Some Things That Happened Last Week

Do you ever get upset by all the cool things you see when driving which ought to be photographed?  I do.  Most of the time it’s just too hard to pull over and park.  Some things I have missed:  Some stenciled graffiti (is it still called graffiti then?) on Beverly Glen in the hills stating “It’s the end of the world”, a pickup truck overflowing with cat scratching posts, and actually I can’t remember any others at this moment.

Last Thursday I was driving south on Glendale Blvd. in Echo Park, and right after the beginning of the 2 freeway I stumbled upon this!

It’s a broken water main or something.  I am in fact, crying inside, because I couldn’t park and get some better shots.  Traffic, if you can believe it, was craaaaazy.  If I had been able to step back a hundred feet or so though, you would be able to see how high this jet of water was spewing into the air.  Two or three hundred feet I’d say.  Maybe higher.  I’m sure this inconvenienced a ton of people, but I was so happy to see it.  Totally made my day!  I guess I just like crazy things like that.

Later in the evening Bleached played a party at Paul and Andre’s in Hollywod put on by ‘Sup magazine and Opening Ceremony.

During:

After:

A side note:  Not everyone in the above photograph is actually in the band.

Some other stuff happened Friday and Saturday, but I didn’t take any pictures.

Sunday Allen Bleyle had a BBQ at his house where Devon Williams and the Soft Pack played.  There was a slip and slide as well as a fire.  I think maybe 3 people went on the slip ‘n’ slide total.  The fire was started by one of them because they were cold.

If I Could Mess With Time And Reality And Life And All That…

…Perhaps I would erase the past 8 days.

While my opinion on astrology fluctuates between interest and skepticism, one thing I don’t doubt is the effect of mercury retrograde.

We’ve all had one of those weeks.  You know, the kind that has you just waiting for the next unfortunate happening.  For example; my past week consisted of a terrible date, followed by a completely unexpected fight picked by a sibling, followed by instances of my photos being used yet not credited, followed by my flash failing me on a last minute job.  Oh, and then my car ran out of gas before I could get to the gas station, and then my left brake light went out.  Wow!  But you know what I hate?  Complaining.

Actually the week wasn’t all bad.  I ate some food… saw some friends… went to some parties.  There was definitely steam to be blown off, but I had the faculties to do so.

On Food:

Friday night Flaunt magazine had a dinner to celebrate their Neo Golden Age issue.  It was at this restaurant Phillipe Chow.  The best things were the sate skewers and the peking duck.  There was also some green shrimp, filet mignon with broccoli, and champagne.

Appetizers gone:

Green Shrimp:

 Plate mid-meal featuring green shrimp and peking duck:

Champagne, white, and red:

 

On Sunday I had a late lunch with my mom at Ernie’s Jr. in Eagle Rock.  We used to go there all the time when I was a kid.  I got my favorite entrée called the “Torta de Guacamole”.  It’s a very thin egg omelet stuffed with guacamole, and then covered in enchilada sauce and melted cheese.  I still love it to this day.  A warning though:  the beans can be hit or miss at this place.  Today they were kind of a miss.

   

I have also been working on perfecting a sort of vodka lime/mint/basil soda.  More on that in a future post.

Oh, Yeah...

And Woods continues to release more great songs.  This one's off a 7" released back in July, called "Find Them Empty".  That's what the song is called too.

"Find Them Empty" by Woods by forcefieldpr

What To Do With Cats

Starring Pony, Chicken, Sara Bauer, and Wendy Garrett.

Institutions

I’m still trying to wrap my head around eating out in Los Angeles.  You see, there’s this phenomenon out here that both astounds and confuses my delicate palate.  Maybe I just know some weird people, or perhaps my disposable income is just much less than it used to be, but there seems to be some sort of proliferation of old timey dining institutions out here.  These institutions are matched by a large number of more traditional ethnic restaurants, and while ethnic food is all well and good, I lived in New York City for 10 years, where a mid-priced amazing and innovative meal is rather commonplace.  This seems to be harder to come by in L.A., and when you do, it’s often in the $30+ price range.

