Just a quick how do you do to tell you two fun things going on in case you're looking for a good time. Both having to do with food. Of course.
First of all, if you like tacos, and if you don't, I don't know you, you might want to check out The LA Taco Festival happening today in Boyle Heights.
To benefit homeless youth, there'll be mariachi music, art, community outreach and TACOS. That's from 2-8pm, at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. It's Cash Only at the door. And you can take the Metro to get there.
Another option - this one happening today and tomorrow in Little Tokyo as a part of Nisei Week is a Ramen Festival.
Honestly, the last time I ate Ramen I think I was in high school, but earlier this week my cute friend, Heather, called and I never heard her so excited. She not only found out about this festival but learned there'll be a gluten-free Ramen option. I mean don't panic, there'll be a lot of gluten there for "normal" people, but there will be an option for those who can't eat the gluten and yet crave the ramen.
The idea that if they have so many options they actually have gluten-free Ramen leads me to believe there'll be A LOT of choices. So with an icepack around my neck to keep me cool, I am very willing to eat hot soup on an August day.
Because that's the kind of friend I am to the Gluten-Challenged.
Hope to see you there!
The 4th Annual LA Taco Festival is happening today from 2-8pm. All You Can Eat passes are sold out but you can still buy (as long as supplies last) tix as follows: $4.00 will get you 1 taco, $10.00 will get you 3, and for $20.00 you get your 8 tacos. It's Cash Only at the Door. Click HERE for more information on Metro & Parking.
The Ramen Yokocho Fest is happening today from 11-11 and Sunday from 11 to 9. There'll be 9 Ramen shops, count 'em, 9, dishing out ramen from all over (Sacramento to Las Vegas to Japan), DJ's, contests, including a gyoza eating contest (yum). It's taking place at 160 North Central Ave., in Downtown LA. If you're driving, try parking at 101 Judge John Aiso Street, LA, CA 90012. If you're going by Metro it's just a 3 minute walk from the Little Tokyo District Arts Station on The Gold Line. The Admission Price is $5 and the price for a bowl of Ramen is $8, flat. Children 6 and under go in free.
"People love the beautiful things." This from the founder of San Clemente, Ole Hanson. You heard me, Ole Hanson. I just love that name so much. You can't help but put on an old-timey voice on if you go to the San Clemente Ralphs because Ole Hanson first used it as a stable and then he opened up that same location as The Hotel For Sick People (aka a hospital). Now it's...
The San Clemente Ralphs, once The Hotel For Sick People
Ole Hanson started the town of San Clemente in the 20's. It was to be a Spanish City by the Sea. And it is. It's far enough from both nearby cities (San Diego and Los Angeles) to feel you've gotten away. And dude, I needed to get away.
Me Feeling the Rut of Home
Of course I love living in LA. I absolutely do. But if you don't go away once in awhile you have NO perspective on where you live. Someone important said that.
Me.
Me on Vacation is a Happy Me
San Clemente is really known as a surfer town and home to Camp Pendleton Marine Base. My friend Max's, Dad, was based here in the 60's where he learned to surf before being shipped off to Vietnam. He got his board from Hobie who had one of the first surfboard shops in the country right in Dana Point, which is the town just above San Clemente.
Surfing Family waiting to park at San Onofre
My husband likes to surf and I like to sit on the beach and do nothing so this seemed like a good place for us to go. And he already knew San Clemente. It's the town right above San Onofre where all good surfers (he is one) make a pilgrimage.
Surfers at San Onofre
But the waves were rather flat the weekend we were there so we didn't really partake too much.
Terry making a Dribble Castle
We did though swim in the water. It called to us. San Clemente has one of the nicest, most mellow and fun beaches in SoCal. I had no idea of course. And it's not hard to park there. I fear parking at beaches like nobody's business. It just sounds hard ALWAYS. Of course if you go to San Clemente and want to be very close then you should bring tons of quarters: it's 10 minutes per quarter. We on the other hand found a sweet parking place TWO DAYS IN A ROW right on the street. Parked for FREE whu-what? Two days in a row? Yep. Also the beach bathroom is clean (this from a girl who HATES HATES HATES public bathrooms) and the water is niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.
