MetLA

Kyle and his classmates at Art Center have a tradition: a big Korean BBQ dinner on the last night of the semester. So last Friday we headed over to Manna in Koreatown (3377 W. Olympic Blvd.) for unlimited meat. There were about 25 of us, mostly Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Malaysian students plus Kyle, his classmate Christian, and myself as the token whities. We had to wait about an hour for a table, but that was fine because the Coor’s Lights were ice cold and we got a chance to hang out. Because once you get to the table, it’s all about eating till you’re sick. You sit at a long table with barbeques on either side. The table is full of side plates – kimchee, salad, broccoli, mushrooms, pickled veggies, sauces, etc. But the real fun starts when the waiter plunks down several giant platters of meat. Then, a designated grill master at the table starts throwing the meat on the grill. This is about when I realized 2 things: I’m in for a big meal, and I’m going to smell like smoke through and through. The beef is the Chadolbaki – thin strips that resemble bacon when cooked, Bulgogi – thicker strips that are less tasty, and your basic beef chunks. My favorite is the Chadolbaeki wrapped in a noodle wrap and dunked in the salty, oil based sauce. There was also a brown, soy based sauce that Kyle really liked. Cut to 1 hour later – we’re still stuffing ourselves with meat and every time we get to the bottom of a platter they switch it out with a new one. I’m not sure exactly how much beef we all put away – 5 pounds? 10? I certainly waddled out of that place smelling like heavy smoke and totally satisfied. And at $14.99 per person (plus booze), it’s a bargain in this town!

Oh, Michael Bay. You're finally getting what's due to you. And not a moment too soon.

Let me tell you a little story about "March of the Penguins". I made my plans for Sundance a little late this year, so I was kinda screwed when it came to buying screening tickets. By the time I called the box office, there was little hope for me. I got a crusty old lady on the phone who hemmed and hawed for a few minutes, then uttered the following: "Well, I tell you dear, I have one film available for that weekend. It's the only thing left. No one wants to see it It's about penguins!" I didn't hesitate - I bought the tickets. So my first screening when I arrived at Sundance on Friday was a little film called "The Emperor's Journey". The narration was still in French and the music was different. But it touched the hell out of me, and I cried through it. The audience of jaded Industry people seemed genuinely touched. I'm so glad "March of the Penguins" found an audience this summer and became the protest statement against crap like "The Island", "Stealth", and "Fantastic Four".

When we used to live near Hollywood & Western, Palms Thai was our adjacent kitchen. We'd get takeout from there at least 2x a week. We never dealt with the crowds all that much because we rarely ate in the restaurant. Last night Kyle & I decided to visit the new location on Hollywood & Bronson. The first ominous sign was a big line in the parking garage off of Bronson. We found a spot on the street overlooking the 101. The new spot is one big room with the Elvis stage at one end and a bar at the other. The crowds are still there - at 8:30pm on Friday night we were told we could sit at the bar right away or wait 20 minutes. We sat at the bar. It's chaotic and noisy in there, but that's nothing new. They had a warmup guy on stage singing pretty awful versions of "You Gotta Know When to Hold 'Em" and "Rainbow Connection" (complete with Kermit the Frog hand puppet). Entertaining in a cringe-worthy way. We ordered the shrimp cakes appetizer with plum dipping sauce which was crisp and tasty. I wanted to stray from our normal dishes but just couldn't, so I ended up with the Pepper & Garlic with Tofu and Kyle had the Shrimp Pad Thai. Kyle's dish was just as we remember, very good and flavorful. My tofu seems to have lost a little flavor, but the garlic was as potent as ever. With my lemonade and Kyle's Singha, the bill came to $30, not too bad. The service is spotty, and I wouldn't recommend sitting at the bar - it's not that comfortable. All and all Palms seems to have survived the move west. Oh, and Peter (Thai Elvis) fired up as we were leaving, so we got to hear the good old school Elvis songs!

Oh, look at these clouds. I just want to jump up on them and bounce around, like a giant wad of cotton balls. If I had the time and energy I'd drive out Pearblossom highway and try and get caught in a thunderstorm. Wouldn't that be cool??

*Picture taken in the Whole Foods Glendale parking lot, Sunday 8/7/05

This site reminds me of of my old cat Reggie. I took him home on my first Hollywood show ever, when the security guard on "Diagnosis Murder" found him drowning next to set. But, unfortunately, the scars on the back of my knee also remind me of Reggie. As many of you know, Reggie was a freak. He couldn't really see or hear, shed like crazy, and often times gouged the people who were just trying to pet him. Eventually, he got underfoot and decided to maul me. That's when I let him go to the big litterbox in the sky. RIP Reggie.

If I was a teenager, I'd lock myself in my room and listen to the new White Stripes album over and over and over again. I'd think, this stuff is telling me about life, about love, about sex, about a dangerous world with a kick-ass soundtrack. The songs would be in the car with my girlfriends on the way to a party that's only fun in your imagination, the music would be in my head as I stare at my senior crush walk down the hall on the way to class.
Well, I'm all grown up and I can't get enough of this album. The songs are urgent, beautiful, and completely addictive. I was never really into the White Stripes, but something about the single "The Denial Twist" that I heard on the radio made me get the album. And wow, it blew me away. "My Doorbell" is the tune that rocks the most, while "Forever For Her" is the most poignent.
Get this album (and I do say album - it's a 70's throwback with a modern spin)!