when kel and i saw 'paris, je'taime' at ackerman a few weeks ago, we also saw the preview for 'penelope' and thought it was way too cute to miss!
now, i'm neither a fan of christina ricci (who has WAY too big of a forehead -- kinda like giada, i suppose, but less pretty) or james mcavoy (who's simply way too short and scruffy, even at his clean-shaven best -- and while i generally love blue eyes, his seem way too glassy).
but i do love reese witherspoon (even though her part is pretty tiny). (btw, is 'type a films' her production company? i swear i read that in some magazine article, but i'm too lazy to google it at this hour.) and the story line is pretty damn adorable. and i knew i'd cry (of course) at some point. so this movie pretty much had to be seen.
PLUS, kara is the CEC director this year and was lovely enough to put myself and a friend on the guestlist! considering that i don't have the biggest (ok, or smallest) ego around, it's always really special to be on a guestlist!! i know, i'm ridiculous. so sue me for being cheesy....
sadly, kel had to miss 'penelope' for a dorm event. but knowing that lucy's a big fan of free movies, i thought she'd get a kick out of this one. plus, considering that she had to deal w/me sobbing at 'the holiday' i thought she'd enjoy a possible repeat performance. i mean, who wouldn't?
in addition to getting let in through a special door and being seated in a special section, we ended up in a pretty prime location with a great view. and other than being surrounded by WAY too much estrogen and progesterone (which caused some serious squealing nearby and therefore a bit of a headache), the turnout was actually really good. i suppose i haven't been to a crowded screening in a while, but having lots of people around you really does seem to make movie-watching just a touch more fun. (well, at least when there aren't any kids around!)
unfortunately, when push comes to shove, this movie was fairly bland. as it was a fairy tale, the plot was overly simplistic. (thereby making the movie appropriate for the little ones, i suppose. that and very little on-screen smooching.) the characters were decently interesting, but pretty typical and one-sided. the neurotic mom. the oppressed daughter. the brooding love interest w/a deep, dark past. the obsessed midget pining for his lost eye. the bald-headed butler in funky red sneakers. (ok, maybe the last two weren't so typical.)
there were definitely some memorable moments and unpredictable twists. at two specific points, i remember my heart dropping out from under me. (yes, i'm a sap. shut up.) the first time when penelope begs max to marry her, his glassy eyes look into her pained ones, and he says "i can't." the second time when everyone realizes exactly why he said what he said. (OMG. i almost died.) this comes after the midget realizes who max really is. a totally unexpected twist that simply never crossed my mind.
at any rate, all of the advertising makes it clear that penelope comes to love herself for who she is. and anyone who knows what a fairy tale is knows that the girl ends up w/the boy. the question is how good is all of the stuff preceding these resolution points. and ultimately, there just wasn't very much worth watching. penelope escapes her prison of a house, wanders through the streets of some unnamed city, makes friends w/some oddball characters, almost ties the knot w/some freak, and ends up where she needs to be. and that's it. the rest of the side plots just seemed fluffy.
visually, i must admit that the colors were quite beautiful and vibrant. despite the fact that i thought most of the actors/characters in this movie were fairly unattractive (i mean, who really wants to see ugly people on the big screen? yes, i know, i'm superficial. so sue me.) the backgrounds and settings were absolutely captivating. and the costumes were just incredible. i wish i had that much color in my wardrobe! plus, i love the fact that the movie was set in some unnamed time, with the costumes blending old-school and contemporary fashion concepts. very cool.
at the end of the day, though, what's going to draw crowds to this movie is the current obsession with james mcavoy c/o his 'atonement' fame. (i'm not quite sure how i held myself back from slapping every single girl who went on and on and on about how hot he was. i mean, SERIOUSLY. what?! he's almost a midget and seriously SUPER scrawny. ick.) it's like you have one super hot sex scene and you're forever plastered in the minds of young girls as some sort of GOD. if folks wanted to appreciate him for his TALENT, they'd go see 'the last king of scotland' -- in which he was quite incredible. wow.
all in all, this movie certainly wasn't horrible, but ultimately, i'm glad it was free. i thought what penelope ended up doing at the end was kind of cute -- very *not* princess-ey. but it involved kids, so really, how great could it possibly be?
http://www.penelopethemovie.com/
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
palomino
after much too much time away, i finally ended up back at palomino's tonight for its delectable happy hour. 4-7 and 10-closing EVERY single night. what more could a girl ask for??
now i must admit that palomino does look a bit fancy schmancy from the outside, but looks can be deceiving. and if you give it a chance and step inside, you'll see that the place is filled with all kinds of people. snazzily-dressed industry folks schmoozing up other snazzily-dressed industry folks. (i even got hit on a month ago by a *writer* waiting for his *agent*. yeah, and what exactly is your day job again? to be honest, the guy was actually decent-looking. too bad he was all covered in facial hair. yeah, not so into the scruffy look.) doctors and nurses, still in scrubs. poor grad students drowning away their sorrows. (seriously, right?) i've even seen athletes dolled up in bruin blue having an afternoon snack during the week.
personally, i've gone over there in pj's and sweats to catch up on reading. i mean, who cares what you look like as long as you're willing to pay, right? (and tip well, of course.)
i used to go all the time -- alone, w/friends, w/co-workers, etc. i suppose i stopped going after a while b/c i'd pretty much gone through the ENTIRE happy hour menu. (which is ALL delicious by the way.) most of their appetizers are 1/2 off during happy hour. plus their super thin-crust pizzas are only $4.99 each! and for those of you who drink (and you know who you are), there's a short list of beers, whites, and reds that are reduced price as well. and for those of you drink AND are willing to spend, i've heard their martinis are YUMMY. definitely worth however much they cost.
kel had never been, and she offered to treat for dinner, so what better place to go to than my fave local hangout?! i sensed she was having a bit of a long week, so i thought she owed herself a bit of a splurge. that being said, we threw ourselves into the wild mushroom salad (my ABSOLUTE favorite -- i've been known to eat 2 of these on my own), the crab and artichoke dip (made w/some serious lump crab meat), the fried calamari (O--M--G), and the prosciutto and tomato pizza (mmm....). we stuffed ourselves to the tee. but needless to say, we *still* had leftovers for kel to take home. (poor girl's stuck w/dorm food all the time! i mean, those grilled cheese sandwiches are pretty darn good, but still!)
on a (freezing) cold and rainy night, there's nothing better than having lots of fun and laughs over some yummy palomino appetizers. but better yet is their early dinner special. if you get there b/w 5 and 6, you can ask for the early seating menu and order a 3-course prix-fixe meal for just 20 bucks! (for those of you who don't dine out very often, that's pretty much a STEAL. so keep it in mind for your next hot date!)
