when it’s good (l.a. day 1)

I think I can speak for both of us when I say thank goodness for 75-degree weather. However, I know we’ll be reminiscing about the cool days in the Pacific Northwest when we’re in Austin next week. Today was our first full day in Los Angeles. I’m pretty sure this place has been anxiously awaiting our arrival.

We’ve already learned so much about L.A. – like when they mean no parking, they mean it. I’ll soon be putting my persuasive writing skills the test to contest an assessed fine. It was late and reading the sign just wasn’t in my best interest. So, the day started off a little rocky (and pricy), but I had access to multiple washers and dryers…life could only get better from there. I’m a compulsive launderer. It’s routine, warm, and it smells good. I’ll never apologize for it. Needless to say, not having unlimited access has been a personal challenge. I think taking the time to do that this morning was a Top 10 Road Trip win so far. I felt so accomplished that I took a little nap that turned into 90 minutes (power napping powers have long since faded…oh, college). Amy and I make great partners. I did the laundry while she slept in and she repacked while I napped.

After sitting around (read: procrastinating) for a while, we decided one thing was necessary: food. Margaret mentioned food trucks last night and planted the seed. We had to do it. And we did. It was later, so some of the trucks where we stopped were packed up and leaving. We did find one that looked to have some interesting items. Sort of a Korean/Mexican fusion type place. Not “the place” that you’ve seen on TV, but an acceptable alternative for sure. We shared the kimchi quesadilla (surprisingly yum), I had a tofu taco, and Amy had a spicy pork taco. A great stop and a true L.A. moment for us.

Retrospectively, eating before a trip to Rodeo Drive wasn’t our best choice. Actually, it seems that food and most of the people (sans tourists) shopping Rodeo Drive aren’t really friends. Our stop was blissfully brief.

Next we decided to do a little house hunting in the area. We traveled to Santa Monica beach area to look at a home listed on Craigslist. If you don’t know this already, Amy and I are taking the plunge (aka moving to Southern California). The house was not for us, but we tried. Because I have two dogs the places we can look at are limited. We drove a little more in S.M. and then ventured to Culver City. I like Culver City – it’s a little artsy and seems to have a good mix of people. We’ll keep that on the list of potential living spots for sure.

I think by now it’s safe to say that Amy has realized that my coffee addiction and my crankiness are not mutually exclusive. I’m glad she still talks to me anyway. Thank you Starbucks for the crappy Iced Americano that saved the afternoon. (Why do they hate regular iced coffee???) We relaxed there for about an hour and decided to head back to Margaret’s before dinner.

Oh, dinner, where do I even begin? We are big Top Chef fans and we particularly both liked Chef Susan Feniger from the Masters edition of the show (Season 2). After catching something on Food Network or Cooking Channel about Susan Feniger’s restaurant STREET, I put it on the list of thing to do while in L.A. I’m so glad I did. We were joined by Margaret and Cara and started with a drink from the bar. Chef Feniger was behind the bar and greeted us with a kind smile (her personality and love of Mexican food sold me instantly on Top Chef). It’s not often that you find a celebrity chef/owner on site, but from what I hear she is quite active at the restaurant. In fact, we were greeted tableside after being seated. It was lovely. And the food was amazing. Amazing. We started with the Kaya Toast (which was recommended in most reviews and by Amy’s friend Maria). It was a perfect way to start out the meal.

From the menu:

KAYA TOAST 
a uniquely STREET experience; toasted bread spread thick with coconut jam; 
served with a soft fried egg drizzled in dark soy and white pepper

Next we ordered the cheese grits (so creamy, cheddary, and well salted), the spinach varenyky (my personal favorite – a dumpling filled with spinach and cheese, pan fried, and topped with a delicious lemon marmalade and sour cream), saag panner & dal (we love our Indian food), and shitakes stuffed with shrimp (which got a thumbs up). Our first round was so delightful. The staff gifted us an extra order of the grits because the first order didn’t come out hot (we didn’t really notice, but appreciated the extra grits). Second round was sautéed calamari (Greek style), kale (which I found quite tasty), and nopales relleno (cactus – this wasn’t my favorite because the texture is a little off, but the taste was good). After all of the food, we had no room for dessert – reason to come back soon! This was one of my top food experiences of the trip…small plates are the way to go. We all got a good taste of all of our choices. For more accurate descriptions of the food, please see the menu…or ask just Amy.

