The Search for J Street

Burgers at City Billy

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love it every time a new restaurant pops up in downtown LA. I really want to support them and so I find myself generally giving them the benefit of the doubt. So despite the mixed reviews for the new Korean-southern-comfort-food concept restaurant, City Billy, I suggested it for a night out with another couple.

As you can tell from my tepid introduction, the experience was less than stellar. Everything started off well. The hot tea choices were really nice! Then we split two appetizers, the spicy kochujang wings and the bacon onion rings. The bacon onion rings didn't seem to have any bacon flavor, but they were still tasty onion rings with nice sauces. The wings were great, and I started thinking that all those Yelp reviewers had too harshly judged City Billy. But then the entrees (all different kinds of burgers) came out and were all, except for mine, cold. So no matter how deliciously flavored or well-cooked the meat might have been, everyone was grossed out that their meals that had clearly been sitting out for quite awhile while mine finished cooking. The waitress tried to make up for the screw up by taking 20% off of the bill, but she didn't know how to work their ipad computer system. So we were ignored at the end of the meal while she pressed buttons in a corner. Thank goodness my dining companions took it all in stride because I felt terrible for having picked the place! There was a lot potential in City Billy, but execution (and bacon to onion ratio) just has to improve.

PS: In case you were wondering, my burger, the one that came out hot, was really good. I got the portobello burger and added avocado, and I would definitely recommend it (if you go by yourself so your meal does not have to be timed with any others).

City Billy
611 W. 7th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Dine LA Review: The Gorbals

2012-02-05T23:34:00.000-08:00

Dine LA has come and gone (perhaps my last in LA?), and I only made it to two restaurants. But I thoroughly enjoyed my choices and my meals. So I guess quality won out over quantity this time around.

The first place I went was The Gorbals. I have been wanting to go here for ages, but it is a hard sell for prospective dining companions. They say, "What kind of food is it?" I say, "Scottish Jewish." They say, "I'll see if I'm free," but they mean, "Uuuum no." The Yelp reviews don't help to sell the place either. You either love it or you hate it, apparently, so there are a substantial number of 1 and 2 star reviews mixed in with the 4 and 5 stars. But it was just my luck that I connected with 2 adventurous, downtown-dwelling dining companions, and I finally got to go for restaurant week.

The verdict? I can see how people love it and how people hate it. Our appetizers were total crap. They were supposed to be some sort of lobster bisque (you could only taste the bullion cube or whatever they were using for a base) and a frisee salad with bacon custard and an egg (it was ok flavor-wise but there was way too much heavy custard/square millimeter of frisee). So it is a really good thing that we ordered the bacon wrapped matzo balls off the regular menu as an extra appetizer to split. Those were lovely. In addition, the entrees were FANTASTIC! At least the fish was, which is what I had. I think the chicken might have only been good, but I was too distracted by the flavors melting in my mouth to investigate. Then came dessert, which was not too crazy, thank goodness, as I had my fill of crazy with the bacon custard. It was mostly chocolately goodness, just what I like. Bonus points for The Gorbals, though, because you get a free glass of wine with the Dine LA menu. And not just the house wine! Any of the wines on the wine list are up for grabs. So despite the unappetizing appetizers, the free $14 glass of wine and amazing entrees makes The Gorbals a solid bet for Dine LA.

The Gorbals

501 S. Spring St.

(Inside the Alexandria Hotel, in the back of the lobby)

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Welcome Back with a Trio of Champagne Cocktails

2012-02-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been a bit m.i.a. To be honest, there was a death in the family, and between flying back to the east coast and then catching up on work, I've just been too tired and stressed out to blog. But I just spent all of yesterday finishing an edit for my law journal and catching up on stupid internets things. (Did you know Lana Del Rey sucked on SNL? And some breast cancer charity caused a big hubub when they stopped donating to Planned Parenthood? And after Florida, everyone said this primary is the dirtiest campaign, well, ever? I just found all this out!) Anyway now that I am semi-caught up with the world I feel like I can tackle blogging again.

So as a nice easy welcome back, I'm just going to share my Friday night plans: I made some "exotic" mimosas and killed a bottle of cheap champagne. The process is super simple. Muddle juice/pulp/berries with shredded herb/pepper/etc. Then add champagne. The flavors, as you can guess, were 1) mint grapefruit 2) lemon sage and 3) blackberry jalapeno. Mint grapefruit turned out too bitter with almost no mint flavor. Sage lemon was OK. The sage was great, but it might have gone better with something other than lemon. Blackberry jalapeno was the best! Perfect amount of sweet and spicy . . . or maybe I just thought it was the best because I was on my 3rd or 4th mimosa? :)

Chicken Breast and Watercress Sandwich

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

The boyfriend and I do not sit down to dinner together as much as I'd like. You know how it is--you are not hungry at the same time or neither of you wants to eat what the other does or football is one at the same time as Gossip Girl so you are forced to watch TV in separate rooms. But awhile back I had a strong desire to eat together. So I asked the bf pick out something he'd like for dinner, and I made it. We settled on this verbosely titled recipe from Epicurious: chicken breast sandwich with watercress, caramelized onions, and paprika aioli. I mostly followed the recipe except that, instead of grilling chicken breasts, I baked a whole chicken covered with a little butter and some herbs. (It's so much cheaper than buying just breasts.) Plus, I added tomatoes and avocados as topping options, and we used onion rolls rather than sourdough bread. The whole process was simple but took awhile (mostly waiting for the chicken to bake), yet I would definitely say it was worth it! I got the boyfriend's enthusiastic approval, and he's even asked me to whip up the aioli several times since. Now that I'm thinking about it, I need to reprise this recipe soon.

PS: Blogger wants to auto-correct aioli to "maiolica," which my dictionary tells me is "fine earthenware with colored decoration on an opaque white tin glaze, originating in Italy during the Renaissance." So random. Who programs this stuff?

Hotel Figueroa: a Moroccan Escape

2012-01-23T16:49:00.000-08:00

Ooops! I just realized that it's January 2012, and I still have not shared the pictures I took of the Hotel Figueroa back in September 2011 when my parents stayed there. "A hotel?" you may be thinking, "Why do we need to see pictures of a hotel at all?" Well this hotel is pretty amazing. You would never guess that tucked between a couple of parking lots, a crappy car wash, and an even crappier Italian restaurant there is a Moroccan-themed oasis. The lobby transports you to another place, and the rooms (actual room keys, not swipe cards!) transport you to another time. The coffin-shaped pool doesn't really transport you anywhere; it's just awesome.

PS: Of the hotels my parents have stayed in downtown, my mom also swears the Hotel Fig has the best beds!

Hotel Figueroa

939 South Figueroa St.

Los Angeles, CA 90015

"Vertical" Apple Parsnip Salad (+ Soup)

2012-01-18T22:13:00.000-08:00

I had bought some apples that turned out to be not very crisp inside. (Don't you hate that?) I didn't want to eat them raw so I investigated cooking options. This apple parsnip soup came up on Epicurious so I gave it a shot. (It's good, but not nearly as good as the other soups I have made up on my own since.* If I get motivated this weekend, I'll share.) Then with the left over apples and parsnips, I made a "vertical" side salad based on this concept. Except my side salad was shaved parsnips, almond slices, and chopped onions mixed in a homemade honey mustard (honey + mustard + a little bit of lemon juice) with layers of romaine. Also my salad did not stand up as well as the picture from the recipe, but that's probably because the other guy's cheating and there's some vertical-salad-holder in the background. But all in all it was a tasty, healthy dinner, and I used up every single one of those mushy apples!

* But thanks to this soup, I now love making pureed veggie soups. You feel (almost) like you are eating a cream based soup, but all the ingredients are actually vegetables! Decadent yet healthy, and absolutely perfect for the winter. Plus, you can make a big batch or a few varieties and then just reheat individuals portions throughout the week. Super easy.

Lunch at the Blue Crab Grill

2012-01-16T23:01:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that my father is a chef? (I joke. I know I've told you all about this. Plus half my readers are my family, so you all knew this.) Anyway while I was home over break, I met up with an old friend at Dad's restaurant for a leisurely lunch break during her drive home. Everything was just as delicious as I remembered! I got the crab imperial melt with avocado substituted for the usual tomato. My friend got a special--a grilled cheese with ham and mushroom. Dad is also in the process of upgrading his bar. The first step looks fantastic! I can't wait to show you the finished product this summer. Or if you're in Newark DE over the next few months, you can check it out yourself!

Golden Birthday

2012-01-11T19:27:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays my little brother was not the only one to have a birthday. I celebrated my golden birthday--27 on the 27th! I got really into the theme (like always) and made golden cake cake pops, tied golden pipe cleaners to everything, decorated with golden Christmas balls, and covered the sticks in the flower arrangement with golden spray paint and glitter. In fact getting ready for the party might have been as much fun as attending. Kind of makes me wonder why I am in law school and not event planning :) My dad catered so naturally everyone loved the food (a nice perk of having a chef for a father), and I had plenty of champagne and mulled wine to fill the sugar-rimmed flutes and the bow-adorned mugs.

PS: I sported my new favorite up-do, a braided halo/wreath creation that wraps all the way around the head. I took some of the twigs that broke off from the spray painted sticks and mixed them in with the braid for a woodland nymph kind of look. Sorry the picture is terrible, but it was super cute! Plus it is a cheap and unexpected way to add a little something extra to your look!

Annual Longwood Gardens Pilgrimage

2012-01-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Every year I go to Longwood Gardens with my family to see the holiday decorations, and every year Longwood outdoes its previous efforts. This year in the music room, there was an incredible (and edible) display of giant gingerbread trees and candy versions of the Du Pont house and greenhouse! It was much more impressive than the antique perfume bottles that were on display last year. Also this year we dined at the restaurant on the grounds--a first for me. The crab cakes with grapefruit were an unexpected but delicious combination! My only complaint is that there was no mulled wine being sold like last year. Warm spiced wine would have been perfect on such a cold night.