Frankly, it really doesn't take much to make me happy. That's another way of saying money's tight. So why then, might you ask, would I choose a beach town at high season? Because I like to research and find the least expensive way to be happy. Presenting...
Happy: The Patriots' Boutique Motel
I did not take that picture. I found it on the internet. But you get the idea. The Patriots' Boutique Motel is a pretty plain place. In fact my husband thought they should go to a Hotel/Motel Art Fair and buy some more pictures. But in reality, neither of us could care less. The most important thing - and I mean like ESSENTIAL - was the bed was comfortable. And I mean it was outrageously comfortable. Like we didn't want to leave this super plain room because we loved the plain bed so damn much.
Who needs art?
All I need are some tasty waves, a television set and a comfortable bed and I'm fine. (also the room was super clean and $150.00 per night which included tax and whatever other fees there were. The price was right).
As for the town itself, there are two main strips: El Camino Real and Avenida Del Mar. I'm not going to lie, it's okay. It's a mixture of Radio Shacks and Subways with cute boutique stores, restaurants and surf shops. Stand-outs include Reclamation, a lovely and beautiful shop that showcases reclaimed wood and bottles used to make one-of-a-kind furnishings and art, one very delicious olive oil store, a store about mermaids, the famed Ralphs, and a sex shop, ConRev, smack dab in the middle of El Camino Real. The girls that work there are really friendly and look you straight in the eye; they don't want you to feel shy. So don't go there if you think you can disappear. You can't.
As for the food, hmmm. Listen, this isn't the foodie capital of the world. San Clemente is a pretty straight-foward place. That being said, here are some highlights:
The Original Banzai Bowl located right on El Camino Real is a fruit, smoothie, juice place and also a hang-out for teens. I loved the interior. And concluded it's a good place to drop in if you want something refreshing:
For breakfast: My favorite place was Zebra's at 1001 South El Camino Real - which also was like a five minute walk from the motel. You walk to the left, past The Bagel Shack (which looked good and thatched), the famous Ralphs Hospital, and then you hit Zebra's.
The guy who owns it has the best beard I've ever seen in my life. The girl who works the counter has one side of her hair in blue WHICH matches her blue vintage car. The muffins are fresh-baked every morning with fresh fruit in them. Delicious! And their coffee hit the spot. You can trust that I know a decent cup of joe. I'm a major coffee snob, there are a million references about this on this blog, so if I say the coffee is good, it's an end-of-discussion moment. Also they play Bread and Three Dog Night and America and you gotta love a place that plays soft hits from the 70's.
The other stand-out for coffee was in Dana Point, just north of San Clemente. I have no pictures or cutesie stories about JC Beans but again, the coffee was tasty, it was a fast drive from our hotel, and I forgot my wallet and the girl told me that it was okay. No Problem. Just pay me next time.
I like beach people.
Lunch? I don't got nothin to say about that but for dinner, if you're smart, you will not listen to the locals and you'll listen to me. Avenida Del Mar is where all the main restaurants are. And nail shops (yep, we got a pedi at one of the two Minghee's)...
Terry's first pedi
But back to food. Everyone recommended we go to this one place that shall remain nameless. Here is the place that I want you to try: Village Mediterranean Rim. It's a Moroccan-y, meaty, Mediterranean-y place with so many choices for Tagines it's unbelievable. (Tagines are slow-cooked meat & veggie stews though I think at Village Med in addition to their meat one-pots there is also a straight-up veggie option). The food is fresh and delicious, stew-y and comforting. Though not all of it is tagined - they also offer entrees like Chermoula Encrusted Salmon ($27) and Braised Leg of Elk ($25). It's romantic, open-air, the service is a little slower than you'd like but you're on vacation so who cares? The owner was born in Damascus, trained in Italy and spent time in Morocco. And Brentwood where he had a successful bunch of restaurants. Now he's here, has been for awhile. He likes all of the freshest ingredients, has good taste and a good eye -- in other words, the ambiance is lovely. So for a romantic, delicious dinner, this is a safe bet. And for what it's worth I highly highly highly recommend the Lamb Meatloaf Tagine served with cous cous. Yumtastic. Tender, tasty, filling, original.
That being said, I cannot lie. My favorite meal was a Noosa Raspberry Yogurt mixed with some salty almonds that I got at Ralph's.
