An ode to Tennessee Williams
Friday, November 30, 2007
Last Wednesday night, I had a wonderful reminder that, in NYC, I can always depend on the kindness of strangers. Thank you Blanche Dubois.
I made the trek to Red Hook for a dinner party - my first (and possibly last) time to this part of Brooklyn and I'm sorry, but no, I do not see the charm even if there is a grand Fairway down the street. One of the major points of living in NYC is convenience and Red Hook may be many things but convenient is NOT one of them. As far as I'm concerned, if you're going to live in Red Hook, you might as well live in Los Angeles.
I will say that once there, I enjoyed a fabulous evening with wonderful friends and incredible food and far too much wine (not to mention a delicious Manhattan which I have taken up drinking in an homage to my hometown.) However, getting there was anything but easy. I'll happily take a subway somewhere (I love the subway but I'll save that for another day...) I'll even take two subways somewhere on occassion. But a subway, another subway and then a bus or a cab is asking a lot. A REAL lot.
That said, if it had simply been a simple subway ride, I wouldn't have been happily reminded of the fabulous kindness of New Yorkers. I got off my second subway and intended to take either the bus or a cab - whatever appeared first. Being that we were in Brooklyn, this was not necessarily a cab. I waited ten minutes by the bus stop and when a cab finally made an appearance, I hopped in. I gave the address where I was going, but instead of pulling away from the curb, the cabbie turned around and looked at me befuddled.
"You'll have to tell me how to get there."
I stared at him. That's the kind of thing a cab driver in LOS ANGELES SAYS. NOT NEW YORK CITY!
"Ummmm...I don't know how to get there. That's your job."
"Well, I don't know either."
I got out of the cab and went back to my spot on the sidewalk. Now I was fairly pissed. It was 7:15...I had gotten on the subway at 6. That's far too long to take to get anywhere in New York. But at that moment, I got reminded of just how awesome New Yorkers are. In a matter of seconds, I had three people who had noticed I'd gotten in and out of the cab and were asking me if I needed help, where I was going, etc. They were all equally as disgusted with the cab driver for me and as helpful as they could be in telling me that the bus should be there shortly.
One of the guys was going to the general area I was going to and we waited together for another 10 minutes before the bus arrived. He told me about Red Hook and agreed that it was ridiculously tedious to get to. I thought of how Kate had always refused to come to Park Slope from the West Village when I lived there many moons ago - a mere 25 minute ride (and one subway I might add.) I thought about how she should know just how much I loved her for trekking all the fuck the way out there on my one and only evening in NYC. And then the bus came.
It was only then that I looked at my single ride metro card and realized that for some ridiculous and unknown reason, I could not use this card for a bus transfer. I could literally only use it for a single ride. This hardly seemed reasonable given that if I had a regular metro card, my same $2 would have gotten me on a subway then a bus and if I needed to, another bus again (which apparently, is only necessary if you live in Red Hook.) But it was true. And there it was in front of me...the bus that I'd now waited over 25 minutes for.
"Oh shit." I said. Out loud.
My new friend looked over and asked what was wrong. I explained the ridiculous situation I had gotten myself into and said that it must be my punishment for no longer living in NYC and owning a weekly unlimited metro card. He smiled warmly, and offered me a ride.
"Really?" I said, simply delighted by the man standing next to me. The stranger. The kind, kind stranger.
"Of course," he said. "You have to get there somehow and you aren't waiting for another bus. Come on. I get off at the same stop so I'll tell you when to get off."
I practically floated onto the bus. I was overjoyed by the sweetness of this man. I smiled at him. I couldn't possibly explain to him the feeling that I had from his acts of kindness. I felt mildly overwhelmed. And touched. And...well...I felt at home. New Yorkers take care of each other - whether strangers or friends. They are happy to help.
I don't know whether Angelenos do or do not have this capacity. The reason I do not know this is that I so rarely have the opportunity to come into contact with Angeleno strangers...Everyone is so separated and to themselves and in...cars. It's one of the things I miss most about New York - that ability to be with people, to experience human nature, to feed off of energy on a daily basis. And in my short visit to NYC, I got a full dose on my trip to Red Hook.
I invited my new friend to come to dinner. He smiled and laughed. I was serious but he had a friend to meet at home. He told me when to get off and we parted ways into the unseasonably warm November evening. I jaunted down the road to Kate's apartment. All of my annoyance at having to take a two hour trip to Red Hook was gone. All due to the kindness of a stranger...
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 3:50 PM 0 comments
Labels: NYC
Hitting the slopes
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Modesty is overrated. Besides, when it's pertaining to someone other than yourself, you're allowed to brag - right?
This January, I'll be hitting the slopes in Park City, Utah. Why, you ask? Have I moved on from television to film? No. I'm interested in checking out the scene? Nope. Perhaps I just want to get a little skiing in and Utah is closer than Vermont? Not that either.
I'm going to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of a movie called Momma's Man starring...MY HUSBAND!
YIPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Sometimes life is just grand. And in those grand moments, I love sharing my excitement. We've known for over a week but now we get to shout if off the rooftops since it's been announced to the world. So I'm shouting, baby.
You can expect more displays lacking modesty after I'm actually there and see the movie but for the moment, I'm done. For the moment.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 5:31 PM 1 comments
Labels: family, the industry
I'm baaaaaaack
I'm back and there are many, MANY things to discuss upon my return - so much so that I am mildly overwhelmed by where I should begin. There's too much to put all in one post so I'll start with the basics...
Puerto Rico was lovely and tropical, relaxing and refreshing. While it wasn't my favorite tropical destination, I'm hard up to knock any place with gorgeous turquoise waters and the sound of the waves hitting the sand. I slept a lot, read a lot and swam in the salty blue sea. It was fabulous and I think we should all take more vacations more often. It gives the brain time to rest and to fully appreciate what life is about.