 

Taylor’s Steak House is one such institution.  I have been there 3 times, most recently yesterday for my father’s birthday.  The first time I got some kind of filet mignon with crab on top.  That was a bad idea.  The second time I got their burger, which was totally overcooked and dry.  This time I got their rib eye, which was actually pretty good.  It came with a side of broccoli (not shown).  My stepmother got the crème brulee (also not shown) for desert.  That was actually the best thing I’ve ever had there.

My very traditional steak dinner: 

Another such institution is Taix (pronounced like Tex).  I either get their Croque Monsieur, or their Moules a la Mariniere.  Their Gratin de Macaroni is not bad either, but if you expect anything more out of this place than comfort food, you’re going to be disappointed.

My very comforting Croque Monsieur:

Perhaps the worst of these institutions is the infamous Dan Tana’s next to the Troubador.  Everything here comes with a side of spaghetti.  I can only ask “Why?”

Fortunately, despite my highly limited budget, I have discovered some restaurants worth trying out.  They are (in no particular order) Lil’ Doms, Folliero’s, Lou, Mandarette, Masa, and Auntie Em’s.

Some restaurants I am interested in:  Animal, the Kitchen, and The Allston Yacht Club.

A side note or afterthought if you will:  the french fries at the Mondrian Hotel’s Skybar, are actually quite good.  

Inspired By Me

About a year and a half ago I found my old high school English class journal.  It’s the inspiration for this blog.  I just got it back after a year of floating around in the windy L.A. air.

This is the cover:

The cover art features a drawing off the cover of my elementary school writing journal as well as some contact sheet cut-outs from highschool.

 

Here’s a sample entry!

 

These Things I like

When it comes to things I like I’ve got to admit I’m pretty particular.  I’ve been told that this is a sign of intelligence.  Perhaps instead of IQ tests we should actually have “well developed taste” tests.  We could ask questions like:  “What is the best place to get a burrito in Los Angeles?”, or “What is the best beach on the southern Californian coast?”  I mean, I guess everyone already knows that Benito’s has the best burritos and to visit any beach other than El Matador is an exercise in not enjoying the finer things in life.  Let’s try some more difficult questions.

What is the best cheese to purchase at Whole Foods? 
 

Fromager d’Affinois is a french double-cream soft cow’s milk cheese quite similar to Brie in appearance and taste.  However it undergoes an ultrafiltration process, which results in extra flavor as well as a higher fat content.  This cheese is the best cheese I have ever had, aside from some other variety quite similar with an orange rind, which I had the pleasure of totally pigging out on at an event catered by that Artisanal cheese restaurant in New York City.

What is the best facemask?

Aztec Secret sells and packages this calcium bentonite clay, which possesses a negative electrical charge.  Some science for you guys:  Toxins, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other impurities carry a positive charge.  When introduced to the human body, this clay’s negative charge attracts and bonds to all those bad things with a positive charge, effectively sucking them out of your system.  Some people eat this stuff!  Me, I mix it with apple cider vinegar, and put it on my face. I leave it on as long as I can stand.  If I wore this facemask in public, people would be scared of me because I look like Frankenstein!

What is the most prolific and consistently good band of the past 5 years? 

 

Since 2006 Woods has put out 6 amazing lo-fi folk rock albums.  That’s tough to do.  They’re the best.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.  

These Things

Sometimes things get wet.

Sometimes you take a photo by accident.

Warped Tape

I would like to introduce a new method for deducing the allusive quality of greatness in terms of a musical release.  Let’s call it the “warped tape test”.  The premise is simple yet profound:  try listening to a new album you’ve never heard before, in warped tape format.  If you find yourself coming back time and time again, to that same warped tape for a listen, then you’ve got yourself a really great album!

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you all to the first candidate of the harsh and brutal, yet delicately revealing warped tape test:  Devon Williams.

