends itself to some quality home 'tailgating'.
2. Dry venue is apparently relative because the people next to me were drinking Lite tall boys wrapped in paper bags.
3. I should plan better to have skype handy or schedule a chat when getting dressed since I don't really have a friend of the female persuasion handy here to offer advice. my twitter/FB had a lot of smoky eye liner & black undergarment chat for the average reader. So rare I'm that girly.
4. If you spend years & years going to very little in terms of entertainment beyond folk festivals & bars that will book Canuck Americana/alt-country type bands, then your whole wardrobe is only appropriate for those events.
5. Thankfully, I never leave home without my vintage 50's Baltimore blazer. It covers all forms of evil. & has lots of pockets:)
6. Watching 2 grown men make dirty jokes with puppets & trying to make each other giggle whilst hiding behind a swatch of crappy carpet is oddly hilarious & totally worth the trip. See picture below. (Seth is the Einstein & Ed is the troll-esque reject from some christian family puppet show)
7. Sometimes accidents are funnier that what was supposed to happen. One of the guest comics was a no-show so instead we got bonus Helms as John the Magician puppet. Dyn-o-mite!
8. This guy is super funny & may be channeling George Carlin a wee bit. or maybe it's just the beard....
9. Being around all the comedy in L.A. is going to be awesome. I've already had to make some tough choices (missing a huge event on Thursday because I already had Dan Mangan tickets.) But there's plenty more to be on the look out for
10. I got a thank you note this morning from Paul. Freakin'. Feig. you heard me. thank you, @paulfeig.
Anyhow, this list could get longer quickly & I'm not sure anyone is all that excited about my outing besides me but I loved it. Made a friend at the tea room next door. Figured out where Gelson's market is. Realized I really need to get a car so I can get to Largo. & that I haven't had enough coffee to be funny. But there you go. hope this picture of the puppet show works...
Ok apparently, it's going at the top of the page whether I like it or not.
...can't believe I left out the ipod addicted vampire that sat next to me. but that was sorta beyond explanation
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Farmers Market Fun!
It is such a beautiful day here-perfect for my first svisit to the Hollywood Farmers Market
It's about a block's walk from the Hollywood & Vine stop on the train so an easy 'commute' for me (& close enough to stop at Trader Joes too)
I got there a bit late, which is good & bad. There was a decent crowd but not too tough to navigate. My first impression, entering on Selma, was that it was all takeaway food & the odd t-shirt or incense vendor but once I turned down Ivar I found the real produce portion.
There was a great selection most places & very reasonably priced. Lots of zucchini & yellow squash, peaches. Not as much corn as you'd see in Chicago or Michigan this time of year. Some were specialties, like just potatoes or herb starter plants. There was even a stall from a seafood farm. I already had clams in the house but I'll look there another time.
I got some great finds - heirloom grape, cherry & teardrop tomatoes, honeydew, purple garlic & Persian sweet limes, which I didn't know existed. I'm excited about trying them out in recipes & it's great fun hearing everyone's suggestions.
Check out the photos of my finds
& don't be surprised if there's more of the results in the next day or so.
It's about a block's walk from the Hollywood & Vine stop on the train so an easy 'commute' for me (& close enough to stop at Trader Joes too)
I got there a bit late, which is good & bad. There was a decent crowd but not too tough to navigate. My first impression, entering on Selma, was that it was all takeaway food & the odd t-shirt or incense vendor but once I turned down Ivar I found the real produce portion.
There was a great selection most places & very reasonably priced. Lots of zucchini & yellow squash, peaches. Not as much corn as you'd see in Chicago or Michigan this time of year. Some were specialties, like just potatoes or herb starter plants. There was even a stall from a seafood farm. I already had clams in the house but I'll look there another time.
I got some great finds - heirloom grape, cherry & teardrop tomatoes, honeydew, purple garlic & Persian sweet limes, which I didn't know existed. I'm excited about trying them out in recipes & it's great fun hearing everyone's suggestions.
Check out the photos of my finds
& don't be surprised if there's more of the results in the next day or so.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
First Celebrity Sighting
Zach Woods, better known to most of the planet as Gabe from "the Office" but also very funny in the highly underrated film "In the Loop".
He was gimping (walking cast) around the Trader Joes at Hollywood & Vine.