Below, Christmas trees designed and decorated by local school children. They have different themes every year and are always one of my favorite displays.

PS: If you are thinking of going next year, plan in advance! Longwood now requires timed tickets to help alleviate crowds.

UPDATE: My brother wants me to let you know that he's working on becoming a multi-millionaire so he can open a Longwood 2 that is just as good but without the crowds. I'm sure he'll accept donations if you feel like donating to this cause :)

Saying Goodbye to Christmas Break

2012-01-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Siiiigh. Tomorrow school starts again. I am definitely going to miss holiday decorations, lounging around watching endless hours of Voyager (yes, I'm a super nerd), and catching up on old magazines and New York Times. So here's a farewell send off to some of my great holiday memories from the past few weeks. Can't wait until next Christmas!

Update: I can't believe I left out my favorite picture of a Naval Academy ornament that my family gave me!

Christmas at the Brandywine River Museum

2011-12-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! While the fam and I finish opening presents and eating cookies for breakfast, enjoy a few pictures from the Brandywine River Museum's annual Christmas display. My little brother, my friend Katie, and I went yesterday for a little Christmas-Eve-festivity. I never get tired of all their beautiful, natural-material ornaments. This is only a small selection. They've got everything from a Cookie Monster ornament to corn husk angels, a Cheshire Cat ornament to a barber shop quartet! If you are ever in Chadds Ford, PA, don't overlook this little museum. It gets over shadowed by Longwood Gardens, but it is a perfect way to spend a few daylight hours before your check out the Longwood lights at night!

Kitty Nest

2011-12-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

This is the sight that greeted me when I went in the garage to turn on the Christmas lights. Our 2 cats (Ron and Hermoine) had made a nest out of some left over hay from the chicken coop. They were too cute and more than obliging when I began to snap their photos!

DIY Jeweled Heels

2011-12-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

A friend alerted me to the wonderfully simple but surprisingly adorable heel-bedazzling project posted over at Honestly WTF. The part of me that is easily distracted by shiny things couldn't resist making my own version immediately! So the next day I picked up some cheap heels at Forever 21 and some plastic jewels at Michael's and got started. E6000 glue, toothpicks (for applying the glue), tweezers for the small jewels, and a plate to put the glue on are also useful. I highly recommend this project. It only took me about $60 for the heels and supplies and an hour to do each pair, and I think the results are perfect for holiday parties and nights out on the town!

Happy 21 Little Bro!

2011-12-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

My little brother officially joined the ranks of legally drinking adults today! Congrats and happy birthday Ry! He got a NASA book about the history of the space shuttle program (he's going to be an astronaut one day), an ironic hipster flask (everyone needs 1 silly birthday gift), and a 21 year old bottle of wine (I also got one when I turned 21). Since his birthday dinner tonight will be sans familia, I made him a pancake-cake for breakfast. It had cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate chip pancakes with layers of homemade cinnamon whipped cream in between!

Macaron Fail

2011-12-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

Bottega Louie has raised the prices on their macarons, to $2 per cookie. Considering how small they are, that just seemed unjustified. So I decided I would try to make my own over break. If all went well, I would have learned a new skill and save myself from paying $10 for a box of just 5 cookies. I guess you probably guessed from the title of the post that I will still be splurging to BL's macarons. Out of the 40+ cookie shells I baked, 16 were salvageable and could be made into 8 cookies. Sigh. If anyone has tips on why the insides of my cookies didn't bake even though I left them in the oven a super long time, let me know!

LA Sun Sets on Downtown

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

The view from Perch as the sun went down. Sunsets seem kind of symbolic around the end of the year. You know, like the sun 'setting' on the past year. I'm headed home today for the holidays. Get excited for some Pennsylvania and Delaware-centric posts over the next two weeks! I'll be back in LA just in time for the New Years Eve and for the sun to 'rise' on next year.

Christmas Shopping at Unique LA

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Get ready for picture overload. There was so many great venders at Unique LA this year that I just had to share as many of their amazing goods as possible!

For those not in the know, Unique LA is a craft show that happens a few times a year. All the vendors are relatively local, so everything is truly "made in America" (which is naturally Unique's slogan). This was only a small, small sliver of the selection, if you can believe it. I walked around for hours in order to take everything in. And I didn't even show you some of the best things I found because certain somebodies may find them under the Christmas tree this year! Be sure to follow their website for their next show. You never know what you are going to find there, but its guaranteed to be something great!

Ice Skating in Pershing Square

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Pershing Square ice rink was, to my great surprise and pleasure, so much more adorable than I thought it would be. To be honest, Pershing Square is not a place you normally want to be at night, especially not with children, because . . . well . . . loads of homeless people sleep there and it generally smells bad. I've never thought it was unsafe, just unpleasant. I don't know where all those people go during the Christmas season, but this past Friday the only thing in the park was families and holiday decorations. I loved skating (except for when I fell). I think I might even go back after the new year since the rink is open until January 16!

PS: The view from above was taken at Perch. They had some cute Christmas decorations and a great view of the rink.

The Annual Biltmore Tree Lighting Ceremony

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

I took a break from studying with the boyfriend and my friend Kim to go to the Biltmore tree lighting. It's a really cute event with food, drink, some sort of entertainment, and then (of course) the countdown to the tree lighting! Lots of families actually bring their children, which are a rare sight in downtown, and they make the event even more adorable and wholesome. There were some change ups from last year. Some were great improvements (more food! and champagne was added!). But some things I didn't like as much as last year. (I miss the hand bell choir!) Overall, though, it's a really lovely way to spend an hour if you live downtown. It instantly puts you in the holiday spirit!

Birthday Pie, Pizza Pie That Is

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

A few of us took a break in studying for finals in order to celebrate a friend's birthday at Pitfire Pizza. I wasn't sure if it could live up to Urbano in my eyes, but my verdict? They're both good, in different ways. Urbano has an incredible design and that oh-so-delicious spinach pizza. (Now that I'm thinking about it, I need to go back and get another one of those asap.) But Pitfire has a way way better pumpkin pizza! Instead of using the pumpkin as a tomato sauce replacement, Pitfire throws in chunks of pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin oil. Then they add in some braised chard and cover it all with a generous helping of Fontina. If you are a pumpkin-person, this is something you need to try before the end of the season!

Pitfire Pizza

108 W. 2nd St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Happy (Holiday Season) Friday!

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Images from 1, 2, 3, and 4.

I have to admit, I've got an exam coming up on Monday that I am not as studied up on as I would like, but that is not going to keep me from a little seasonal fun tonight! I'm planning on meeting a few friends for happy hour at Perch, which is all lit up for the holidays, and then going ice skating with them in Pershing Square. I haven't been ice skating since I lived in DC. So my inexperience + a few champagne cocktails should make for some good memories (and a sore butt)! The rest of the weekend will be spent wrapping gifts, studying, and making peppermint mocha runs. I hope you have some equally fun holiday season plans!

Disneyland!

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, the boyfriend and I channeled our inner child and tackled (almost) all Disneyland had to offer. It was loads of fun, and the lines were actually pretty reasonable considering it was the Saturday of a holiday weekend. The best part was ending the night with a holiday parade!

PS: Aren't you really proud I wrote a whole post about Disneyland without using the "happiest place on Earth" cliche? Ok, I know the post was only 3 sentences long, but still. That took effort to come up with something else to say!

Snapshots of Thanksgiving

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah so I'm about 2 weeks late on sharing my Thanksgiving, and I know you all have moved on to other holidays, but I couldn't not share the few pics I did snap! I don't really have any of the final meal because when you cook for 5 hours and stress out the whole time about all the food coming out hot all at the same time, you tend to just stuff your face as soon as the plates land on the table. That rose champagne is what got me through it all! It's the perfect cooking buddy.

New Thanksgiving Tradition

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Every year I watch the American Kennel Dog Show after the parade on Thanksgiving. (I always root for the golden retriever, but they never win. :-/ ) This year it was just me and Tiny watching because the boyfriend was on a motorcycle ride, but believe it or not, she loved it! I was able to snap a few shots of her being mesmerized by the great dane. I see the dog show becoming a new Thanksgiving tradition for us girls!

Fleming's Happy Hour

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

When it comes to apparel, I am not the best person to get thrifty advice from. (The boyfriend still can't believe I bought a $100 denim shirt with my anniversary gift card. I think his exact words were, "You paid $100 to look like a blue collar worker?") But when it comes to food and drink, I make a point to know where you get the most bang for your buck! On a student's budget, I usually can't get the fancy denim shirt and the filet mignon afterwards. As far as good deals go, Fleming's is up there! During happy hour you can get various appetizers, wines, cocktails, and (most importantly) a bacon cheese burger for just $6 per item! The boyfriend and I tried the calamari with bell peppers, the Cajun shrimp, and the burgers. The appetizers were fine, but, honestly, they just wasted room in our stomachs. Save that room for the burger! It was very very good. I am not the type of person to dream of burgers, but I have since thought of this burger multiple times!

Flemings Downtown

800 W. Olympic Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Day and Night at Pattern Bar

2011-12-05T16:30:00.001-08:00

I've been to Pattern Bar twice now, once for lunch and once for drinks and tapas. Both experiences were enjoyable. For lunch I ordered 3 of their arepas, which are like little taco sandwiches made with a cornbread instead of a tortilla. The filing was really good, but the bread was a bit too tortilla-like. In my experience (the one time I had arepas before with my friend Brittany), the bread should be a little fluffier, but the consistency wasn't that distracting. It's not like I left any on my plate!

The night time menu is actually much smaller than lunch (and no arepas), but there are still some gems. The charcuterie plate is great, and the sweet corn crepe was everything that the corn crepe at Rivera should have been! I was only able to try one of the cocktails. It had figs. I liked it, but it did not compare to the creations at some of my other favorites local haunts.

