VLEIGER & VANDAM

LA RECOMMENDATIONS PART II

I lost the bet with my boyfriend. There was a sample sale too good to pass up.

Anyway, here's the continuation of my list! :]

Melrose/Venice Beach/Sawtelle/Beverly Hills/Santa Monica/Pasadena:

Pizzeria Mozza & Osteria Mozza: My biggest foodie friend Pat, whose recommendations on food & beverage I trust wholeheartedly, claims that Osteria Mozza is her favorite restaurant in LA right now. Pizzeria Mozza is the more casual one. If you only have time to try one restaurant in LA. This one would definitely be it folks.

Paperdoll: One of my favorite shops on Melrose.  Good for affordable, trendy fashions. 

Pinkberry (frozen yogurt): I don't like Pinkberry. Don't get what the craze is and I'd much rather have a dose of good old fashioned ice cream over it any day. It was the big new trend in '06. I'm including it anyway because a lot of people enjoy it and it's a trend to stay. For now.

Urth Caffe: Say hello to the ex-hang out joint of young Hollywood. Just blocks away from Kitson (to be touched upon later) and the Beverly Center, I'd definitely say that this is the place for you if you want to people watch. It's a little pretentious, the food is average, and it's always hard to get a good table, but I do love their Honey Vanilla Latte. They take the time to make cute foam art.

Kitson: The quintissential celebrity - both quasi and A-list - clothing store. I went there once, ages ago, just to see what the hype was. The employees are stuck up (one of my biggest pet peeves - sales people with attitude) and the clothes are marked way up. But they do have a good selection of superficial trends (e.g. juicy tracksuits and "team angelina" shirts), which may or may not be your cup of tea.

The Beverly Center: It's convenient for sightseeing (close to Rodeo, Melrose, Robertson, and Santa Monica).

Sprinkles Cupcakes: Despite the fact that many say it is overrated, I love Sprinkles. It was the first (or one of the first) gourmet cupcake shop to open shop in LA. I have a soft spot for the pioneers of good trends. If you happen to be in LA during xmas, you MUST try their peppermint cupcake (with crushed candy canes on top). This gourmet cupcake trend, in my opinion, is the best trend ever. EVER.

Black Market: Not only is the name cool, the general concept of this business is cool. It's a clothing store/art gallery. The pieces they sell are very original (kudos to their buyer, she/he has fabulous taste). It is a touch on the pricey side, but they do have good sales from time to time. If nothing else, it's a great place to window shop.

Giant Robot & Kid Robot: On the same street as Black Market. Good stores to browse in. I think I only buy something every 5th time I go. They sell all the nifty things you never knew you needed.

Father's Office: They have the best burgers I've ever tasted. In-and-out is still the best to satisfy a quick urge, but Father's Office is amazing. Love the peach flavored Belgian beer! There are tons of choices on tap.

3rd Street Promenade: There are a lot of cool shopping areas in LA, but this is definitely my top spot to take visitors. It's not anything spectacular, and in fact, you can definitely find cooler stores on Melrose, Abbot Kinney, Montana, or Robertson. But it's practical. In reality, most visitors buy things from big chains anyway (which often equals more affordable), even if they find the boutiques more interesting. There's a huge Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Zara, Apple store, Mango, Anthropologie, Borders/Barnes & Noble (plus a really cool art/fashion book shop!), etc. Addtional perks: it's outdoors and right by the Santa Monica Pier and the beach.

Griddle Cafe: Breakfast joint. This is on Sunset Blvd and all the people who work here are actors, actresses, or models. The wait is long, but again it's got a very LA feel. There's a secret password for their "special" dish. I tried it and it was ok. I guess it was hyped up and I was expecting more.

Forever 21 (the flagship store in Pasadena): Just to give you an idea of how big this Forever is, it is housed in what used to be a Saks Fifth Avenue. Yep. It's two stories with HUGE sections for not only clothes, but all their accessories, men's clothing, and shoes. There's a great frozen yogurt place around the corner too (21 Choices).  I know what you're thinking, 'didn't she just say she didn't like frozen yogurt up there?', and you're right.  I don't like the tangy, sour flavored frozen yogurt.  The kind on offer at 21 Choices is the traditional kind, with a kick.  You get to choose different toppings and they mix it all together for you.  It's so delicious and you don't feel as bad because it's frozen yogurt.

Trader Joe's: I think it's safe to say this the one market everyone likes from strict vegans to junk food maniacs. They have the best snacks (cinammon sugar pita chips and chocolate covered frozen bananas anyone?) and the employees genuinely seem happy to work there. Anytime you put someone in an aloha shirt (their uniform), it's gonna be a good time.

The Other Room: A bar in Venice Beach that only serves wine & beer. Also a recommendation from my good friend Pat. Very chill place.

The Getty: Next to Peggy Guggenheim's Venice home-turned-museum, this is probably the most beautiful venue for a museum I've ever seen. You just gotta see it to understand. No admission fee (only parking).

Top: Guess
Shorts: Unknown
Sandals: Capri

LA RECOMMENDATIONS PART I

Have you heard of Yelp?  Well, I'm a member and I get so offended when people trash my favorite restaurants. It's pretty ridiculous how angry I get. And funny.

