Looked like any lounge/club, just with less people.

Link: Club Nokia VIP

Link: The Spare Room

Since extending her stay, caught a movie. Contagion IMAX. It was okay.

obligatory spicy, crab soup.

even tastier spicy galbi (short ribs) soup..

after we killed the soup, they dropped in noodles in one pot, and made fried rice in another pot. yum.

On Dal 2, 4566 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Had Kaiseki.

First dish, or Sakizuki, comprised of “a pairing of something common and something unique.” To me, it just comprised of deliciousness. The anchor to this dish was definitely the eggplant purée.

CHEF’S GARDEN EGGPLANT PUREE, SCOTTISH SMOKED SALMON, OSETRA CAVIAR, CRÈME FRAICHE, CHIVES
Pair: JEAN PHILIPPE, CUVEE

 Zensai, made up of seasonal ingredients, was a playful dish. Each bite required some assembly. Before indulging, from right to left, sprinkled a bit of the bacon powder on top of the sliced calamari, which was stuffed with Maryland blue crab, then, topped it with mushrooms and greens, and finally, dipped the whole thing into the balsamic reduced dots. Yum.

BLUE CRAB STUFFED SWORD SQUID, MUSHROOM SAUTE, BACON POWDER, BALSAMI REDUCTION
Pair: 2010 ALBARINO, MORGADIO, RIAS BIAXAS, SPAIN

Modern Zukuri was interesting…  sashimi was wrapped with avocado, topped with a yuzu sorbet, and were flanked by jalapeno jello dots.

KANPACHI TARTARE IN AVOCADO, PONZU GLAZE, YUZU SORBET, JALAPENO GELEE
Pair: 2007- PINOT BLANC, DOMAINE PFISTER, ALSACE FRANCE

 Otsukuri was just regular, high quality, sashimi. =)

TUNA, JAPANESE SEA BREAM, LOBSTER, KUMAMOTO OYSTER
Pair: SAKE-TOKUBETSU JUNMAI SAKE, CHIYOMUSUBI, TOTORI, JAPAN

 Mushimono comprised of an egg custard with mushrooms and crab. It was topped with uni.

UNI CHAWANMUSHI
Pair: 2007 — SLUMBERGER GEWURSTRAMINER PRINCE ABBES:

 Shiizakana was a perfect al dente pasta.

ABALONE PASTA, PICKELED COD ROE, ABALONE LIVER SAUCE
Pair: 2010-CONTESE DI GAVI, PIO CESARE, PIEDMONTE, ITALY

 For Niku, sashimi-grade beef laid on a big leaf, while soaking up sauce.

AMERICAN WAGYU, HOUBA YAKI, KYOTO RED MISO SAUCE
Pair: 2007 — PINOT NOIR EVENING LANDS, WOLA-AMITY HILLS, OREGON

Towards the end of the meal, Shokuji arrived, with six pieces of nigri sushi.

JAPAN SNAPPER, TORO, AJI, LIVE SCALLOPS, AMAEBI, SEARED TORO
Pair: SAKE-SHICHIDA YAMAHAI KARAKUCHI, SAGA JAPAN

 These two were my favorite. Spanish mackerel and live scallop.

Ama ebi is another one of my favorites…

Miso Soup with ama ebi head.

 Finally, Mizumono. Green tea crème brûlée, chocolate cake with ice cream, and fresh fruit – mangoes, white kiwi, grapes.

GREEN TEA CRÈME BRULEE, FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE, VANILLA ICE CREAM, FRUITS
Pair: 2008-LATE HARVEST SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON MALDANADO, CALISTOGA, CA

Not pictured are the many wine and sake pairings that came with each dish, which if we drank them all, would’ve gotten pretty buzzed. Yea, so next time, I take a taxi….

At the end of the meal, Chef Nakayama greeted us.

This place is definitely a new favorite. Tasty dishes. Intimate setting. Great service. Wonderful experience.

I’ll be back.

Cheers!

Link: N/Naka

What makes Fashion’s Night Out such a hit = free alcohol……. and apparently, a lot of the shops used Patina Catering. To take a break from all of the champagne that we were indulging in, had this gentleman make me a Bloody Mary; it was alright. He made a couple of gimlets for my companions, as well.

Prada.