Of course I am now suffering from back pain from the 8+ hours of flying that we did on the way back. If there's any way to undo all the good a vacation does for your physical body, it's to get on a freaking airplane. And here's another of course - if we lived in NYC, then the flight would be a mere 3.5 hours (not to mention direct) as opposed to the 2 flights we had to take totally 10 hours if you include our layover time. I can find 50 million things wrong with LAX not the least of which is the fact that every other airport seems to have the ability to get our luggage out within 20 minutes of landing but we inevitably end up waiting 45 minutes at LAX every time we have to check luggage (some of which they lost and when found, took it upon themselves to deliver to us at 3:30 in the freaking morning.)
And now I'm back at work - sans the work since there's very much still a writer's strike going on. I'm headed to the Grove for lunch where the gargantuan Christmas tree will have to do as a sorry substitute for Rockefeller Center. And as I walk over without a coat, I'll wish I had a reason to wear a scarf and a hat...
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 12:09 PM 0 comments
Labels: random thoughts, west coast prejudice
Happy Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 22, 2007
We are in New York for Thanksgiving and I am home. I feel it every time and it never ceases to amaze me...the connection I feel as soon as I fly into JFK. I feel at home. It has been far too short but wonderful nonetheless. Filled with the Hudson River and the subway and Manhattan and adventures in Brooklyn and car services and wine and fabulous food and family and friends and laughter and warmth and love. All in just 24 hours. I am thankful for many, many things not the least of which is my readers who let me know that my writing effects their lives. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday filled with all of the above and more.
I'm off to Puerto Rico. Have a fantastic week.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 6:24 PM 3 comments
Chutzpah
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
I hate when books end. And generally that applies to one that I love so much that I can't put it down - which inevitably lead me closer and closer to the book ending. It's a vicious cycle.
I used to read all the time as a little girl and the NY subways brought me back to books after my college years (in which I only read plays and textbooks and labels on wine bottles.) I would look forward to my time on the train to get through that next chapter. But then I moved to LA and had to drive. And I don't think I picked up a book for the first year and a half that I lived in LA. I watched more tv and I was reading so many freaking scripts all the time that I never wanted to come home and quietly open a book. Foolish girl. A book is not a script. A book is an escape into another world. It's an intimate introduction to a total stranger.
Last night I finished Julie and Julia. Quite simply this is a story of a girl with chutzpah. I am totally enamored of this Julie. Julie was a secretary at a government agency in Manhattan. Her days droned on and she was, for all intents and purposes, miserable. Until she decided that she was going to cook her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year. Every day she cooked. In 365 days she made all 524 recipes. She made kidneys and sweet breads and dishes with bone marrow. She killed a live lobster herself exactly as Julia instructs even though the idea of it made her want to quit the project completely. She did it all - the whole damn book - and she blogged about it the entire time. And all of a sudden Julie found herself a celebrity of the blogosphere. She got interviewed by all sorts of people and she got recognized on the street and she found herself with a book deal which I, for one, am immensley grateful for because otherwise I never would have known about the Julie/Julia project. After I finished the book (and of course I cried and I'm not even completely sure why...I think I was proud of her and enamored with her and inspired by her and saw pieces of myself in her) I went online to check out her blog. And I have to say, this Julie character should have NEVER been a secretary in a government agency. This girl is SO CLEARLY a writer that it made my head spin. She just didn't know what she was supposed to do with herself until she did it. And even then she was shocked that it was the answer. Or rather, an answer. She's a writer! She's smart and she's funny and she uses words that I didn't even know existed...and I'm just taken with Julie. She did it. She took lemons and without even realizing it, she made lemonade just by having the tenacity to take on a project and take it on with every ounce of her being. Chutzpah.
Inspiring. I love reading.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 12:13 PM 1 comments
Labels: books
Brentwood
Monday, November 19, 2007
If I stay in LA, I've decided this is where I want to live. I'm totally in love with Brentwood. It's walkable and full of great little shops and restaurants...it feels neighborhoody. It feels urbanly suburban. Brentwood feels good. The air feels a little fresher. The houses are lovely. I'm feeling really into Brentwood.
I started the morning with a walk with an old friend. We walked through quiet streets by great houses all different in their architecture. Cactuses on some lawns and gorgeous flowers on others. I could sit and look at houses all day. I like to make up stories about who's inside and how it's decorated. I wish sometimes that I could go in because they rarely look the way you imagine. It's alway interesting when there's some kind of statue or sculpture that's totally out of place with what the rest of the house looks like.
Eventually we made our way to Starbucks. If both of us weren't on shopping diets (a term I sadly can't take credit for...all credit goes to Amy for that one) we could have stopped in every store along the way and we managed to drool over a few windows as it was. We enjoyed piping hot peppermint mochas (my favorite thing about this time of year. Yes. I'm serious) and wound through the farmer's market until we ended up back at her house. The best part of the whole thing was, of course, the company. Being with someone who knows exactly what to say, who can sympathize and empathize and understands you so completely - and similarly, feels that I can do the same for her...that was the best part. But I couldn't help but be enthralled with my surroundings as well.
It was just a fluke that as I got in my car to leave, I got a phone call from my husband saying that he was also in Brentwood. I think that as long as I have lived in LA, I have been to Brentwood with my husband a handful of times and all of them were at the home of the friend that I walked with. But here he was, on this Sunday afternoon, sitting with some friends in Brentwood at NY Bagel. (I can't review NY Bagel because I didn't eat, but I promise I'll go back and let you know if it lives up to it's name.) So I shot over to NY Bagel and spent an hour outside laughing with friends.
Next, we were off to the dog park where the aforementioned Thursday played with her best friend, puggle Sophie, and they both made a new friend in adorable 6 month-old Brody. If I were a better blogger, I would have had my camera - but alas, I am not. LOVED the Brentwood dog park - it was our first time there and now that it's a 20 minute drive from our house to the Laurel Canyon dog park, Brentwood's not that much further. I highly recommend for those of you that are dog owners.
