Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The We Inside of Me
Thinking about the coming year I find that while I have goals - experiences I want to manifest - what is even more important to me is to manage the stresses in my life and spend more time in my happy place.
Thinking about that put me in mind of this Ted talk by Jill Bolte Taylor. I read her book a few years ago and her talk at Ted is very powerful in that it reminds me that where I live my life from affects the we inside and outside of me.
What she describes as her experience in LaLaLand during her stroke is very much akin to my experience that time I was reading Terrence McKenna and decided to take a "heroic dose" of psyllocibin, e.g more than 6 grams. Once the nausea abated it was way better than having a stroke and life changing in the sense that, for those hours, I was living in a place with an acute awareness of my connection to everything and when I came down, there was the knowledge that this is true all the time, whether I choose to be in the awareness of it or not.
Once you've been there you can't unknow it.
And once you've gotten that message you can hang up the phone - you don't need to be high to get there - you just need to be quiet.
This year I will spend more time in that peaceful place that exists when I step to the right of my left brained experience of separation. I will create the time to go there and be there.
This year I will be a peaceful pebble creating ripples that make the world a better place.
So grateful that TED puts these talks out there for all of us, and to Jill for her passion in telling her story and sharing her Stroke of Insight.
Very yummy indeed.
SP
Monday, October 1, 2012
GRACE PERSONIFIED
This weekend I saw the story about Balpreet Kaur, a young Sikh woman who had unknowingly become the butt of nasty internet meanness.
I have been thinking about this story ever since.
Someone with the self loathing moniker, european_douchebag, had taken a photo of Balpreet standing in line, without her knowledge, and posted it to the "funny" thread of the website Reddit.
What he apparently thought was hilarious is that she has a lot of facial hair. A lot.
And lots of people over at Reddit got on that thread and had a great time tearing Balpreet to shreds, which she knew nothing about until one of her friends let her know on Facebook.
Her response was to write this and post it to the thread:
Hey, guys. This is Balpreet Kaur, the girl from the picture. I actually didn't know about this until one of my friends told on facebook. If the OP wanted a picture, they could have just asked and I could have smiled :) However, I'm not embarrased or even humiliated by the attention [negative and positve] that this picture is getting because, it's who I am. Yes, I'm a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair. Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women. However, baptized Sikhs believe in the sacredness of this body - it is a gift that has been given to us by the Divine Being [which is genderless, actually] and, must keep it intact as a submission to the divine will. Just as a child doesn't reject the gift of his/her parents, Sikhs do not reject the body that has been given to us. By crying 'mine, mine' and changing this body-tool, we are essentially living in ego and creating a seperateness between ourselves and the divinity within us. By transcending societal views of beauty, I believe that I can focus more on my actions. My attitude and thoughts and actions have more value in them than my body because I recognize that this body is just going to become ash in the end, so why fuss about it? When I die, no one is going to remember what I looked like, heck, my kids will forget my voice, and slowly, all physical memory will fade away. However, my impact and legacy will remain: and, by not focusing on the physical beauty, I have time to cultivate those inner virtues and hopefully, focus my life on creating change and progress for this world in any way I can. So, to me, my face isn't important but the smile and the happiness that lie behind the face are. :-) So, if anyone sees me at OSU, please come up and say hello. I appreciate all of the comments here, both positive and less positive because I've gotten a better understanding of myself and others from this. Also, the yoga pants are quite comfortable and the Better Together tshirt is actually from Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that focuses on storytelling and engagement between different faiths. :) I hope this explains everything a bit more, and I apologize for causing such confusion and uttering anything that hurt anyone.
Her simple message - we are perfect as we are made - resonated and reverberated around the internet and the european douchebag even wrote an apology. He seemed a bit more concerned that Reddit might kick him to the curb because of all the negative publicity, but he also did own the fact that his best self might not be driving his vehicle (it seems his best self slipped out of the basement where he keeps it locked up and wrote that apology).
The word Grace descends from the Latin word gratia. Gratia, at it's inception, had three distinct meanings.
1) a pleasing quality
2) favor or goodwill
3) gratitude or thanks
To my mind, Balpreet personifies all three of these meanings and I just love a woman who walks what she talks.
That is 100% yummy!
S
This weekend I saw the story about Balpreet Kaur, a young Sikh woman who had unknowingly become the butt of nasty internet meanness.
I have been thinking about this story ever since.
Someone with the self loathing moniker, european_douchebag, had taken a photo of Balpreet standing in line, without her knowledge, and posted it to the "funny" thread of the website Reddit.
What he apparently thought was hilarious is that she has a lot of facial hair. A lot.
And lots of people over at Reddit got on that thread and had a great time tearing Balpreet to shreds, which she knew nothing about until one of her friends let her know on Facebook.
Her response was to write this and post it to the thread:
Hey, guys. This is Balpreet Kaur, the girl from the picture. I actually didn't know about this until one of my friends told on facebook. If the OP wanted a picture, they could have just asked and I could have smiled :) However, I'm not embarrased or even humiliated by the attention [negative and positve] that this picture is getting because, it's who I am. Yes, I'm a baptized Sikh woman with facial hair. Yes, I realize that my gender is often confused and I look different than most women. However, baptized Sikhs believe in the sacredness of this body - it is a gift that has been given to us by the Divine Being [which is genderless, actually] and, must keep it intact as a submission to the divine will. Just as a child doesn't reject the gift of his/her parents, Sikhs do not reject the body that has been given to us. By crying 'mine, mine' and changing this body-tool, we are essentially living in ego and creating a seperateness between ourselves and the divinity within us. By transcending societal views of beauty, I believe that I can focus more on my actions. My attitude and thoughts and actions have more value in them than my body because I recognize that this body is just going to become ash in the end, so why fuss about it? When I die, no one is going to remember what I looked like, heck, my kids will forget my voice, and slowly, all physical memory will fade away. However, my impact and legacy will remain: and, by not focusing on the physical beauty, I have time to cultivate those inner virtues and hopefully, focus my life on creating change and progress for this world in any way I can. So, to me, my face isn't important but the smile and the happiness that lie behind the face are. :-) So, if anyone sees me at OSU, please come up and say hello. I appreciate all of the comments here, both positive and less positive because I've gotten a better understanding of myself and others from this. Also, the yoga pants are quite comfortable and the Better Together tshirt is actually from Interfaith Youth Core, an organization that focuses on storytelling and engagement between different faiths. :) I hope this explains everything a bit more, and I apologize for causing such confusion and uttering anything that hurt anyone.
Her simple message - we are perfect as we are made - resonated and reverberated around the internet and the european douchebag even wrote an apology. He seemed a bit more concerned that Reddit might kick him to the curb because of all the negative publicity, but he also did own the fact that his best self might not be driving his vehicle (it seems his best self slipped out of the basement where he keeps it locked up and wrote that apology).
The word Grace descends from the Latin word gratia. Gratia, at it's inception, had three distinct meanings.
1) a pleasing quality
2) favor or goodwill
3) gratitude or thanks
To my mind, Balpreet personifies all three of these meanings and I just love a woman who walks what she talks.
That is 100% yummy!
S
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
50 Shades of Gold
I've tried to read 50 Shades of Grey and I really wanted to like it, to be turned on, to be swept away (the Wertmuller version, not the version where Madonna vogued her way across the Med). Instead I found myself a bit bored with the Ferrari without an engine that is Christian Grey. There's just not enough happening there in the wit and wisdom department and well, I got distracted.
I'm obviously not the target audience.
When it comes to smart writing with wit, humor and a true sensuality, I find that there is no one better than Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer prize winning food writer. The man has lured me into parts of Los Angeles that I did not know existed. His book, Counter Intelligence, lives in the glove compartment of my car, always ready to take me on an adventure where I will be truly titillated and definitely sated.
Now writing for the LA Times, Mr. Gold is my go to guy when I am looking for a culinary one night stand, an opportunity to indulge my food fetish. Recently I was meeting a friend for dinner at Tar & Roses, a new restaurant in Santa Monica. I don't think much of most of the restaurants in Santa Monica - they seem to be much more about showing off your tan than getting your grind on, however a little googling brought up this review sharing how "the food plays nicely with the alcohol" and my palate could look forward to being lit up like a pinball machine.
Holla!
I loved everything I ate, so much so, that by the time I remembered to take a picture I'd decimated the plate. If they sold the popcorn appetizer by the bag I would have taken some home - in addition to the brown sugar and chili, there is bacon!
For me sex and food go hand in hand - it's one big sensual adventure - and I'll take Mr. Gold over Mr. Grey any day.
I'm obviously not the target audience.
When it comes to smart writing with wit, humor and a true sensuality, I find that there is no one better than Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer prize winning food writer. The man has lured me into parts of Los Angeles that I did not know existed. His book, Counter Intelligence, lives in the glove compartment of my car, always ready to take me on an adventure where I will be truly titillated and definitely sated.
Now writing for the LA Times, Mr. Gold is my go to guy when I am looking for a culinary one night stand, an opportunity to indulge my food fetish. Recently I was meeting a friend for dinner at Tar & Roses, a new restaurant in Santa Monica. I don't think much of most of the restaurants in Santa Monica - they seem to be much more about showing off your tan than getting your grind on, however a little googling brought up this review sharing how "the food plays nicely with the alcohol" and my palate could look forward to being lit up like a pinball machine.
Holla!
