Friday, May 30, 2003
So I did it. As of today, I am now Mr. Brace Face. After years of talking the talk about getting braces--but never backing it up with any action--I finally got serious and visited the orthodontist a few months ago. Dr. Salem came up with a plan tailored to me, and last week they put in teeth spacers between my back molars, in preparation for the actual braces installation.
This morning, Dr. Salem put them on-- sharp bands around my back molars (those are the most painful of all, because they hit my tongue) and what's known as "speed braces" across my top and bottom teeth. Speed braces are smaller than your typical metal braces, and supposedly lead to a slightly faster treatment than traditional braces. I decided to avoid ceramic braces (like the ones Tom Cruise had) because they take a lot longer, are more expensive, and don't work quite as well.
Dr. Salem also installed "turbos" on the back of my front teeth (basically, metal stoppers) so the top teeth don't scrape the bottom teeth. These turbos are probably the most annoying part of the treatment so far, since it's causing a slight lisp. Hopefully that will change with time, but it's odd right now, since my tongue now hits the turbos.
Even more difficult, the turbos are preventing my teeth from touching each other--making things difficult (or right now, impossible) to eat. Dr. Salem said that will change with time, as my mouth readjusts to its new reality. But on the bright side, it may lead to some weight loss (unless I adjust to a pure milkshake-and-ice-cream diet).
So let's recap: Sharp metal bands scraping the back of my tongue. Turbos on the back of my teeth making me lisp, and making it impossible to chew. An overall feeling of tons of metal in my mouth.
Why did I do this? Since it's been only a few hours, I'm sort of asking myself the same question. But then I remind myself, it's not just for cosmetic reasons.
Granted, I first finally went to the orthodontist because I was fed up with the gaps in my top and bottom teeth. It really hit home when I saw myself on TV, and would frequently see those dark gaps. I couldn't watch myself after awhile. Most other people didn't see it-- but it bothered me. I was my worst critic.
But turns out that was just part of the problem. My top and bottom teeth are misaligned, causing my bite to be all askew. I've vaguely noticed my strange bite for years, but it's never really bothered me. But the fact that it could down the road--and likely lead to bigger oral problems-- is what sealed the deal. Sure, I'll have to wear this crap for the next two years, but when it's done, I'm gonna like my smile-- and not have to worry about serious issues down the road (knock on wood).
Also, when all is said and done, I'll still just be 32-- and the longer I wait, the older I'll be with braces.
Of course, I'm not the only one. According to the American Orthodontists Association, more than 1 million adults in the U.S. and Canada wear braces-- up 30 percent since 1994. Check out this L.A. Times story to get another perspective on adults getting braces. The piece follows a 20something L.A. wannabe actress who decides to get braces when she realizes her mouth is askew.
This morning, Dr. Salem put them on-- sharp bands around my back molars (those are the most painful of all, because they hit my tongue) and what's known as "speed braces" across my top and bottom teeth. Speed braces are smaller than your typical metal braces, and supposedly lead to a slightly faster treatment than traditional braces. I decided to avoid ceramic braces (like the ones Tom Cruise had) because they take a lot longer, are more expensive, and don't work quite as well.
Dr. Salem also installed "turbos" on the back of my front teeth (basically, metal stoppers) so the top teeth don't scrape the bottom teeth. These turbos are probably the most annoying part of the treatment so far, since it's causing a slight lisp. Hopefully that will change with time, but it's odd right now, since my tongue now hits the turbos.
Even more difficult, the turbos are preventing my teeth from touching each other--making things difficult (or right now, impossible) to eat. Dr. Salem said that will change with time, as my mouth readjusts to its new reality. But on the bright side, it may lead to some weight loss (unless I adjust to a pure milkshake-and-ice-cream diet).
So let's recap: Sharp metal bands scraping the back of my tongue. Turbos on the back of my teeth making me lisp, and making it impossible to chew. An overall feeling of tons of metal in my mouth.
Why did I do this? Since it's been only a few hours, I'm sort of asking myself the same question. But then I remind myself, it's not just for cosmetic reasons.
Granted, I first finally went to the orthodontist because I was fed up with the gaps in my top and bottom teeth. It really hit home when I saw myself on TV, and would frequently see those dark gaps. I couldn't watch myself after awhile. Most other people didn't see it-- but it bothered me. I was my worst critic.
But turns out that was just part of the problem. My top and bottom teeth are misaligned, causing my bite to be all askew. I've vaguely noticed my strange bite for years, but it's never really bothered me. But the fact that it could down the road--and likely lead to bigger oral problems-- is what sealed the deal. Sure, I'll have to wear this crap for the next two years, but when it's done, I'm gonna like my smile-- and not have to worry about serious issues down the road (knock on wood).
Also, when all is said and done, I'll still just be 32-- and the longer I wait, the older I'll be with braces.
Of course, I'm not the only one. According to the American Orthodontists Association, more than 1 million adults in the U.S. and Canada wear braces-- up 30 percent since 1994. Check out this L.A. Times story to get another perspective on adults getting braces. The piece follows a 20something L.A. wannabe actress who decides to get braces when she realizes her mouth is askew.
Honda's new British ad-- set to air around the world-- is pretty amazing. You truly have to see it to believe it. After 650 or so takes, the two-minute ad pulls off a perfect set of domino-like events of individual, stripped-down parts of the new Honda Accord rolling into one another and setting off more reactions. Believe it or not, no trick photography and no computer graphics were used. You can even find out [here] how the ad was done.
Thursday, May 29, 2003
I passed by the new gas station at Fairfax and Beverly the other day, and had to look twice. Crackle glass, waterfall fountain, French roofing tiles. It's something out of Vegas, not the Fairfax district. According to the L.A. Weekly, the Exxon gas station cost owner Jeff Appel $1 million to build. It's a throwback to the days when gas stations, like other otherwise ordinary buildings, were built as functional works of art.
Sample Sale!
Thanks to Daily Candy, here are some sample sales around L.A. that are worth checking out in the next couple of weeks.
What: Tufi Duek
When: 5/30 and 6/2; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Two Hip Showroom, 110 East 9th Street, near East Olympic Boulevard, suite B582 (213-891-9442).
Why: Everyone's favorite Brazilian designer is selling spring merch for up to 60 percent off. Dresses, were $420-$525, now $100-$200; tops, were $175-$250, now $65-$85; pants, were $120-$225, now $50-$100.
What: Kasil Jeans, U & Me, Ex-Girlfriend, and Orange Label
When: 6/8; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: 2974 Wilshire Boulevard, between Virgil Avenue and Hoover Street (213-489-5799).
Why: Ex-Girlfriend one-of-a-kind tanks; U & Me hand-painted tees; Kasil jeans, skirts, and jackets; and Orange Label pants. Prices from $10 to $40.
What: Billion Dollar Babes
When: 6/7; 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Quixote Studios, 1011 North Fuller Avenue, at Santa Monica Boulevard, studio one.
Why: Wake up early, because stuff goes fast. James Perse, Joie, Coco Kliks, Ella Moss, Habitual, Oliver Peoples, Grey Ant, Diavolina shoes, YA-YA, and more are up to 80 percent off wholesale. And there's loot for boys, too. Log on to bbdevite.com to R.S.V.P.
What: Fred Flare
When: 6/7; 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Millicent, 4210 Santa Monica Boulevard, at Hoover Street(718-599-9221).
Why: Because the arbiters of cute are having a sale. Guitar-pick earrings are $5, Barbie record earrings are $6, Pink Note totes are $6, composition notebooks are $4, set of vintage Charlie clutches is $6, Birdy Notes are $4, and tons of other knickknacks are $1.