Because you don't really come here to eat. At least that's how I now see it. Truthfully, before we went I'm not sure what I expected or wanted out of our weekend away but what I got was one of my favorite visits to a beach in a long-ass time.
This girl was so excited to be buried in sand. I swear, she was the most adorable thing on the planet
Nothing much beats zinc'ing up your body with sun block (might I recommend Sun Bum Zinc Oxide 50 which we picked up at Hobie's on Camino Real and it was perfect) and chilling out on the sand with a fantastic book.
This book is so good - addictive.
There were families everywhere, couples frolicking in the waves (yep, including us), kids on boogie boards, adults on boogie boards, surfers, sunbathers, joggers - it was like that scene from "Jaws" minus the shark business.
What a grand way to get out of town and less than two hours away (even less if you download Waze). So worth the drive. And so worth downloading Waze! If you haven't done so, chop chop!
Pedi + Beach = Happy
Directions: While it's just over 60 miles south of LA, San Clemente can easily inch into a mega slow drive. Normally you'd take the 5 from LA there and back. That being said, check out Waze. We did so much circuitous stuff I couldn't possibly repeat it but all I know is we loved how fast our route was. On a Friday, when we left at 3pm we got there at 5. That's pretty amazing considering that should've been the worst traffic on the planet. Do though be careful. If you go the weird Waze way you may end up on Tollroads. Those fees have to be paid relatively quickly. To find out how paying for The TollRoads works, click HERE.
Ralphs is at 903 South El Camino Real
Hobie's Surf Shop in San Clemente for Men is 100 South El Camino Real and for Women is at 151 Avenida Del Mar.
The Patriots' Boutique Motel is located within walking distance of the beach (and the owner even offered to drive us there. LOVE beach people!). Right now a Double during weekdays goes for $109, on the weekends it goes for $139 (not including tax and fees). Obviously this is subject to change. Book through their website for the best deal. They welcome dogs! 711 South El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672. 949-218-6348.
Reclamation is at 105 Avenida Del Mar. 949-545-6400. They offer shipping.
The Olive Oil Store is actually called Oliver's Olive Oil. It's at 211 Avenida Del Mar. They offer shipping.
ConRev is at 401 South El Camino Real. It's right next to a Subway. I didn't see this location listed on their website so I included the link to their Yelp page.
Minghee's is at 132 Avenida Del Mar. Walk In's welcome.
Bold words in this post's title. And I'm sure I don't know every soda store in LA. But I do know this place is fun. It's cute. It's got charisma. It plays music from the 50's, 60's and 70's. And most importantly, it offers over 400 different sodas.
Did you know it was spelled like that? I totally thought it was Sasparilla.
Some people say it's over 500. Some say it's over 1000. Really, once you're over 250, is it really worth a debate?
At first when you walk in, it almost looks like a warehouse...
But then you turn to the left and you know, the Back in Time sensation begins. This is like where Richie Cunningham went to get his toy planes before he met The Fonz.
I mean come on! This stuff is great. And it gets a little greater. Because next stop is the candy. All old-fashioned labels. One makes you think of the 20's...
The other the 50's...
The other, the 70's...
Personally, I prefer the candy smokes:
And just look up. You'll find vintage tidbits just above eye level:
That there in that cut out is the owner John Nese. He'll answer any question you have. Super helpful.
I love all that stuff. It's fun, it's cool, I love labels. But what I come for, what I really want, is the soda.
You might be able to find some of the selection somewhere else, but not all of it. No way no how. They only feature smaller labels. No big mass soda hauls here. I LOVE THAT. I also love that it's a family owned and operated business which all the people in this hood know about. Especially the ones who grew up here. They'd come to Galco's all the time after games and such for good sammies. In fact for the longest time Galco's was primarily a grocery/deli type place. (And by the way, they still make fresh sandwiches which are supposed to be good. I simply haven't tried any yet). But about 17 years ago or so, the owner, John Nese, had an urge to sell soda, but only from little labels you may never have heard of or ones you weren't sure were still in business.
Making John the most rad punk rock soda salesman in the country.
By the way, they have beer, too. Tons of it. And cool stuff which I imagine is not in every shop:
You can also get your sake on at Galco's...
As for me, I'm a Ginger Beer gal myself.
It's spicy, it's intense, and if you breathe in the fizzies, your eyes might water up. IT'S FANTASTIC.