check it:
palomino
10877 wilshire blvd
los angeles, ca 90024
310.208.1960
http://www.palomino.com/
now i must admit that palomino does look a bit fancy schmancy from the outside, but looks can be deceiving. and if you give it a chance and step inside, you'll see that the place is filled with all kinds of people. snazzily-dressed industry folks schmoozing up other snazzily-dressed industry folks. (i even got hit on a month ago by a *writer* waiting for his *agent*. yeah, and what exactly is your day job again? to be honest, the guy was actually decent-looking. too bad he was all covered in facial hair. yeah, not so into the scruffy look.) doctors and nurses, still in scrubs. poor grad students drowning away their sorrows. (seriously, right?) i've even seen athletes dolled up in bruin blue having an afternoon snack during the week.
personally, i've gone over there in pj's and sweats to catch up on reading. i mean, who cares what you look like as long as you're willing to pay, right? (and tip well, of course.)
i used to go all the time -- alone, w/friends, w/co-workers, etc. i suppose i stopped going after a while b/c i'd pretty much gone through the ENTIRE happy hour menu. (which is ALL delicious by the way.) most of their appetizers are 1/2 off during happy hour. plus their super thin-crust pizzas are only $4.99 each! and for those of you who drink (and you know who you are), there's a short list of beers, whites, and reds that are reduced price as well. and for those of you drink AND are willing to spend, i've heard their martinis are YUMMY. definitely worth however much they cost.
kel had never been, and she offered to treat for dinner, so what better place to go to than my fave local hangout?! i sensed she was having a bit of a long week, so i thought she owed herself a bit of a splurge. that being said, we threw ourselves into the wild mushroom salad (my ABSOLUTE favorite -- i've been known to eat 2 of these on my own), the crab and artichoke dip (made w/some serious lump crab meat), the fried calamari (O--M--G), and the prosciutto and tomato pizza (mmm....). we stuffed ourselves to the tee. but needless to say, we *still* had leftovers for kel to take home. (poor girl's stuck w/dorm food all the time! i mean, those grilled cheese sandwiches are pretty darn good, but still!)
on a (freezing) cold and rainy night, there's nothing better than having lots of fun and laughs over some yummy palomino appetizers. but better yet is their early dinner special. if you get there b/w 5 and 6, you can ask for the early seating menu and order a 3-course prix-fixe meal for just 20 bucks! (for those of you who don't dine out very often, that's pretty much a STEAL. so keep it in mind for your next hot date!)
check it:
palomino
10877 wilshire blvd
los angeles, ca 90024
310.208.1960
http://www.palomino.com/
giselle
this weekend is definitely ballet weekend. after seeing the LA ballet last night, i was back on campus again this afternoon to see the state ballet of georgia perform giselle, one of my all-time favorites, at royce hall. it seems like i just keep coming back for more of royce, especially since i was just there last weekend for NSU culture night. this time, though, i was up in the balcony, soaking up a breathtaking view of the stage.
as i just mentioned, giselle is one of my all-time favorites. there's something about the story (which i hadn't actually remembered until i re-read the synopsis today) and the choreography (which is totally classic) that's just so romantic. it's only two acts, but the storyline is pretty simplistic, so there's not much to it. while the performance was beautiful (as it always is), i definitely wasn't as enthusiastic about it this time around. i guess i couldn't help not appreciating it as much, having just seen more modern ballet moves the night before.
it's sad how we can't isolate our experiences unto themselves. enjoying each for what it is. we seem to be in this constant state of comparison. one experience vs. the next vs. the next. all of them on some sort of bizarre continuum of good, bad, better, worse. what's more interesting? what's more intriguing? what's better at holding our attention?
worst of all, there were annoying kids in the row behind me, who weren't being shushed by their oblivious moms. but seeing as how i'd moved myself to empty seats, and they'd moved themselves to empty seats, i really didn't feel like i had the right to say much. so i had to just suffer through some random chair shaking that resulted from some random chair kicking. (ugh!) thankfully, they did manage to keep me awake as i was starting to snooze through parts of the second act. (sadness!) i really do love giselle, but in dim lighting, w/no action going on, there was very little worth staying awake for. (i know. it was quite tragic.)
all in all, the performance was quite good. but next to modern works, i definitely don't find traditional works nearly as creative or riveting....
as i just mentioned, giselle is one of my all-time favorites. there's something about the story (which i hadn't actually remembered until i re-read the synopsis today) and the choreography (which is totally classic) that's just so romantic. it's only two acts, but the storyline is pretty simplistic, so there's not much to it. while the performance was beautiful (as it always is), i definitely wasn't as enthusiastic about it this time around. i guess i couldn't help not appreciating it as much, having just seen more modern ballet moves the night before.
it's sad how we can't isolate our experiences unto themselves. enjoying each for what it is. we seem to be in this constant state of comparison. one experience vs. the next vs. the next. all of them on some sort of bizarre continuum of good, bad, better, worse. what's more interesting? what's more intriguing? what's better at holding our attention?
worst of all, there were annoying kids in the row behind me, who weren't being shushed by their oblivious moms. but seeing as how i'd moved myself to empty seats, and they'd moved themselves to empty seats, i really didn't feel like i had the right to say much. so i had to just suffer through some random chair shaking that resulted from some random chair kicking. (ugh!) thankfully, they did manage to keep me awake as i was starting to snooze through parts of the second act. (sadness!) i really do love giselle, but in dim lighting, w/no action going on, there was very little worth staying awake for. (i know. it was quite tragic.)
all in all, the performance was quite good. but next to modern works, i definitely don't find traditional works nearly as creative or riveting....
run for your life 5K
so i was oddly dreaming that the run for your life 5K was somehow in NJ and that i needed to print out the directions for lindsay, when all of a sudden, i woke up, looked at my alarm clock, and saw that it was 7:33!!! and of course, the CD symbol was blinking, which meant that the CD hadn't been able to play and get me up at 6:45 -- my original wake-up time. to be honest, i'm utterly SHOCKED and DISMAYED that alarm clocks don't have a fall-back beeping mechanism so that these kinds of situations don't happen. grrrr!
i raced out to my phone, only to realize that i'd already gotten 2 missed calls from lindsay, who was supposed to pick me up at 7:30. (sorry, linds!) thankfully, i didn't wake up at 8:30 or something crazy like that. so in a lightning-speed-span of 5-10 minutes, i brushed my teeth, threw on sweats, grabbed my phone and keys, and raced out w/my bag and some fruit. this was certainly NOT the way i'd hoped to start my weekend, but alas, shit happens. grrrr! thank goodness for packing up the night before. whew!
w/in 15-20 minutes, we made it down to playa del rey. i don't remember the last time i was this far south (other than going to SD), but it was actually a really nice day. we'd been worried it was going to rain or some nonsense (given the horridly wet week), but we were saved from any more downpours. we were unfortunately made to wait a bit too long (in my opinion), as we were slowly turning into popsicles. (and yes, i know it's not THAT cold. but standing around, it sure felt that way!) thankfully, our daydreams of cafe lattes kept us going. that and random people watching.
