project: 365: day 40

day 40, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

90 degrees in LA equals conference calls in Candace's backyard. I'm so glad I have a friend that is available during the day to sit around and shoot the shit with me. 

project 365: day 39

day 39, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Since Tuesday, I've driven over 200 miles. Yes, since Tuesday, as in yesterday. 200 miles in two day.
So this afternoon, I rewarded myself with a little sun tanning poolside. The 80 degree weather with a slight breeze made it feel like a nice summer day. Armed with my current book, some water, and some sun block, I chatted with my neighbor, building manager, and some maintenance guys doing some plumbing repairs in a unit.
I can't wait for every day to be like this.

project 365: day 38

day 38, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

I've turned into a serious local foodie- I blame Shira, Madison Market, and Amy E. I'm buying stuff I don't even know what do you with- confit; yes please, marmalade; sure why the hell not. Is it local? Great. Available at a farmer's market? Then it's sure to be good.

Now all I need is someone to cook. Seriously, I'll be taking applications.

project 365: day 37

day 37, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Last night I had dinner with the group VPs at this AMAZING (god, I'm really using that word alot) Greek restaurant called Sofi's.  The seabass I engulfed was literally melting in my mouth. After our table of 6 consumed several bottles of wine, we all drove home.

 

So, that begs the question- is there a higher number of people that drink and drive in LA versus other US cities?

Someone Quora that for me. 

project 365: day 36

day 36, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Happy National Pecan Day! Actually, there are 2 Pecan Day's: one in March and one in April.  Pretty nutty huh? (I know, horrible joke).

The National Pecan Shellers Association are little more serious about their business, and have the history of pecans for your edification, though, thankfully, as they point out, the month of April is all about pecans, in case you were caught unawares today. It's been a few years since Slashfood observed the occasion, but in case you wanted to get in the kitchen with some pecans, they'll point you towards some recipes. (Doing the whole Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally "proud to partake of your peeeeee-caaan piiiiie" bit is entirely optional, though suggested.)

Pecan Salad at Joan's on Third. 

project 365: day 35

day 35, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

While driving around Santa Monica looking for parking so I could pick up some things at REI, I stumbled across the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. I was so impressed with the beauty of the building, I had to pull over and snap a photo. I can't wait to catch a performance so I can checkout inside.

Other exciting news, I found an esthetician that is AMAZING (i feel like I'm saying that a lot lately). Salon Republic is a building filled with little studios leased by health and beauty entrepreneurs. It nice to support local small businesses without the struggle of driving all over LA county. With one stop, I can visit Kenya and her sugaring studio, get my nails done, take a private Pilates class, do some meditation, and get a facial. 
I know where I'll be spending my weekends.

project 365: day 34

day 34, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

It's Friday... Friday...Friday (c) Amanda Black

Is it just me, or did this week fly by? Ive been out this week of a tour de force of the local Y's.Malibu, Palisades, DTLA, East LA, Downey, SE Rio Vista, Westechester, Westside. Needless to say, I've been all over LA County this week


After work today, I picked up Candace and we headed over the the Baldwin Scenic Observatory to tackle the Baldwin steps. Can I just tell you how much I love that place? Both times I've gone, I've seen entire families out there working out with the kids cheering on their parents and encouraging them to keep going. LOVE IT!


After we tackled the stairs, we tackled a hookah at a local Turkish spot on Venice.

 

project 365: day 33

day 33, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Today I drove around Boyle Heights looking for the East LA YMCA. Let's be clear, the GPS did not fail me, my eyes did. Can I just say how much I love ELA. The community there is so strong, the Y staff are fun and engaging, and the food (A-MAZING). 

Situated just east of the Los Angeles river, Boyle Heights has long been a gateway for newcomers to the city. From the 1920s to the 1950s it was Los Angeles’ most heterogenous neighborhood, serving as home to large concentrations of Jews, Mexicans, and Japanese Americans, as well as Russian Molokans, African Americans, and people of Armenian, Italian, and Chinese descent. Today the neighborhood is primarily Latino, and it continues to serve as a port-of-entry for a number of the city’s immigrant groups.
This port-of-entry poses a particular problem for membership organizations like the Y, who see higher than average termination rates and lower retention that many of the urban facilities in the area. The other problem, safety. There are over 20 rival gangs in the area. 

