32 Reasons Why I Like LA
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

1. The weather is great and on the occasional day that it's not, I don't have to walk in it...I just have to go from car to building to car. (Note to reader: car to building to car could also be on my list of reasons I don't like LA...uch! I've already swayed!!! back on track...)
2. Outdoor activities - endless hiking possibilities, biking, etc...
3. A home. A real live home with lots of light flooding in with a back patio and a front yard.
4. Farmer's markets and delicious fresh produce
5. Grocery shopping
6. The ability to get in a car and take a road trip to Mexico, San Diego, Palm Springs, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, Arizona, Napa...etc. It's easy to get out to a lot of really beautiful places.
7. The beach, it's proximity, and the amount of days that you can use it.
8. For the first time in 11 years, I get to live in the same city as one of my childhood best friends.
9. It's a shorter trip to Asia, Hawaii, Australia and Bali than the east coast
10. The Mexican food is far superior
11. The sushi is pretty incredible too.
12. I've met a few great people that I'm so grateful to have in my life.
13. Target and Best Buy (they're hard to find in the city and even if you can - you don't have a car to get all your stuff home)
14. Lazy Sundays - I never learned that art in NYC.
15. Dinner parties
16. Exploring a new part of the country
17. YOGA!!! Yoga classes are definitely better in LA.
18. We found our puppy here - and the Mulholland Dog Park or Runyon Canyon beat any NYC dog park.
19. Palm trees.
20. The Beach Boys
21. I don't have my annual panic attack in the Times Square subway station because there are too many people and I'm screaming inside my own head for everyone to just move and let me get through to where I need to go.
22. I have a FANTASTIC therapist here.
23. Change is good...and Los Angeles has helped me to figure myself out, get out of my comfort zone.
24. It's an adventure that Matt and I get to share separate and apart from all the other people in our families...something different that we'll always have together.
25. Pinkberry. I know you New Yorker's don't like it but I say it beats chemically-tasting Tasty Delight ANY DAY.
26. The Arclight Cinema - you have to love a movie theater with assigned, comfy seats
27. The Golden Globes are on at 5 so I can actually stay awake for the entire thing (well...most of the time.)
28. Trader Joe's. I know there's one in NYC now...but there wasn't when I lived there and I freaking love this place...
29. Mani/pedis- They're cheaper and better.
30. My hairdresser, Robert, at Roman Salon.
31. Ikea with a car. No renting, no buses...pure ease.
32. My shoes are in MUCH better shape than they ever were in NYC.

Of course for every reason I've thought of here, I have 10 reasons why I love New York. But I suppose that's why I have this blog now, isn't it?

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:04 PM 3 comments  

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The Coffee Debate
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Knoxville feels like it was sooooooo long ago - but I vaguely recall referencing the whole Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf vs. Starbucks thing before I left. For those of you who are not familiar Coffee Bean, this is a west coast beanery that Angelenos seems to swoon over. Perhaps this is one reason that I will never be considered an Angeleno.

Let's start by discussing the actual act of getting coffee in LA. You can't just "pick up" coffee on your way to work. Unless you are one of a select few that either lives or works within walking distance of a coffee shop, coffee entails getting in your car, driving to your coffee shop of choice, finding a parking spot (that's an ESPECIALLY infuriating part that generally includes also having quarters), and then post-coffee ordering, getting back in your car and driving to work while trying not to spill the coffee that you are slowly sipping when the guy in front of you slams on the breaks. In NYC, you walk out your door, stop to buy coffee on the way to the subway, and then head on your merry way. Sure, there's an occasional spill from the guy who bumps you on the street or the times when the subway stops short (although I'd venture to say that most NY'ers get their coffee post-subway ride) but all in all, walking through a Manhattan morning with coffee is an enjoyable undertaking and is a much simpler task than in LA. I know people. I know that I'm totally and completely biased and you can all write and tell me that you think it's easier to get a coffee in your car. (And maybe it actually would be if someone got smart and made some coffee shops with a drive thru.) But I don't buy it for a single second. Coffee is easier
in NY.

Of course, I can't say that I'm thrilled with the influx of a Starbucks on every corner. On one of my recent visits, I almost fell down dead when I turned to see the green sign where the Blind Tiger Ale House once stood. This is NOT ok people. That was a tangent. Back on track...

In LA, there are two coffee monsters - the nation-wide Starbucks and the west coast Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. (incidentally, Coffee Bean also has many international shops in places like Israel, Australia, and Qatar. Go figure.) Anyhow...people out here LOOOOOOOOVE Coffee Bean. I've never done a study of any sort, but I think that Coffee Bean is more popular out here than Starbucks.

I would be lying if I said that there are certain things that I do, indeed, like about Coffee Bean. Their sizes are small, medium, and large. Their coffee is WAY better than the gasoline that Starbuck serves and by this, I mean their regular old, "Can I have a coffee?" They have delicious flavored Iced Teas. But that's where the goodness ends. Because Coffee Bean uses powder vanilla and chocolate to flavor their drinks. First of all, aforementioned powder is inSANEly sweet. Sickeningly so. Secondly, you start out with a mocha at the beginning of your drink, but you end with globs of sugary, granular chocolate powder at the end. Does that sound good to YOU?

So while I am in the minority, I remain a Starbucks enthusiast in a land of Coffee Bean connoisseurs. I'll take a grande non-fat mocha over a medium vanilla latte any day. Of course the last time I got either in LA was easily a month ago...because I had to drive to get there.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 1:30 PM 4 comments  

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This weather sucks.
Monday, October 29, 2007

It's too hot here for sweaters and I'm pissed about it. I opened my closet this morning and I have absolutely nothing to wear. Sure, I have an entire closet full of beautiful jackets and wrap sweaters and turtlenecks. But I can't wear any of them because it's 80 degrees outside!!! It's Halloween in two days and it's freaking 80 degrees. I know that I'm supposed to like that about LA. The weather is one of the upshots of this place. But I couldn't possibly appreciate it less right now. I want to bundle up my body in a blanket of warmth and comfort and this stupid weather is telling me to get out my sandals and put on a tank top. Screw you LA and your sunny, hot, October afternoon.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 12:26 PM 0 comments  

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The leaves are perfect
Friday, October 26, 2007

I got my perfect fall day. The leaves blew across the street in a perfect swirl and for a moment, I felt as though I were in a scene of a poignant, thought-evoking film. I stared out the car window at the trees - a brilliant collage of fiery reds and oranges and yellows. The grass was covered in crunchy browns and deeper jewel tones. The air was crisp - just chilled enough to give your cheeks a slight hint of pink but the shining sun smiled down upon us as though to say, "Don't worry kids. I'm here watching and I always will be."

