I love Las Vegas! I remember coming here for the first time in the early 1980s as a small kid and the biggest thing there, was Circus Circus. Fast forward a few years and well Las Vegas has evolved into an adult Disneyland. I love the hotels here, they are out of this world. I'm not sure what is hotter, the hotels or the temperature. On this particular weekend it was over 107 degrees. The Bellagio is one of my favorite hotels on the strip, and it is just beautiful.
The lobby itself is gorgeous. The glass flowers on the ceilings are just breathtaking, another thing that takes your breath away are the fountains outside. I flew into Las Vegas on this particular weekend to celebrate my Dad's 69th birthday with the family. Thanks to Jetblue I arrived safe and sound. With a few hours to chill out we headed to the Bellagio for his birthday dinner. We had no reservations anywhere, and at a Saturday night in the summer, that may have been a bad idea. But Lady Luck was on our side tonight and we got to Cafe Bellagio and they accommodated us with a fabulous table for eight right next to their amazing garden. The service was on point and the food, just amazing. We had a few appetizers, crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, and lettuce raps. I ordered a mojito which was pretty good. And the whole family ordered dishes from Pasta Alfredo to Burgers to Sea Bass. Everything was good, but I vividly remember the birthday dessert my Dad got, it was this absolutely amazing cheesecake. It was better than any cheesecake I've had at the Cheesecake Factory. It was a great night with family, and such a nice change to spend Las Vegas with family.
After dinner we decided to walk around the hotel and just appreciate the lobby, the music, and the people watching. The food is good here and moderately priced. It is really nice in the eating area, but you can find the attire vary from ties and dresses to flip flops and shorts.
Bellagio Las Vegas 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV. 89109 Phone: 888.987.6667 www.bellagio.com
Mizu 212 is one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles! The reason? There's a few. But I first came here when I first moved to Los Angeles, and my friend Pei Min introduced me to this place, and I've been a fan since. I love that it is so hands on. You cook the food yourself. Then I went through a period where I didn't come here because I just wanted to eat at other restaurants in L.A. And then one night I got food poisoning from some pasta at an italian restaurant. I felt like death, I felt like I had one of those face huggers in the movie "Alien" implant an egg in me, and I was ready to burst with it out of my chest as I screamed "kill me!"
And so I went through a period of cooking my own food. And that's when Mizu 212 came back into my life. Ever since that night of food poisoning which knocked me out for a good day or two, I started to come to Mizu 212 a lot. So much to the point where I have become one of their regulars. I know the owner, and the servers by name. They know my order right when I walk in.
I always order the Vintage beef, with brown rice, harusami noodles, and a cup of hot green tea. The service here is consistent, and the food is always fresh and good, and best of all healthy. Now with every meat, and you have a choice of beef, chicken, pork, or seafood, you get some vegetables on the side.
These vegetables consist of bok choy, broccoli, asparagus, sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, napa cabbage, noodles, and tofu. You also get two tasty dipping sauces, ponzu and their sesame sauce...so good.
And although that night of food poisoning sucked, I must say I am glad it happened. The reason is because it's made me more aware of food preparation, and made me aware of healthy eating. From that night, I started to come here more, I eat more vegetables now, I eat brown rice as opposed to white, and I've been introduced to beef that comes from cows that are raised eating grain and grass and hormone free. With that said, you have to come to Mizu 212 to experience the art of shabu shabu. Oh and for those of you who don't know, the word shabu shabu roughly translates to swirl swirl. This is not only a tasty place to eat, but it makes for a cool experience for those new couples on dates, or if you're single and you just want to escape the chaos of L.A. traffic and have a Zen meal.
Mizu 212 2000 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90025 Phone: 310.478.8979 www.japaneserestaurantinfo.com/mizu212
This place is too cool to have vowels in its name. But just add an E and an A to STK and you spell, you guessed it... STEAK.
So let me first say, that I didn't really know what to expect from STK, but I did know that it is one of the new hot spot restaurants in L.A. And being a new hot spot, I expected to see valet parkers, a man with a list, velvet ropes, crowds, paparazzi, and celebrities. As I looked around for parking, I realized how busy La Cienega had gotten since I moved here in 2001.
Once I parked on the corner of Santa Monica and La Cienega I walked down the slight hill and noticed there was a crowd in front of STK. It was a Wednesday night! Obviously people were ready to eat. As I got to the front of STK I noticed the valet parkers, a man with a list, the velvet rope, the crowds, the paparazzi, and the celebrities. As I waited for my friend Nikki to arrive, I noticed Taye Diggs walk out. I've really enjoyed his work throughout the years, especially in the film "Go" and the musical "Rent." I had to say hello, I tapped him on the shoulder and complimented him. He was very nice and gracious.
Let me first say the only reason I came out tonight was because my good friend Amanda bartends here, and I wanted to pay her a visit. As I walked in, I was impressed by the interior design, it was dark and sexy and edgy. It was packed, I worked my way through the crowd to say hello to Amanda, it was poppin. Nikki grabbed a section of the lounge area and ordered some appetizers. Coming from a production of "Waiting for Lefty" we were pretty hungry. So we had two items. The Hearts of Romaine, which is basically a fancy way of calling a Caesar Salad. And we had the Foie Gras French Toast. This dish was fantastic, topped with green apple, almond brioche, and sherry gastrique. Now this french toast was amazing. But it's not as good as Norma's Foie Gras French Toast in New York, but it's definitely up there. Amanda made me a fantastic Strawberry Cobbler martini, and the service was great. Praise Jesus! There's nothing more annoying than going to a bougie restaurant and getting terrible service. STK had great service and great food. And as we looked around the crowd we noticed soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo and his entourage. Apparently he is "the new" David Beckham. After a nice night of food and ambience, we decided to leave. I would definitely come back.