Thanks to Daily Candy, here are some sample sales around L.A. that are worth checking out in the next couple of weeks.
What: Tufi Duek
When: 5/30 and 6/2; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Two Hip Showroom, 110 East 9th Street, near East Olympic Boulevard, suite B582 (213-891-9442).
Why: Everyone's favorite Brazilian designer is selling spring merch for up to 60 percent off. Dresses, were $420-$525, now $100-$200; tops, were $175-$250, now $65-$85; pants, were $120-$225, now $50-$100.
What: Kasil Jeans, U & Me, Ex-Girlfriend, and Orange Label
When: 6/8; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: 2974 Wilshire Boulevard, between Virgil Avenue and Hoover Street (213-489-5799).
Why: Ex-Girlfriend one-of-a-kind tanks; U & Me hand-painted tees; Kasil jeans, skirts, and jackets; and Orange Label pants. Prices from $10 to $40.
What: Billion Dollar Babes
When: 6/7; 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Quixote Studios, 1011 North Fuller Avenue, at Santa Monica Boulevard, studio one.
Why: Wake up early, because stuff goes fast. James Perse, Joie, Coco Kliks, Ella Moss, Habitual, Oliver Peoples, Grey Ant, Diavolina shoes, YA-YA, and more are up to 80 percent off wholesale. And there's loot for boys, too. Log on to bbdevite.com to R.S.V.P.
What: Fred Flare
When: 6/7; 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Millicent, 4210 Santa Monica Boulevard, at Hoover Street(718-599-9221).
Why: Because the arbiters of cute are having a sale. Guitar-pick earrings are $5, Barbie record earrings are $6, Pink Note totes are $6, composition notebooks are $4, set of vintage Charlie clutches is $6, Birdy Notes are $4, and tons of other knickknacks are $1.
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Rate-A-Restaurant, #14 in a series
Restaurant: Tamarind Tea Room
Location: 41-43 East 22nd (between Park Avenue South and Broadway), New York
Type of restaurant: Indian
They stipulated: I had to order from the tea menu since I went to the tea room next door to the main restaurant.
What I ordered: Saag paneer sandwich with the accompanying recommended tea, Ti Kuan Yin.
High point: This sandwich was really delicious, especially if you are craving paneer. It had a layer of fresh spinach, lots of that yummy paneer it was falling out, a hint of some sweet sauce rolled in a parantha bread (indian flatbread) served with raita and a side salad.
Low point: Nothing really... okay I had to go through the main restaurant next door to go to the bathroom. But that made me have a reason to check out the beautiful interior of the Tamarind.
Overall impression: Nice, calm place where you don't feel awkward dining alone.
Chance we will go back: Already did. I dragged Mike and Clarissa for lunch at the main restaurant on our last day there. We had a Rocco DiSpirito sighting and Clarissa had that yummy she-crab soup. Mmmm.... she-crab soup.
Restaurant: Tamarind Tea Room
Location: 41-43 East 22nd (between Park Avenue South and Broadway), New York
Type of restaurant: Indian
They stipulated: I had to order from the tea menu since I went to the tea room next door to the main restaurant.
What I ordered: Saag paneer sandwich with the accompanying recommended tea, Ti Kuan Yin.
High point: This sandwich was really delicious, especially if you are craving paneer. It had a layer of fresh spinach, lots of that yummy paneer it was falling out, a hint of some sweet sauce rolled in a parantha bread (indian flatbread) served with raita and a side salad.
Low point: Nothing really... okay I had to go through the main restaurant next door to go to the bathroom. But that made me have a reason to check out the beautiful interior of the Tamarind.
Overall impression: Nice, calm place where you don't feel awkward dining alone.
Chance we will go back: Already did. I dragged Mike and Clarissa for lunch at the main restaurant on our last day there. We had a Rocco DiSpirito sighting and Clarissa had that yummy she-crab soup. Mmmm.... she-crab soup.
This past weekend, we went to American Cinematheque's screening of Grease and Xanadu with our friends Jessica and Jeff.
Xanadu. Wow. That musical extravaganza of an ending is unlike any other.
Grease is the word. How great it was seeing it again on the big screen and one of the things I had nearly forgotten was how foxy Rizzo's outfits were. It makes me want to be a member of the pink ladies.
Xanadu. Wow. That musical extravaganza of an ending is unlike any other.
Grease is the word. How great it was seeing it again on the big screen and one of the things I had nearly forgotten was how foxy Rizzo's outfits were. It makes me want to be a member of the pink ladies.
You're sick with a bizarre intestinal inflammation and haven't eaten solid foods for weeks. Who do you approach for medical advice? Why, street magician David Blaine, of course! At least, that's what Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers did.
Ooh, can you just imagine what Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had to talk about?
"Forget about the road map to peace, Whitney... here's a road map to recovering your career."
"Forget about the road map to peace, Whitney... here's a road map to recovering your career."
Years ago, when the first "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" movie hit the screens, I decided to start a one-man boycott of Jim Carrey movies. He obviously didn't need my money anyway. I later rescinded the decree in order to see films like "The Truman Show," which I enjoyed.
But now that "Bruce Almighty" has grossed a staggering $86 million in its opening weekend, I may have to reinstate my avoidance of Jim Carrey flicks.
But now that "Bruce Almighty" has grossed a staggering $86 million in its opening weekend, I may have to reinstate my avoidance of Jim Carrey flicks.
Monday, May 26, 2003
The L.A. Times has a page one story today on radio hoaxes. They mention the Kevin & Bean/Ralph Garman- Jacques Chirac incident, but don't bring up K&B's fake murder confession phone call from 10 years earlier. Story kicks off with a Cleveland DJ who fooled his listeners into thinking he tied a cat to some helium balloons, leaving the feline to fly through town.
Sunday, May 25, 2003
You gotta love the ingenuity of this: L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez writes today about a group of cops from the L.A. County sheriff's department who figured out a new way to keep prostitutes, drug dealers, etc. out of abandoned buildings. A special assignment unit led by Lt. Shaun Mathers (younger brother of Jerry "The Beaver" Mathers) discovered a product from New Zealand called Skunk Shot, which is so repulsive that the cops can spread a little around the area-- and like magic, keep away the bad guys.
Saturday, May 24, 2003
In the world of Catholic mass, apparently altar girls are starting to outnumber altar boys. Quite a change, considering, according to the Daily News, the Vatican only started allowing altar girls in 1994.
As least officially. In the mid-80s, my sister-- as well as many other girls-- were altar girls at our church in Oklahoma. Imagine that-- a church in Oklahoma, of all places, being ahead of the times!
As least officially. In the mid-80s, my sister-- as well as many other girls-- were altar girls at our church in Oklahoma. Imagine that-- a church in Oklahoma, of all places, being ahead of the times!
Could our long, national Michael Jackson nightmare be over? Further proof that the Court Jester of Pop is broke.
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Big media companies want to be able to control everything you see, hear, and read. I'm writing to ask you to join me in signing a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The FCC is considering fundamental changes to the media ownership regulations that will affect all of us. Despite the immense impact of the proposed changes, the FCC has held only ONE formal public hearing on the issue. While the public has largely been unaware and uninvolved in the issue, the nation's largest broadcast companies - which could reap huge benefits from the elimination of these ownership rules - have spent tens of millions of dollars on lobbying and political contributions in Washington. Join me in having your voice heard by signing this petition. You can sign up at: http://www.commoncause.org/action/petition.cfm
Please sign up!