There's something ironic about being in that perfect fall setting and hearing the sound of the shovel digging into the pile of dirt. Like nails on a chalkboard, it sends shivers down my spine. I hate that part the most...perhaps because you have to see the descent into the ground and there's absolutely no way that you can NOT come to terms with the loss you have experienced.

But I was glad to be reminded of the woman that you were. A bold, strong, compassionate, lover full of chutzpah. A true liver of life. You took lemons and made lemonade. And I was glad to have the opportunity to honor you with words that brought not only tears, but laughter as well. My father-in-law, who only got to meet you once, came up to me and said, "I'm sorry I didn't get to know your grandmother. She sounds like she was a truly phenomenal woman." And that is exactly what you were.

My aunt's students sent her condolence cards and we read them today as we sat and ate, the way that Jews do while they sit shiva. And they were truly prolific. One of her 7th graders wrote:

I am so sorry for your loss. Even the sky shed tears for your mother. But she will always be with you. Mothers always are.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

It really was a perfect fall day. They sent you off in style, Grammy - exactly the way you deserved.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 7:23 PM 0 comments  

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I raise my glass...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007

I remember the way that you'd talk about the price of grapes at the grocery store. I'd ask my mom, annoyed that the days coupons and groceries were the topic du jour. "Grammy's family owned a grocery store. That was her business at one time." I didn't get it then - but I get it now.

I remember using your breasts as pillows. You loved it- having a granddaughter on each side. They weren't breasts to me...they were Grammy's pillows and they were the warmest, safest place to lay my head.

I remember the way you'd give advice. I was having trouble with my now husband once, and at 83, alzheimers and all, you looked at me and said, "Michelle, honey, stop making such a big deal out of all of it. Just think of him like he's a very good friend who's going to be around for a very long time." You were so smart.

I remember our phone calls when I lived in NYC. "Are you flirting?" you'd say when you checked in. "Because you can't meet boys if you're not flirting." You made me laugh at the simple brilliance of your statement. You were right...how could I meet boys if I wasn't flirting?

You were a true matriarch. You were the mother of 4 kids whom you raised almost entirely by yourself. You had 4 children-in-laws that you treated like your own. You had 10 grandchildren and 2 great-grandkids...and you gave each and every one of us love. You were at every recital, every play, every sporting event, every graduation. Nothing was more important to you than your family.

I remember, when I was a little girl, the way you'd say to me, "How much do I love you?" and you'd raise your arms and say "Up to the sky." And you did.

You made the best fudge anyone's ever tasted, the most incredible apple pie. Your apple pie caused arguments when Uncle Michael would ration it out at Thanksgiving so that he could have enough for himself. "Don't worry, Michael," you'd say. "I made you a whole other one." You always took care of everyone.

Whenever we went to the movies, you would ask for "very little ice" in our drinks and I was embarassed. For years I thought of that and I'd cringe. But guess what...eventually I got smart and realized what you knew all along - that they fill the whole freaking cup with ice! Now I, too, ask for "very little ice."

Once, you paid for our entire meal in coupons at Friendly's. You loved a good bargain.

You could laugh at herself. A couple of years ago, Matt and I went home to visit you and you came out to greet us in the hall.
"Mert!" you said.
"What Grammy?"
"Mert!"
"You mean Matt?"
"Oh..." quiet for a moment and then a little giggle. "Matt!"

You got this fabulous look on your face when you were enjoying great food. You'd look at us out of the corner of your eye, almost as though you were doing something you shouldn't be doing...and you'd quietly smack your lips a few times.

You were the cutest woman I know. You always had a twinkle in your eye. And you were stubborn as all get out but we all learned something from your willingness to look at things from another perspective every now and then. And you danced at my wedding, Grammy. You were determined to - and you did.

I know it was time and I'm glad that you don't have to suffer anymore. Although no one can say you lived an easy life, you lived a very full life and you were loved more than you know. But it's never easy to say goodbye, never easy to lose someone you love so unconditionally. Who was so warm and so wise and so close to your heart. You were always there for me, Grammy, no matter what. You were such a phenomenally special woman and I am honored to have had the time with you that I did. And I'm grateful to have had someone in my life who loved me...loves me...the way that you did and always will.

So I raise my glass to you, Ruthie. I raise my glass to you.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 9:49 PM 2 comments  

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LA is Burning
Monday, October 22, 2007

I returned to LA to what is likely the worst outbreak of fires since I moved here three years ago. There are six different areas that are burning, where people are being evacuated from their homes, uncertain whether or not they'll return to something still standing. Some of them are being described as the worst fire outbreaks ever.

Can you imagine? I mean not like, "I know. That's so awful" imagine. But really and truly imagine. It's horrible enough to think about a fire starting in your own home. When I was a little girl, I used to have a recurring nightmare about a fire breaking out in our house. I would wake up in a cold sweat, grateful that I was lying in my bed in the middle of a pitch black house. But can you imagine miles and miles of scorching flames blowing wildly out of control , hopping over mountains and canyons so quickly that no one and nothing can catch up. Where all you can do is leave your home and hope and pray that everything will be OK?

I am very much an "everything happens for a reason" kind of person. But these forces of nature - the rain that we need to live our lives that turns into floods and tsunamis, the fire that warms us and reminds us of winter and hot chocolate and family that turns into these raging monsters - I don't understand the reasons these things happen. Is someone somewhere trying to prove something to us? Perhaps it's a reminder that we, with our guns and wars and hatred and power struggles, are really just little peons who wield zero control over the strongest force of all - Mother Nature. That's what I tell myself at least as I watch people lose their homes and even worse, their lives. Because I don't understand the reason. I can't think of one possible reason why this would happen.