we noticed some interesting clusters of people, particularly some yuppy white folks (which isn't meant to be rude in ANY way, b/c they did look yuppy and they were indeed white) and some annoying asian kids (who were both annoying and asian). some runs tend to be a bit more diverse, which made these groups stick out more than usual. i also noticed some cute interracial couples (specifically asian/white), which surprisingly enough (to me, at least), seem way more plentiful in LA than in NY. (by this, i mean the interracial element, not the cute element.) it's interesting how race is so salient in my perceptions of social situations. a soc prof asked me about this a few years ago. at the time, my immediate thought was, when is race NOT salient? thinking about it, though, i suppose race isn't necessarily the first thing that comes to mind for most people. then again, that begs the question, why not?
after what i thought was way too much time waiting around, the race finally started around 9AM. and i have to say that i think we did quite awesome. the organizers made us go in a makeshift circle, heading up the running path for about 1.2 miles, turning around and coming back on the other side, and then turning around again and coming back on the original side. this seemed *much* easier than the track given the changing scenery. plus there's something motivating about running w/people and even having them pass by you on the opposite side of the running path. it really does make it seem like a team effort! (i told linds we should make buttons.)
at the end, we made it in a little over 33 minutes, which depending on the accuracy of the timer, puts us at approximately an 11-minute mile. i think we both agreed that that was quite good! our next run will be the annual run/walk @ UCLA, where the proceeds will go to the mattel children's hospital. i did the run last year in about 33 minutes as well, so let's see if i can beat my own time -- or at least make it in the original time! i mean, let's not be *too* ambitious.
i raced out to my phone, only to realize that i'd already gotten 2 missed calls from lindsay, who was supposed to pick me up at 7:30. (sorry, linds!) thankfully, i didn't wake up at 8:30 or something crazy like that. so in a lightning-speed-span of 5-10 minutes, i brushed my teeth, threw on sweats, grabbed my phone and keys, and raced out w/my bag and some fruit. this was certainly NOT the way i'd hoped to start my weekend, but alas, shit happens. grrrr! thank goodness for packing up the night before. whew!
w/in 15-20 minutes, we made it down to playa del rey. i don't remember the last time i was this far south (other than going to SD), but it was actually a really nice day. we'd been worried it was going to rain or some nonsense (given the horridly wet week), but we were saved from any more downpours. we were unfortunately made to wait a bit too long (in my opinion), as we were slowly turning into popsicles. (and yes, i know it's not THAT cold. but standing around, it sure felt that way!) thankfully, our daydreams of cafe lattes kept us going. that and random people watching.
we noticed some interesting clusters of people, particularly some yuppy white folks (which isn't meant to be rude in ANY way, b/c they did look yuppy and they were indeed white) and some annoying asian kids (who were both annoying and asian). some runs tend to be a bit more diverse, which made these groups stick out more than usual. i also noticed some cute interracial couples (specifically asian/white), which surprisingly enough (to me, at least), seem way more plentiful in LA than in NY. (by this, i mean the interracial element, not the cute element.) it's interesting how race is so salient in my perceptions of social situations. a soc prof asked me about this a few years ago. at the time, my immediate thought was, when is race NOT salient? thinking about it, though, i suppose race isn't necessarily the first thing that comes to mind for most people. then again, that begs the question, why not?
after what i thought was way too much time waiting around, the race finally started around 9AM. and i have to say that i think we did quite awesome. the organizers made us go in a makeshift circle, heading up the running path for about 1.2 miles, turning around and coming back on the other side, and then turning around again and coming back on the original side. this seemed *much* easier than the track given the changing scenery. plus there's something motivating about running w/people and even having them pass by you on the opposite side of the running path. it really does make it seem like a team effort! (i told linds we should make buttons.)
at the end, we made it in a little over 33 minutes, which depending on the accuracy of the timer, puts us at approximately an 11-minute mile. i think we both agreed that that was quite good! our next run will be the annual run/walk @ UCLA, where the proceeds will go to the mattel children's hospital. i did the run last year in about 33 minutes as well, so let's see if i can beat my own time -- or at least make it in the original time! i mean, let's not be *too* ambitious.
LA ballet
on a cold, wet, friday night, it's pretty hard to motivate to do just about anything. fortunately/unfortunately, i had to be on campus anyways for my personal trainer class, so at least i was dragging my butt in for more than one reason. (which somehow makes the effort of getting off my ass and out of my apt slightly more bearable.)
i must admit to being totally thankful that i had my bright pink umbrella to keep me from getting totally soaked in the downpour (oh, how i hate bizarre LA weather). otherwise, i would've been a total crabby pants during class (and thereafter). as it was, i was clean and dry and safe w/in the walls of the wooden center.
after a good core class, i thought i'd treat myself to a yummy chai iced blendz and a chocolate covered palmier for dinner. um yeah, not the healthiest meal i know, but when a girl needs sugar, a girl needs sugar. a quick stop at powell to check email and i was off to the freud for my much anticipated LA ballet experience.
in all honesty, i LOVE the ballet. there's something about the combo of grace and athleticism that's so amazing and inspiring. i used to go to at least one or two ballets every year when i lived in new york. specifically during the lincoln center festival that happens every summer. i must admit to getting a little drowsy during some performances, but when the choreography is really good, you don't want to close your eyes or else you might miss something. since coming out to LA, i've gotten to see one ballet at royce hall, which was absolutely fabulous. so i'm definitely psyched to check out another performance there this afternoon.
to see the LA ballet at the freud, however, was definitely worth the 50 bucks that i dished out (that i don't really have to spend). the venue is *much* smaller than royce, and every seat is pretty much a good seat. the sad thing is that the performance wasn't a UCLA live performance (at least i don't think so), which meant that there were no cheaper student tix. and to be honest, the cost is fairly prohibitive for poor students who *really* don't have the big bucks to spend (or don't feel the ballet is worth *quite* that much).
this ultimately meant that there were several rows of empty seats. which wouldn't have been a big deal in a larger space, but when it's such a small venue, it's quite noticeable. hopefully it was dark enough that the dancers didn't notice. but if it were me on stage, i'm not sure how much i'd appreciate not having a full house. then again, maybe it made them less nervous? on the flip side, wouldn't you be used to nerves as performers? ack! that's just way too much thinking. at the end of the day, i had a great seat with no heads obstructing my view. i even got to move a seat over after the first intermission to get closer to center. (as eri likes to say, center center is always the best place to be.)
the program consisted of 3 balanchine ballets and 1 new work by melissa barak. while there were one or two slips and falls (at least from what i noticed -- and i'm definitely no professional critic) that were a bit disconcerting (though barely noticeable), all in all i was very impressed.
