Living Los Angeles

North Shore Joyriding

2010-11-26T17:08:00.001-08:00

Driving down North Shore listening to the Oahu’s Island Jams while the 80 degree breeze combs through your face as easy as a feather through the sky, you get a new appreciation for the word “joy ride”. As you are listening to Kolohe Kai’s “cool down” going 65 mph, you are at near disbelief at how deep the clear blue sky can be, how healthy green the lush mountain paves the skyline, born from the very dragon’s skin that cuts across the horizontal vantage point of paradise. The Pacific waters dancing in sync with the flow of the natural backdrop of mother earth, calling mortals to pause in awe of its earth glory.

The best weather (http://gohawaii.about.com/cs/travelplanner/ht/when_to_visit.htm) to do a locomotion tour is during April to October, when the sun is high, the ocean temperature is around 74 to 80 degrees, and the humidity is just wet enough to cool you down from the radiant sun bath. Rent a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Expedition (http://repairpal.com/ford-expedition-2004) since both cars are made for rugged off-roading and long distance travel. If you are driving a used car or any kind of car that isn’t quite built for dirt mounds or rocky roads, make sure you are prepared to do a thorough inspection of your car (See Spaishee Savvy Tip on Off Roading Preparation below).

North Shore is known for its surf and turf. Not only is it a great place to catch waves, but it also has places where you can go horseback riding, hiking, shrimp truck eating, and touring. Home of the Dole Plantation and the Polynesian Cultural Center, this place is the feng shui epitome of mountain-ocean harmony not to mention agriculturally attuned to mother nature. So when planning your stay at Oahu, be sure to reserve a few days to stake out the tourist hot spots. Rent/borrow your drop top or off road cruiser because the scenic view is one of the best parts of island exploration.

Spaishee Savvy Tip on Off-Roading Preparation:

If you are renting the car, like most mainlanders are, here are some basic questions you should ask for about your rental car:

Mileage (If the car has a mileage of more than 30,000, don’t rent from that store, since most rental dealerships sell their cars after 15,000-30,000 miles)
smog check
Tire rotation and pressure
where the jack and spare tires are
size for clearance
Brakes

If you are lucky enough to have a local as a friend but not quite lucky enough that you end up driving an old car,here are some things that you should check in addition to the inspection bulleted above:

hoses, belts, and filters (i.e. If timing belt has been replaced (http://repairpal.com/timing-belt-replacement )
Check engine’s computer and air intake for maximum water intake
Axle’s and differentials
Batteries
Brakes
Fluids:oil, transmission, brake, radiator coolant, gear oils, wipers, power steering,

For more detailed information, check out about.com’s “How to do a 4WD Vehicle Inspection” http://4wheeldrive.about.com/cs/checklists/a/aa121901a_2.htm or the encyclopedia section of repairpal.com’s webpage (http://repairpal.com/phoenix-auto-repair) gives a thorough explanation on what each part does for a car, when to replace it, and why it’s neccessary to do so at that stage.

Pho Hana

2010-08-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Normally when you think authentic “Vietnamese” or “Korean” or “Chinese”, you’d probably expect the workers, cook, or at least the owner to be of that ethnicity to claim the title “authentic”. So when I first stepped into Hana Pho, I was a little bit on my guard when I realized that the waiters, cook, and owners were all Korean. Boy was I pleasantly surprised when I tried their Pho-- it was PHO-Tastic! I tried the brisket pho, also known as Phở bò chín nạc and it was so tender it just softened instantly upon oral contact. The hot soup was cultivated with a medley of spices: star anise, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and cardamom, thoroughly infused with beef marrow slow cooked hours upon hours to finally be before us. While the soup is still boiling hot and right before they serve the bowl, the cook would put thin white rice noodles, also called Bahn Rice Noodles or you’ll also hear it being referred to as Bahn Pho Noodles.

The downside to this restaurant is two folds: 1) They don’t rinse their dishes well so the soap suds float in the soup. 2)Once in a blue moon, they’ll serious undercook or overcook their bahn pho noodles, causing the whole pleasant experience to turn 180 . With regards to the first point, my growling stomach and serious penchant for pho flavor seem to overlook this detail. With the latter point, it was so traumatizing that I took a three month hiatus to hunt for other pho restaurants. However, it’s like that ex you still keep around in your life—you know it’s bad for you, but you just keep going back. Blues Traveler said it best, “The Hook brings you back”. For Hana Pho, their brisket pho is my hook.

Best Fusion Seafood at Roy

2010-08-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

The best part of Hawaii isn’t the subtropical Mediterranean climate, the crystal blue green ocean, or the laid back islander pace of life. Okay, I lied. Those are all the best parts of Hawaii. But the cherry on top of your drool worthy paradise of a life is the food. And it’s not just any good fashioned Hawaiian meal, but the best of Asian/Polynesian food refined down generations and across the Pacific belly flopped into a pool of Western heartiness. Then take those traditional recipes, approach it with a think outside of the box redefinition of “Korean food” or “Italian food” or any other ethnic food by sculpting it together, and create the posh candle lit ambience of class and voila! What you have is Roy’s.

Roy Yamaguchi, a world renowned chef and James Beard Winner, opened his first high end fusion restaurant in 1988 with the vision of bringing the best Hawaiian fusion seafood there is to offer. Since then, he has opened an additional 30 restaurants. Then again, it isn’t much of a surprise that such a top rate restaurant can be so successful and spread its wings so internationally when you sink your teeth into their Misoyaki marinated Butterfish. It just melts in your mouth, carrying with it an explosion of spices and Umami like flavor. We ordered the Roy Sampler, which is a serious understatement for four of Roy Yamaguchi’s Original Hawaiian Fusion Classics; The entree sampler included Roy’s Original Blackened Island Ahi with Spicy Soy Mustard, Misoyaki Marinated Butterfish with Sweet Ginger Wasabi Butter, Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahimahi with Maine Lobster Essence, and Jade Pesto Steamed Opah with Chinese Style Sizzling Soy Sauce.

Another fulfilling signature dish is the Uncle Roy’s Pulehu combo dish. It includes the Hibachi Grilled Salmon, Mongolian Spiced Baby Ribs, Paniolo BBQ Glazed Shrimp. Yes, at this restaurant you can have your cake and eat it too! This three entree combo gives you sizeable portions that will leave you with a full belly and a mouth over stimulated. It is worthy of every molecule of saliva you render for mastication.

Not to mention, the top notch services of Aloha hospitality. Our waiter kept on coming back every ten minutes with a big smile asking if we needed any other accommodations but not before breaking down the menu for us, giving us the Roy’s nightly specials. I can only attest for the those two dishes as being the signature dishes you would find at any Roy’s restaurant. However, every Roy’s restaurant has their own eccentric platters they serve and the dinner menu changes nightly and depending on location.

So if you’re looking for a romantic night out or just want to experience quality seafood dining with an aloha welcome, then give your Uncle Roy a call!

Technorati Tags: Roys,fusion seafood,dining

Skydive Hawaii

2010-08-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Location: Skydive Hawaii @ Dillingham Airfield

Entertainment Value: Free falling @ around 115 MPH, 14,500 feet above ground, 10 minutes of cold sweaty anticipation from the time you got on the plane to the time you got off it, your hang loose surfer type Tandem master who tells you that it's his second time sky diving after you asked him the 60 million dollar question every tourist/first time sky diver asks, the priceless picture of your Picasso morphed mug as your cheeks flails about like the Pillsbury doughboy's love handles.

Entertainment Cost: $125 (w/o coupon it's $150) + Tip (That's important!) + $100 photographer (Highly recommended since it's not a weekly sport activity)

Food Cost: Don’t eat before you dive if you can’t handle the world’s most spin filled ride ever (keep on reading for more information)

What’s more frightening than the actual thought of skydiving and even the actual jump itself is the Life Waiver you’ll have to sign prior to being strapped onto a stranger and jumping out of the Cessna Caravan 14,000 feet above ground, basically stating that you are fully aware that there is a possibility of serious injury or death. It goes on and talks about the different methods of dying such as an airplane crash, a parachute malfunction, heart attack, etc. It then taunts you by saying, “Most people never sky dive. You don’t have to sky dive…” which is like a fat freckled fourth grader putting his thumbs in his ear and his tongue sticking out saying, “You big pussy”. So of course, you take the dare and go for it, signing your life away.

I recommend making an appointment for the first appointment of the day. That’s because once the first group of sky divers go, it takes about a good hour or two of waiting time, giving you ample time to imagine all the possibilities of what can go wrong, before you get to even sit on the back of the pickup truck that’s going to take you to the airfield. Then it’ll be another 16 1/2 minutes before you can feel your heart steady and your breathing pattern even out. It takes about 10-12 minutes to takeoff, 2 minutes of watching others jump off the plane, and 30 seconds of free falling and 1 minute of vertical spinning and gliding. With that said, I would recommend volunteering to dive first unless you want to be the only one sweating bricks while others are already pumping adrenaline and epinephrine with the air smashing your face while you freefall at 110 mph.

The only Warning I have are for those who are easily nauseated or disoriented from spinning. If you are easily dizzy from rides like Alice in the Wonderland’s Mad Hatter teacup party at Disneyland or a spinout ride at your local carnival, then you might need to go on an empty stomach and close your eyes for the last half of the jump. When the parachute releases, the Tandem master will make some adjustments on the straps to navigate you towards your landing mark that will inevitably cause you to spin, spin, spin spin spin spin, and spin. As somebody who avidly enjoys upside down, sideway, freefall, super speed spinning, all freestyle motion rides, even I had trouble with nausea (and possibly vertigo?) when the the Pacific Ocean swarmed around me like a teal colored hoola hoop and while the gravitational pull spun me down like a tornado.

Right before landing, you’ll even have to do a bit of a leg lift so that the Tandem master could place his wheels-on-tarmac landing. Your butt might hit the ground before your marbles are together, but when you initially put your foot on the ground, the after feeling makes it all worth the anxiety. When you’re done, it’s like you’ve just gotten out of a terrible dare devil stunt unscathed. The rush is amazing, you’re still feeling high from the spare adrenaline, and you feel even more lucky to be alive than twenty minutes earlier.

The experience is a high like no other.

525,600 Minutes of Measuring Up

2010-08-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

Rent @ Hollywood Bowl

How does RENT, a 14 year long standing rock musical sensation with an all star Bohemian cast, light up Hollywood Bowl's stage? For starters, it's definitely a unique Broadway show that brings in a lot of flash, crash, and crazy performances from better than average actors and actresses. Compared to the movie, the live show was a lot more hectic and the average RENT Newb might be lost in the scuffle of quick jabs and one sentence sinkers. The plot is rather complicated, especially in the beginning with so many characters that all live within the one block radius of the Lower East Side slums of transients, vagabonds, artists, and aspiring wannabes. Despite the complicated plot, the energy on stage sustains the interest and allows us to get lost in the spirit of sing songs rather than analyzing the plot. Compared to the movie Rent, the play's enthusiasm for LA Bohemia is more lucid and unsurpassed by other versions, allowing for die hard Rent Fans to cheer, sing along, and laugh to the rhythm and lyrics.