More on East LA to come....

project 365: day 32

Day 32, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

After learning that one of our group VPs was involved in a head-on collision on the PCH earlier this week, I was a little weary of driving to Palisades. But I'm glad I did; the PCH is by far one of the most beautiful drives in LA (and probably California). I caught myself pretending I was a passenger and looking at the scenery (don't worry on the way back, I stayed focused on the road).

project 365: day 31

day 31, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Wow! I can hardly believe I've been in LA for a month. It feels like just a few weeks. Work has been a whirlwind of names and faces, but I'm actually starting to remember people (YES!). I found a great cycling instructor that teaches 3x week (YES!), an evening farmer's market (YES), Whole Foods (YES but my bank account says "no"), great cuban, thai, and mexican food within a mile of my house, and a west elm credenza for $200. 
All-in-all not a bad first month, can't wait to see what the other months bring.

Cheers LA!

project 365: day 30

day 30, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

One of the great things about having to travel to 25 branches across LA County is you get paid to sightsee in LA county. And let me tell you, LA County is HUGE. Today's adventure took me to Malibu where I stopped in at the Adamson House.
The house is known for alot of things- great beaches, great wedding location, and historic tiles.

The lavish use of exquisite ceramic tile, produced by Malibu Potteries (1926-32), is a hallmark of the house. The use of decorative tile has always been characteristic of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.

project 365: day 29

day 29, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

There's a car under that tree! Can't you tell? 

A Sunday of pounding rain has practically shut the city down, which is fine with me since I hate to leave the house when it's raining (something that made living in Seattle a strange turn of events). I made it to the gym this AM for cycling, then promptly returned home to watch the rain from the comfort of my 71 degree living room. 

project 365:day 28

day 28, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Before watching Shogun get dominated in UFC 128, I snapped this photo of the Supermoon from my patio. Obviously, this photo does not do it justice, so I suggest getting on Google and doing an image search. It was beautiful!

This AM, I drove to Ventura (69 miles N) for a training and go an average 37.1 MPG. Turns out the training is in 2 weeks but on the plus side, the return trip got me 39.4 MPG. I needed to put some highway miles on my car anyway, so alas, not all was lost. I think went to Whole Foods and called Shira 5 times from the store because, apparently, I have no clue how to shop for groceries or spices or cans of beans.

Tomorrow is the LA Marathon, which means I will be sitting on my couch making music and watching movies. Take that RunnersWorld!

project 365: day 27

day 27, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

The amount of street art in LA is amazing and inspiring. Wheatpaste posters, stencils, stickers, propaganda, 3d installations/objects, written messages, drawings, painted, etc... any illegal street art that deviates from the "norm" of graffiti (the tag, throwup, and piece)... are popping up everywhere in LA, especially along Venice

I'm so excited about this, I can barely contain myself: "The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles is presenting Art in the Streets, a major exhibition that follows the history of graffiti and street art, from April 17 to August 8, featuring the work of 50 seminal artists from around the world, including Fab 5 Freddy (New York), Shepard Fairey (Los Angeles), Os Gerneos (Sao Paulo) and JR (Paris)."

project 365: day 26

day 26, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

LA Fashion Week has made me a fan of Jeremy Scott (again)! Adidas is once again working with Jeremy Scott on a capsule collection. In addition to showing off these HOT shoes, Scott premiered parts his ready to wear Fall collection last night @ Ace Gallery.

Fierce!

project 365: day 25

day 25, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Working from home is magical, especially when it means working poolside. I had some meetings on the Westside of town so it just made more sense to stay put, type away on the laptop, and sit in the sun.

As I was heading to the Auto Body Shop to drop off my car, I stumbled across the above mural. LA hasn't had a franchise football time since 1995 and the city seems split on the issue. The problem appears to not be with the sport but with the commercialization of the sport. I have to admit, it is a little strange that the nation's second biggest city, containing 9,862,049 people doesn't have an NFL team to cheer for.

In the meantime, I'll cheer for the Galaxy and the Clippers.

project 365: day 24

day 24, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Today was a glorious day in LA. I drove to Downey, which is 20 miles S of DTLA to visit a Y. Windows rolled down, stereo turned it, sunglasses on made it a great little trip to the middle of nowhere. A few hours later, I grabbed my bike, threw on my trusty capri sweats and headed to the Culver City Farmer's Market to pick up my weekly stock of fruits and veggies. $20 later, I scored strawberries, raspberries, radishes, carrots, lettuce, cilantro, hummus, and pita.  All organic and all local.