The FCC is considering fundamental changes to the media ownership regulations that will affect all of us. Despite the immense impact of the proposed changes, the FCC has held only ONE formal public hearing on the issue. While the public has largely been unaware and uninvolved in the issue, the nation's largest broadcast companies - which could reap huge benefits from the elimination of these ownership rules - have spent tens of millions of dollars on lobbying and political contributions in Washington. Join me in having your voice heard by signing this petition. You can sign up at: http://www.commoncause.org/action/petition.cfm
Please sign up!
Feeling nostalgic for Ponch and Jon? The California Highway Patrol's Central Los Angeles Area headquarters-- the location of the 70s cop classic "CHiPs" headquarters-- is located right underneath the intersection of the 10 and 110 freeways. The building's briefing room tables and sergeant's lectern are the same ones used in the first few episodes of "CHiPs."
Downtown Los Angeles' Union Station is one of the city's real gems-- which is part of the reason why we got married there. And according to the L.A. Times, what was once a relic of the bygone passenger train era is staging a comeback. Thanks to recent additions like the Metro Red Line and the Metrolink commuter trains, now at least 20,000 commuters pass through the terminal each day. It's still not close to matching the number of people who utilize the East Coast train stations, like D.C.'s Union Station--but hey, this is a car town, so that's a start.
The Times story has a thorough history of Union Station and talks about potential future development around the site-- including housing, restaurants, stores and hotels.
The Times story has a thorough history of Union Station and talks about potential future development around the site-- including housing, restaurants, stores and hotels.
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
Gotta admit, I've grown to like Arianna Huffington as she's gone through a transformation through the years, from trying to puppet her ex-husband into becoming the Republican Senator from California, to her current resurrection as one of the most vocal and visibile Bush-bashers out there. Her latest column is a good example. Arianna notes just how far from the truth the Bush White House has gotten, promoting a web of lies not unlike "The Matrix."
Visit to Ground Zero
Maria and I hadn't really intended to visit Ground Zero while we were in New York. It's not that we were adamantly against seeing it, but the site of the nation's worst terrorist attack doesn't seem like something you put on your sightseeing itinerary. We passed over it last year when we were in New York as well.
This time around, though, we planned to take the Staten Island Ferry (the best deal in all of New York, by the way-- it's free!) and decided to walk through Battery Park to get there. So we exited the Subway (the N/R line) at Courtlandt Street-- which happened to be smack, right at the Ground Zero site.
The Port Authority has erected a huge fence around the site, with some placards explaining the events of 9/11. Walking around, it's still eerie and still emotional. Some of the buildings around the site are still being reconstructed. The site itself, though, now looks like any construction pit. Workers were driving around bulldozers in the pit the day we were there, but it was tough to tell what they were trying to do.
The oddest thing were the people taking pictures of each other in front of Ground Zero. Isn't that just a tad odd? Do you really want to stick that in your photo album? Isn't it still a little too new for that?
Later, walking through Battery Park, we stumbled across the remains of the steel sphere that was once the sculpture between both towers, and the focal point for the World Trade Center. It's now twisted and punctured and a mess. But the basic shape of it survived. As a temporary memorial, it now sits in the park.
Later, while riding the Ferry to Staten Island and taking in the skyline of Manhattan, it was still jarring to see it without those two towers. What's more, you can see the empty space where the towers were-- it's like, building-building-building-jarring empty space-building-building-building.
It's amazing how New York has gotten back to normal. But every once in a while, walking around New York, you realize that "normal" isn't what "normal" used to be.
Maria and I hadn't really intended to visit Ground Zero while we were in New York. It's not that we were adamantly against seeing it, but the site of the nation's worst terrorist attack doesn't seem like something you put on your sightseeing itinerary. We passed over it last year when we were in New York as well.
This time around, though, we planned to take the Staten Island Ferry (the best deal in all of New York, by the way-- it's free!) and decided to walk through Battery Park to get there. So we exited the Subway (the N/R line) at Courtlandt Street-- which happened to be smack, right at the Ground Zero site.
The Port Authority has erected a huge fence around the site, with some placards explaining the events of 9/11. Walking around, it's still eerie and still emotional. Some of the buildings around the site are still being reconstructed. The site itself, though, now looks like any construction pit. Workers were driving around bulldozers in the pit the day we were there, but it was tough to tell what they were trying to do.
The oddest thing were the people taking pictures of each other in front of Ground Zero. Isn't that just a tad odd? Do you really want to stick that in your photo album? Isn't it still a little too new for that?
Later, walking through Battery Park, we stumbled across the remains of the steel sphere that was once the sculpture between both towers, and the focal point for the World Trade Center. It's now twisted and punctured and a mess. But the basic shape of it survived. As a temporary memorial, it now sits in the park.
Later, while riding the Ferry to Staten Island and taking in the skyline of Manhattan, it was still jarring to see it without those two towers. What's more, you can see the empty space where the towers were-- it's like, building-building-building-jarring empty space-building-building-building.
It's amazing how New York has gotten back to normal. But every once in a while, walking around New York, you realize that "normal" isn't what "normal" used to be.
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Matisse-Picasso: An Adventure
Someone urged me to see the Matisse-Picasso show at the MoMA in Queens while in New York. The exhibit was sold out and the only way to see it was to venture to Queens and somehow, be lucky enough to buy one of the few same-day tickets they release. And by the way, the show is ending in a few days.
I got there at 3:30 pm (what was I thinking?) on a monday and there was chaos. I see lines forming everywhere, questions flying from ticket holders asking where the 4 pm line was... in short, I was screwed. I asked the lady by the entrance where I could get same-day tickets and she tells me that I need to get there early in the morning on thursday since the museum was closed tuesdays and wednesdays.
"Do you think I should get here right at 10 am on Thursday when you open?
"I think you should get here at 9, maybe even before that... or, you can line up on the side of the building tonight, it's pay-as-you-go night."
What to do? Mike was out for the evening with work duties and if I line up, I don't have to come back to Queens on Thursday. I check out the line. It formed a U around the building but I grudgingly stand at the end to strategize about waiting or coming back early on Thursday. Soon, the line behind me grew but a museum worker assured us that we'll get in so I decide to stay.
In front of me were a middle-aged husband and wife, seasoned new yorkers. She quickly found out that I had taken the subway to Queens, my husband was here on business and I tagged along for the ride. "Don't take the subway home," she advised. "Take the 32 (or was it the 34) bus and get a transfer." They talked of living in New York (Chelsea), where they grew up (lower east side), how much they pay for their garage in the city ($65 a month, what a steal!), how abominable that you have to pay toll fees to get in the city, etc. etc.
As we neared the entrance, I was thinking silently how much I should pay on pay-as-you-go night. The regular price for a ticket was $20, maybe I should pay half. Is that fair, I wonder? So, I ask the husband what I should pay while the wife was talking to the people behind me.
"I wouldn't pay more that a dollar, If I were you" he said.
"Really? Are... are you sure?"
"Listen, last week news came out on how much these museum curators made in bonuses. Don't pay more than a dollar, they can certainly afford it. New York is the only place where you have to pay money to get in (again with those damn toll fees) and do yourself a favor: If you visit another museum like the Met on this trip, don't pay their suggested entry fee, pay them a dollar. That's what we do."
"Honey," he taps his wife's shoulder, "how much do you think we should pay tonight?"
She turned around, and I swear to God she had a quarter (25 cents!) in her hand. "I'm paying this much!" she says defiantly.