What makes this show rather fascinating is that it juxtaposes the macabre with the lighthearted matter of fact ease throughout the play's tempo. Take the aspiring rocker nostalgic for his ex girlfriend who died of AIDS and longing to write that great "One Song Glory" before the "virus takes over, glory". Ironically, he falls for a heroin addict moonlight dancer, who seduces him through "lighting her candle". This is all set within the context of a HIV ridden community, when they confess to each other that they are HIV positive along with their homosexual, bisexual, and straight support group friends.

For the sober person, this is one hell of a "far out" ride--take Maureen's protest against corporate housing take over. In her solo, "Over the Moon", between talks of suckling milk from cow and a "suicidal Mickey Mouse", I was already lost in space. I guess it takes a few liberal La Vie Boheme conspirators and thinkers to get the inside joke. As for me, I am just fascinated by the dichotomy of love and lust, freedom and entrapment, the beautiful and the ugly all in packaged in hues of rainbow colors and catchy hooks. This is really one think outside of the box Broadway show--maybe so far out, you'd look back only to find the box looking like a dot in space.

Transportation buses will take you to and from Hollywood Bowl. Just check your local metro bus stations.

Parking $16 Stacked Parking. 10-20 minutes wait after the show is over. Highland Ave on a Sunday evening @11:30pm

Technorati Tags: Rent,Hollywood Bowl,Bohemian

Fashionably Smart

2010-08-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

LA Fashion District

Location: Olympic St. and 11th St, Downtown Los Angeles

Entertainment Value: Comparing prices, haggling, and feeling the high of getting more for less

LA's best deals on dresses, shoes, garments, and anything textile will have to be the Downtown Fashion District. This is the tour de force of clothes shopping--before it goes out to your local Charlotte Rousse, Forever 21, or any of the other popular retail stores that jack up the price to rip you off, this is where buyers come to get their supplies. The more middle men you skip, the more you save. Don't get me wrong--this doesn't mean you won't be ripped off here. In fact, if you look like a rich tourist that doesn't know what the heck you're doing, then most likely they will charge you 10 or 20 dollars over what they would charge a negotiator.

Need a wedding dress? How about buying a beautiful brand new one between 200-400 dollars? Or if you need shoes, there are an endless array of sandals, four inch platforms, boots, etc. between 10-20 dollars (although most smart buyers would haggle $20 shoes down to at least $17). My particular mission that day was to buy two dresses for my one year annivesary photo session with my husband. I wanted to buy a formal evening gown and a casual summer dress for the day time.

I didn't even fully leave the parking structure when a store with low cut satin colored dresses on manikins captured my attention. It was an all occasions, all designs, patterns, textures, you name it type of dress store. And if you can't name it there, well then, go to another store! There were at least 5 other dress stores within a one block radius. We (my wing-girl Lisa and I) ended up finding a lovely halter top v cut summer dress; It is two tiered--the bottom layer a green nylon stretch that hugs your body with a brown net on top blending the green into a forrest green with a brown glow. Asking price was $75+ tax, and I bargained it down to $65 no tax.

We also saw some amazing shops that sold vintage clothing as well as costume clothing. One clear example was a store that sold only Victorian dresses, all handcrafted. It even came in junior sizes as well as baby sizes. It included accessories such as hair bands, pins, and shoes, the works.

The best deal I got was a tube top evening gown that looked like a bridal gown. It had the side drape fit and flair with intricate shiny beads sewn in. At David Bridal, it was $449. The one I got was pretty similar to the picture below and it only cost me $100 (no tax).

Fifteen minutes before the store closed, I had managed to bargain down a dress that was orginally quoted as $75 and bargained it down to $35. I still didn't take it because it just didn't have the wow factor for me. But, it goes to show that with the right haggling skills, you can really get a good deal.

On Bargaining (aka haggling): So you may not like the practice of haggling. You might complain that it is tedious, time consuming, or too confrontational. Well, like any other game that tests your wits, it is about understanding how to put on your poker face. Remember, when you really want an item, don't go gaga over it or make an enthusiastic display for it, or else they'll give you the retail price for it. Stay cool. Give it the once over and then move on to another item that you absolutely have no interest in. Look hesitant. You may even use your wingman or wingwoman to do a bit of a show in front of the seller. First you ask the storeowner for the price. Then you give a 30-60 second pause, as if brooding on the topic. You might want to even give the seller an intense quick stare, as if to say, "C'mon, you can do better than that". If you don't have the gonads or ovaries to stare a stranger point blank, then do it towards the merchandise, but with an apathetic stare. Poker face. Next, engage your friend in a pre-rehearsed dialogue, "What do you think?" you say. Wingman says, "Eh, it's alright. I mean it does look good on you, but I think I saw another place that's cheaper." That's when you look back at the seller and offer a price normally 5-10 dollars below your targeted price ( Note: you don't want to lowball the price too much or the seller might get offended). The seller will most likely give you some reasons why it's worth much more than your bid, but will give you a compliment, like "I like you. I give you good deal", then offer either your targeted price or will bend only slightly lower (around $3-$5 lower than the original asking price).

If you're one of those people that just likes to feel that you've won something, like a consolation prize from throw a ring in the coke bottle booth or an argument over which Joes Bros has the hotter ass, then you may stop here. Afterall, they deserve every dollar they earn for their daily hustle and bustle, especially if you can afford it. I mean, if you had planned on buying at the retail price from the mall for the same merchandise, you still would have gotten a better deal with the shop owner's initial asking price. Then, the way I look at it is, why not just give the money to the frontmen and the small business owners instead of the big corporations?

But, if you would like to really haggle and squeeze every penny that could maximize your savings, balancing between being thrifty and not pissing off the store owner, then you'll have to do some planning ahead.

There are a couple of tips that will help hone your bargaining prowess:

1. Arrive right before store closing: They'll want to just be done with their last sale

2. Really give them a run around for the money: If they invested enough time on you, then they're most likely going to give you a better deal if you hesitate or try to leave the store empty handed. They don't like wasting sales effort.

3. Bring a friend: A back and forth dialogue of uncertainty. Play good copy, bad cop so that this uncertainty can become your bargaining chip.

4. Bring cash! Cash brings leverage. Most store owners prefer cash so that they don't have to report it. They calculate that into

Technorati Tags: fashion district,bargaining,dresses,downtown

bargaining package.

Overall, I would recommend taking a weekend or weekday (before 6:00pm) to go shopping with your girlfriend or boyfriend. Just be sure equip yourself with a sharp eye and a sharp tongue.

Drink.Eat.Play

2010-08-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Paramount Studios Block Party

Location: 5555 Melrose Ave, Hollywood CA 90038

Entertainment Value: All you can drink beer, Eat.Drink.Play Beer Mug, Roach Coach gallore, live music, and sampling international hard to find beer brands
Entertainment Cost: $30
Food Cost: $10-$20 depending on what you want & which roach coach you want it from

What's cooler than an ice cold refreshing beer on tap? How about getting your own souvenir mug to drink from? Or how about getting to sample dozens of different name brands, some of which are rare, borderline weird? Hmm. Or how about walking around a New York backdrop inside the set of Paramount Studios? Well...Then how about drinking while the DJ spins live hip hop, trip hop, and pop round the clock with speakers set all around the block? Then add dozens of roach coaches serving their eccentric food items? Enter hundreds of young beer lovers like you who are there to cruise through the booze, dance to the mix, and fraternize? So what is really cooler than an ice cold refreshing beer on tap? How about having it all? Yes, at this block party, you can pay for your beer and drink it too!

Never mind the fact that this block party gives you access into Paramount Studios, a paradise for starstruck Joes like me and a go-to site for Hollywood's best actors, producers, screen writers, extras, agents, stage developers, etc. This is where the magic all happens and it is apparently where all the magic water happens to be at on this fine occasion. Passing through side door entrance on Gower St. felt like sneaking into Charlie and the Chocolate Factory--it was exciting, it was new, and I was curious as hell as to what it would look like in there. Needless to say, I was not disappointed, although a little bit surprised. In many ways the back lot of a multi billion dollar company like Paramount studios looked mundane--I mean clean like a University dormitory, but very ordinary. I had expected some one way glass mirrors, solar powered robots hovering over ground running their errands, or at least a Saturday afternoon bombarded with busy people running around for a set. However, it was not only peaceful with scarcely a worker on site, but the offices were plain beige buildings with golden placards tagging buildings that would say "Lucille Ball" or empty carts next to big banners that said, "Congratulations to so and so for blah blah Emmy nominations". It was just all to paradoxical for me. Just like walking into the main lot, where star trailers were staggered together like the Metrobus lot on Sundays. As we almost arrived at the entry way to the New York Street back lot, to our right was the famous Bronson Gate and to our left the Blue Sky B-Tank hungrily stealing the scenery with its massive facade of a cloud filled blue horizon putting all other backdrops to shame.

As soon we hit the NY set, the first thing I did was fill up my mug with Blue moon and with my husband's mug, Samuel Adam's Summer Ale--both well recognized brew brands in So Cal. While sipping away at the cold brew that tingled on the way down and double fisting through the crowd, I noticed the wide array of international and domestic beer brands that I've never even heard of (not that I'm a beer connoisseur or anything, but you're average Joe, aka me, would even have to do a double take on some of these eclectic brands). The range of beers go from light Pale lager such as Edison Light to American Strong ale's Arrogant Bastard. There were interesting international brew company brands like Czech's golden pilsner Bierbitzch, Japan's Sapporo, Tibetian's Chhaang, and Thailand's Singha, just to name a few. Domestic breweries such as Noble's Pale Ale, Bootleggers, Bitchcreek, and Sudwerk also made their mark. They even had drinks that weren't beer: Sailor Jerry Rum, Naja's herbal tea, Korea's Makgeolli--a milky off white rice wine, and Honest Tea giveaways by the bottle. As someone who likes fruity, carbonated drinks, my all time favorite beer at the festival was Hornsby's red apple and green apple Cider. It was so good, that half an hour later when I went back for a second round (which is out of the norm considering there were dozens of available beer booths there), they had ran out of the green apple flavor. Hornsby's Cider had the tang of Martinelli's apple cider with the malted fuzz of beer--light, cold, and smooth.

Not to mention the many different roach coaches out there. For those of you who don't know, roach coaches are your think outside of the box ice cream trucks and your old school taco trucks. Roach coaches are mobile trucks that travel from city to city hot spots feeding busy hungry businessmen and college students with their specialized menu items. Since the lucrative Kogi truck started, many entrepre-imitators have sprouted like California wildfire. What we have now is not only just a new wave of aesthetic enterprise but also a cultural fusion phenomenon. There were about 6-8 different food trucks at the party-- all different ethnic foods with its own unique flavor: Some highlights were: Delicious Meat's wraps from Turkey, Kogi's Korean BBQ burrito, Dim Sum's Peking duck taco, Don Chow's Spicy BBQ pork taco (Chino-Latino fusion), India Jones' curry, Fry Smith's Kimchi Pork Fries, Crepin Around's fluffy sweet crepes, and Mediterranean's sweetly layered Baclava and fruit kabob.

