My name is David Yenoki and I should approve of this message.
Hey so … I’m budgeting? The question mark is because it’s never something I have executed with discipline. Sure, I’ve tried to hunt bargains for recreation. In my travels and through the conversations with out of state friends I have discovered a few restaurants that have been unavailable to me in California.
You know, like In-N-Out was unavailable to everyone else. Continue reading “Jimmy Johns and the price of food”
Being a little useless at the whole feeding myself thing, I went to the grocery store equipped with a bunch of coupons for candy and cookies and was fairly pleased when I saved 49%. I saved basically $40 on unhealthy food. Today. Vons. Continue reading “Haul blog: GROCERY STORE”
Are you following me on Instagram? Yes? No? Hopefully my content will get better.
I didn’t know about the absurd bakery craze that is the cronut until after I had left New York. Am I foolish enough to wait in line for hours in the very early morning? For two donuts?
… maybe. What’s the weather like?
Anyhow, a local bakery introduced their donut variant, the brioughnut. Their website describes it as “A sophisticated hybrid of the all-American doughnut and rich, flaky layers of brioche dough, handcrafted from scratch and laminated using the finest European butter.” Continue reading “The strange affair of the brioughnut”
The 626 Night Market … I don’t know how to best describe it. It’s an adhoc collection of mostly asian vendors. Now being held at the Santa Anita Racetrack, I thought I might stop by and see what there was. Free parking!
…I wonder however that perhaps it would be better to hold it at a place that doesn’t smell of horses. I think people might be more inclined to buy food if they didn’t smell the reminders of horses.
Linky link: http://www.pulseit.com/rats-saw-god
I’m on the Simon and Schuster Pulseit site … which I assume is a book community based around S&S Pulse titles but I just jumped in and joined without really looking at the about page and so I’m looking through it and they offer book excerpts to help you figure out if you want to say … go get a book.
I saw Rats Saw God which recently has been on my radar because it’s by Rob Thomas who is to Veronica Mars as Whedon is to Buffy. Published a while ago, and I think recently back in print with new cover blah blah blah. So I click to read the excerpt. Which contains: The Cover. The Title Page. Acknowledgements. Copyright. Dedication. Continue reading “Funny Story: Pulseit Rats Saw God”
I am (basically) a native Angeleno. When in reality I am not. I was born in Fontana and I was raised in the Inland Empire so … I’m native to SoCal. And I basically live in Pasadena and that’s where I consider my family to be from.
Basically.
Which is still weird because most of the people I know are not natives. People move here for various reasons and once our weather makes you soft it becomes rather difficult to leave.
Anywhats I figured I might as well discuss some things I know that other people might like to know.
Los Angeles claims to be the birthplace of the French Dip. And the best place to get a French Dip is Philippe’s in Los Angeles. The address I think is 1001 Alameda (The number is correct as I can see it painted over the door). And one of the great things about Philippe’s is they have free parking. Parking is very important to me and I assume it is to everyone in San Angeles.
The menu at Philippe’s is larger than I expect because really I think you should just stick with the dipped sandwiches. Pork, Beef, Ham, Lamb, and Turkey. Wait. what is the difference between the pork and the ham?!?
I just finished a lamb dip or else I would try to find out. Maybe I will come back tomorrow.
They also have some side salads. Macaroni, potato, cole slaw. I know the case also has pies and brownies. They also have refreshingly cheap beverages; lemonade, iced tea and coffee are all priced less than a dollar.
Oh. Forgot to mention. There’s sawdust on the floor.
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT: cash only
Open seven days a week, 6am-10pm. Walking distance from Union Station. LA Museum of Railroading in the back. Serves alcohol. Very possibly my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. Mixed seating; communal tables available. Oh. Don’t be surprised if there are lines out the door. It’s other people’s favorite restaurant too.
POO: Pure Olive Oil
Winter ended a while ago. I wasn’t really paying attention to the when but since I live in Southern California, it really wasn’t a long harsh winter. And now during the day it’s lovely so it’s easy to say that it’s Spring, especially considering the first day of Spring passed a few days ago and I didn’t notice because its so nice outside anyways. Continue reading “Your weather sucks, but mine is iced coffee”
I received a text from my friend Jason that the Lobsta Truck was at Santa Anita and he was coming out so I ended up going as well. The weather today was unbelievably lovely and it would have been a terrible shame to stay indoors. Doing what I had thought I’d do. Laundry and internet. Some general reading.