However, Pattern Bar really knows its customer base. They've got a bevy of fashion magazines laying around for customers to peruse. Add to that a pretty good menu and a wine list, that's enough to get me back in the door for leisurely lunches next semester!

Pattern Bar

100 W. 9th St.

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Celebrating with Mulled Wine

2011-12-03T14:53:00.001-08:00

To Do List:

~~Take 2nd Exam~~ (glad I opted to take that one pass/fail!)

Pick up Stocking Stuffers at Unique LA (only in town this weekend)

~~Catch up on Gossip Girl~~

Hit the theater: Arthur Christmas, The Muppets, Hugo, My Week with Maryland, and the Descendants

~~Drink Mulled Wine~~

Study for my 3rd exam (this one is purposely at the bottom of the list)

Do you like mulled wine? I just discovered it last year when my friend Britney took me to a restaurant in NY with most amazing Christmas decorations. (She knows about my love of all things holiday-related.) She ordered us glasses of mulled wine, and I just sort of went with it. We were cold and she promised the wine was warm. Now I'm obsessed! (Britney knows about all the good things in life. Next I will tell you how she introduced me to arepas.) This year I found mulling spices in the grocery store so I can make my own! So when I finished my exam this morning, I could wait to get back home and curl up with Gossip Girl and mulled wine.

Starbucks Holiday Lattes

2011-11-29T09:46:00.001-08:00

Image from Style Scrapbook.

I am currently sitting at Starbucks listening to old lectures from my evidence class and sipping on the end of my caramel brulee latte. It was quite excellent, and it has made me really question what my favorite holiday latte is. (These are the kind of things that keep me up at night.) I used to always say the pumpkin spice latte, but even though I will always have a soft spot for the p.spice, it is probably not my favorite now that I have tried more of the flavors. This is how I would rank them, but I'm curious to know your favorite holiday latte!

1. Peppermint mocha - I've never had a poorly made peppermint mocha, but I think that is because the flavors are so strong that it always tastes indulgent.
2. Caramel brulee - Slightly less sweet than the peppermint mocha which makes it more appropriate to have for breakfast, right?
3. Eggnog latte - I know many will disagree with me on this, but I kind of like how it tastes like it was spiked with brandy just like real eggnog. Does this mean I have a problem?
4. Pumpkin Spice - I have to admit, I think Starbucks always skimps on the pumpkin spice syrup, so these lattes end up tasting more like warm milk. With more flavor, the p.spice could definitely surpass the eggnog latte.
5. Gingerbread latte - I love gingerbread, so I wanted to love this latte. But the syrup is just not very good. It is bitter and often crystallizes.

PS: While not a latte, the salted caramel hot chocolate is to die for! It is tied with the peppermint mocha in decadence and perfect for a cold December afternoon!

Study Face

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Image from The Terrier and Lobster.

My first final is today, and I've got another one (a big one!) on Saturday. So things will be a little quieter while I hit the books. But I'll be sure to at least share a few photos from Thanksgiving this week. It was pretty successful and tasty if I do say so myself :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

These are my Thanksgiving decorations and a mini pumpkin pie! I made a few pie-cupcakes with the left over filling and pie crust I had. I decorated the plate with caramel I made during my fall party. (caramel lasts forever!), and topped the whole thing with some homemade cinnamon-vanilla whipped cream.

As you read this I am watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, drinking rose champagne (before noon! cheers for impropriety!), and cooking up a storm. The boyfriend and I are having Thanksgiving just the two of us, and we're (I'm) making lamb steaks, Cornish game hens, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, apple-sausage-chestnut stuffing, my dad's special creamed onions, and roasted veggies. I hope you are having an equally indulgent and lovely Thanksgiving with the ones you love!

Black Cat Audition

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

The boyfriend sent me a link to one of the most hysterically adorable (or adorably hysteric?) things I've ever seen: photos from a Hollywood audition for black cats. You have to see the rest of the pictures! It only gets better! Too bad our Tiny is completely adverse to ever doing anything you ask her to. She could have been a star!

(This is her refusing to come any closer to me because she knows I will just try to squeeze and snuggle her.)

Chaya's All Night Happy Hour

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

A long overdue review of Chaya! If you missed my Bucket List National dining guide, this post is for you.

Chaya is an Asian fusion restaurant across the street from the downtown library. On week nights, it's a hot spot for the business crowd. You'll fight a lot of suits for a space in the lounge, but it's worth it because the lounge boasts an "all-night happy hour." The all-night happy hour is really just a bunch of small plates and reasonably priced drinks available only in the lounge. (There is a regular dinner menu available in the dining room.) You will find dishes inspired by Japan, Korea, and Thailand; some fruity cocktails; a few interesting beers; and some really decent house wines. Your best bet for food is the sushi. The rolls are big and delicious. For drinks, I like the Seeing Double, which is pictured, (pomegranate juice, lime juice, blood orange juice, and lavender tequila) and the pinot noir (seriously good for a $6 glass).

Something else to note is that Chaya runs a promotion on Sunday nights. Four courses is $25, and bottles of wine are 1/2 price. As soon as regular season football is over, the boyfriend says he'll check this out with me. So, Chaya, look for me in January!

Chaya Downtown
525 S. Flower St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Let the Cooking Commence!

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Was that enough to get your mouth salivating?

Today is the last day of classes before Thanksgiving break! Which means I have studying and baking to look forward to. I was browsing Gilt Taste, and it completely inspired me to bake some special things for Thanksgiving and in the weeks leading up until Christmas! First on my list is to get a heart-shaped cookie cutter and try Linzer tarts. And then recreating that whiskey apple pie will be a close second.

O Hotel's Bar | Kitchen

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

That is Bar | Kitchen's truffle mac'n'cheese. The rest of the fare at Bar | Kitchen was similar: comfort food with a slight gourmet twist. The boyfriend got the bacon burger, which they spruced up with shallot jam and arugula. I got the shrimp and grits, which came with a chorizo ragout. We both thought our meals were on the verge of being great but just not quite there.

I did, however, think the drinks were pretty great. I started with the Old Cuban with is just a mojito with sparkling wine substituted for the club soda. Although I love champagne and mojitos, surprisingly I thought this was the weakest link. I followed with the Doc Daneeka (sparkling wine, gin, lemon, maple, grapefruit bitters), which was lovely. The boyfriend had the High Five (gin, aperol, grapefruit and lime), which I found perfectly bitter without being overwhelming, and the For Esme (irish whiskey, amaro, pear brandy, cinnamon bark, lemon, bitters). I didn't try this last one, but based on the boyfriend's consumption rate and smile, I think it could have potentially been the best.

But I'm sure I'll get the chance to try it because I'm definitely going to go back. I'm not sure if I would return if Bar | Kitchen was far away, but the place is definitely good enough for a visit if you're in the neighborhood.

Bar | Kitchen

819 S. Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Happy (Date Night) Friday!

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Images from Yelp.

The weekend is here! Are you going to be busy getting ready for Thanksgiving? I know I am. The boyfriend and I are celebrating just the two of us this year. So we've got a lot of shopping and cooking to look forward to. Before all of that begins, though, we're going to let someone else cook our food for us. We're having date night tonight and trying a place we've never been! It's the restaurant at the O Hotel, which is actually only about a half block from our apartment. I'll be sure to let you know if it's good. Have a great weekend!

Romeo & Juilette at the LA Opera

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sooo let's talk about the opera! It was an interesting experience. The whole thing seemed so sophisticated that I kind of felt like I was living someone else's life when I arrived. But then the old man sitting next to me fell asleep 10 minutes into the performance, and the guy on the other side of me was sporting his best Canadian tuxedo. So I knew it was definitely my life! I wore my Zara fisherman sweater over a sequined St. Johns sweater dress, which I thought struck a good sartorial balance.

The performance itself was mostly fantastic. My favorite things were 1) Romeo 2) the fight scenes 3) the chorus and their costumes. Romeo was actually really charismatic and studly for an opera singer. Not at all what I imagined. He seemed to have a little Jimmy McNulty vibe going on. It made it much easier to believe someone would fall in love with him in an instant. The fight scenes turned out to be incredibly intricate dance sequences--serious rough housing set to music. They were lots of fun to watch. And then no surprise here (coming from the girl who's always gushing about shoes and clothes), but I loved the chorus's costumes. There were lots of huge skirts, some plaid pants, and almost cartoonish military uniforms. They kept things entertaining even if there wasn't much action going on.

I'll leave you with the lonely jazz saxophonist outside of the opera house who played while people walked off into the night.

Saketinis at Chaya

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last night my Sonya and I went out for some happy hour libations at Chaya, which made me realize I have not told you about Chaya! It was on my downtown LA dining guide that I did for Bucket List Nation. But I promise to do a proper J Street review of it next week.

Pictured is Sonya, my saketini (sake, cherry brandy, strawberry & pineapple juice), some calamari, and a giant pumpkin in the background (seriously it must have been 50 lbs)!

La Opera

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

LA's opera house, the Dorothy Chandler Pavalion. From Vince & Carla.

Tonight I am going to my very first opera! At the risk of sounding like a total nerd, I am so excited! I knew the boyfriend would be gone tonight at band practice (he's a drummer), and so when I saw that student tickets were available for Romeo & Juliette, I jumped on the chance to go. They only open up left over tickets for students about 24 hours in advance, so this worked out perfectly.
Now the only question is: what to wear?!?! I'll let you know all about it on Friday!

Tiny Cat

2011-11-16T10:37:00.001-08:00

I was going through my email, and I found some pictures my friend Christina had taken of my kitty in her Halloween costume. And even though Halloween was weeks ago, I just have to share. Like everyone else, I think my kitty is the cutest, and I don't show her off enough! This is her pre-costume. She does not hate me yet.

