Love Life, Hate Kittens

I think we broke a mussel eating record.

I never been a big fan of Girl’s Night Out because it’s either a bitchfest about singledom, consoling some girl’s broken heart, or marathon drinking + random hookups.

So when I was invited to GNO while the boy has poker night, I was a bit scared. Frightened that I might be delving into a zulu, meth induced furry boot wearing club experience, I almost died of ecstasy when I saw the establishment we were going to.

Mesa is plush yo. Dark wood paneling throughout, a sun light/sky roof (?) that opens up so you can smoke indoors, lush green vine walls, secluded booths, oh my! Everyone seemed to be dress to the 9s.

Highlights of Mesa:

Waitress - Gorgeous. freaking gorgeous. she was funny, personable, and extremely helpful.

Food - Way above average for a ‘trendy’ joint. We ordered crispy calamari with three dipping sauces. Very good. The pizza and sausage was a delicious. The crostini was good but the star of the show was the cast iron mussels! Roasted in sea salt and herbs and squeezed with lemon and butter, we ordered 7 platters of it. No really. 7. I’ve never ordered anything twice at a restaurant. Not in one sitting at least. But SEVEN. Oh, it must have been a small portion you say. No, each portion had about 30-40 mussels. It was that good. Almost good enough for me to make a special trip down the 405.

Bathroom - Amazing. It was co-ed and each ‘room’ had it’s individual sink and amenities. Perfect for sex or coke. Together.

GNO’s are now redeemed. As is Santa Ana.

Mesa

725 Baker Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 557-6700

www.mesacostamesa.com

If Bar*Food met Old School.

[delicious mac and cheese. pic from yelp (via Andre Y. - fantastic reviews btw)]

Space - Great.

It’s a beautiful space. Bi level and open. They have the main cabin, the outdoor patio, a private room upstairs and seating along the balcony overlooking the central bar area. There must have been over 15+ TVs all huge. All in HD. It’s the sport’s bar of your dreams.

Service - Crap.

The service was pretty shoddy. REALLY shoddy. In fact, 25 minutes in with no one even coming to take a drink order or give us a menu, I was contemplating on leaving. Luckily, the manager made an effort. It’s not his fault his waiters are incompetent. He told the busboy to buss the shit out of those tables over there, put more paper towels in the bathroom AND told our waitress to take our order it one walkthrough. And he sincerely apologized for the wait which was nice.

Food - Generally crap with one highlight.

We ordered the calamari which was rubbery and the sauce was heavy. The fish and chips which was really fishy and cooked unevenly. One piece I had was awfully hard and chewy while another tasted fine. The redeeming food item was the mac and cheese. It was fantastic. Pasta shells, bacon, green onions and mushrooms = all my most favorite things in the world. Mmmm.

The drinks are delicious but I question how much liquor is in it cuz I drank two huge cup fulls of vodka lemonade and I didn’t feel a thing. :-/

I finally realized why it was OK for them to give us crappy service (or ignore us completely) when we got the bill and notice that they automatically tip themselves 20%. Mind you, we were a party of 3. Whatever.

Patrons - Be white, graduated from college 6 years ago but still secretly enjoy beer pong, fratty, loud - one or all of the above.

If you want to fit in, look like this. Nice uggs and silk shorts, babe.

Nothing against the bar itself but when your only redeeming value is your mac ‘n cheese. It’s not the greatest incentive for me to go. Besides, I don’t really like partaking in delusions and tool academy rejects believing that this is anything more than their version of a “matured” college frat scene. I’m ultimately not a bro. or a bro’s gf and I don’t wear clothes that used to be trendy in 1998. If it’s any help or gauge of audience, Brody Jenner and Jayde would LOVE it here. Heidi and Spencer would think these people are losers, Lauren Conrad would pretend to like it in a passive aggressive way and roll her eyes at the 1998 fashion rejects and Kristin Cavallari would love it cuz she’s like the female version of a bro. She, like, totally loves burping, beer and sports dude. Of course you do.

Capitol City

1615 N Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

www.capcitysports.com

My dad shares a bday with Hello Kitty + Hello Kitty x Royal/T Exhibit!

If you’re by a Mitsuwa, go pick up the Hello Kitty “Three Apples” collector’s book that comes with an awesome canvas tote! Less than 20 bucks :D

And if you’re in Culver City. Swing by Royal/T for the three week HK extravaganza!