Here we have a lovely sunny day in the mid 80s and people are walking about in shorts and whatnot. And Chicago? I believe your high was 30. New York’s high was 45. Baltimore 43. But enough about you, let’s talk about ladies in hats and white people who are dressed like … white people.
I was standing in line for Kogi behind these lovely white people dressed in pastels. I had to share with everyone the way this guy was dressed because ordinarily I would have assumed it was done ironically in costume but he didn’t seem to be putting on an affectation of any sort. Apparently it’s perfectly normal for him to wear pastels. There were the docksiders on his feet. A blue polo shirt, ray bans and what amused me to no end….yellow shorts with tiny sailboats on them. Sir, if by some random fortune you manage to read this I don’t mean this post as a critique, it’s just been so long since I’ve seen anyone dress like you.
Perhaps this gentlemen attended a prep school and summered on the cape and belongs in one of my favorite Edward Hopper paintings (Ground Swell)
Back to food trucks.
I did not go to the Grilled Cheese Truck but I always like the Grilled Cheese Truck. I’m trying to eat better and fatty melty dairy between two bits of carb that’s been buttered…not the best meal. But if you ever find yourselves where the Grilled Cheese Truck is an option, I recommend trying them. Don’t forget the tater tots!
Can you believe this was my first time at a Kogi BBQ Truck? I know there’s like four trucks that roam around and I always credit them with being behind the LA Food Truck scene. Just somehow I’ve never found myself at the same place as a Kogi Truck or if I was, I was actually there for another truck and didn’t get around to trying it. Since I was hoping to eat at more than just one truck I limited my order to just a short rib taco and a chicken taco. You know the kind, a small little soft tortilla with a bunch of chopped meat and lettuce on top. I probably could have eaten five? Maybe more? I’m going to recommend you try Kogi.
The Lobsta Truck was there and I had a lobsta roll with mayo and it was good as always. The Lobsta Truck is reliable for having good lobster and I have to stay true to my vow: I will not go out of my way to go to the Lobsta Truck. I never want to get to the point where I have it so much it becomes less magical. The Lobsta Truck is my absolute favorite source of lobster rolls and as I like to say they often are better than seafood I get at restaurants.
Now I did get a sample from the nice man at the Ragin’ Cajun truck. Tried the garlic sauce. Was pretty good, but I was still getting a feel for what was out there and I didn’t really want to fill my stomach with a helping of gumbolaya. And I don’t think I could stop from ordering a fried shrimp po boy… and I just have this weakness for cajun and it would have ended up with me at the gym trying to work it all off. Instead I see on their website that not only are they looking to open a new restaurant out in Hermosa Beach but they also are going to launch a quickserve restaurant. Hopefully that will be closer to me. Because really the only restaurant I drive out that far for is Lahaina…
Also I had a black cherry sorbetto at Palazzolo’s Artisan Gelato & Sorbetto truck. Yes, it contained bits of cherry. No it wasn’t creamy … because I’m lactose intolerant and I can choose food that doesn’t lead to regret. It was nice on this very sunny Saturday.
I will also mention the My Delight CupCakery truck. I did not try this, but I do want to try their breakfast cupcake. It’s like a pancake cupcake with bacon. Bacon inside of it and bacon on top and it kinda sounds brilliant so hopefully at some point I will get the chance to try this.
And then I also saw Nonna’s Kitchenette and I didn’t try it but heaven knows I have a fondness for italian food. Something tells me the hand rolled risotta balls are great. And I’m not sure but a peanut butter, raspberry and prosciutto sandwich sounds like something I have to try. Afterwards I will either herald it as a revelation or …not.
Lastly I want to say it was nice seeing Youngblood Hawke there. I managed to go hours without mentioning to anyone that the band is named after a Herman Wouk book that I started but is very thick and unavailable on my Sony Reader (well I haven’t checked this month). Soon they’re going to hear the sound the sound as we come running….
I got a free bag with admission. I left it in the trunk of my car. I came to the realization that even though I don’t really need a bag, sometimes I do. I live in Pasadena where stores don’t give out plastic bags and I never remember to have sufficient bags with me when I go to the market. I’m hoping that I will be able to use this for groceries and it will be helpful and useful and I don’t forget to bring it with me. If wishes were horses…