I loved everything I ate, so much so, that by the time I remembered to take a picture I'd decimated the plate. If they sold the popcorn appetizer by the bag I would have taken some home - in addition to the brown sugar and chili, there is bacon!
For me sex and food go hand in hand - it's one big sensual adventure - and I'll take Mr. Gold over Mr. Grey any day.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Jazzed and Motivated at the Ford - for FREE
There is some free fun coming to town.
It's a chance to unleash your inner child, step on a stage and get Jazzed and Motivated. Sponsored by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation, JAM (Jazzed and Motivated) Sessions are free events taking place on Monday evenings through out the summer at several locations throughout southern California, centered around movement, music and drumming.
My friend Lisa, the princess of play, whom I've mentioned before, called me up last summer and told me about String Theory Productions, a unique music and dance company that she was going to see perform at the Ford Ampitheater. She'd noticed that they were participating in a Monday night JAM and she thought it would be fun to go.
What will we do?
I have no idea, but they look amazing, so it will probably be cool.
I didn't have plans. I liked the looks of the project, which was so much more than just playing music - these guys take performance to a meta level, creating huge acoustic instruments, utilizing the venue space where they perform, and moving through out the space dancing and playing while the audience sits within the instrument.
Maybe we would get to help build a giant harp or something.
My friend Lorena had a free evening so she came along, also having no idea what to expect. We pulled into the pretty much empty parking lot at 6:45 and looked at each other. Lorena said, "I should have brought a bottle of wine." The place looked deserted, but we made our way into the theater and saw that the front rows were filled with a smattering of people, maybe 30 at the most. On the stage, which was lit as if for performance, was a small group of musicians and some folding tables with art supplies on them.
It was a beautiful, warm summer evening and as we sat down and looked at all the others who'd come to be jazzed and motivated I appreciated the diversity of my city - because there were all kinds of people - aged 3 to 73. It reminded me of stuff I used to do with my family when I was a kid. Back in the 70s my dad had a membership to KPFK, the public radio station, and every weekend we'd head out to some random destination for free fun.
I saw a teenage boy with the same look of tortured resignation that I used to wear when forced to have mandatory fun with my parents.
At 7:00pm a lithe and graceful young woman began to explain to us how this JAM was going to work. We would begin by sitting at the tables and listening to the musicians play a piece of music. As we listened we would draw. Lorena muttered under her breath that she sucked at art in school and this was starting to give her feelings of anxiety. At this point she wasn't having fun. I grabbed three pieces of paper and my favorite colors and closed my eyes like an art school weirdo. Even when I was a tortured teen I LOVED these kinds of activities.
The music started and it wound around in the night sky and onto my pages in purple and pink and green. Ancient sounding and byzantine, the ensuing drawings shocked the shit out me because they were all so very different. I'm sure a psychiatrist would have had a field day. It really was an interesting exercise - anytime you put a group of strangers together and ask them to interpret something it's natural to see a variety of expression, but it's been a long time since I'd done something like this with a random sampling of humanity and without a bong.
Next we counted off to create 4 groups of people who did not know each other - yes, this was about going out of your comfort zone, not only creatively, but also socially - and then instructed to look at our drawings and create a dance of movements inspired by those drawings.
My group all just kind of stood there looking at each other. I cursed myself for suggesting the counting off method because Lisa had danced professionally and I would have really loved for her to take charge and tell me what to do. But no, she was in another group using her dance expertise with strangers. Lorena was having her own experience in the group with a pretty little girl who had the worst case of AD/HD I've ever witnessed. Someone in my group hadn't used deoderant and the humid night air was marinating her BO to a point where I could not breathe through my nose.
The lovely, lithe dancer offered assistance and we eventually got to a place where we each contributed a movement and took turns leading as we moved around the stage. After practicing for about 20 minutes each group then would perform their dance while the rest of us watched. This felt very awkward and uncomfortable although everyone was nice and super supportive. It was just my inner voice that was being all judgerella. Drawing? - yes. Dancing around without any choreography or clue or MUSIC in front of a whole bunch of people? - excruciating? As each group silently danced the musicians would watch and then we would dance again and they would play music that was motivated by our movement.
The music that they played matched our movements perfectly - these guys are good - and each dance became a unique story.
All of the dances became beautiful and the people dancing them became beautiful.
And I wasn't even high.
I think that's why I loved it so much - I went it with very little expectation, I participated even though at times it made me uncomfortable, and at the end of it all everyone had a big smile on their faces. We had all come together and co-created something that was lovely and that was really FUN.
Lisa was right - it was cool.
The JAM sessions for summer 2012 begin Monday June 4th with Taiko .Drumming and I think that will be a fun evening. There will be a fun show on June 30th if you like Taiko Drumming - and if you don't know check out TAIKO Project.
Also check out the schedule and see if there's anything else that gets you jazzed and motivated (hip hop, african dance, hula and ukelele?), then get your friends and go have some free fun this summer.
It's a chance to unleash your inner child, step on a stage and get Jazzed and Motivated. Sponsored by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation, JAM (Jazzed and Motivated) Sessions are free events taking place on Monday evenings through out the summer at several locations throughout southern California, centered around movement, music and drumming.
My friend Lisa, the princess of play, whom I've mentioned before, called me up last summer and told me about String Theory Productions, a unique music and dance company that she was going to see perform at the Ford Ampitheater. She'd noticed that they were participating in a Monday night JAM and she thought it would be fun to go.
What will we do?
I have no idea, but they look amazing, so it will probably be cool.
I didn't have plans. I liked the looks of the project, which was so much more than just playing music - these guys take performance to a meta level, creating huge acoustic instruments, utilizing the venue space where they perform, and moving through out the space dancing and playing while the audience sits within the instrument.
Maybe we would get to help build a giant harp or something.
My friend Lorena had a free evening so she came along, also having no idea what to expect. We pulled into the pretty much empty parking lot at 6:45 and looked at each other. Lorena said, "I should have brought a bottle of wine." The place looked deserted, but we made our way into the theater and saw that the front rows were filled with a smattering of people, maybe 30 at the most. On the stage, which was lit as if for performance, was a small group of musicians and some folding tables with art supplies on them.
It was a beautiful, warm summer evening and as we sat down and looked at all the others who'd come to be jazzed and motivated I appreciated the diversity of my city - because there were all kinds of people - aged 3 to 73. It reminded me of stuff I used to do with my family when I was a kid. Back in the 70s my dad had a membership to KPFK, the public radio station, and every weekend we'd head out to some random destination for free fun.
I saw a teenage boy with the same look of tortured resignation that I used to wear when forced to have mandatory fun with my parents.
At 7:00pm a lithe and graceful young woman began to explain to us how this JAM was going to work. We would begin by sitting at the tables and listening to the musicians play a piece of music. As we listened we would draw. Lorena muttered under her breath that she sucked at art in school and this was starting to give her feelings of anxiety. At this point she wasn't having fun. I grabbed three pieces of paper and my favorite colors and closed my eyes like an art school weirdo. Even when I was a tortured teen I LOVED these kinds of activities.
The music started and it wound around in the night sky and onto my pages in purple and pink and green. Ancient sounding and byzantine, the ensuing drawings shocked the shit out me because they were all so very different. I'm sure a psychiatrist would have had a field day. It really was an interesting exercise - anytime you put a group of strangers together and ask them to interpret something it's natural to see a variety of expression, but it's been a long time since I'd done something like this with a random sampling of humanity and without a bong.
Next we counted off to create 4 groups of people who did not know each other - yes, this was about going out of your comfort zone, not only creatively, but also socially - and then instructed to look at our drawings and create a dance of movements inspired by those drawings.
My group all just kind of stood there looking at each other. I cursed myself for suggesting the counting off method because Lisa had danced professionally and I would have really loved for her to take charge and tell me what to do. But no, she was in another group using her dance expertise with strangers. Lorena was having her own experience in the group with a pretty little girl who had the worst case of AD/HD I've ever witnessed. Someone in my group hadn't used deoderant and the humid night air was marinating her BO to a point where I could not breathe through my nose.
The lovely, lithe dancer offered assistance and we eventually got to a place where we each contributed a movement and took turns leading as we moved around the stage. After practicing for about 20 minutes each group then would perform their dance while the rest of us watched. This felt very awkward and uncomfortable although everyone was nice and super supportive. It was just my inner voice that was being all judgerella. Drawing? - yes. Dancing around without any choreography or clue or MUSIC in front of a whole bunch of people? - excruciating? As each group silently danced the musicians would watch and then we would dance again and they would play music that was motivated by our movement.
The music that they played matched our movements perfectly - these guys are good - and each dance became a unique story.
All of the dances became beautiful and the people dancing them became beautiful.
And I wasn't even high.
I think that's why I loved it so much - I went it with very little expectation, I participated even though at times it made me uncomfortable, and at the end of it all everyone had a big smile on their faces. We had all come together and co-created something that was lovely and that was really FUN.
Lisa was right - it was cool.
The JAM sessions for summer 2012 begin Monday June 4th with Taiko .Drumming and I think that will be a fun evening. There will be a fun show on June 30th if you like Taiko Drumming - and if you don't know check out TAIKO Project.
Also check out the schedule and see if there's anything else that gets you jazzed and motivated (hip hop, african dance, hula and ukelele?), then get your friends and go have some free fun this summer.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Ludobitten
I love LA for so many reasons, but one of my favorites is going to eat at Ludobites whenever and where ever it pops up. I have been lucky enough to be able to eat at almost every incarnation due to tenacity and a willingness to be an early bird or fly by the seat of my pants for a last minute cancellation.
