Monday, July 17, 2006, 09:32 PM - Food, Los Angeles
My dear epicures, I have been neglecting you. I’ve sampled several of the tastiest parts of LA, and haven’t been writing about them at all. Here is your belated roundup:
Zankou Chicken: the perfect picnic for outdoor films at Hollywood Forever cemetery. Great dolma, too, for nongreeks.
Ford's Filling Station: superlative duck confit flatbread, and the best west coast fried clams I’ve run across. Went for a birthday party, and a post-gallery opening dinner. Trout and lamb both delectable. The chef/owner is easy on the eyes, unsurprisingly (it’s LA, so yes he is the son of Harrison).
Edendale Grill: I’m not exactly sure why you’d go here instead of Blair’s, except for the sweet patio in the back for a cocktail. Food was fine, but my fried green tomatoes were awfully red. Jon’s steak was really tasty, but Susie’s risotto cakes were too lemony, even for me who loves lemon most of all.
Blair's: you guys know this is my favorite place in LA so far, right?
AOC: I do love to support the women chefs – and sitting at the cheese bar is sweet. Morel special was divine, if a bit sandy… other plates were not quite as inspiring, but I’d go back. And I did, and the tomato salad made me very happy, but not as happy as the brioche made my dinner companion.
Water Grill: only had very brief pre-Opera oysters and raw fish treats, but they were superb. Made me curious to try more downtown places.
Los Balcones del Peru – down home ceviche and that fully addictive hot green salsa are now sourced locally, which makes me feel calmer.
Geisha House: Slightly overbearing preparation, but very nice fish underneath all the flashy saucing. I get way too much of a kick out of the tacky hollywoodness of these sorts of places. Will remember fondly scenes of de-vegetarianization that transpired. Great cocktails.
Square One: went for lunch yesterday – some innovative touches, but I hear brunch is the reason to go.
Yamashiro : amazing location/ views, food was fine but not outstanding. Probably somewhat compromised by how strange but pleasant it was to be dining with Matt Stahl again after so long.
Dusty's: best brunch I’ve had yet here, both times. But Blair's is starting brunch soon, I hear.
Ciudad: the food is good, but it always feels a little soulless and corporate to me.
New Gelato place on sunset: Red plum/ gran marnier was the best sweet thing I’ve eaten in a long time.
Table 8: solid and delicious but not fascinating. Angel’s calamari was great.
Guelaguetza strange herbs, tasty goat, and the best black mole ever smeared across a tamal.
Still on the list, and feel free to make suggestions:
Philippe Beacon Chameau real sushi places Jar Brandywine R23 Cobras y Matadores Josie Mission 261 dim sum Grace…….
Saturday, July 8, 2006, 12:18 PM - Sex, Friends
At Dengue Fever at Tangier on Thursday I could almost pretend I was back at the MakeOut - a big red room, a Dieselhed alum onstage, lots of friends and fellow Mission refugees in the audience...at least one I had no idea was down here (Jeff Palmer). I still can't confirm the rumored arrival of Case Hudson but I hope to spot him soon. I was terribly happy to have a small coterie of new LA friends to lounge around with...
This photo (thanks Betty!) is
a) surprisingly nostalgia-producing (I miss the feta)
b) slightly inaccurate - I'm a greek Mission export now I guess
c) wicked clever.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006, 04:34 PM - Travels
This is where I hiked yesterday. I can't believe I can get my snowmelt swimming fix so close to (new) home. By August this lake should be the perfect temperature - now it's brisk and lovely.
This means my weekend included both ocean and lake dips, and it really doesn't get better than that, does it?
Saturday, July 1, 2006, 04:16 PM - Politics
Update: Ugh. The last omen I want right now is a really really close election where my side loses...
I am holding my breath for the vote in Mexico tomorrow. How much will the rabid anti-immigrant rhetoric from up north factor in a Lopez Obrador victory, if he can pull it off? Seems like he's perfectly placed to capitalize on the always-simmering nationalist tendencies in Mexican culture and the sputtering inadequacy of the Fox/Bush alliance - especially given how badly the neoliberal project has failed the majority of Mexicans. And can anyone give me a good reason why WE don't vote on a weekend?