What is Three Apples?

Three Apples is an exhibition event celebrating Hello Kitty!

Hello Kitty has graced everything from coin purses, erasers, and gum to toasters, couture, and diamond jewelry. She has long been a muse to artists & designers worldwide and has brought smiles to fans 35 years. Now, in honor of her 35th anniversary, Sanrio is proud to bring a very special celebration to the US!

Three Apples is a multi-dimensional exhibition and celebration of all things Hello Kitty; the first ever event of its kind in the US!  The celebration takes place over a three-week residence at the Royal/T café / shop / art space in Culver City, CA. Three Apples is open to the public, free of charge and will feature an art exhibition, unique product and design displays, pop-up shop, and special events for fans of all ages – all celebrating Hello Kitty!

It’s on! For three weeks straight - please check events page for break down of daily events.

Royal/T Cafe

8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232-2326
(310) 559-6300

Nike Human Race. The Before and After proof that i should never run again.

10.24.09

Dear Diary,

Hello. Tonight/Today (it’s 12AM) was the Nike Human Race (fantastic organization btw and easy easy parking) and the first time I’ve ran in probably 3-6 months. I’ve been lying to myself. Yoga is not exercise. Well, at least not sporadic yoga anyways.

And anyways. how fucking far is 10K? It’s 6 freakin miles. I bet my mom can run 6 miles.

Famous last words.

Oh. Happy bunny. How naive. Little do I know the pain that awaits. And yes I know I’m wearing six different colors. Don’t judge. I don’t have a plethora of running shoes.

I love our socks!

Awww. Hi Helen and Jenny! Yes. I WILLL do the 10K instead of the 5.

God damn. Look at this crowd. They said 8000 people signed up?

12AM and off we go through the streets of USC.

(……this is easy.)

(……whoa Jenni runs fast)

(……oh no. can’t breath…)

“5Kers… TURN LEFT HERE. ONCE AGAIN 5Kers”

Yes. Sue me. I bitched out. I saw the left turn and took it. I know what you’re thinking. 5K is like 3.3 miles. Well, it was a long 3.3 miles. If it wasn’t for the little kids and grandmas still running strong, I would have quit and took a detour into a frat house.

Proof of finish. USC X Nike Collabo Dog Tag

Am I excited about doing another race? Sure. Even though it makes me disoriented and chinky eyed after.

A vacation day well spent. John Legend @ the Greek.

Sound Check Session ^

Guest #1 Vaughn Anthony - No. I didn’t know JL had a brother.

Guest #2 India.Arie

Yes. Pit seats are uber close.

This was my first time going to a John Legend concert and the first time I’ve been to the Greek. It is such an intimate venue and we were so close we could have got sweated on. The sound was amazing, the weather was perfect. With all the trees, you actually feel like you’re in a private greek theatre in the woods watching Shakespeare or a tiger mauling contest.

John Legend put on an AMAZING show. He has such a great voice and good stage presence not to mention he was hilarious during sound check.

I can’t wait for next summer! Hopefully I can catch Jason Mraz.

Bonus pic :D

Air Conditioned Supper Club. Strange.

Standing in line for a Soul/Funk show at A/C Supper Club proved to be the best people watching I have ever seen. The people coming out of the comedy show made me question whether I was in Venice or Corona. Have you ever wanted to date an inbred redneck (is that redundant?) who may or may not be cooking crystal meth in his basement?

Killers of Comedy - You’re welcome.

Luckily the crowd significantly changed for the music portion of the evening. People of all ages and races - some hipsters, some old folks, some hippies. The dress code is pretty lax. It’s across the street from a huge CCC and famous BBQ joint. Parking is easy on that side also.

A/C is divided into two sections with two bars. There’s the main hall with live music and a couple booths (reserved for bottle service) and there’s a back room with ample seating (low love seats, long L shape sectional, etc) and another bar. The place got full without ever being crowded. Never had to ‘wait’ to order a drink, never felt claustrophobic.The backroom would be a nice place to have a small party/get together.

We came to see Shinichi + All the Way Live and Martin Luther and the show was great! I’m usually not interested in R&B/Soul but it was good. It had a funk/jazz component that I enjoyed and the DJ was great between sets.