We finished the night with Margaret and our mutual friends, beer and wine, atop her apartment building’s rooftop terrace. We had great talks, some laughs, and a gorgeous nighttime view of the city. We’ll be back soon!

in california

Today I got to fulfill a dream: vegetarian dim sum. All I have ever wanted is one little steamed dumpling that isn’t filled with questionable pork or “shrimp”. I got 5. Thank you Yank Sing (and Mo Rocca) for helping me live the Chinese-American Dream. Amy and I shared so many things for lunch. Amy first tried the pork soup dumplings. She had an indiscernible look on her face while eating, but I heard about them at least 3 times on the drive today. I guess that means she liked them. Then we got these green onion wontons (?) that were flaky and tasty. Amy got her turnip cakes (which, in her opinion, did not compare to the ones they make at Ming Court in Orlando). We flagged down the dumpling cart when we could to indulge in those highly anticipated steamy treats. We chose three types of vegetable dumplings – the mushroom, the spinach, and the Savory Vegetable. All three delightful, but I favored the mushroom (not a surprise). We shared a delicious Japanese eggplant dish and finished the meal with one egg custard filled bun each. This was a great way to start out the day and an even better way to solidify that we will, in fact, be returning to San Francisco. Also, the Holiday Inn Express in Pacifica was a great choice. A little outside of the city, but they sure made up for it with their kindness and I got to wake up to a rolling ocean two mornings in a row. (I hear from Amy that our current view is of the amazing parking garage.)

After lunch we decided to do the rest of our SF touring via car. We walked a lot yesterday and we wanted to get on the road at a decent time. We drove down to Haight-Ashbury so Amy could stand where people stood up for things. I was having a cranky morning, so I chose to drive around versus trying to battle a million people for a parking spot. (Despite what Amy may think, I do love her appreciation for history – I just needed coffee.) Then we drove through Golden Gate Park until I could no longer tolerate the driving and drivers. I’m sorry for Amy that we did not get to see the Golden Gate Bridge on a clear day – or at all. Another reason to come back…not on a Holiday weekend. Then we drove through The Castro – I wish we had planned better and spent more time down there. Next time. I did see my first naked person in public. I think he was all the way naked – he might have been wearing a sock…not sure. (RHCP fans (or anyone born before 1989) will likely remember when Flea made history with a sock. Hyperlink was inappropriate.)

We hit the road; and by road I mean the Pacific Coast Highway. It is absolutely no joke that this drive has the most incredible landscapes. I’ve always been mystified by the whole mountain meeting ocean thing. It’s amazing. The farmlands only add to the unique experience. We spent about 2 hours driving south and ended up in Santa Cruz where a good friend from high school currently resides. Josh and his girlfriend, Lauren, were exactly what we needed: a break from the road, the constant strangers, the empty hotel rooms, and maybe each other (a little). We had great conversations while enjoying the cool late afternoon surrounded by Max, a sweet mastiff weighing in at a mere 200 lbs., and some very entertaining chickens. They took us for our first Mexican experience of the trip where we had a lovely meal at El Palomar in downtown Santa Cruz. I had the guacamole sope (my first sope ever) and a tostada with beans, cabbage, cheese, and sour cream. Amy had green chili pork tostada and a shredded chicken sope. Josh and Lauren made a very strong case for the Santa Cruz area. We will definitely be back to visit. I can’t wait for gardening 101 with Josh…maybe it’s reciprocation for the help with the geometry homework in 10^th grade?

We took our full bellies and settled into the car for the quick jaunt to Monterey – our destination for the evening. Our hotel stay will be brief, and great wonders await us tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Joellen