STK 755 North La Cienega Los Angeles, CA. 90069 Phone: 310.659.3535 www.stkhouse.com
I first became a fan of Moby when his hit album "Play" came out in 1999. Since then, I've been jammin to his tunes ever since. I first met him during his promotion of his last album "Hotel" at the W Hotel in West Los Angeles. It was put together by the W and Paper magazine. That night, he was so cool and humble. Flash forward about three years later, thanks to the magic of myspace. I found out about this event called Nissan Live Sets. If you all don't know what that is, it's basically a small intimate, oh and did I mention free?! Yes it was free! It's a free concert, brought to you by the people at Nissan and Yahoo, for the fans of the featured musician. For some cool reason, I answered a bulletin that Moby posted on the myspace. A few days later, I got an email and was chosen to go to the concert with a friend.
Talk about laws of attraction. I just bought his new cd "Last Night" which is a dance driven album. The album is great, and my favorite track on the album is a song called "Disco Lies." I was thinking that day that I really wanted to see Moby live again. One cool thing about life is that it is unpredictable. I was just finishing up my last year at college at UC Santa Barbara, Moby's popularity was at it's peak, and I bought a ticket for myself to see him live at the Santa Barbara Bowl, I was in the last row, no kidding, hundreds upon hundreds of feet away, but I still had the greatest time dancing and jamming out. Then I move to L.A. and my friend Jonathan had a "plus one" to see Moby play at the W Hotel, there I was within 20 feet of him. Then flash forward a few years later, and I am in the front row of Nissan Sets Live. Not only that, but one of the directors wanted me to be a part of the fan Question & Answer segment of the show. I was so stoked to do this. Not only was I seeing him live for free, front row, but I get to interview him, and we got VIP treatment. I felt really blessed.
Here is the Q & A segment of the Moby show. They edited me to be the first question but in reality I was the last. And just to let you all know, they gave me the question to ask him, so in a way it was scripted, but I feel like I got the best and most humorous question of them all. I hope you enjoy it!
There's one word to describe this restaurant... yellow! Luckily I like the color yellow, if I didn't I'd probably find this place really nauseating to eat. You can count on the cold attitude of the Sunset Blvd. mentality that poisons L.A. creeping into this Downtown establishment. But is it really any surprise coming from a place that calls itself the Standard? Like my good friend Johnny put it, "the Standard needs to up up their Standard." I found this statement to be true, when it came to the host stand. We waited a good 5 minutes, no host came, actually the person that either looked like a hostess or a manager was talking behind the walls of the server station. Now I'm not one to bitch but after working in numerous hospitality establishments, they get a failing grade when it comes to the host/greeter department. I got frustrated and grabbed two menus and sat our selves at a booth.
It took a while to even get acknowledged, but we were lucky enough to be greeted and waited on by Art, an aspiring fashion student. Thank goodness he was cool, otherwise I would have left and ate somewhere else. With a happy spirit about him, we continued to have a good customer/ patron experience. We ordered two mojitos, a Downtown Benedict and a Chop Salad with Rock Shrimp. Both tasted great and came out in good time.
The decor was cool, yellow of course, but I really dug the ceilings and the hanging white lighting fixtures.
The seats were comfortable, wrapped in yellow leather. The staff was fairly attractive, a few hits and a few misses, but I had to compliment their uniforms, a nice multi-colored striped button up shirt and blue jeans, now I haven't seen a cooler wait staff uniform since eating at Downtown in Berkeley.
The mojitos were so so, pretty weak, and coming from me, a total light weight, that is pretty damn weak, and at $11, I deserve some kind of a buzz. The prices here are moderate, but the food is pretty much glamorized diner food. But nothing to the caliber of New York City's Cafeteria, which is one of my personal favorite eateries of all time. Overall it was a good experience, our server was cool, the food was good. But just like a comment in any reality T.V. based competition, "it was good, but will I remember it at the end of the night? Not really." So with that said, it was good, but forgettable. And someone please tell them to get their host staff on point!
The Standard Downtown LA 550 South Flower @ Sixth St. Los Angeles, CA. 90071 Phone: 213.892.8080 www.standardhotels.com
I'm a sucker for photo booths. Especially old school photo booths from the 1980s. Every time I see one of these classic photobooths I have to take a picture. I've gone to this photobooth at the Standard Downtown several times. Just like the manitees of the ocean, photobooths are an endangered species. Other places where these fine specimens can be located are: Luckystrike Lanes at Hollywood and Highland, Fubar in West Hollywood, and the Shortstop Bar in Silverlake.
From the moment you take that first step inside the legendary Millenium Biltmore Hotel you are whisked back in time to classic old Hollywood. Right when I walked in I was overwhelmed by the ornate beauty that the Biltmore possessed. This was a grand and elegant hotel. A true historical Hollywood landmark. The Biltmore has been around for 85 years and in the 1930s and 40s it hosted eight Academy Award Ceremonies. Everything about this hotel was gorgeous. Beauty was in the details, and there was a lot of attention paid to the details. From the lobby to the hallways to the corridors, this hotel was beautifully luxurious.
I stayed here for one night for two reasons. My friend Jonathan was coming into town and we wanted to go on vacation in Los Angeles, and the second reason was that my good friends Jennifer and Michael Paul were getting married the next day at Union Station which was five minutes away. Staying here for a night was probably one of the cooler things I have done since moving to L.A. 7 years ago. I always dreamed of staying in a hotel while living in a L.A., I just never imagined it would be this nice one.
