Friday, August 19, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Defeat
Defeat, my Defeat, my solitude and my aloofness;
You are dearer to me than a thousand triumphs,
And sweeter to my heart than all worldglory.
Defeat, my Defeat, my self-knowledge and my defiance,
Through you I know that I am yet young and swift of foot
And not to be trapped by withering laurels.
And in you I have found aloneness
And the joy of being shunned and scorned.
Defeat, my Defeat, my shining sword and shield,
In your eyes I have read
That to be enthroned is to be enslaved,
And to be understood is to be levelled down,
And to be grasped is but to reach one's fulness
And like a ripe fruit to fall and be consumed.
Defeat, my Defeat, my bold companion,
You shall hear my songs and my cries and my silences,
And none but you shall speak to me of the beating of wings,
And urging of seas,
And of mountains that burn in the night,
And you alone shall climb my steep and rocky soul.
Defeat, my Defeat, my deathless courage,
You and I shall laugh together with the storm,
And together we shall dig graves for all that die in us,
And we shall stand in the sun with a will,
And we shall be dangerous.
-Kahlil Gibran
The Madman
You are dearer to me than a thousand triumphs,
And sweeter to my heart than all worldglory.
Defeat, my Defeat, my self-knowledge and my defiance,
Through you I know that I am yet young and swift of foot
And not to be trapped by withering laurels.
And in you I have found aloneness
And the joy of being shunned and scorned.
Defeat, my Defeat, my shining sword and shield,
In your eyes I have read
That to be enthroned is to be enslaved,
And to be understood is to be levelled down,
And to be grasped is but to reach one's fulness
And like a ripe fruit to fall and be consumed.
Defeat, my Defeat, my bold companion,
You shall hear my songs and my cries and my silences,
And none but you shall speak to me of the beating of wings,
And urging of seas,
And of mountains that burn in the night,
And you alone shall climb my steep and rocky soul.
Defeat, my Defeat, my deathless courage,
You and I shall laugh together with the storm,
And together we shall dig graves for all that die in us,
And we shall stand in the sun with a will,
And we shall be dangerous.
-Kahlil Gibran
The Madman
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Get Up Get Out
Hello! SO big things have been going on...lots of changes in my life, good and bleh...
This post is dedicated to my job.
But it didn't start this way... .. .
(said in cheesy MTV or Seacrest Productions reality show announcer voice, cue Journey or Katy Perry song)
First and foremost: My job is amazing, I couldn't be happier, and I couldn't be learning from better people!
That being said--
I was very intimidated after learning that I would be working more at Heist than at Undiscovered. These are both stores that are out of my league in general, but Undiscovered is brand new (opened at the tail end of January 2011) while Heist has been on the block for 6 years, going strong. There are customers that have been there since the beginning, that know everything about the store and the brands in it, i. e. way more than me--not a cute look if it were to be noticed by someone of importance. The clientele is very similar between both stores, but Heist deals with some serious, serious high end individuals. I was afraid that I would be unable to relate to these customers, leaving me feeling awkward and inadequate, and my bosses eventually disappointed. I mean, one bag or pair of boots in that store could be more than I spend on clothes annually. Not kidding. Now this being said, I spend less on clothing and accessories than 90% of the females I know. The luxury of shopping all the time (a few times a month) like a normal girl was taken away from me before the age of 16, so since then I've literally been getting by when it comes to clothing. I'd shop a couple times a year, grab some cute, fun, and cheap things when I absolutely needed them. So, what the hell do I have in common with someone who will drop 3 G's because they saw something in the window that appealed to them? I've sold to Jasmine al Fayed, watched Robert Downey Jr. and his wife browse around, and noticed that Julia Roberts is just a few customers down from my own name in the Heist customer database.
The first couple of weeks I was very nervous. I didn't speak with confidence when people walked in. I didn't want to "offend" anyone by letting them know that sale was upstairs and we had more sizes available. So many people have looked offended because I told them where sale was. Get over yourself, it's my job to tell you!! Nobody is too good for a sale, ole bitch asses. Anyways..Nilou, my amazing, wonderful, super cool boss has had me on this little project recently where I go through each piece of inventory and record where it was manufactured, weight, and other measurements (for shipping and internet orders). This has helped me become more familiar with the merchandise and in turn has increased my confidence. I can't sell something I don't believe in, much less something I don't know shit about.