I'm lucky - right now, the fires are nowhere near my home. For now, my family is safe and my home is safe and for now, I only need to have concern for all of the people that are being effected. But I can smell it and I can feel the winds blowing. And I'm watching it on television like everyone else that lives in other parts of the USA saying "Did you hear about the horrible fires in Los Angeles?" But then you start to know people who are being told to evacuate...and it hits closer and closer to home.

It is always amazing to me when people ask what I would try to rescue from my home if, God forbid, it were on fire. From the second I was aware of the possibility of a fire in our home as a child, I have always known the answer to this question. There has only ever been one thing in my home that has felt irreplaceable to me.

Pictures.

Years and years of memories wrapped in several albums. A single picture brings me back to a place or a person or a moment. With a single glance, I can taste that moment like it happened yesterday.

Someone I spoke with this morning said they had gathered all of their investment information, their taxes. I was impressed with their practicality but my answer didn't shift - not even for a moment. If I had the opportunity to rescue some object from my home in the event of some insane and inexplicable natural disaster - it would be my pictures.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 3:50 PM 0 comments  

Leavin' on a jet plane
Thursday, October 18, 2007

So with strikes looming and pseudo-musical tv shows premiering, I have been a crazy little woman without much time to write...and tonight I'm off to my home away from home, LAX, to go to Knoxville for a dear friend's wedding this weekend. Before I go I'll leave you with this for next week - Coffee Bean or Starbucks or something in between? As a New Yorker, I've had immense trouble with the Coffee Bean of it all, but other's from the coast that is not west were in love at first sight. Different folks - we'll discuss next week. Have a great weekend and if I find a computer I'll post from Tennessee...

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 8:57 PM 0 comments  

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Releasing the Reigns (or Stop Trying to Make Your Mother/Father/best friend/significant other Someone That They're Not)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007

I just read my Daily Om from yesterday and felt the need to post it here in it's entirety as it relates directly to yesterday's post. This has been a lesson that I've been slowly learning over time (I mean, who doesn't want everyone else to act exactly the way they want them to all the time?)

Releasing The Reigns
Changing Others

Our perception of humanity as a whole is, to a large extent, dualistic. We paint people with a broad brush - some are like us, sharing our opinions and our attitudes, while others are different. Our commitment to values we have chosen to embrace is often so strong that we are easily convinced that our way is the right way. We may find ourselves frustrated by those who view the world from an alternate vantage point and make use of unusual strategies when coping with life's challenges. However ardently we believe that these people would be happier and more satisfied following our lead, we should resist the temptation to try to change them. Every human being has been blessed with a unique nature that cannot be altered by outside forces. We are who we are at any one point in our lives for a reason, and no one person can say for certain what another should be like.

The reasons we try to change one another are numerous. Since we have learned over time to flourish in the richness of lives we have built, we may come to believe that we are qualified to speak on behalf of the greater source. The sum total of our knowledge will never compare to what we do not know, however, and our understanding of others' lives will forever be limited. The potential we see in the people who are a part of our lives will never be precisely the same as our own, so we do these individuals a disservice when we make assumptions about their intentions, preferences, and goals. Our power lies in our ability to accept others for all their quirks and differences and to let go of the need to control every element of our existence. We can love people for who they are, embracing their uniqueness, or we can love them as human beings from afar.

Your ability to influence people may grow more sophisticated because others sense that you respect their right to be themselves, but you will likely spend more time gazing inward, into the one person you can change: yourself.

Sort of genius in all of it's frilly zen-ness - right? If you want to receive more zen in your inbox everyday, click here.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 5:13 PM 0 comments  

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A modicum of control
Tuesday, October 16, 2007

We live in a world of illusion...where we believe that if we do it, they will come. Where we believe that a+b=c. Where a series of actions equals an outcome. It can be as simple as: if I leave 15 minutes early, I will undoubtedly get to my destination on time. But that's assuming that there's a normal pattern of traffic. If there's an accident or roadwork or any other unassumed variant, then I'm shit out of luck. And that's a really simple one.

There's a writer's strike looming in the wood of Holly. No one has control. Sure, the individual unions have control over the moves and decisions they make...but they don't have any control over the other side. And then there are all of us - the employees...that just have to sit back and wait and see what happens and go with the flow. With literally zero control.

We spend our lives muddling the difference between the law of attraction and trying to control the outcome of our lives. Oprah touted "The Secret" and while I firmly believe in the law of attraction, there's a difference between simply having faith in something and saying "I will do x, y, and z and because I believe in it and I've laid the foundation, it's going to happen." In fact, in essence, the law of attraction occurs for a person who releases the element of control.

I am a control freak. I would like everything to go the way I want when I want. I want others to think and be like I hope they will be. I want the people in my life to love each other and get along and understand one another. I want people to see and understand my perspective. I want to know where I'm going and how I'm going to get there. Of course, none of this is possible all of the time. And in truth, how boring would the world be if we all knew how everyone was going to act and react and how it was all going to turn out in the end? For starters, there would be no art and no passion. And that's just the tip of the iceberg (and yes, that is the proper expression - I can't wrap my head around it because every time I type iceberg, I think of lettuce.)

And for those of you who claim you don't have a control issue, I don't believe you. You might not be a "control freak" per se, but you have disappointments. And in general, disappointments arrive from expectation. And expectation is, in essence, a form of trying to have control. Some people are more in touch with their desire and need to control. Others go through life in a very laisez-fare (I KNOW I butchered that spelling...) way, assuming the identity of one who doesn't care. But they too suffer from the broken heart, the lost dream, the failed encounter. And they fly high from the perfect kiss, the ideal encounter, the deal made.