I think I could spend more time in Brentwood. A lot more time. And I'm not making any grand statements, but when it's next time for us to move, I think perhaps we may start looking a little bit west. (Unless of course we look reaaaaaaaaaally far east...to a neighborhood called the West Village. A girl can dream...can't she?)
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 3:30 PM 0 comments
Labels: neighborhoods
The temple within
Sunday, November 18, 2007
I can feel the breath moving from the top of my head all the way down through my spine. I can feel my back lengthening, making me two inches taller than I was before. I love the strength of my arms as they take on the entire weight of my body, lowering gently to the floor. The breath rushes through me providing a high no drugs or alcohol could ever compete with. My back arches deeply and I feel alive.
In this moment, I am keenly aware that I can do anything, overcome any fear, any problem - that everything I could ever possibly need to live a full life is on the mat with me. My mind empties and listens only to the sound of the deep inhale and exhale - like a sweet song. As the dance continues I have moments of thoughts:
Will the strike get settled when they sit down in a week? Inhale, exhale. So hum - I am truth.
We will name our first child after both of our mother's mothers. The child will have their spirit, their souls. Inhale, exhale. So hum - I am truth...
I was supposed to call Sandy at 5 PM. Shit. Inhale, exhale...
It has been in interesting and crazy year...a year of many lessons. So hum, so hum...
My yoga practice is an interesting jumping point for a book. Inhale...
My hips are still so tight...inhale, exhale.
I can't wait for Sharon's visit...inhale...so hum.
I loved this day...inhale, exhale.
I loved this day..stay in this moment....
And again, I clear my brain. I feel the breath coursing through me. I feel the sweat drip down my back as my body temperature rises and my limbs flow from movement to movement. I feel the resistance in moments of difficulty. My body reminds me that it can move through. It reminds me that moving through the difficult poses will make me stronger. That moving through the difficult moments will make me stronger. My body reminds me that it is strong. My body reminds me that I can handle anything that comes my way.
Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. "So hum" I sing in my head. I am truth. Truth is my name.
I dance the dance, slowly, beautifully, drawing on the energy of those in my presence. Strangers whose energy fills me up and propels me forward when I am uncertain that I can propel myself. And I know that I too have given them the energy in moments when they were lacking...What a gift we have to give energy to others and to rely on it from them when we are in moments of need.
Inhale, exhale. My body feels strong, my mind feels wise. I am one with myself for a moment and I am reminded of the beauty within.
Inhale, exhale. Inhale...
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 8:15 PM 0 comments
Labels: conscious living, musings on life, yoga
Thursday
Friday, November 16, 2007
I love my dog. I love her more than I ever realized I could love an animal. I love her as much as most people in my life and more than some. I love the way she jumps up to greet me when I get home- running to the door, tail wagging fiercely. I love the way she stretches into downward dog, her little arched bag stretching as far as it can possibly go. I love the way she burrows under the covers and curls into my side. She needs to find the perfect position - she never flops down...she always makes sure that she moves in just so. And the way that she crawls up next to me and lays her head down on my shoulder. I love her little body, her single while paw, the little white dot in the nape of her neck. I love that she turns little dog dis-likers into little dog lovers.
She's a golden retriever in the body of a chihuahua. She's intuitive - insanely intuitive. She knows when something is wrong and she kisses you to make it better. She crawls up on my belly and kisses away my tears until the only thing I can possibly do is smile and be in love with her no matter what else is going on.
I fell in love with her the second we saw her tucked behind a tire in the parking lot in Hollywood. We turned on the headlights and there she was - her itty bitty head peering out from behind. She leaped into his arms like she knew she was home...and that night, all 5 pounds of her slept curled in a little ball on a pillow.
She smiles - you can see it in her eyes when she smiles. And she nudges me gently awake in the morning to let me know it's time to go out. I love our morning walks together...She makes me laugh first thing in the morning. There's no better gift than that.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:53 PM 3 comments
Labels: musings on life
new and unknown
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Next week I go "home" for Thanksgiving. But not to my childhood home...to my husband's parent's home. This is a first for me. The transition may be slightly easier because my parents have chosen to come to New York to be with us and with my sister. Still, it's hard. I'll miss not being in their house and doing our traditional Thanksgiving things. I'll miss seeing our extended family as I have every Thanksgiving for the past 32 years. I'll miss the annual trip to Saks the day after Thanksgiving with my mom - up at the crack of dawn to arrive at Saks by 8 AM to get the additional 40% off and beat the crowds for the best selection. I'll miss my father's fires. I'll miss seeing my childhood friends and reminiscing about high school, catching up on what's new, and talking about Kelly's new baby on the way. I'll miss my father's fantabulous breakfasts that wake me with their smell. It's one of my favorite times of year. There's something comforting in knowing exactly how things will be, exactly how things will go. It's hard to let go of some of your old traditions - even for just a year. It's hard to do something new. It's hard to give up "yours".
But I'm still looking forward to Thanksgiving. It is still Thanksgiving after all.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 3:19 PM 1 comments
Labels: family, life lessons
History
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
I had an interesting conversation with someone yesterday. She also used to live in NYC and now lives in LA. Unlike me, she can't fathom going back. Her entire family is there - no matter. And when I asked about all her close friends from NY, her response was, "Yeah - I don't really miss them. I just made new best friends. I talk to my friends back east now and they always yell at me because we never talk. But I've moved on."
Huh. Interesting.