The first time I went was in August of 2009, six weeks after donating my kidney. I knew of Ludo Lefebvre because one of my friends used to live next door to Ludo and his wife Krissy, and knowing how very much I love to eat, Philip was constantly raving about Ludo's food and urging me to go try it. At that particular time (2000) Ludo was cooking at L'Orangerie which was not in my budget, so when I read Jonathan Gold's review of this temporary pop-up restaurant, located practically around the corner, I was determined to go.
I had been having a really hard time eating post surgery and I was really tired, but my friend Dave wanted to take me to dinner and Ludobites was where I wanted to go. After weeks of feeling ill and exhausted I was ready for an adventure and he was happy to come and get me and take my mumu clad ass out at 5:30p.m. like I was his early bird special loving grandma. When we arrived the restaurant was empty and when we said that we didn't have reservations we were welcomed and seated at a communal table.
The only other person I saw was a woman dining alone and taking pictures of her food. As the restaurant filled up more and more people were also taking pictures of their food. I've always wanted to do that, but I get so excited when food comes to the table that I dive right in and destroy any possible food photo op.
After devouring wheat bread with honey lavender butter, which was so good I could have eaten it without the bread, we started with the fried chicken - oh the famous fried chicken. Dave liked that chicken so much that after we finished everything we'd ordered, he ordered some more chicken. I was partial to the chorizo, canteloupe, cornichon soup and the bowl of oxtail polenta. I think my favorite thing though was the chocolate cupcake with the foie gras chantilly, candied bacon, almond and maple. I'm more of a cookie girl and don't really get all the cupcake excitement, but this was a revelation of deep chocolate flavor topped with decadence.
As Dave said, "Dayum!"
I ate everything and felt transcendentally happy - blissed out. It was the first time in almost 2 months that I didn't feel bad after eating. It was 7:00 p.m. on a Monday night and the place was slammed.
Other amazing meals were had at 4.0 - the famous black croque monsieur and Paris soup, 5.0 - raw wagyu beef, dried miso, somen noodle, peanut vinaigrette, candied watermelon and mint (OMG), 6.0 - poached egg, potato mousseline with chorizo condiment and pork belly confit with mustard ice cream, 7.0 squid noodles, pad thai prawn and poached roasted foie gras, acacia honey, autumn fruits and dried rose flowers - all amazing sense memories that stay with me even today.
The most recent incarnation, Ludobites 8.0, was at Lemon Moon in West L.A. and again I did not get a reservation. However, they were accommodating walk ins at the bar so my friend Adi and I got there at 5:45 and I stood with my nose pressed up against the glass watching the staff eat their family dinner prior to service. When the door opened I asked if we could eat at the bar and Krissy said, "of course" with a welcoming smile.
Getting a reservation is challenging and I have been lucky to snag a few, but in my experience Krissy really makes an effort to have a walk in table, or a communal table, so where there's a will (and a willingness to eat very early or very late) there's a way - do not be deterred by all the drama you hear about reservations.
I think that the best way to eat at Ludobites is to go with 3 other people and order every single thing on the menu. You get a bit more than a bite each and by the end of the meal you will be so happily sated. I have gone in with 5 or 6 people and shared one of everything and we were all full. This particular night it was just me and Adi and there's no way we could eat everything on the menu so we each picked things that we wanted to try.
And this time, unlike my previous visits, I stayed pretty sober and I remembered to take pictures!
Adi wanted the Gougeres which were lovely, but he'd stopped eating gluten with excellent results and he'd also stopped eating dairy which had alleviated all of his stomach issues. Adi has gone to Ludobites with me almost every time and it is a testament to how good the food is that he continues to go when he clearly doesn't have the digestive system for rich food. I could eat fried butter and keep going all the way to dessert.
So we started with the lovely Gougeres, light, airy puffs of golden pastry with a hint of cheese. I saved a bit of mine to wipe up the bottom of my soup bowl - I knew I would have soup. I always have the soup. Doesn't matter what kind of soup it is - it's always spectacular (my all time favorite is the Paris soup, a deconstructed grilled ham and cheese sandwich in a bowl of savory broth - YUM).
Our next choice was the Tandoori Chicken Cracklings, chicken liver mousse on crisped pieces of chicken skin. I picked this up and ate it with my hands, loving the sensation of dragging my teeth through the creaminess and into the satisfying snap and saltiness of the lovely, delicate crisps. When I think about it "crackling" is a more accurate term because I LOVE crispy chicken skin, it is food crack!
Next up was the lobster salad, yuzu and honey - cool brightness on my tongue followed by sweetness and tartness - I LOVED this.
I loved everything we ate that night, but my favorite dish was the Uni Creme Brulee. It was like the perfect day at the beach when the sun feels like a hug and ocean breezes cool you down and carry the distant sound of music and the scent of salt on your skin across the sand. Yeah, this is what that day tastes like and the soundtrack is Good Day Sunshine.
I did get the soup - celery soup, foie gras, mushrooms and ash - the broth was made with cream, perfumed with mushrooms, and heated very hot at which point delectable pieces of raw foie were added and I was instructed not to touch it for two minutes so that they could poach to the perfect doneness. Unfortunately, my broth was not heated hot enough and although I waited the foie did not cook to perfection and I had to send it back because as much as I love foie I cannot eat it raw. As we were sitting at the bar I got to see, up close and personal, the screaming in heavily accented English made famous on the Sundance channel - the man is a perfectionist and it pisses him off royally when someone on the line doesn't execute - happily the second time was the charm, it was a much better experience and I did get to use that bit of Gougere I'd saved.
About this time Adi started to feel not so great. Could have been the cream in the broth that started his downhill slide, or it could have been the lovely Gougeres, but he was really uncomfortable and requested some raw celery. It's helped in the past when he runs into digestive emergencies, but I was very nervous because you don't really order off the menu at Ludobites. You don't ask for substitutions and you don't ask for stuff on the side. He slid off his seat, and hunching, he went outside to take a walk and seek some relief and I kept my head down and hoped we would be able to stay for desert.
While he was out a plate of beautifully trimmed celery spears arrived,
as well as my Poached Cod, Eucalyptus, potato, leeks, fresh peaches, yellow wine powder, dry sherry and dijon mustard broth.
Thankfully Adi was able to eat his perfectly cooked veal, black olive tapenade, orange caramelized endive with clementine beurre blanc,
and he was also up for dessert - brown butter almond cake, apples, salted caramel and creamsicle ice cream - the perfect end to another fabulous meal.
There are so many things I love about eating Ludo's food - the haiku like descriptions on the menu , the atmosphere of anticipation when I sit down, like standing in line for a roller coaster, and the fact that it's all so flavorful, delicious and sometimes just beautifully weird, but in a good way like Cirque de Soleil for your tastebuds. Sharing a Ludobites meal with friends makes magical memories, much like going on an amazing trip. Or as my friend Lorena noted as we walked out into the Sherman Oaks evening after 6.0, "I feel like I just had a really great one night stand with all of you." It should be noted that her wine bar Pour Haus was born from an evening when the stars aligned at Ludobites 7.0.
All this remembering is making me crave Ludo's food. He's been very busy cooking at various events to protest the California ban on foie gras, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that he'll pop up again soon, and if he does we should totally go - I'll meet you there at 5:30.
The first time I went was in August of 2009, six weeks after donating my kidney. I knew of Ludo Lefebvre because one of my friends used to live next door to Ludo and his wife Krissy, and knowing how very much I love to eat, Philip was constantly raving about Ludo's food and urging me to go try it. At that particular time (2000) Ludo was cooking at L'Orangerie which was not in my budget, so when I read Jonathan Gold's review of this temporary pop-up restaurant, located practically around the corner, I was determined to go.
I had been having a really hard time eating post surgery and I was really tired, but my friend Dave wanted to take me to dinner and Ludobites was where I wanted to go. After weeks of feeling ill and exhausted I was ready for an adventure and he was happy to come and get me and take my mumu clad ass out at 5:30p.m. like I was his early bird special loving grandma. When we arrived the restaurant was empty and when we said that we didn't have reservations we were welcomed and seated at a communal table.
The only other person I saw was a woman dining alone and taking pictures of her food. As the restaurant filled up more and more people were also taking pictures of their food. I've always wanted to do that, but I get so excited when food comes to the table that I dive right in and destroy any possible food photo op.
After devouring wheat bread with honey lavender butter, which was so good I could have eaten it without the bread, we started with the fried chicken - oh the famous fried chicken. Dave liked that chicken so much that after we finished everything we'd ordered, he ordered some more chicken. I was partial to the chorizo, canteloupe, cornichon soup and the bowl of oxtail polenta. I think my favorite thing though was the chocolate cupcake with the foie gras chantilly, candied bacon, almond and maple. I'm more of a cookie girl and don't really get all the cupcake excitement, but this was a revelation of deep chocolate flavor topped with decadence.
As Dave said, "Dayum!"
I ate everything and felt transcendentally happy - blissed out. It was the first time in almost 2 months that I didn't feel bad after eating. It was 7:00 p.m. on a Monday night and the place was slammed.