There’s room to dance or just stand and chill. The sound is ok for the small space. If you sit in the back room, you have to move up to the main hall to hear cuz the sound doesn’t carry that far.

Good space + great music.

Note: I have to say - multiple yelp reviews stated that the people coming here are hot and this was like the Venice equivalent of a Hollywood club. This was completely not the case. Crowd was chill, there was an easy line and to be fair, the bartenders are the only hot chicks/guys I saw.

Andaz Weho + Asian poses

(my face looks oddly symmetrical)

Had a great time at Andaz on Sunset!

Make sure you check out my review of RH, the awesome hotel restaurant.

Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips

[exterior pic via Joan S.]

To be honest, I dig the Garter.

It’s unassuming. Given the exterior, you would think it’s some weird hipster/skater hangout. It has the space of a lounge but plays music appropriate for a club. It has the seating and plush surroundings of a nice lounge but has a small dance floor. They have a pool table and the dark interior reminds you of a old classy lounge. There is a huge bar area so you never have to wait too long for your drinks which are plenty strong. Happy hour is everyday from 6PM to 10PM.

I like it because I like to dance but I hate clubs. You can go to the Garter, have a drink and chill and if you’d like you get get low to some Flo Rida later on (Yes I like corny dance songs). You don’t have to plan to wait at the door or stand in lines or spend 20 minutes looking for parking. You don’t have to bear the Hollywood traffic or drive past the freak show that is Hollywood Blvd.

But unfortunately, you have to take the bad with the good. As the night goes on, there are more and more guys. By 11PM, it’s practically a sausagefest up in there and not in a good way. But to be fair, this is prevelant in most Westside bars. I have NO idea why. Maybe we just have a lot more dudes living around here but trust, there’s cocks galore.

But it’s a small price to pay for a fun night of dancing and drunken behavior in Venice.

The Garter

2536 Lincoln Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 577-3741

Temple Bar on Wilshire is closed + There’s still Zanzibar. But it’s still full of cock.

Via their website, Temple Bar apparently closed half a year ago! I could have sworn I’ve been there in the last six months. Eh. or maybe not.

I think I been here only twice - both to see an artist. This was a very low key ‘underground’ music joint. Like the hipsters of R & B if there is such a thing. It had a weird asian theme and was alright… definitely was way too crowded both times I went. But hell. Reviewing a place that is closed is totally retarded. I just wanted to share that I saw DJ Quik there! I love DJ Quik. He was high as hell and ate 24 chicken wings!

As much as I complain, I’m a bit frazzled that it’s closed. I like hip hop. I love the westside. Can’t those two freaking co-exist? (The answer is no.) It was one of the two places on the westside that wasn’t a frat bar. What are they going to open next?! Another Busby’s?! A South?! A SADDLE RANCH!?! Boo. Can’t a girl catch a break?

I mean, being a girl that watches Save the Last Dance and Step Up 2 on repeats. I am filled with unrealistic and unmet hopes. Where the hell are the underground clubs where HS teens do dance battles and have interracial relationships that end in bitter misunderstandings?

Nowhere I tell you. WESTSIDE YOU’RE SO RACIST :(

Since it’s closed, I urge you all to read my lovely Zanzibar review which is owned by the same company.

Check out their other venues also at their website.

Temple Bar - closed

1026 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 393-6611

It’s like the Chanel of Bar Food.

I am at a weird age. It’s the age where flashing my boobs in Cancun is slowly losing it’s appeal but I’m also too young (and poor) to visit Lake Como. It’s the age where I still wear denim cut offs but only paired with a more demure top and I have to ditch the lucite hooker heels. Ah. The growing pains of being 24.

Being in your mid twenties also marks the age where you just want to enjoy a nice glass of wine and meal in a still youthful, but peaceful setting without watching some frat boy ride a mechanical bull.

If you have been following my musings, you know of my increasing frustration with westside ‘bar food’. Long story short, there is none. All the kitchens close at 10:30 at the latest and THAT’S a stretch. What happens when you want to grab a couple small bites without getting a whole meal? What happens when you want something classier than Denny’s, IHOP, and Taco Bell? Nope. Not on the westside.

Until Bar Food.

Bar Food has found its market. Young, classy adults who want to grab a quick bite whether it’s after work or late night in a gorgeous upscale establishment without plunking down $60pp for a piece of cheese and maybe a biscuit.