the first piece was 'the four temperaments,' which i found extremely athletic, incorporating some very modern dance elements. i'd just come out of a core class, so all i kept seeing was the thoracic and lumbar flexion -- segmental no less! (elisa, aren't you proud?) b/c this piece definitely didn't exhibit the same stiffness associated with your typical ballet. while it would've been nice to be more familiar with the four humors (i.e., melancholic, sanguinic, phlegmatic, choleric) prior to the performance, there's something to be said for soaking up the performance with a tabula rasa. afterwards, i got a crash course via text from mel. (thanks, mel!) but even though i didn't necessarily look for accurate representation of the humors, the dancing was riveting nonetheless. interestingly enough, i couldn't help but notice that some dancer pairings were more choppy than others, though i wasn't sure whether that was intentional or not (based on the humors). it totally made me think about 'center stage' and wonder whether there was underlying drama b/w the dancers. and how that might come out on stage. you'd think performers would know how to be professional. but you can't help your feelings! we've all seen those dancer reality shows, right? ok, maybe not all of us....
the second piece was the new work, entitled 'lost in transition.' from the outset, i took it as a play on the 'lost in translation' concept and i certainly looked for elements of interpretive tension throughout the performance. as with the first piece, i found the dancing in the second piece to be extremely athletic and modern. the choreography was creative and interesting, and quite brilliant i have to say. again, i'm no dance critic, but there was something so atypical and unexpected about the movements. you really didn't want to look away. i loved the use of minor keys -- it made the performance that much more contemporary and dramatic. i also wondered whether there was a live orchestra in the back. seeing as there was no pit, i'm not quite sure where the musicians would've sat. but then again, i'm not familiar w/the backstage of the freud. in any case, the combination of the score w/the choreography was perfect.
the company frontloaded the evening w/the modern pieces and ended w/the more traditional works. 'the tarantella' was short and sweet. the tambourines didn't seem to go too well w/the score, but the dancing was quite playful. the last piece, entitled 'who cares?', was a lovely way for individual dancers to show off what they could do. particularly eddy tovar, who hadn't appeared in the earlier pieces. the music was gershwin (and who doesn't love gershwin?) and the dancing was airy and fun. at one point, i wish they'd added in the words, but i suppose that might've been distracting. at any rate, i suppose it was good to end w/a traditional ballet, especially for slightly older patrons who might've been less inclined toward the contemporary works. personally, though, the earlier pieces were much more to my liking. sometimes modern dance can be a little too acrobatic and fluid. so i find modern ballet to be a good compromise b/w traditional and modern dance forms.
all in all, it was an absolutely wonderful evening. especially when i walked outside into the brisk night air. every so often, i wish there were other people to do these kinds of things with. but then again, i'm not sure if i'd have the same thought-provoking experience. i just think there's something amazing about seeing, feeling, and thinking things on your own. free of judgment. free of wondering whether someone else agrees with you or not. there's something so great about just having your own opinion about something. for whatever reason you choose to have that opinion. it's like the title of the ballet, 'who cares?'
http://www.losangelesballet.org/
i must admit to being totally thankful that i had my bright pink umbrella to keep me from getting totally soaked in the downpour (oh, how i hate bizarre LA weather). otherwise, i would've been a total crabby pants during class (and thereafter). as it was, i was clean and dry and safe w/in the walls of the wooden center.
after a good core class, i thought i'd treat myself to a yummy chai iced blendz and a chocolate covered palmier for dinner. um yeah, not the healthiest meal i know, but when a girl needs sugar, a girl needs sugar. a quick stop at powell to check email and i was off to the freud for my much anticipated LA ballet experience.
in all honesty, i LOVE the ballet. there's something about the combo of grace and athleticism that's so amazing and inspiring. i used to go to at least one or two ballets every year when i lived in new york. specifically during the lincoln center festival that happens every summer. i must admit to getting a little drowsy during some performances, but when the choreography is really good, you don't want to close your eyes or else you might miss something. since coming out to LA, i've gotten to see one ballet at royce hall, which was absolutely fabulous. so i'm definitely psyched to check out another performance there this afternoon.
to see the LA ballet at the freud, however, was definitely worth the 50 bucks that i dished out (that i don't really have to spend). the venue is *much* smaller than royce, and every seat is pretty much a good seat. the sad thing is that the performance wasn't a UCLA live performance (at least i don't think so), which meant that there were no cheaper student tix. and to be honest, the cost is fairly prohibitive for poor students who *really* don't have the big bucks to spend (or don't feel the ballet is worth *quite* that much).
this ultimately meant that there were several rows of empty seats. which wouldn't have been a big deal in a larger space, but when it's such a small venue, it's quite noticeable. hopefully it was dark enough that the dancers didn't notice. but if it were me on stage, i'm not sure how much i'd appreciate not having a full house. then again, maybe it made them less nervous? on the flip side, wouldn't you be used to nerves as performers? ack! that's just way too much thinking. at the end of the day, i had a great seat with no heads obstructing my view. i even got to move a seat over after the first intermission to get closer to center. (as eri likes to say, center center is always the best place to be.)
the program consisted of 3 balanchine ballets and 1 new work by melissa barak. while there were one or two slips and falls (at least from what i noticed -- and i'm definitely no professional critic) that were a bit disconcerting (though barely noticeable), all in all i was very impressed.
the first piece was 'the four temperaments,' which i found extremely athletic, incorporating some very modern dance elements. i'd just come out of a core class, so all i kept seeing was the thoracic and lumbar flexion -- segmental no less! (elisa, aren't you proud?) b/c this piece definitely didn't exhibit the same stiffness associated with your typical ballet. while it would've been nice to be more familiar with the four humors (i.e., melancholic, sanguinic, phlegmatic, choleric) prior to the performance, there's something to be said for soaking up the performance with a tabula rasa. afterwards, i got a crash course via text from mel. (thanks, mel!) but even though i didn't necessarily look for accurate representation of the humors, the dancing was riveting nonetheless. interestingly enough, i couldn't help but notice that some dancer pairings were more choppy than others, though i wasn't sure whether that was intentional or not (based on the humors). it totally made me think about 'center stage' and wonder whether there was underlying drama b/w the dancers. and how that might come out on stage. you'd think performers would know how to be professional. but you can't help your feelings! we've all seen those dancer reality shows, right? ok, maybe not all of us....
the second piece was the new work, entitled 'lost in transition.' from the outset, i took it as a play on the 'lost in translation' concept and i certainly looked for elements of interpretive tension throughout the performance. as with the first piece, i found the dancing in the second piece to be extremely athletic and modern. the choreography was creative and interesting, and quite brilliant i have to say. again, i'm no dance critic, but there was something so atypical and unexpected about the movements. you really didn't want to look away. i loved the use of minor keys -- it made the performance that much more contemporary and dramatic. i also wondered whether there was a live orchestra in the back. seeing as there was no pit, i'm not quite sure where the musicians would've sat. but then again, i'm not familiar w/the backstage of the freud. in any case, the combination of the score w/the choreography was perfect.