Did I get a picture? No, the man should be allowed to shop in peace & frankly my camera phone is too effing loud to sneak anything. You'll just have to believe me.
But pretty cool that it was someone from 'the Office'.
very nice. plus Kate at the Bowery bought me a beer.
that's a good LA afternoon.
He was gimping (walking cast) around the Trader Joes at Hollywood & Vine.
Did I get a picture? No, the man should be allowed to shop in peace & frankly my camera phone is too effing loud to sneak anything. You'll just have to believe me.
But pretty cool that it was someone from 'the Office'.
very nice. plus Kate at the Bowery bought me a beer.
that's a good LA afternoon.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Hollywood & Vine
some photos of the 'stars' & sites in historic downtown L.A here
i really like this area. it's a little to hit or miss to live near here but easy to get to on the train:0
i really like this area. it's a little to hit or miss to live near here but easy to get to on the train:0
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Ratatouille!!
the dish, not the movie, tho I do have an urge to watch it right now.
My very nice housemate, John, is in one of those deals where they bring a box of veggies to your house every week. We had squash, heirloom tomatoes & a beautiful eggplant. So on our Trader Joe's excursion we picked up some sweet onions, bell pepper & a little garlic. Toss in some parmesan cheese, a little sea salt & fresh ground pepper & basil from our own garden & we had little choice of what else to create.
I have to say, I'm a bit hit or miss with eggplant & cooked tomato but it turned out really well, if I do say so myself. I'm sure people have opinions about things we left out (some recipes called for mushrooms)
But a good sized serving for the two of us. When I do it again, I'll make sure I have some good sausage in the house for a protein with it but otherwise, perfection. See it here
Next up - what to do with a lot of dates...
My very nice housemate, John, is in one of those deals where they bring a box of veggies to your house every week. We had squash, heirloom tomatoes & a beautiful eggplant. So on our Trader Joe's excursion we picked up some sweet onions, bell pepper & a little garlic. Toss in some parmesan cheese, a little sea salt & fresh ground pepper & basil from our own garden & we had little choice of what else to create.
I have to say, I'm a bit hit or miss with eggplant & cooked tomato but it turned out really well, if I do say so myself. I'm sure people have opinions about things we left out (some recipes called for mushrooms)
But a good sized serving for the two of us. When I do it again, I'll make sure I have some good sausage in the house for a protein with it but otherwise, perfection. See it here
Next up - what to do with a lot of dates...
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
new photos
links here for some shots of exploring Los Feliz Village & my awesome lunch & another set of the sublet. in my FB galleries.
Los Feliz Village
Silver Lake house
Los Feliz Village
Silver Lake house
10 Things I've Learned About L.A.
1. You can have rainbows without rain. Happened Sunday. Double rainbow. Swear on a stack of whatever.
2. Iced tea is as essential as any of the 4 food groups. (It was 101 today. & we had humidity. which never happens)
3. Can't judge a book by it's cover. I would never have guessed that Umami Burger was the place to meet a very cool hockey fan bartender, albeit from Boston, & have an awesome beer selection & menu.. Just ask for Elise at the Los Feliz location, on Hollywood Blvd.
4. Doing to the sublet for September instead of quicky apt hunt over a weekend? Smartest. decision. ever.
5. The Super Shuttle driver will endlessly circle LAX hoping for one last pickup before he drops off the 4 people in the van. It got very Groundhog Day. He will also buy a bag of peanuts from the vendor on the off ramp & munch.
6. People in service here have been unfailingly friendly, helpful & a pleasure to deal with. No matter how busy & understaffed the store. I even made friends with the newstand vendor.
7. My impression of the customers is not nearly as positive.
8. The train/Metro is built more along the lines of London, UK instead of 'rest of US'. Smart choice, methinks.
9. I apparently look younger than 35. I'll take that.
10. People here don't go listen to live music. I will not be one of those people.
2. Iced tea is as essential as any of the 4 food groups. (It was 101 today. & we had humidity. which never happens)
3. Can't judge a book by it's cover. I would never have guessed that Umami Burger was the place to meet a very cool hockey fan bartender, albeit from Boston, & have an awesome beer selection & menu.. Just ask for Elise at the Los Feliz location, on Hollywood Blvd.