By the second hour, I was feeling pretty good along with 200 other people there. It was getting pretty obvious that everybody was buzzin when even the vendors were smiling for the camera and giving nice compliments such as, "cool tattoo" and "pretty lady" this and that. People asked about the camera, they asked about my blog, and they asked about where we're from. The point is when people ask you personal questions in LA, that is being more than friendly--that's being buzzin friendly--and that's when you know you are at a good block party. Soon, networking started, people danced to the rhythmn of the DJ's beat, cigarettes and cigars distributed around among newly shaken hands, and spirits lifted higher and higher along with the vibrant late afternoon air. Cool magic water, cool LA air, cool music, cool setting, and cool people. All around a cool day

Thrills and Oil Spills @ OC Fair

2010-07-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

Orange County Fair

Location: 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Entertainment Cost: Free during We Care Wednesdays

Entertainment Value: Scary Rides, Jumbo fried food, and lots of Carni lights
Food Value: Texas size, smoked, deep fried, battered, and Good All American Fat

What makes the OC fair such a horrendous place to have so much fun is its parking--getting there is like trudging through a game of solitaire--it just takes lots of patience, inching forward through bumper to bumper traffic, and paying for a space that took you twenty minutes to find, kind of like Costco Sundays. However, once you're at the Fairgrounds it all makes sense. This gianormous conglomerate of a "fair" is Carnival/Food Orgy/Music Festival all in one. No wonder everybody and their mommas want to come here.

American Idol Season Eight runner up winner Adam Lambert was headlining that evening's concerts of mini concerts. Though we didn't buy our tickets, we did catch the Lambert Fever from the crowds that were heading over to see him. Over at the free concerts section, there were many music renditions going on simultaneously. We witnessed a jazz band with the big cello and Jazz suits all worked up, we also heard a two man band playing oldies but goodies, "It's Raining Men, Hallelujah", and watch teeny boppers sing to Beyonce's "If you like then you shoulda put a ring on it...uh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh."

The food was deliciously unhealthy. We ate deep fried zucchini, deep fried Australian potato "chips", Crispy Creme chicken sandwich ( which is essentially two jelly donuts sandwiching a chicken with honey drippings as the condiment), jumbo corn dogs, jumbo turkey legs, and even the fries there are jumbo sized. It's a delight while you're eating it but maybe five or ten minutes afterwards, your body feels like it just woke up next to a hooker---just downright dirty. But boy was it good when you were gobbling all that oil and saturated lard down.

Two things about the OC fair that beats Disneyland hands down: 1) Smoked Turkey Legs (it's fresher, smokier, and juicier) and 2) Scary rides.

Note that I said "scary" not "fun", although personally I translates scary into fun. Minus the top engineering graphics and architechural design, the rides at the OC fair is pee in your pants, I can't believe they make this legal, Are you sure it's stable, scary. I don't know the specific names, but one particular example is the first ride my friend Lisa and I rode on; it had three round brush shaped protrusions stemed from an turning axel. You are shoulder strapped at one of the four seats, backed by a second row of four. When you are lifted in the air, the axel is swinging 360 like a super speed carousel while the round brush looking arms where you are sitting are rotating 360 also. In essence, your entire body is being jolted in mid-air at different angles while flying at superspeeds. It is definitely not a ride for the weak (stomachs).

Lisa and I on the right before the craziness

After: Can you find us? We can't either...my mind was scrambled with the rest of my body.

The second super scary ride we went on looked like one of your typical 360 turning riddles, except for the fact that while it's spinning it is also swinging the entire passenger seat back and forth like a pendulem, and you would think that it will continue to swing back and forth like a rocking boat while spinning, but that's not even the beginning. It gets super freaky when it stops swinging at the apex, which is most top part of the sky, while we are hanging completely upside down looking at the awesome view of the lighted up carnival at the top and the empty dark blue sky on the bottom. Gravity pushed us against the weight of two bars that kept us from falling to our deaths 20 feet below and the sensation of our butts completely off the seats, our blood rushing to our brains, and our hearts thumping out of our throats for a good half a minute was something more terrifying than any other Magic Mountain, Disney, or Knotts Ride I've been to.

Jet Li, Lackena, and Dana patiently sitting out

The next and last ride was less terrifying than it did actually lead on. It only could hold eight people at a time. It was a long bow shaped mechanism with a fixed axel in the middle so that it almost looked like a see saw, except that it went the full 360 swing at a velocity that matched bungee jumping. The free falling effect gives you the rush, when the momentum accelerates from the vertical peak to the lowest peak, but of course there's a twist (pun intended); your seats are loosely swinging back and forth like on a ferrish ride, while you are being launched upwards and downwards around the axel, like a ball on a mangonel. It was altogether very exhilarating and very brief. I wished it lasted longer, but with 8 people riding at a time, and about 60 people waiting in line, you can't blame them for cutting it short for those waiting to get on.

For thrill seekers, I would highly recommend going on the OC fair carni rides. Since the tickets are pretty pricy, the best bang for your buck is to go during Wednesdays and Thursdays before 5pm to obtain your unlimited ride pass for $25 or go there friday for $1 rides. The best would be to go there early afternoon on a Wednesday to get in free for a Wednesday Care donation, obtain your unlimited ride pass, and just have a go until 8 (which is when the unlimited ride deal expires). All in all, thrills and oil spills (no pun intended on that one).

Shin sen gumi This!

2010-07-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

Shinsengumi Shabu Shabu

Location:
1695 W Artesia Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247

Entertainment Value: Cooking your own meal and Sochu

Food Cost: $$ According to Yelp

To my surprise, not many non-Asians know of shabu shabu. The Japanese term, "Shabu Shabu" literally translates to "Swish Swish", because it is the act of using your chopsticks to swish the thin cut beef, pork, or chicken slices in a boiling pot of broth that makes it so fun. To the average American, you'd probably wonder, "Why would I pay for a dining experience where I have to cook the meat and vegetables myself?" Well, I guess it's a matter of perspective. For one, you get to select what type of raw foods you'd like to throw in the pot, and as the steam rises from the boiling medley you've concocted, moments later you can immediately eat it, freshly hot and as firm or soft as you'd like it--since you cooked it. And while you're waiting for it to cool slightly, you can still see the evaporating heat trailing above your chopsticks, and when it is dipped into citrus salty ponzu sauce and peanut based Goma sauce, slabbed on a bowl of hot rice, it not only gives you fresh hot food but it also gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Shabu Shabu places are a place to socialize with friends over shochu (the Korean version is called Soju), which has its many variations from distilled barley, soba, or rice to "imo-jochu", which is distilled from sweet potatoes. Usually around 25-40% alcohol content, Shochu is normally enjoyed over ice, lemon, and water, although it can be combined with Calpico, fruit drinks, and soda water. You can use various Japanese soda drinks from your local Mitsuwa or Nijiya to make your own version of chu-hi, an alcoholic fruity soft drink for those that like their cocktails to be carbonated. So while you are waiting for your veggies and meat to cook, you can Gan Bai with your buddies, lover (s?), or business associates.

Want more than just boiled meat and vegetables? You can also grill your own meat, over natural stone coals. They have a wide assortment of meat, from pork belly, beef intestine, Short rib, duck, squid, the works. I personally recommend the beef tongue and for the appetizers, the chicken Nankara, or deep fried chicken cartilage.

The next best thing to a fun and delicious meal is that you'll come out of the place feeling full and HEALTHY. Yes, how often can you leave a restaurant with a pot belly and a seductive aftertaste and not have to feel guilty about putting on the pounds afterwards? If we did the McDonald's test and ate Shabu Shabut for one month straight, we'd come out of it not only alive but we'd manage to trim down the fat. Don't believe me? Well, maybe I'll start another blog called "30 days of Shabu Shabu" and find out! I'd probably end up being the poster child for Shabu Shabu like Jared Fogle was for Subway. Hmm... not a bad idea...anybody else interested in going in on it with me? Post your comments below!

Another great thing about this particular Shabu Shabu place above all the other ones is their customer service. It is top notch. As soon as you enter, the entire staff bows and says, "Irashaimase", which in Japanese means "Welcome, thank you for your patronage"... just kidding.. they don't say that last part after welcome. But in Japanese, it sounds so long and they are so friendly that it sounds that way. When you leave, they all firmly shout in unison, "Arigatou gozaimashita", or "Thank you very much", as if you went out of your way to lend a hand for a friend.

FYI: Just to clarify for those of you not familiar with these two terms, Shabu Shabu is part of Japanese cuisine and has an array of certain types of vegetables (nappa cabbage, tofu, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, and vermicelli), and the meat selection is limited to beef, unless it is sukiyaki, which doesn't have set limits on types of meat or vegetables. With that said, the Japanese Sukiyaki is like the Chinese version of Hot Pot, in that both types of cuisine have no limits to what vegetables or meat you can put into the boiling broth. The only exception is that Chinese Hot Pot tend to be spicier and if we decide to get even more technical on this subject, there are also regional versions of Chinese hot pot, such as Mongolian and Szechuan, but I'll leave that discussion for another blog.

Iron Chef Cook Off!

2010-07-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Iron Chef Cook Off!

Location:

2400 Jefferson St
Torrance, CA 90510

Entertainment Value: Friends, Food, Fierce No Mercy Competition, Alcohol and Fun

Food Cost: $10 in the pot so the head chefs could go and hunt for ingredients

Don't let the fact that friends, alcohol, and parks fool you into thinking this is just recreation. Beneath the veneer of laughters, clinks from shot glasses, and delicious food, there is a firestorm brewing. The three head chefs, Chef Tony, Chef Gus, and Chef Roderick, all hope to lead their team to the glory of fine grilling--bbq at its highest aesthetic sizzle. On a fine Sunday afternoon at Wilson park, they've come to test their wits and prove their culinary skill. The mission? To make a three course entree based on the secret ingredient that is revealed only moments before the game starts.

Each entree wll be judged on three criterion:

1. Flavor/Taste

2. Presentation

3. How clever the secret ingredient has been integrated into the dish

Sweet Tea Vodka...Ohhh yeah~

Team Tony hustling and bustling with their mushroom burger

To make it even more interesting? Once the teams were given the secret ingredient, Floral Peppers, they are only given an hour and a half to shop for their ingredients on a $50 budget. They must be at their grilling stations within that time frame or else they would be penalized for their time grilling. Once the party have all arrived, we have the lightening round. This quirky part of Iron Chef is a way for each team to test their fitness in food preparation. At a head to head relay match, each team has to effectively complete a preparation challenge. In our cookout case, one member had to first successfully cut and quartz a pineapple in order for the second team member to proceed onto finely chopping onions, which then allowed for the final team member to squeeze enough lime juice to pass the designated mark on the cup. First place winners, Team Tony, received an extra 2 point advantage in judging marks. Second place winners, Team Gus, receive a 1 point advantage.