"Tell you what" he says waving his dollar bill, "we'll splurge tonight and pay a dollar for the both of us."
It was time to pay and I proudly handed over my dollar bill. I looked around and the new york couple smiled proudly. In the end, I splurged and paid $5 for the audioguide ducking behind a wave of people in fear that my new friends will see me. Oh, and I ended up taking the subway back since 2 trains whizzed by while I waited for the bus so I decided to catch the 3rd train that was about to pass me.
Someone urged me to see the Matisse-Picasso show at the MoMA in Queens while in New York. The exhibit was sold out and the only way to see it was to venture to Queens and somehow, be lucky enough to buy one of the few same-day tickets they release. And by the way, the show is ending in a few days.
I got there at 3:30 pm (what was I thinking?) on a monday and there was chaos. I see lines forming everywhere, questions flying from ticket holders asking where the 4 pm line was... in short, I was screwed. I asked the lady by the entrance where I could get same-day tickets and she tells me that I need to get there early in the morning on thursday since the museum was closed tuesdays and wednesdays.
"Do you think I should get here right at 10 am on Thursday when you open?
"I think you should get here at 9, maybe even before that... or, you can line up on the side of the building tonight, it's pay-as-you-go night."
What to do? Mike was out for the evening with work duties and if I line up, I don't have to come back to Queens on Thursday. I check out the line. It formed a U around the building but I grudgingly stand at the end to strategize about waiting or coming back early on Thursday. Soon, the line behind me grew but a museum worker assured us that we'll get in so I decide to stay.
In front of me were a middle-aged husband and wife, seasoned new yorkers. She quickly found out that I had taken the subway to Queens, my husband was here on business and I tagged along for the ride. "Don't take the subway home," she advised. "Take the 32 (or was it the 34) bus and get a transfer." They talked of living in New York (Chelsea), where they grew up (lower east side), how much they pay for their garage in the city ($65 a month, what a steal!), how abominable that you have to pay toll fees to get in the city, etc. etc.
As we neared the entrance, I was thinking silently how much I should pay on pay-as-you-go night. The regular price for a ticket was $20, maybe I should pay half. Is that fair, I wonder? So, I ask the husband what I should pay while the wife was talking to the people behind me.
"I wouldn't pay more that a dollar, If I were you" he said.
"Really? Are... are you sure?"
"Listen, last week news came out on how much these museum curators made in bonuses. Don't pay more than a dollar, they can certainly afford it. New York is the only place where you have to pay money to get in (again with those damn toll fees) and do yourself a favor: If you visit another museum like the Met on this trip, don't pay their suggested entry fee, pay them a dollar. That's what we do."
"Honey," he taps his wife's shoulder, "how much do you think we should pay tonight?"
She turned around, and I swear to God she had a quarter (25 cents!) in her hand. "I'm paying this much!" she says defiantly.
"Tell you what" he says waving his dollar bill, "we'll splurge tonight and pay a dollar for the both of us."
It was time to pay and I proudly handed over my dollar bill. I looked around and the new york couple smiled proudly. In the end, I splurged and paid $5 for the audioguide ducking behind a wave of people in fear that my new friends will see me. Oh, and I ended up taking the subway back since 2 trains whizzed by while I waited for the bus so I decided to catch the 3rd train that was about to pass me.
Seen Around My Building's Little Convenience Store
Believe it or not, a woman in front of me was purchasing two cans of TaB. Remember that soda, Coke's sacharrin-filled diet cola from the 1970s? It still exists, although apparently-- according to the interesting site I linked to above-- it now contains Aspartame (NutraSweet), like its much more popular Diet Coke cousin. But how bizarre-- who drinks TaB?
If that's not weird enough, the guy in front of me bought a hardboiled egg and a pack of Marlboros. Mmmm, that's the lunch of champions!
Believe it or not, a woman in front of me was purchasing two cans of TaB. Remember that soda, Coke's sacharrin-filled diet cola from the 1970s? It still exists, although apparently-- according to the interesting site I linked to above-- it now contains Aspartame (NutraSweet), like its much more popular Diet Coke cousin. But how bizarre-- who drinks TaB?
If that's not weird enough, the guy in front of me bought a hardboiled egg and a pack of Marlboros. Mmmm, that's the lunch of champions!
Rate-A-Restaurant, #13 in a series
Restaurant: Tabla
Location: 11 Madison Ave (at 25th Street) in the Gramercy/Flatiron District, New York
Type of restaurant: Indian fusion
What we ordered: A variety of things, tapas style, including coconut rice, stuffed halibut, rosemary naan, and a lot more that we can't remember right now
We stipulated: Cocktails and good food. It was our first night in the city, and we were going to go to a place we already knew. Clarissa suggested we try Tabla, which was right around the corner from our hotel. Specifically, the Bread Bar at Tabla, the downstairs portion of the restaurant, which is more reasonably priced and much more social.
High point: We had no idea what we were in for, and were beyond surprised to discover we had hit one of NYC's hotter new restaurants. Restauranteur Danny Meyer and chef Floyd Cardoz have come up with a restaurant formula unlike anything else you've experienced. Even the lychee mojitos were a nice touch.
Low point: Had to wait a while for a table. But hey, it was Saturday night, so whaddyuh expect? And it gave us a chance to sample said lychee mojitos.
Overall impression: Skip the main restaurant upstairs and stick with the Bread Bar-- the food's good, and you won't go broke. A definite stop with a large group of people.
Chance we will go back: It's been added to our list of New York haunts.
Restaurant: Tabla
Location: 11 Madison Ave (at 25th Street) in the Gramercy/Flatiron District, New York
Type of restaurant: Indian fusion
What we ordered: A variety of things, tapas style, including coconut rice, stuffed halibut, rosemary naan, and a lot more that we can't remember right now
We stipulated: Cocktails and good food. It was our first night in the city, and we were going to go to a place we already knew. Clarissa suggested we try Tabla, which was right around the corner from our hotel. Specifically, the Bread Bar at Tabla, the downstairs portion of the restaurant, which is more reasonably priced and much more social.
High point: We had no idea what we were in for, and were beyond surprised to discover we had hit one of NYC's hotter new restaurants. Restauranteur Danny Meyer and chef Floyd Cardoz have come up with a restaurant formula unlike anything else you've experienced. Even the lychee mojitos were a nice touch.
Low point: Had to wait a while for a table. But hey, it was Saturday night, so whaddyuh expect? And it gave us a chance to sample said lychee mojitos.
Overall impression: Skip the main restaurant upstairs and stick with the Bread Bar-- the food's good, and you won't go broke. A definite stop with a large group of people.
Chance we will go back: It's been added to our list of New York haunts.
It seems like every few years our lazy local newscasts trot out the same tired story about the stinky flower. You've heard of it-- the Indonesian plant that emits a corpse-like smell once in a while to attract beetles. People flocked to the Huntington Library in Pasadena a few years ago to catch a whiff, last year the University of Wisconsin had one that made national news, and now there's one at Cal State Fullerton that the TV news media are going ga ga over.
Folks, it's a smelly plant. Get over it.
Folks, it's a smelly plant. Get over it.
Monday, May 19, 2003
Our New York trip was littered with visits to various restaurants featured on the food network or run by their celebrity chefs. Food was the highlight of the trip and we constantly talked about Mario, Rocco and Tyler. We squeezed one last meal hours before take-off at Tamarind where, lo and behold, Rocco DiSpirito drops by the restaurant. He was there all of 3 minutes but Clarissa and I both agree that it was him. As we were boarding the plane, I was marvelling to Mike how cool it was that we saw Rocco. He said that it was just like the end of the movie "Bend It Like Beckam," when the lead characters-- who worshipped the soccer player throughout the flick-- actually caught a glimpse of their hero at a crowded airport terminal.