Moved on? I can't fathom the idea of not talking to my friends in NYC. I can't imagine replacing the friendships I've had for 10, 15, 30 years with new ones. Gaining new friends? Absolutely. Just forgetting the old ones? Are you freaking kidding me? That's my HISTORY. Those people are part of who I am. I can't even compreHEND the idea of not missing my friends in NYC. I wanted to question whether or not she actually had really good friends in NYC because if she did, then how the hell could they be replaceable? I, of course, did not ask this question. It was interesting to me that this person has adapted to Los Angeles so easily. I feel like that sort of laissez faire attitude fits perfectly into LA. And so does she.
There was a part of me that was mildly envious of her ability to pick up her life, transport it here and start anew. To create a new core group of friends so much so that she felt she wasn't missing anything. I'm sure if I didn't miss the people back east so much, I would be able to adapt myself to Los Angeles more. I would undoubtedly still miss New York itself - the energy, the hustle and bustle, the culture, the (and I know some of you will laugh at this description, but for me, it holds so much truth) ease. But it would be easier for me if I didn't love so many people there.
But I do. And they are people that I would never want to "give up" or "find new ones" of. They are irreplaceable. So while I slowly but surely make some new friends out here, they are just that - new. They are not a replacement of anything. And if we find that we like each other well enough to maintain our relationships then we, too, will begin a history. But we'll never replace my old ones.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 9:33 AM 2 comments
Labels: friends, homesick, moving to LA
The Weekend in Food
Monday, November 12, 2007
We ate this weekend. A lot. (Possibly because we'll now be eating PB & J alternating with ramen noodles until this strike is over...but we'll discuss that later.) My father looked at me at dinner at A.O.C last night and said "You keep saying there aren't good restaurants in LA but if that's the case, then how are we eating so well?"
Let me clarify. There are some great restaurants in Los Angeles. I'm just a spoiled New York foodie. I'm used to having a choice of 10 restaurants in different price ranges all within a one block radius. But whatever - you know why I miss NYC and my restaurants there...for now, let's discuss the terrific meals I had this weekend.
Friday night- 7:30 reservation at Osteria Mozza
This is Mario Batali's newest addition to the LA restaurant scene and it might be the best restaurant I've eaten at in Los Angeles. It was divine. The main dining room is definitely on the noisy side but there's great energy and a FANTASTIC bar. We sat in much smaller and intimate back room - it's significantly quieter which is nice when you're looking to have conversation. The waitress was adorable and oh, so helpful. There are definitely items on the menu that needed deciphering and she was patient and helpful as I bombarded her with questions, all the while butchering my Italian.
We started with the grilled octopus, the little gem salad, and two selections from the mozzarella bar - one was burrata with caramelized onions and bacon and the other was burricota with artichokes and mint pesto. Every single item was better than the next. The octopus was unbelievable - I'm not always a fan but it was perfectly tender and grilled just right.
We decided to have four pasta dishes and share. We ordered a butternut squash stuffed something (this is why I'm not a food critic - I can't remember the name of every pasta...but I know it wasn't ravioli) with hazelnuts in a brown butter sauce of sorts which was richly delectable. There was a ricotta and egg ravioli - a single, huge ravioli sitting in perfectly browned butter and sage and when you cracked into the ravioli, the egg oozed beautifully from the center. Divine. The table favorite was the spaghetti with sweet tomatoes and garlic breadcrumbs. The tomato sauce was so sweet and unusual and of course, the spaghetti was perfectly al dente. Lastly, we had the Garganelli w/ ragu bolognese - a proper chunky bolognese with the perfect amount of tomato.
My mother looked at me like I had ten heads when I said I was ordering dessert...but with a meal like that, most foodies would look at me with ten heads if I skipped dessert. We sadly only ordered one - the rosemary cakes with the olive oil ice cream and my dream of a dessert - the perfect blend of salty sweet.
The wine list is fantastic and extensive. We opted for quartinos (250 ml servings) rather than bottles so that we could taste different things. My father had the lighter Dolcetta and I started with a glass of Prosecco and then went for the Aglianico - a wine I'd never tried before with a lovely medium body and a rich nose.
It was a phenomenal dining experience and shockingly, one that was not outrageously priced...I can't wait to go back to try more.
Saturday evening we went more casual at Blair's in Silverlake. This was my second outing to Blair's and while the food was just as delicious the second time, I felt we were a little rushed and the waitstaff was a little frazzled. I've been told before that for some, the biggest dining discrepancy from coast to coast is the waitstaff and I have to say that our experience at Blair's backed that up. I'll chock it up to a bad night though...
The food was phenomenal both times I was there. It's a terrific new American menu that uses seasonal items. Don't miss the chopped and caesar salads or the truffled mac and cheese. And I never order chicken when I'm out to dinner, but this organic chicken is fantastic. Everything we had was delicious and they have an incredibly extensive list of beers on tap and by the bottle...I would absolutely return.
Brunch on Sunday was at Campanile. Believe it or not, this was my first foray into this fantastic restaurant in my three years in LA. I walked in and immediately felt at home. Most brunches in LA are infused with long waits and hipsters dressed down on purpose with perfectly places bra-straps hanging out and labored over bed head. Not Campanile. Campanile is classy AND delicious. I had tastes of the following:
- a pastry basked that included an apple turnover that could almost rival my grandmother's apple pie. Almost.
- eggs in a hole in rustic olive bread with potatoes and extra crispy (which we asked for and they executed perfectly) applewood smoked bacon.
- scrambled eggs (the way they do them at Pastis which are my favorite scrambled eggs in all of Manhattan) with buttered french baguette toast and creamed spinach
- sourdough french toast with real maple syrup.
