Friday Night Date

I've been feeling a little down on LA lately, but Friday night was one of those nights that reminded me just why I decided to move here in the first place.

I had no expectations going into this Friday.  I had resigned myself to maybe a dinner out and some tivo.  But then I came across a blurb on the LAist about this Surf & Skate auction at Bergamot Station -- the first in the Venice Art Walk & Auctions series.  Interesting, I thought.  We would definitely be the square-est people there, assuming there were people there, which there might not be, and that would just be awk.  And it could definitely get weird; I mean, it's an art thing, and it involves Venice.  But.  Imagine the people watching.  Maybe Tree Man will show up.  So much potential there....

So we went.  And it was awesome.

The show and auction took place at Track 16, one of the galleries at Bergamot Station (the largest group of art galleries on the West Side).  All the displayed boards were designed and created by local artists, and most of them were really reasonably priced (many of them went for around $100-200).  They also had a 50's-style diner car inside the gallery for all your PBR-drinking needs, and a DJ playing weird electronica.  Totally set the scene.

After perusing all the people art, and having a drink in the diner car, we took a food-truck break.  (Obviously there were food trucks.  Did you really expect that guy in the cheetah-skull jean jacket to eat food off of a real plate?)  We went with the Lobsta Truck because Brian had read a rave review on Urban Daddy, and let me just tell you, YOU NEED TO FIND THIS TRUCK NOW.  Seriously.  It's worth creating a Twitter account just to track the whereabouts of this truck so that you, too, can experience the sweet, sweet buttery joy of the Lobsta Truck lobster roll.  We went back and gave them a giant tip after we finished our roll because it was just that good.

And then when the auction ended, we went home and drank wine along with Anthony Bourdain while he drunkenly stumbled through some other third-world country, as he does.  

How's that for date night?

Thursday Night at Zinque

I had the best conversation I've had in a while last night.  With a French bartender.  He's from St. Tropez, but he lived in London for 17 years before moving here 2 years ago.  He's been married for 18 months to an English woman.  She had a really great PR job in London but then one day, sick of the gray skies, he said "eh, let's move," (as you do when you're a French guy), and now she carves stone in a studio off of Abbot Kinney.

She begged him to move to San Francisco.  They love the Mission.  Love the city.  Love love love would-move-there-but-for-the-weather love.  I said, me too.  Me too.

He told me they don't like LA like they like San Francisco.  That people here are so "superficial" [insert puckered lips and Euro hand gesture indicating fake boobs here].  They don't have kids, and his wife doesn't like how all the women her age strut around in their Lululemon pants with their expensive strollers and their platinum-princess-cut yellow-diamond rings.  He snatched a votive candle off the bar and waved it around between his middle finger and ring finger for effect.  I wanted to high-five him but I'm pretty sure the French don't do that.

He recommends the Salmon and the pate.

We'll be back.

Recently...

{in instagram}...

Life has been really good lately -- much better than the pictures I have to show for it!  I've got some film that I'm finally getting developed, so hopefully I'll have more to share soon!

Surprise Weekend!

Last weekend was full of surprises - literally!  Lisa flew in from Portland to surprise Leslie for her birthday, and Sharz flew in from SF to surprise both of them!  I was the master secret coordinator, and you have no idea how hard it was for me to hold this all in for weeks!  I almost blew it once, but luckily, Sharz saved me on that one.

This is how it went down:  Lisa and I woke up super early on Saturday and headed to the grocery store to pick up some mimosa supplies.  Sharz was already there, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal herself.  Naturally, Lisa and I went straight to the in-store coffee place to grab a cup, and that's when I spotted Sharz hiding behind a post by the chips.  You have no idea how hard it was to not burst out laughing.  Then we headed toward the champagne aisle but paused by the Easter desserts long enough for Sharz to sneak up behind Lisa and wait for her to turn around, and then...SURPRISE #1!  Lisa shrieked in the middle of the store and it was so fabulous!

Then we headed to Thyme Cafe to pick up some (ah-mazing) pastries to bring Leslie, and headed to her apartment.  Lisa and Sharz hid on the sides of the door, and I knocked, heard the door lock click, and the knob turn, and then...SURPRISE #2!  I think I gave Leslie quite a shock waving champagne in her face at 9am.  She had no idea what was coming.  Before she had a chance to recover from her minor heart attack, Sharz suddenly appeared behind me with a picnic basket and...SURPRISE #3!  And then for the grand finale, Lisa popped out with a cupcake in hand for SURPRISE #4!  Whew.  I can't believe we pulled it off!

Once all the secrets were revealed, we had a mimosa toast to celebrate the birthday girl.

And then we headed to Heaven (aka Malibu Wines).  Should you ever need to find me on a Saturday from now on, you'll know where I am.

When you walk in, you get your glass and a bottle of wine...

find a grassy spot...

and lounge...

really lounge...

Seriously the best Saturday place ever.  And did I mention there's live music too?  Yeah!

And some billion dollar 'grams for you from Lisa:

Such a happy birthday day!

Dreaming of Summer...

Last weekend it was summer, and I didn't want to leave.

Makes me want to buy a maxi dress.  And some wedges.  Everyone cross your fingers for no June gloom this year!!!