Since it’s 1.5 miles down from Equinox, me and Jenni swung by around 9 for some catching up and girl time. Parking is an BREEZE and this is the girl that is 1) asian and 2) blind. Bar Food is huge. It has intimate tables on one side, a center bar, and a great space for larger groups on the other side. It’s dim but not dark. Lots of wood and candles. Very romantic.  

Hans and Jason are the best hosts ever. They really engage you in conversation and make sure that EVERY single person is greeted and taken care of. Both (actually they mentioned the whole staff) has been in the restaurant industry since forever including Providence, Hatfield’s, Valentino, The Lobster, etc. It shows.  

We ordered:

-Garlic Edamame - Spicy and a lot! This was tossed in black bean sauce and garlic and very good starter.
-Mac N Cheese - To be fair, I tasted this after I had the Thai Bangers so this needed a bit more kick to me but good nonetheless.
-Thai Bangers - My favorite dish! The sausage is Thai influenced with lemongrass and rice and all around delicious! And the cilantro mash potatos are amazing. I can’t even taste cilantro. Very subtle. Perfect pairing with the sausage.
-Sweet Frites - How can you go wrong with sweet potato fries? Good as well.
-Bread Pudding - The bread pudding is amazing. Moist. Not overly sweet. Topped with homemade vanilla ice cream. Perfect way to end the meal.

And honestly, everything on the menu is under 10 dollars. Located centrally between Brentwood and Santa Monica, yo westsider. What’s your excuse not to come?

I’ll even let you take me on a date.

Bar Food
12217 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 820-3274

bar-food.us/

http://twitter.com/BarFood

Good food + Good exhibit + Good times.

[la cigale. mixed medium. By Mylan @ Imaginaryfriendship.com]

Have you ever walked away from an exhibit completely enthralled and inspired? Go to the Senior Portfolio Showing @ Otis. Now. It’s crazy. It’s almost like … the students are so young. Their ideas are so bizarre at times but they not only thought it but created it. They can really be whatever they want to be. Making it happen for them…in their own vision. Haha. Very afterschool special of me but anyways.

This is purely a general summary about the Otis campus and the exhibit itself. Later on the day/week/month, I will do an artist highlight (there’s product design, furniture, toys, etc). Got to give props to these kids.

This was the most organized showing I’ve been to as of late. We got our badges from the check in booth and proceeded to get drinks and food from the first floor and mingle. They had amazing food. Lol. They had a spread of cheese (!), fruit, eggrolls (!), kobe beef sliders with crumbled cheese and fried onion bits (!), and really good chicken tenders. And wine. And lots of it.

The exhibit was all in one building – each ‘category’ being separated on a different floor – interactive art, visual communications, etc. It was highly comprehensive and ….really. I know I’m going to harp on this again but the TALENT of these kids. Making gowns, desiging shoes, putting together toys ala KAWS. One thing that really stood out was this great little piece off to a corner. It was to create something for a brand that doesn’t currently make whatever you’re making. So this guy made living room set for Yves Saint Laurent and it was the most brilliant set and its something you’d actually buy. And yes. Slap me for not bringing a camera.

If you get a chance, go! Not sure if it’s limited to industry and alumni but you can use my badge :D There’s also a sample sale also on the fashion floor. Pieces are one of a kind!

Otis College of Art and Design
9045 Lincoln Boulevard,
Los Angeles, California 90045

RSVP to Mara Thompson,
mthompson@otis.edu or (310) 846 2553

Gary Baseman “La Noche de la Fusion” Opening Reception Saturday May 2, 2009 6:30pm-10pm

Corey Helford Gallery, 8522 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Hosted by Zippercut.

I’m 98% sure I’m adopted. I’m meant to be spoiled.

[i miss the crab fritters! pic via Waffles! @ yelp]

Yes I aspire to be the real life Serena Van Der Woodsen. Before you say it, yes blonde, rich and fabulous. And living in her footsteps, I must say there’s something so much more romantic and fab about drinking and dining late night at a ritzy bar than say pounding whiskey shots at your local dive bar.

Being uber chinese and underpaid, I have to walk the fine line between living the fab life and being chea…i mean ‘smart’. Take parking for instance. 16 dollar valet?! Do you people see all the free street parking around here?