I then walked a few blocks N of my place to pick up dinner at Thai Boom. 

God, I love my neighborhood.

project 365: day 23

day 23, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Why is this bottle of Italian $1300?

Head Sommelier Sebastiano Ingaliso at a DTLA wine shop told me he spent several months sourcing the wine to form the centerpiece of his vintage wine list. “It is a fantastic wine with great structure and longevity."

But still, why the hell is it so damn expensive expensive?

“The Tenuta Dell’ Ornellaia winery is renowned for producing some of the world’s finest and most sought after vintages and is the only place in the world to produce a Masseto of this quality.
“What makes the wine so rare and also so expensive is the fact there are so few bottles produced.
“As a quick comparison, a winery might produce 10,000 cases of house wine compared to just 1,000 cases of Masseto – making sourcing a bottle extremely difficult.”

project 365: day 22

Shira came down this weekend for a quick visit to sunny LA. Saturday we ran some errands, including a Target adventure and a great Cuban dinner at El Rincon Criollo. Sunday we walked 300 stairs to the Baldwin Scenic Overlook which sits above Culver City. This place was packed with all shapes and sizes- PERFECT. I can't wait to come back to get my train on!

Oh yeah, we got rear ended on the 10W going to Santa Monica by this old woman trying to cut over to the off ramp. We're good and the car has a few scratches on the bumper, but no major damage. I'll be heading to the auto body shop later this week for a paint job, then my put put will be looking 100%.

project 365: day 21

day 21, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Is this not the cutest cat in the WHOLE WORLD? Nice to know she brought her own pillow to nap time.  For those of you that don't know, let me share with you Flea-o's story:

It all began 4 years ago when I decided that I wanted a cat. After looking at various websites for pet adoption, I found the most pathetic looking cat and decided that he must be mine. I printed his little photo and carried it around with me for weeks. Some people who shall go unnamed (Littlefield, Amy White) had some choice words about my soon-to-be best friend. But alas fate intervened (in this case a flyer at Verite Coffee in Madrona) and I ended up with Flea-o, who turned out to be the second most pathetic looking cat in the world.

And that my friends, is Flea-o's story. 

project 365: day 20

photo(4), originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

I was just talking with our Risk Managment guru about earthquakes. In particular, my need to reinforce some art hanging on my walls at home. I remember mentioning that Japan has the most seismic area, and that they often experience small (2.0 or smaller) quakes multiple times a month.
From some captivating images of Japan, visit this blog. Despite active news coverage since 1am, the one headline I'm not seeing is "millions saved in Japan by good engineering and government building codes". But it's the truth.
Sending my thoughts and heart to those affected by the quake and tsunami.

project 365: day 19

day 20, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Seeing a performance by soulful force of nature Meshell Ndegeocello is always a treat, but last night's show at Largo had a bonus incentive. Billed as "Gett Off: Meshell Ndegeocello Covers Prince," the program  included the bassist's unique take on the Purple One's catalog, accompanied by Chris Bruce on guitar, Deantoni Parks on drums and Keefus Ciancia on keys.

In the same spirit, I have outlined my Top Five Prince Tunes, including some deep cuts from the very early years.

• "Annie Christian" (Controversy, 1981): "It's a political yet enchantingly post-punk tune. It shows why and how he was such an innovator."

• "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)" (1999, 1982): " 'Must be something in the water you drink.' I love this song. I don't have any critical thinking on it, it just makes me hot."

• "All the Critics Love U in New York" (1999, 1982): "Great bass line and just an interesting groove. Basically, I love when he is slanted, angry. His cultural critiques were so sharp then."

• "Gotta Broken Heart Again" (Dirty Mind, 1980): "It's simply beautiful. I remember it gave words to my own inner dialogue when I heard it in the 90s."

• "I'm Yours" (For You, 1978): "Oh, my God! It has a bass solo, and he played all the instruments. What more do you want?"