After the lightening round, teams receive an additional hour and a half to come up with three different entrees. Throughout this time, our faciliator, David, and our host, Orn, is monitoring the progress of each team, while chaos unleashes--organized chaos that is. We hear orders being barked from Team Roderick's group, cheese melting on propane burners, knives chomping down on spicy peppers, and salmon flying in the air. It was a brutal race against time, but we could see how hard each team member was working. Sweat dripping down on smokey grills, coals sizzling under the tongs clamping down on burger meat, bacon wrapped sausages, and chicken breasts, and feet shuffling around to get this and that all added to the excitement.

Once time was up, amazingly all the teams finished on time, through sheer versatility and adrenaline induced shot calls, made possible from good teamwork and top notch leadership. Food tasting judges, Lackena, Johnny, a mystery judge, and yours truely sat down before nine varietated and orally seductive dishes. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, we'll break down the product of their culinary endeavors... but before I do I plead a disclaimer!! I did not cook these so my descriptions are very limited. I'd like to encourage the judges to come forward and write their description on the comments section below. I apologize in advance if I lack the details in the formulation of the product that could fully describe food presented here. So in any case, here are their finalized products: (Please don't forget to take a moment to fill out the survey poll to the left column of this blog after you are finished viewing the food)

Team Gus:

Appetizer: Rasberry, blackberry, mango, strawberry fruit parfait; Second dish: Ceviche

Entree 2: Bacon wrapped sausage with green peppers with toasted bun

Entree 3: Hearty all American burger with melted jack cheese; bell peppers on the side

Team Tony:

Appetizer: Bacon Stuffed yellow peppers with....? glaze.. help me here Tony..

Appetizer 2: salty and spicy salsa

Appetizer 2: Melted cheese dip with green and red bell cubes

Entree 2+3: Bell Peppers on top of bacon wrapped hotdog; Portabello mushroom with melted Jack cheese blended inside the meat

Team Roderick:

Appetizer: Mango salsa

Entree 2: Chicken breast with green onions layered on top, siracha sauce dipping in yellow chilli cavity

Entree 3 + 4: bacon wrapped sausage with asparagus, grilled pinapple slice, and juicy burger with all the bacon, red onion, tomatos, lettuce in between

So ladies and fellas, judge for yourself. We can tell you who won, but we don't want to biase you. Which team do you think deserved to take the prize of good food based on the pictures?

Happiest Place on Earth

2010-07-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Disneyland
Location:
W Ball Rd & S Disneyland Dr
Anaheim, CA 92802
Entertainment Cost: Free if you have a friend who works for Disney like our good friend Orn.
Normal price: Find out here
Entertainment Value: Amusement rides, Disney Character magic, Watercolor show, Captain EO 3D (MJ's Back!), and Scenic beauty.
Food Cost: $8 for Smoked Turkey Legs

Bollywood in California Adventure; Glowfest props in background

The beauty of living in So Cal is that you can go to Disneyland an infinite number of times and there will always be surprises after the umpteenth time back. Disney is constantly expanding, a life force pulsing behind the gigantic corporate machine of capitalism, a manufacturer of fantasy and dreams for both children and adults alike. Disney is the Jimmy Cricket on your left shoulder, the Fairy God Mother on your magic dust filled dreams, and Tinkerbell guiding you in the dark night, who raised you since you were able to open your eyes and understand human speech, or even if you didn't. Growing up Disney was there to give you a temporary respite from school hassles like making the grades, making friends that would laugh at your bad jokes, and getting the nerve to talk to the crush you had in middle school. When college bound, you occasionally went back to the occasional Disney cartoon classics like a nice pair of birthstone earrings you got as a toddler that you'd take out to remind you that it is still not too late to look fashionable in it. Now that you are a full blown adult, you realize the fundamental need to keep it at your side, cling to it like a magical amulet that, over time, needs polishing and whispers of wishful thinking.

Mickey Fountain in front of Monster's Inc. Ride

That is why time and again we look to Disneyland for comfort and a way to get away. Maybe I'm biased since my heart still sings every time I go on a Sleep Beauty Ride or watch Ariel rock it during the Disney Parade (two of my favorite Disney "old school" animations...God, can I call it that now? Wow I'm getting old...no disrespect to the 70's and 80's babies). So now after my 9+ times at Disney, I had expected to be bored but was met with pleasant surprise instead--kind of like discovering a pomegranate tree growing in your backyard after that one incident where you had lazily eaten it without a trash can nearby. The experienc is altogether... serendipity.

So Cal residents tend to be fickle, we are easily bored, and hard to entertain (especially if we've seen it more than once). Yes, as So Co PeePo, we have all ridden Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Star Tours, It's a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Haunted Mansion many of times. And even the newer rides built in the new millennium like: Indiana Jones and Buzz Light Year, or California Adventure's Ride Additions: Tower of Terror, California Screamin', Monster's Inc, etc., won't make us lose sleep from excitement the night before. However, there are some newer additions and new relevations since 2008, which was the last time I went to Disney.

Madhatter Tea Party and Matterhorn backdrop

Best darn smoked Turkey Leg ever...watch out OC fair

Five things I've discovered that doesn't make Disney an old Fart:
1. Disney's Nightastic Fireworks at 10:00pm during weekdays and 9:00pm during weekends

2. Toy Story ball tugging 3D shooter ride (Upgraded Buzz Light Year ride)

3. Gianormous Turkey Legs are still bomb

4. Captain EO Tribute 3D Show is Back (MJ's back on the map)

5. Glow Fest (Electronica, Dancers, and Alcohol!)

6. Disney's World of Color Show

Mr. Potato Head and Mr. David Dang Head. It's a head off!

Okay, I lied. There's six. Unfortunately, we couldn't get tickets to the World of Color show. This show is _____________. I don't know. But please comment on this blog if you did go and let me know how it was for you. Rumors are you have to get fast passes to get admitted well in advance in order to have any chance of seeing it. For those that love to live in the moment, as I'd like to think of myself as (or at least as my alibi for being lazy), if you arrive that day to retrieve your tickets, I would recommend diving to the Grizzly Run fast pass machine over by California Adventure. As a a loyal reader of my blog, I will show my gratitude by giving you the exact location of Grizzly Run so there will be no time wasted asking directions or getting lost:

Remember: Focus! Don't worry about running over strollers or old grannies, it is either you or them soldier!

This is your hit. Burn after reading!

Can't wait to see the show? See it here:

Should the carpe diem method fail, your mission can still be salvaged if you are tactful and prepare ahead of time. The other (and probably wiser) way to not only get a good front view of the show without the hassle of waiting hours to get good seating, but also to get a decent meal while there, is to make dinner reservations at Ariel's Grotto. The dinner package is around $36 per person; note I said "package", so I'm guessing that it is a decent meal. One that involves good farting and burping afterwards.

Bringing Black Back!

One other thing I must elborate on is the Captain EO Tribute show; It is one of my all time favorite 3D shows...and probably the only 3D show I've experienced in the 80's. I love how the teleprompter warns us not to put on the glasses "for our protection" until the show has started. That cautionary warning was made during a time when Lasik services weren't rendered to the average consumer. The tribute show really kept it's 80's originality--Special optical and mechanical effects (when SPX still conjured awe in us) in all its noise and large pixilated glory. Michael Jackson plays Captain EO, a traveling space captain out to deliver goods and bring peace for the world. He is out to find the lost beacon, only to luckily crash upon it. But his luck runs out as he is captured by the evil machine witch before he is able to complete his mission. I won't give away the best part of what he does next, but I will tell you that there are a lot of rainbow colors (80's style), popping, Michael moonwalking, and aaaaaaaaah that only MJ could do (imitated but never duplicated). And since Disney owns the exclusive rights to it, you won't be finding this MJ pop routine anywhere else but here where dreams and reality meet.

Tower of Terror and Hollywood's Backlot Backdrop

Reach for the Stars

2010-07-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

Griffith Observatory

Location: Griffith Observatory

Entertainment Value: Suped up Imax Experience to the 10th power...Dome Style!

Entertainment Cost: $7 for the Valkyrie show at the Samuel Oschin Planetarium
Food Location: Orochon
Food Cost: $8-10 for a huge bowl of Ramen with custom toppings

Imagine being inside the sun, shielded from any harm or discomfort by top notch magical immunity that only a hypothetical like this could afford. Though the temperature is a cool 65 degrees, the room is filled with bright orange and tinged red colors, bombarding your visual senses, convincing you that you are indeed inside the sun, watching each atom colliding into the other. Next, you break free of the sun's inner core, hovering above the horizon of the surface, witnessing the solar arches protrude ballarinas on the tip of their toes.

You are transposed into a wild ride of astrological wonders, visually superior to Disney's Back to the Future ride (and without the sudden jolts). We start under the Los Angeles twilight, then are transposed to the artic Icelands. There we witness the stubborn sun that won't go down during the summers and the perpetual darkness during the winters. With a familiar summer movie trailer voice, our real time narrator gives detailed and timely explanations about how the star filled universe we see today were once perceived in Norse Mythology as Gods like Lode, Thu, and Breid, who commanded the skies, the earth, and the underworld. Constellations like Hellewagon, Friggerock, and Dain watched the battles on earth, between Niflheim, the Ice God, and Muspell, the Fire God. The best part of the show was witnessing the aurora. If you were ever confused as to how an aurora comes about, even the slowest learner can understand the technicalities behind a graphically astounding display of earth's magnetic field. I could go on and on about an aurora birth, but why not see it for yourself? Watch as if you are the God that made it. It is incredible to witness such graphic effects come to a full 180. The Valkyrie show is a must see; if not for the dome sized screens, the high definition scenary, then for the actor that narrates real time throughout the entire show, or the beauty of watching the heavens in an angel's point of view .

If for some reason you are not able to obtain a ticket, (Note: Tickets are not available for pre-sale and must be bought one hour before the show starts, so make sure you arrive on time!) you can still watch the pendulum, the statue of famous astronomers, the many interactive booths, touch meteorites, peak through telescopes, and best of all, the watch the astounding panoramic view of Los Angeles. Lastly, if you want to find a place that gives a good hike, Griffith Park has dozens of trails with picnic tables and scenic points. You can see the Hollywood sign so clearly it's almost as if you could touch it. And the best part of it all? Well, to the tune of the old adage, "The best things are free".