So into this label.
Galco's Soda Pop Stop is located at 5702 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90042. The store's open from 9 to 6:30 Mon thru Saturday and 9 to 4 on Sundays. Parking is not a problem at all. They have their own lot. There's plenty of street parking as well.
The English Beat is performing free as a part of The Twilight Series down at The Santa Monica Pier this Thursday night.
The show starts at 7pm and is hosted by DJ Eric J. Lawrence. To RSVP for this event, click HERE. As for parking info and such, click HERE. Just so you know the municipal lots on 4th & Colorado will help you avoid traffic on your way out. So will going by bike. :) This is an all ages, all free event (sans the parking). It's part of KCRW's Summer Nights Events. To sign up for texting updates, Text SUMMER to 69866.
My husband convinced a group of us to go out on a Sunday night - a coveted stay-home evening - to see the famous early 80's counterculture documentary "Style Wars" which is about graffiti artists, bombers/writers, b-boy dancers and hip hop in NYC in the early 80's.
Photo by Henry Chalfont, on exhibit at the event.
Shown outside at night on the lawn of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, I was pretty much the only one watching who was new to this beloved documentary. Pretty much all in attendance owned it like the back of their tattooed hands. The guy next to me was shouting out lines as if he were watching "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." I get it and I loved it. LOVED LOVED LOVED.
"Style Wars," directed by the late Tony Silver and produced by Henry Chalfont, was just recently restored with fund-raising efforts lead by uber fan Catherine Keener. She was there before the film to discuss the film's meaning, history and impact along with a panel comprised of Chalfont and one of the film's star bombers, Skeme, moderated by Anthony Valdez.
Skeme and his Mom in their kitchen on screen
The movie was so good and personal, due in part to the intercutting throughout of Skeme and his mother. Just a two-shot in the kitchen, their dynamic, her personality, everything - it was FANTASTIC. Nothing short of priceless and classic. I could watch clips of them over and over and over again. Here's a little of the film featuring Skeme and his mom, along with other moments from the film:
It was also a major adrenaline rush due in part to the soundtrack. Check out the movie's playlist, as compiled by Repo136:
1. Siegfried’s Rhine Journey and Funeral Music 2. 8th Wonder - The Sugarhill Gang 3. The Wanderer - Dion 4. Jam Hot - Johnny Dynell 5. Pump Me Up - Trouble Funk 6. The Message - Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five 7. Beat Bop - Rammelzee vs. K-Rob 8. Sing, Sing - Gaz 9. Give It Up or Turnit a Loose - James Brown 10. Rockin’ It - The Fearless Four 11. Rocket In The Pocket - Cerrone 12. Feel The New Heartbeat - The Treacherous Three
And yes, now I'm going to download the whole damn thing. So good. Also prior to watching the film there were artists making art:
Photo by Terrence Dunlop
T shirts getting silk screened with famous sayings from the time period:
Photo by Terrence Dunlop
And they even had BBoy dancers from Long Beach. Before that performance, just while hanging out, we listened to some great music spun by Anthony Valdez, including of course:
My husband danced to this as did the many gathered on the lawn there, but I didn't get much of a shot of him dancing. Sorry Terry Fans.
KCRW did this in conjunction with Oscar Outdoors, which on its own shows movies all summer long right there on the lawn at The Academy of Motion Arts and Pictures. The entrance is on Homewood, between Cahuenga and Vine (just south of The Arclight) in Hollywood. There's SA-WEET parking right across from the lawn (It was very human!!!! - I got in and out no problem, no agita!). So if this sounds like your sort of thing, know that there are a bunch of films coming up. Good stuff, too. You can buy tickets online, though some of the really popular movies set for August are already sold out. And yet...
When there's a will, there's always a way.
If you're into it, you can go on standby. That's what we did for "Style Wars." We got there before 6pm, and had no problem getting in and setting up camp. Tickets are 5 bucks, free for kids under 10 (are you short?) and if you're an Academy Member (ahem) it's $3. This Friday, August 2nd, is "American Graffiti" and on August 24th it's "Grease." Grease is the word yo. For ticket information, rules about what you can bring in with you, etc. just go to Oscar Outdoors.