And this is her post-costume. She is doing everything she can to wiggle out of it. I still think she is so cute though! My little pumpkin :)

Urbano Pizza Again (and Again)

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last time I told you about Urbano Pizza Bar, I was pretty happy with my experience. But I have been back twice since my first visit, and now I have become a full on fan. The service has been great every time, and the pizzas I try just keep getting better. I went back with my friend this past weekend to try that pumpkin pizza. It was really unique. The pumpkin takes the place of the tomato sauce, which makes the experience more like eating a giant crostini--very savory and not at all greasy. Then last night I got take out for the boyfriend and myself. This time I tried the spinach pizza with white cheddar and ricotta. Hands.Down.Winner. I got the boyfriend the salami pizza. I have no complaints about it, but to be honest, I'd probably feel "meh" towards just about anything compared to that spinach pizza. Soooo good. At this rate, I'll probably have gone again by the end of this coming weekend!

Better Gift Giving

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Images from 1, 2, 3, & 4.

I did some serious thinking about Christmas gifts this weekend (though no serious buying). Prepare for rambling thoughts:

I love loads of different things. For example, I love stripes, sparkles, and Christmas sweaters, and I constantly want to buy all things fitting that description from J. Crew and Zara. And then there are the random things I love like this hippo door mat (hippos are my favorite animal) or awesome and quirky rubber duckies (which I collect). I also love statement necklaces and rings, Starbucks holiday lattes, deep green colors, mystery novels, and champagne. And this list is nowhere close to exhaustive! Anyway you clearly get the point. So you would think I would be a super easy person to buy gifts for since there is so much stuff to pick from. And I am going to go out on a limb and guess that most people love lots of different things just like me. So you would think buying gifts for everybody would be super easy. Just pick from one of the many things people love! And yet gift giving is not that easy, even for close friends and family (sometimes especially for close friends and family!). Some eBay study concluded that 60% Americans receive unwanted gifts. (Although I'm not so sure about the impartiality of a study conducted by eBay.)

Anyway, it occurred to me this year that all these unwanted gifts might be because we (specifically I) don't know our (my) recipients as well as we (I) should. I know my boyfriend's favorite color is red and my best friend's favorite color is purple, but I don't know what my mom's favorite color is. Or my brother's favorite animal. Or what kind of clothes my dad likes. Or what type of books my favorite girl friends read. So this year, I think I am going to try to get to know every one a little bit better. I'm going to email or write my usual recipients and ask them what are their favorite things, what they like to do in their free time, what sort of knicknacks line their shelves, and which stores they always come back to. Maybe it won't lead me to the perfect gift this year, but hopefully as time goes on, I will be a better gift giver because I will be a better friend, daughter, sister, colleague, and girlfriend.

Ok sentimental holiday thoughts are done now!

Images representative of me loving champagne, deep greens, hippo accessories, and rubber duckies (especially 3-story tall ones)!

Happy (Rainy) Friday!

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Image from Twig Hutchinson's Book 1.

This weekend is supposed to be rainy from Friday night until Sunday morning. But that is actually a-ok with me. The boyfriend is out of town for work. That means I can let in all the cool rain air I want, pile on my sweaters and blankets, and enjoy some real fall weather. I've got an Audrey Hepburn movie 5 pack that I have yet to watch, so I'm thinking that + red wine + popcorn + a little homework is the makings of a relaxing but great weekend. If I do venture out, the sale rack at J. Crew and the Rose Bowl Flea Market (to which I have never been) seem like great places for a little early Christmas shopping. What are you thinking of doing this weekend? Have you started holiday shopping yet?

Blog Changes: A New Page

2011-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Hi readers! You may or may not have noticed that last night I added a new "page" to my blog. For awhile, I have been thinking that it might be useful for readers who are specifically interested in one type of post (be it restaurant reviews, outdoor activities, fashion & shopping musings, or whatever) to have a place to see only posts of that type. So I have added a demo page with a few sample links to posts on restaurant and bar reviews. Let me know in the comments if you like this or if you don't really care about separate categories. To be clear, everything would still appear on the main page of the blog first. But after something has been posted, I would also put a link to it on its "themed page."

Thanks for your thoughts!

Happy Hour at Urbano Pizza Bar

2011-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Urbano Pizza Bar may be the perfect date night compromise for the low-key/trendy couple. It's got inexpensive pizza and beer to satisfy those who are more laid back, while also sporting a sleek design and some interesting pizza combinations for those who are interested in the next new thing. The boyfriend and I stopped in for a quick happy hour the other day. We got a pizza, an appetizer, and a few beers. The happy hour menu for food is limited: there is a $6 margherita pizza (solid), a $3 roasted broccoli app (huge and spicy), and a $3 potato/fry app (did not try this). The happy hour drink selection is just $4 drafts, but the beer list is well-rounded. Even a non-beer drinker like myself found something to enjoy (a blueberry wheat and I loved it!).

To be honest, since Bottega Louie has raised their pizza prices from $16 to $18, Urbano is definitely a better deal for pizza with equally great ingredients and most pies coming in below $18. Then when you factor in happy hour prices (something BL doesn't even have), there's no comparison. I'm going to go back this weekend to get that bacon, pumpkin, goat cheese pizza!

Urbano Pizza Bar

630 W. 6th St.

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Happy Hour: M-F 3pm-7pm

Sailing Part 2

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Corduroys and boat shoes were unofficial uniform. J. Crew bootcut cords and Sperry's on me. I'm not sure what Scott is wearing, but probably J. Crew cords and Sperry's too.

These pictures were taken by Helen that lovely lady you saw pictured in Sailing Part 1. So here's the sailing lessons from someone else's point of view. Thanks for sharing Helen!

Anniversary Dinner at Arashi Sushi

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it took me until now to tell you about Arashi. It is Jeremy's and my sushi go-to in Downtown. We love their happy hour prices and their special rolls of their main menu. I think it puts Wokano and Takami (its nearest competitors) to shame. My parents got Jeremy a gift certificate for his birthday, and he very kindly shared it with me. So we went there for a laid back anniversary dinner since it was a Tuesday night. We got:

~ 2 spicy tuna and crab tempura rolls (only on the happy hour menu)

~ the Korean BBQ roll (avocado, cucumber, crab & BBQ short rib topped with eel sauce--I was so skeptical, but it was surprisingly good)

~ the Albacore Special roll (garlic albacore inside, topped with avocado, more albacore, and crispy onions)

~ the Screaming Roll (spicy scallops topped with yellowtail and jalapeno--my favorite!)

Like usual, I loved everything. I'm sure it will only be a few weeks before we're back again!

Arashi Sushi

1111 S. Hope St.

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Sailing Part 1

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

The sailor outfits I brought: 1) Gap striped long sleeve tee and vintage grey sweatshirt 2) Zara Breton striped shirt and Zara fisherman's sweater 3) vintage hooded puffy vest.

These are some pictures I snapped over the weekend. Our sailboat was pretty luxurious, which was nice since we spent a lot of time just sitting in it watching the rain on Friday. Our instructor was also great. He brought tons of snacks (see previous reference to eating all the macadamia nuts out of the caramel popcorn) and baked cinnamon buns on Saturday morning!

By the end of the weekend, I did learn a tiny bit about sailing, so the class was not a waste. I think the biggest lesson I learned was that sailboats are a lot of work, and I'd much rather make friends with someone who already owns a boat andwill take me sailing every once in awhile, instead of owning my own sailboat.

Old Movie Night

2011-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

What do you have planned for tomorrow? If your schedule is free, there is a fantastic old movie night that goes on every Wednesday at the Million Dollar Theater. This week is a double feature: Live and Die in LA and The French Connection. I went two weeks ago to see Young Frankenstein, and it was lots of fun. I was surprised at just how many people came out! There must have been at least 75. It really gives life to the old Broadway theaters to see them used on a regular basis. The movie night is a trial program between UCLA and the theater. If it is successful, they are going to try and make it a permanent thing. I hope to get to at least one more movie before the series ends in December, and (fingers crossed) they will bring it back in the spring!

PS: This lady apparently guards the women's room. She was perfectly creepy for when I went--the week of Halloween. But I think she's probably there all the time, so just be prepared for her.

Taking a Page from Home of Michael Hainey and Brooke Cundiff

2011-11-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Images from The Selby.

Remember when The Selby blog was maybe the coolest place on the internet (at least for a certain sect)? Todd Selby was photographing everyone's home, even Karl Lagerfeld! Lately, even though Selby still gets great subjects, I have just not been as inspired by what these people have done with their homes. Michael Hainey and Brooke Cundiff's home caught my attention, though. A few details really stood out. The espresso maker for 2 and the China hutch-turned shoe closet were adorable quirks, but my favorite accent was the stacks of books found all over. I ran out of space on my bookshelves awhile ago, and this seemed like such an easy thing to do with the overflow. I can't believe I didn't think of it ages ago! Sometimes you just need a push to look at things a little differently.

Coming Out of a Sleepy Weekend

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Image from Twig Hutchinson's Book 1.

The weekend is over, and I have to admit, it was not as exciting as I told you it would be. It rained quite a bit here in LA, which meant that I did not actually sail to Catalina. On Friday, I mostly sat below deck, drew on maps, and ate the macadamia nuts out of the caramel popcorn. That night I felt wiped out for no good reason (too much caramel?) so I went to bed a little bit early. The next day, we went back and did actually make it out to sea! And even though "making it out to sea" did not entail much physical exertion, I felt even more wiped out. I fell asleep at 9 pm and then slept for 11 hours! But I think on Sunday I started to come out my hibernation. I finally went to the gym, I went to J. Crew to spend my anniversary gift card, I got groceries, I made a salami-brie-havarti-avocado pizza for lunch, I baked pumpkin-banana bread cookies, and I even managed to do a few hours of school work. (Although to be truthful, I also snuck in a short nap while the boyfriend was watching football.) Hopefully this week brings less hibernation and more productivity since finals are right around the corner!

My other anniversary gift, aside from financing what is sure to be my new most favorite shirt, was The Sartorialist book!