the company frontloaded the evening w/the modern pieces and ended w/the more traditional works. 'the tarantella' was short and sweet. the tambourines didn't seem to go too well w/the score, but the dancing was quite playful. the last piece, entitled 'who cares?', was a lovely way for individual dancers to show off what they could do. particularly eddy tovar, who hadn't appeared in the earlier pieces. the music was gershwin (and who doesn't love gershwin?) and the dancing was airy and fun. at one point, i wish they'd added in the words, but i suppose that might've been distracting. at any rate, i suppose it was good to end w/a traditional ballet, especially for slightly older patrons who might've been less inclined toward the contemporary works. personally, though, the earlier pieces were much more to my liking. sometimes modern dance can be a little too acrobatic and fluid. so i find modern ballet to be a good compromise b/w traditional and modern dance forms.
all in all, it was an absolutely wonderful evening. especially when i walked outside into the brisk night air. every so often, i wish there were other people to do these kinds of things with. but then again, i'm not sure if i'd have the same thought-provoking experience. i just think there's something amazing about seeing, feeling, and thinking things on your own. free of judgment. free of wondering whether someone else agrees with you or not. there's something so great about just having your own opinion about something. for whatever reason you choose to have that opinion. it's like the title of the ballet, 'who cares?'
http://www.losangelesballet.org/
Thursday, February 21, 2008
made in LA
so tonight i was stuck in b/w two options for thursday night culture. which is utterly surprising, considering how much i complain about this unbelievably atrocious city. (um, no, i'm not bitter or anything. [=S])
option 1: a radio play out at the skirball cultural center -- a venue that i absolutely love and have been meaning to go back to ever since ben and i helped out with a workshop there a few weeks ago. i mean, it's just a really brilliant space. so much light. such modern architecture. plus the radio play (called 'a paris letter') starred neil patrick harris (of doogie howser fame), ron rifkin (the alias bad guy), and JOSH RADNOR. i swear, a few years ago, i wouldn't have thought a thing of him. but ever since eri got me watching 'how i met your mother' i've found him and his dorkiness SOOOOOOOOO adorable. dammit. despite my childhood love of blondes, i think i've converted to brunettes. (they're way more down to earth.) drool, drool. ok, stop it, just stop it.
option 2: a free screening of 'made in LA' up in the dorms. now i must admit that i didn't know a thing about this movie beyond the fact that it was about sweatshop workers in downtown LA AND that kel has been throwing herself into making this screening a success. so despite the fact that i probably had a great seat at the skirball show (row A?!), that i'd already dropped $$ on the ticket, and that i would've looked RIGHT into josh radnor's adorable brown eyes, i chose option 2. (i know, you were all so shocked.)
a couple of things going against the first option: 1) i would've had to cab myself to/from the skirball and 2) i would've had to do so in the RAIN. as many of you know, i absolutely HATE the rain. and to have to schlep myself up TO the dorms in this dreary mess already put a damper on things. thank goodness i got to dress up nice and cute (and not in sweats). why? just b/c i needed to get myself out of this awful moody state. regardless, nice and cute. plus i got a lift home from my beloved chiara. (THANK YOU, MISSY!)
a couple of things going for the second option: 1) i got free dorm food and schmooze time w/kel, amuldena (the director of the film and a former UCLA FTV student -- how cool is that?!), and 2 amanda's, 2) i got to see my DM buddies nick and tej (who will be forever allowed to tease me for not suffering through the whole 26 hours like they did), 3) i got some good QT w/chiara (who schlepped all the way over from SC!), 4) i got to see folks from all my different campus worlds (yay for having so many!), 5) i got to help kel make her screening an UBER success (WOOHOO!), and most importantly, 6) i got to see a really good movie.
i have to say that i'm not one for documentaries most of the time. there's just something too real about them. (yes, i know, that's the point.) but the reason i love films is b/c they're real but not real at the same time. and there's something so creative about the elements of life that filmmakers choose to capture, twist, and throw back to the viewer. and while i suppose documentaries can do that too, they're still too real. and you're made to confront realities you may or may not be ready to confront. but when you're ready, documentaries can be really good for the soul. and when they have happy endings, they make you appreciate how good things can happen. and 'made in LA' did just that.
the film is about garment workers in downtown LA, and how they struggled for fair labor conditions and practices against the oppressive 'forever 21' retailer for over 3 years. given that it was a documentary, the quality of the film was pretty basic. but it wasn't like blair witch project or traffic, where the camera bounced all over the place. the action was well-captured. and more importantly, the characters were well-captured.
sometimes i wonder though if we're just jaded. the way we pass by beggars on the street w/o blinking an eye. b/c the things the characters were saying about being paid $3 a day didn't even hit me really. i suppose b/c my mom sewed pieces for pennies. and that was how things were. that was our reality. i think people SHOULD be shocked. i think people SHOULD gasp. but i guess that was how we lived. and it really just didn't blow my mind or anything to hear about it from someone else. i just wanted to shrug my shoulders and nod. yes, that was what we had to deal with. and we survived.
at any rate, the film was good. what it had to say was good. how it said what it had to say was good. i thought it was a wonderful thing to be able to Q&A w/the director and some of the characters. (do we even call them characters?) and to hear folks ask q's in spanish, it made us seem that much more connected to the film (which was bilingual) and to how the characters communicated w/each other and w/the viewer. i think i'm babbling at this point from fatigue, but i'm glad i made it tonight. for the sake of the movie. for the sake of seeing familiar faces. and for the sake of helping out friends who are trying to do good in the world.
http://www.madeinla.com/
option 1: a radio play out at the skirball cultural center -- a venue that i absolutely love and have been meaning to go back to ever since ben and i helped out with a workshop there a few weeks ago. i mean, it's just a really brilliant space. so much light. such modern architecture. plus the radio play (called 'a paris letter') starred neil patrick harris (of doogie howser fame), ron rifkin (the alias bad guy), and JOSH RADNOR. i swear, a few years ago, i wouldn't have thought a thing of him. but ever since eri got me watching 'how i met your mother' i've found him and his dorkiness SOOOOOOOOO adorable. dammit. despite my childhood love of blondes, i think i've converted to brunettes. (they're way more down to earth.) drool, drool. ok, stop it, just stop it.