Meanwhile, I kind of bonded with these very nice people from KCRW last night and want to add there's a cool upcoming FREE event which they're hosting in August. This showing of "Style Wars" was a part of KCRW's Summer Nights Events. On August 17th as part of their Summer Nights schedule, they're throwing a big ole party in Chinatown. I'm definitely going. Sounds like mega fun. There's going to be dancing, food, DJ's, chefs cooking up Chinese cuisine -- food, food, food...
Photo courtesy of KCRW
And as for last night, it was a blast. And educational. The movie really effected me. I remember growing up in New York and being scared out of appreciating graffiti. I was young and had fallen for my paranoid parent's (and Mayor Ed Koch's) opinion that graffiti's only real meaning was to signify urban blight and the terrible depths our society had fallen to. As I've gotten older, I've fallen out of fear and into love with graffiti. I see such art and messaging, talent and creativity. I really felt that "Style Wars" gave me a lot of insight into the world of someone who wanted to see their name traveling all over NYC, from one place to another. They cared so much about the art of it and what it looked like. I understand much more now what it meant to them to see their name on those cars in terms of displaying their creations to likeminded individuals who could and would (minus Cap) fully appreciate what they had accomplished. And the subversive task of getting their art done in and of itself was of course a major part of the thrill and added to why the act was so truly empowering.
"Style Wars" made me want to be cool, which is one of the best outcomes of any film, if you ask me.
Leading me to say if you EVER hear that this film is being screened, do yourself a favor and go see it. You will not regret it. Also if you're interested in the topic, you may want to check out the producer's website: HENRY CHALFONT.
Gretchen Rossi & Tamra Barney of The Real Housewives of Orange County during a friendly phase
When I think of Orange County I think of Tamra Barney and Gretchen Rossi, and all the other blondes and color-treated gals who make up The Real Housewives of Orange County cast. As entertained as I am on Monday nights watching the cat scratching, gulp-drinking, awkward confrontations, and odd clothing and mate choices, I forget, Orange County isn't all that. It's also sort of The Surfing Capital of Southern California. Or one of them. And it has one of the bestdog beaches IN THE COUNTRY. All of this exists a mere 40 minutes drive my house. So one morning, we got up a little early, put our bathing suits on our pale white bodies, loaded the pup and some sunscreen into the car and took off.
It was the first time my dog had ever been to the ocean. At least I think so. I got him when he was about 9 months old from the pound so you never know. All I can report is he acted like he'd never touched sand, saw seagulls or sniffed seaweed before. He absolutely loved it. Minus the sand that sometimes got in his eyes.
Harry looks even a little more attractive around surfers.
Below is Kenyon. Nancy and Brian, Kenyon's owners, really inspired this first foray. They've been going to Huntington for years, staying at dog-friendly hotels, and having a blast.
Kenyon, the sweetest dog on the planet aside from my dog.
I had no idea how easy all of this was. To get there, most people go from Hollywood and take the 5 South forever. And it's only "forever" because of the traffic. I can say this because that's what we did and it was a big doggie downer. But on our way home we found ourselves on the 60 and that was a far better, more human choice. Next time, that's my plan. On the way I'll hop on the 5 South for a little bit, get onto the 60 East - I'm sure I'll be happy to see it, get on the 605 South for about 10 minutes and drop down to the 405 towards the PCH. It sounds complex but it actually works quite well and you get there without all that 5 mishegoss which, like I said, if you've experienced The 5, you know of what I speak.
You think I've watched The Californians on Saturday Night Live?
Dude, I live it.
Tasty Waves
I'm happy to be made fun of for my love of freeway shortcuts when the ocean is involved.
Happy fellas at the beach
Just some small but helpful tidbits of information: Dog Beach is located in Huntington Beach between Seapoint Ave. and 21st Street, along the PCH. It's open between 5AM and 10PM. There are two parking lots specifically for the dog beach area. They're between Seapoint and Goldenwest. Meters there cost $1.50 per hour and they take Visa/MC. There are other lots as well, and I'm not sure all of them take cards. As for even more specific information regarding exactly where the dog portion of the beach is, rules of the beach regarding food and conduct, events taking place, etc. here's a DOG BEACH LINK that will answer many of your questions. As for accommodations, my friends recommend The Hilton. They say, "It's clean and luxurious, especially for a place that takes dogs."