Laaaaaaaastly - Sunday night was AOC. I haven't been in ages and it was just as good as I remembered. Obviously I like to "taste" and this is the perfect place to do just that. We had 2 incredible wines courtesy of their carafes which are less than a bottle but more than a glass - a Pinot Noir/Syray blend and a straight up Syrah. We started with parmesan stuffed bacon wrapped dates and a cheese plate. I like AOC's cheese plate but after BLD's, it's a little disappointing sans accoutrement like the incredible breads and fruit pastes. We had a beet salad with fried chick peas and feta that was outrageous. And I don't like smoked trout but the rest at the table agreed that it was fabulous. The arroz negro with squid was a disappointment - it was insanely fishy and the explanation was that it was made with fish stock but I can't imagine anyone enjoying a flavor that fishy. That said, the waiter was lovely and gracious and promptly removed it from both the table and the bill. The skirt steak with roquefort butter was just that...like buttah. My favorite dish of the evening. We also ordered brussel sprouts in balsamic and pancetta and chanterelles with ricotta gnocchi. Both were good, but not fantastic. We had also ordered a braised chicken with calvados and apples but about 15 minutes after our last dishes had been cleared it still wasn't at the table and we were STUFFED. I'm sure there was some mistake - we asked them to cancel it and while I'm sure it was being made, they did without question.
As an aside - we were told to order 10 plates for 4 of us...and since we only ordered 9 and sent 2 back virtually untouched, I can tell you that this was WAY excessive. They tell you to order everything at once but I'd opt for less is more and ordering more if you're still hungry. Just my two cents. I like AOC alot - but I have to say, I don't loooooooove it. I always have a couple outstanding things - and the rest are just good. I'll go back because I like the vibe and the wine and the cheese. But it's not at the top of my list. I much prefer Suzanne Goin's other restaurant, Lucques. We'll go there next time parents are here.
Obviously I'm stuffed and will be eating kale for the next week.
Osteria Mozza, 641 North Highland Avenue, 323-297-0101 www.mozza-la.com
Blair's, 2903 Rowena Avenue, 323-660-1882, www.blairsrestaurant.com
Campanile, 624 South La Brea, 323-938-2447, www.campanilerestaurant.com
AOC, 8022 West 3rd Street, 323-653-6359, www.aocwinebar.com
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 4:22 PM 0 comments
Labels: food and drink
Swimming Upstream
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Sometimes it feels as though there's nothing else to do but swim slowly and painstakingly upstream. The shore is there...you could get out...but you'll never know if you could have made it all the way. So you keep on swimming - no matter how hard the tide, no matter how exhausted you get, no matter how much you want to stop. You keep on swimming...because at a certain point it has to get easier. Doesn't it?
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 9:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: musings on life, random thoughts
Lessons & reflections from my 31st year
Friday, November 9, 2007
As I head into 32, some of the things I've learned, seen, and experienced in the last year - some for the first time and some all over again:
Life ebbs and flows and ebbs and flows and ebbs again. We'd all rather be in the flow, but we'd never recognize it's value or learn without the ebb.
Patience is a virtue. Rome wasn't built in a day. Keep going for it if you believe in it, if you're passionate about it. And if you can't tell, then start actually consider moving forward on to something new...if you miss it before you've left, then you'll know it's not time yet.
Live in the now before the now is the was.
Weddings bring out the best and the worst in people. You get to see people's true colors. Some of them are the most beautiful colors of the rainbow and others are murky, cloudy brown.
There are some days, some moments that will be the best of your life - surrounded by the people that you love the most and full of life and love. Treasure them. Be grateful when they are your moments and be present of how important and what a gift it is to be part of others moments.
No one ever dies in your heart or your memory.
You are never handed anything that you can't deal with. You are always strong enough to get through. Always.
Italy is a place of magic, love, spirit, and fantastic arugula.
Movies and TV can really screw you up. They aren't real life but we've seen so much that we sometimes think that's how it's all supposed to look or turn out. Real life is real life. And real life is good.
Compassion and the ability to forgive are two of the most important skills to have. We all make mistakes and we all inadvertently hurt people. Next time you're the one who's upset, just remember that you've mistakenly hurt someone's feelings too. And that goes for yourself too. Don't be so damn hard on you. You deserve compassion and forgiveness too. There are no mistake that can't be fixed with a little time and effort.
Champagne should not be saved for special occasions.
Listen with an open heart. And just listen while you are listening. Don't think about what you're going to say when the person is done talking. That's thinking - not listening. You'll say something a lot smarter when the other person is done if you really listen. I'm still working on this one.
Life's too short to live in "what if". If you want to, then do. It's also too short to live in regrets. What's done is done...now move forward.
Unless it's naturally that way, don't eat fat free. It tastes so much better when it's real.
Yoga is not an option for me...it's a necessity.
It's OK to not like certain people that you feel like you're supposed to like.
You can't please everyone all the time. The most important person to please is yourself.
I love my girlfriends. I love the relationships that I know I will have forever - that will ebb and flow and ebb again...but will always return back to the flow. Time spent with good girlfriends is always time well spent. It's imperative to my happiness.
Family is important. Communication in family is important. Forgiveness in family is important.
Sometimes it's really good to quiet down inside your own head.
Your road is your own.
Dancing is really good for your spirit.
I can't control much in life. No one can. And that's just the way it is.
Embrace your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses and be aware of who you are. The whole kit and caboodle.
Ice cream will always put a smile on your face.
Accept change. It's going to happen whether you like it or not - it will be a lot easier if you can acknowledge it it and look forward to a new part of the journey.
Make good, direct eye contact. It exudes confidence. If you're not feeling confident, fake it. Eventually it will feel natural.
My 31st year was full of ups and downs and laughter and tears and celebrations and losses and firsts and lasts. It was a big year. And I look forward to this 32nd year a little older and, I hope, a little wiser too.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:23 PM 1 comments
Labels: lists, musings on life
Strike this
Thursday, November 8, 2007
I know that the Writer's Guild strike is merely news to many of my non-Angeleno counterparts. But here in LA, it's affecting everyone's day to day everything...The overall mood in Los Angeles is one of anxiety. There is tremendous unknown right now and I'm sure the prescriptions for Valium and Xanax at least doubled this past week.