Other amazing meals were had at 4.0 - the famous black croque monsieur and Paris soup, 5.0 - raw wagyu beef, dried miso, somen noodle, peanut vinaigrette, candied watermelon and mint (OMG), 6.0 - poached egg, potato mousseline with chorizo condiment and pork belly confit with mustard ice cream, 7.0 squid noodles, pad thai prawn and poached roasted foie gras, acacia honey, autumn fruits and dried rose flowers - all amazing sense memories that stay with me even today.
The most recent incarnation, Ludobites 8.0, was at Lemon Moon in West L.A. and again I did not get a reservation. However, they were accommodating walk ins at the bar so my friend Adi and I got there at 5:45 and I stood with my nose pressed up against the glass watching the staff eat their family dinner prior to service. When the door opened I asked if we could eat at the bar and Krissy said, "of course" with a welcoming smile.
Getting a reservation is challenging and I have been lucky to snag a few, but in my experience Krissy really makes an effort to have a walk in table, or a communal table, so where there's a will (and a willingness to eat very early or very late) there's a way - do not be deterred by all the drama you hear about reservations.
I think that the best way to eat at Ludobites is to go with 3 other people and order every single thing on the menu. You get a bit more than a bite each and by the end of the meal you will be so happily sated. I have gone in with 5 or 6 people and shared one of everything and we were all full. This particular night it was just me and Adi and there's no way we could eat everything on the menu so we each picked things that we wanted to try.
And this time, unlike my previous visits, I stayed pretty sober and I remembered to take pictures!
Adi wanted the Gougeres which were lovely, but he'd stopped eating gluten with excellent results and he'd also stopped eating dairy which had alleviated all of his stomach issues. Adi has gone to Ludobites with me almost every time and it is a testament to how good the food is that he continues to go when he clearly doesn't have the digestive system for rich food. I could eat fried butter and keep going all the way to dessert.
So we started with the lovely Gougeres, light, airy puffs of golden pastry with a hint of cheese. I saved a bit of mine to wipe up the bottom of my soup bowl - I knew I would have soup. I always have the soup. Doesn't matter what kind of soup it is - it's always spectacular (my all time favorite is the Paris soup, a deconstructed grilled ham and cheese sandwich in a bowl of savory broth - YUM).
Our next choice was the Tandoori Chicken Cracklings, chicken liver mousse on crisped pieces of chicken skin. I picked this up and ate it with my hands, loving the sensation of dragging my teeth through the creaminess and into the satisfying snap and saltiness of the lovely, delicate crisps. When I think about it "crackling" is a more accurate term because I LOVE crispy chicken skin, it is food crack!
Next up was the lobster salad, yuzu and honey - cool brightness on my tongue followed by sweetness and tartness - I LOVED this.
I loved everything we ate that night, but my favorite dish was the Uni Creme Brulee. It was like the perfect day at the beach when the sun feels like a hug and ocean breezes cool you down and carry the distant sound of music and the scent of salt on your skin across the sand. Yeah, this is what that day tastes like and the soundtrack is Good Day Sunshine.
I did get the soup - celery soup, foie gras, mushrooms and ash - the broth was made with cream, perfumed with mushrooms, and heated very hot at which point delectable pieces of raw foie were added and I was instructed not to touch it for two minutes so that they could poach to the perfect doneness. Unfortunately, my broth was not heated hot enough and although I waited the foie did not cook to perfection and I had to send it back because as much as I love foie I cannot eat it raw. As we were sitting at the bar I got to see, up close and personal, the screaming in heavily accented English made famous on the Sundance channel - the man is a perfectionist and it pisses him off royally when someone on the line doesn't execute - happily the second time was the charm, it was a much better experience and I did get to use that bit of Gougere I'd saved.
About this time Adi started to feel not so great. Could have been the cream in the broth that started his downhill slide, or it could have been the lovely Gougeres, but he was really uncomfortable and requested some raw celery. It's helped in the past when he runs into digestive emergencies, but I was very nervous because you don't really order off the menu at Ludobites. You don't ask for substitutions and you don't ask for stuff on the side. He slid off his seat, and hunching, he went outside to take a walk and seek some relief and I kept my head down and hoped we would be able to stay for desert.
While he was out a plate of beautifully trimmed celery spears arrived,
as well as my Poached Cod, Eucalyptus, potato, leeks, fresh peaches, yellow wine powder, dry sherry and dijon mustard broth.
Thankfully Adi was able to eat his perfectly cooked veal, black olive tapenade, orange caramelized endive with clementine beurre blanc,
and he was also up for dessert - brown butter almond cake, apples, salted caramel and creamsicle ice cream - the perfect end to another fabulous meal.
There are so many things I love about eating Ludo's food - the haiku like descriptions on the menu , the atmosphere of anticipation when I sit down, like standing in line for a roller coaster, and the fact that it's all so flavorful, delicious and sometimes just beautifully weird, but in a good way like Cirque de Soleil for your tastebuds. Sharing a Ludobites meal with friends makes magical memories, much like going on an amazing trip. Or as my friend Lorena noted as we walked out into the Sherman Oaks evening after 6.0, "I feel like I just had a really great one night stand with all of you." It should be noted that her wine bar Pour Haus was born from an evening when the stars aligned at Ludobites 7.0.
All this remembering is making me crave Ludo's food. He's been very busy cooking at various events to protest the California ban on foie gras, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that he'll pop up again soon, and if he does we should totally go - I'll meet you there at 5:30.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
At Witzend
I've driven past it for a while now, but until last Saturday night I'd never stopped in - and I only went this time because my friend Lisa, the princess of play, had a Groupon, and one of our favorite friends, Heather, was flying in from Denver, so we made plans.
The Witzend is a completely cool live music venue on Lincoln Blvd in Venice and I am so glad we found it. The door charge is only $10 and the Groupon got 2 in for free along with two free pizzas which were very tasty. All of the food on the menu looked terrific and is very reasonably priced.
I had no expectations because I wasn't really sure what we were doing exactly, so I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the talent on this particular evening. First up was The Novelists, a group from Reno NV that featured four part harmonies and some solid musicianship and songwriting.
Next up was Bo the Girl, an adorable girl child who was playing her first show ever. She is a songwriter, who definitely leans toward love songs and this night she was up on stage with a guitar and a stand up bass. Although she was nervous and didn't quite have her stage legs under her, she is a very talented song writer and has a sweet voice. When she told us that she and Noah, the guitar player, are "together and in love and stuff," my jaded heart melted and I was totally rooting for her. If you click on her name you can watch her sing "Tigerlilies," and support her EP on kickstarter.
It was now coming up on 9:30 and I was starting to yawn and make sounds of leaving. Heather had other ideas, having drawn a bead on the next performer, Tyler Conti . He was fine, I cannot lie. So we stayed.
Tyler is really talented and very sexy. I think that he has been dwelling in R&B, but he's also got some funk and jam flavor - imagine if Jack Johnson and Usher blended so you got the funky beat with the smooth groove. So glad we stayed for his set, he put on a great show.
I will be going back to Witzend soon and often. If you are looking for a great time with great talent at a reasonable price, check it out. Maybe I'll see you there.
The Witzend is a completely cool live music venue on Lincoln Blvd in Venice and I am so glad we found it. The door charge is only $10 and the Groupon got 2 in for free along with two free pizzas which were very tasty. All of the food on the menu looked terrific and is very reasonably priced.
I had no expectations because I wasn't really sure what we were doing exactly, so I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the talent on this particular evening. First up was The Novelists, a group from Reno NV that featured four part harmonies and some solid musicianship and songwriting.
Next up was Bo the Girl, an adorable girl child who was playing her first show ever. She is a songwriter, who definitely leans toward love songs and this night she was up on stage with a guitar and a stand up bass. Although she was nervous and didn't quite have her stage legs under her, she is a very talented song writer and has a sweet voice. When she told us that she and Noah, the guitar player, are "together and in love and stuff," my jaded heart melted and I was totally rooting for her. If you click on her name you can watch her sing "Tigerlilies," and support her EP on kickstarter.
It was now coming up on 9:30 and I was starting to yawn and make sounds of leaving. Heather had other ideas, having drawn a bead on the next performer, Tyler Conti . He was fine, I cannot lie. So we stayed.
Tyler is really talented and very sexy. I think that he has been dwelling in R&B, but he's also got some funk and jam flavor - imagine if Jack Johnson and Usher blended so you got the funky beat with the smooth groove. So glad we stayed for his set, he put on a great show.
I will be going back to Witzend soon and often. If you are looking for a great time with great talent at a reasonable price, check it out. Maybe I'll see you there.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Goin to the Church of Springsteen
A couple weeks ago I was invited to go see Bruce Springsteen play at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. I'd followed the Grateful Dead around, but I'd never made it to a Springsteen show. Which is strange when I consider it because one of my favorite friends Nanette, the girl who introduced me to Rod Stewart and the Faces and Led Zepplin, is a HUGE Bruce fan - like the biggest. When she got married she and her husband did their first dance to Dancin' in the Dark. We went to see Rod Stewart and the Faces in 1974 at Anaheim Stadium and Led Zepplin at the Forum in 77, but we never did go to a Bruce show together.
At this point I would bet that she's been to about 300 Springsteen shows - she is one of his biggest fans.
Up until this point my only exposure to Bruce was at a fabulously boring party up in the Hollywood Hills in the 90s, thrown by Ted Field for U2 after a concert, when I forgot to lock the bathroom door and he walked in as I was pulling my pants up. That was the highlight of my evening.
Anyway...
