three day mid-week-end

Exactly as it sounds, I've enjoyed a 3-day weekend this Tuesday-Thursday. Much gratitude to the veterans.

Tuesday was my day for running errands and tying up loose ends. At night we screened THE ROAD, a beautifully made film full of stark but gorgeous cinematography and a stellar performance by Viggo Mortensen, who carried alongside other equally amazing support. I've never read Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name, but having seen it brought to life, I'm all the more anxious. Q&A with producers Steve and Paula Mae Schwartz was actually one of my favorites over the years. The Schwartz's were most charming, insightful and attentive and eager to answer the students' questions--which were also surprisingly thoughtful. They had a great time and returned the compliment; this screening and Q&A was one of their favorites.

After the CEC sneak, we had a full-blown girl's night at Ali's place. Enjoyed some hilariously fun times baking the weirdest mix of funfetti and red velvet cupcakes, regular and mini, then using the leftover blood batter for a curdling, unappetizing in appearance, cake. Vanilla frosting to top it all off plus kettle corn accompanied our own screening of LOVE ACTUALLY just right. I also did a number to my stomach by eating 3 frosted cupcakes and a whole bag of kettle corn. We'll just call it preparation for next-day eats instead of the dumb idea that it actually was.


The holiday.
Rach and I went on an exploratory adventure of the Hollywood and Mid-Wilshire area.
We started off at Susan Feniger's Street

Rach's Chocolate Mint Rooiboos Tea

My beef brisket Reuben. The extra zing was that they used Jarlsberg Cheese! Excellent!

A neglected, underrated color. All the pictures had a pumpkin glow, but the variations on orange were a pleasant surprise.

 

I'd go back for the quirky ambiance and good food, as well as an "extensive tea menu". Our waiter and all the servers were extremely nice. Proves that good service really makes a difference.

We then got lost trying to find the Miracle Mile. Sadly, we realized that we hadn't really explored all of Los Angeles that has been so close to us all these years. Also, all the "cool stuff/sights" that you seem to drive by on the way to somewhere less exciting, is impossible to find when that's what you're looking for.

Finally we ended up on La Brea where a crazy open antique/garage market was sitting out on the corner lot. I love going to these and being surrounded by the most amusing and bizarre mix of furniture and knick knacks.

That was one of the....classier? pieces of furniture among the sea of leopard and zebra print ottomans, couches, armchairs, chaises, you name it. There was also a solid collection available in red velvet fit for King Tacky of Ed Hardy castle.

Did some more wandering. Over 3-4 hours, we covered maybe a block? Pathetic. We couldn't help ourselves from stopping in every store, browsing, creating magical if-we-won-the-lottery wish lists in our heads. I gave in $30 at one place for a fancy candle and matches to match!. By the way, my five-year plan has a name now; I call it The Fancy Plan. My goal is to become a fancy person by the time I'm 25. This doesn't necessarily mean stinking rich, though that would be nice. Mainly, I want to be able to afford weird things according to my naturally strange tastes (like any one of those treasures above), but then be able to appear fancy and put-together in my clothes when I go out to eat at nicer, non fast food places where I'll hopefully meet a fancy beau.

At night we all went out to celebrate Danny's 22nd. Ate well at Urth, then bought desserts to go and devoured them while sitting in a circle on the sidewalk of a local park/rec center. Everyone enjoyed the low-key evening, all in agreement that a smaller, more intimate hang out with good company is a much better time than a loud, crazy party any day. Then again, the lot of us are all old, over-the-hill seniors that have grown out of the fratmosphere or never enjoyed it to begin with.


Thursday was a bum day. Bummed around like a bum. Mind you, I never failed to send a ton of gmails over my 3-day mid-week-end. Aside from that, I woke up, slothed, showered, then found my mission awesome of the day: take advantage of the Coffee Bean 12oz. Winter promotion. Wandered to the Gayley/Weyburn and tried a free Peppermint White Chocolate Latte. Now, I've always hated coffee, the smell, the bitter medicinal taste and am thus ridiculously sensitive to it. But I will say that I barely noticed whatever coffee-esque component (because I'm completely clueless about what the heck goes in these mysterious drinks) was in this latte. Great for me, crap for coffee lovers. I made my way to the CEC office, did some office errands, then met up with Rach and Danny for milk-the-free-stuff-for-all-its-worth part deux. Got myself a Winter Dream Tea Latte--another sugary sweet delight! Kudos, Coffee Bean! Your plan worked and I'll be frequenting your shop for these.

The night was FANTASTIC MR. FOX. Wes Anderson is a cinematic mastermind, as are all the actors who voiced. I won't say much more. Everyone go see it.