After getting stuck in downtown gridlock, it was a relief to finally get my car parked and walk in the hotel. The service at the front desk was top notch, although I was a tad disappointed when the room with the two beds that I reserved was no longer available, and that they only had rooms with a king bed.
So luckily I wasn't one of those high maintenance a-holes, and I accepted their offer of a rollaway bed. Which was a weird thing considering I was a paying guest in one of the nicest hotels in L.A. A hotel of this magnitude, and a rollaway bed, just didn't go hand in hand. Anyhow, we get to our room, room 829 to be precise. And it was cute, old, but really nice.
After setting up, we chilled a bit, and then I was thirsty for a drink. So I proceeded to take the elevator down to the Gallery Bar. Here I settled on a table, with my Travel & Leisure magazine in hand and waited for some service. Immediately I was greeted by cocktail server Candy. She was upbeat and efficient, and offered great service. She gave me a small fancy bowl of nuts, macadamia, cashew, peanuts, almonds, etc. I ordered myself a Lemon Drop Martini, which was big, tart, and sweet, but be ready to spend money, it was $16. But having a vacation mentality, I just didn't care and focused on appreciating the moment. After 3 sips, I was buzzed. The crowd was eclectic and wordly, a tad older than me, and definitely a tad more established than me, or at least they appeared to be.
My favorite experience of the hotel, was the pool. In 2002, Los Angeles Magazine voted this the best indoor pool in all of Los Angeles. I remember reading that article 6 years ago, and I was in such admiration of the pool and the picture that was in front of me in that article, never did I imagine that one day I was going to be swimming in that pool. And it dawned on me as I was slowly swimming on my back, "you just never ever know what life has in store for you." On the way back from the pool I walked the hall ways and was smitten with all the old black and white pictures of the 1939 Academy Awards with Walt Disney and Shirley Temple. Overall, I had a wonderful experience at the Biltmore, I would definitely recommend it. Of all the hotels in Downtown L.A., check in to this place, there is history, the service is top notch, and the price was extremely reasonable.
Here are some helpful hints: 1. If you are strapped for cash and you want to save a little money, park in the lot across the street. It's $5 a day, and compared to the $40 that the hotel charges a day, you can save yourself $35, which is worth it, especially if you want to buy some drinks in the Gallery Bar. 2. If you are sharing a room with a friend, and its your name that reserved the room, be sure to put their name on the reservation so that they aren't waiting in the lobby til you get there. 3. Take advantage of the fine facilities. Every time I stay at a hotel, I HAVE to use the facilities especially the pool and the workout rooms. This really makes me feel like I am on a "vacation." The pool rocks, it's peaceful and private, and there is a great steam room and jacuzzi just steps away. 4. Be nice to everybody, especially the front desk, they hold the key... literally. But they also conduct the value of your stay. If you want a late check out, just ask nicely. We were able to move our 12 noon check out to 12:30. 5. Internet is not free, they charge $10, which I think is a rip off, and I feel like that should be a required amenity. I would much rather have free internet than their complimentary L.A. Times in the morning.
Millenium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles 506 South Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA. 90071-2607 Phone: 213.624.1011 www.milleniumhotels.com
When I think of good old American cuisine, I can't help but think of a burger and fries. I have lived in Los Angeles for a few years now, and I am always on the hunt for the best burger. Growing up I became a fan of the ever so popular In N Out Burger. And let's not overlook the Carl's Jr. Western bacon cheeseburger. If you are in Washington D.C., Five Guys Burger chain is pretty damn great as well. It wasn't until I visited Father's Office 6 years ago where I became aware that the burger can become bougie. You don't necessarily have to have cheddar as your only choice of cheese, in fact you can get gruyere cheese. And your meat can be dry aged. For years I have been such a fan of the Father's Office burger. And although the service can be rude at times, you cannot beat the taste of that burger. It wasn't until I ventured out of my comfort zone (which is always a great thing to do) that I discovered The Counter!
I dropped by here the other day at their Ocean Park location and I was greeted right away and sat at the counter within a matter of 3 seconds. In less than one minute I made my choices and my order was immediately taken. Now that is service.
I loved the decor, it is simple modern and clean. They have some cool funky urban inspired paintings, the music was cool, and I love the Philippe Stark chairs. And knowing how much those chairs cost (roughly $400 a chair), I realized they spent some good money to seat their customers!
Another thing I like about The Counter is that you can custom build your own burger. They hand you there signature clipboard and pencil, and here you can check off what you want. There are tons to choose from, they've got beef, turkey, chicken, and veggie burger options. And if you are on one of those "no carb diets," which half of L.A. is on, you can get your burger minus the bun and on top of a bed of mixed greens or lettuce. For appetizers I chose the fried onion strings and sweet potato fries, it came with two dipping sauces, barbecue and ranch...yum! And for my burger, okay I admit, I am one of those Angelenos that got no bun, but I ain't on that diet...I swear! I just had a hip hop dance class in one hour, and I couldn't be dancing to hip hop beats with all that in my stomach.
My burger was on a bed of lettuce with grilled caramelized onions, a grilled pineapple (aloha), gruyere cheese, and it came with a side of garlic aioli. It was awesome! So if you are looking for a great burger, custom built to your liking, and better service than F.O. (Santa Monica) come check out The Counter. Hey if it's good enough for me and Oprah, it'll be good enough for you!