This Springsteen concert was also the first show for my friends Mark and Lynn's 8 year old son Travis. We had great seats, just above the soundboard and if you've ever been to the Sports Arena then you know how important that is because the sound can be brutally bad in that building. Once we found our seats I texted Nanette and sure enough she was doing not only the California shows, but also heading to New Orleans to see him at Jazz Fest. She left her spot by the front of the stage to come give me a hug and it was so fun to catch up with her, albeit briefly. Turns out I had a lot of friends there that night and we were texting and waving and how did I ever go to a concert without a cell phone?
The show started with the lights up so I could see the Springsteen nation on their feet with their hands in
air, singing at the top of their lungs. My knowledge of the Springsteen songbook is limited to his greatest hits but all around me people sang the words to every song and I listened and really heard the meaning because it resonates. Those songs are for and about the 99% in this country, many of whom are struggling to survive day to day. The people who keep hold of their American dream and get up each day with the intention of finding work and taking care of their families. They are simple stories, but they are all great.
Bruce brings a level of energy and passion to performance that is unparalleled - truly. The lights went down as the show got under way but the crowd stayed on their feet. From where I was sitting, and without my glasses, it didn't appear that he'd aged in the last 30 years. Seriously, the dude slammed a beer and crowd surfed back to the stage and did not look like an old guy trying too hard. It seemed like the next natural thing amidst all the raucous love that was surging between the man, the band and the fans.
Tom Morello from RATM showed up and played a jaw dropping solo on Ghost of Tom Joad and brought the house down.
It was truly one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life and I have been to a lot of shows. This experience transcended the usual Los Angeles see and be seen blahs where audiences sit with butts in seats and text each other or plan the next move in their evenings. Everyone - all the way up to the rafters - was up and dancing the entire time. They were singing and smiling and being so nice to each other. It was more like being in the midwest with all the jocularity and earnest appreciation and participating.
The only one missing was Clarence...
In his place stood his nephew Jake, who did a great job and was loved mightily for it - on the jumbotron his face was filled with joy and he blew his horn and put his own stamp on the groove.
By the time we got to 10th Avenue Freeze Out the crowd was in a frenzy and standing out in the middle of the crowd Bruce sang, "this is the important part...When the change was made uptown and the big man joined the band...", and paused and the crowd went crazy, cheering and screaming and clapping for 2 minutes straight while up on the big screens images of Clarence from times past flashed by.
It was bittersweet and overwhelming and you could feel the big man there in the room.
I thought that this was an amazing gift for Mark and Lynn to give Travis (and me)- what a great first concert.
And then I texted Nanette and said, "I totally get it."
Springsteen is in Europe now but he'll be back east this summer. If he's playing near you - GO - it's like a tent revival with great music and a lot of love and dancing - doesn't get much better than that.
At this point I would bet that she's been to about 300 Springsteen shows - she is one of his biggest fans.
Up until this point my only exposure to Bruce was at a fabulously boring party up in the Hollywood Hills in the 90s, thrown by Ted Field for U2 after a concert, when I forgot to lock the bathroom door and he walked in as I was pulling my pants up. That was the highlight of my evening.
Anyway...
This Springsteen concert was also the first show for my friends Mark and Lynn's 8 year old son Travis. We had great seats, just above the soundboard and if you've ever been to the Sports Arena then you know how important that is because the sound can be brutally bad in that building. Once we found our seats I texted Nanette and sure enough she was doing not only the California shows, but also heading to New Orleans to see him at Jazz Fest. She left her spot by the front of the stage to come give me a hug and it was so fun to catch up with her, albeit briefly. Turns out I had a lot of friends there that night and we were texting and waving and how did I ever go to a concert without a cell phone?
The show started with the lights up so I could see the Springsteen nation on their feet with their hands in
air, singing at the top of their lungs. My knowledge of the Springsteen songbook is limited to his greatest hits but all around me people sang the words to every song and I listened and really heard the meaning because it resonates. Those songs are for and about the 99% in this country, many of whom are struggling to survive day to day. The people who keep hold of their American dream and get up each day with the intention of finding work and taking care of their families. They are simple stories, but they are all great.
Bruce brings a level of energy and passion to performance that is unparalleled - truly. The lights went down as the show got under way but the crowd stayed on their feet. From where I was sitting, and without my glasses, it didn't appear that he'd aged in the last 30 years. Seriously, the dude slammed a beer and crowd surfed back to the stage and did not look like an old guy trying too hard. It seemed like the next natural thing amidst all the raucous love that was surging between the man, the band and the fans.
Tom Morello from RATM showed up and played a jaw dropping solo on Ghost of Tom Joad and brought the house down.
It was truly one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life and I have been to a lot of shows. This experience transcended the usual Los Angeles see and be seen blahs where audiences sit with butts in seats and text each other or plan the next move in their evenings. Everyone - all the way up to the rafters - was up and dancing the entire time. They were singing and smiling and being so nice to each other. It was more like being in the midwest with all the jocularity and earnest appreciation and participating.
The only one missing was Clarence...
In his place stood his nephew Jake, who did a great job and was loved mightily for it - on the jumbotron his face was filled with joy and he blew his horn and put his own stamp on the groove.
By the time we got to 10th Avenue Freeze Out the crowd was in a frenzy and standing out in the middle of the crowd Bruce sang, "this is the important part...When the change was made uptown and the big man joined the band...", and paused and the crowd went crazy, cheering and screaming and clapping for 2 minutes straight while up on the big screens images of Clarence from times past flashed by.
It was bittersweet and overwhelming and you could feel the big man there in the room.
I thought that this was an amazing gift for Mark and Lynn to give Travis (and me)- what a great first concert.
And then I texted Nanette and said, "I totally get it."
Springsteen is in Europe now but he'll be back east this summer. If he's playing near you - GO - it's like a tent revival with great music and a lot of love and dancing - doesn't get much better than that.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Best public transpo EVER
If this happened every day I would look forward to the morning commute...
It's so lovely and amazing.
It's so lovely and amazing.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Loquats
A few years back my friend Behira was visiting from Israel. One day she returned from a walk in the with a pocket full of little round golden fruit that she called "shessik". She peeled it and brought me one to try. It was DELICIOUS!
Turns out that shessik is Hebrew for Loquat and beginning in March they are hanging on trees all over my neighborhood.
I've identified where all the trees are in the neighborhood that are on public property or have branches hanging over the sidewalks and I love grabbing a snack during my morning walks. And, okay, I'll admit that once or twice, when it was early enough to not get busted, I climbed the fence and filled my pockets with fruit that was technically in someone's backyard.
A perfectly ripe Loquat is sweet and bright on your tongue, like a plum, but with a hint of something citrus-y. The flesh is firm like a mango and oddly, there is more seed than fruit.
.JPG)
I love living in a neighborhood full of snacks and I can't wait to see what the giant fig trees will be offering later this summer.
Turns out that shessik is Hebrew for Loquat and beginning in March they are hanging on trees all over my neighborhood.
I've identified where all the trees are in the neighborhood that are on public property or have branches hanging over the sidewalks and I love grabbing a snack during my morning walks. And, okay, I'll admit that once or twice, when it was early enough to not get busted, I climbed the fence and filled my pockets with fruit that was technically in someone's backyard.
A perfectly ripe Loquat is sweet and bright on your tongue, like a plum, but with a hint of something citrus-y. The flesh is firm like a mango and oddly, there is more seed than fruit.
.JPG)
I love living in a neighborhood full of snacks and I can't wait to see what the giant fig trees will be offering later this summer.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss
I love, love, love Dr. Seuss!
In honor of Ted Geisel's birthday, my friend Shelly Goldstein pays homage with a story she's written about gay marriage. She's wicked clever and one of the most talented people I know.
At the end of the day Dr. Seuss is about love for all, all the time, and I think he would have enjoyed Shelly's story (remember the Sneetches? Dr. Seuss very eloquently illustrated the downside of exclusionary politics).
Happy Birthday Dr. S!
Dr. Seuss
I love, love, love Dr. Seuss!
In honor of Ted Geisel's birthday, my friend Shelly Goldstein pays homage with a story she's written about gay marriage. She's wicked clever and one of the most talented people I know.
At the end of the day Dr. Seuss is about love for all, all the time, and I think he would have enjoyed Shelly's story (remember the Sneetches? Dr. Seuss very eloquently illustrated the downside of exclusionary politics).
Happy Birthday Dr. S!
Friday, February 10, 2012
YXTA!
Growing up in Southern California my love for Mexican food started at a really early age. My mom used to substitute teach on Fridays so we would go out to dinner every Friday night and the usual spot was El Toro - a door in a wall that opened into a dark restaurant filled with red booths topped with candles in little mesh sweaters, over which my brother and I would weld massive structures out of the cocktail straws while inhaling tortilla chips. My dad would be inhaling the bowl of spicy carrots and chilis that they brought to him non-stop. My mom would enjoy her margarita.
Friday night was something I really looked forward to, not only because we were going to get weld straws and eat chips, but because it was fun to hang out as a family.
These days I love going to eat Mexican food with friends and while I have my favorite places, I am always looking out for something new.
Recently my friend Stephanie turned me on YXTA! - pronounced eeks-tah, the caps and the exclamation point are mine - they're actually much more lower case about it all.