As mentioned in a previous post, a good friend from the UK came for a visit en route to Costa Rica last weekend. We only had Saturday night, all day Sunday, and Monday night together. It was her first time ever in LA, so I really wanted to show her the best of the best, but at the same time, I didn't want to overwhelm her.

Being borderline OCD when it comes to organizing things, I made a list (and organized it by area):

Downtown/Silverlake/Melrose/Hollywood

Sushi Gen - My all time favorite. I actually went to Sushi Gen (pronounced like the g in gun) the day my boyfriend took these pictures. While doing research for my friend's visit, I looked up Sushi Gen on Yelp to see how everyone else liked it. Every negative comment was like a stab to the heart. It hurts guys. It's fine and I understand if you don't like it because the service or the quality of food was poor the one time you went. I get it, I've had a couple of bad experiences there too. A rude waitress, a not so fresh slab of maguro, or even a long wait. Trust me, I've been there. But just like a relationship, you shouldn't write it off so easily. It's delicious, filling, authentic, and great value for your money. Is there a better sushi restaurant in LA? Absolutely, if you want to spend a lot more. But, Sushi Gen is definitely the top of the line for its price range. It's damn good.

The Standard Rooftop Bar - Pretentious? A little. It's got a good view of the city though and in a strange European-ish way, it's very LA.

American Apparel (The Warehouse) - Only open from Monday through Friday, but more fun than your typical American Apparel shop. Made in Downtown LA.

Pho Siam - Best Thai massage place in the city! $40 for a full hour. Remember to turn off your cell phone!

Edison - This venue is so badass. Used to be the old Edison power plant, but has now been transformed into a lounge. Watch the steps.

Seven Grand - "There is definitely a bookish, masculine vibe to the place...the kind of joint you'd find in a Fitzgerald, Hemingway, or Miller (Henry, not Arthur)...a great place to drink boubon, puff on a cigar and pretend to be in an imaginary boys club. Even if you're a girl." - LA Weekly, June 2007

Intelligentsia - Cute cafe with seasonal coffees.

The Village Idiot - Chill and unpretentious restaurant/bar with very HIGH ceilings.

The Kitchen - Good ol' no frills homestyle American food. The drinks are huge and there are free refills! Wee!

Amoeba - I love Amoeba. Though the LA store doesn't have a good $4 section like its Haight St. counterpart and (from what my boyfriend claims) the general selection is better up north, I still love it. My Jazz, Hip Hop and World sections are always stocked with what I want. Plus, they have some pretty neat acts from time to time. I could spend hours in there.

Alright, this is to be continued. It's getting too long and I haven't even started on the Westside, the beaches, or the best thing about travel (besides learning and experiencing other cultures), shopping.

Top: Purchased in HK
Shorts: Forever
Shoes: Gap

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

It is a rare occurrence, for an event to be so amazing that words or pictures, simply, do not do it justice.

Such is the case for the Hollywood Bowl. Excuse me, the Hollywood Bowl and Stevie Wonder.

Have you ever been to a restaurant, park, or classroom more than five times? The first time you walk in, it's fresh right? You take in all the sights (how the furniture is arranged, special architectural features, the crowd), smells (aromas of the food, the people, the facility), and sounds (background music, etc.).

For the most part, after going to the same place half a dozen times, you feel comfortable and know what to expect. It becomes familiar.

With that said, my experience at the Hollywood Bowl, my every experience at the Bowl is always consistently fresh, invigorating, and even a touch uncanny.

I mean, I'm used to walking up the hill, going on the escalators, and setting up shop with dinner and drinks.

But the moment I enter the actual amphitheater, I feel the thrill and excitment rush through my body, as if it were my first time all over again. My guess on what it is exactly? It's the people. The crazy synergy from the very eclectic crowd.

Everyone's there to have a good time, to enjoy the music, and to bask in the lovely summer weather in LA. People from all walks of life and all corners of LA come to Hollywood for the Bowl.

Some of the songs he performed:

Superstition
Isn't She Lovely (With his daughter, Aisha Morris right next to him, it was really sweet)
I Just Called To Say I Love You
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
For Once In My Life
My Cherie Amour

He introduced his children at the start of the show and was incredibly funny and personable with the audience.  The 2.5 hour+ performance was pure entertainment.

All under the cool breeze of a warm summer evening.

So if you live in LA or even SF, with all due respect, what in the world are you waiting for?

BELTS

Looks can be deceiving.  This dress is definitely a lot shorter than it looks in these photos. I'm talking dangerously (almost booty-exposed) short. Luckily, I was armed with boyshorts, a boyfriend, and a heavy bag to weigh down the back.

Built-in belts I enjoy, when made from the same spool of fabric as the dress. It gives so much more versatility to whatever piece it's attached to.

In the first three photos, I tied it tightly around my waist. In the last one I made it looser, giving the dress a subtle yet totally different feel. You could also cinch it up top to give it an empire waist. There are many possibilities.

Dress: Sample sale frock
Sandals: Capri
Bag: Gryson