By the way, we decided to file all our rate-a-restaurant reviews under one blog, so be sure to check it out if you need to look up a particular restaurant.
By the way, we decided to file all our rate-a-restaurant reviews under one blog, so be sure to check it out if you need to look up a particular restaurant.
"President" Bush (yes, I still have a hard time dealing with it. Sorry.) holds a state dinner tonight with Philippines president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It's only his third state dinner since coming to office, while Clinton and his father had already held more than 10 at this point. But as we all know, diplomacy is not exactly this Texan's strong suit.
The menu features crabs in the first course, while the main course includes lamb, achiote polenta, fava beans and cipollini onion. Mango sorbets, filled with coconut mousse, were draped with brightly colored leis made of sugar and chocolate. According to the Washington Post, the wines were a 2001 Pride Mountain Viognier and a 2000 DuMol Pinot Noir "Finn," both from California.
The menu features crabs in the first course, while the main course includes lamb, achiote polenta, fava beans and cipollini onion. Mango sorbets, filled with coconut mousse, were draped with brightly colored leis made of sugar and chocolate. According to the Washington Post, the wines were a 2001 Pride Mountain Viognier and a 2000 DuMol Pinot Noir "Finn," both from California.
Ugly news of the day: Los Angeles home prices broke the $300,000 median price tag for the first time ever in April.
Not that we ever wanted to buy a home or anything. Sheesh.
Not that we ever wanted to buy a home or anything. Sheesh.
I'm sort of astounded that Newsweek has decided to put Jayson Blair on its cover. He's the New York Times reporter who self-destructed in a maze of made-up and plagiarized stories, going as far as producing fake receipts to make it seem like he was on assignment around the country, when he was actually holed up at his filthy apartment in Brooklyn.
While this has been the talk of media circles, I doubt most Newsweek readers know or even care who Jayson Blair is-- and even if they do, not enough to warrant the front page. It's the media's self-importance that's fueling this. The industry loves nothing more than to write about itself.
Meanwhile, what bugs me the most is I get the feeling that Blair-- like Stephen Glass before him-- will find some sort of career boost out of all this. Oh, he'll never work again as a journalist per se, but he now has a literary agent and PR agent working new angles. It's enough to make you wonder why the rest of us play by the rules.
While this has been the talk of media circles, I doubt most Newsweek readers know or even care who Jayson Blair is-- and even if they do, not enough to warrant the front page. It's the media's self-importance that's fueling this. The industry loves nothing more than to write about itself.
Meanwhile, what bugs me the most is I get the feeling that Blair-- like Stephen Glass before him-- will find some sort of career boost out of all this. Oh, he'll never work again as a journalist per se, but he now has a literary agent and PR agent working new angles. It's enough to make you wonder why the rest of us play by the rules.
This is by far, the best store inside LAX. It's in the American Airlines terminal and they carry some cool and groovy things like silver jewelry, purses made with laminated paper, funky cards, cute tops, delicious candy and the list goes on and on. Laedge rivals gift stores on La Brea avenue and thier prices are reasonable.
We got in from New York late last night and I saw Alex from Survivor walking around the terminal. If I had any doubt in my mind if it was him, his Survivor backpack confirmed my suspicions. No one else noticed him, it seems like.
We got in from New York late last night and I saw Alex from Survivor walking around the terminal. If I had any doubt in my mind if it was him, his Survivor backpack confirmed my suspicions. No one else noticed him, it seems like.
Friday, May 16, 2003
What is it about sports dynasties that bring out the bad puns in everyone? "Three-peat," for example.
And now, with the Lakers' hopes for a fourth NBA title dashed, comes this gem, courtesy the L.A. Times: Fourclosed. Get it?
And now, with the Lakers' hopes for a fourth NBA title dashed, comes this gem, courtesy the L.A. Times: Fourclosed. Get it?
Back when Maria and I were getting married last year, I was-- how shall I put it?-- obsessive over the music. We could skimp on anything else. But I was gonna make sure we had the best music--both as background cocktail/eating music and for the dancing later on-- of any wedding any of the guests had been to.
And I think we largely succeeded, after I gave the DJ a strict list of songs to play-- and what NOT to play under any circumstances. No "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. No "Macarena." No "Chicken Dance." Nothing by Whitney, Celine or Shania-- or any diva, for that matter.
Of course, the DJ still snuck a couple of unapproved songs into the mix. But otherwise, it was great. Yes, I'm nuts, but I notice the music at parties and events, and so I definitely was paying attention to the music at our big day.
Turns out, I recently learned, our DJ indeed agrees with the notion that I'm nuts. A friend of a friend who checked him out for her wedding dropped my name-- and the guy freaked out.
Anyway, I still think I was in the right. Otherwise, this might have happened. A pretty good list of horrible songs that should never show up again at any wedding. But they will. (And yes, Celine and Whitney make the list.)
And I think we largely succeeded, after I gave the DJ a strict list of songs to play-- and what NOT to play under any circumstances. No "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. No "Macarena." No "Chicken Dance." Nothing by Whitney, Celine or Shania-- or any diva, for that matter.
Of course, the DJ still snuck a couple of unapproved songs into the mix. But otherwise, it was great. Yes, I'm nuts, but I notice the music at parties and events, and so I definitely was paying attention to the music at our big day.
Turns out, I recently learned, our DJ indeed agrees with the notion that I'm nuts. A friend of a friend who checked him out for her wedding dropped my name-- and the guy freaked out.
Anyway, I still think I was in the right. Otherwise, this might have happened. A pretty good list of horrible songs that should never show up again at any wedding. But they will. (And yes, Celine and Whitney make the list.)
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
So, Mike tells me that Bob will be the new Bachelor. I knew it! I should've predicted it here when I saw him at lunch the other day, it must have been a power lunch for him.
A perfect choice, I think. What a sweet guy – great personality and he is looking pretty good these days. Great move on ABC since the audience already knows him and will surely watch next season.
A perfect choice, I think. What a sweet guy – great personality and he is looking pretty good these days. Great move on ABC since the audience already knows him and will surely watch next season.
Monday, May 12, 2003
The New York Times weighs in, on all things, West Hollywood's club scene. If you're looking to feel old or uncool, check it out.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a Bay Area attorney has filed suit against Kraft, asking the manufacturer to ban the sale of Oreos to children in California. The lawsuit says the trans fat in the cookies "is so dangerous children shouldn't eat it."
Argh. Bathing suit model-- yes, that's really her job description!-- Jenna Morasca won "Survivor: The Amazon" last night. Maria and I are not pleased. This is a girl who brought as a luxury item, according to the CBS website, her "Zeta Crown." That's right. Some sort of sorority trinket.
Apparently viewers were equally enraged. Her "current popularity" tracker on the CBS site is just 37%.
In other "Survivor" news, producer Mark Burnett kissed me and Maria last night. Yes, he'd had a few drinks (as had we). His face was scratchy.
Apparently viewers were equally enraged. Her "current popularity" tracker on the CBS site is just 37%.
In other "Survivor" news, producer Mark Burnett kissed me and Maria last night. Yes, he'd had a few drinks (as had we). His face was scratchy.
Sunday, May 11, 2003
It's amazing how much press e-mail spam has been getting lately. Hello, we've all been getting this junk mail for penis enlargers, home equity loans and septic tanks (! That one I just don't get--of all the products that have chosen spam as a marketing tool, why septic tanks?)
