I appreciate that they've done some nice art near the fairgrounds. I'm a little alarmed, though, at how, um, big this man is.
Upcoming Classes
7 years ago
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Photos from LA Pride 6/13/2010
Some really fun photos here. I don't know WHAT that is talking on his cell phone. Also, is there some kind of fetish that goes along with a horse and buggy that I don't know about?
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
False Advertising
The outside of the 7 Eleven Ice Cream tub. The inside. Not looking too similar to me.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Ramen Rangers
I got my hands on the pilot script and am going to read it tonight. Really curious to hear if they pull this one off....a show about CIA Backpackers?
Monday, April 12, 2010
Croque Madame @ Monsieur Marcel = HEAVEN
Monsieur Marcel in Farmer's Market at The Grove, Los Angeles. All kinds of delicious.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Why I Love Irv's Burgers in West Hollywood
This is where I read LA Weekly every week and fail to improve my cholesterol level.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Laos and I
(from the archives)
I flew from Siem Reap to Pakse, Laos on a Lao Airlines prop plane with neon seats and a terrifying reputation. I then took a tuk-tuk to the southern bus station (a dirt parking lot that resembles a fairground in the off-season). I negotiated a lift towards Si Phan Dom on a local bus, a pickup truck with seats in the back (and a basket of pigs). They stopped about half way and added a freezer our load, right next to the swine and just shy of my right foot.
I found people from NYC on my bus. They were a couple in their early twenties who had been teaching in China. We agreed to stick together and found accommodation on Don Det island, which involved hiring a motorboat after the bus dropped us in a another dirt field (bus station). Travel days are a pain in the ass.
Don Det is surrounded by an alleged 4000 Mekong islands and the river itself. It has about 30 guest houses (huts with hammocks) and generated electricity from 6pm until 10pm. There is a crazy rumour going around that there will be electricity here by 2010 and this means that it's only a matter of years before float planes and a Sofitel appear. Until then, it's a backpacking stop where days are spent hammocking (new verb) and riding around the island. The sunsets are shocking and I could easily have spent a week here doing nothing.
One hilarious thing is that the walls of most huts are paper thin and conversations easily floats from bungalow to bungalow. So does the noise of sex. Take a stroll around the island just after the generators kick and you'll hear hut after hut of backpacking couples doing the nasty. The guy in the room next to me groaned out of nowhere last night, then his girlfriend opened their door and spit off the balcony. Total sorority girl move.
I blew the bank on a 15km kayaking trip, which was the highlight of my time on DD. We were dropped in just after the waterfall and had to traverse some nasty Class 5 rapids quickly. I flipped going into the biggest hole - anyone who has spent time in rapids will tell you that this the worst time to wreck. The realization that you have to go down the whole stretch this way is terrifying. I desperately clung to my kayak as I was thrown down the river, gulping for air and using ny knees as a shield oncoming rocks. The guide was shouting "STAY LIGHT" (right) but I was pulled by the much harsher current on the left. Scary, scary shit. I was pretty banged up by the time I was spat out. One puncture wound on my right shin is going to take months to heal and could probably have used some stitches (if there was a doctor within 200 miles).
Three nights passed quickly on Don Det. It's got just enough tourist charm and just enough rural feel. With all of the construction going on, it's obvious that won't last for long.
I made a fast decision to head north for Champasak, which was a relatively quick bus+boat trip away. It's a sleepy town with few tourists and I loved it immediately. I fell in with a couple from California, who were also staying at my guesthouse. Over the next two days we drove motorbikes up to the local temples (Wat Phu), ate a fuckload of delicious Lao food and drank cheap whiskey.
The whiskey here is $1 a bottle and is sweet, kind of like Soco. The brand is called Lion King. The best part about it is the typo on every bottle's sticker, which purports the contents to taste "smooth and mellon".
I have now landed on the island of Don Daet, which has increased the number of tourists here from zero to one (me). I am at the island's community guesthouse, which has two mattresses on the floor and a balcony overlooking the river. Everyone is quite curious why a tourist would come here and dozens of kids have ridden by, smiled and shouted "Sabadii!!" (Hello). I rode a clunky bike around the island today and became a local attraction. Tomorrow morning I have to find a fisherman who will take me back to the mainland, were I can head up to Pakse.
After Pakse I meet up with a friend. She is with me for one week and I am sure that this will be a shock to the system. It's been ten weeks since I've seen a single person that I know. I am not sure if I am nervous or excited. No wait. Nervous.
I'd suck off each of the Seven Dwarfs off for a slice of good pizza.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Have You Ever Seen Something So Perfect?
Not all tapas is created equally. Taken and eaten in Girona, Spain.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
36 Hours In Bocas Del Toro, Panama
I went to Panama about a year ago and played around with the Travel & Leisure format, writing a test piece about Bocas Tel Toro. It wasn't easy, not because of the research but more because I'm not used to writing this way. It felt a bit dispassionate but I just re-read it and realized that at the least, there's some good information in here:
Sleep
Owned by a Cincinnati native and worth the step up from hostel-land, Cocomo On The Sea (Avenida Norte; 757-9259; www.cocomoonthesea.com; doubles from $60) feels like the kind of classic B&B you’d find on Martha’s Vineyard. The four private rooms open onto the ocean that’s filled with comfy furniture to sink into for a quiet beer. Bocas Town is perfect if you’re eyeballing a cheap place to sleep – Mondo Taitu (myspace.com/mondotaitu) knows how to throw down a party and is the partypacker spot of choice. Those seeking an escapist experience will find it in Garden Of Eden Resort (459-3689; www.gardenofedenbocaspanama.co ; $160 Suites), which is located on a private island and allows no more than fifteen guests at a time.