The Counter 2901 Ocean Park Blvd. Santa Monica, CA. 90405 Phone: 310.399.8383 www.thecounterburger.com
All I got to say is, it is about time someone created a night like Shits and Giggles in downtown L.A.! Hosted by DJs Victor Rodriguez and Chris Bowen, this new night is tons of fun. It reminded me of the off the beaten path clubs in New York City such as Mr. Black at the Ruff Club. I came here with a few friends but arrived alone. I suggest parking in the lot right behind the club where the entrance is at an alley way. But if you are feeling brave and ballsy as I was, I parked at a metered spot and walked the dark streets. Now once you hit the alley way don't get confused like I did, there are 2 different club nights happening just door to door of each other. You want to pick the door on the right. Here you will be greeted by your everynight drag queen!
I was delighted to see such a young artsy crowd, I felt at home, and it is sure a nice breath of fresh city air from the normal mundane confines of the West Hollywood bar scene. The music is electroclash with mixes of old disco dance beats. There is hardly any attitude here, and it seems no one here is trying to impress anybody, if anything they are here to dance, drink, and express themselves through their fashion. So leave the boring button up striped collared Club Monaco shirt at home. And bust out the skinny tie, the skinny jeans, the vintage t-shirt, and the black rimmed glasses.
The place is located near an alley way, and down a few flights of stairs you will hit the basement dance floor. Strobe lights and black lights can be found with glow in the dark couches. As you scan the premises you will find drag queens, artsy alternative types, to pretty boy punk boys and girls. A fun and lively mixed crowd. Prepare to be a hot mess.
Shits and Giggles (Every Friday) 740 S. Broadway (btwn 7th & 8th) Downtown L.A. www.myspace.com/shitsandgigglesla
"Walking in L.A., walking in L.A. hey, nobody walks in L.A." -Missing Persons
Drunk driving and L.A. nightlife go hand in hand like salt and pepper. L.A. is a driving culture. And until the city creates better modes of transportation thru out the western part of the city, drunk driving will occur. Not only is it dangerous, but it is down right stupid. And a DUI can definitely put you in two holes, the jail cell and financially. Which is why, if you find yourself a little buzzed, your best bet to get from West Hollywood to Hollywood is a taxi. It's a $20 cab ride, but so worth it, you can save lives, and you don't run the risk of getting a DUI, which is so common in L.A. (ex. Paris, Nicole, & Lindsey). Here you can make friends with a cab driver, sing and rap out loud, and take a scenic night tour of the streets of Los Angeles. Cabs are easy to find, just go in front of any popular bar/club or major hotel.
We got a cab from WeHo (Robertson Blvd. & Santa Monica Blvd. to the corner of Hollywood & Vine) On our way to a popular dance night called Tigerheat. Where you can listen to all the pop music you love. There is also a VIP section of Avalon called Heaven, and if you are lucky to get on the list you can join the 21 and up club and get in for free. Don't forget to program the taxi cab number below in your cell phone.
They say you can't judge a book by it's cover. And I say, "You can judge a restaurant by it's crowd... of people waiting to get a table to eat." 9 times out of 10 I always have to wait to grab a seat at this super popular noodle house in Little Tokyo called Daikokyu Ramen. Some people love it, some people hate it, all I know is that I let the food speak for itself.
Ever since I was introduced to this place a year ago, I have been hooked. It is the noodle place to go in Little Tokyo. I love everything about it, from the food itself, to it's hole in the wall vibe, to the Asian movie posters that surround the joint. Daikokyu isn't just a noodle house, it's an institution.
I brought my out of town newlywed friends Jacqui & Brennan, and they loved it. I met up with them after watching a hip hop anime version of "Pippin" at East West Players. Which was visually pleasing, and the cast was extremely talented.
They have the best gyoza (potstickers) in LA. I love the shape, the texture, and the taste.
Daikokyu Ramen consists of noodles, a boiled egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and scallions in a pork broth soup. Now what makes Daikokyu Ramen so good is that the soup itself is made from soy sauce, pork broth which comes from boiling pork bones for nearly a full day. The pork they use is kurobuta or black pork which is know for its soft tenderness and flavor. If you are craving a great noodle house, you have to check this place out. Parking is tricky and I suggest to drive around for a free spot, and if you come with friends, drop one person off so they can put your names on a wait list to shorten the time. Dress in layers, it can get hot in there, so once your temperature rises you can peel off the clothing. The prices are cheap and they also have sake and beer.
Daikokyu Ramen 327 E. 1st Street Los Angeles, CA. 90012 Phone:213.626.1680 www.daikokyu-ten.com
Mark my words, downtown L.A. is going to be hot hot hot in 3 years... maybe less. I have been out and about in downtown for the last 2 years, and I am amazed on how many lofts and awesome businesses that have popped up. It is absolutely fantastic. It reminds me of New York, the edginess, the people, the buildings, the threat of getting mugged, the funky smells, downtown is going to pop. I remember doing photo shoots in downtown 7 years ago, and it was dangerous, now i stroll down the streets and I feel like I am in SoHo.
So on this particular Friday night I went to see my amazing actress of a friend Toyin Moses perform in her critically acclaimed play "A House With No Walls." She later introduced me to this wonderful place called Pete's Cafe & Bar. The place is fantastic. It is so bursting with night life, classy people, young and old, gay and straight, black and white, from analytical left brainers to the artsy right brainers. This place was happening. I fell in love instantly with the long bar seating and the dim lights which promote conversing with strangers and intimate conversations. Service and food...amazing!
So we had the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with sage and a mascarpone cream sauce, delicious. Their Mac & Cheese was awesome, it had Vermont sharp white cheddar, asiago and goat cheese with tarragon and a side of mixed baby greens. But let me tell you about their Bleu Cheese, Cheddar Bacon, Chipotle Fries... off the hook and off the chain. The martinis are creative: Chocolate Mint anyone. They even have outdoor seating which is great for those summer nights. The prices are reasonable, the vibe is cool, you have to check out this place if you decide to venture off to downtown L.A.