But on the other hand, I have definitely noticed a marked increase in the spam I get at work lately. I thought it was just me. But apparently spammers are finding new ways to work around guards. At work, half the time our email system thinks real mail is spam, while the real spam goes through unchecked.
I personally can't wait to see if I've inherited millions of dollars from a Nigerian benefactor. Apparently, there are a number of these benefactors out there, and I've inherited money from all of them!
The L.A. Times has an interesting take today on the origins of spam. And not the good kind, which you can fry up, and add some rice and eggs. (At least, if you're in Hawaii.)
But on the other hand, I have definitely noticed a marked increase in the spam I get at work lately. I thought it was just me. But apparently spammers are finding new ways to work around guards. At work, half the time our email system thinks real mail is spam, while the real spam goes through unchecked.
I personally can't wait to see if I've inherited millions of dollars from a Nigerian benefactor. Apparently, there are a number of these benefactors out there, and I've inherited money from all of them!
The L.A. Times has an interesting take today on the origins of spam. And not the good kind, which you can fry up, and add some rice and eggs. (At least, if you're in Hawaii.)
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Tina, tina, tina. You are oh-so-fabulous, just be thankful you were saved from that nervously twitchy bachelor.
I dub him the kissing bachelor for he surely locked lips with most of the women on the show, going in for the kill with Olive-Garden-loving Amber even after he confessed to the camera (while on the date) that he's just not connecting with her. I loved it when Tina would sidestep his kisses by offering him her cheek.
I think Jen would be the best choice but part of me secretly thinks that he will end up with valley girl wannabe Kirsten. They deserve each other.
In Bachelorette news, I had a reality-show star sighting at lunch today. I saw sweet & funny Bob at Arnie Morton's (mmm, burger) walking in with a lady (not Trista).
I dub him the kissing bachelor for he surely locked lips with most of the women on the show, going in for the kill with Olive-Garden-loving Amber even after he confessed to the camera (while on the date) that he's just not connecting with her. I loved it when Tina would sidestep his kisses by offering him her cheek.
I think Jen would be the best choice but part of me secretly thinks that he will end up with valley girl wannabe Kirsten. They deserve each other.
In Bachelorette news, I had a reality-show star sighting at lunch today. I saw sweet & funny Bob at Arnie Morton's (mmm, burger) walking in with a lady (not Trista).
From Romenesko comes my favorite newspaper correction of the day. The Philadelphia Daily News, on listing Johnny Unitas in its birthdays column yesterday: "He remains dead and did not celebrate his 70th birthday."
Rate-A-Restaurant, #12 in a series
Restaurant: Marino Ristorante
Location: 6001 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (Hollywood)
Type of restaurant: Italian
What we ordered: Farfalle with smoked salmon (Mike); Pasta with lobster meat and red sauce (Maria)
We stipulated: Maria was craving Italian-- specifically, spaghetti with meatballs
High point: This is one of those classic Italian restaurants, not a flash-in-the-pan, of-the-moment joint. You can almost imagine Tony Soprano seeking out this place while visiting Los Angeles. Owner Mario still greets you on the way in or the way out.
Low point: Alas, no spaghetti and meatballs on the menu. Maria's jones wasn't satisfied. My dish was too saucy. Maybe it was just an off night-- it was raining outside, and that always throws everything off in Los Angeles.
Overall impression: Just OK.
Chance we will go back: Too many Italian restaurants, too little time. In other words, Marino won't make the regular rotation.
Restaurant: Marino Ristorante
Location: 6001 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (Hollywood)
Type of restaurant: Italian
What we ordered: Farfalle with smoked salmon (Mike); Pasta with lobster meat and red sauce (Maria)
We stipulated: Maria was craving Italian-- specifically, spaghetti with meatballs
High point: This is one of those classic Italian restaurants, not a flash-in-the-pan, of-the-moment joint. You can almost imagine Tony Soprano seeking out this place while visiting Los Angeles. Owner Mario still greets you on the way in or the way out.
Low point: Alas, no spaghetti and meatballs on the menu. Maria's jones wasn't satisfied. My dish was too saucy. Maybe it was just an off night-- it was raining outside, and that always throws everything off in Los Angeles.
Overall impression: Just OK.
Chance we will go back: Too many Italian restaurants, too little time. In other words, Marino won't make the regular rotation.
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
As a professional journalist, when is blatantly making up stories, lying to your editors and finally confessing to fabricating 27 major articles considered a good career move? Apparently when you're Stephen Glass. The former writer for The New Republic, who was fired five years ago for completely making up a series of major articles, has written a fictional account of his deceit--and how he ultimately got caught. According to the New York Times, "Mr. Glass has written a first-person account of an ambitious young journalist who slips from truth into reckless fraud, even concocting bogus notes and voice-mail messages to deceive editors and fact checkers." Glass' book, "The Fabulist," will be released next week by Simon & Schuster.
Growing up, I went to an all-girl catholic school founded by a spanish priest named Fr. Pedro Poveda. I've had many fond memories from that school and have made lifelong friends among my old classmates. While in school, there were many discussions of the martyrdom of Fr. Poveda and we were all awaiting his canonisation to become a saint. This past Sunday, May 4th, the pope granted 5 spaniards into sainthood including our very own St. Pedro Poveda!
Bad Movies I'm Obsessed With
As my interest in the history of Los Angeles has grown in recent years, particularly the pop culture of L.A.--its old landmarks, stores, restaurants and other haunts--I've thought of the 1980 movie "Midnight Madness." That pic--Disney's second-ever PG-rated movie, after "The Black Hole"-- revolved around teams of college kids racing throughout town overnight in an "Amazing Race"-style game.
Anyone who had HBO in the early 1980s remembers the movie well; the pay cable channel ran it endlessly. The movie, notable for the big screen debuts of Michael J. Fox and Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens, follows the exploits of five teams assembled by eccentric college student Leon, who has concocted "The Great Allnighter," a scavenger hunt around Los Angeles. The teams were divided by color: The good guys who play fair (yellow), the cheaters led by Stephen Furst (blue), the nerds led by "Grease's" Eddie Deezen (white), the sorority sisters (red) and the beer-loving jocks (green).
Teams were given clues to solve, which led them to various L.A. destinations (such as LAX or the Griffith Obervatory), where they then had to find the next clue.
It was glorious early 80s fluff, in the same vein as "Xanadu" or anything else from that era. And, after months of half-heartedly looking for it in video stores, I discovered online that it was available on DVD! I ordered it and finally watched it last Thursday, when I was home sick.
It didn't disappoint. Even though it's been probably 15 years since I last saw it, I remembered many of the key scenes. (And it turns out I'm not the only one.)
Now, for something truly fascinating: A group of Microsoft employees, led by one former Floridian who was inspired by "Midnight Madness," have been conducting their own elaborate races for the past decade. Looking at their official website ("Game Control"), this isn't child's play. Billed "The Game," these amazing extravagant, big-budget, 24-hour annual affairs. Check out the Rolling Stone article [here]. (Scroll down.)
As my interest in the history of Los Angeles has grown in recent years, particularly the pop culture of L.A.--its old landmarks, stores, restaurants and other haunts--I've thought of the 1980 movie "Midnight Madness." That pic--Disney's second-ever PG-rated movie, after "The Black Hole"-- revolved around teams of college kids racing throughout town overnight in an "Amazing Race"-style game.