After First Friday we went over to Yxta for a late dinner and found it completely full. Note to self make a reservation when going back on the weekend. It's a beautiful space with high ceilings, concrete floors and rustic wooden tables that give it a feeling of airiness combined with warmth. The music is good, rock en espanol and the light fixtures are rad.
We had to wait for some tables to turn so we ordered Jamaica margaritas and lurked around the long communal high table next to the bar. We had just slid into some seats there when our table came up so off we went. Our server was the most patient and lovely man, all four of us are "on the side" orderers, not substitutions so much as the desire to have options. I ordered the taco dorado appetizer (mashed potato taco - mmmmmm), ceviche and a cup of Pozole because they had it.
I have this thing for Posole. It's a stew/soup made with pork and chili and hominy, topped with cabbage and sometime avocado and crema. It's hard to find on the menu because it's one of those long, slow cooking kind of dishes that your grandmother would make on Sundays. In fact, the only other place I've ever found Pozole is La Super Rica in Santa Barbara and they only have it on Sundays. I have driven there solely to eat the Pozole.
So now I've found a place where I can get Pozole everyday. Stephanie, who hails from New Mexico says it's some of the best that she's had and I do not disagree. The first visit I ordered Carnitas Estilo Michoacan, slow cooked pork with guacamole and home made tortillas.......along with Posole. It was delicious and such a large portion that I had it for lunch the next day. The entree portion are large here, it would be fun to split stuff and try lots of items. I will probably stick to the specialties of the house rather than going for the tacos and enchiladas because, my sense is that they do them very well.
I'm sad to say that I don't really remember much about the ceviche or the taco dorado because the Jamaica margarita came and I got a tipsy fast, most likely because we were eating at 9:00pm and my stomach had been empty - except for 1/2 a Makers Mark ice cream sandwich, since noon. And because I'm a light weight who rarely drinks liquor.
Ahhhh, the Jamaica margarita. If you've never had Jamaica, or Hibiscus Flower juice, you really should try it. I first had it down in Mazatlan many years ago. It was 90 degrees outside with 95% humidity and there was a little shop that served cups the size of Big Gulps filled with shaved ice and the juice of your choice. My friend who lived down there advised that I try the Jamaica because it was refreshing and not too sweet. He was so right. So now imagine this ruby colored, very refreshing sort of floral berry tasting beverage (high in vitamin C and antioxidants) added to tequila and ice and garnished with a lime.
Yes! Best sip ever! I can only imagine how good that will taste when it's warm outside.
Turns out I never even took a bite of the Pozole on Friday night, but it came home with me and made a wonderful breakfast.
I'm going back next week and I promise not to get drunk and to pay attention to other food besides the Pozole, but seriously that Pozole and the margarita are worth the trip downtown. Although I cannot honestly speak to the food, I can say the the experience is a fun one to be shared with friends and family on a Friday night.
yxta
601 S. Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90021
xo,
S
Friday night was something I really looked forward to, not only because we were going to get weld straws and eat chips, but because it was fun to hang out as a family.
These days I love going to eat Mexican food with friends and while I have my favorite places, I am always looking out for something new.
Recently my friend Stephanie turned me on YXTA! - pronounced eeks-tah, the caps and the exclamation point are mine - they're actually much more lower case about it all.
After First Friday we went over to Yxta for a late dinner and found it completely full. Note to self make a reservation when going back on the weekend. It's a beautiful space with high ceilings, concrete floors and rustic wooden tables that give it a feeling of airiness combined with warmth. The music is good, rock en espanol and the light fixtures are rad.
We had to wait for some tables to turn so we ordered Jamaica margaritas and lurked around the long communal high table next to the bar. We had just slid into some seats there when our table came up so off we went. Our server was the most patient and lovely man, all four of us are "on the side" orderers, not substitutions so much as the desire to have options. I ordered the taco dorado appetizer (mashed potato taco - mmmmmm), ceviche and a cup of Pozole because they had it.
I have this thing for Posole. It's a stew/soup made with pork and chili and hominy, topped with cabbage and sometime avocado and crema. It's hard to find on the menu because it's one of those long, slow cooking kind of dishes that your grandmother would make on Sundays. In fact, the only other place I've ever found Pozole is La Super Rica in Santa Barbara and they only have it on Sundays. I have driven there solely to eat the Pozole.
So now I've found a place where I can get Pozole everyday. Stephanie, who hails from New Mexico says it's some of the best that she's had and I do not disagree. The first visit I ordered Carnitas Estilo Michoacan, slow cooked pork with guacamole and home made tortillas.......along with Posole. It was delicious and such a large portion that I had it for lunch the next day. The entree portion are large here, it would be fun to split stuff and try lots of items. I will probably stick to the specialties of the house rather than going for the tacos and enchiladas because, my sense is that they do them very well.
I'm sad to say that I don't really remember much about the ceviche or the taco dorado because the Jamaica margarita came and I got a tipsy fast, most likely because we were eating at 9:00pm and my stomach had been empty - except for 1/2 a Makers Mark ice cream sandwich, since noon. And because I'm a light weight who rarely drinks liquor.
Ahhhh, the Jamaica margarita. If you've never had Jamaica, or Hibiscus Flower juice, you really should try it. I first had it down in Mazatlan many years ago. It was 90 degrees outside with 95% humidity and there was a little shop that served cups the size of Big Gulps filled with shaved ice and the juice of your choice. My friend who lived down there advised that I try the Jamaica because it was refreshing and not too sweet. He was so right. So now imagine this ruby colored, very refreshing sort of floral berry tasting beverage (high in vitamin C and antioxidants) added to tequila and ice and garnished with a lime.
Yes! Best sip ever! I can only imagine how good that will taste when it's warm outside.
Turns out I never even took a bite of the Pozole on Friday night, but it came home with me and made a wonderful breakfast.
I'm going back next week and I promise not to get drunk and to pay attention to other food besides the Pozole, but seriously that Pozole and the margarita are worth the trip downtown. Although I cannot honestly speak to the food, I can say the the experience is a fun one to be shared with friends and family on a Friday night.
yxta
601 S. Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90021
xo,
S
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Cool and completely delicious
I mentioned the food trucks that were lined up in front of the museum for First Friday, but there is one that I adore and that would be the Coolhaus Ice Cream Truck.
How much do I love this truck? There was a french fry truck parked right next to it and after some perusing I decided to have an ice cream sandwich for dinner.
This is not your mama's ice cream sandwich.
First you choose your cookie. Your not too sweet, and just right soft cookie. You can have Red Velvet, Oatmeal, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip or a Vegan Carrot Cake cookie.
Next you choose your ice cream. Sounds easy enough, but with flavors like Brown Butter & Candied Bacon, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sea Salt Caramel and Makers Mark Manhattan Cocktail I was standing there for a while. The sweetie pie guy manning the truck that night was nice enough to give us some samples and I really wanted to eat everything in every possible combo, but settled on the Manhattan Makers Mark Cocktail on a dark chocolate cookie. *They have great stuff for the traditionalists too - Tahitian Vanilla anyone?
It was heaven.
Thank God he also gave me a little paper boat to catch the drips, so I could make sure I got every single bit, and not get it all over myself.
This was such a delicious experience I wanted to go back and have a couple more, but we were going to dinner after the museum and that's a whole 'nother post.
Coolhaus has a brick and mortar location that opened in Culver City in November of 2011. You can go to their website, eatcoolhaus.com to connect on Twitter and Facebook and get all the updates on their doin's. They also have trucks in New York, Austin and Miami so you can get your fix on both coasts and in the middle.
That is deliciously cool!
Coolhaus
8588 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA
How much do I love this truck? There was a french fry truck parked right next to it and after some perusing I decided to have an ice cream sandwich for dinner.
This is not your mama's ice cream sandwich.
First you choose your cookie. Your not too sweet, and just right soft cookie. You can have Red Velvet, Oatmeal, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip or a Vegan Carrot Cake cookie.
Next you choose your ice cream. Sounds easy enough, but with flavors like Brown Butter & Candied Bacon, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sea Salt Caramel and Makers Mark Manhattan Cocktail I was standing there for a while. The sweetie pie guy manning the truck that night was nice enough to give us some samples and I really wanted to eat everything in every possible combo, but settled on the Manhattan Makers Mark Cocktail on a dark chocolate cookie. *They have great stuff for the traditionalists too - Tahitian Vanilla anyone?
It was heaven.
Thank God he also gave me a little paper boat to catch the drips, so I could make sure I got every single bit, and not get it all over myself.
This was such a delicious experience I wanted to go back and have a couple more, but we were going to dinner after the museum and that's a whole 'nother post.
Coolhaus has a brick and mortar location that opened in Culver City in November of 2011. You can go to their website, eatcoolhaus.com to connect on Twitter and Facebook and get all the updates on their doin's. They also have trucks in New York, Austin and Miami so you can get your fix on both coasts and in the middle.
That is deliciously cool!
Coolhaus
8588 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Friday Night
Beginning in January and running through June of each new year, the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles hosts an event called First Friday. I love going for a number of reasons, mostly because I love this museum and getting to be in there at night is so much fun! I love the gems, the discovery center - where you can touch things and not be asked to leave, the massive bird exhibit, the insects! I also love that this event is done in conjunction with USC, so there are always amazing and informative speakers.
This past Friday I headed out to the museum, inching my way through suck ass Friday night traffic (The lecture starts at 6:30 and it takes me over an hour to drive the six miles - this is how much I like First Friday) to hear Dr. Amy Parish discuss Darwinism and Feminism in the captive bonobo population that she has been studying for the last 20 years.