Pete's Cafe & Bar 400 S. Main St. Los Angeles, CA. 90013 Phone: 213.617.1000 www.petescafe.com
You've all heard that pink is the new black? Well yogurt is the new ice cream. Not since the Garbage Pail Kids, Beanie Babies, or Starbucks have I seen such an explosion of a trend such as the modern day yogurt shop. I must say although that TCBY and Penguins has been around for over a decade, it wasn't until Pinkberry, that the yogurt phenomenon took off. Now I have been a loyal Pinkberry customer for over a year. I've waited in the long line on Huntley in West Hollywood. I remember even waiting 45 minutes one time just to get me a taste. I've bought so much yogurt from them I feel like I own stock in the company.
But like any trend, there will come comparisons, copycats, and soon the trend will die. I feel like yogurt nowadays were like the boy bands in the turn of the millenium. Since Pinkberry was first, they would be the Backstreet Boys. And NSYNC would have to be Yogurtland. More fun, more better, and more bang for your buck. I went to Yogurtland one random night after an acting class in Little Tokyo, knowing that Pinkberry was just a block away. But how could I resist something called Yogurtland. I went in, and to my surprise and joy, I found myself faced with a plethora of yogurt flavors. They had more than your usual original tart and green tea flavors. They had chocolate mint, kahlua, strawberry, banana, you name it, they had it. What was even better was that they charge by the ounce, so you can get any flavor, any topping, and you would just pay for what you really got. I love the self serve aspect because you are in control of the amount of toppings you get. My favorite topping there was the mochi, which is something you would never find at Pinkberry. And you can mix and match flavors! So I have to say "bye bye bye" to Pinkberry for now, and hello to Yogurtland, because "i want it that way."
So a few months ago my friend Jonathan and I stumbled upon this really cute yogurt shop in Palm Springs called Cactusberry. Yup another one, but what made this one so much better then the rest was that they were "green." Which in my opinion is just so fantastic. Owners Dolf Castillo and Darron Dahle use 100% biodegradable packaging. Their cups, lids, and spoons are made of corn and potato. I really loved the efforts that they did in being environmentally conscience. I think it's just a matter of time that people will see that being "green" is going to be the next trend that will not and cannot die. If pink was the new black, then green is the new pink. Trends aside, I wish more shops followed what Cactusberry did. One last thing about this place, was that they had Cinnamon Toast Crunch there as a topping, so good! I love it here.
Yogurt Land 130 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA. 90012 Phone: 213.687.0733 www.yogurt-land.com
Cactusberry 116 La Plaza Palm Springs, CA. 92262 Phone: 760.325.3228
Pinkberry www.pinkberry.com
Angelina Yogurt 8719 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA. 90069 Phone: 310.659.5498
Tonight was not your typical boring Monday night. Nope it was one of those nights where you wanted to be in 2 or 3 places at once. The ability to teleport thru out Los Angeles would have definitely come in handy. I tend to have a lot on my plate, and I'm not just talking about food. Now when you take a lot on your plate in life, you tend to use up large amounts of energy. Which is why I take naps. Now, on this particular night my nap was a lot longer than the hour I scheduled. I woke up and had one of those "where am I?" moments. It was as if I had gotten really drunk the night before and then waking up in panic wondering where the hell I was.
Well it was 8:45 PM! And I realized I was late to my friend Morgan's birthday dinner at 8 PM! I've never ever missed a birthday dinner of his, and I wasn't gonna start now. I hopped in and out of the shower so fast I felt like I was in one of those coin operated car washes. I ran out of the pad and found myself buying flowers and rushing off to Mark's Restaurant! Now I've been to Mark's many times, and I do like it a lot. Especially on Monday nights where all there dinner entrees are offered at half price. This includes everything like their Filet Mignon with Lobster Mashed Potatoes. So I parked and ran to the restaurant, as I got there I, the party had just finished dessert and they were all paying the bill. Well I was bummed, but I am really glad I showed up, better late than never right? So after missing dinner I couldn't really talk to you about a meal at Mark's this time around because I didn't even have time to grab a martini. I realized I still had to meet some other friends in Crenshaw. Which after 7 years living in L.A. I've never even been to this part of town aside from the usual daily commute.
So without traffic, to get anywhere in L.A. takes 15 minutes. I got to Babe's & Ricky's in due time and to my surprise I was inundated with culture. Now whoever said L.A. didn't have culture? The place was packed and happening on a Monday night. Monday must be the new Friday, because on Monday nights they host live blues bands, with a soul food buffet! I helped myself to green beans, potato salad, collard greens, black eyed peas, fried chicken, and the oh so crunchy corn bread. I was in soul food heaven. I sat with my friends and started to pig out and enjoy the blues music playing. The waitresses were really casual and cool and got me a 7 Up and a Corona for $6.50. The buffet had cost $8. This was a steal for dinner, drinks, and entertainment. I highly suggest coming here, step out of the box and get ready to have a memorable meal. Oh yeah check out their website below, there is tons of history to this place.
861 N. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90069 Phone: 310.652.5252 www.marksrestaurant.com
4339 Leimert Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90008 Phone: 323.295.9112 www.bluesbar.com
Okay so we were drunk and hungry, and we were on the search for the usual A.P.E. (After Party Eatery) I guess the place to go, recommended by my friend Ernie, was Archibalds.