Anyone who had HBO in the early 1980s remembers the movie well; the pay cable channel ran it endlessly. The movie, notable for the big screen debuts of Michael J. Fox and Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens, follows the exploits of five teams assembled by eccentric college student Leon, who has concocted "The Great Allnighter," a scavenger hunt around Los Angeles. The teams were divided by color: The good guys who play fair (yellow), the cheaters led by Stephen Furst (blue), the nerds led by "Grease's" Eddie Deezen (white), the sorority sisters (red) and the beer-loving jocks (green).
Teams were given clues to solve, which led them to various L.A. destinations (such as LAX or the Griffith Obervatory), where they then had to find the next clue.
It was glorious early 80s fluff, in the same vein as "Xanadu" or anything else from that era. And, after months of half-heartedly looking for it in video stores, I discovered online that it was available on DVD! I ordered it and finally watched it last Thursday, when I was home sick.
It didn't disappoint. Even though it's been probably 15 years since I last saw it, I remembered many of the key scenes. (And it turns out I'm not the only one.)
Now, for something truly fascinating: A group of Microsoft employees, led by one former Floridian who was inspired by "Midnight Madness," have been conducting their own elaborate races for the past decade. Looking at their official website ("Game Control"), this isn't child's play. Billed "The Game," these amazing extravagant, big-budget, 24-hour annual affairs. Check out the Rolling Stone article [here]. (Scroll down.)
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
For the Hawaii people in tha house, comes word that Honolulu news uber-anchor Joe Moore, who has led the No. 1 newscast in the islands for almost 20 years, is indeed a fraud. Moore does little actual work in his job as KHON-TV newsreader, which allows him ridiculous side hobbies, like portraying Will Rogers and writing poorly done plays. His latest, "Dirty Laundry," which was recently performed at the Hawaii Theater, revolved around a broadcaster juggling a need for ratings with his own personal ethics.
The irony, of course, is that Joe Moore has no ethics. His play's plot was ripped off from a bad 1986 TV movie "News at Eleven," according to the Honolulu Advertiser (which put together an extensive chart chronicling the similarities).
For us in Los Angeles, the parallel is recently deposed KNBC weatherman Christopher Nance, who was finally sacked after it was revealed that he basically blackmailed elementary schools into buying stacks and stacks of his kids' books in exchange for a school visit and an appearance on KNBC's "Today in L.A." show. The married Nance (whose wife has her own legal problems, but that's another story) was also accused of harrassing and carrying on with a number of interns.
Yet there was Christopher Nance at the Los Angeles Times Book Fair a few weekends ago, posing for pictures and signing his kids books! No shame.
The irony, of course, is that Joe Moore has no ethics. His play's plot was ripped off from a bad 1986 TV movie "News at Eleven," according to the Honolulu Advertiser (which put together an extensive chart chronicling the similarities).
For us in Los Angeles, the parallel is recently deposed KNBC weatherman Christopher Nance, who was finally sacked after it was revealed that he basically blackmailed elementary schools into buying stacks and stacks of his kids' books in exchange for a school visit and an appearance on KNBC's "Today in L.A." show. The married Nance (whose wife has her own legal problems, but that's another story) was also accused of harrassing and carrying on with a number of interns.
Yet there was Christopher Nance at the Los Angeles Times Book Fair a few weekends ago, posing for pictures and signing his kids books! No shame.
The L.A. Times follows up on the area code madness mentioned below with a story today about the importance of those three digits. It's a basic roundup of what's cool (310) and what's not (909), and even cites the same scene from "Swingers" I mention below. Gene "Bean" Baxter from KROQ's "Kevin and Bean Show" also weighs in on why the 909 represents "The Valley of the Dirt People."
Monday, May 5, 2003
Rate-A-Restaurant, #11 in a series
Restaurant: The Kitchen
Location: 4348 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles (Silver Lake)
Type of restaurant: American (traditional)
What we ordered: Buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes (Maria); special ahi with veggies and jasmine rice (Mike).
They stipulated: No reservations accepted; BYOB.
High point: Ahh, comfort food. As the CitySearch review says, The Kitchen brings a dose of "Good old-fashioned home cooking, with a sophisticated streak." The prices are reasonable, and it's always great to be able to bring your own beverages. We brought a bottle of Charles Shaw Savignon Blanc (the ubiquitous "Two Buck Chuck"--see below). The buttermilk fried chicken is the way to go. Moist, delicious. The ambiance is homey yet hectic-- simple surroundings, and not too crowded (we immediate got a seat) but still alive. One more high point: BIG portions.
Low point: Didn't love the ahi tuna. Perhaps the rule is to stick with the regular menu.
Overall impression: Thumbs up!
Chance we will go back: This is our second visit, and not our last. Viva BYOB!
Restaurant: The Kitchen
Location: 4348 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles (Silver Lake)
Type of restaurant: American (traditional)
What we ordered: Buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes (Maria); special ahi with veggies and jasmine rice (Mike).
They stipulated: No reservations accepted; BYOB.
High point: Ahh, comfort food. As the CitySearch review says, The Kitchen brings a dose of "Good old-fashioned home cooking, with a sophisticated streak." The prices are reasonable, and it's always great to be able to bring your own beverages. We brought a bottle of Charles Shaw Savignon Blanc (the ubiquitous "Two Buck Chuck"--see below). The buttermilk fried chicken is the way to go. Moist, delicious. The ambiance is homey yet hectic-- simple surroundings, and not too crowded (we immediate got a seat) but still alive. One more high point: BIG portions.
Low point: Didn't love the ahi tuna. Perhaps the rule is to stick with the regular menu.
Overall impression: Thumbs up!
Chance we will go back: This is our second visit, and not our last. Viva BYOB!
West Hollywood has become the first city in the country to ban the declawing of cats. Apparently West Hollywood is quite a pet-friendly town. The city council next plans to take on ear cropping and tail docking.
Apparently more speeders than ever are getting caught going over 100 mph. Ahem. My recent speeding ticket wasn't quite that bad; but then again, I was on surface streets. According to the L.A. Times, in 1992, the California Highway Patrol handed out tickets to 5,290 drivers for going over 100, compared with 15,372 last year.
Speeders, take note: High ticket areas include the 17-mile Baker Grade on Interstate 15 southbound from Las Vegas and Interstate 10 from Banning through Indio, CHP officials said.
Speeders, take note: High ticket areas include the 17-mile Baker Grade on Interstate 15 southbound from Las Vegas and Interstate 10 from Banning through Indio, CHP officials said.
Saturday, May 3, 2003
Eavesdropping on the Rich and Famous
Maria and I were at dinner Friday night at the Italian joint Marino's when toward the end of dinner, we noticed the loud conversation going on a few tables down. The restaurant was nearly empty, and we were stuffed with pasta, that we couldn't help but hear. Turns out it was B-level celebs Mike O'Malley ("Yes, Dear") and Michael Badalucco ("The Practice"). Apparently Badalucco received word that his household had been randomly selected to receive a Nielsen diary for the May sweeps. So talk turned to how they might fill out this diary. O'Malley suggested that he make sure to write down "Yes, Dear," of course. There was also discussion of writing down Aaron Brown's show from CNN-- apparently they like the anchor, but can't stand Anderson Cooper (a personal favorite of Maria's and mine, by the way). Talk then turned into a discussion of certain network executives, but I won't get into that.