Link: Fashion’s Night Out

Perused the special St-Estèphe menu, that chef John Sendler resurrected for the month of September, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the birthplace of modern Southwest cuisine. Despite even the prices being the same as in 1981, we passed. We, or rather I and I dragged her along, intended to eat the pibil!

Started with one of my favorite drinks, Rivera’s classic Barbacoa with mezcal. The beef jerky in the drink never gets old. This time, I really appreciated the sliced bell peppers infused with the drink. Always tasty.

To start, we had the Choros al Vapor. mussels, chorizo, aji amarillo pisco broth. So good, I wish that they had offered us more bread to soak up the juices!

Rather than get another appetizer, we dug ourselves into the delicious black mess called duck enfrijolada. blue corn tortillas, black bean puree, chevre, red wine chile sauce. the duck was prepared and had the texture of carnitas.

Before the main even, I had the Oaxacan Piece Pipe. Chichicapa (this word caught my eye and was the reason why I ordered this, Ha!) mezcal, rye, black pepper, cumin syrup, dandelion and burdock bitters, grapefruit essence. This thing was strooooong. Good and strong.

and why we came here……. the Yucatecan Puerco Pibil. banana leaf-wrapped pork shoulder, braised sous-vide. I’d argue is Rivera’s best dish.

So good, we each had our own.

For dessert, we were intent on getting the Spanish Olive Oil cake. lemon extra-virgin cake, creme fraiche ice cream, strawberry sorbet, jerez vinegar reduction.

… and at the last minute, we got the baba cachaca. individual sponge cake soaked in brazilian rum syrup, dulce de leche, fresh citrico. Amazing; it was my first time having baba.

 A great dinner. I’m looking forward to coming again.

Link: Rivera

 i don’t consider myself a christian, or religious for that matter, but can appreciate the powerful role religion plays in people’s lives…..

pastor talked about how bad sex outside of marriage is………….

which, i guess, inspired this guy (probably overcome with sin) to pop the question right after the show………..

“I give in to sin because you have to make this life liveable” – Depeche Mode

Link: Harvest Ministries

Note: All pictures in this entry were, unfortunately, taken with an iPhone. So, the quality is kind of sucky. Oh well.

We ordered the 5 course tasting menu + wine pairing, and added on a dish I saw them make in the TV show, After Hours with Daniel….

To begin, we were each presented with complimentary cocktails – a mojito iced gelee topped with a micro mint and an egg yolk-looking screwdriver (the vodka and orange juice drink was encased in this thin, gelatinous orb that burst in the mouth). Both were a fun way to start our meal.

Then, came the first of many amuse bouches…eating from right to left, I took a good minute or two to savor this amazing shrimp glazed with deliciousness and mini flowers, then I popped in my mouth, the pastry puff filled with some kind of fish rilletes, and to chase it all down, I gulped some kind of carrot and passion fruit juice. Yum……..

We also partook in the three kinds of bread – bacon brioche, nori focaccia, and sourdough roll – that they were serving that night, which were all pretty good.

the first dish from the actual tasting menu was Japanese Kanpachi from Kagoshima, with red shiso pearl tapioca, cucumber, enoki. it was paired with something white that was from 2010.

Afterwards, to kill time before our next dish, we were presented with two more amuse bouches! This time they came out on sticks. The first, not pictured, was a piece of abalone. The second, the main picture at the top of this entry, was a squid and chorizo combo that was eaten in one bite! Yum.

A short time after, the maître d came to our table, and rolled over this table to present our next dish, which was not part of the tasting menu, but after seeing it prepared on After Hours with Daniel, I had to have….Santa Barbara Spot Prawns, which alive 3 minutes prior to showing up table side!

These were cooked by first laying them in a pan lined with salt and rosemary, and then covered with more salt that’s been heated to 500 degrees! After about 3 minutes, they were dug out of the salt, and plated. They were coated with french aoc extra virgin olive oil and garnished with lemon wedges.

mmmm mmmmm mmmmmmmmmm

our next dish was Bobby’s Block Island Scallops, errr scallop, which sat on baby beets, almonds, nori, and upland cress. it was paired with a 2009 Riesling from Erben Von Beulwitz winery.

then, came a Wild Alaskan Halibut steak from Sitka, sitting on top of purple runner beans, charred tomato, and epazote pistou. It was paired with a 2010 Rosé de Pinot Noir from Soliste winery.

our last savory dish was a Marcho Farms veal tenderloin from Franconia, PA. It was cooked sous-vide and was accompanied by a sweet pea puree, buna shimeji mushrooms, turnips, and tomato confit. It was paired with a 2005 Rioja Crianza, Viña Cubillo Crianza from Lopez de Heredia winery.