Now it was just about 3 to 4 blocks of walking from Ripples, but since it was open til 3 am, we had to go to fill our stomach with get sober food. The service was fast and friendly, which was surprising being so late and having to deal with drunk people drama. This wasn't your sit down restaurant, it was order at the counter and pick it up yourself food. The place reminded me of Fatburger, but with a little bit more to choose from. I got a combination of the Monster Burger, which was a double cheeseburger with all the fixings and had avocado and bacon. The fries here are pretty good, and were medium sized dashed with a little bit of cajun seasoning. On this late Saturday night we were lucky to beat the rush, because soon after came 6 new customers came in, hungry and buzzin. Archibalds is definitely a great place to eat after a night of clubbing, but don't think it'll help you get that six pack you've always wanted. There is plenty of parking in their lot and prices range from $4 - $8.
4600 E 2nd St. Long Beach, CA. 90803 Phone: 562.434.0444 www.archibaldsrestaurant.com
"Strobe lights make everything, sexier, shadows dancing on the wall, I wanna rock with you, let's converse, talk with your body, don't say anything at all, I want to rock with you." - Janet Jackson
Don't let Ripple's home exterior fool you, this place rocks out the best in dance songs just as good as any club in L.A. It was a Saturday night and the place was packed. The line was around the corner, it was elbow to elbow and there were strobe lights and go go dancers everywhere. Ripples was such a nice break away from the city, and such a fun fun place to dance. It's two stories and pretty big, you can't help but feel like you are in someone's house party. The bartenders here are ultra friendly with no attitude and they make the drinks really strong. One of the great things about this place is the location, situated along the coastal street of Long Beach's Belmont Shores, Ripples is just a few steps from the beach, which would make for great walks of sobering up with old friends or new friends at that.
The vibe is really casual and really beachy, leave the suit jackets and scarfs at home, you'll be sweating in here if you choose to dance. I would suggest getting there early to avoid the long, now I mean loooong line. There is a cover on certain nights, and on this night it was around $10. There is plenty of street parking everywhere and acquiring a taxi maybe tricky since the bar is surrounded by residential houses and apartments. Drinks are strong and reasonably priced around $8. Now if you want to dance like crazy, I suggest you go upstairs where the real party is at. Check out Ripples for a nice getaway from L.A.
5101 E. Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA. Phone: 562.433.0357 www.clubripples.com
Located in a rundown strip mall on Vine St. in Hollywood, the M Bar is a hidden gem! It was a challenge to find, and maybe that was part of the fun. Valet is available, but on this night I chose to walk two blocks to park my car. I am not a fan of valet service, it costs money first of all, and second of all I actually like the act of walking, it makes me feel like I am back in New York, and walking always made me appreciate the moment I was in... not to mention I got to burn off a few calories (how L.A. was that). But enough about calories, valets and walking, and let me start talking.
The M Bar is like I said, a hole in the wall gem. As I walked in, I was absolutely stunned to see that what lied ahead of me was a dark red velvet supper club equipped with a grand piano and full bar. The vibe was cool and the room was filled with candle lit leather boots and funky chandeliers. They had a small martini list, and the menu was filled with italian dishes. I ordered the Caesar Salad with a Linguini Bolognese and a Lemon Drop. The salad was so so, but the pasta was absolutely tasty. I don't know what they put in that tomato sauce, but it was good! The decor was pretty nice old school Hollywood, the service was nice, the bartender cool, and the drinks not so bad. I was lucky to sit at the bar and make two new friends/patrons.
I actually came here on this particular Friday night to support a fellow artist/friend. His name is Dwayne Britton and he's a singer, a really really good one at that! It was a cabaret style show, and he did a few covers of songs that were on his new CD. Check him out on his website below, or visit his myspace page. He has a great voice! He did a few songs, my favorites were Annie Lennox's "Why" and the songs "Pure Imagination," and "Go the Distance." The show was more than a bunch of songs, he had elements of an autobiographical one man show, to stand up comedy, to an awesome rendition of "Fame." It was cool to support a rising talent, and definitely cool to realize that there's more culture to L.A. than your typical happy hour or night of clubbing.
1253 North Vine St. Hollywood, CA. 90038 Phone: 323.856.0036 www.mbarhollywood.com
Now I've been to some dive bars in my life, and this is definitely one of them! Located between a Smart & Final and a Lightbulbs Unlimited, Del's Saloon is one of the few dive bars in West L.A. Now I came here to celebrate with a bunch of friends for our friend's dirty 30 birthday. I walked right in and I was actually surprised to see how much more hip the crowd was, and then I realized we were in L.A. The crowd was mixed, from your seedy single men, to young post college 9 to 5ers, to a bunch of rowdy and fun restaurant staff workers. This is a dive bar at its finest.
Above you can see one of my good friends Nika and I walk into the bar with a guy singing karaoke to Nirvana.
It was a Wednesday night, and Wednesdays and Mondays are their karaoke night. Now if you are a fan of karaoke this is a great place. Why? Well first of all the wait to get picked to sing isn't that long, and second of all, the drinks are really cheap here. On this particular night we celebrated our friend's birthday with renditions of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary," Third Eye Blind's "How's it Gonna Be," and Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield." Now since the drinks are so much cheaper than your typical L.A. bar, you feel more inclined to drink more, and buy rounds and shots on your tab. Well after a few hours, the hot clientele soon turned into a hot mess. Innocent back up dancing turned into strip teases minus the pole, a stroll down the sidewalk turned into a vomit fest, and the seedy single man at the bar turned into the seedy single man stumbling and falling on his ass on the crosswalk of Santa Monica Blvd. All this on a Wednesday night. Towards the end of the night my friends and I all congregated on the street corner helping our drunk birthday girl. I looked up the block and one friend was flirting with the LAPD, another was helping the sloshed single seedy man across the street, at one point I asked myself, "What the hell is going on?!" And I realized, "yup I'm in L.A. alright."