What you may be asking yourself is a bonobo? Bonobos are one of the two species comprising the Chimpanzee genus (I just copied that from her bio - I don't normally talk like that). In my own words, bonobos more slender versions of chimps. After hearing Dr. Parish speak I can also tell you that bonobos societies are run by the ladies and everyone has a lot of sexy time. Girl on girl, boy on girl, boy on boy and all of this sexy time is about who has the food and who wants it. There's a lot of masturbating going on with these guys as well. They are pretty much non-violent. The connection is pretty obvious to me. What's interesting about bonobos is that, unlike Chimps (and humans) they are not a patriarchal society where everything revolves around the males and violence against females is tolerated. No, with the bonobos the females are boss by virtue of the close bonds that non-kinship females form with each other. The females can, and do band together to dominate and control the males.
There is no abuse against females. If a male steps out of line the females get together and shut that shit down.
It's hard not to imagine what would happen in human societies if the same thing were true and certainly underscores the years of bondage that women have endured under patriarchy. I believe that in someplace in the prehistoric part of the brain, men know that if the women got together, and had each others backs things would change.
If you extend the bonobos model, on a positive note for the boys, they would probably get more sex.
These lectures are always given in the North American Mammal hall, lined with dioramas, and they are always packed so if this sounds like something you'd like to do buy your tickets ($12 for admission only, $18 for admission + concert) buy your tickets early and on line.
Next month the topic will be, "Why Pluto Had to Die" and the guy who killed Pluto, Dr. Mike Brown will be there.
If you go be sure to check out the new dinosaur wing - it's pretty awesome. There are now food trucks out front in addition to the food that they serve in the Great African Hall and as always there is music and dancing and all kinds of people.
I love LA!
Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-763-DINO
This past Friday I headed out to the museum, inching my way through suck ass Friday night traffic (The lecture starts at 6:30 and it takes me over an hour to drive the six miles - this is how much I like First Friday) to hear Dr. Amy Parish discuss Darwinism and Feminism in the captive bonobo population that she has been studying for the last 20 years.
What you may be asking yourself is a bonobo? Bonobos are one of the two species comprising the Chimpanzee genus (I just copied that from her bio - I don't normally talk like that). In my own words, bonobos more slender versions of chimps. After hearing Dr. Parish speak I can also tell you that bonobos societies are run by the ladies and everyone has a lot of sexy time. Girl on girl, boy on girl, boy on boy and all of this sexy time is about who has the food and who wants it. There's a lot of masturbating going on with these guys as well. They are pretty much non-violent. The connection is pretty obvious to me. What's interesting about bonobos is that, unlike Chimps (and humans) they are not a patriarchal society where everything revolves around the males and violence against females is tolerated. No, with the bonobos the females are boss by virtue of the close bonds that non-kinship females form with each other. The females can, and do band together to dominate and control the males.
There is no abuse against females. If a male steps out of line the females get together and shut that shit down.
It's hard not to imagine what would happen in human societies if the same thing were true and certainly underscores the years of bondage that women have endured under patriarchy. I believe that in someplace in the prehistoric part of the brain, men know that if the women got together, and had each others backs things would change.
If you extend the bonobos model, on a positive note for the boys, they would probably get more sex.
These lectures are always given in the North American Mammal hall, lined with dioramas, and they are always packed so if this sounds like something you'd like to do buy your tickets ($12 for admission only, $18 for admission + concert) buy your tickets early and on line.
Next month the topic will be, "Why Pluto Had to Die" and the guy who killed Pluto, Dr. Mike Brown will be there.
If you go be sure to check out the new dinosaur wing - it's pretty awesome. There are now food trucks out front in addition to the food that they serve in the Great African Hall and as always there is music and dancing and all kinds of people.
I love LA!
Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
213-763-DINO
Monday, January 30, 2012
I Wish I May
When I was a little girl my mother told me that the best way to pick a gift for someone was to get them something that you liked. I was 7 and I picked out these plastic, spiked high heels the color of coca cola in a glass over ice, held up to the sun. There were flecks of gold glitter in them and gold elastic straps that went across the toes and the the arch of your foot. They made a scraping tapping sound when you walked in them. They looked like something Barbie would wear and I loved them.
Which is why I sobbed all the way to my friend's birthday party - I loved them so much I did not want to give them to her and I couldn't believe that my mother was forcing me to part with them. And why didn't anyone ever pick those shoes out for me on my birthday?
Not so long ago one of my friends attended her sister's bridal shower and she made the comment, "I wish I could register somewhere for all the stuff I want."
I laughed at her then because she loves pressents like a 7 year old at their birthday party, but I also happened to agree with her.
I love presents that I pick out for myself, but how to let people know exactly what those things are?
Especially since I've had more than one Christmas where it appeared that my father's wife had cleaned out her junk drawer, wrapped up the detritus found there and called it Joyeaux Noel.
I know, I know, it's the thought that counts, but seriously button covers? It was 2002.
Call me an ungrateful bitch, but the reality is that I would rather have someone make a charitable donation in my name than give me stuff I don't want or need. I have enough stuff. Every time I dust I put more of that stuff in a box for the Goodwill because, well, I don't want to dust anymore than I have to...
This is why, even though I am not a huge fan of Amazon.com because of what it's doing to small local business, I AM a huge fan of the Amazon.com Wish List feature.
Whenever I think of something that I actually want like really awesome stainless steel measuring cups that cost almost $30, and that I am too cheap to buy for myself, I go on Amazon and add it to the wish list.
So when my birthday or Christmas rolls around and people ask me what I want I can point them there, to my personal gift registry. And when I get one of those things as a gift I am thrilled because, well, I don't always remember what I put on my wish list, but large and small, it's all stuff that I could use.
Or thought I could at some point - it's important to revisit the wish list every once in a while and remove some stuff like the book Cowboys Are My Weakness, that I added in 2003. I'm totally through that phase. That may be why I got button covers...
Anyway, if you don't have a wish list you should go make one and the next time someone asks you what you'd like - tell them where you're registered.
You'll be glad you did and so will your friends.
Which is why I sobbed all the way to my friend's birthday party - I loved them so much I did not want to give them to her and I couldn't believe that my mother was forcing me to part with them. And why didn't anyone ever pick those shoes out for me on my birthday?
Not so long ago one of my friends attended her sister's bridal shower and she made the comment, "I wish I could register somewhere for all the stuff I want."
I laughed at her then because she loves pressents like a 7 year old at their birthday party, but I also happened to agree with her.
I love presents that I pick out for myself, but how to let people know exactly what those things are?
Especially since I've had more than one Christmas where it appeared that my father's wife had cleaned out her junk drawer, wrapped up the detritus found there and called it Joyeaux Noel.
I know, I know, it's the thought that counts, but seriously button covers? It was 2002.
Call me an ungrateful bitch, but the reality is that I would rather have someone make a charitable donation in my name than give me stuff I don't want or need. I have enough stuff. Every time I dust I put more of that stuff in a box for the Goodwill because, well, I don't want to dust anymore than I have to...
This is why, even though I am not a huge fan of Amazon.com because of what it's doing to small local business, I AM a huge fan of the Amazon.com Wish List feature.
Whenever I think of something that I actually want like really awesome stainless steel measuring cups that cost almost $30, and that I am too cheap to buy for myself, I go on Amazon and add it to the wish list.
So when my birthday or Christmas rolls around and people ask me what I want I can point them there, to my personal gift registry. And when I get one of those things as a gift I am thrilled because, well, I don't always remember what I put on my wish list, but large and small, it's all stuff that I could use.
Or thought I could at some point - it's important to revisit the wish list every once in a while and remove some stuff like the book Cowboys Are My Weakness, that I added in 2003. I'm totally through that phase. That may be why I got button covers...
Anyway, if you don't have a wish list you should go make one and the next time someone asks you what you'd like - tell them where you're registered.
You'll be glad you did and so will your friends.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Popping Good - Wolf in Sheeps Clothing
The pop up restaurant is one of my favorite places to eat. This could be because there is that sense of fleetingness, like this small window will be the only time that you will get to eat Ludo's Paris soup at Ludobites 4.0 (or was that 5.0), or Neal Fraser's Braised Pork with the slow cooked egg and corn velout at Test Kitchen.
Like a love affair with a stranger that you can't get enough of in a foreign locale, you know it's not going to last or even be repeated, which makes the memory so special.
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing popped up in Venice in early December and I finally got over there to try it last week and I'm so pleased to say that it did not disappoint. This dining adventure is led by Brian Dunsmoor (Axe) and Kris Tominaga (Joe's) who are putting out market driven, rustic and sensual food. I say sensual because the whole time I just wanted to eat with my hands and lick my plate.
But it was my first time there so I controlled myself so I would be able to come back again and again.
They don't take reservations except for parties over 6 which is fine with me, I just make sure I arrive before 7pm and there's almost always a table. The space is very cool - concrete floors, skim coated walls, warm, indirect lighting. We sat under a large photo of Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Trigger. It kind of reminded me of a lovely art gallery with tables and food and good music.
And good wine - art galleries never have wine this good.
I would have ordered everything on the menu but there were only two of us so we started with some pickled vegetables - I LOVED the cucumbers, but didn't try any of the others because I'm not so much into pickled anything.