I have spent hours - years - trying to understand my desire to control...trying to release it. I am getting closer. Some days are better than others. Yoga helps. Staying in the moment helps. And looking at myself and acknowledging fear helps. Because at the end of the day, I only want to control things because I'm scared of what will happen if I can't. But the truth is that I can't. And I can choose to spend my life feeling scared that nothing is going to happen the way that I want or I can choose to be in the moment and see where life takes me, understanding that at times it will be down roads I would prefer not to go, but that I can surely handle.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 9:54 PM 1 comments  

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Blog Action Day
Monday, October 15, 2007

Today is Blog Action Day. How cool is it that everyone is getting involved and doing little things to help save our world? In honor of Blog Action Day, I'm simply going to list the little things that we've done in the past couple of years to help make our home and our lives greener by the day. Perhaps there are one or two easy things on here that you can do to help make your life a little more green:

1. Buy a Prius. Matt got 432 miles on his last tank of gas. Not to mention the fact that it's a great ride, it's roomy and comfortable, and the GPS system gets us where we need to go every time. If you are in the market to buy a new car, buy a hybrid.

2. Recycle. I mean, I know this is sooooooo obvious, but I also know that when we lived in our old apartment building, they didn't recycle so we didn't recycle. This only lasted a few months before we realized how irresponsible we were being. It might take a little more work to bring your newspapers someplace, but don't you feel great after? If you need more info on recycling, click here. At the top, you can enter your zip code and it will give you personalized info on your area.

3. Change your light bulbs to a CFL version. They sell them at Whole Foods (and I'm sure everywhere now.) If you want to understand why, read this article from Fast Company on how it only takes 1 lightbulb to change the world.

4. Buy recycled toilet paper and paper towels - and better yet, buy dishtowels and use those recycled paper towels sparingly.

5. Start using cloth napkins. Anthroplogie and Target have adorable ones that are inexpensive.

6. Be an efficient laundress. Wash your laundry in cold water only. Wanna understand why? Check out my favorite eco-friendly tip site, Ideal Bite. Also, don't do one or two pieces of laundry unless it's an emergency (like a wine spill or lipstick stain) and you must get it out immediately. Wash full loads of laundry. Clean your lint filter every time you use your dryer - it will dry your clothes way more efficiently. Wash your clothes less. No, this doesn't make you dirty - it makes you smart. Unless you TRULY get dirt on your clothes, you don't need to wash them every time. And you'll be happy because not only will you be helping the environment, your clothes will last longer as well.

7. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products. There's a whole slew of them - from Method, to Ecover, to Seventh Generation. The only thing I've yet to find is a great dishwasher detergent (for the actual dishwasher...) Any suggestions?

8. Buy local and organic. It may cost a few bucks more (although if you shop at your local farmer's market it's definitely cheaper than even non-organic produce at the supermarket) but it's worth it for taste, for your body, AND for the environment.

9. Stop drinking bottled water. Yeah, I know you recycle it, but it's still better for the environment if we don't use those plastic bottles to begin with. Get a cooler or better yet, get a filter that attaches to your sink. You'll save money and the world.

10. Unplug. It's actually even easier than that...I know it's a pain in the neck to have to plug that light in every time you want to use it. But it drains a lot of energy even when it's not on. We just bought power strips and put them in convenient places with a whole bunch of plugs in them. Now we just flip them off, and when we need to use them, we flip the switch and turn on the power. And I have to admit, I haven't done it with every socket in my house. I did it with the things we don't use as often. But it still helps.

11. Get your office in shape. Last week, I got adamant about getting rid of our styrofoam cups in the kitchen. My co-worker, Sabrina, made us get a water cooler at work instead of the hundreds of water bottles that we were going through. We now recycle all of our media with Green Disk. I still think we go through far too much paper, but that will take a conscious effort on each individuals part. And for now, I'm recycling my scripts to my heart content. I'm certain I haven't even brushed the tip of the iceberg (that's not the expression - is it?) on this one - but I'm determined to learn more!!

12. Keep your tires full. If your tires are full, your car works more efficiently on less gas. That's an easy one.

13. Stop using paper AND plastic. Bring your own bags with you to the grocery store. There's no reason to use up valuable earth supplies when you can just keep old plastic bags in your car or cloth totes.

Things on my radar to start doing in the next few weeks:

1. Switch to a Green Power Program. If you're an Angeleno, click here. For a few more bucks, you can pay to get your power from a green source - the sun, the wind, and water to name a few. Even if you can't afford to convert 100% of your power to green, you can still opt for 20% and pay about $6 more a month. A little goes a long way. If you live in NYC or anywhere else, click here. They'll let you know if you can purchase green power in your state.

2. Stop using plastic wrap and plastic baggies and plastic storage containers. Glad made it so easy for us to keep our food in those disposable containers. But they also contributed to the ruin of our planet in the process. Switch to glass or ceramic and you can go straight from the fridge to the oven or microwave. Ideal Bite has some great suggestions again: these glass storage containers don't have an ounce of plastic anywhere. You can wash all those pickle jar and pasta sauce jars and re-use those as well. Plastic can actually get into your food...yup - just by sitting there in the fridge.

3. Stop getting junk mail. I want to sign up for one of the terrific programs that will stop them from sending me those things that I just put in the trash anyhow. Go to Direct Mail or Green Dimes.

4. Get more conscious. Every day I throw away little slips of paper by mistake. I leave things on that I shouldn't. I flip on the heat rather than putting on an extra layer. All easy to do and free to fix. I want to get better at all these things.

5. And I'm thinking really big here when I say that one day, I'd love to have a completely eco-friendly, solar-powered home.

What's your favorite way to help the earth? I'd love to hear what you guys are doing to go green so I can start doing some of them myself!!

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 11:31 AM 4 comments  

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West Coast Prejudice or Why I Love Joan's on Third
Friday, October 12, 2007

I love Joan's on Third. I would have a party just so I could have an excuse to go there and buy the red pepper dip or blocks of cheeses with all the perfect accoutrement. There are scones and strawberry buttermilk muffins and French breakfast muffins that I would eat at any time of day. The cupcake selection (which they've expanded since they expanded the store) is divine. I could eat there every day for a month and never repeat myself although it's hard to resist the turkey meatloaf with chili aioli that makes my taste buds erupt in a cheer. I love Joan's on Third.