Maria and I were at dinner Friday night at the Italian joint Marino's when toward the end of dinner, we noticed the loud conversation going on a few tables down. The restaurant was nearly empty, and we were stuffed with pasta, that we couldn't help but hear. Turns out it was B-level celebs Mike O'Malley ("Yes, Dear") and Michael Badalucco ("The Practice"). Apparently Badalucco received word that his household had been randomly selected to receive a Nielsen diary for the May sweeps. So talk turned to how they might fill out this diary. O'Malley suggested that he make sure to write down "Yes, Dear," of course. There was also discussion of writing down Aaron Brown's show from CNN-- apparently they like the anchor, but can't stand Anderson Cooper (a personal favorite of Maria's and mine, by the way). Talk then turned into a discussion of certain network executives, but I won't get into that.
Maria and I have been on the "Two-Buck-Chuck" kick for months now. If you're not hip to the Trader Joe's groove, that's the $1.99 Charles Shaw wine that's sold exclusively at TJ's and manufactured by Bronco Wine Co. Bronco took advantage of a wine grape glut in California, bought up a host of vineyards' excess grapes and has now bottled millions and millions of cases of cheap wine. The upshoot: Wine experts say it's not bad stuff. It's probably the equivalent of $15 wine, they say, and is an excellent starter wine for people just getting into the stuff.
It's become so popular, according to the L.A. Times, that 2 million cases have been shipped to Trader Joe's in just the first four months of 2003-- and it now accounts for 19 percent of all wine sold in California--amazing! It's now making other vinters pretty nervous.
Of course, the wine grape glut can't last forever. And rivals wonder if people will be willing to buy "Three Buck-" or "Four Buck Chuck." I know we're going to go out and stock up now.
Other interesting stuff in today's paper:
:: Trapped underneath a boulder, losing hope that rescuers would ever find him, hiker Aron Ralston decided after five days to take his pocketknife and amputate his arm below the elbow. Uh, yuck. But he survived. And was eventually found. [Link]
::A rather vicious pit bull has scared away the Postal Service from delivering mail in a Watts neighborhood. Because of the dog, the residents haven't received mail in two weeks. [Link]
It's become so popular, according to the L.A. Times, that 2 million cases have been shipped to Trader Joe's in just the first four months of 2003-- and it now accounts for 19 percent of all wine sold in California--amazing! It's now making other vinters pretty nervous.
Of course, the wine grape glut can't last forever. And rivals wonder if people will be willing to buy "Three Buck-" or "Four Buck Chuck." I know we're going to go out and stock up now.
Other interesting stuff in today's paper:
:: Trapped underneath a boulder, losing hope that rescuers would ever find him, hiker Aron Ralston decided after five days to take his pocketknife and amputate his arm below the elbow. Uh, yuck. But he survived. And was eventually found. [Link]
::A rather vicious pit bull has scared away the Postal Service from delivering mail in a Watts neighborhood. Because of the dog, the residents haven't received mail in two weeks. [Link]
So I failed to update you guys on my SARS status yesterday. Might have even made you wonder if I was carrying around the nasty little bug.
Or not.
But anyway, I'm obviously fine. I even went into work yesterday, but didn't get a chance to blog. For the record, no more fever. Still have a little cough, and some aches in the neck, but that's about it. I'll give a shout out to my dawg Ibuprofen, which got me through that wack sick day. Word.
Or not.
But anyway, I'm obviously fine. I even went into work yesterday, but didn't get a chance to blog. For the record, no more fever. Still have a little cough, and some aches in the neck, but that's about it. I'll give a shout out to my dawg Ibuprofen, which got me through that wack sick day. Word.
Thursday, May 1, 2003
Yes, I'm sick today. No, I don't have SARS. At least I don't think so.
I've gotten way too much mileage out of that joke. And if I don't mention SARS, someone else will make a crack. I suppose it's the best way to deal with the SCREAMING COVERAGE OF SARS WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!
If I didn't know any better--and perhaps I don't--I'd say that SARS' appearance seems a little too coincidental. After all, this is May sweeps. And what do local TV stations like better than scary exposes about dangerous things we know too little about (Boo!).
I know, it's a little ridiculous to go on about SARS. The odds are more likely that I'd catch the flu or pneumonia than SARS. (Hmmm... not making me feel any better!)
Just to check, however, I surfed over to MSNBC's Why You Should Panic over SARS page. It lists the symptoms as follows:
It usually begins with a fever greater than 100.4°F. That is sometimes associated with chills, headache, general feeling of discomfort and/or body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset.
After two to seven days, SARS patients might develop a dry cough that increases in severity. Significant lung congestion and a lack of oxygen to one’s blood can follow.
Hmm...OK, I got the fever (101°F at 6:15 p.m.). I've had a headache. Some body aches, but mostly in the neck (think they're my lymph nodes). Little bit of a dry cough, but not too serious.
What does this all mean? Hell if I know. But those MSNBC SARS symptoms could be symptoms for just about any cold or flu!
I've gotten way too much mileage out of that joke. And if I don't mention SARS, someone else will make a crack. I suppose it's the best way to deal with the SCREAMING COVERAGE OF SARS WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!
If I didn't know any better--and perhaps I don't--I'd say that SARS' appearance seems a little too coincidental. After all, this is May sweeps. And what do local TV stations like better than scary exposes about dangerous things we know too little about (Boo!).
I know, it's a little ridiculous to go on about SARS. The odds are more likely that I'd catch the flu or pneumonia than SARS. (Hmmm... not making me feel any better!)
Just to check, however, I surfed over to MSNBC's Why You Should Panic over SARS page. It lists the symptoms as follows:
It usually begins with a fever greater than 100.4°F. That is sometimes associated with chills, headache, general feeling of discomfort and/or body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset.
After two to seven days, SARS patients might develop a dry cough that increases in severity. Significant lung congestion and a lack of oxygen to one’s blood can follow.
Hmm...OK, I got the fever (101°F at 6:15 p.m.). I've had a headache. Some body aches, but mostly in the neck (think they're my lymph nodes). Little bit of a dry cough, but not too serious.
What does this all mean? Hell if I know. But those MSNBC SARS symptoms could be symptoms for just about any cold or flu!
Around Los Angeles
You've probably never noticed it before, even if you pass by the intersection of Vermont and Santa Monica boulevards. But stationed smack dab in the middle of a shopping center parking lot is one of Los Angeles' lesser known--and more bizarre--works of public art. "Vermonica" is the name given to a collection of 25 lamp posts stationed one right next to each other. Yes, lamp posts. But these 25 come in all shapes, sizes and designs and come from a variety of Los Angeles neighborhoods, past and present. Driving home earlier this week, I drove through the parking lot right at dusk to catch a glimpse of the display. The lights work and, one next to the other, make for quite a startling sight in an otherwise drab, typical strip shopping center. According to the L.A. Times, the collection of vintage streetlights were erected in 1990 and were only supposed to stay there one year--but they proved so popular, that they still light up the night sky, over 10 years later.
You've probably never noticed it before, even if you pass by the intersection of Vermont and Santa Monica boulevards. But stationed smack dab in the middle of a shopping center parking lot is one of Los Angeles' lesser known--and more bizarre--works of public art. "Vermonica" is the name given to a collection of 25 lamp posts stationed one right next to each other. Yes, lamp posts. But these 25 come in all shapes, sizes and designs and come from a variety of Los Angeles neighborhoods, past and present. Driving home earlier this week, I drove through the parking lot right at dusk to catch a glimpse of the display. The lights work and, one next to the other, make for quite a startling sight in an otherwise drab, typical strip shopping center. According to the L.A. Times, the collection of vintage streetlights were erected in 1990 and were only supposed to stay there one year--but they proved so popular, that they still light up the night sky, over 10 years later.
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