 And no, I did not take the photo of Meshell. But damn, I wish I did. I took the below one:

 

It took me 45 minutes to get 6 miles. You suck LA.

project 365: day 18

day 18, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Farmers' Markets are one of my favorites, especially in warm, sunny weather. There is nothing more engaging than tasting free fresh fruit slices and people-watching in L.A.'s community outdoor markets. I've tasted $1 shots of wheat grass juice, hummus samples, slices of peaches and plums at Culver City's. While fresh organic produce may be a dollar or more per pound, the intensely fresh flavors of locally grown produce are worth the extra price any penny-pinching chef sometimes pays.

I live down the street from the Culver City market, which occurs every Tuesday from 2-7 p.m. It has tempting tamales for sale, locally-made cheese and hormone-free meat stalls, a fresh roasted peanut in-the-shell stand, live music, and all the fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables you can carry out. Plus I scored this sweet Roasted Beets Recipe:

Ingredients (about 3-4 servings)
1 bunch of beets - three to four large ones, any color.
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice (about 6 slices per) beets. Arrange in a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered 45 minutes to an hour. Fork will pierce beet slice easily when done. Serve as a side dish or allow to cool and serve in a salad.

project 365: day 17

day 17, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Well, the house is all put together. The bed is made, lamps are hung, chairs on patio, kitchen drawers are packed, and Flea is trying to escape to the great outdoors every chance she can get. Looks like LA in home.

Shout out Juliet Swedlund for the awesome hooks!

project 365: day 16

day 16, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

I'm starting to get fun mail at my new place. This super cute card comes courtesy of Miss Amy White. Yippie! On a side note, driving around this weekend, I realized the post office is right around the corner from me. SCORE!

project 365: day 15

day 15, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Car clubs from across Southern California paid tribute to the owner of “Gypsy Rose,” a 1964 Chevy Impala adorned with roses and upholstered in plush pink, with a Funeral procession Los Angeles. Hundreds of low-riders rolled out Sunday morning to pay their respects to Jesse Valadez, a founding member of the Imperial Car Club who had a lasting effect on Southern California’s car culture.

project 365: day 14

day 14, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Such a beautiful sunny day in LA today. 76 degrees and crystal clear skies. Spent the morning at the Culver-Palms Y taking a cycling class from Ruby. The class was excellent with good music and lots of attitude, but because it's like taking a cycling class at MMEM, it was held in a broom closet. Literally.

After that, I packed up some things and headed over to Miss Chatman's place in Venice, where I could tan without the intrusion of strangers or vendors peddling medical marijuana. Spent a few hours in the backyard before heading in to watch Beyond Scared Straight. BEST.SHOW.ON.TV. 

project 365: day 13

day 13, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Yes, payday! Which means I can eat and drink outside... in public. Instead of eating pasta in my apartment.

On the menu for early Happy Hour, an Old-Fashioned!

An old-fashioned is about as rudimentary as a cocktail can be: bourbon, sugar, bitters and ice. It is still one of the few mixed drinks you can expect the bartender at a beer-and-shot bar to make. But the splendid bartenders at Cole's, a revivified French dip parlor in business since 1908, have a sure hand with workingman's cocktails: the Rob Roys, Sazeracs and syrupy Ginger Rogerses you might have expected to find at a decent Los Angeles bar in 1953. The Old-Fashioned I consumed here was perhaps the best of my whiskey-soaked life.
When POP visits next week, we're going to have to swing by and try the Dark N Stormy!

project 365: day 12

day 12, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

Who would've thought that lone dudes playing with laptops in their bedrooms would've become the Valley's next great export after pornography? Okay, that may actually seem like symbiosis, but trust me, it's not. This Calgary band (Braids )specializes in a particular brand of effusive yet calming tunes, though featuring playful, folksy female vocals a la Joanna Newsom. Caught these guys at LA's Museum of Natural History for F-R-E-E!

project 365: day 11

day 11, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

The Metro Office needed a little character. Pez, Rubber Chickens, and an Afro Wig have spiced the place up a bit. Nothing like adding alittle color. Give me a few weeks and I will have an office characters post, similar to my gym characters.

project 365: day 10

day 10, originally uploaded by shalimargonzales.

First order of business, get some TVs up in this place. Yikes! Thank G-O-D for my iphone and netflix otherwise a 45 minutes cardio routine would be depressing. For you Seattle people, this Y is like MMEM. And you know how I feel about MMEM.