option 2: a free screening of 'made in LA' up in the dorms. now i must admit that i didn't know a thing about this movie beyond the fact that it was about sweatshop workers in downtown LA AND that kel has been throwing herself into making this screening a success. so despite the fact that i probably had a great seat at the skirball show (row A?!), that i'd already dropped $$ on the ticket, and that i would've looked RIGHT into josh radnor's adorable brown eyes, i chose option 2. (i know, you were all so shocked.)
a couple of things going against the first option: 1) i would've had to cab myself to/from the skirball and 2) i would've had to do so in the RAIN. as many of you know, i absolutely HATE the rain. and to have to schlep myself up TO the dorms in this dreary mess already put a damper on things. thank goodness i got to dress up nice and cute (and not in sweats). why? just b/c i needed to get myself out of this awful moody state. regardless, nice and cute. plus i got a lift home from my beloved chiara. (THANK YOU, MISSY!)
a couple of things going for the second option: 1) i got free dorm food and schmooze time w/kel, amuldena (the director of the film and a former UCLA FTV student -- how cool is that?!), and 2 amanda's, 2) i got to see my DM buddies nick and tej (who will be forever allowed to tease me for not suffering through the whole 26 hours like they did), 3) i got some good QT w/chiara (who schlepped all the way over from SC!), 4) i got to see folks from all my different campus worlds (yay for having so many!), 5) i got to help kel make her screening an UBER success (WOOHOO!), and most importantly, 6) i got to see a really good movie.
i have to say that i'm not one for documentaries most of the time. there's just something too real about them. (yes, i know, that's the point.) but the reason i love films is b/c they're real but not real at the same time. and there's something so creative about the elements of life that filmmakers choose to capture, twist, and throw back to the viewer. and while i suppose documentaries can do that too, they're still too real. and you're made to confront realities you may or may not be ready to confront. but when you're ready, documentaries can be really good for the soul. and when they have happy endings, they make you appreciate how good things can happen. and 'made in LA' did just that.
the film is about garment workers in downtown LA, and how they struggled for fair labor conditions and practices against the oppressive 'forever 21' retailer for over 3 years. given that it was a documentary, the quality of the film was pretty basic. but it wasn't like blair witch project or traffic, where the camera bounced all over the place. the action was well-captured. and more importantly, the characters were well-captured.
sometimes i wonder though if we're just jaded. the way we pass by beggars on the street w/o blinking an eye. b/c the things the characters were saying about being paid $3 a day didn't even hit me really. i suppose b/c my mom sewed pieces for pennies. and that was how things were. that was our reality. i think people SHOULD be shocked. i think people SHOULD gasp. but i guess that was how we lived. and it really just didn't blow my mind or anything to hear about it from someone else. i just wanted to shrug my shoulders and nod. yes, that was what we had to deal with. and we survived.
at any rate, the film was good. what it had to say was good. how it said what it had to say was good. i thought it was a wonderful thing to be able to Q&A w/the director and some of the characters. (do we even call them characters?) and to hear folks ask q's in spanish, it made us seem that much more connected to the film (which was bilingual) and to how the characters communicated w/each other and w/the viewer. i think i'm babbling at this point from fatigue, but i'm glad i made it tonight. for the sake of the movie. for the sake of seeing familiar faces. and for the sake of helping out friends who are trying to do good in the world.
http://www.madeinla.com/
Sunday, February 17, 2008
definitely, maybe
as a true blue new yorker, i've always appreciated movies that are set in new york (especially cheesy ones!). and i've been particularly nostalgic lately and pining for home, so this movie was pretty much the most perfect movie i could've seen this weekend.
after dancing for 13.5 hours, and waking up after 6.5 hours of sleep (somehow i fell asleep w/the light on?), i needed something relaxing and therapeutic. mel and i had already planned to see the movie sometime in the afternoon (when i thought i'd be waking up past noon), but seeing as how we were both up anyways, we decided to check out the first show of the day. which was perfect b/c our weekend matinee tickets cost us only 6 bucks apiece! brilliant.
so after quick coffees & pastries @ peet's, we sauntered over to the theatre (which i've randomly decided to spell the british way going forward) and made it just in time for the previews! and might i add that these were some GREAT previews. a comedy w/cameron diaz & ashton kutcher, whom i'd never see on their own, but who seemed hilarious together. and a comedy/drama w/george clooney, john krasinski, and renee zellwegger -- OMG. totally hilarious. i love ANYTHING w/george clooney. and i mean ANYTHING. plus the chemistry between the actors in the trailer seemed perfect. totally worth waiting for.
as we get to the movie itself, let me say here and now that the BEST part was that it was set in new york. i swear i recognized so many scenes -- buildings, parks, even bodegas! so it was perfect that two icons came up at the end of the movie: the unforgettable I (LOVE) NY icon and the newer MADE IN NY icon. i could've wept at those alone! yes, i'm such a sap.
even though the ads and trailers made the movie look WAY cheesy (and don't get me wrong, it's TOTALLY cheesy), it was much less cheesy than i'd suspected. and the plot of the movie was quite adorable. ryan reynolds plays this adorable dad whose daughter wants to know how he met her mom. and rather than focusing on the one woman, he tells her the story of his 3 great loves. abigail breslin is absolutely adorable as the precocious daughter -- and i say this knowing full well that everyone knows that i hate kids. b/c y'know what? she WAS absolutely adorable! i won't deny it.
while mel said she figured out super early who the mom was (and i think i kinda did too), i loved the up's and down's of the movie, and how i didn't really know for sure until the end. and the bizarre and random places life takes us. what i loved most (about the plot) was the romantic notion that life ultimately takes us (back) to who we're meant to be with. and that sometimes we really don't know who we truly love until life somehow brings us (back) to them. and that there's no set path to love. and no set timeline. and no set way. that sometimes we make choices not knowing how and where they'll lead us. (which is so interesting since i came home to watch waking life, and that's so much about the same things, but in such a fascinatingly different way.)
it's this whole lack of timeline that makes me feel so much more comforted in my own life and existence. that i'm making choices as i go. and that somehow those choices will lead me to where i'm supposed to be and go. and hopefully to some great love of my life that i haven't recognized yet.
i really love movies sooooooo much. how they make you think. and cry. and think some more. and help you figure out what you know and don't know. who you are. what you miss. and what you need.
http://www.definitelymaybemovie.com/
after dancing for 13.5 hours, and waking up after 6.5 hours of sleep (somehow i fell asleep w/the light on?), i needed something relaxing and therapeutic. mel and i had already planned to see the movie sometime in the afternoon (when i thought i'd be waking up past noon), but seeing as how we were both up anyways, we decided to check out the first show of the day. which was perfect b/c our weekend matinee tickets cost us only 6 bucks apiece! brilliant.