Several people have asked me what the strike is about. I could break it down for you, but a blog called United Hollywood has done it way better than I ever could. Click here to understand and keep in mind this is from the writer's point of view.
When not picketing, my husband is making you tube videos that star my fabulous puppy, Thursday (among others...but she's the most important) Click below for some "strike"-ing entertainment. Wow. That was really bad...
But the thing that I'm really wondering as I have to drive through one of the milder picket lines every day is why can't this get worked out civilly? I'm sure many would say I'm naive - that if it could have, it would have. But I still wonder. The truth is - everyone fighting needs each other. The moguls would be nothing without the creativity of the writers. And the writers wouldn't have a commercial outlet if it weren't for the huge corporate conglomerates. (Sure, they can put on plays and create their own stuff...but they'd all be lying if they said they didn't care about the basics of health insurance and paychecks.) Everyone is so angry and people are lying and there are double standards going on all around.
All I'm saying is that it sucks. Plain and simply sucks.
Oh - and we ate at BLD last night. It was really good. It's actually gotten better than it used to be. And their fruit and nut bread that they serve with the cheese plate is amazing. They have a pretty amazing cheese plate. And I love cheese. LOVE. BLD was good. I like it. I approve. Over and out.
BLD, 7540 Beverly Blvd. 323-930-9744, open for breakfast (that's the B), lunch (that's the L) and dinner...you get it...7 days a week.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:00 PM 1 comments
Labels: food and drink, the industry
Osteria La Buca
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Yum. My mouth was happy which is appropriate for a place named Buca which means mouth in Italian.
Last night we had a fabulously delicious dinner at a little Italian restaurant on Melrose. The pastas are all homemade and they are Divine. And I meant that capital D. We started with an arugula salad with mushrooms and shredded parmesan in a lemon vinaigrette. (My husband makes fun of me because I remember every single ingredient of the food that we eat...but you're happy about it, aren't you?) Arugula was my favorite food in Italy - it was so fresh and complex and spicy. And while this was no Italy, this arugula did NOT disappoint. The three of us shared our entrees - a margherita pizza, linguine carbonara, and ricotta and spinach ravioli in a butter and sage sauce. It took what felt like FOREVER for our entrees to arrive but thankfully, I was in company that I enjoy so I happily polished off my lovely glass of Montepulciano and ordered another one.
And the entrees were worth the wait. The pizza was my favorite- a perfectly thin crust with delicious tomato sauce and just the right amount of cheese. I wouldn't have minded it a little more crispy but we'd already waited long enough. The carbonara was rich and delicious although next time I would ask to have the pancetta well done - I love when it pops in my mouth. The ravioli was light and lovely- rather than the common ravioli filled with ricotta with a little spinach mixed in, this was chock-full of spinach and a nice change from the norm. I would have been happy ordering almost anything on the menu and I look forward to a return visit to try everything that I wasn't able to this go around.
While we had a reservation, we opted to sit at the bar because when we arrived, there weren't any tables downstairs available. The downstairs had a warm, cozy feeling with great energy and great light. But when we were taken upstairs to see if we wanted a table there, it was cold and empty and literally felt like a different restaurant. The mistake was in closing the upstairs off from the downstairs with a large pane of glass. You can see down, but the flow of energy is completely cut off - you can't hear the chatter or feel the warmth and while people who came after us opted to sit up there, I would highly recommend asking for a table downstairs or sitting at the bar.
A lovely evening was had by all. I'm sure you're happy that you don't have to hear me bitch and moan.
After reading my post yesterday, Tracey suggested Table 8 and I must say that I've had disappointing experiences at both Table 8 and at Jar. (and a fellow NY foodie friend ate at Table 8 on a visit and felt similarly...so maybe it's just us New Yorkers.) My feeling about both of these restaurants is that there's a lot of hype for little reason. The food is fine but it's quite expensive for just fine...There's nothing spectacular about the menu or the flavors (and I've found Jar to be sort of snooty if you ask me...Don't bring onion rings to the table next to me and then when we ask for them tell me they're for VIP's only. I worked for Danny Meyer and I will tell you that does not fall into the category of hospitality or soignee service!!!!) But I'm still on my quest to find those restaurants that put a glimmer of hope into the LA food scene. It gives me something to focus on other than the fact that I have to drive through a picket line every morning.
Osteria La Buca, 5210 1/1 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, CA (323) 462-1900
open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner seven nights a week
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 4:32 PM 0 comments
Labels: food and drink
Eh - like a disgruntled old Jewish man
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
I've noticed a lot of new restaurant facades popping up around these parts. I'm very curious to see what becomes of these places. As of late, I've had more than my fair share of conversations regarding the Los Angeles restaurant scene. As a lover of food and wine, I've found the dining experience in Los Angeles to be mostly mediocre at best. I suppose it's inspired me to spend more time in the kitchen but when you work from 9-7 and even later on some days, it's nice to have an old standby of a restaurant that you can rely on to serve you really good, cheap food with a glass of wine. I had several of those in NYC but alas, I've yet to find my Malatesta Trattoria, my Tartine, my Cafes Habana and Gitane... In recent conversations with Los Angeles transplants, I've found that I'm not alone in my feelings. There seems to be a general feeling that the cities of New York, Chicago, San Fransisco - even Boston - are more cutting edge, have far finer service (even in the holes in the walls), have better value and plain and simply just have better food than Los Angeles.
That said, we have parents in town for the next several days and I'll be eating at some of the places I've been wanting to try as well as a few of my old favorites. I suppose I'll be having a "restaurant week" of my own for the next several days...Tonight we're dining at Osteria La Buca - an Italian place that's fairly far east on Melrose and I'll report back in full tomorrow.