But that’s where it stops. Once I step in the Viceroy, I feel at home. (You grew up in Torrance you say. Shush.) This is going to sound uber dramatic but I feel completely at ease. Funny thing is, both my sister AND I swear that we are adopted and we’re meant to be princesses. (True story.) This is the life I am most comfortable with. This is the life I enjoy.

(Wake up Ronnie. Wake up)

The Cameo Bar has a really nice set up inside - dark, sexy, and even a ‘library room’ for more intimate get togethers.

But I prefer the outdoor cabana set up by the pool. The music is great, it’s not loud or crowded, the chairs are ballin’, there’s plenty of heat lamps, and better yet very attentive waiter service. yes even for bar food.

The menu seemed smaller this time around - minus the crab friitters I had on the last trip here? 

This time I ordered the Albacore crudo, Grilled Shisito Peppers, and Crab Cakes. The albacore was good, didn’t care for the abundance of onions on top, loved the grilled peppers - there were so many and it’s perfect for snacking, and the crab cakes were AMAZING. It seemed like there was zero batter or any of the ‘filler’ stuff they put in crab cakes usually - this was bite after bite of delicious crab meat.

OK fine so maybe over 100 bucks for two glasses of wine, one vodka tonic, and three appetizers isn’t your idea of a good deal but personally, this is all worth it.

So if you are my real father, please shoot me an email. and the access code to my trust fund. I love you too.

Downtown Culver City Throwdown — Angry Bartender vs Lazy Kitchen.

[what the food COULD have looked like :( — pic via Shay D. @ yelp]

It’s A-OK. Each time I’ve been here. It’s OK. Nothing spectacular, nothing horrible either. Meh.

BUT I must say, last night made my night. After leaving an uneventful, mildly satisfying lounge in SanMo, we were still on the quest for food.

Unfortunately as I’ve mentioned in my other review, bars do not serve food late. Ridiculous. Food makes me thirsty? Hello?

Anyway, we popped into Rush cuz it’s in my hood and they were open till 2am. Mind you, it’s midnight right now. The bartender said that they were only serving pizza. I hate pizza but beggars can’t be choosers.

10 minutes later we were informed that we will not be getting pizza and our bartender was really pissed off. like really pissed off. I felt like he was defending my honor or something. If you woulda seen him, you woulda thought the kitchen pissed in his shoes. HEATED.

Anyway, I guess as a nice byproduct of his anger he made really strong drinks and poured me a heavy glass of wine.

He’s definitely A-OK in my book.

Rush St

9546 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 837-9546

Riva – I don’t know why it reminds me of Viva Viagra.

[pic via hobson’s choice]

I was a little crabby. I worked late. I had an uninspiring mini dinner post work. I missed my yoga class. My roommate seems to be having sexy time. All bad.

I love bar food. Despite what Tony [of sinosoul] says I love Viceroy and other overpriced establishments. It’s 10:30PM. Unfortunately [as we soon came to realize], kitchens in classy bars close pretty early especially on the westside. After a quick consultation with Liz, she recommended Riva.

Gave Riva a quick call. They have a special recession menu after 10 and a bar/lounge menu that is served till 12. Sweet.

Parking was not a problem but I did notice that they had valet. Place was damn near dead at 10:30. Which was nice since I value peace and silence when I just want a drink and some nibbles.

Riva is hard to review. Aesthetically, I give it a five. It’s gorgeous. We were nestled in the corner couch area. This sounds uber gay but I really liked their wall panels and molding along the windows. Almost makes you feel like your in the city.

Now the bad, ok I know I like going to classy places but I am still from TORRANCE y’all. I could NOT understand half their drink menu so I got a cucumber fizz. Real classy Ronnie. Speaking of classy, I totally mispronounced prosciutto as pro-shet-ta. Don’t ask.

All their ‘small dishes’ range from 6-12 bucks. We got the prosciutto with warm flat bread, trio of crudo, and cod croquettes with garlic aioli. Both the prosciutto and croquettes were a good size dish. The crudo was simply three pieces of fish [smoked salmon, some white fish, tuna] on top of either mayo or tartar sauce. SO FREAKING WACK.

Anywayz. Psh. I’ll stick with the pro-shet-ta. Thankyouverymuch.

Riva
312 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 451-7482