This morning I met a friend for breakfast there. I have always loved Joan's on Third - not only for their great food, but also, because I meet great people from the east coast there. This morning was no exception.

I ordered the soft boiled egg with pain perdu. I was truly excited by the prospect of a soft-boiled egg...I've always wanted to have one, but I never have. It arrived perched perfectly in it's adorable dish with the perfectly buttered bread beside it on the plate. I looked at the egg and realized...I had absolutely NO IDEA how to eat it. I didn't want to try to crack it - it was soft boiled after all...and I didn't know what would end up pouring out. I went to the counter to ask for help and a curly little brunette customer came to my rescue.

"My mom is French," she said. "I used to eat these all the time. You cut off the top with a knife then add just a touch of salt and dip the bread in. Do you mind?" she asked as she reached for a knife to help me.

"Mind?!?!? You're my hero!" I exclaimed as I pushed my plate toward her.

She delicately tapped at the top of the shell to create a little break and then smoothly glided the knife through the very top of the egg.

"Thank you soooo much." I paused. "You're from the east coast - aren't you?" I asked.

"I am," she replied with a smile.

"I knew it. No one from the west coast would have gotten in there and done it for me." I professed, admitting my mild prejudice against Angelenos.

I didn't say that it was right or fair - I'm just saying it's how I feel. And maybe Angelenos feel prejudiced against me. But every time I walk into Joan's on Third and I have a conversation with a perfectly wonderful total stranger, it's a perfectly wonderful total stranger from the other coast. Maybe we can smell it on each other, we crave that comraderie and shared experience. I'm just saying - it's never happened with an Angeleno.

I enjoyed my soft boiled egg exactly as the lovely lady had recommended - with my buttered bread dipped in the oozy yolk - surrounded by all the splendor of one of my favorite New York-ish spots in LA. As I sat among the bottles of outrageously divine (and outrageously expensive) olive oils and vinegars and mustards, and cases of salads and cheeses and charcuterie and pastries, I could have easily have been in the West Village or the Upper West Side. I sipped my latte, had great conversation, and felt cozy and at home. I love Joan's on Third.

Joan's on Third, 8350 West Third Street between Sweetzer and Kings Road, 323-655-2285

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 4:50 PM 0 comments  

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Wherever you go...
Thursday, October 11, 2007

Remember the Sex and the City episode where the girls went to a baby shower in the suburbs? The shower was for a former party girl who had now settled down and was having a kid. The shower brought up all sorts of issues for the women - Carrie was "late" and she wondered if she could handle being a mom (or if she even wanted to be), Charlotte freaked out that she'll never have the life and family she'd always dreamed of, Samantha threw herself an "I don't have a baby" shower, and Laney, the woman who was having the baby, looked at all of them and longed for her single, party-girl days.

I was only 24 when I saw this episode, but still, I could relate. I could relate to every single one of the girls on the screen - would I ever meet someone, would I ever have a family, would I be able to have those things and still have a life? I was searching the way that my favorite TV characters were...and wasn't it nice to know that it didn't all wrap up into a nice little package for them either. That they searched season to season, found love and lost it and found it again. That they questioned themselves and their future. That they made mistakes and things went wonderfully right and horribly wrong. Sex and the City was cathartic. It made me feel less alone in my searching. I knew that even if no one else shared my issues, Carrie Bradshaw did.

That was the year that my first friend got engaged. Some of my friends had serious boyfriends. I was single. I had friends who were already on their way in their careers, others who were waiting tables, and some who were going to graduate school. When I heard a decision or a declaration - be it about love or engagement or work or school - I always assessed my life - was I in the right place, where I was supposed to be? Was I ready for the next thing? Could I still hold onto the moment I was in?

It might be a baby shower or a wedding or a birthday party or a promotion - a big event of some sort. Or it just might be the way the wind is blowing on that particular day. She might look radiant - the way the sun is hitting her hair. He is unbelievably confident in his new job. She's never looked so happy as she does with this new boy. She's glowing in her pregnancy. Those moments, those days where we get a peep hole into another's life and it brings up all the questions we've ever had about our own. I wonder if I'll ever get there (wherever "there" may be). I wonder if I'll ever feel the kind of contentment that I did back then. I wish I knew that if I took a risk, things would be ok down the line. I long for the simplicity of the past. I have 50 million questions about the future. Spin, spin, and spin somemore...always going backwards or forwards...never sitting in the now.

I sift through my mind looking for the answers - wondering what I might be doing right or wrong. I question whether or not I'll regret decisions that have already been made or if I could be doing something differently. And by the way, I can honestly say that I'm always happy for the person that I'm admiring. It's just hard not to compare. I see their life and somehow sets off this feeling that I'm behind in mine - whether it's in love or in career, in finances or in family, or even in their level of self-assuredness, or level of zen.

I know these questions arise for me most when I'm going through a struggle of my own. I see a person in their snapshot moment of life and they appear to have it all perfectly in place and I wonder if I will ever have that snapshot moment myself. What I tend to forget is that I've been the snapshot moment for others at times too.

At the end of the day, Carrie realizes that she's exactly where she's supposed to be at that moment in time. She realizes that there's nothing on her plate that she can't handle and there aren't any questions unanswered that she needs immediate answers to. I don't know if that's specifically what she realizes in the baby shower episode, but I know that, in general, it's what she always realizes. And that's what I know as well...that I am where I am when I'm there. I can look back and I can look forward. I can want to know what's happening next and I can look back and realize where I was. But at the end of the day, how does that serve me? And what would happen if I just sat in where I am? So that I don't miss the moment while it's happening? What would happen if I could live comfortably (or uncomfortably if necessary) in the unknown and just trust that wherever I go, that's where I am? Because at the end of the day, that's the only certain.

Wherever you go, there you are.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 4:40 PM 2 comments  

Blogger's block
Wednesday, October 10, 2007

I have a headache. All across my forehead and seeping below my right eye. Staring at the computer screen can't be helping the situation. Closing my eyes just makes my head spin. The fluorescent lighting is undoubtedly doing me a disservice.

