The L.A. Culture

Buon Weekend! (as the Italians say). Next Monday marks the beginning of many exciting things to do in Los Angeles. Whenever I'm bored on the weekends, I always find myself at a loss for things to do (aside from shopping and eating, that is). But I am truly excited about the end of October - early November events.

How can I not be? The MOCA is having a Takashi Murakami exhibit!! For those of you unfamiliar with his work, I'm sure you've probably seen it and just didn't know. Think about those playful Louis Vuitton bags that marked the beginning of LV's revolution into hipster-hood. Or even now, when those cute cartoons can no longer be found, the Monogram Multicolore is a remnant of his work for the brand.

Murakami's work

Murakami for Louis Vuitton

Murakami's work is a testament to the influence of Japanese art and pop culture on the world. His work for Louis Vuitton is only a glimpse of what the artist has to offer. I'm really excited to see the exhibit and learn more about him and get to see some of his art. For while I've seen his work through my frequents to Japanese shops (Giant Robot and the like), I have yet to learn more about the art and the anime. This week's LA WEEKLY has a cover story on the exhibit. And how can you miss it with all the banners around town? The exhibit runs from October 29th to February 11th. (The exhibit is having a special opening on October 27th for MoCa members.) I don't think I'll catch it for another few weeks, so if you do get to see it first, PLEASE! Let me know how it is :)

AND, speaking of the influence of Japanese culture on the world, check out this month's issue of WIRED MAGAZINE where they illustrate, in Manga form, the impact of these Japanese cartoons on Americans and the world. Another reason why I am in love with Japanese culture. :)

ANOTHER great event in town is the AFI Film Festival, which runs from November 1-11th, where my beloved ArcLight in Hollywood becomes transformed into the headquarters for the festival, and all things AFI Film Fest. Having visited a few film festivals, Los Angeles is not a city I picture to have a festival, despite it being the hub for celebrities and film production. However, if you're yearning to see a new, unreleased indie flick, or maybe even to catch a glimpse of a celeb, swing by the ArcLight during those dates. If anything, you can experience the great popcorn -- voted the best in town(and wonderful seats) that the ArcLight has to offer.

Trendy L.A.

If you live in L.A. or the vicinity, I hope you and your family are safe from the fires. It's quite scary. >.<


I spent Saturday with a friend from out of town. We went to some of the trendier spots in LA, I guess you could say. :)

We had lunch at BLD (stands for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, cleverly enough), a new spot (for me) that I am growing to like. I think they have marvelous French toast, and their bacon is almost as delicious as The Four Seasons, my absolute favorite place for Applewood smoked bacon. There are times where I yearn for it. But that's for another day. BLD also has these awesome meat and cheese plates that are so yum. They have a wonderful selection of meats and cheeses as appetizers, that are served on marble slabs.

For dessert, we stood in line at Sprinkles for about half an hour. Of all the times I've had Sprinkles, I've never really had to stand in line for it. There was the time I actually visited the shop, after dropping off a repair at Arturo's (down the street from Sprinkles at 9643 Santa Monica Blvd.), the best place to get your designer bags and shoes repaired ever. Most times, my experience with Sprinkles has been reserved for my office, where clients have them delivered as thank you gifts. While I do agree that they are tasty, I still think that Doughboy's and Toast make a meaner Red Velvet. Either way, I love the decor of Sprinkles -- my favorite pink and brown color combination, the simplicity of the design, and the cute little round (tasteless) candies atop the perfectly frosted cupcakes. I had a Red Velvet and brought a Banana Dark Chocolate home for my love. Hmm. Looking at their site, I must go back on Tuesdays for the orange flavored cupcakes. That sounds divine.

After dessert, we cruised over to Robertson Blvd. for some hip LA shopping. This is where the likes of Lindsay, Britney, and Paris can be seen shopping. Of course, the day when I bring out of town guests to the area, none of the celebs were to be seen -- only a lone paparazzo. One of my favorite shops on Robertson Blvd. is WeSC - We are the Superlative Conspiracy. It's the hipper, younger brand of J. Lindberg. I love their urban chic style and their winter wear that doesn't look too buttoned-up and formal. Oddly enough, the shop I frequent the most on Robertson Blvd. isn't one of the 3 Kitsons, the Lisa Kline, or even the very many accessories shops (and I love accessories), but it's American Apparel, sadly enough. I've finally caved after so many years. I love the solid Summer tees and how they fit me perfectly, both the Deep V for men and the crew neck women's. I love the many colors that are available, and I can say that AA makes its way into my wardrobe at least twice a week. You can't have too much of a good thing, right? ;)

Cuban delight

Happy Monday!

So many food adventures last week, but one place really comes to mind, especially since I found an excuse to go there two and a half weeks in a row. Why? Because it's cheap, it's quick, and it's absolutely yum. Note: an affinity to garlic and onions is sort of a must.