To satisfy the sweet tooth, we had Regier Farms White Nectarines, which came with an almond cake, rasberry, basil, burrata ice cream, and olive oil. It was paired with a 2005 Sainte-Croix-du-Mont from Chateau la Rame.

finally, as a last hurrah, we were presented with petits fours! Again, from right to left, strawberry marshmallow, coconut macarons, and extra sweet pâtes de fruits

 I will definitely be back. CHEEERS!

Link: Providence

It was a one hour session that left me sore for a good 2 days! Being a newbie at this, I don’t know the name of the various things I did, but we did focus quite a bit on abs. It hurt so good.

………………………… “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”

…. working on some canvases for her next show.

 Now, I’m sure the guy is a pleasant character, especially by himself and not intoxicated, but I guess media’s portrayal of outlaw motorcycle club members got to me – they kill people… So, I snapped this picture instead. hahaha.

…. and not because my father does it, but because lately, I’ve been drinking a lot of it.

So I figure, I should start educating myself about the good stuff. To start, I picked up a couple of bottles from Jonata vineyard, which is based in Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara) and fascinatingly, owned by the same people who own Screaming Eagle.

I have yet to try it, but am anxious to after reading the various reviews.

Robert Parker for Wine Advocate gave it 94 points:

The 2005 El Corazon de Jonata (41% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and 2% Sauvignon Blanc) is denser, richer, and more perfumed than its 2004 counterpart. The overall impression is one of a sensual/seductive wine boasting an inky/blue/purple color as well as copious amounts of blue, red, and black fruits interwoven with truffle, charcoal, and graphite scents. This full-bodied, powerful 2005 offers both significant flavor authority and elegance. It will last for 15 or more years.

Stephen Tanzer for Interanational Wine Cellar gave it 93 points:

Opaque violet. Deep, ripe cherry and plum on the nose, with exotic baking spice and gingerbread building with air. Lush dark berry liqueur flavors are deep and sweet but possess good grip, finishing with light, dusty tannins and excellent persistence. Really stains the palate with sweet, precise fruit and minerality and possesses more energy than the 2004 version, which is a beauty in its own right. 

Jeb Dunnuck for The Rhône Report gave it 94+ points

Beautifully fresh and vibrant, the 2005 Jonata Winery El Corazón de Jonata is a step up from the ’04, showing awesome aromatics of smoky black cherry and cassis fruits, cigar box, tobacco, blood and roofing tar. Very tightly wound on the palate, the wine possesses full-bodied power with superb balance, a rich, full texture and a serious, tannic finish. This needs time. I’d give bottles another 3-5 years and then drink over the following decade or longer.

Jonata’s description of it:

Wide mélange of flavors faithfully illustrates the kitchen sink of variety of grapes within the glass. Aromas of smoked meats, wild honey, soy sauce, white truffle, black cherry, cola, brown sugar and oak char. Dizzying yet tempting complexity. Generous and full bodied with mix of blackberry, mushroom notes and smoke. Very approachable at this stage with loads of soft fruit and firm, yet giving tannins. Length, length and length on finish.

Link: Jonata Winery

What made this concert extra special though, was that we were also graced with the presence of Gil Shaham, who performed one of my favorite Mozart songs, the Violin Concerto No. 5.

Gil Shaham banging his 1699 Stradivarius on the big screen.

Here’s a clip of Gil Shaham performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Youtube Symphony. I loved his expressions.

This is the actual view from our seats, in section G2. I was really gunning for the seats in the Pool Circle but they (as well as the Garden and Terrace boxes, and even Super Seats) sold out fast! It was a packed show.

You know Hollywood Bowl is pretty much synonymous with Picnic, right? Well, this time, I brought a bunch of sandwiches, quartered, from Blue Table. From left to right: Ellen’s Special (turkey, ham, goat cheese, fig-onion jam, & garlic aioli ), Prosciutto and Burrata (with basil, tomato & olive oil), Roast Turkey Breast (with brie, arugula, roasted red peppers, & sun-dried tomato aioli), Roast Beef Tenderloin (with caramelized onions, goat cheese, arugula, & dijon aioli), and another Ellen’s Special.