I read somewhere recently that getting a headache is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong - that you're dehydrated or hungry (neither of which pertain to me - I just ate a bowl of vanilla frozen yogurt with m&m's and I've had 3 bottles of water so far today) or tired or stressed or tense (completely and totally possible and I won't bore you with the list of reasons why...I'm sure we'll get to some of them another day.) This book said that you shouldn't take pills to cover up what your body is trying to tell you. Which makes a lot of sense in theory but not when you're sitting in an office for the next 3+ hours and the headache has now worked it's way down the right side of your face toward your jaw.

And I have blogger's block. So I'm going to take 2 Excedrin and call you in the morning.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:25 PM 2 comments  

The Industry
Tuesday, October 9, 2007

I find it bizarre that I live in a town where people can say "Do you work in The Industry?" and everyone knows what it means. THE Industry. THE Business. As if it's the only one.

But out here, it sort of is. In NYC there are jacks of all trade. When you go to a party and someone asks what you do, the answers are plentiful. And while there are definitely other industries in Los Angeles, the entertainment industry is the biggest by far. Most everyone is somehow linked in...you have your obvious writers, actors, directors, agents, and managers. You have your network and studio execs - be it in development or marketing, PR or production. You have your crew - from prop master to set designer to location scout to best boy to key grip. And even if you're not in the business, you're generally tied into the business - whether it's a charity that depends on celebrities to tout it's cause or web designers that create rock stars websites. Everyone here is looped into the industry. LA is a one trick pony.

I often find it exhausting. There's no escaping talk of what's going on in this town - who's doing what (or who's doing who for that matter.) I know that there are plenty of people who love Los Angeles because of this - it doesn't bother them, it invigorates them. But sometimes, for me, it's just too much. Sometimes I don't want to hear about what's next for this one or who was at that one's dinner party. And I know I'm not alone when I say that I often feel like I'm constantly fighting to be seen and heard on my way up this ladder that at times I question whether I want to climb. I miss being able to walk out of my office into a sea of people that came from Smith Barney and The New York Times and Loreal and Conde Naste. I miss variety. And I don't mean the daily kind that winds up in my inbox every morning.

I live in a town where people create entertainment for others to escape from their normal, everyday lives. But when this is my normal, every day life, where does solace lie for me?

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:21 PM 3 comments  

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A Kitchen in which to cook
Monday, October 8, 2007

Today I was on the set of one of the shows I work on, and in between takes, a writer and I sat and discussed recipes. We shared so many recipes and so many ideas for so much time that my mouth started to salivate. And I was reminded of one of the things that I love about Los Angeles. Kitchens (and a culture) conducive to cooking.

I love cooking. Love. It's therapeutic, it's artistic, it's delicious. And I didn't really do it in NYC. Every so often, one of my good friends blessed with a kitchen larger than a closet would have a few of us over and we'd make dinner and sit around and drink wine. And it was always fabulous and we always said we should do it more often and we didn't. My friend Kate had the most perfect dinner parties of all...sometimes it was a party of just the two of us...but I'll never forget that night of sea bass and cauliflower puree on the Upper West Side or the pasta with the truffle cream sauce in the West Village or the asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and excessive amounts of cheese and wine. Kate is an unbelievable cook. Especially because she's whimsical about it and she cooks without recipes and it's always, ALWAYS delicious. Uch. I miss Kate. But we still didn't cook often enough. Perhaps it was because there were so many fabulous restaurants to choose from or perhaps it was because even if the kitchen was large enough to cook in, the apartment was to small to fit a table at which to eat. And then factor in the lack of car to go to the grocery store...and dinner at one of the 7000 restaurants in the city sounded ideal.

But here, it's different. Here, I get to cook in a kitchen with counter space and a stove that's not ancient. I have a dining room table at which to serve my friends and an outdoor space to have cocktails and appetizers. I have a car to go pick up the groceries so that I can get as much as I need. I have a dishwasher to help me do my dishes.

I love planning menus - whether it's for 2 or for 20. I love entertaining and having people to our home. I love going outside for a moment and looking in - the laughter permeates the walls, the candles glow warmly through the curtains, and my friends sit inside enjoying good food, good wine, and each other. If I walked by our house on those nights, I would wish that I were inside...and I get to be.

I am often excessive. I had 2 friends over last April. We started with dates stuffed with parmesan and wrapped in prosciutto, then we had a grapefruit and avocado salad with a lemon vinaigrette. Next we had chicken stuffed with sundried tomatoes, artichokes and goat cheese and an arugula salad with shaved parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette. And we finished the night with chocolate chip cookies and vanilla icecream. All the while drinking endless amounts of wine. That sounds like enough food for 10 people - not three. But I'm Jewish. My point is, I'd never have cooked like that in New York. And it's one of the things that I truly love about LA.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 10:23 PM 1 comments  

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Namaste
Sunday, October 7, 2007

Another one of my absolute favorite yoga teachers in LA is Andrea Marcum. She is a yoga goddess. About a year and a half ago, Andrea opened U Studio on Wilshire. Her classes are incredible - yoga at it's most challenging in a heated room (although not the insane 120 degrees that you'll find in bikram...she's a reasonable woman even if she does kick my ass) with gargantuan windows that let the light flood in. But my favorite part of Andrea's class is what she reminds us of at the end - and it's something I've taken with me to close all of my yoga practices. At the end of class, as we sit on our mats dripping sweat and chanting our communal namaste, we bring our hands into prayer. And Andrea, in her grounded, calming voice, asks us to raise our hands in prayer - first to our foreheads, then to our lips and finally, in front of our hearts reminding us to be mindful in what we think, what we say, and what we do.

I LOVE THIS.

How genius is that statement in all of it's simplicity?

Simply be mindful in what we think, what we say, and what we do.

Let's get honest - how often are we REALLY? Sometimes. Occasionally. Here and there. Some moments more than others. I know at the end of every yoga class I remind myself, but I walk out into the world and some days I forget it the second I get in my car and start driving and some jerk cuts me off and there I am - I think "What an ass!" then I say "What and ass!" and then spend the next 10 minutes acting like a moron being angry at the ass who probably didn't mean to cut me off to begin with. And even if he did, what good is screaming at him going to do me???