Wednesday, June 28, 2006, 12:58 PM - Politics
I was having another one of those conversations with a conservative (this time it was with Claudia's friend Skittles - how can a conservative go by the name of candy, anyway?) where they're just falling all over themselves about how RATIONAL I am and how I'm so adept at real dialogue. Usually I take this to mean that they just want to get my pants off (Sean, Ken) but I don't think that was Skittles' goal. (It also makes me realize how much my intellectual proclivities were shaped by scrappy debate of the CC core.) Are there truly no other fearless liberal chicks out there to drink Sancerre and fight with? Is our side really that incapable of articulating our positions or allowing that there are plenty of well-reasoned conservative arguements? Perhaps I’m just not afraid to admit when I agree with them, which I’m sure is refreshing. I usually end up respecting the logic behind most fiscal/ libertarian conservatives’ positions, while finding their baseline assumptions to be fundamentally flawed (e.g. the core lack of altruism/responsibility for the community that percolates through what would otherwise be fairly appealing libertarianism).
Our chat last night reminded me of the last serious middle east discussion I was part of (more accurately as a 3rd wheel in a slugfest between Nick and Adam)- I wish I had time to think more coherently about middle east foreign policy/ long term implications, and I wish I understood the Saudi and Egyptian internal dynamics better. I won’t concede the pure ‘I will save the world with democracy’ motivations that were put forward last night – everything there is too mixed up with oil – but I can’t totally discount the impact of the ascendency of idealistic interventionist neocons. I’m fascinated with the Iranian trajectory (which our Iraq quagmire is influencing in unexpected ways)– did you hear they just appointed a new foreign policy committee? Makes me think they’re less likely to become North Korea, more hopeful that the moderating influence of gradually increasing economic interaction with Europe and their profoundly young population can move them towards a less repressive, more democratic incarnation of the revolution. (Is Ahmadinejad a trend or an anomaly?) I don’t have a lot of hope that Iraq will become a shining advertisement for the benefits of democracy any time soon…and for all its flaws, Iran (as Pez pointed out) does have a complex and multi-layered civil society, and (in addition) a strong history of education and women's political participation. Where’s Mana Kia when I need her?
Wednesday, June 28, 2006, 12:04 PM - Politics
;)
You should be going to your local Rally for an Oil-Free Congress
Here's the summary from the MoveOn site:
Gas prices are off the charts, the situation in the Middle East is unstable, scientists are warning that global warming is at a tipping point, and last month, MoveOn members decided that "clean, sustainable energy" should be one of our key goals. That's why it's time for an "Oil-Free Congress."
On Wednesday, June 28th — right before the 4th of July when gas prices will be front and center as folks plan for the long weekend — we're going to be holding gas station rallies across the country. We'll tell Congress it's time to say no to Big Oil's money and become Oil Free.
I'll be at the Shell Station at the corner of Fair Oaks and Walnut in Pasadena at 5:30. What does one wear to a gas station?
Tuesday, June 27, 2006, 05:05 PM - Friends
doesn't feel like California outside. The air is wetter and more present than usual and full of vaguely unsettling potential. I am far too sensitive to barometric uncertainty, and I feel like a dreamy addict when I'm in it. Two small raindrops on the way back from lunch (with 'Peaches', for those of you who know your Lusty Lady history) and a series of NYC references are making me homesick for summer drenching thunderstorms and a time when we couldn't all keep tabs on each other electronically.Tuesday, June 27, 2006, 03:13 PM - Technology
Amendment up for a vote in the Senate Commerce Committee today...
did you make your phone calls?
Make some phone calls!
Friday, June 23, 2006, 02:06 AM - Books
And at that point I might actually have time to read it...
I am astonishingly excited about the idea.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006, 06:31 PM - Sex
I seriously considered starting a melee at my dear friend Jennette's karaoke birthday party last weekend... I am slightly wistful that I didn't take advantage of the low lighting, orange walls, sake bottles that could have gone flying, microphone cords that were just begging to be wrapped around someone's neck, and utter ridiculousness of the situation. You'll be relieved to know that one well-placed dirty look did the trick, but I was secretly disappointed. It's been ages since I've been in the middle of a good scene. NEXT time I get invited to a private karaoke studio I will have been practicing a couple of pointed 'keep your hands off my man*' songs. It could be a flawed plan, since much as I'd like to pretend that my life is Bollywood-esque, I'd probably lose any objectively-judged idol-style competition.
* do let me know if you can think of songs that might be particularly appropriate in a 'keep your hands off my man, who's actually married to someone else, so obviously not exactly mine' sort of context. (did I mention the ridiculousness of the situation??) At least life is interesting.
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