Washed it down with Veuve champagne and fresh blackberries. Yum.

View from the table…

Started with the Classic Sampler, which comprised of their famous crab dip, fried calamaris, and “great balls of fire,” which are essentially fried balls of crab, jalapeno and shrimp.. all pretty heart-attack worthy.

The main event, then, was this entree called the Bean Town Bake, which came with 2 whole lobsters, a pound of clams, shrimp, smoked sausage, a thing of corn and some potatoes, all served in a pretty large steam pot…. very tasty.

Since it was a weekday, there weren’t many obnoxious people around. And overall, the food and experience were pretty good.

Link: Joe’s Crab Shack

Didn’t actually go in, just chilled in the parking lot. Ha!

Link: Griffith Observatory

It was pretty cool. Prior to the screening, we ate pizza and drank champagne.

Lulu and Dmitry. In Love.

They screened cult-classic Harold and Maude.

As the night went by, it got chilly. Thank goodness for the blankets. Afterwards, hung out around the fire.

It was all fun times.

Link: Cinespia

However, before and while waiting for the tour to start…. we do what we do best………..

so… we stuck around with the tour for about  half hour before going off on our own…..  to enjoy and interact with the art.

…. living in the moment…….

Lastly, I got Deitch to sign my book!

Woohoo! Planning to go back again this weekend.

Copy + Paste from LA Times Magazine:

1 white sugar cube
4–6 dashes Angostura bitters
Dash of soda water
2 ounces Sazerac 6-year rye whiskey (may substitute bourbon)

Drop sugar cube into a glass (Seven Grand uses a 9  ½-ounce Schott Zwiesel whiskey glass). Soak cube with 4–5 dashes of Angostura bitters from a small bottle. Do not use a large bottle, as too much liquid comes out. Add a small splash of soda water. Muddle sugar to a fine paste. Add Sazerac. Add ice to ¾ full. Stir until cold but not overly diluted (20–25 turns). Garnish with large lemon and orange peels, squeezing the outward surface of the skin down onto the drink to express the oils, then dropping peels in.

Random note: Outside the bar, one of the downtown characteres called me Elvis. Well, he was more like a resident, and I was kind of blocking the sidewalk so as he headed in my direction, he blurted, “Move out of the way, Elvis.” hahahaha.

Link: Seven Grand

we actually started pretty early…….

.. given the time and cost of materials, i don’t think i’ll ever do this again.. hahaha.

Seriously, this little project took a good 8 hours or so (spread over a week), half of which was spent getting the spikes into the rubber toe area. Unlike studs which have pointy prongs, the spikes were screw-in, and the screws were all flat! So, I had to bust out my college dissection kit to make the holes.

These spiked converse make the Louboutin Rollerboys look tame…

I made these thinking that I’d wear them as casual kick-around shoes for the summer, but after trying them on, I’m not so sure anymore….. they’re heavy! It’s apparent that I didn’t think this through…I didn’t account for the added weight of the spikes…

… oh well…

Link: Born to Be Wild

Link: The Varnish

Palos Verdes Nature Preserve with sooj and heidi.

According to the letter they sent me…

You deserve to get the most out of your voice and data services — wherever you are. And with the AT&T 3G MicroCell™ you’ll get a quality signal with up to 5-bar coverage right in your home!

As our way of saying “thank you” for your continued loyalty, we would like to offer you an AT&T 3G MicroCell™ at no charge.* This special offer is only available for valued cutomers like you — so come in today and say hello to improved wireless coverage in your home.

… i’m valued… hahaha. ..awesome.

in the past few years, i noticed that reception in the area was getting progressively worse. i never complained, but perhaps many others did…. anyways, it’s cool to see AT&T step up their customer service game….

taming the unicorn

oops? hahahaha.

100% sober.

she’s normally like this.

why we get along so well.

Link: Equinox

Link: Schwinn A.C. Performance Indoor Cycle Trainer

In the chaos, almost bought a jacket. Thinking about it, I might go back.. =X

Started in Beverly Hills (Saks Fifth Avenue Club) and ended in West Hollywood (Carolina Herrera). Lots of people liked the madame’s hair and outfit. Some random chiq even took her picture to put on a street fashion blog.