It's that Ole Town Flavor

2010-07-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

Old Town Pasadena
Location: Old Town Parking, Map, and Directions
Entertainment Value: Outdoor Shopping, Architectural Aesthetics, Downtown Stroll for the Bourgeois lifestyle
Entertainment Cost: Window shopping= free; Other shopping= varies

Food Cost: Varies from restaurant to restaurant (see Old Town Pasadena Eats)

Sure, the beauty of the arches, the villas, the earth tone hues plastered on brick buildings tickle our visual senses, and sure, the fancy selections displayed behind windows of vintage shops, boutiques, specialities stores, and namebrand stores encapsulates us, but what really draws both travelers and locals to this rich city is the food. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But here in Old Town, the food is a worth a thousand miles...of traveling saved that is! Just imagine a place where all the best cuisines from around the world are readily available in a two mile radius. There are 113+ restaurants in a 21 block district, where centuries of regional traditions are refined, like wine, to become today's modern dining experience--this is the place where "fusion" cuisine, a relatively modern phenomenon, thrives freely like foxtails in a prairie.

In what other two mile block could you find so many ethnic foods in one place: Tibetian, French-Belgian, Mezzbaan Indian, Italian, British, Spanish, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, Equadorian, American, Thai, Peruvian, Vietnamese, Argentinian, Afgani, all waiting for your patronage? From regional tastes like Barc elona, New York Deli, Philly's Best, Seattle's Cafe, Sonoma's Dish Bistro and Bar, to Fusion restaurants like Chinese-Japanese's Wokano, French-Belgian's Quadrupel Brasserie, California-European's Greenstreet Tavern, French-Italian's Dish Bistro and Bar, and Chinese-American's 54 Holly Restaurant to specialty eateries like Green Earth Vegan Cuisine, Cafe Alibi, and Le Pain Quotidien. Thirsty? How about tea from Tea Rose Garden, Scarlet Tea Room, Bird Pick Tea and Herb, Chado Tea Room, or boba drinks? Or what about beer from 72 North, Lucky Baldwin's Pub, or perhaps wine from Vertical Wine Bistro, Red White and Bluezz, POP Champagne and Dessert Bar. And speaking of desserts, how about Violet's Cakes? Tutti Gelati's italian icecream? Rocket Fizz Soda pop? Fondue from Melting Pot? Creme de la Crepe? Dot's Cupcakes? You get my drift? With so many selections, it's like picking candy from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It's a food savant's library of exploration.

We headed to Mi Piace to celebrate our friends, iana and Joseph's, engagement. The Italian place was packed with people waiting. Luckily we had made reservations and was seated almost immediately (make sure all your party is present. They will not seat you otherwise). We ordered pastas and antipastas, we ordered champagne to celebrate, but what makes this swinger's lounge a titillating pursuit is the delectable desserts. The tiramisu, soaked in Brandy, and baked in the finest technologies available, just melts into the palate after a fine Italian entree. We also tried the creme brulee. Magnifico! With the caramelized flame torched outer layering covering the lightly battered creme like frozen ice over a lake, it is a mouth watering delight to polish off a meal fit for The Council of Ministers. Now that's powerful!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2010-07-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Dodgers
Location: Dodger Stadium
Entertainment Value: Fan-mania, Blue Pride, and Andre Either Action Figures
Entertainment Cost: $10 for nosebleed seats
Food Cost: $8 for the best Dodgers Garlic Fries + $10 Large Domestic Beer

When you're from out of town, the quickest way to ostracize yourself from LA natives is to talk smack about two teams: the LA Lakers and the LA Dodgers. Now personally I'm not a sports expert here, but one thing I do know growing up in So Cal is that you go with the crowd--according to the laws of six degrees of separation, you will sooner or later come across a LA FANatic the minute your plane wheels hit the LA tarmac. Talking big about a rival team in front of a Los Angelian is like flaunting your peacock feathers in front of a tribe of howler monkeys--it's just going draw unnecessary attention and give us a good reason to be loud and obnoxious.

So the best thing to do is humbly accept your bobble head (if you go on bobble head nights) or action figure (in my case it was Andre Either action figure night), and go with the flow. Let's face it, you are definitely outnumbered and out-cheered when it comes to supporting your team. As a fan would say, "You're in my town!" Seriously, they will boo you down to shame if you wear any rival team's jersey. My friend was booshamed for sitting next to his Yankee fan fiance (at least women aren't treated as harshly as men, but it sucks for the men who have to battle it out on behalf of their women). If you don't believe me, just listen to the speakers that would periodically remind the fifth level fans not to throw anything while politely making threats to "eject" us for going too far (See Fan Code of Conduct vs.Fan Fights).

When you think of $10 nosebleed tickets, you'd imagine watching the game as if you're in a 3D movie without the glasses. On the contrary, being in the highest section is visually stunning--the experience is like being suspended on the highest point of a theme park ride with a Roman Emperor's view of a gladiator worthy stadium. At five stories high, the upper level is where you can watch the game in a The Sims 3 or WarCraft Archive point of view. For the agoraphobic or acrophobic person, this is either your opportunity to face your fears or your worse nightmare. For all others, it is a riveting vantage point--the "Think Blue" stands out like the Hollywood sign on a clear canvas sky after the rain.

You'll hear the pounding cadence of, "Let's go Dodger's let's go" Clap Clap! With beer holders readily handy for this very purpose and fans flashing their LA Dodger's logo in a ritualistic gesture to defend territory. Catfights, dodgerfights, and hoobanging fights are known to break out occasionally; but with tight security peppered throughout the crowds and a push for a family safe environment, these infamous breakouts are fewer and farther in between. The family atmosphere is even more telling when comedy breaks out after an anonymous fan did a one man Jack Black-esque lip singing act to Journey's Don't Stop Believin', or the audience sings along to Randy Newman's I Love L.A. (LP Version), and every time you hear the sharp crack of a home run ball, the crowd roars in concordant frenzy.

If you plan early and arrive before the game, the best bang for you buck would be to get the one of a kind Dodger Dog or the stink yo momma's car up Garlic fries, and, of course, the domestic Budweiser Beer (Buy Home or Bye Bye). Even if you don't have Dodger Fever, the nice summer afternoon breeze, the radiant glow of the stadium lights, the sea of blue sporadically making human waves, and the excitement emanating from the stands inspires the onlooker to feel like part of a movement.

If not for a good game, if not for the hills overlooking downtown Los Angeles, if not for the mouthwatering food, if not for the overzealous fans, if not for the bobbleheads, than just do it for the LA experience. It'll be one hell of a catch.

Mummy Mia!

2010-07-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

California Science Center

Location: 700 State Dr, Los Angeles California Science Center (next to USC and LA Sports Coliseum)

Entertainment: IMAX 3D Ramsy and other Ancient Mummies + Exhibit Ticket + Access to all other exhibits (Fade, Air and Space Gallery, and Ecosystems)
Entertainment Cost: $25 (Includes Movie ticket + Exhibit)
Food: Little Tokyo's Shihue Cafe = Gyoza, Katsudon, Nabeyaki Udon, Koika, and Miso Soup + Asahi
Food Cost: $41 thanks to an awesome hubby named T-Bone

It seemed like a scene straight out of Aliens 3, where Ellen Ripley discovers the genetic lab that has bred failed clones and where she finds a degenerate version of herself laying half lucid on the lab table, begging her to end her suffering. It was morbid, macabre, and yet you can't help but stare (while subconsciously holding your breath in between reading the information on the plaque and staring at what looks like a severely burnt victim). And when you are looking at a fetus mummy frozen in the passage of time, the mind plays tricks on the present moment--for you are telling yourself that this alien looking specimen only 4 feet away separated by glass is another Hollywood prop, but that other, more insane part of your brain, is making you realize that this specimen is all organic, who had a soul once upon a millennium(s) ago.

But for some of you who don't like your mummies well done, there are other types of mummies that are relatively of a more tender age and fashion--Some were naturally preserved from ice freezes, bogs, closed spaces that lacked oxygen, and the result was a shriveled beef jerky version of a dog, weasel, cat, jackal, and other critters that were preserved by nature's divine calculation.

Witnessing the many mummies on display is like taking a glimpse into a time portal, just a peak into the specimen's life story. We can only surmise what kind of adventure, what quality of life, what dreams or ambitions, this once human ancestor eons ago experienced. Yet it's this very necessity for the human brain to make up, imagine, and wonder the unknown, for the schema to fit, that we become fascinated with the story behind the relic--with the many hands exchanged, places it went, many feats to overcome: extreme weather, ancient methods of transportion, tomb raiders, plane rides, trains, science labs, and many other infinite decisions upon decisions until it is here before us now, encapsulated by an argon secured plexus glass for curious modern man to witness.

This entity that was once alive thousands of years ago is now a spectacle. The idea that one day our flesh can be immortalized in the hands of future science is even more macabre. A contemporary version of Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado--an ending befitting to any one or more of these once human bodies, the exhibition masks the sheer horror of it all through the guise of scientific exploration. Right when we walked in, as if to prep us through this dark journey, the exhibit's introduction outlined the purpose of restoring and poking into these ancient flesh and bones by entertaining the possibility of finding cures to modern diseases, for if we compare the mummies genetic code with that of modern humans, we just might crack the code to curing cancer, reversed aging, vaccine to malaria, and that today's scientific breakthroughs can procure for human kind.

True terror is witnessing to what depths mankind, through time and across space, will go through to preserve the soul. The ancient Egyptians believed that through the embalming of the flesh, the soul is able to keep its original shape in the next lifetime, and that your immortalization equals that of how many people on this earth will remember you. There was even a piece of papyrus paper with hieroglyphic directions on how to deal with the many monsters in passage we today identify as purgatory. Called the Book of the Dead, this road map to the afterlife was believed to be essential for all souls trying to cross through. The ancient priests who performed the ritualization of mummification would probably turn over their tombs if they knew where their Gods are now. But then again, the exhibitionists justify this as what the Ramsay and other Pharaohs would have wanted--to be remembered in the flesh.

You will walk out of the exhibition either feeling numb from the shock of such alien relics or a lingering sense of fallibility for being so delicately human. Either way, you'd probably come to a conclusion of being cremated instead of buried. Whether you find it fun or morbidly fascinating, it was definitely an eye opening experience.

Afterwards, we went to Little Tokyo about 15 minutes drive away to eat Lunner (Lunch + Dinner = Lunner). We wanted to go to the best Shabu Shabu place in Downtown, but it was unfortunately closed this whole week (Guess the owners deserve to take a few vacations after its long term success). The good news is that there is no such thing as a bad restaurant in Little Tokyo. Littered with many possibilities, we decided to tryout a new restaurant, Suehiro Cafe , sandwiched between two locally famous Ramen shops, Daikokuya and Mr. Ramen.

The flavor of the miso is probably one of the best in town, the concoction between salt, miso paste, sesame, in amiable harmony. Gyoza crispy and not too oily, complimented by a garlic, chili oil, and ponzu sauce that satiates the watering mouth of a hungry beast. The best dish was the koika (Japanese style calimari), it was breaded with a fluffy batter, since the lightness of the skin fully accentuated the chewiness of the baby squid. It was perfectly salted with the tang of lemon spritz, best served alongside a cool refreshing prefrosted glass of Asahi.