so after quick coffees & pastries @ peet's, we sauntered over to the theatre (which i've randomly decided to spell the british way going forward) and made it just in time for the previews! and might i add that these were some GREAT previews. a comedy w/cameron diaz & ashton kutcher, whom i'd never see on their own, but who seemed hilarious together. and a comedy/drama w/george clooney, john krasinski, and renee zellwegger -- OMG. totally hilarious. i love ANYTHING w/george clooney. and i mean ANYTHING. plus the chemistry between the actors in the trailer seemed perfect. totally worth waiting for.
as we get to the movie itself, let me say here and now that the BEST part was that it was set in new york. i swear i recognized so many scenes -- buildings, parks, even bodegas! so it was perfect that two icons came up at the end of the movie: the unforgettable I (LOVE) NY icon and the newer MADE IN NY icon. i could've wept at those alone! yes, i'm such a sap.
even though the ads and trailers made the movie look WAY cheesy (and don't get me wrong, it's TOTALLY cheesy), it was much less cheesy than i'd suspected. and the plot of the movie was quite adorable. ryan reynolds plays this adorable dad whose daughter wants to know how he met her mom. and rather than focusing on the one woman, he tells her the story of his 3 great loves. abigail breslin is absolutely adorable as the precocious daughter -- and i say this knowing full well that everyone knows that i hate kids. b/c y'know what? she WAS absolutely adorable! i won't deny it.
while mel said she figured out super early who the mom was (and i think i kinda did too), i loved the up's and down's of the movie, and how i didn't really know for sure until the end. and the bizarre and random places life takes us. what i loved most (about the plot) was the romantic notion that life ultimately takes us (back) to who we're meant to be with. and that sometimes we really don't know who we truly love until life somehow brings us (back) to them. and that there's no set path to love. and no set timeline. and no set way. that sometimes we make choices not knowing how and where they'll lead us. (which is so interesting since i came home to watch waking life, and that's so much about the same things, but in such a fascinatingly different way.)
it's this whole lack of timeline that makes me feel so much more comforted in my own life and existence. that i'm making choices as i go. and that somehow those choices will lead me to where i'm supposed to be and go. and hopefully to some great love of my life that i haven't recognized yet.
i really love movies sooooooo much. how they make you think. and cry. and think some more. and help you figure out what you know and don't know. who you are. what you miss. and what you need.
http://www.definitelymaybemovie.com/
dance marathon
even though i'm physically fit, i'm almost 30. and i'm pretty darn proud of myself for having stayed on my feet for a STRAIGHT 13.5 hours! WOOHOO TO ME! i thought about it, and granted i wasn't hitting my feet to the pavement, i was certainly on my feet for longer than real-life marathoners! that has to mean SOMETHING, right? (not that i need validation, of course. ok, maybe a little.)
in any case, i'm thrilled w/my performance. all of the money from dance marathon goes to the elizabeth glaser pediatric AIDS foundation, camp heartland, and camp kindle, the latter two of which are organizations for kids affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS. and granted, i hate kids (yes, i really do), i'm still glad i could contribute to their happiness and well-being (yes, cheesy, i know).
having planned a bunch of events myself, i have to say that that the organizers did a GREAT job w/the space and w/the overall organization of the event. even though some of the acts/bands left a little something to be desired (granted, i don't like most bands), i was fairly amused for most of the evening. especially w/all the mini-videos! (do the kids still call them videos?)
plus the DJ (aside from a long bout of techno shit -- excuse my french) did an AMAZING job w/the music mixing. i barely remember more than one or two songs being repeated the whole time i was there. plus the music kept going, going, going. i don't think i could've asked for a better night of dancing fun! i mean, there was no alcohol or ANYTHING. [IIPE]
of course, the evening was made that much more splendid by friend kelly and her res life staff, who totally took this little *indie* (me) into their fold. a big shout-out to kelly, amanda, nick, and tej for keeping me in good spirits the whole 13.5 hours. kudos to all of you for (hopefully) surviving the entire 26-hour madness!
i mustn't forget to mention that we all got an AWSOME pic together w/the actor who played aaron samuels on mean girls (what's his real name?!) and the actor who plays kyle XY (OMG -- what amazing eyes! and his hand was on my low back -- *sigh*). i mean, that was seriously the highlight of the WHOLE night. especially for amanda who got to stand b/w both of them!
last but not least, i got henna tattoo-ed by the president of the undergrad student body (who i think is on the committee -- honorarily or not, i'm not sure). which i think is ironic since i was just complaining the other day about how he came into a meeting that i was in, took food, and then left. i mean, how impolite, inappropriate, and presumptuous is that?! *sigh* kids these days....
for anyone interested in participating or donating:
http://bruindancemarathon.org/
in any case, i'm thrilled w/my performance. all of the money from dance marathon goes to the elizabeth glaser pediatric AIDS foundation, camp heartland, and camp kindle, the latter two of which are organizations for kids affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS. and granted, i hate kids (yes, i really do), i'm still glad i could contribute to their happiness and well-being (yes, cheesy, i know).
having planned a bunch of events myself, i have to say that that the organizers did a GREAT job w/the space and w/the overall organization of the event. even though some of the acts/bands left a little something to be desired (granted, i don't like most bands), i was fairly amused for most of the evening. especially w/all the mini-videos! (do the kids still call them videos?)
plus the DJ (aside from a long bout of techno shit -- excuse my french) did an AMAZING job w/the music mixing. i barely remember more than one or two songs being repeated the whole time i was there. plus the music kept going, going, going. i don't think i could've asked for a better night of dancing fun! i mean, there was no alcohol or ANYTHING. [IIPE]
of course, the evening was made that much more splendid by friend kelly and her res life staff, who totally took this little *indie* (me) into their fold. a big shout-out to kelly, amanda, nick, and tej for keeping me in good spirits the whole 13.5 hours. kudos to all of you for (hopefully) surviving the entire 26-hour madness!
i mustn't forget to mention that we all got an AWSOME pic together w/the actor who played aaron samuels on mean girls (what's his real name?!) and the actor who plays kyle XY (OMG -- what amazing eyes! and his hand was on my low back -- *sigh*). i mean, that was seriously the highlight of the WHOLE night. especially for amanda who got to stand b/w both of them!
last but not least, i got henna tattoo-ed by the president of the undergrad student body (who i think is on the committee -- honorarily or not, i'm not sure). which i think is ironic since i was just complaining the other day about how he came into a meeting that i was in, took food, and then left. i mean, how impolite, inappropriate, and presumptuous is that?! *sigh* kids these days....
for anyone interested in participating or donating:
http://bruindancemarathon.org/
Friday, February 15, 2008
cafe 50's
for a quintessential diner experience, you've gotta check out cafe 50's on santa monica boulevard. not only is the whole place decked out in 1950's kitsch, but the waitresses are all dressed up in red and white, and the cooks even wear those cute little cook hats. i mean, seriously, how adorable is that?! the ceilings and walls are covered in old school movie posters. there are mini-juke boxes in every booth. and there are tons of games to play with while you're eating: battleship, connect four, operation, uno, etc. if you want, you can even sit at the counter and watch the cooks do their thing while you're sipping on your yummy milkshake.