So today I'm giving myself a new challenge...today I want to do it more. I want to be completely conscious of the thoughts that cloud my brain so that I can weed out the negative ones, the ones that are judgmental, the things that hold me back. Perhaps (don't fall over when I say this) I will learn to speak less and listen more. And as we all know, actions speak louder than words. So perhaps I should shut up now, and just listen to Gandhi...

What would the world be like if we all got just a little more conscious of what we think, say, and do? What if?

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 1:13 PM 0 comments  

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Where oh where is Fall?
Friday, October 5, 2007

Apparently my desire for fall wouldn't be met right now even if I did live on the east coast. Rumor has it that as of late, temps have been in the 80's - warm enough to warrant the air conditioning that is probably helping to cause those temps being that high in October in the first place.

I don't know if it's because I'm older and it's hard to be unaware of the affects that ignorance has had on our world, or if my fairly newly found eco-friendly awareness has to do with being in a city where I'm more in touch with nature and the outdoors, but in the past couple of years, it's become way important to me to go green in as many ways as possible. I wash my stuff in cold water, we don't have air conditioning, we bought a Prius, and we changed all our lightbulbs. (I list these things solely because they are quite truthfully, the bare minimum easy things to do for a greener world, and if you haven't done them yet, then start.) We bought cloth napkins and towels for the kitchen, I buy local produce, and I stopped using chemical heavy cleansers. (And people, Target has made this soooo easy for us with Method and Seventh Generation. And before you try to tell me that it's more expensive to live this way or that it doesn't get your house as clean, think about how nice it will be to have all that money in a clean house on an earth that's got more disease, more hurricanes, and fewer plants. And that's IF you're lucky enough to live in a place that doesn't erode away or fall into the ocean.)

On that note, I've found the perfect thing to help me continue to better myself and my lifestyle on a daily basis. Ideal Bite is like Daily Candy for the conscious consumer. It's got tips on everything from the most environmentally friendly way to wrap leftovers to better ways to take care of your body to inexpensive (and even free) ways to live a more eco-conscious life. There are daily "everywhere" tips as well as tips for NYC and San Francisco (don't worry LA, you and Chicago will start getting yours in Spring 2008.) Now you have all the info you need to start living a greener life delivered directly to your in box on a daily basis. I'm smitten.

And while I'm mildly embarrassed to admit that it's taken me this long to take care of this, I'm now off to make sure that we get rid of the Styrofoam cups in our kitchen at the office.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 3:17 PM 1 comments  

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Tinto
Thursday, October 4, 2007

The other night, I met my friend Bevin for dinner. Bevin and I traded places a few years ago - I moved to LA about 7 months after she arrived in the Big Apple. Now, Bevin has returned home and to mark the occassion, she told me to pick a new restaurant so she could get back into her usual well-informed ways.

I chose Tinto, a new tapas bar on Santa Monica in Hollywood. When I arrived, Bevin was already nestled in at the coziest and most lush looking bar stool I have ever seen in my life, so we opted to cancel our reservation and eat barside instead (which, notably, always reminds me of New York). I looked around and could imagine myself grabbing a journal and coming to Tinto for a glass of wine at the bar and some great conversation with the engaging and knowledgeable bartender.

The small restaurant is warm, sexy, and cozy all at the same time. For those of you who frequent N (pronounced en-ye) in Soho, Tinto will make you feel right at home. I felt like I had escaped to another country when I stepped in the doors - with the wine rack lined walls and the lush, leather bar stools, the deep red curtains and the small wooden tables. I hopped onto my bar stool and settled in for a few hours of my favorite things - great wine, great food, and great conversation with a great friend.

The bartender made terrific wine suggestions from their list of exclusively Spanish wines - a favorite of mine. And I really appreciated the willingness to let me try before pouring me a glass. It's the little things...

Bevin and I weren't starving so we tried the cheese plate, gambas al ajillo, and the mushrooms in white wine and garlic. I wish that I'd been hungry enough to taste more. The cheese plate was not at all wimpy although I would have loved to know what the cheeses were that I was tasting. In addition, there wasn't a ton of variety in the flavors of the cheeses and personally, I prefer to taste things that vary a bit more. But the accompaniments were delicious - from nuts to jams to dried fruits - as well as plentiful. The gambas all ajillo (shrimp in garlic) were some of the best I've ever had. They were cooked to perfection and I sopped every last bit of the sauce up with the crusty bread. The mushrooms were tasty as well, although there was a flavor (perhaps sherry?) that I wasn't crazy about. I'm looking forward to a return visit for sangria, paella, patatas and the albondigas that many have raved about.

Monday night was calm and anything but a scene, although I've been told the weekends are packed and reservations are a must. I was thrilled to find this new little haunt - I'll definitely return. Now Bevin is one restaurant closer to being back in the know about her hometown and I've found another restaurant to frequent.

Tinto, 7511 Santa Monica Blvd. at Gardner, 323-512-3095

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 3:38 PM 0 comments  

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Different perspectives
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

One of my readers wrote a fabulous response to my post about Bordello Bar and Downtown LA.
She (I'm assuming it's a she because of her info on a place to go salsa dancing with girlfriends) loves Downtown and has a slew of places that she seems to frequent.

It's interesting to get the perspective of others. This reader doesn't seem to be turned off by the drive (although she lives closer than I do) and says that the abandoned streets are only that way because all of the people are inside the bars partying. She is certain that in a few years, it will be hard to find parking to get to these places.

I am hoping that my reader won't mind if I post her suggestions as she seems extremely knowledgeable about an area that admittedly, I know little about. And for those of you that don't mind the drive, then you will surely benefit from my reader's thoughts.

But I guess my whole thing IS the drive. I don't want to drive twenty minutes for a night out. I know, I know. This is par for the course all over the country...and maybe I'm just really, really lazy, but I want my evenings out to be simple. And in New York, it always was. A hop on the subway or into a cab --and I was anywhere in 10 minutes. I didn't have to worry about parking and I didn't have to deal with traffic or drunk drivers or $8 valet. Some may say it makes me lazy...but I say, it makes me a New Yorker.