Next we had the smoked trout with toast and avocado. This was delicious. If they had those little jars of smoked trout to go I would have taken two. It was so good I had to restrain myself from wiping the jar with my finger. It was great with the toast, but the avocado made it very rich.
The kale salad was so very good. I know kale is the hip and healthy green of the moment, but I don't really like it. That said I think an 8 year old would scarf this salad down. It's got apples and sweet dates which have a lovely party with the vinaigrette and every mouthful was delicious.
We each tried a baked oyster which I loved and my friend did not, but I grew up eating oysters rockefeller and he grew up in Israel not eating them. I thought this version of cooked oyster with cream and greens was super, though very rich. Don't think I would eat more than one or two because between the avocado on the toast and this I was starting to get really full.
We waffled back and forth between the scallops and the lamb and finally decided on the latter and yes, it's a petite plate, but I could not have eaten it by myself. The lamb was sliced and perfectly cooked - or rather cooked exactly the way I like it. Very pink. It's served over a toasted barley with a lamb ragout and topped with a divine gremolata. Again, if they had the barley and lamb ragout in to go containers in a fridge up front, I would be stocking up.
Although we were full, we ordered the chocolate maple pecan dessert and it was decadent and sticky and I should have stopped at one bite, but I didn't and that's okay - if you're going to gorge it should be on something like this.
I asked if they would be sticking around for spring because they are rocking the seasonal ingredients in such a great way and one of the owners told me that he thought they might get to hang out for 6 more months.
Yay!
I will be going back and trying the raclette and the pork belly as well as revisiting the smoked trout and the kale salad.
A couple of notes on the food service. Servers are delightful, every last one of them. The food came out a bit fast but that didn't seem to be about turning the table, moreso that the food is best eaten as it comes up and the kitchen was not in the weeds at all. My sense is that had we ordered as we went that would have been okay and next time that's what I will do. This would be a really fun place to go with a group so you could order everything they have and try it all.
Everyone who works here is terrific - all from Venice, all with restaurant experience - creating the kind of place they would like to eat at - and they are doing it really well.
Keeping the Vampires at Bay: A Review of A Garlic Press
 |
| OXO garlic press (image from Pottery Barn) |
The only flaw in my conclusion was that I'd never used a garlic press, so I was basically speaking out of my ass. That changed a few weeks ago when I was buying a gift in Crate and Barrel and happened to walk past the display of garlic presses. The lovely one pictured above caught my eye, so I picked it up. It had a nice heft, and was certainly pretty to look at, but $19.95 to do what I could do with two tools I already owned...why would I need this thing?
Still, I don't like running my mouth if I don't know that of which I speak, so I bought it, if only to prove myself right.
So, was I?
Well, I will say this for it: that thing squishes a clove of garlic zippity doo-da fast! Perfect, pureed garlic in just one manly squeeze, and yes, faster than I could do it with my knife or microplane. BUT, I still find myself using my knife whenever garlic is involved, because I smash my garlic with my knife's flat side to peel it, I cut the little hard stem end off and, because my farmer's market no longer has any garlic, the garlic I've been buying at the grocery store has that bitter green sprout in the middle so I have to take that out, all before I can properly press each clove. And, I just can't throw away the flat little slice of leftover garlic that the press won't press through, so I find myself chopping that up, too. As for cleaning, although this press has those nubs that push up the remaining bits of garlic from the holes, you do still have to manually pick the garlic from it, and it IS one more thing to wash. Also, it's a bit bulky for my tiny NYC kitchen drawers.
That said, I'm using it and I have used it every single time I have needed garlic since the day I bought it, and that's pretty much every day, as I am a garlic fiend.
Do I need a garlic press? No. Would I cry if my garlic press disappeared? Probably not. Do I curse it when I can't open the kitchen drawer because it has become stuck inside with its bulk? Yes. But why the hell do I think it's so much fun to squish garlic in it? No idea. I'm not sorry I bought it. Rating: A-
Monday, January 23, 2012
In short
I received this in an e-mail from my dad this morning.
Director, Sir Ridley Scott launched a global film making contest for aspiring directors.
It's titled "Tell It Your Way."
There were over 600 entries.
The film could be no longer than three minutes, contain only 6 lines of narrative, and it had to be a compelling story.
The winner was "Porcelain Unicorn" from American director Keegan Wilcox.
It's a story of the lifetimes of two people who are totally opposite, yet, very much the same - all told in less than three minutes. You can understand why it won.
The Porcelain Unicorn...
A friend of mine, David Mills, an amazing writer and journalist, once told me that very often the most powerful stories are told with the fewest words.
These three minutes certainly prove that point.
Congratulations Keegan Wilcox!
Director, Sir Ridley Scott launched a global film making contest for aspiring directors.
It's titled "Tell It Your Way."
There were over 600 entries.
The film could be no longer than three minutes, contain only 6 lines of narrative, and it had to be a compelling story.
The winner was "Porcelain Unicorn" from American director Keegan Wilcox.
It's a story of the lifetimes of two people who are totally opposite, yet, very much the same - all told in less than three minutes. You can understand why it won.
The Porcelain Unicorn...
A friend of mine, David Mills, an amazing writer and journalist, once told me that very often the most powerful stories are told with the fewest words.
These three minutes certainly prove that point.
Congratulations Keegan Wilcox!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Jonatha Brooke: As the maniac, the saint, the sinner, the drinker, the thinker, the queer.
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| The awesome view from my seat in the Allen Room. @Allison Tyler |
It would have been hard to take my eyes from that soaring view, if not for the delicious elixir that is Jonatha's voice...ripe with emotion, clear and smooth as good bourbon, a taste of honey, a hint of vixen and a whole lot of heart. She captivated her audience, and me. Why the hell this woman isn't at the top of the charts makes no sense.
If you've never heard her music before, I suggest you pick up The Works, which is Jonatha's 2008 album, the celebration and culmination of her research and love of Woody Guthrie, that was the basis for Wednesday's concert. Keb' Mo' (another of my favorites) duets with her on "All You Gotta Do Is Touch Me". Yum.
Read more about the concert here. You can download Jonatha's beautiful (and tear-inducing) rendition of This Land Is Your Land from iTunes for .99.
OXO
Allison
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Love thy neighbor
I grew up in the era of Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, Sheriff John, Hobo Kelly and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I remember watching those shows in the early morning and at lunch time - Sheriff John's red light/green light game caused milk to spurt out my brother's nose on more than one occasion, which I still think is hilarious. The games and the activities we performed with the little kids who got to be on the shows were all exercises in learning disguised as a good time. I remember wanting so badly for Hobo Kelly to have left presents under my bed, and for Sheriff John to sing "Put Another Candle on Your Birthday Cake," especially for me.
I loved Mr. Rogers most of all because he was the kindest man I knew. He was really interested in what I thought and because of that many of the neighbors who actually lived near me would find themselves visiting with my 8 year old self.
As I've mentioned before, the neighborhood I grew up in was one of those subdivisions built in the early 60s, very much like the one on "The Wonder Years". All of the moms would send their kids out to play because other than the Helms Bread man who got busted for selling marijuana out of his Woody station wagon/bakery truck, our streets were crime free.
This was great except that I didn't always want to play outside with the kids. Sometimes I wanted to have grown up conversations about my life and the things I thought were important, like what book I was reading or the Vietnam war (my parents were progressive and anti so those discussions were happening all around me). So while the other kids were playing Capture the Flag and Colored Eggs I would go visiting, hanging out in kitchens with my friend's moms, drinking iced tea and talking to them while they cleaned, or sometimes, if I was lucky we would play cards.
I fully expected that they would welcome my company and enjoy our conversations and I'm sure some of them did. Looking back I do believe that my mornings with Mr. Rogers definitely influenced my feeling that I was important and what I had to say was valuable. (It was also because my parents were always interested in talking to me, but they had to be, I was their kid and I liked to chat.)
Mr. Rogers was an all around cool guy and a hero to all the kids who got to grow up with him. Check out this video of him testifying before the U.S. Senate. It's inspiring!
I still love you Mr. Rogers, thanks for caring!
SLP
I loved Mr. Rogers most of all because he was the kindest man I knew. He was really interested in what I thought and because of that many of the neighbors who actually lived near me would find themselves visiting with my 8 year old self.
As I've mentioned before, the neighborhood I grew up in was one of those subdivisions built in the early 60s, very much like the one on "The Wonder Years". All of the moms would send their kids out to play because other than the Helms Bread man who got busted for selling marijuana out of his Woody station wagon/bakery truck, our streets were crime free.
This was great except that I didn't always want to play outside with the kids. Sometimes I wanted to have grown up conversations about my life and the things I thought were important, like what book I was reading or the Vietnam war (my parents were progressive and anti so those discussions were happening all around me). So while the other kids were playing Capture the Flag and Colored Eggs I would go visiting, hanging out in kitchens with my friend's moms, drinking iced tea and talking to them while they cleaned, or sometimes, if I was lucky we would play cards.
I fully expected that they would welcome my company and enjoy our conversations and I'm sure some of them did. Looking back I do believe that my mornings with Mr. Rogers definitely influenced my feeling that I was important and what I had to say was valuable. (It was also because my parents were always interested in talking to me, but they had to be, I was their kid and I liked to chat.)
Mr. Rogers was an all around cool guy and a hero to all the kids who got to grow up with him. Check out this video of him testifying before the U.S. Senate. It's inspiring!
I still love you Mr. Rogers, thanks for caring!
SLP
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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