The Katsudon was plentiful and fulfilling, but nothing out of the extraordinary. The Nabeyaki was a little disappointing, for it lacked the flavor that a vegetable filled bowl of hot udon should give. The tempura was already sogging up by the time it was served and the portions of vegetable assortments was not worth the 2 dollar price difference if you were just to order a regular vegetable udon.

T-Bone also bought me a beautiful Yukata, getting ready for the upcoming summer festival, going on in August! TBA!!

Star Light, Star Bright, The Star Spangled Banner I See Tonight

2010-07-03T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Bowl
Location:
2301 N Highland Ave
Hollywood, CA 90068
Entertainment Value: Vince Gill, Los Angeles Philharmonics conducted by John Morris Russell, and the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West.
Entertainment Cost: $12.50
Food Cost: Concession Stand prices OR BYOBAF= Bring your own beer and food!!

As they would say in Chinese, "Wah Sai", or Japanese "Bon Zai", or in English, "Whoa", in the spirit of Freedom, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, what better way to celebrate the 234th birthday of America than to be under the cool summer night air among thousands of multi ethnic Americans, celebrating the common pride we have of a nation that allows differences to be celebrated for.

As an Chinese American living in Southern California, now is the best time to give thanks to all the predecessors that has paved the way for this very moment, where I can sit next to my half Japanese, half European husband to my right, and to my left, an Irish woman who greets me with a genuine smile, in front of me an Indian woman sitting next to her Caucasian best friend, and behind me I overhear a Korean family. Maybe the term, "Only in America", seem old fashioned when we hear the word "melting pot", since nowadays there are many other nations whose cities rival that of Los Angeles' melting pot--Toronto, Capetown, London, just to name a few, but Los Angeles is the founding father of open arms. Whether it's taking refugees, students abroad, businessmen, or blue collar workmen, Los Angeles has morphed into the mecca of miniature nations--Little Italy, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Thai town, Little Ethiopia, etc, and it is under the American flag, the fundamental freedoms protected under the United States Constitution that has made tonight all the more possible for a generation that accepts Chinese American as American, who if but fifty years ago, would be considered as only an American guest.

Under the iridescent lights and behind the sounds of exothermic release, thunder booming into our ears from the boundless night sky, glowing smiles widened with awe and swelling hearts danced to the tune of the Philharmonic orchestra and the Golden West band. Oohs and Ahhs in sync with the resplendent display of peonies, dahlia, crystheantheums, opening up like flowers to the sun, vibrated with the excitement of the evening.

And speaking of flowers, the highlight of the evening was when Vince Gill poured out his soul when he sang, "Face of an Angel". Even for a country music sourpuss like me, I could appreciate the sincerity of a song dedicated to a wife's smile and the simplicity of a country boy love story. The song made me feel like walking down a field of daisies hand in hand with your best friend, laying on top of a lush green hill watching the white clouds swim through the infinite blue sky.

And speaking of infinite blue sky, what better symbol of freedom than to experience music and fireworks with the alcohol of your choice. After all, it's what you want to bring--match your fireworks extravaganza with champagne, Cognac, beer, or apple cider. Whatever your style is, Hollywood bowl is like a good companion for that joyride you'd been wanting to have. The Designated Driver that let's you part it up the way parties ought to be partied. The sweet release of open air, live music, pyrotechnic stars, and your favorite celebration drink makes this experience all the more special.

Ahh, like Tupac Shakur once said, "To live in die in LA...It's the place to be."

LACMA and Oro? Art?

2010-06-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art

Location: 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90036

Entertainment Cost: You choose donation after 5:00p or $12 for general admission

Entertainment Highlights: Lamps on Wilshire Blvd., Scary "Stomp on your foot" Elevator ride, and the oddities of contemporary art.

Food Highlights: Ethiopian food in Little Ethiopia

Food Cost: Free if you have an awesome friend by the name of David!

(Really, I wasn't exaggerating)

Oro? is the first word that comes to mind when you are confronted with a exhibit that is in essence a blank Canvas or a huge brown wall. At the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art, we are given the luxury of space and architectural redefinition, or say, reevaluation of what art traditionally is. You know, like coloring inside the lines, shading in hues, a coherent picture. Instead, we would see a photographic picture of a man with a blue, green, or pink dot covering it like a punch hole, some faces were even scribbled out like you would see in a high school yearbook.

Calling all contemporary artists!!--Please explain why a cartoon scribble would constitute as art if it could be found in many variations at any middle or high school classroom, such as the ones made by Joseph Beuys. Some photographic portraits were quite morbid--especially of the Electric Chair by Andy Warhol--it was a like somebody took a picture of a decade old electric chair without using flash, and it was somehow improperly developed in the red room, with smudges of blue tint smeared on the bottom half portion of the picture. I guess it really takes a highly developed aesthetic sensory instrument to appreciate Hoover vacuums stacked on fluorescent light bulbs. Or maybe an inflatable Caterpillar swim toy penetrated through a ladder.

Well enough art bashing for AGNANT laymen folks like me. I did appreciate the view and the architectural precision at the museum. I was fascinated by the how the engineers of this building (or for any building taller than my 5'1'' stature) can mathematically blue print and build such wonders for humanity. The steel cables that run perfectly parallel to the reinforced red beams, the height and awe of it all. The many five story tall palm trees on these five by five feet "pots" get rotated every couple of months. Fascinating.

We also got lucky when we went to an exhibition that won't be officially presented until October. From afar it looked like a bunch of parking space brick dividers that got stacked neatly together to be ready to be inventoried. The giant auditorium was dedicated to this exhibition alone. The ceilings complimented the subject tastefully, giving it an almost tunnel vision illusion. Or at a bird eye's view, it looked like tire treads. Those 2,000 pieces of perfectly aligned and metrically calculated brick thingys (Another SoCo favorite word to describe objects that are unfamiliar to us) were a sight to see.

It didn't take much for us to absorb the awe and confusion at what we were looking at for the most part. We also got to see some of Pablo Picasso's original, uh, weird (yet another SoCo favorite word for the aesthetically unrefined) table. Or one of the originals from my personal favorite artists, Salvador Dali. Many more big names that I'm just too la(y)me(n) to identify. When you leave the museum after seeing all the exhibits only one word could describe the experience: Discombobulated. It felt like everything that I have labeled-- an apple, a woman, a school desk, and have categorized--a bananna is a fruit, or the like, in life, has been questioned. Like my innards have been exposed on my skin, or like living in purgatory, just waiting, and waiting, for something to make some damn sense. It was overall a great experience, in its three hour interval (I think that's as much art as I can stomach in one sitting, or in our case, standing).

The highlight was when we were leaving the museum and we saw the luminescent lights of the many lampposts majestically guarding the front entrance to the museum (as we were rushing to get out before security locked us in...too creepy if even spending one night..shudder).

We later went to Little Ethiopia and had some yummy finger food plates. On one big dish, we were given a three course meal, filled with curry based beef and tomatic onion chicken, complimented by a thin cotton like texture bread, like Indian Pandori, but more sour, to use as sandwich utensils to wrap the main dish. Overall, a good evening!

Volleyballin and Despicable Me World Premiere

2010-06-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

Volly'n and Watch'n
Location: Hermosa Beach and LA Live Nokia Theatre
Entertainment Value: Seabreeze workout and a "Yellow" Carpet World Premiere event
Entertainment Cost: $50 for two world premiere tickets (with all you can eat and drink popcorn and soda) + 2 LA film festival vouchers
Food Cost: All you can eat popcorn and soda

Only in Los Angeles do you get to play volleyball on the golden-peach sands of the ocean front in the morning and watch a world premiere of a movie with the directors and stars of the movie in the same theatre. This could be your typical Sunday. I don't know about you, but I sure can use more Sundays like these.

During midday late June, the sun shines the brightest and the waters are the bluest. The morning times from dawn to about 11:00am, the cloudy skies, a.k.a. "June gloom", allows the sport goer to play safely without the sun's fiery intensity. It also allows the volleyballer to eye the ball without having to squint beneath the brightness, while still retaining that ocean wind to cool us down in between strained breathes and sweaty brows. We laughed at our own (p)atheletic prow(l)ess, we sand dived blanks, we stood dumbfounded when the ball, like a torpedo, landed on the ground sitting comfortably between two people that just stared at the ball, assuming that the other teammate would get it, then at other times, we would run headon to each other for the same ball, and we would heckle one another--"hey loser!" or "Serve it to the weakling" Funny moments such as hitting your own teammate's back when serving or calling dibs, "I got it, I got it" and seconds before the ball touches your arm, " I don't got it". Flop! Watching everybody stare at the volleyball in mid-air, some wondering "shit, not towards me" and others thinking, "In the bag sucka", is a comedic delight.

Playing volleyball with your friends could be one option. To my right side, where the pedestrian sidewalk is, people were skating, rollerblading, biking, dog walking, stroller jogging (babies in stroller + jogger pushing = stoller jogger), and running. To my left side, people were body boarding, sailing, swimming, tanning, and sauntering across the tides. It was a typical day at the beach on so cal--like the surety and sincerity of a church choir singing Glory, the Southern California pacfic coast will be the sunny, cool, and diverse way of outdoor sporting activities.

Afterwards, my husband, alias Tonebone, and I headed out to go see the world premiere of Despicable Me. This time, we didn't have to wait in the rush line for tix (learned my lesson). It took less than five minutes for us to check in, go through security, and get our 3D glasses.

At a World Premiere, did you know...

All popcorn and sodas are free?
Concierge and security is armed like the president's secret service?
The director makes a introductory presentation of the movie's team: i.e. writers, actors, score artists, etc. prior to the start of the show?
No cameras allowed? (Whyyyyy?!)
During the opening credits, the audience claps and shouts in approval when their favorite actor's/actress' name show up?
You and 7,000 other people are in the same room watching the film (the Largest theatre I've ever been to by far)?

And the cherry on top?

You are watching the same movie in the same room at the same time with the cast and crew of the movie. We were only 15 aisles down from the actors and stars (hey, hey, it's closer then where you'll be during July 9, when the theatres will open to the public)

Despicable Me Movie Review!

The movie itself? Quick humor with soft "aww" moments sprinkled throughout. Not as heart tugging as the movie, UP, but definitely one of those heartwarming lessons on finding one's purpose, in a villian's perspective. At the same time, it is likeThe Incredibles in it's parallel world where villians compete and evil plots are the norm--they even have a underground villan bank to fund in solid evil investment proposals. Overall, this movie was a action packed feel good family movie that will leave you craving ice cream and sodapop, possibly a plan to take over the world.