On that note, for those of you who don't mind a little drive for an evening out, here are my suggestions from "J" - a different and refreshing perspective:

I like your blog (I am bi-costal from the west village) but do have to say that you were likely in the wrong part of downtown. As a former west sider who now lives in the east hills (Silverlake, Los Feliz) I have to say that downtown is my favorite part of LA. It sometimes feels like a secret club that anybody east of La Cienega does not know about.

Recently, however, more and more people are showing up and I suspect that in a few years time, it will be hard to find parking.

It is amazing how NYC it can feel when you go into a seemingly "deserted area" and walk into the bar to find it absolutely filled with people. I am almost sad that downtown is getting so popular as it is no longer the cool kids playground.

If you ever feel the urge to brave it again, I suggest these fun places:

1. Redwood Bar and Grille (pirate themed hipster bar)- Just threw my bf's birthday party there- got to love the "plank shots"

2. Golden Gopher- The first bar I ever went to downtown which caused me to fall in love with the idea. You will feel like you are in a classy NY bar here.

3. The Library Bar

4. Broadway Bar- very cool place

5. Rooftop Bar at The Standard (obvious)

6. Ciudad- Great mojitos and live jazz

7. The Mayan- Great place to go with your girlfriends Salsa dancing. They have a live Salsa band every Saturday. They also have an upper level that is club, hip hop.

8. The Edison- Looks cool but every time I go there is a line wrapped around the corner. "Hollywooders" fill this place.


In other words, there are a lot of bars downtown, but like NYC, you have to be in-the-know to find several of them. This of course makes them all the better.

-J

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:53 PM 0 comments  

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Fall
Tuesday, October 2, 2007

It's hard to believe it's October. I feel like it was just mid-July and now we're full speed ahead into fall. Except it's hard to feel fall without the leaves changing color. I grew up in Massachusetts where people actually take trips just to see the leaves in the fall. Bright, fiery orange and deep, candy apple red. The perfect mix of yellow-ish green and, as they start to fall to the ground, crackly brown. For me, those are the colors that signify fall. And they're nowhere to be found out here in LA.

There are lots of colors - beautiful fuschia bougainvillea, bright green leafy trees, red pomegranates. I haven't been in LA long enough to know whether these colors come at certain times of year. I don't know if it's because I've been completely unobservant or if it's because they are there for most of the year...But it's not that Los Angeles isn't colorful. It's just not fall colorful.

No leaves changing, no apple picking, no hot apple cider. I've started wearing sweaters but it's just because I'm stubborn. The seasons allow me to rediscover and appreciate my wardrobe and I refuse to give up fall. There's nothing I love more than taking out my boots, my turtleneck sweaters, my lightweight jackets. I miss the first fire in the fireplace (and no, I didn't get that in NYC either...that's from my Massachusetts days). I miss the crisp fall air. And even though I'm no longer going "back to school", fall still signifies new beginnings of a sort.

But it just doesn't feel like fall. I miss the leaves.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 9:14 PM 4 comments  

Bordello Bar and Quincy
Monday, October 1, 2007

We ventured downtown on Saturday night to the empty streets of Los Angeles' downtown neighborhood. Downtown LA always baffles me. It's the only part of Los Angeles that truly looks like a city with highrises and skyscrapers and city streets that go one way, so it should feel like home. But it's far from that. I'm sure during the business work week, there is plenty of activity in Downtown LA with the few individuals smart enough to work outside of the entertainment industry. But on a weekend night, Downtown Los Angeles is dead. It's eerie and creepy and people-less. It looks like an absolute ghost town.

Regardless, our good friend and musician goddess extraordinaire, Quincy Coleman, was playing a show at the fairly new Bordello Bar downtown. So we decided to check it out.

Now, first and foremost, any trip is worth making to hear and see the likes of Quincy. Not only is she a stellar musician with a sexy, brooding voice of gold, she's an absolutely amazing performer. I've seen her show no fewer than 30 times in the past three years and I'm always in awe of her ability to make her shows fresh and fun, feisty and warm. Her songs get under your skin and you'll find yourself singing them two days later and longing to get your next fix. If you haven't see Quincy, you're missing out. And chances are good that she'll be in your town soon.

Looking at their future schedule, Bordello Bar has some great up and comers playing and some terrific vaudeville acts as well. So if you're heading down to Bordello Bar for a show, it's worth the trip.

Maybe it's the New Yorker in me, but there's no chance in hell that I'm showing up at Bordello Bar for some random evening of debauchery. How debaucherous can you get when you have to get in your car and drive 25 minutes to get home? We got there early to eat a little something. I hadn't heard anything about the food - just that they had it. And there's a reason for that. Their limited menu is made up of mediocre stand-bys. Kudos, however, for offering mini-veggie burgers in addition to the regular mini angus burgers. But I'm constantly confused by a bar's decision to serve food if it's going to be less than average. While the food sucked, the cocktails are what they're known for. Meredith tried the screaming orgasm and was delighted by it's effects. Just kidding. But she liked it. I opted for a glass of wine which was a foolish move in a place that has 4 wines to offer and is out of the one that you want. The girls were dressed "bordello-esque" - vampy and racy. And the atmosphere is fun and sexy. The stage was cool with a red velvet curtain that rose to reveal the aforementioned fabulous band. The sound could have used a little help and I'm used to seeing Quincy play in a place where people are there solely for the music. It annoyed me to hear the din of the other partyers in the background, but there are definitively rooms at Bordello Bar that are totally separate and not conducive to seeing the shows at the venue.

Bottom line, I'd come here for a fabulous show anytime. But for a drink on any random night? If it were down the street or a five minute drive, perhaps (although I didn't find it sooooo fabulous that I'd be a frequenter even if it were in my neighborhood). But in the ghost town of Downtown? Nope. If I'm going to get in the car and drive somewhere, I'd rather head to Venice....

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 11:30 AM 1 comments  

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