Finally got to see Gustavo Dudamel conduct the LA Philharmonic, and what a show! Dudamel was so full of expression; it was great. In fact, I caught myself smiling a few times.
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.
It’s been a long time coming, but I finally was able to try Lukshon, and even after reading through many detailed reviews of the restaurant, my experience still surpassed my expectations. It was great! The set up was modern and clean. The food was decidedly Southeast Asian-influenced, flavorful and pretty. I definitely plan on becoming a regular patron.
I made reservations for us to sit at the Kitchen Counter, giving us an up-close show of the action. It was fun to see the different chefs’ interactions with each other, as well as watch our meal and other patrons’ dishes being prepped and plated….
With Emi still around, checked out Vu, which is located inside the Jamaica Bay Inn in Marina del Rey.
Tried this cocktail, A Vu to a Kill. It was pretty strong and not very good. Oh well. Their complimentary corn bread was pretty tasty though. Having read a variety of reviews, we stuck to ordering a bunch of small plates to share. It was a good strategy; there was quite a bit on the menu that interested me….
Emi was in town, visiting from Korea.
Took her to one of my favorite restaurants, Drago Centro.
In the area and in the mood for oysters, and also craving their burger.. a few friends and I ate at Comme Ça…
Fanny Bay and Kumamoto oysters.
Uh-oh…
The local dealership, quoted me $570 to replace the front brake pads. Knowing that parts only cost about $200 retail, I quickly said “Eff that,” to the stealership and decided to give it a go on my own. Admittedly, I’m not a grease monkey, but I do have a father who is pretty good around cars. So, in the spirit of Father-Son bonding, I took this opportunity to spend an hour with the old guy to learn this pretty basic car skill…
According to my friends, this chicken is better than Roscoe’s. I’ve never been to Roscoe’s but I’ll take their word for it. One thing for sure is that this was sinfully delicious.
Link: Honey’s Kettle
During the week, we experienced some pretty good beach weather. So much so that it put me in the mood for seafood, specifically lobsters. At the same time, an acquaintance was raving about this pot of seafood she ate at Joe’s Crab Shack over the weekend with her family. Curious and sensing that she wanted more, I suggested we go…. and so we went.
View from the table…
The closest I’ve been to Griffith Observatory in about 20 years.
Didn’t actually go in, just chilled in the parking lot. Ha!
Link: Griffith Observatory