But before we deal with tonight, I need to discuss my disappointing dinner last night. Pane e Vino in Los Angeles is just plain bad. I've been to Pane e Vino in Montecito and it's delicious - although I suppose when Oprah frequents your place, you need to step it up a notch. (Although I believe that they started out under the same owner but aren't owned by the same people any longer.)
Not only is the food at Pane e Vino LA mediocre, it's also expensive! If you're going to charge $10 for a mixed green salad with Parmesan, it damned-well better be Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly shaved on the top of my mixed greens...not a spoonful of grated Parmesan that looks like it came fresh out of the green metallic Kraft canister. I probably don't need to elaborate anymore but I will, lest you should think that this is only one item on the menu and the rest must be good...
I tasted everything ordered at the table. I, myself, got a mixed greens salad with smoked chicken in a gorgonzola vinaigrette. The nicest thing I can say about this special is that it was fine. I believe the waitress told me the chicken was grilled because I'm not a huge fan of the smoked chicken but it's possible my mind was in other places. Still - it was literally mixed greens with smoked chicken and gorgonzola. There are SO many delicious things that go with gorgonzola in a salad. They failed to include even one of them. It seems to me that if you're going to have a "special" on the menu then you should probably try to make it SPECIAL.
One of our friends ordered the mixed vegetables cooked in the clay pot. After a few bites, she added several fistfuls of Parmesan cheese hoping to add a flavor- any flavor. My husband asked them to refill the Parmesan cheese so that he could add a bit of flavor to his rigatoni al pomodoro e basilico. If an Italian restaurant can't make a good pasta in a tomato and basil sauce, you know you're in trouble. Showering his pasta in a bowl of Parmesan and red pepper flakes didn't make up for the fact that the pasta was sort of mushy and the sauce lacked any sort of fresh taste. I could have made a box of Bertelli and thrown on some Trader Joe's Pomodoro sauce with some freshly shredded Parmesan and it would have tasted better. (I probably could have dropped it on the floor and it would have tasted better...)
I sat in the pretty garden (essentially the one and only thing going for this place) and thought about how it would have never lasted in NYC. I thought longingly about Malatesta Trattoria and Piadina and Frank where I could get the same thing for half the price and ten thousand times more deliciousness. I wonder why anyone in their right mind goes to Pane e Vino. It should be called Pane eh Vino.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 2:07 PM 1 comments
Labels: food and drink
A place where you don't need to get validated
Monday, November 5, 2007
I had breakfast with a good friend from NYC last week. Her husband was here for business and she and her son tagged along to see some friends and get some fall sun. We had breakfast at their hotel and on the way out, I got my parking validated. Thinking in my normal "New York or LA" manner, I laughed. "Of course I have to get validated in LA."
She pointed out that you need to get validated for parking in many cities...but she echoed the sentiment moments later. She mentioned that her husband had been looking at some potential jobs in Los Angeles while they were here this week - but after spending the week here, she just felt like she wouldn't be happy in LA.
"Forget the fact that it's so spread out. Everything - I mean everything - just feels so material. Everyone is in their fancy cars with their insanely big houses. And I can't imagine sending my kids to school here. And it's all about seeing and being seen. I'd feel so much pressure here. And I have some great, great, girlfriends here...but I still don't think I'd be happy."
This was her impression after a mere 5 days in this place. She, too, felt that inherent to Los Angeles is the need to feel validated in a way that doesn't exist in New York or Chicago or many other cities.
Perhaps this is not true for everyone who lives here. And I think there are probably many who enjoy this aspect of Los Angeles. But there does seem to be this constant buzz of who you know, what you do, where you were last night and with whom and it sort of makes you want to crawl into a hole and hide and remind everyone that it's the journey, not the destination...that there's nothing more valuable than love and kindness. And I know I sound cliche, but I think a lot of people out here forget the importance in just being warm and loving and kind.
Why does everyone out here care so much about everyone else? And you could turn around and point this question directly back at me. You could tell me that the issue is my own. You could ask me why I feel like I need to be validated. You could say to me, "But Michelle...if you don't care, then why does this bother you so much?" You could tell me that if I'm truly secure in who I am, then outside validation is bunk anyhow.
And you'd be right on all accounts. These are all good and true points. They are questions that I have often asked myself since I settled down in this City of Angels. And I did occasionally have these feelings when I lived in New York. I think the need for occasional validation is human. But since I moved to Los Angeles, I have felt it more and more - at times to an uncomfortable extent. And I've searched more and more for my own sense of peace, my own validation...so that when I feel something other than that from someone I know or someone I meet, I can simply brush it off without paying it any heed. I haven't gotten there yet - but I'm working on it.
My friend that I had this conversation with - she is one of the most confident and grounded young women I know. I have often admired her self-assuredness. And so in that moment, it felt good that another confident, secure young woman saw exactly what I see and knew that she would struggle with exactly what I struggle with here in LA. In that moment, I felt validated.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 4:05 PM 0 comments
Labels: life lessons, moving to LA
Random thoughts
Sunday, November 4, 2007
I've now started (and not finished) three posts. My mind is in several other places and none of them are here, in Los Angeles, sitting in front of the computer. I'm scattered and I'm going to go with it...
Tomorrow morning I'll have to drive through a picket line. I'm not sure if the picketer's signs will say anything because, after all, they're not supposed to write.
I had far too much wine last night at a gluttonous dinner and woke up with a bit of a hangover. For a long time I felt upset that my body couldn't handle what it used to because it was a function of getting older. But now I feel grateful that my body is older...older and wiser. But I wouldn't have done anything differently last night - how do you turn down wine pairings with an outrageous nine course tasting menu - at a friend's HOME? You don't.
Village Pizza's not as good as it used to be.
I am sort of happy about daylight savings although it felt like it was 10 PM at 6 PM tonight. But I am looking forward to the sun coming up at 6 AM making it easier for me to get out of bed and get to my newly found spinning classes.