Find the cookie recipe here, but be warned it's all healthy. I substituted normal flour and chocolate chips, and I added twice as much pumpkin. It also might be better to substitute sugar for the syrup. But I have to admit the fact that these cookies are not that sweet kind of make them addictive because you never get overloaded on sugar.

I hope this week brings productivity for you too!

Sailing Preview & Happy Friday!

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

One advantage of USC is that if you have extra credits not being used for law school classes, you can take classes from the undergrad catalog. So this semester my friend Helen and I decided to taking sailing. Few schools in the country even offer sailing as a class, and since I was at one of those schools, it seemed too good of an opportunity to pass up. We're out on the water right now as you read this sailing to Catalina Island, and we won't be back until Saturday night! That means we're sleeping on the boat. (This will not not as luxurious as the bunks pictured above. Those are from the brigantine which is huge and has actual space for bunks.)

What are you doing this weekend? I hope it is as fun but significantly warmer than my plans!

Love and Novels

2011-11-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

Spike Jonze: Mourir Auprès de Toi on Nowness.com.

Love and novels--two of my favorite things. Enjoy this fantastic video while I am busy finish a school assignment.

PS: Today officially makes it three years the boyfriend has tolerated my absurd love of seasons and holidays, my goofy choice in television (Star Trek, Buffy, ooo and Gossip Girl), my pouty mood swings, my macaron and shoe splurges, and my particularity about how the bed is made. In my humble opinion, he's pretty great, and I'm lucky to have him.

Last of Halloween . . . Promise!

2011-10-31T18:42:00.000-07:00

Just a few things I wanted to share:

1) My impromptu costume as a pirate (gap shirt and pants suddenly become a costume when I fold my Pour la Victoire boots over and pin up that big floppy hat I bought in Santa Monica).

2) Someone made awesome ghost and werewolf cupcakes for the school bake sale!

3) My daytime Halloween outfit - orange flats, a black sweater, owl necklaces, and a black cat across my path! (Thanks, Tiny! Now I'm stuck with bad luck.)

Calling all Shoe Lovers with Small Feet

2011-10-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

Since I have added quiet a few shoes to my closet this fall (hello new friends!), I decided that I need to let go of some of the pairs that I never wear. Saying goodbye to shoes is tough for me, though. So far I've only been able to select 2 pairs, but there may be more to come. If you have any friends with small feet, pass these links along!

Auction for the green pumps.

Auction for the brown and gold pumps.

Photography Inspiration from Making Magique

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Images from Pere Lachaise, I Couldn't Lie to You in Paris, Living in America, Matera, and Polilno.

Not too long ago, I discovered Haleigh Walsworth's blog Making Magique, and I have been inspired by her photography ever since. (Check out her entire post on the Pere Lachaise cemetary, which is not only beautiful but also a perfect mood setter for Halloween!) I was so inspired that I decided to take photography from USC's undergraduate catalog. But unfortunately those classes filled up long before the school let the graduate student's register for classes. So instead, I am searching for some local classes, but I haven't really found anything for true beginners. (Although the Annenberg Center looks like it has some interesting lectures and workshops.) Do you have any suggestions of things in the LA area, books, or online courses?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

I will be posting about all these things shortly, but here's a little preview of my week leading up to Halloween (except without pictures of me watching Hocus Pocus on repeat) . . .

Happy (New Shoe) Friday!

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another Friday, another pair of shoes. Ok no, not really. I wish every Friday brought a new pair of shoes! (Although the downside to that would be that my living room would look like this, and my kitty would have nowhere to sit.) This week did see the unplanned addition of these beautiful Theysken Theory blue velvet wedges. Rumi sported them a year ago, and I fell in love with them. But I never thought I'd actually buy them. Then I saw them on Gilt, and I made them mine! Maybe this is a sign that a serendipitous weekend is ahead.

Tonight, the boyfriend and I are having a kind of creepy date night. We're going to the spider pavilion I mentioned and then trying the new-ish Pattern Bar. Then on Saturday, we'll hopefully stop by some place with Halloween festivities. (I'm pushing for this, but we'll see. Seven Grand's party last year was also super fun so maybe that again.) Sunday through Monday will probably be completely devoted to goofy Halloween movies and trying to squish my cat into the pumpkin costume that she is too chubby for! I hope you have fantastic Halloween plans for this weekend!

Scary Movie Fashion: Spider

2011-10-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Image sources: 1 & 2, 3, 4 & 5, 6, 7 & 8, 9.

Today's scary movie fashion inspiration is Spider--a psychological exploration into an unhinged mind. (Think of something like Shutter Island.) Lacy, gauzy layers are reminiscent of the clouded memories and perceptions. And spider web details evoke a feeling of long unused spaces (rooms in haunted houses or corners of our mind). Creepily beautiful dresses like this would be perfect for Halloween!

PS: This post is also well-timed because tomorrow I will be going to see the Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum for their night time tour. Scouring the internets for this scary movie fashion post has me completely in the mood to see the spiders after the sun goes down. The Spider Pavilion will be there until Nov. 6th, but tomorrow is the last day to see the spiders at night!

Scary Movie Fashion: Empire of the Ants

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Image sources: 1, 2, 3 & 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8.

The Birds scary movie fashion was inspired by the eerie, off-putting feeling of the movie. An animal that is usually well-liked turns into a terror in a story filled with washed out colors and barren landscapes. Empire of the Ants scary movie fashion is quite different: cheesy, bold, colorful, generally less creepy and more silly. Although still a little creepy, right? It wouldn't be scary movie fashion if it wasn't a little creepy.

PS: Yes, that is Joan Collins in the movie poster. The woman can rock a turban/head wear even when threatened by nuclear waste and giant insects!

South Pasadena

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

So remember when I said South Pasadena looked adorable and I wanted to go up there to check it out? You don't? Well I don't blame you because I then forgot to blog about my little trip for about a month. Ooops! I decided to bike up along the Arroyo Seco instead of take the train because I found a little bike path. Once there, I browsed quite an interesting antique shop (the owner must have had every Life magazine from the last 75 years), got an Oreo cupcake from My Sweet Cupcake, picked up Halloween cards and ghost lights at Marz, thought about the all the cool jewelry I could make with the bits and pieces that Zinnia sells, drooled over the Ugly Doll pillows at the Dinosaur Farm, and then finished the afternoon with a coffee and ice cream at Buster's Coffee. Although the town is small and pretty do-able in a day, it was a nice break from downtown. Everything out there is adorably suburban. I'd definitely go back to a few of their restaurants and stop by Marz and Zannia again!

All shops located on Mission St. between Prospect and Fair Oaks.

South Pasadena, CA 91030

Fall Party

2011-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of the set up for my fall/pre-Halloween party. I made mini apple pies, pumpkin pie balls, chocolate covered cookie skulls, an orange and black cheese platter, pumpkin-cream cheese dip with gingersnaps, and chocolate caramel spider sandwiches. I tried to carve a pumpkin using that shading technique too. It was my first attempt at shading. The pumpkin doesn't exactly look like the picture, but I'm still happy with the results!

PS: Thanks again to Christine for snapping some shots of the actual party (whereas I got distracted by the food and decorations)!!

Fall Party Preview

2011-10-24T07:00:00.001-07:00

Photo courtesy of Christine's iPhone.

Here are a few of my fantastic guests from this weekend's fiesta. More pictures from my little fall party to come!

Scary Movie Fashion: The Birds

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Image sources: 1, 2, 3 & 4, 5, 6 & 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

This October has been so busy (Berkeley trip, Larson Family visit, fall party, ~~and a house guest~~) that I have absolutely no energy to dress up for Halloween (which is very unlike me). Instead I've been thinking about things one could wear that were inspired by scary movies and a little creepy but not actual Halloween costumes. So welcome to my mini series on "Scary Movie Fashion." All of the outfits in the series seem perfect for Halloween yet so much easier to deal with than, say, this.

Happy Friday!

2011-10-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Images from marthastewart.com.

It's the end of the week! What do you have planned for this weekend? Tonight I am going to carve a pumpkin. Then tomorrow night, I am having a fall/pre-Halloween party. (Will you be in downtown LA? If so, you should come by!) Basically all of my party inspiration came from marthastewart.com. I love that website when it comes to the holidays. And all my drinks came from Galco's soda pop stop, which has a good selection of interesting and Halloween/fall-appropriate beers that cannot be found at the grocery store. If you are looking for something new, definitely check it out. (A newer beverage store has also been recommended to me. In case Galco's fails you, try Sunset Beer Company in Echo Park.) I can't wait to show you pictures on Monday!

PS: I watched Hocus Pocus last night, and it was kind of more awesome than I remembered. Beetlejuice is on tonight, and Addams Family on Saturday. Then Sunday is an all star line up! Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and then Coraline. I cannot wait! ABC Family's Halloween movie series has so far not disappointed.

Pumpkin Recipes

2011-10-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

Despite my love of food, I actually don't cook that much. I blame it mostly on law school, which really broke me of the habit during my first year when I was too stressed out and busy to do anything but microwave frozen mac and cheese. (Probably not a good year for my cholesterol.) This year has been much calmer, though. And when fall rolled around, the thought of trying out new pumpkin and squash recipes finally got me back into the kitchen. Here's what I've tried and what I thought:

1. Pumpkin and feta casserole - Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Review done. . . No, I'm kidding. But you can probably guess this was my favorite. This is the kind of dish that is good the first time, but so much better every time you reheat it for leftovers. It just gets creamier and the flavors blend together more. I made a few modifications to the recipe, but the 2 changes that I would really suggest are 1) add all 4 links of sausage if you buy one of those Aidell's packs (I used this) and 2) switch the cooking order of the pumpkin and zucchini. Zucchini cooks faster so I think the consistency of the pumpkin and zucchini would be better if you started sauteing the pumpkin first. Be warned, though, this dish is a lot of work.