12238 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90025 Phone: 310.207.1978
If you ever find yourself vacationing in Long Beach, and you want to stay at a really really nice hotel, and you're willing to spend some money, I highly recommend staying at the Hyatt Hotel. This was a such a nice place to stay, the service was amazing. Everybody was on point, you can tell each individual is highly trained and are good at what they do. The customer service and hospitality were top notch. I was really impressed with this hotel. You can tell there was a lot of attention paid to the details, from the engraved note cards inside the rooms reminding guest to conserve towels and to not smoke, to the beautiful foliage and flowers in the lobby.
Right when you walk in, you can't help but be taken away by the beauty of the hotel lobby. Immediately I was greeted by the staff and I noticed how the hotel was populated by people on business, with cell phones and laptops out. The lobby was a huge space centrally located and had the lobby bar and coffee shop directly across from check in.
The hotel house a restaurant called Tides, which offered the usual California cuisine. The service and the food was good, but the decor was pretty ordinary. Now if you are going to call a place Tides, you need to back it up, or else it's just another ordinary restaurant with a cool name. But names aside, the food was pretty good, and I had their Cobb Salad which was excellent.
The bedrooms were nice! Below you can see a small tour that I give on the room I was staying in, equipped with full size bed, and waterfront views!
The hotel is centrally located in downtown Long Beach and there is easy access to numerous bars, restaurants around the area, and even a ferris wheel. On this particular Monday night, we hung out at the Lobby Bar and had a few cocktails and munched on some Filet Quesadillas and watched Dancing with the Stars. Our cocktail server was awesome. We later strolled the streets and was surprised to see our server honk her horn as she pulled up near us. She gave us a ride and we were able to squeeze a bunch of us in her car, she took us to a cool tiki themed bar called The Mai Tai, which obviously served strong ass Mai Tai drinks. It was a Monday night so it was pretty slow, but we found some entertainment in an R&B cover band.
I loved everything about the hotel except for one thing, and that the wireless internet access wasn't free. You had to set up an account thru T-Mobile and to use the net for 24 hours will cost you $9.99. Other than that, the hotel is beautiful and centrally located. It won't be hard to find entertainment, shopping, or eating around here.
200 South Pine Avenue Long Beach, CA 90802 Phone: 562.491.1234 www.longbeach.hyatt.com
97 Aquarium Way Long Beach, CA. 90802 Phone: 562.435.1200 www.maitaibar.com
Now this was my second time at La Casa Blue. The first time was at night to see my friend Golda sing, and the second time was just recently to celebrate the end of a furious scavenger hunt through Hollywood to celebrate my friend Christian's "I'm leaving L.A. and moving to New York" going away party. And both times I've enjoyed it here.
The prices are cheap, and you can get a lot for your money here. It's great during the daytime for that coffee shop atmosphere, and at night it is great for that cabaret type atmosphere. Margaret Cho recently performed new material here, and can be seen on their official website. It's a really great space for performance art, displaying works of visual art, or just meeting friends for drinks.
They serve wine and beer and lots of Mexican food. They have a new bar which is in the center of the space, so I can only imagine how much more livelier it gets at night. There is lots of street parking. If you are not familiar with the area, be ready to consult your map quest directions or Thomas guide, and that's for both arriving and departing.
5930 York Blvd. Highland Park, CA. 90042 Phone: 323.257.0089 www.lacasablue.com
One thing that New York has, that L.A. doesn't, is a wide array of "after clubbing eateries." Now fast food places don't count. I want FOOD, REAL FOOD, sit my butt down and get sober FOOD so I don't drive home and get a DUI FOOD! I mean you got a handful in L.A. which consists of: Norm's, IHOP, Canter's, the Standard, your usual "G Dog / Ghetto Dog" ( Hot dogs wrapped in Bacon sold from a cart ) and then you have... Greenwich Pizza. Which is where my friends and I have been going to for the last 6 going on 7 years. Now pizza is pizza, and I'd hate to make comparisons, but there is no pizza like New York pizza...okay! I don't know what it is about New York pizza, but it must be the water and the grease, is what I've been told in the past. Nothing beats Ray's Pizza in NYC, or a slice of Brooklyn pizza in Williamsburg right off the L Train.
Now after all those years, I must admit I have grown to like the pizza at Greenwich Pizzeria. It's like Taco Bell: cheap, dependable, and tasty. The staff is relatively nice, they always have gum, glasses of water, and all the pop / hip hop music to blast the rest of the night away. I've seen it all, I've been drunk and wasted here, I've been the designated driver here, I've seen best friends puke vomit all across the sidewalk and over everyone's Aldo shoes, I've seen fights break out, couples breaking up, and couples making out. I've seen drag queens, foreign travelers, straight couples, gay couples, bums, couples in open relationships looking for a threeway, one night stand prowlers, wannabe porn stars, trannies, tragic twinks, and I've even seen Dennis Rodman come in at 2:30 am for a few slices.
So after a night of being a hot mess, this is the place to go to fill your alcohol drenched stomachs, after all there isn't much else to choose from but this and yogurt next door. And who in their right mind wants to eat yogurt at 3 am in the morning? One other thing the bathrooms here are nasty. Ladies, you hear that? Nasty! Be ready for a long line, no toilet paper, and some interesting conversation with strangers.