Afterwards, crowds staked out behind strategic backdoor exits to the afterparty. This is where the fun really begans--it's like bird watching--it's not always about luck, it's about having enough knowledge to squat in places where the stars will come out. In our case, we didn't know zilch, but just followed where the crowd seemed to congregate and where the security seemed at it's max. Of course, when it comes to A-list celebrities, there are always elaborate escape routes and decoys. Although we did not catch Steve Carell, Julie Andrews (Mary poppins and Sound of Music)

Russel Brand, Pharell, Will. i. Am., or any of the other big names on the cast of despicable me, it was interesting to be part of the whole fan craze. You can feel the lust for star dust--just a little sprinkle on the hands or for the sight.

The hungry crowd settled for what it could. Fans surrounded teen celebs like Miranda

Cosgrove and ___? (help me out here young generation).

The best moment was when I spotted Steven Tereda from Quest Crew. I was so flabbergasted that the man walking past me was from Quest Crew, that the name slipped out of my mind. So instead, I did what any rational So Cal person would do; I stopped the guy, asked him if he was "from that dance crew". He said he was, and before I wasted any more second of his time, I got directly to the point, "Would you please take a picture with me?" I could've made small talk, but LA people are busy and efficient. He probably didn't want to know anymore about me than I would want to pester him. I got what I wanted and he moved on. Of course, this is all in my head. Maybe one day he'll find this site and give me an alternative version of his thoughts, assuming that he'll remember this moment at all.

See in the eyes of Hollywood, you are either in the know, a "somebody" or you are part of the category we call "the nobody" or the fans, the crowd, the spectators. Be prepared to spent extra TLC time with your ego at home after the lights are out and the parking lots are empty. When the star dust wears away, another magical phenomenon happens. Either you'll wake up the next day feeling depressed that you're not part of the "know" or you wake up reenergized and gun-ho about pursuing your dreams you had put off in the back storage of your thoughts. Now which type of star dust hangover will you have?

K-Town Late Night Eats

2010-06-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

Korean BBQ
Location: Korea Town
Wilshire and Western

Los Angeles, CA 90010

Entertainment value: Nightlight friendliness and Social Fun
Food Cost: $15 all you can eat Korean BBQ

My best friend's last night in town and what better time and place to reminesce about times old and new than to drink soju with Hite beer as chasers in front of a stone platter packed with good food in the wee hours of the night. For many people, eating and drinking with friends or coworkers from 11pm to 4am is a lifestyle (or at least an Asian businessmen lifestyle at that). Many Korean restaurants at K town stay open until 2am and even some others open until 4 am.

The night life is comprised of being around good friends with good food and good alcohol. It is the trinity of K town essentials--for the K-newb this means that it is your opportunity to lay your cards down. Well, at least flash it for a little bit, especially after the fifth shot of soju. Here, table etiquette means to be loud and gossip--about people, politics, religion, sex, and the like.

We had the option of being in door or being in the outdoor patio, smoking area. The transparent plastic tarp that covers the patio makes it look like a scene from a Korean film. It really does bring out the excitement of late night outings but retains the closeness felt wrapped in plastic. Under the flourescent lighting, it brought back the "night light eats" of Taiwan and China, what they call "she ye", literally translated as "city night".

The smoky steam rising from the stone pots and the sizzle of satayed brisket, bulgogi, beansprouts, and kimchi saturates the air so much that it seeps into our hair, our linen, and our pores. The fermented saltiness of pickled radish, spicy tofu, and other vegetable sorts complimented the burning meat cooking on the portable grill. Most Korean bbq restaurants give you 10 banchan, or side dishes, that comes standard with your main entree. The gratuitous side dishes alone would have filled up the stomach, but to the experienced K-bbq patron, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

We laughed, guffawed, gasped, and hooplaud our night into a finale of blissful stupor. Our bellies told us we were at full capacity yet our inebriated minds told us we could still make room for the delicious bimbi-bap that followed the 6 or 7 meat items that were already cooked and eaten. Since it was all you can eat, they just kep on piling it on the grill. They use a certain type of white radish that cleanses the burnt chards of the grill and simultaneously takes away the smell that comes with the brownish black color. It was fun seeing the waitress clean the grill with white radish while we continued to "gan bei", or toast, to our fortunes and our future.

It is the after party of the after party that friends, tired and hungry from dancing all night, would commence as their last soree of the night. The denoument to a fun filled night. It could also be the foundational base to the young night life of shooting pool, singing karaoke, playing nordabang (PC Cafes), and K clubbing. For others, it means a social avenue to network with friends and, still others, it is the avenue for business networking.

For Amy and I, this was our way of saying goodbye and I love you. It was our way of letting our hearts vibrate with the soju clinks of our gan bei. It was a celebration of our past times growing up together, our present fun, and the future prospect of many wishes, hopes, and dreams to explore.

Cheers!!

Shipwreck Trail & Wayfarer's Chapel

2010-06-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Shipwreck Trail and Wayfarer's Chapel
Location:
Paseo Del Mar & Flat Rock Point

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Entertainment: Free
Food: San Pedro's Best Sandwich in Town $7.00 for a Meatball Cheese Sandwich

Four miles west of Rancho Palos Verdes is its regal neighbor, Palos Verdes. Traveling through the two cities via the winding ocean coast road of Palos Verdes Dr. is like witnessing richness at it's finest. Palos Verdes has the mega million mansions, the crisp cool ocean breeze, the seventy five degree sun bath, and the peninsula view.

Our destination is Palos Verdes' Shipwreck trail--the danger behind its name is telling of the trail itself. We started off on a plateau that insidiously gave us a view of the horizon abruptly delineated by the ocean. At the starting vantage point, it looked more like Christopher Columbus's theory come true--we were at world's end.

And so it seemed, for the trail immediately started with a sharp drop, steep and wrought
with rocks. Nature was a devil in red dress, for its beauty and danger bid us forward with its breathtaking view and its many fatal scenarios playing through our minds with each step down the treacherous cliff. The thought of pseudo rock climbing without any rope was exhilarating--I could feel my blood pump harder, my hand clamming up, and the same time that I told myself not to, I kept looking down. Periodically, I would slide down, like a cat on a leash, and let the gravity inch me downwards towards the rocky shoreline.

Once we (Josh, John, Tank, Kathy, Cynthia, David, Lisa, Gus, and I ) set foot, nature did not want to give us a break. We immediately started skip skopping on jagged rocks, sizes that ranged from boulders to pebbles, while trying to avoid kelp, litter, and insects. There were these particular insects that looked like a mix between rollie-pollies and silver fish with huge antennas that made my skin itch and my nerves on edge while hopping towards my destination. There were a few reflexive squeals that had to be made known to my team, but after awhile I got the hang of hopping on the bigger boulders to avoid the many crawling creatures scattering around like cockroaches in a sewer (Now that is a place I would not mind ever visiting).

We passed by a human made shack built on the piedmont surrounded by native flowers and shrubbery; our friend, Lisa, was the only one who dared to make the mini-climb and take a picture of it. From the base of the slope looking up, it looked like a surfer version of a fairy tale cottage--a "kissing shaft" for teens to make out.

After a good quarter of a mile of rock hopping (it felt like a video game after the first five minutes), we finally reached our tide pool destination along with a run down rusted boat. Unfortunately, the it was high tide so we weren't able to catch the many rumored sea creatures like octopus, lobster, and other shell fishes that allegedly lives around that eco community.

The hike lasted a good hour and a half, and it wasn't until we on our way to our next destination, Wayfarer's Chapel, that we begin to have our doubts that we were actually on the Shipwreck Trail, since the Shipwreck Trail is slated to be around 2.5 miles long and our 1 mile journey just didn't see to quite add up.

Wayfarer's Chapel is the best place to have your wedding, if you are living around the South Bay area. It overlooks the fluorescent coastal bluff landscape, while surrounded by roses, latana, cape honeysuckle, etc. Once you step foot into the glass chapel, ambient music accompanies the sound of water trickling down the fountain. Wayfarer's Chapel is named for travelers who seek spiritual nourishment--the serenity that surrounds the environment is a blessing for all who wishes for some self reflection and mental peace.

Lastly, we ate a hearty meal and what Lisa likes to call, "The best kept secret of San Pedro Sandwiches", where all the locals and mill guys know of. Get the Belly Buster that includes pastrami, hot links, meatball, and chicken smelted with jack cheese and hearty tomato sauce festooned with as many peppercinnis as your stomach lining can take. It's called Busy Bees and rightly named since there are no dining tables, but only a To-Go line in a liquor store setting.

Overall, it was an adventurous day that started with rocky climbs, beach side coolness, aristocratic casualty, and ended with finding Eden.

Stroll & Savor on Second Street

2010-06-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

Location: Downtown Long Beach

Entertainment Cost: Free

Food Cost: $1 per ticket or $10 for 12 tickets

Have you stood in front of two restaurants and couldn't decide which one to go? Italian or Japanese? Greek or Indian? What if you could have both? Even better, how about if you can have it all...all for one third of the price of a dinner outing? Look no further, because that is what the Downtown Stroll and Savor allows the fickle food lover to do. It's like having your cake and eating it too!!

Luckily I've have had many years of Costco Sunday Sample training so I knew instinctively that I would have to wait my turn amidst the eager and hungry crowd while keeping a keen eye on the trend of the lines--my experienced sonar tracked down time and again all the you just-gotta-wait lines.

Once we bought our tickets, we were given a map

of the 20 or so different restaurants that were displaying their signature samples on their front porch. In addition to the ethnicalicious food vendors saturated across the 14 block outdoor promenade, the trek towards our favorite palate pleasers allowed us to also appreciate the diverse array of boutiques, coffee shops, and speciality stores. From bougie women wear such as Jennys and Heavenly Couture to high fashioned candy shops like Frost, Powell's Sweet Shop, Yogurtland, Pinkberry, to eccentric specialties such as Party Props, Storyteller Productions, Pussy and Pooch-- a Juicy Couture equivalent of a pet store for dogs and cats, its like a hodgepodge of liberal creativity for the hipster.

As diverse as the food and the shops were, the crowd was just as mixed as the United Nations. It was heartwarming to know that I live in a city where diversity is the status quo, that the locals all seem to interact with each other, bustling with kindred spirit of commercialism. When it came to entertainment, it was still a bit shy from the hustle of Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, but it did have its few moments of street blues in the form of New world tunes and good old strumming on familiar guitar strings. There was even a makeshift food court with the family centered music and dancing. It was altogether a homely feel--like having a warm cup of cocoa in a San Francisco coffee shop.

We sampled Pad Thai, Lucille's hot links, bar bred hot wings, NY pizza, Peat's fusion teas, Yogurtland, Chuck and Toby's 1 ticket Tacos and by the time we were contemplating Lebanese and Greek, we were already stuffed at full capacity. The four of us (Lisa, Kathy, Gus, and I) each bought our own tickets and five minutes before the end of the street fair (6:00pm-9:00pm), we were all loosening our pants with altogether five tickets left to spare. We took home a meal sized doggy bag full of leftovers from random places we hadn't visited.