2. Cheesy pumpkin polenta - This was ok. The polenta was tasty but not in a pumpkiny or cheesy way. Those flavors didn't come out strongly. I think the take away for me was: always add more pumpkin! The plus of this recipe is that it is so so so easy. So if you need a quick side, this could be it. I also added shrimp to mine so my dinner wasn't just flavored cornmeal.

3. "Elegant" stuffed pumpkin - I liked this. And despite my doubt about the cheesy title, it did actually look a bit elegant. (I actually think the acorn squash I used might even be more elegant than a stuffed pumpkin!) The prep is not too hard. Most of the time is spent waiting for the thing to bake. The recipe makes a mountain of stuffing (it was probably made to fill a much larger pumpkin), so again there are lots of good leftovers. I wasn't 100% sold on the rice stuffing, though. If I make this again, I might try using just bread. But the cashews and apples in the stuffing are great.

4. Pumpkin bread pudding - And of course, I have to have a dessert at the end. This "bread pudding" is a cinch to make, but doesn't not come out nearly as decadent as real breading pudding. But since it is so quick and easy and since it is still pretty tasty, I have a feeling this will be the recipe I repeat the most. (Look at me cooking again, and still it will probably be a bad year for my cholesterol!)

Do you have any pumpkin/squash recipe recommendations?

Cotton On in Santa Monica

2011-10-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Excuse the terrible blurry cell phone photos. I'm really excited about my new red blazer, though, and had to share! When I went shopping with the boyfriend's family, they popped into a store on the 3rd Street Promenade called Cotton On, which is sort of like an Australian H&M. I had never heard of this store, but they had a great deal on adorable blazers. I couldn't resist their 3 pack of skinny belts either! So in addition to the blazer, I am welcoming another leopard accessory into my wardrobe. It took some will power not to stock up on their loose knit sweaters too. I would be a happy girl if more these stores opened up in the US.

Cotton On

1418 3rd St Promenade
Santa Monica, CA 90401

ABC Family: 13 Nights of Halloween

2011-10-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

You guys may have already has a sneaking suspicion about this based on my 12 Days of Christmas series and Fall Inspiration week, but I am a huge nerd when it comes to fall and winter holidays. (I am a huge nerd when it comes to a lot of other things too, but I'll save that discussion for another time.) This helps to explain why I am overly excited for ABC Family's 13 Nights of Halloween movie series, which start tonight! I've already written Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, Coraline, Casper, and Scooby-Doo into my planner. I'm going to have to pick up a lot more popcorn!

PS: ABC Family does not pay me. I am that big of a nerd that I am this excited on my own.

The Boyfriend's Family Visits LA

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

We did SO much when my boyfriend's family was here. I didn't even do everything with them, and I am still physically exhausted from their visit. We did the Natural History Museum, a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains, a stop at Malibu Seafood (my first visit! sooo delicious!), the 3rd Street Promenade, the Santa Monica pier (I bought that huge floppy hat! also so delicious but not in an edible way), the Grammy Museum, and the farmer's market at the Grove which was having a fall festival with a petting zoo! I still had a great time despite how tired I felt. It was great doing things that I don't often get to do or, in the case of the Grammy Museum, have never done. Thanks for visiting, Larson Family!

Never Enough Shoes

2011-10-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Images from The Coveteur's profile of Rachel Zoe's HQ.

I know Rachel Zoe has so many shoes because she uses them for her styling work. But still this sight makes me want to spruce up my own heel collection because, as you can see, there are certainly a lot of good options out there! I've just got to clear some room in my closet first . . .

Rivera: a Review from Dine LA

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes the places that are closest to you are the last ones you try because you always think: "it's right there and we can always go another time"? The boyfriend and I put off Cana for this reason (huge mistake), and we also put off the restaurant across the street: Rivera. This also turned out to be a mistake. Here is the cliff notes version if you're in a rush. The food can be as good as WP24 but not consistently. Two things that are much better than WP, though, are the cocktails and the service. Both are excellent. Also a good thing to know about Rivera is that it has 3 dining rooms, each specializing in a different cuisine with different menus. So it is a place that I image would never get boring.

Now for the lengthy review where I dissect all of the courses. First, the cocktails are inventive and fantastic. The boyfriend got a spicy cocktail with some homemade beef jerky in it (he loved it), and I got a grapefruit cocktail with homemade coconut cream (like coconut flavored whipped cream not like the creme in the pie, and I also loved mine). We started with a round of appetizers from their regular menu, the mussels and the softshell crab. The mussels were tasty but somewhat standard. The softshell crab was great. Softshells are an east coast delicacy and very hard to find out here, so Rivera gets bonus points for even serving it. Plus, this one was prepared in a way I had never tried, with arepa-style corncakes, a spicy sauce, and some sort of "7 flavor" seasoning decoratively placed in the corner. Then we moved on the appetizers we got with our Dine LA menu. The boyfriend had an avocado mouse (i.e. guacamole) over a corn mixture with homemade tortilla chips. This was tasty but, like the mussels, fairly standard. I had smoke salmon and two types of caviar on mini tortillas. I forget what all the accompaniments were, but I really liked this. For our main dishes, I had a phenomenal chicken dish with a spicy gravy. The flavor of the gravy (jicama and jalapeno) really made this dish stand out. The boyfriend had steamed salmon with 3 sauces. It was a nice piece of salmon, but the dish was on the bland side. Then we both had the pumpkin ice cream with blue corn crepes for dessert. The pumpkin ice cream was great, really flavorful without any artificial taste to it. The blue corn crepes, though, were not good, far too dry. I know Rivera is all about Central and South American ingredients, but in this case, I don't think anyone would begrudge them a little cheating by way of a traditional French crepe.

Throughout all of these courses, service was friendly, prompt, and knowledgeable. Both our waiter and the food runners were able to list all the ingredients in any dish, and our water glasses and cocktails were never left unobserved. All in all, I think Rivera is a place that could be fun and delicious experience if you know ahead of time which dishes are winners. Because when Rivera gets it right, they really do it well.

Rivera
1050 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Spice up your Lighting

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, I keep coming across really interesting light fixtures. Would you put any of thee in your home? I would have them all! In one room! (Ok maybe separate rooms.)

1. Dripping light as seen on Megsplorations (please share if you know who makes this light)

2. Rope light from Atelier688 on Etsy

3. Greenhouse light made by Slenik

4. Balanced bulb light as seen on Cup of Jo (again share if you know who makes this light, in this case even the owners of this apartment forgot where they got this fixture)

Cana: A Rum Bar and a Refuge

2011-10-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have already, at the ripe old age of 26, grown too old and cranky for loud bars or trendy clubs. I still enjoy going out for drinks, but I am really picky about where. I want to be able to talk and hear my companions. I don't want to be forced pay $15+ for a glass of meh wine. I don't want mixed drinks made out of liquor that would be better used to strip paint. And I don't want to wait through terrible service. All of this explains why I love Cana so much. There's a $20 membership fee, so the boyfriend and I had been delaying checking it out for awhile. But recently we got the membership fee waived, and now I wish I had just paid the $20 a year ago and been enjoying it this entire time. It's always quiet during happy hour. The bartenders are talented, knowledgeable, and friendly. Delicious does not begin to describe the drinks. Oh and mojitos (some of the best ever) are only $6 from 6-8 pm. On top of meeting all of my criteria for a bar, Cana is also well decorate and has a secluded outdoor patio (which was quite a surprise considering the bar is hidden inside of a parking garage). You will probably be able to find me there at least once a week now. And I can bring 3 guests, so let me know if you want to come!

Cana Rum Bar

714 W. Olympic Blvd.

(but the entrance is actually on Flower just south of Olympic)

Los Angeles, CA 90014

Happy Friday!

2011-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Travel Channel.

The weekend again already. Woohoo! The boyfriend's mom and sister are in town right now, which is lots of fun and a great excuse to do the things in LA that we love the most. (Bottega Louie was the first thing on the list, but we're also thinking a hike in the Santa Monica Mountains, a shopping stop in Santa Monica proper, and maybe a trip back to Perch.) What do you have planned this weekend?

PS: If you haven't checked out my downtown LA dining guide, pretty please go see it and let me know what you think!

Guest Posting over at Bucket List Nation

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I have really exciting news - the wonderful people running Bucket List Nation asked me to do a post of my dining recommendations in downtown Los Angeles. I'd love it if you stopped over there and to check it out. I think the guide is pretty good - if I do say so myself :) - plus Bucket List Nation is an awesome site in general with tons of posts about traveling, things to see, and stuff to do all around the world. Let me know what you think!!!

And the Best LA Bartender is . . .

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

And the best LA Bartender is . . . apparently not the guy who I liked the best. At the Best LA Bartender Competition this past weekend, the judges awarded first place to the Su Novia and fourth place to my favorite, the Blues in Orbit. At least all the other amateur drinkers agreed with me, and the Blues in Orbit won the people's choice award. And even though the judges didn't come out how I thought they should, the event was still pretty fun. As you can see, a ton of drinks came with the price of admission, and the cooler weather made open air lounge a lovely place to spend the afternoon. If they have event again next year, I highly recommend it. My 2 suggestions, though, would be to eat first (there's was practically no food) and to get there early and get all your drinks immediately (then you can sip on them slowly while you watch everyone else stand in line for 40 minutes).

PS: Notice the leopard flats again? Yes, I do intend to wear them every day until they fall apart. They are that comfy and cute!

An LA Kind of View

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

View from the Best LA Bartender Competition at Elevate Lounge.

After all that natural beauty and fall appropriate weather in Berkeley, I kind of missed the smog and sprawl.

Berkeley Trip

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Traveling outfit: Zara sweater, Gap pants, Zara flats. Hiking outfit: AA leggings, vintage grey sweatshirt, vintage puffy vest.

So going up to Berkeley this past weekend was fantastic. As I said, my trip started off with my new fisherman's sweater and leopard flats. I was a little warm on the car ride up, but I was glad for the sweater at night when temperatures dropped. I was actually cold because of something other than the air conditioner at school being cranked up to high! It was refreshing.