While the official Slumberland Records release of Euphoria will not be out until later this month, Devon had some cassette copies (released by Burger Records) lying around.  He gave me one.  It was warped.  I think he did it on purpose.

But I digress; after all, we are here to talk about the warped tape test, not the situation that led to the occurrence of such an event.  After an initial listen, I have to say, I was hooked, albeit a bit peeved.  I mean come on.  Who gives out warped tapes of their music?  Regardless, the warbly and sometimes almost indiscernible sounds emanating from my car stereo could not hide the almost divine candy land staccato accenting album opener “Revelations”.  I listened to it 5 times in a row right off the bat.  Delving deeper I found the moodier piece “Tower of Thought” quite stunning in a Def Leppard ballad sort of way.  You know, the kind of song that really moves you.  I could talk more about the album but I’m sure it would just bore you.  If you like carefully crafted pop songs with interesting arrangements you’ll probably like this.  And I’m not just saying that because he put my photo is on his 7”.

 

Here is a music video for one of the songs on the album that I didn't talk about at all.  It's still good though.

Overheard In Los Angeles

Location:  Thai Patio restaurant, Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, USA

Woman 1:  “This is delicious.”

Woman 2:  “Is it like Thailand?”

Woman 1:  “It’s like Heaven in my mouth!”

While I am starting to find myself quite fond of the “Thai Patio” restaurant in Hollywood, I’m not sure if I would go as far as declaring its holiness out loud.  You see, the food isn’t bad; in fact it’s pretty good.  I just know that there are other places with much better food. 

When it comes to lunch specials however, Thai Patio can’t be beat.  For $4.99 you get a quarter thai bbq chicken, complete with a salad (the kind you really eat), fried wonton thingy, and rice.  I’ve been there twice for that special so far this month.  Today though, I opted for the “Drunken Noodles” to go.  While satisfactory, and quite the deal at $6.51 (including tax) I felt the pad kee mao I had 2 weeks earlier from “It’s Thai Hometaurant” (courtesy of Jenny Sayaka Norris) was actually waaaaaaay better.  It was also prettier with more vibrant coloring.  Perhaps it was fresher as well, and had more vegetables.  Regardless, I have no pictures to share for proof of that experience, so I will just indulge these shots from today’s drunken noodles.


Before:

After:

The following song would be perfect if I was eating cambodian food in Cambodia in the '70's instead of thai food in Los Angeles circa 2011, but hey - you can't win everything (for example my favorite songs from this album are nowhere to be found on youtube, and they're also all called "unknown" by "anonymous").

My Favorite Meal, Snack, Or Whatever

Near or far, I here you calling my name

Early in the morning, late at night

Sometimes in the afternoon

Cheese toast!

Cheese toast, I hear your call

Echoing through the canyons in the moonlit night

Where art though?

It makes me sad when I can’t feel your luscious flavor on the tip of my tongue

Gruyere

Emmentaler

I love you both

With all my heart

And all my taste buds

I cannot bear to be apart

You enter my life

I hear the trumpets rejoice in the distant hills

I have won, once again

And you take me off to that far off land

Heaven.


Before:

After:

 

Going Live #blogging

Venturing on through this tumultuous universe of ours we often find ourselves at a juncture.  A crossroads if you will.  Looking into the distance you see the road diverge.  Ahead lies not just one path, but in fact two.  I believe Robert Frost wrote a poem about it once.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la.

Here is some atmospheric music by R. Stevie Moore, as well as some photos and words to help with the contemplative mood of this very personal first blog entry.

Roads,

Vistas,

Plateaus,

Fences,

Clouds,

Jacuzzis,

Full size swimming pools in the desert with bougainvillea,

Stuffing your face,

More clouds,

Ducks in lakes,

Photobooth style photos without a photobooth,

Pastoral fields,

Swimming in the ocean,

Afternoon BBQs,

And even grander vistas...

Yes, quite possibly these topics and many more will be illuminated through my visual and oral explorations to be discussed in future entries of Ojos y Boca.