8937 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA. 90069 Phone: 310.278.2003
"If you want it, you already got it, If you've thought it, it better be what you want, If you feel it, it must be real just... Say the word, and I will give you what you want. Time is waiting, we only got 4 minutes to save the world"
-Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, & Madonna
Okay I'm guilty of prejudging the place. For months since it's opening I've been really reluctant to embrace Eleven. Why? I just thought it was just another bar, with a one word name, with over priced drinks, and snobby clientele. It reminded me of what Here bar used to be when it opened. I've only been here one other night, and it was only down stairs for a few minutes. The place had just opened, and it was just average to me. Nothing spectacular, it didn't really bring anything new to the scene.
So fast forward a few months, I don't know what changed, the club or me? But let me tell you, I got there at 12:45 am and stayed til closing and I had a really rad time! It helped that I downed a Kamikaze shot and an old school drink of mine... a Malibu pineapple within a matter of 4 minutes. I felt like Madonna and Justin Timberlake, "I'm out of time and all I got is 4 minutes to save the world." Well when you get to celebrating a friend's birthday, arriving that late, Madonna's song took on a whole other meaning.
I had a blast, the crowd didn't bother me, and you know what the staff was really nice. I had to wait in line, but it went by so fast, which never happens when you are alone, but the bouncer got me in quick, I headed up stairs to the second level where my friends were celebrating, got my drinks fast, the bartender was extremely nice, and before I knew it... I was buzzed. The setup of the club reminded me a bit of XL, a bar in Chelsea, New York. The music was good, your typical Top 40 techno/circuit music. But hey when you're drunk, you'll like anything upbeat.
I was really impressed with the upstairs level, the interior was really nice and classy, modern and cozy. Fit with a central fireplace. But I think what impressed me the most were the DJs. I think on this particular Friday night we had a duo, which would bust out little mini routines during a song. I love where the DJs were placed, above the dance floor on a make shift floating stage for everyone to see. I had a blast, and only wished I got there a little earlier.
8811 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA. 90069 Phone: 310.855.0800 www.eleven.la
Since its opening in 1926, the La Valencia Hotel is a charming boutique hotel that is, too put it simply, a really cool place to visit. Now I came here for the first time about a year ago, just out of curiosity. I was in La Jolla, which is just a beautiful place to be in. It's no wonder why it means "the jewel" in Spanish. Once you step foot on the property you can't help but get whisked back in time to the 30s and 40s Hollywood era. It is written that old school Hollywood has claimed the hotel as a hideaway. La Jolla Playhouse founder Gregory Peck "often played host to the new cast at the Whaling bar" in the hotel.
Once you get passed the bar and into the hotel lobby you will see the Mediterranean Room on your left. Here you will find yet another fine dining establishment. Now being a lover of food, I had to eat here. I have come here a few times with some really great friends of mine on different occasions, and the place never ever disappoints. The wait staff is quick, ultra friendly, and attentive. The food is always good. I've only eaten here for lunch, but the view is simply amazing. Now the only reason I came here in the first place is because I was walking along the park overlooking the ocean, and I saw this amazing white hotel with tables and chairs on a balcony, and I said, "I want to eat there!"
On this Thursday lunch we had the Burrata Cheese Bruschetta which consisted of a garlic baguette, prosciutto, drizzled with white truffle oil. We also had the La Valencia Caesar Salad with romaine lettuce, croutons, parmigiano reggiano cheese, and grilled shrimp. Along with the salad came the Paella Valencia which came with chorizo, shrimp, chicken, clams, scallops, spicy sausage, fish, and saffron rice. The Paella was delicious although it was a tad oily. Our server was amazing and always had a smile.
Now with a view like this and good company, it's well worth the price. And prices here are pretty reasonable considering the location, entrees range from $15 to $27.50. The hotel lobby is gorgeous, total film noir. The bathrooms are really nice too with black marble and dark wood. I've always found parking at least a block away. And being in La Jolla, who wants to get in your car right away when you can stroll thru the pretty neighborhood to get to your car.
1132 Prospect St. La Jolla, CA. 92037 1.800.451.0772 www.lavalencia.com
Now when I talk of the "Mission" in San Diego, I'm talking about the delicious chino latino breakfast joint in Mission Beach! Now I've had my share of really good french toast. But this place has the second best french toast I've ever had in my life. Second to none other than Norma's $31 Foie Gras Brioche French Toast at the Le Parker Meridien in New York City. But as far as the Wast Coast goes, I haven't had a better french toast than at the Mission. And what a deal too, at $7.95. The Mission French Toast is "fresh baked cinnamon bread on a palette of berry puree accented with an array of fresh fruit."
Now every time I am in San Diego, it seems like my friends and I are always on a "mission" just to get to the Mission, to eat the Mission French Toast. On this last outing we had the french toast as an appetizer, I loved it so much I had to order another one for my entree which was accompanied with an order of chicken apple sausage, bacon, and rosemary potatoes.
The staff is young, hip, and California cool, and is always accommodating to large parties, ( especially ones on a business meal ). I love it here, from the antique double ceiling fans above, to the artwork, the prices, and of course... the food. You can get a lot of bang for your buck here. The clientele is mixed and reminded me of Venice Beach in L.A. The menu is as diverse as the people inside the place where you can find dishes from Breakfast Burritos to a Ginger Sesame Tofu with Brown Rice. They even offer Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and a wide selection of Espresso drinks. Have you ever had a Mexican Hot Chocolate or a Mission Mocha Thai? You should when you do visit this place.
3795 Mission Blvd. San Diego, CA. 92109 Phone: 858.488.9060 www.themission1.signonsandiego.com
"We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