If you haven't experienced downtown Long Beach, you would definitely miss out if you overlook this underrated promenade. Compared with the more famous Santa Monica Promenade, I would say it is comparatively better in food selections and shop eccentricities. Though there could be more improvement on the street entertainers, there is plenty of food sampling opportunities to make up for that. The Stroll and Savor fair only happens twice a month, so be sure to open your mouth and your minds to the Belmont Shore Stroll and Savor when the time calls for you.

Trump's Way

2010-06-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

Day 3
Location: Trump's Golf Course, Rancho Palos Verdes
Entertainment Cost: Free

Food Cost: Free if you have awesome friends by the name of Lisa and Gus. (Thanks for the chips, granola bars, drinks, and, of course, the PHO!!)

For those that can't afford $300 dollar tee off at Trump Golf, an alternative way to enjoy the prestigious ocean view of the Pacific Palisades is to walk alongside the lush greens and peachy sand dunes coating its trails. Although a 12 mile course round trip, there is a shorter route you can sneak off to that leads you down a crooked dirt path to the tide pools of the Pacific coast. There is where you will find the many sea creatures such as purple shelled crabs with pink tinged corners hiding behind sea green and almond brown coral, starfish, sea anemones, shelled crabs crawling furtively between nooks in communities where both sea life and plant life coexist in the biorhythm we call mother nature.

Not many Californians can say that they enjoy their commute. I know I certainly begrudge the idea of driving--especially when we are conditioned to sit through traffic on our way to work or to pick up some groceries by way of many stoplights, turtle drivers, and overcrowded roads. However, driving the five mile winding hillside that looms over the coastline, its fresh breeze, open road, and crystal clear oceanside view felt more like a cruise. Now I understand the essence of the word, "cruise", simultaneously reliving the term "joyride" from back when we were still teens, when we were still eager to find any excuse to be behind the wheel. On our left side, we saw the infinite ripples of the ocean, only smoothed out by the silver lining that separates the optic departure between water from sky. The nuance of that lining is so slight that to the untrained eye, one might even believe we are on a rock floating above the sky. To a fanciful imagination, we could well be living in James Cameron's Avatar world.

Two seconds into the trail, we (Josh, Kathy, Cynthia, David, Gus, Lisa, and I) all noticed how smooth and wide the pavement is. It felt like trails for the rich--well quite literally considering that the mega mansions behind us are most likely the routine joggers. Next, I noticed how diverse the native plants flourished. Now I'm definitely not a biologist, botanist, ecologist, and anything of the nature (get my pun? HA!), but just from a cursory glance, one can notice the color scheme layered artfully against the backdrop of the cliff and PV mansions.

By the time we crossed the wooden bridge that connects the botany with the beginning of the descending dirt path towards the shore, we were all caught by the breathtaking view of the kelp scattered throughout the beige, pale blue, and algae green colors of the waters. I could distinctly smell the salt and seaweed of the Pacific Ocean bidding to us to come closer. By the time we were at the bottom, there was a community of creatures galore in every step we took on the coral reefs and tide pools. If we had a bucket, we would've all had crabs for dinner tonight for it was plentiful. A couple of our guys easily picked it up by the torso and back shell while the other sea anemones and starfish creatures we found were protected by the fickle tides that teased us with sporadic moments of high and low.

Like many SoCo natives, when it comes to exercising, we often gain more than lose do to our ability to eat more calories than we burn on a particular event. In any case, by the time we headed back, we all sweating, hungry, but most of all feeling wholesome. Pho at Saigon Bistro was a perfect way to celebrate a "Trump" victory to another nice, fulfilling day.

Garden of Earthly Delights

2010-06-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

Moneta's Nursery
Location: 13633 S Vermont Avenue, Gardena, CA 90247

Entertainment Cost: $14 (3 peppers at $1.25 + random exotic tomato and pepper seeds)

Food Cost: Negative (-) since growing your own veggie garden is an investment.

Whether you are there as a gardening fanatic or as a curious onlooker, hands down this is one of the most lush gardens to buy your flowers, fruit trees, vegetables, bonsai trees, and agricultural accessories. Expansive in their 20 acre lot, Moneta's Nursery seduces the casual observer to tilt ever closer--if not for the beauty of the ripe color blooms, then for the organic perfume wafting through the cool summer's breeze.

The scents of four five dozen rose species spread across a wide bed for our olfactory's whim and fancy. It was like kids walking through Candyland. We (Gus, Lisa , and myself) ran around the nursery in which wherever direction, allowing our eyes to navigate our next destination. It was definitely a sensory overload, but I had to keep my mission in mind: Which flower among all the flowers shall I choose for my front yard? It reminded me of a book I read in elementary school, Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag, where there were just millions of pretty cats to choose from, the ole man decided to take all of them home. Well, I don't want to give any spoilers (a big SoCo No No), but here I was confronted with so many beautiful life energies waiting to grow its roots on a warm (well in this case PH friendly, nutrient rich, temperature ready) bed of soil, so what did I do?

Well like any other self-respecting, rational and responsible Californian girl, I walked into the nursery with the mindset of getting flowers for my front yard, and walked out with three exotic peppers and an idea: one Caribbean Red Hot, one Chili Piquin, and one Floral Gem. Then, I got to thinking about creating my own mini paradise of different spices~ since I am a SpiceAddict..I'm seriously thinking about starting my own website on spices...I would create a web page titled http://www.spiceaddict.com/ , but apparently if you click on this link, it's already been taken, the web page preoccupied with some fragmented message in a faded gray font that darkens when the cursor is over it, sends a message that is simple but doesn't quite make sense-- a little on the creepy side for all the complicated and ADHD Californians like me. It's got me thinking about cults and hidden messages of life behind the spice when I rather would just go back to talking about all the potential florals I can grab from this paradise.

Like our Good ole Govna would say: Iy'll be Bach!

Premiere Life @ LA Film Festival

2010-06-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

LA Film Festival 2010
Location: Downtown Los Angeles, LA Live
11th St and Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90189Entertainment Cost: $50 Despicable Me Package

Includes: 2 tix to Despicable Me World Premiere Sunday + 2 vouchers towards any Indie film (if you purchased with Amex, you receive a complimentary pass to the LA LiveLounge

Food Cost: Free if you have an awesome BFF by the name of Amy Chang!! (Thanks!)

Planning is worth a million words--words of persuasion, confusion, and frustration that could be altogether excised if I had bought my tickets for Waiting for Superman just a bit earlier, or perhaps pinpointed the exact location on GoogleMap® for the Events Tent will call that would have bought us enough time to place for the first redeeming 20 sinners aka “non-planners” in rush line to watch the movie. I wouldn’t even be wasting words on this blog if it wasn’t for the fact that I was the 21st person in line.

The upside of it all? Of course there’s always an upside—I was at Hollywood’s front porch, gazing in wonderment of all the glam and glitz that goes with the hype of a premiere.

Waiting for Superman, a documentary about today’s failing public education school system, directed by An Inconvenient Truth’s David Guggenheim had a red carpet welcome, equipped with pricy looking pole lights beamed against the backdrop of the movie’s logo, with the press making small talk, drinking their lattes, and interviewing the occasional who’s who that strolled down the thirty foot red carpet. Thirty minutes before the showing, black Cadillacs periodically dropped off celebrities (?) while onlookers turned heads, policeman and security shut down the perpendicular streets making it a minor inconvenience for mortals like me to get Access.

Though I knew it was a documentary with none of the A-list actors there, the inundation of commercial seduction pasted across the tempered glass skyscraper of name brand buildings, the 40+ pedestrian fans waiting at the doggie side of the sidewalk, and the swarm of security, volunteers, and policemen that surrounded the grand entrance to the theatre, made me all the more eager and fanatic to obtain access to watch the movie. Sure, I could’ve YouTubed the doc, but it wouldn’t have been the same without the lure of city stardom. Just standing behind the line for the two hours made

me feel the tingle of the many What-Ifs of the film making industry.

Though we didn’t get to see, Waiting for Superman, we still went inside Regal Cinema, though we had to tread lightly through the cautious watch of Waiting for Superman security standing a few yards from the entrance to our plan B indie movie, 1428, a documentary of the Sichuan Province’s earthquake aftermath. Subtitled in English, 1428 is named after the exact time the earthquake took place, 14:28 on May 12, 2008 , and at first glance seems to address the initial response to the emergency disaster. On closer look, the audience begins to see a bigger infrastructural system that needs fixing. The film was a raw glimpse into the poverty in that region and into the Communist Party’s real motive behind “rebuilding” the villages. Without any narration or any particular loyalty to follow any one character, the selection of what the director wants the audience to see reveals the dichotomy of government regulated industrial opportunism and the inadequacy of traditional methods for farm bred self sufficiency.

At the end of the movie, it personally made me feel more appreciative of what I have, especially walking out to a beautiful third floor view of the nighttime city.

Afterwards, we drove about 8 miles from LA Live Stadium to Thai Town, specifically in Thai Plaza, specifically Red Corner Asia, where we had Tom Yum noodle soup, raw shrimp dipped in a sleuth of mixed spices, and spicy curry over brown rice, finished with fresh mangos with sweet sticky rice coated with coconut milk. The restaurant was one in five shops that doesn’t close until the wee hours in the morning, the earliest at 2 am and the latest at 3:30 am (or shall I say earliest at 3:30? Or latest? Wait…I’m confused now).

There is a Thai bakery called Thai Desert House where we picked up baked coconut milk, angel hair sugar, and make-it-yourself Thai ice tea pouches. We came home around 1:30 in the morning. It was a sweet day.

And Let There be Light

2010-06-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

So if you ask the many fabulous SoCo Residents on what they do for fun, you will most likely get a laundry list of places to shop, eat, and, like we said in the 90's, "kick-it" spots. If you ask for any specifics, most likely your answers would not include such places like Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Bus Tour, Griffith Observatory. Most of us have been there at least once in our lifetimes, but have we really explored explored all that SoCo has to offer us? I've lived in Los Angeles practicaly all my life, dreaming about getting away to hot vacation spots far, far, away. I even decided that I wasn't going to live here all my life--I need to diversify, putting all my bounded dreams into different baskets. Housing is cheaper, standard cost of living is lower in other states (Most other states at least), but if I left LA today, I would be missing out on many of the things that has attracted the millions of Californian residents to pay the extra mulah to stay here in the first place. My mission this summer is to explore the region that is Southern California, dancing the nightlife, strolling the sunny sandy beaches, milking the cultural carnivals, and poking through the mecca of metropolitan diversity, home to hundreds of nationalities thrown together that is our beautiful City of Angels, in all its ugliness and beauty, and all that falls in between. If you are resourceful, touring So Cal can be reasonably priced--It takes some Googling, some curiosity, and the willingness to take risks. I can't tell you if the payoff will be worth it yet, but I will share with you my experiences along the way to finding out =D