Eat
The best way to start a day is at Lili’s Café (Calle 1; lunch for two $15), where you’ll rub elbows with expats in the know. The fiery house omelet is plated with a potent “Killin’ Me Man” sauce and the Curried Tuna sandwich is held together with homemade, brick-sized bread. Cosmic Crab Café (Isla Carenero, 757-9157, $20 for two) is a quick water taxi ride away and serves up the freshest seafood around, buying directly from fishermen who bring their haul to the local dock each day. The Carribean Coconut Chicken Soup will roll your eyes into the back of your head. Ditto the fresh lobster with a lime-garlic butter sauce. The best stop for a late-night snack is The Chicken Truck (intersection of Calle 3 and Av Central; $3.00, open late). Tourists and locals stand shoulder-to-shoulder to nab one of these grilled baguettes with marinated chicken nirvana.
Play
Grab two wheels at Bocas Rent-A-Bike (Main Street, 6446-0787, $2 per hour) to explore. A more chill way to see the islands is to plant your ass on a seven hour catamaran trip (Hotel Dos Palmas; 757-9710; $40 per person, includes snorkeling). Island hopping via water taxis is an easy way to fill the day – taxis are abundant on the waterfront and most rides will cost under $5. A visit to Green Frog Beach (water taxi; $20 roundtrip + $2 admission) is a must if you’re looking for beaches with absolutely nobody on them but you. Boca Del Drago Beach sits on the western side of Isla Colon and is recognized as the safest beach to swim, as well as a popular place to spot starfish. Lovers of winged things will enjoy a trip to the Butterfly Farm (Isla Ca Carenero; $5) and surfers will do best to check in at Tropix Surf Shop (Calle 3; 757-9727), in order to find out the inside scoop on breaks and barrels. Jet skis are quite popular in the area and are tops for getting a feel of the islands’ geography - grab one on the dock behind Tropical Suites (Calle 1, 757-9081, $30/hour).
Sundown
Sunsets are packed at Barco Hundido (Calle 1). Peak over the deck here and you’ll be able to see the sunken ship just past the end of the boardwalk. 6:30pm gongs two-for-one happy hour at La Iguana (Calle 1), where pink island drinks reign supreme. Party people head to Aqua Lounge Bar (Isla Canero; $1 Water Taxi) for $2 Balboa Lager and an ideal view of Bocas Town as the sun sets. There’s often a barbeque fired up here and if you’re still in your swimsuit, there’s a pool on the water which is perfect for that last swim of the day. The late night party ends at Mondo Taitu Bar (Av I), a hugely popular spot that is often packed with those who prefer a tequila shot as a nightcap.
Getting There
The path of least resistance is to fly. Twice-daily flights make the trip from Panama City (Air Panama; www.flyairpanama.com; $200 roundtrip). The ride has killer views of the Panama Canal. Upon arriving in the local airport/soccer field, share taxis will take you anywhere in town for a buck.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
My Affinity for Condiments
I wrote this piece about my Condiment Love and was surprised at just how many people read it (9,000 according to Google!?). I discovered a couple here that I didn't know and plan to get my hands on some recipes to try creations at home.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
24 Hours of Eating In Buenos Aires
The challenge: To eat as much as I could in Buenos Aires over 24 hours.
Read all about it here: http://matadornights.com/buenos-aires-binge-eating/
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Loch Ness Monster Won't Die
This "hoax" picture of Loch Ness Monster seems to be something that people love. It's a companion photo that I made with cardboard and basil, to coincide with a piece that I wrote here on my blog. It was re-used for an article on Gadling (and picked up by AOL). We've since re-run the blog on Matador. Read it if you'd like.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Matador Makes Me Want To Go To Montana
Matador is obsessed with a few places. 2009 seemed to be the year that we were most obsessed with Santiago, Buenos Aires, Berlin and...Montana. I have a friend with a cabin there and I'm looking to make America a permanant home. So I pretty much devoured all of these posts tonight. I have to say, I'm really blow away by all of these articles, even if i do work at Matador. I feel like I can just leaf through these and plan a trip, which is what I'm going to do. Now, just have to figure out how to get some time off after a year away. http://matadortrips.com/winter-wolf-watching-in-yellowstones-lamar-valley/
http://matadortrips.com/montana-resorts-treating-yourself-right-in-big-sky-country/
http://matadortrips.com/amazing-winter-travel-itinerary-5-days-in-montana/
http://matadorsports.com/winter-fly-fishing-in-montana-bundle-up-dont-bring-beer/
http://matadortrips.com/winter-wolf-watching-in-yellowstones-lamar-valley/
http://matadortrips.com/montana-resorts-treating-yourself-right-in-big-sky-country/
http://matadortrips.com/amazing-winter-travel-itinerary-5-days-in-montana/
http://matadorsports.com/winter-fly-fishing-in-montana-bundle-up-dont-bring-beer/
http://matadortrips.com/winter-wolf-watching-in-yellowstones-lamar-valley/
Monday, January 4, 2010
Dulles' Airport Chairs Are Electric
Say what you will about Dulles but wow, look at this: POWER POINTS IN THE WAITING ROOM CHAIRS. Other people fantasize about hot broads. Me, I fantasize about a day when all airport chairs have places to charge my gadgets.
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