4. Doing to the sublet for September instead of quicky apt hunt over a weekend? Smartest. decision. ever.
5. The Super Shuttle driver will endlessly circle LAX hoping for one last pickup before he drops off the 4 people in the van. It got very Groundhog Day. He will also buy a bag of peanuts from the vendor on the off ramp & munch.
6. People in service here have been unfailingly friendly, helpful & a pleasure to deal with. No matter how busy & understaffed the store. I even made friends with the newstand vendor.
7. My impression of the customers is not nearly as positive.
8. The train/Metro is built more along the lines of London, UK instead of 'rest of US'. Smart choice, methinks.
9. I apparently look younger than 35. I'll take that.
10. People here don't go listen to live music. I will not be one of those people.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Firsts
L.A. firsts so far:
Beer: Pacifico (At home. I was tired from the flight)
Music I Listened to: Dan Mangan, Road Regrets
Watch: Accountants webisode from "The Office"
Meal: Pollo Loco. my landlady's girlfriend bought us chicken tacos for lunch. yummy!!!
also, today I walked around the corner to Virgil Ave on my way to the grocery store & could see, off in the hills, the Hollywood sign & the observatory in Griffith Park. amazing & iconic. it's a strange thing to explain. i know where I am in the world but its another thing when those sites are in front of you. much like the other night when I realized during Craig Ferguson that I am, in fact, in the LA area & can get tickets to see him live. woot!!!!
more firsts to follow. and pictures. i promise.
Beer: Pacifico (At home. I was tired from the flight)
Music I Listened to: Dan Mangan, Road Regrets
Watch: Accountants webisode from "The Office"
Meal: Pollo Loco. my landlady's girlfriend bought us chicken tacos for lunch. yummy!!!
also, today I walked around the corner to Virgil Ave on my way to the grocery store & could see, off in the hills, the Hollywood sign & the observatory in Griffith Park. amazing & iconic. it's a strange thing to explain. i know where I am in the world but its another thing when those sites are in front of you. much like the other night when I realized during Craig Ferguson that I am, in fact, in the LA area & can get tickets to see him live. woot!!!!
more firsts to follow. and pictures. i promise.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
COFFEE!!!!!
Guess where I'll be heading to try out for coffee?!?! Cafecito Organico
there's one on N. Hoover, mere blocks from the abode & also in the Silver Lake Farmers Market.
Reviews of both pending & photos of my first meal made from farmers market veggies!
there's one on N. Hoover, mere blocks from the abode & also in the Silver Lake Farmers Market.
Reviews of both pending & photos of my first meal made from farmers market veggies!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
roommate
also, my sublet roommate is an acupuncture student. i wonder if he's looking for volunteer 'victims'? will let you know....
if I was in L.A.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
FirstPost, ShortPost
I'll be playing with this a bit (including sorting out why it won't post pictures yet), but as it states, just to keep folks in the loop with the move. I'll have it linked to FB & twitter also so you know where there's news.
I hit the City of Angels on the afternoon of 31 August & will be spending my first month in an awfully cool Craftsman abode in the Silver Lake neighborhood.
Really excited to explore while I search for a permanent spot.
I've got what I refer to as a forward thinking bucket list started so be on the lookout for info about the Cheese Store of Silver Lake, BeerBellyLA, my first Largo svisit -Paul F. Tompkins on 17th Sept., & Dan Mangan at the Satellite on 29th Sept., with the superawesome MusicScoop for company. First off is hopefully getting to see a friend from Saskatchewan.
Hope you enjoy the adventures with me & I'm happy to hear suggestions of things to do. I promise my posting skills will improve as I play with this also.
Thanks for listening
I hit the City of Angels on the afternoon of 31 August & will be spending my first month in an awfully cool Craftsman abode in the Silver Lake neighborhood.
Really excited to explore while I search for a permanent spot.
I've got what I refer to as a forward thinking bucket list started so be on the lookout for info about the Cheese Store of Silver Lake, BeerBellyLA, my first Largo svisit -Paul F. Tompkins on 17th Sept., & Dan Mangan at the Satellite on 29th Sept., with the superawesome MusicScoop for company. First off is hopefully getting to see a friend from Saskatchewan.
Hope you enjoy the adventures with me & I'm happy to hear suggestions of things to do. I promise my posting skills will improve as I play with this also.
Thanks for listening
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)