Although I was not in town very long, I felt like my friend Jennifer showed me a lot. We stopped by the Oakland Art Murmur, wandered around her adorable neighborhood, had a satisfying amount of coffee and scones, went on a 3 hour hike in the gorgeous Tilden Park, ate Cheeseboard pizza on the median like a real Berkeley-ite, baked a pumpkin cheesecake, and went to a lovely restaurant called Wood Tavern for dinner. All the while, we were surrounded by more fall foliage than I had seen in years! The whole experience made me want to visit Jennifer again as soon as possible.

Aqualillies Perform at the Roosevelt Hotel

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have so much to tell you all! I was organizing my pictures and I realized that I have been having doing so much and not posting enough. First up, I went to see an Aqualillies performance at the Hotel Roosevelt the weekend before last. One of the other Art Law board members from last year (you can see her here in the last picture with me in the white dress), is a part-time professional synchronized swimmer (as if being a law student was not enough of a job!). Usually her performances are for private events, so we can never come cheer her on. But on this particular night, they were performing as part of some goofy MTV reality show that the public was allowed to come to (i.e. MTV needed people in the background to make it look like a good party). It was interesting to see the behind the scenes on one of those reality shows (there is about 5 minutes of filming for every 2 hours spent waiting around), but it was more interesting to finally see the Aqualillies! I thought their routine was really impressive! And the random MTV crowd seemed to be loving it!

Procrastination Schmocrastination

2011-10-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today I've been trying to catch up on school work, laundry, and my first guest blog post. (I'll share it as soon as it comes out!) But I have ended up procrastinating. I need to do this:

Via The Daybook.

Happy (Traveling) Friday!

2011-10-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hello hello! Are you excited for the weekend? I have 2 fun things planned. Friday through Sunday morning will be taken up with quick visit to Berkeley to see a friend and enjoy the NoCal fall folliage. I've already planned my outfit for the drive up/first night: my new leopard print flats (previously lusted for over here) and fisherman sweater! I just got them in the mail yesterday from Zara.

Then on Sunday afternoon, the boyfriend and I are going to the Best Bartender Competition that I mentioned the other day. Keep your fingers crossed for me that, after a 6 hour drive home on Sunday morning and with 7 drink tickets to use at the event, I don't fall asleep on the bar!

Dirty Dinner at the Boiling Crab

2011-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

My suburbs dwelling friends convinced our informal dinner club to venture east yet again, this time to try out the Boiling Crab. If you like seafood and don't mind being dirty, a trip to Boiling Crab is well worth your time. They steam seafood, dump it in plastic bags filled with spicy sauce, and then bring the bags to your table for (likely rapid) consumption. I would love to go back with my boyfriend in tow (he loves seafood as much as me), but next time around I would make a few adjustments to my Boiling Crab strategy.

1. Don't waste tummy space on anything fried (except for the sweet potato fries) or the corn. The oysters and catfish came recommended, but mostly they tasted bland compared to the saucy steamed seafood. People on Yelp also rave about the corn, but it's clearly not very fresh.

2. The "medium" spice is pretty spicey. I would go mild unless you have a high tolerance.

3. Wear old clothes (you will make a mess and smell) and short sleeves (once you get started, you will not have a clean hand to pull up a falling sleeve).

4. Snow crab legs are the best value.

5. Go early early early! We went at 5 on a Sunday, and still had to wait 30 minutes for a big table.

The Boiling Crab (Alhambra)

33 W Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801

(For those on the west side, there's also one in Koreatown.)

Home, Let Me Come Home

2011-10-06T07:00:00.001-07:00

♫♫ Home ♫♫

"Well hot and heavy, pumpkin pie, chocolate candy, Jesus Christ

Ain't nothing please me more than you."

It rained yesterday, and there was a chilly breeze. It was the perfect day for boots and sweaters. It really felt like fall, which got me in the mood for all the fall-esque photos I've been snapping.

PS: Have you ever seen a more amazing Halloween house?

Dinner at Mohawk Bend

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mohawk Bend has almost all the elements of a great restaurant. 1) A fantastic backdrop - a converted old Vaudeville theater between Echo Park and Silverlake. 2) A bajillion beers on tap and a few choice wines. 3) Reasonably priced, delicious-but-healthy food made with local ingredients. 4) An enormous fireplace . . . oh and trees inside! I love trees inside.

Ok maybe the enormous fireplace and indoor trees are not necessary elements of a great restaurant, but they certainly do not hurt! If you go, be sure to get at least one pizza. (I like the heirloom tomato pizza - pictured above - the most out of the two we tried.) And get whatever meat-combo burger they are featuring too. (Jeremy got the Pimp - pork and shrimp, also pictured above - and it was amazing. Their online menu indicates that sometimes they also have a Dork - duck and pork.) The only negative was that we barely ever saw our server, which made reordering drinks almost impossible. So I would suggest trying this place out at a slower time. (Or sneaking in your own booze if you are really daring.)

Mohawk Bend

2141 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Update from Colori Kitchen

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of new things to share this week, but since my weekend was busy and I am tied, I am going to start with an update of something old. So Colori Kitchen is still awesome and apparently busier than ever. The boyfriend and I tried a few new things at our recent visit: the burrata and heirloom tomato appetizer, the blue crab risotto, the cannolis, and the cheesecake. The app was good, but probably too much with a pasta dish. The risotto was very rich and delicious. The cannoli cream was also good, but there were no chocolate chips. (I learned from my time in Philly this summer that a proper cannoli always has chocolate chips.) However, the candied orange was a nice touch. My hands down favorite new thing we tried, though, was the cheesecake. It is much lighter than normal cheesecake, which makes me think they might use ricotta instead of cream cheese. Now I know what to save room for: the pumpkin ravioli (tried on a previous visit) and the cheesecake

Colori Kitchen

429 West 8th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90014
(See original review here.)

PS: This week (starting last night) and next week are Dine LA. So if you are getting bored of my repeated post subjects, you can look forward to something new. I always try to go somewhere I've never been before for Dine LA. You should take advantage of the price fix menus too!

Happy Friday!

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello hello! What are you up to this weekend? I have some work to do, but hopefully I can squeeze in a little fun. On Friday, the bf and I are thinking of going to Arashi's sushi happy hour. It is our favorite sushi place in downtown, but for some reason I have never blogged about it. I promise to fix that if we go! Then on Saturday or Sunday, I'm going to take the metro up to South Pasadena. My boyfriend drove me through it last weekend, and it was such a cute neighborhood that I vowed I would come back on foot with camera in tow to see it this weekend. If you have any recommendations of where to stop for food, coffee, or shopping in South Pasadena, let me know! I hope you have a lovely weekend!

PS: These pictures are from Perch happy hour last Thursday. Yes, I went again. But really how am I supposed to resist that view + champagne cocktails?!

Military Fashion

2011-09-30T07:00:00.001-07:00

My interpretations of the new military trend. Picture 1: Vintage puffy vest, Zara shirt, VonZipper aviators. Pictures 2-4: Vintage WW1 jacket, Catholic uniform button down (yep, from high school!), Gap pants, Bass loafers, necklaces handmade (c/o my friend Erin) and unknown, VonZipper aviators.

Remember how I mentioned that military was a big look at the vintage shop? Well based on the publicity and praise given to Joseph Altuzarra's military-influenced coats from his fall ready-to-wear collection and the recent street style that has mimicked that look, I think it is safe to say that military fashion is not just a trend with vintage shoppers. I'm glad I've already stocked up. For once, I'm ahead of the game! Although I wouldn't object to rounding out my wardrobe with that Altuzarra olive pencil skirt below. It doesn't get more military-chic than that!

Photo credits: 1 & 2, 3 (Vogue Sept. 2011), 4 & 5, 6 & 7

Biking the LA River

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

So this past Friday my class was canceled, and I tried something new: biking up through Chinatown to the LA river bike trail. I admit, I did not have high expectations since I had only seen the trail from the highway on my way to the Costco in Los Feliz. So I was surprised to find the concrete basin that I thought of as the LA river actually has a lot of water and plants and wildlife! Granted this is not the most impressive display of nature ever, but compared to the area around it, the river bike path is a nice respite from warehouses and pothole-ridden streets. I saw all sorts of cranes, gulls, and herons. I was enjoying myself so much that before I knew it, I had biked 10 miles out! My goal next time is to bring more water and take the trail all the way to the north edge of Griffith Park.

LA River Bike Path

Entrance on N. Figueroa St.

Just west and over the bridge from the intersection with N. San Fernando Rd.

The View from Takami

2011-09-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Takami is a sushi restaurant, although you wouldn't know it from my photos. I thought most of the food was pretty good, and there are some great deals on the happy hour menu (spicy tuna stuffed peppers!!!). But what really made Takami stand out for me was 1) $5 wine and 2) the great view of downtown. This place is blocks from my apartment, and I'm kicking myself that it took me a year to finally visit it. I will be visiting for numerous happy hours over the next few months to make up for this lost time!

Takami
811 Wilshire Boulevard, 21st floor
Los Angeles, California 90017

(Yes, this is the same address as Elevate. They are across the floor from each other.)

My First Umami Burger (Finally!)

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Finally, the boyfriend and I noshed on the unhealthy deliciousness that is Umami burgers. Everyone in LA raves about this place, which means a lot because LA is really serious about their burgers. Recently I got to experience all the hype for myself. The verdict is that the traditional Umami burger, seen in picture 6 with the bf, is not that amazing in comparison to other good bistro burgers. But the more exotic burger options are phenomenal! I got a Thai shrimp burger special and ate the whole thing in maybe a minute flat. It was that good. I wish I had noted all the ingredient that came with it, but at the time I could only think about devouring the shrimp patty. Once I finished my burger, I had truffle cheese fries to keep me busy while my boyfriend at a more normal pace. While they were not as amazing as the shrimp burger, they were still more than satisfying. I am dying to go back and try the lamb burger now!