Versailles is one of those places that you can go in for a quick bite and still indulge and enjoy. I've been going to this place ever since I was in college, and I still love it. (Speaking of places I've been to since I was in college, I've just thought of so many other goodies -- will have to follow up with that later). I know it's not one single restaurant, but I've been to about 3 of the 5 locations.

One thing to note is that most of the dishes here are covered and smothered in their delicious garlic sauce, topped with onions galore. I am not a raw onion fan, and I only like garlic in small, indistinguishable doses (hard to believe since I'm Thai), but I really love their dishes. Their most famous is their half chicken, the #6 Famoso Pollo Versailles. I really like the 7a, which is the chicken breast version of the half chicken. Most meat dishes are served with rice, black beans and plantains.

Their tamales, one of my most favorite foods, are also delicious, smothered lovingly in the garlic sauce and topped with onions. I've recently been adventurous and tried the shredded roast pork sandwich -- the Pan con Lechon. It is the most amazing, delicious pork I've had since pulled pork and I am in love with pulled pork. I'll admit, it's a little bit on the salty side, but the mixture of the onion-garlic taste with the crispy-soft Cuban bread was so YUM.

A good hearty meal here is also not too expensive -- $10-15, depending on the drinks, appetizers, etc. A pretty good deal, I'd say, which is how I thought of this place. My friend and I wanted to meet for dinner but are both on a budget. We both walked away stuffed, with another meal of leftovers. :)

CLOVER

There are days when I pine to go to Clover. I'm having one of those days.

Clover is one of my favorite boutique shops in Silverlake, an artsy-kitschy area between Glendale and Hollywood. There are Saturdays when I plan my afternoon around how I can make a pit stop at Clover. Part of that is because I can never make it there after work before it closes, since it's on the other side of town.

Silverlake is one of those I-could-get-lost-here areas (Burbank is another one) -- and I mean literally get lost. That Sunset junction, hill, streets cutting off bit can get confusing. I've lived here my whole life but I'm so bad with directions and geography :(. Nonetheless, I like Silverlake for its quaint boutique shops and real independently owned coffee shops and cafes (more on that another time ;)

When visiting a friend that lived in Silverlake, I passed by this store on numerous occassions without ever setting foot in, always wondering what goodies lay inside. I finally made it there a year or so after driving past it without stopping in. Aside from the designer denim, (which I would rather buy at a sample sale or a Fred Segal sale), they have unique brands, beautiful tops and sweaters that don't make me look cookie cutter anymore. There's a newly expanded menswear section, with denim and jackets, and before then, they had a wonderful baby section, where I bought a Chinese Zodiac onesie for a co-worker.

Aside from clothes, Clover also has accessories, housewares, kitchenware, and fragrance and beauty items as well. Their sales are also very awesome, especially when they go to 50% off.

My favorite Clover find thus far is a 3/4 sleeve wool jacket/blazer by Tulle. I tried it on, on a Saturday, and decided to buy a green sweater instead. I found myself calling the store on Monday, putting it on hold, and leaving work early and rushing over to pick it up before the store closed. That's how obsessed I am.

Ramen (not Top Ramen)

Someone once asked me, if I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, what would it be? Of course, that's one of the hardest decisions ever, but one of the foods that would rank up there would have to be ramen.

No, not Top Ramen or Cup O' Noodles. I'm talking about the honest to goodness -- goodness. The huge bowl filled with fresh noodles and array of toppings. My dream is to one day have ramen in Japan -- I'm told it's fabulous!

Tonight, I went to Daikokuya, a Japanese restaurant I frequent, because it's relatively close, and because it's oichi (delicious). Daikokuya is known for their Daikoku ramen (Note: ya means store in Japanese), with its rich broth, perfect egg, and soft succulent chashu pork. At one point, you could order the broth to be extra rich and flavourful -- a friend and I discovered that this meant extra fat added to your broth. Either way, the line for this small shop on 1st St. in Downtown is always out the door. I went when dinner was just beginning and we still had to wait.

The restaurant has been around for ages and it's decorated with vintage Japanese ads for beer, banks, and just about anything you can think of. While I'll admit that the quality of the ramen has descended recently (according to my friend, the yakuza-looking cook is no longer there) -- the chashu isn't as soft, the egg is too well boiled, and the extra-rich-broth option is no longer available -- I still think they offer one of the best ramens in Downtown.

Hello and Welcome!

Thank you for visiting. I wanted to share some of my favorite things, particularly Los Angeles things -- my favorite restaurants, shops, new finds, and anything else imaginable. I also wanted to share my version of Los Angeles -- it's not as G-L-A-M-O-R-OUS most of the time, but it's what makes me happy. I'll hope you'll find your time here enjoyable, useful, and entertaining.

Feel free to visit links to my favorites -- shopping, food, technology, and blog sites. ---->

Enjoy!