Links:
Watership Down
Monkey Business
Christie’s

And now that it’s over (That was an AWESOME ENDING, by the way), I’m going to miss the show.

Since a kid, I’ve been fascinated with nature and animals. It was a treat when I studied about Chuck Darwin and his Galápagos Islands. In any case, the point of this post is to bookmark this future vacation.

I’m highlighting their 16-day package, which includes a week in Peru and the rest of the time cruising Galápagos aboard the National Geographic Endeavor. Price ranges from about $8K to $12K, includes food, accommodations for 2 to 3 people. Not bad.

Here is a Copy + Paste of the Itinerary:

DAY 1 — U.S./Guayaquil, Ecuador Depart U.S. and arrive Guayaquil by late evening. If you choose to take the non-stop group flight from Miami, we depart in the early evening with a flying time of approximately 4 hours. Upon arrival, it’s a short drive to the Hotel Hilton Colón.

DAY 2 — Guayaquil/Galápagos/Santa Cruz/Embark Ship This morning fly to the Galápagos. Flying time is approximately 1½ hours; upon arrival immediately board ship. During lunch we’ll sail to Santa Cruz Island for a magnificent introduction to the wildlife. Spend the afternoon exploring mangrove-flanked channels and the shoreline of Cerro Dragon, looking for land iguanas, sea lions, a variety of birds and schools of golden rays. (B,L,D)

DAY 3-8 — Exploring the Galápagos Islands While our exact routing depends on the National Park Service, we may visit the following islands: – Bartolomé – Santiago – Santa Cruz – Isabela – Fernandina – Floreana

DAY 9 — Galápagos/Guayaquil/Lima, Peru Depart Galápagos this morning and fly to Lima, Peru. Overnight at the Ramada Costa del Sol Lima Airport Hotel. (B,D)

DAY 10 — Lima/Cusco/Sacred Valley of the Inca This morning fly from Lima to Cusco and drive to Awanacancha, a farm where South American camelidae are bred. Enjoy the scenery as we make our way to Pisac – Gateway to the Sacred Valley. Pisac has an “old town” and a “new town” from the Colonial era. We’ll visit the local food market before visiting its ruins. Later we check into our hotel, Sol y Luna. (B,L,D)

DAY 11 — Sacred Valley of the Inca This morning visit the massive Inca stone fortress of Ollantaytambo, and is thought to be the only remaining example of pre-Columbian urban planning. After lunch at our hotel, the afternoon is at your leisure to explore on your own. Tonight is a very special night. Dinner is an outdoor event at our hotel complete with a campfire, BBQ and vibrant dances based on Peruvian folklore performed on stilts. There’ll also be a cooking demonstration that will take visitors through the steps of preparing specialties like Ceviche. (B,L,D)

DAY 12 — Sacred Valley/Machu Picchu After breakfast we take a short ride to the train station for the 1½-hour ride to Machu Picchu (“Old Mountain”). At the citadel, “The Lost City of the Inca,” we’ll first have a guided walk but the real magic is that between 4:30 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. most visitors are gone. By staying over, you share Machu Picchu with only a handful of visitors. Overnight at Orient Express Sanctuary Lodge with only 31 rooms. (B,L,D)

DAY 13 — Machu Picchu Breakfast at leisure. Enjoy a sunrise walk and hike to the Sun-Gate, the ancient final check point to Machu Picchu, an almost mystical experience for many. The morning is free to explore Machu Picchu and ponder the many mysteries of the Incas. After a train and bus ride, we arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon for two nights at the Orient Express Monasterio Hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 14 — Cusco This morning explore Cusco, the Inca Empire’s capital. We’ll also visit the vast Sacsayhuaman Fortress. After lunch at the MAP café in the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, the rest of the day is open to stroll around the Plaza de Armas. Relax shopping or visit the magnificent 17th-century cathedral built on Inca foundations, the Santo Domingo Convent — Koricancha. This evening choose amongst several options for an independent dinner. (B,L)

DAY 15 — Cusco/Lima This morning return to Lima and explore Colonial Lima. Visit the Larco Herrera Museum and its private collection of pre-Columbian art. Stroll the Plaza Mayor. Lunch will follow the traditional Latin American style and be rather late and then you can have a light dinner on your own. (B,L)

DAY 16 — Lima/Miami This morning fly home – or anywhere else you might have decided to go. (B)

Link: Linblad Expeditions