Franklin Avenue

Best of the Best
Picked up the copy of this year's L.A. Weekly "Best of L.A." issue. First impression: I like the perfect bounding! For once, it may lend to actually keeping the issue on hand for the whole year.

You know how it goes. You pick up these plump editions, thumb through, but never really get a chance to thoroughly read it. But you don't want to throw it away -- after all, some undiscovered gem of an L.A. attraction might be hidden inside, so you hold on to it.

But it's still a newspaper. It eventually yellows, and simply leaves a pile somewhere, since you can't really file it away. And eventually, out of frustration, you throw it away. And wait for the following year's edition.

Which is now here. And quickly answers the question, "How many Best Video Store categories can the Weekly fit into one 'Best of LA' issue?"
The answer: 7. Best Westside Video Store (Vidiots), Best Cult Videos (Jerry's Videos), Best Video Store for Chantal Akerman Buffs (Cinefile), Best Neighborhood Video Store (Video Journeys), Best Hong Kong Video Shopping (San Gabriel Square), and... Best Video Store (Eddie Brandt's Saturday Matinee).

Some familiar faves make the list, like everyone's favorite Thai Elvis, Kavee Thongpricha, whose car is named "Best Shrine to Elvis."

And although it's been several, several years since I last did this, I remember the sneaky thrill of going to a test audience screening ("Best Reason to Approach a Man Wielding a Clipboard"). The movie was "A Life Less Ordinary," the forgettable Ewan McGregor flick. I remember writing some real nasty comments. Still wonder if the 20th execs who read my rants actually did something about it -- 'cause I sure never saw it when it actually came out.

For "Best Gas," the paper discovers a site Maria wrote about several months ago: losangelesgasprices.com.

"Best Regular Comedy Gig"-- Kathy Griffin, Wednesday nights at the Laugh Factory, which I still need to see. "Best Radio Show," Garth Trinidad's "Chocolate City" on KCRW...hmmm... perhaps. I especially still love the way Garth says "Chocolate City." ("Phil Hendrie Show" fans, no sweat, his KFI gig was named "Best Talk Show.")

Actually like the choice of "Best New Walking Neighborhood," the stretch of Cahuenga Blvd. between Sunset and Hollywood. Anything that includes Amoeba Music and the Hotel Cafe has potential.

And our favorite place to learn how to make yummy dishes, Culver City's New School of Cooking, came away with the bizarre "Best Place to Sharpen Your Knife Skills" nod.

On the food tip, the L.A. Weekly discovers lechon, naming Toto's Lechon Manok as its "Best Pig on a Stick." ("Best Halo-Halo," meanwhile, goes to Max's of Manila -- the fried chicken joint in Glendale, while even Jollibee makes the list, landing "Best Fast-Food Breakfast." I still think they have the best fast-food spaghetti, and ube shakes.)

Our neighborhood House of Pies is named "Best Coffee Shop in Which to Write a Screenplay." The Weekly totally gets it wrong by naming Xiomara the "Best Mojito," something we disagreed with in our Rate-a-Restaurant review.

Caffe Latte, down the street from the office on Wilshire, is named "Best Coffee Bar for Hotties." And the downtown Standard? "Best Depravity Among the Stars."