while eating out is certainly about the whole dining experience, i must say that the food at cafe 50's is absolutely YUMMILICIOUS. eri and i pretty much go once every 2 months (at least) -- it's our favorite roomie dine-out spot (considering that we don't dine out together too much). and if you join their frequent diner program, you get coupons in the mail for great discounts and free entrees/desserts/shakes! it totally makes the trip worth it. plus they have specials every single day of the week, like 50% off burgers and omelettes on mondays, and pajama night the last wednesday of every month (where you can get free food if you wear a traditional, two-piece jammie set -- no slinky numbers allowed!). i've yet to try the jammie thing, but i suppose it's fun for the kids. and don't forget: there are magicians over the weekend! (yeah, if you like that sort of thing. ahem. ok, just checking.)
even though i've gone on and on about everything else, the food is seriously REALLY good. (crystal was apparently not a fan, but i've had enough diner food to know that this place is pretty top-notch.) the menu is humongoid, but before you look at anything else, you really should check out the shake list. i mean, SERIOUSLY. i think the best thing is probably the pumpkin shake, but sadly, that's only offered during the fall months. (why, i have no idea, especially since anyone can get canned pumpkin nowadays -- which btw is totally DELISH -- but i won't complain b/c distance/time makes the heart grow fonder.) personally, when i can't get the pumpkin shake, i drool just as much over the coffee and oreo cookie shakes. i tried the breakfast shake last night, but it was simply too healthy. i've been dying to try the sunshine shake, so i think that'll be up next.
in terms of options, the menu is FABulous and seriously has something for everyone. i used to love going in and getting breakfast food -- yummy (and huge) omelettes, chorizo and eggs (mmm...), joe's scramble (eggs, beef, cheese, HEAVEN), all w/a side of order of crispy bacon (pork is best, but turkey ain't shabby) and a big glass of iced coffee. BTW, REMEMBER THAT ONE WHOLE EGG IS 70% OF YOUR DAILY CHOLESTEROL ALLOTMENT!! as soon as i learned that, i was THRILLED w/myself for having gotten egg white omelettes every time i've ordered omelettes. eek! to think that they make JUMBO omelettes with FIVE eggs. GROSSNESS. in any case, grease certainly makes food taste good. mmm....
even though i still get breakfast every now and again, i've certainly expanded out over the years. the calico cobb salad (every so often w/blue cheese dressing) is ginormous and delicious. i've even tried the luscious fried mac 'n cheese. granted, it's only good for the first 5 minutes when it's hot and melty, but it's AMAZING. deep friend mac 'n cheese wedges. i mean, who can argue w/something like that? and while i don't like sandwiches generally, i had a hankering for a grilled cheese last night. and it totally hit the spot! i wish i'd had more of an appetite (and/or not been vegetarian for the month), b/c i'd love to have tried the fried egg sandwich or the BLT. mmm.... next time i suppose! i'm sure i won't have a problem remembering.
needless to say, i've already expounded on the MANY reasons that cafe 50's is one of my top picks in LA. however, i have to add that it helps that eri loves it too! and so did marie (our old roommate)! so it's kind of like a nostalgic place to come back to every so often. i think we all need at least one of those in our immediate vicinity!
check it:
cafe 50's
11623 santa monica blvd
west los angeles, ca
310.479.1955
http://www.cafe50s.com/index.html
while eating out is certainly about the whole dining experience, i must say that the food at cafe 50's is absolutely YUMMILICIOUS. eri and i pretty much go once every 2 months (at least) -- it's our favorite roomie dine-out spot (considering that we don't dine out together too much). and if you join their frequent diner program, you get coupons in the mail for great discounts and free entrees/desserts/shakes! it totally makes the trip worth it. plus they have specials every single day of the week, like 50% off burgers and omelettes on mondays, and pajama night the last wednesday of every month (where you can get free food if you wear a traditional, two-piece jammie set -- no slinky numbers allowed!). i've yet to try the jammie thing, but i suppose it's fun for the kids. and don't forget: there are magicians over the weekend! (yeah, if you like that sort of thing. ahem. ok, just checking.)
even though i've gone on and on about everything else, the food is seriously REALLY good. (crystal was apparently not a fan, but i've had enough diner food to know that this place is pretty top-notch.) the menu is humongoid, but before you look at anything else, you really should check out the shake list. i mean, SERIOUSLY. i think the best thing is probably the pumpkin shake, but sadly, that's only offered during the fall months. (why, i have no idea, especially since anyone can get canned pumpkin nowadays -- which btw is totally DELISH -- but i won't complain b/c distance/time makes the heart grow fonder.) personally, when i can't get the pumpkin shake, i drool just as much over the coffee and oreo cookie shakes. i tried the breakfast shake last night, but it was simply too healthy. i've been dying to try the sunshine shake, so i think that'll be up next.
in terms of options, the menu is FABulous and seriously has something for everyone. i used to love going in and getting breakfast food -- yummy (and huge) omelettes, chorizo and eggs (mmm...), joe's scramble (eggs, beef, cheese, HEAVEN), all w/a side of order of crispy bacon (pork is best, but turkey ain't shabby) and a big glass of iced coffee. BTW, REMEMBER THAT ONE WHOLE EGG IS 70% OF YOUR DAILY CHOLESTEROL ALLOTMENT!! as soon as i learned that, i was THRILLED w/myself for having gotten egg white omelettes every time i've ordered omelettes. eek! to think that they make JUMBO omelettes with FIVE eggs. GROSSNESS. in any case, grease certainly makes food taste good. mmm....
even though i still get breakfast every now and again, i've certainly expanded out over the years. the calico cobb salad (every so often w/blue cheese dressing) is ginormous and delicious. i've even tried the luscious fried mac 'n cheese. granted, it's only good for the first 5 minutes when it's hot and melty, but it's AMAZING. deep friend mac 'n cheese wedges. i mean, who can argue w/something like that? and while i don't like sandwiches generally, i had a hankering for a grilled cheese last night. and it totally hit the spot! i wish i'd had more of an appetite (and/or not been vegetarian for the month), b/c i'd love to have tried the fried egg sandwich or the BLT. mmm.... next time i suppose! i'm sure i won't have a problem remembering.
needless to say, i've already expounded on the MANY reasons that cafe 50's is one of my top picks in LA. however, i have to add that it helps that eri loves it too! and so did marie (our old roommate)! so it's kind of like a nostalgic place to come back to every so often. i think we all need at least one of those in our immediate vicinity!
check it:
cafe 50's
11623 santa monica blvd
west los angeles, ca
310.479.1955
http://www.cafe50s.com/index.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)