Umami Burger Los Feliz

4655 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027

2nd Annual Best LA Bartender Competition

2011-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Photos from Yelp and Tumbler. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

I just got tickets for the Best LA Bartender competition, and I couldn't be more excited! I can't think of anything I would enjoy more on a lazy Sunday than sampling carefully crafted cocktails. To make the whole thing even more perfect, the competition is a few blocks away from my apartment at a venue with great views of downtown, and the after party is at my most favorite bar, Villains Tavern. What will you be doing on Oct. 9th? Because you should definitely be here with me!

The contenders (and pictures of cocktails from their respective bars clockwise from top left):

1. Next Door Lounge - Joe Brooke

2. The Varnish - Devon Tarby

3. Bar | Kitchen - Daniel Zacharczuk

4. Tasting Kitchen - Justin Pike
5. Harvard & Stone - Brian Summers

Table 20′s LA’s Best Bartender Competition Elevate Lounge
811 Wilshire Boulevard, 21st floor
Los Angeles, California 90017
Oct. 9, 3:30-7:30 pm

Fall Flavors at Bottega Louie

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Great news! Now that it is officially fall, Bottega Louie has unveiled 3 new macarons featuring seasonal flavors. My hands down favorite was, of course, the pumpkin. I never get tired of pumpkin flavor, and it comes through clearly here. My second favorite was actually the chestnut apricot. The fruity and nutty flavors mix well together. I wasn't sure about this when combo I tried it, but I'm definitely a fan now. The caramelized cinnamon was the weak link for me. It has great potential, but I think the recipe needs to be tweaked so there is a little more cinnamon spice and a little less sweet caramel. Overall, though, these are great additions. I am now motivated to see what seasonal changes have been made to the dinner menu too!

Bottega Louie
700 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Fancy Date at WP24

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

The bf and I went on a very fancy date a few weekends ago at WP24, the Wolfgang Puck Chinese restaurant on the 24th floor of the downtown Ritz ~~Carleton~~ Carlton*. The positives? The food was very very very good, and you get lots of it. We split the 4 course tasting menu (despite the sour response from our server about splitting - more on that later) which comes with an appetizer, 2 entrees, and a dessert. 3 chef tastings came out too. In total, we ate shrimp and lobster spring rolls, a shrimp toast tasting, some kind of dumpling tasting, the sea bass entree, a spicy shrimp entree with potatoes, the Marjolasian dessert (award winning! layers of dark chocolate, white espresso mouse, cashew nougat and milk chocolate glaze), and a cookie tasting. It was so satisfying. Plus, the decor is sleek and fun and the view is fantastic.

The negatives? WP24's attempts to up-sell are obnoxious. We had to sit in the bar/lobby 20 minutes after the time of our reservation to wait for the table "to be ready" even though there were a handful of open tables in the dining room. This is done to everyone who comes for dinner, and it is clearly an attempt to get you to buy a $16 cocktail before dinner. Once you sit down, you are brought the drink menu only. The food menu is not brought until you either order a drink or tell your server you are not drinking. On top of this, the service is cold. I know we were not our server's highest grossing table, but I still expect something better than the cold shoulder any time I'm spending more then $200 on a meal for 2.

Ok I rambled on for way too long. Sorry!

* Thanks boyfriend, for being my spellchecker! :)

WP24
900 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015

A Current Affair Recap

2011-09-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a terrible blogger and forgot my camera at home. So my recap of this fall's incarnation of A Current Affair is illustrated through cell phone photos. I thought the grainy pictures would be better than nothing! I scooped up a forest green puffy vest with a detachable fur lined hood and a fur vest with pockets (which will be immediately replacing my faux fur DIY vest).* Outside of my purchases, I noticed some reoccurring trends:

1. vintage military wear (good thing I scooped up my WWI era jacket already this summer!) 2. leopard everything (my favorite was a pony hair clip on miniature bow tie but it was priced somewhat absurdly at $40) 3. fur, lots and lots and lots of fur 4. patterns 5. sparkles/shimmer/shine in many forms

The one thing I was expecting to see but really didn't was gloves. I saw very few pairs and nothing under $60. I'm really feeling gloves this season. Maybe modern retailers will pick up the slack in that department.

*Yes, that is me wearing both vests at one time. I'm a nerd. Thanks, Kim, for snapping this shot!

Big Bear: Lake Tour

2011-09-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

So as you probably guessed from my "cliff hanger' post on Friday, I spent the end of my second day at Big Bear Lake going on a boat tour. I highly recommend the Miss. Liberty tour. The guide is a life long laker and is just a wealth of knowledge. I will try to share all of the tidbits I gleaned from him that I can remember!

A view of my lodgings - Lagonita Lodge - from the lake.

Tipping rock, hence the graffiti, up close and from afar. So named because, well, it's looked like it is going to tip over for decades now.

Some of the houses of the better known Big Bear residents. 1) Britney Spears - she's never there 2) the Max Factor family 3) some 1950s celebrity whose name I forget 4) Bugsy Siegal - who apparently dumped a bunch of slot machines in the lake in front of his place which have never been retrieved and 5) Roy Rogers of burger fame. Another house (not pictured) belongs to the son of Mel Blank, the voice of the Looney Toons. The son has taken up the family business since his father passed away and now voices the same characters. He came out to say hello to the tour in all the various character voices, which was definitely the highlight!

This is a cabin built on state park land (versus the Big Bear Lake town). In order to build on park land, you have to agree not to move any trees or rocks. So these creative homeowners built their cabin over a giant bolder. Can you see it through the window/cut out in the middle of the cabin?!

The UCLA sun observatory.

Here's another crafty homeowner. This island used to be a peninsula, but right before the town increased the dam and raised the level of the water, the current resident bought this spot and imported these little cabins. Then the water rose, the land bridge was covered, and this person had a lovely little private island!

And finally, a few shots of the sun rise and ducks getting their breakfast on from the morning I left. They're not from the boat tour, but they are a good close to the Big Bear trip. I cannot wait to go back in October!

Tweet tweet!

2011-09-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I decided to finally join the new decade and get on Twitter. I know I'm super later to this social media game, but better late than never right? You can find me over at search4jstreet! (No guarantees that I will (a) tweet regularly or (b) tweet anything of value!)

A Current Affair is this Weekend!

2011-09-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Image from itsacurrentaffair.com.

My favorite downtown LA vintage pop up shop is coming this weekend! (Yes, as far as I know, it's the only downtown LA vintage pop up shop, but it would still be my favorite even if there were others!) Usually I like to blog about this well in advance so everyone knows to rearrange their schedule and go, but I dropped the ball this time and totally forgot about it until yesterday. If you're free Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, make an effort to get down to the Cooper Design Space. Admission is $10 (with free cocktails inside!) but if you get in Gilt City in the next 2.5 hours, you can still get the discounted $5 admission.

PS: One of my previous trips and some of my vintage scores!

Big Bear: The Town

2011-09-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

The only bad thing about going to Big Bear Lake at on off time is that all the places I wanted to eat were closed on Monday and Tuesday. But driving to the grocery store for breakfast was not so bad because it put me right next to the Stanfield Marsh boardwalk. The boardwalk was almost deserted at 9 am on a Tuesday, and thus it was a decent bird watching spot. Afterward, I resisted going to Starbucks across the parking lot from the grocery store (even though the pumpkin spice latte had just come out that day!) and instead took my juice and granola bar into town to see if I could find a local coffee shop. It took a little bit of wandering around a town that was also almost deserted, but eventually I stumbled upon the Copper Q, which had everything I was looking for: coffee and great outdoor seating for reading my paper.

Guess what I did next? (Hint hint!)

Happy Friday!

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Image from Piccsy.

The end of the week has arrived! What do you have planned for the weekend? My Friday class was canceled, so I am planning on taking an all-morning bike ride to either Elysian Park (if I get lazy) or the LA River bike trail (if I am motivated to keep going). Then I've got dinner plans for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night! (Good thing I'm taking that bike ride, right?) But before all that, look for another post about my trip to Big Bear Lake!

Big Bear Lake: Pine Knot Trail

2011-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

I must be afflicted with whatever the opposite of seasonal depression is, as I get bummed when the weather in LA continues to hover around 80. Last year around this time, I saw a post on a law school friend's Facebook page from a weekend he spent at Big Bear Lake. And his pictures held the most gorgeous sight to a fall-obsessed girl like myself: a tree with brilliant red leaves!

Becky (my friend's wife) posing in front of the most beautiful tree. Photo via Ryan's Facebook page.

So I made myself a promise that next fall (i.e. this fall) I would go to Big Bear Lake myself and have a semi-authentic fall experience. I found a cheap-ish rate at a great lodge right on the lake on the Monday and Tuesday of Labor Day and I booked it. There weren't any true signs of autumn yet. But there were many kinds of trees that I rarely ever see and the weather dipped into the 50s at night! Plus, I've already made plans to go back in October.

On my first day there, I hiked the Pine Knot trail up to the vista point.

Blushes and Pink

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

ASOS Jet Pocket Slim Cropped Trousers, J. Crew Martina Wedges, J. Crew Nili Lotan Cable Sweater, J. Crew Cafe Capri Pants

Usually when the weather gets cooler, my mind turns to shades of browns. Tans, camels, chestnuts, caramels, and mahoganies - I love them all. But thanks to the ladies over at Atlantic Pacific and Late Afternoon, I have an unseasonable desire to integrate soft blushes and pops of pinks into my usual palate.

PS: This post was initially inspired by my obsession with the Pour la Victoire Edie wedges in that great soft pink that both Liz and Bee have. (Eventually I became obsessed with the tones of the complete outfits!) The shoe has been sold out forever now. I was so sad I discovered them too late. But isn't J. Crews Martina wedges kind of a perfect replacement?