04
Sep 10
Day 103: The Bar at Katsuya
I love swanky restaurants with swanky bars. There’s the buzz of the restaurant around you and the speedy drink service. So what if we paid $22 for a bottle of sake you could get from the Japanese market for $8. And what if our bar tab was more than our dinner bill? We were having an evening. On a serious note, the food at Katsuya is amazing. It may not be friendly on your pocketbook, but your belly will thank you.
03
Sep 10
Day 102: Ladies Who Lunch
There is something so comforting about a power lunch with fabulous friends. A trip to Ugly Roll Sushi today became a fun-filled gabfest. This was such a fun little adventure. Us girls needed a chance to let our hairs down and just be silly and blow off some steam… And share a mega sushi platter. When I first moved to L.A. I thought that all the women in this town were snobby and pseudo pretentious. Once I began to really make friends, I was proven so wrong. In the end, you befriend the people who share your vibe and outlook on life. And they are out there, it just takes time and effort to make a connection. I loved all the female empowerment today. XOXO
02
Sep 10
Day 101: KPTREAL
Some people like to keep it fake, so this guy has to tell us to KPTREAL. At least that’s what I think he’s saying. For all I know his name could be Karl Patrick Treal. And rarely gets a chance to keep it real. In which case, at least Karl Patrick is a friend of the ocean.
01
Sep 10
Day 100: Even in darkness we find light
Sometimes the wonders of life are hidden in the thick of an unforgiving night. There are shadows at play beyond the horizon’s sprawling reach. A dream within a dream on a mid-summer’s night. When we become weary of the dark. When clarity is but fleeting. When nothingness become everything. We find illumination. And all that is, will be all that was. And all that was won’t even matter.
31
Aug 10
Day 99: Palm Trees
Brooklyn has trees that line streets. San Francisco has hills. Las Vegas as lights. We have palm trees. This is a fairly typical view of a street in Los Angeles. Funny how the things that define a city are merely backdrops to the residents. Rush out the door. Keys. Lock the bolt. Coffee cup. Car door. NPR. Traffic report. Vroom. Oh yeah, there are blue skies and palm trees. A kiss here. A laugh there. The sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. From Cedar Sinai to Hollywood Forever. This is Los Angeles. For better or worse. We are hers. And she is ours.
30
Aug 10
Day 98: I WENT TO ART $CHOOL FOUR YEARS FOR THIS $IHT!!!!!!!!
Ain’t that the truth? And doesn’t the artist’s frustration apply to everything? Childhood. School. Work. Work. Work. Vacation. Work. Work. Work. A Nap. Then Death. “I busted my ass for a steak dinner and all I got were these weary bones.” When you’ve been on the ride for so long, you forget that you can get off. We join the money-earning cycle because our industrialized society doesn’t have a place for people who don’t want to work. It’s not like we can go and live off the land. Whose land? And did you hear that shotgun? Don’t mistake my stoic rant for self-pitied whining. (There’s a diff.) We do have options, although not anything particularly comfortable. And so we cope. Some of us create art. Most of us drink. Some of us post our frustrations on electrical cabinets on Crescent Heights. Some of us actually enjoy the ride. And we all dance and sing and kiss and laugh until the pain of living becomes dull and barely noticeable.
(And no. I won’t make an extended comment on the misspelling of $HIT and speculate about how $IHT is THI$ misspelled backwards. And how perhaps THI$ really is just $HIT.)30
Aug 10
Arcade Fire Wilderness Downtown Video
I implore you… go to this video site now. What an amazing experience brought to you by Arcade Fire, Google, Radical Media Production, B-Reel, Magoo 3D studios and more. What a way to introduce a new video for a new album. Kudos!
29
Aug 10
Day 97: Please Do Not Disturb Occupants
Here’s a little sign that I found amusing. I thought the lock on the door implied this? Or just the door. I just wonder how many people have disturbed the occupants that they felt the need to post a sign asking not to be disturbed. Perhaps I should knock on their door to ask. But then I would be violating the sign’s instructions.
27
Aug 10
Day 94: Cake Day Machete
This is a serious cake that requires a serious knife to slice it up. Schook schook! Brought to you from the brilliant mind of Laina Erde. I’m going to miss cake days at MDG.
25
Aug 10
Day 93: Paella Night
It’s not easy maintaining a normal life when you’re extremely busy. But I just found out tonight that you can work 7-4 and 5-8, and still make a Paella before bedtime. What does suffer, however, is your waistline. No time for walks or workouts. Balance will come someday. This is a chicken, seafood, and sausage Paella. Delish!
24
Aug 10
Day 92: Cucumber Water
Los Angeles is experiencing another heat wave. In order to beat the heat, we must hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! So, how do adventurous gastronomers quench their thirsts? If sparkly sugar drinks are not an option, how about adding slices of cucumber to your water. I first had cucumber-infused water at a friend’s home back East, where the summer heat is unbearable. The taste is so light and refreshing. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my fridge tonight and saw that it had been prepared for me! Swoon.
23
Aug 10
Day 91: Who needs Vons, when you have Jons?
If you happen to need cheap groceries in West Hollywood, you want to skip Ralphs. Instead cross the street and hit up Jons. The veggies are not the greatest, but everything is cheaper than a regular grocery store. If you need Russian goods, should be on your regular rotation. But don’t neglect the mom and pop Russian markets on Santa Monica Blvd. Svetlana needs to eat, too! Jons Marketplace
West Hollywood, CA
