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
"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