The pumpkin scones at Starbucks are really good.
This place should be called Lost Angeles.
I met some really cool people yesterday at lunch. Rachel is thinking of moving here from NYC...reminded me to take this blog back to my first year of ups and downs and searching and learning. Ryan lives in Chicago...he's writing a book. Do you know that Native Americans plan based on how it will effect the next 7 generations? Ryan is in urban planning and they use that theory. Pretty cool.
No one's life is exactly what it seems.
We all need to be a little gentler with each other. I find that the most judgmental people are being equally as judgmental of themselves. When you're upset with someone, communicate it to them. But don't freak out over every little thing...if someone is in your life and you love them and they love you, then chances are that more often than not, they would never intentionally hurt you. And remember that you have unintentionally hurt others in your life. None of us are perfect. Learn to forgive. Don't hold grudges.
I have heartburn.
I've been having some really crazy dreams...about my grandmother, my dog, my wedding bands, and forests. Not all together.
I'm absolutely exhausted. Tomorrow is a new day...a day where I have to drive through a picket line. Oy.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 7:47 PM 0 comments
Labels: random thoughts
Get used to repeats, baby.
Friday, November 2, 2007
I remember showing up to a dinner party in tears in the spring of 2003 because of the musician's strike on Broadway. I had to stand in the lobby of the Broadway theater and explain to people that there would be no performance that evening of Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme on Broadway. I had to tell them that they could either get their money back or get tickets for another performance down the line, but that March evening, the lights would not shine on Broadway. People actually cried. They begged me to make the show happen. They were in NYC for their yearly vacation and they always saw a Broadway show - and besides...the show must go on!
Right.
There were people from Australia. There were people that had finally won the lottery for the $20 tickets after waiting in line for three months straight. There was a lot of disappointment for the few nights that Broadway went dark during the musician's strike. It broke my heart to see how devastated people were that they weren't going to get to see theater. I had come to take it for granted because I got to see almost every show that existed for free during previews. I had forgotten that for most people, the theater was truly a special treat. That evening, I remembered.
The musician's strike only lasted a few days - Mayor Bloomberg stepped in because the city was losing millions and it was fixed in a matter of hours. That strike effected a lot of people...but it was nothing compared to what Hollywood is about to experience.
So on Monday the writers will walk out. No more SNL, Letterman or Leno effective immediately. Your favorite shows will last for another couple of months with more repeats in between so you'll see a new episode every so often...but come January, things will change.
Here in TV Network land, we've already been told there's no more overtime, no more expense accounts, no more birthdays. (It's the Grinch who stole fun!) When we drive to work on Monday, we've been told to keep our windows up, lest a picketer should throw something through a window or shout things that we'd feel inclined to want to respond to. Meanwhile, some of these picketers could very possibly be my friends.
There are all the crew people who are just victims of this disagreement and are totally out of work because of it. Big deal if I don't get a birthday cake...
Then there's the rest of LA. I thought about getting a second job waiting tables to make up for the lack of overtime that I'll be getting. But everyone that eats out in this town does so on an expense account. If they don't have one, will they still eat out? Definitely not as often...There will be fewer car services taking people places. People will cancel dog walkers, cleaning ladies, waxing, facials. Starbucks and Coffee Bean are going to see some serious hits (although there will probably be more out of work people hanging out because it's too depressing to just sit at home all day. But I bet you there are fewer lattes ordered and more plain ol' coffees...) Liquor sales may increase but bars won't be so packed.
For a few nights, Broadway disappointed several hundred thousand people and the shows lost some money. But this is going to last for more than a few nights. Repeats are the least of our worries.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 4:57 PM 0 comments
Labels: the industry
Hallo-whine
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Halloween in LA has officially turned me into a Grinch. I should begin by explaining that I am not a fan of the adult celebration of Halloween. I can't wait to get my kids dressed up one day and take them trick or treating...but as an adult, I'm completely averse to the requirement of dressing up. So NY or LA, I've never been a huge fan of the Halloween party. I know, I know. People love dressing up and being someone else for a night - they can be a superhero or a slut or a pretty, pretty princess for a night. But it's just not for me.
Last night, I reluctantly went to a Halloween party because a good friend had planned it (and she planned fabulously, I might add...). Her fabulous party did not change my feeling. But we had a perfectly lovely time for the hour or so that we were there - just enough time to look around, see some great costumes, get a hot dog on a stick, see a few friends and be in bed early enough on a school night.
I left around 11 and expected to be in my bed about 20 minutes later. My dreams of sugarplum fairies were dashed when, about 10 minutes into my trip home, I hit traffic at every turn I took. The Halloween parade on Santa Monica Blvd. had ended and there were people flooding to their cars in a mass exodus. I sat in my car and cursed - cursed driving, cursed LA, cursed the Merry Hallo-weiners. In NYC, while the streets are flooded with people after the West Village parade, you can cut down any number of side streets at any point in time to avoid the masses and get to your destination. Not so here. I sat through traffic light change after traffic light change and slowly went insane as I prayed to the gods to puh-leeeeeeeeeeeease allow me to just cross La Cienega Avenue. After 20 minutes at a virtual stand-still, I crossed to the other side - the land of Moses - and drove home mostly uninterrupted. I crawled into bed and declared that I wish that I could end adult Halloween. "I could be the Grinch who stole Halloween!" I declared giddily! (But lest you think I'm some absolutely horribly person - know that I am referring to adults only here. I would never, EVER think about removing the joy of dressing up and trick or treating from children. I'm just making sure we're all clear here...) After I reveled in my thought for a brief moment, I came back to earth and realized, as the Grinch did, that there's no need for me to force my feelings upon the entire universe. But I can safely say that Halloween in LA has effectively ruined any minuscule desire that I ever had to participate in Halloween on Halloween in this city again.
Boo Humbug.
Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 12:28 PM 0 comments