Learning about all of these amazing brands and designers has been a huge learning experience, one that will continue for as long as I work there I'm sure! And while I would love to give some of the customers a reality check, the majority of our clients fill my head with wonderful stories from their lives and leave me in awe, excited for my own future. Abbot Kinney is a beautiful area, full of creative individuals from every walk of the world. I will go into my thoughts on Venice/LA in general another time. It's a great place and I'm happy to be a part of it :)
To wrap this up, Nilou & Shannon (Owner and General Manager) have been so wonderful! I look up to them both, and they are both openly very appreciative of me being there. Nilou surprised me today with an AWESOME gift, inspiring me to write this blog. She just had an amazing centerpiece built for Undiscovered by Chinese Jesus that was put in yesterday. The old centerpiece was a really cool white picnic looking table. She didn't know what to do with it, and she knew I needed furniture so she asked me if I could use it. Unfortunately, the table was longer than my dining room, otherwise I would have LOVED to take it off her hands. Well, she told me this afternoon that she had the table cut and for me to pick it up in the morning. !!! I'm SO excited! Now I will have a piece of Heist & Undiscovered with me forever, and I am bursting with cute ideas for the piece. How thoughtful and awesome is that? Dining room table=Check!
That's all for now! I plan on writing about my living situation soon, because at this point I don't know what else to do. It's been.....not what I expected, let's just say that. I am unhappy, feeling betrayed and taken advantage of, and stuck. No fun. BUT, I made my bed so I must now lay in it, and Life will always go on.
LAKE TAHOE TOMORROW! I can't wait to hang out with my thoughtful, sweet, sexy boyfriend and his sweet, fun sister!!
This post is dedicated to my job.
But it didn't start this way... .. .
(said in cheesy MTV or Seacrest Productions reality show announcer voice, cue Journey or Katy Perry song)
First and foremost: My job is amazing, I couldn't be happier, and I couldn't be learning from better people!
That being said--
I was very intimidated after learning that I would be working more at Heist than at Undiscovered. These are both stores that are out of my league in general, but Undiscovered is brand new (opened at the tail end of January 2011) while Heist has been on the block for 6 years, going strong. There are customers that have been there since the beginning, that know everything about the store and the brands in it, i. e. way more than me--not a cute look if it were to be noticed by someone of importance. The clientele is very similar between both stores, but Heist deals with some serious, serious high end individuals. I was afraid that I would be unable to relate to these customers, leaving me feeling awkward and inadequate, and my bosses eventually disappointed. I mean, one bag or pair of boots in that store could be more than I spend on clothes annually. Not kidding. Now this being said, I spend less on clothing and accessories than 90% of the females I know. The luxury of shopping all the time (a few times a month) like a normal girl was taken away from me before the age of 16, so since then I've literally been getting by when it comes to clothing. I'd shop a couple times a year, grab some cute, fun, and cheap things when I absolutely needed them. So, what the hell do I have in common with someone who will drop 3 G's because they saw something in the window that appealed to them? I've sold to Jasmine al Fayed, watched Robert Downey Jr. and his wife browse around, and noticed that Julia Roberts is just a few customers down from my own name in the Heist customer database.
The first couple of weeks I was very nervous. I didn't speak with confidence when people walked in. I didn't want to "offend" anyone by letting them know that sale was upstairs and we had more sizes available. So many people have looked offended because I told them where sale was. Get over yourself, it's my job to tell you!! Nobody is too good for a sale, ole bitch asses. Anyways..Nilou, my amazing, wonderful, super cool boss has had me on this little project recently where I go through each piece of inventory and record where it was manufactured, weight, and other measurements (for shipping and internet orders). This has helped me become more familiar with the merchandise and in turn has increased my confidence. I can't sell something I don't believe in, much less something I don't know shit about.
Learning about all of these amazing brands and designers has been a huge learning experience, one that will continue for as long as I work there I'm sure! And while I would love to give some of the customers a reality check, the majority of our clients fill my head with wonderful stories from their lives and leave me in awe, excited for my own future. Abbot Kinney is a beautiful area, full of creative individuals from every walk of the world. I will go into my thoughts on Venice/LA in general another time. It's a great place and I'm happy to be a part of it :)
To wrap this up, Nilou & Shannon (Owner and General Manager) have been so wonderful! I look up to them both, and they are both openly very appreciative of me being there. Nilou surprised me today with an AWESOME gift, inspiring me to write this blog. She just had an amazing centerpiece built for Undiscovered by Chinese Jesus that was put in yesterday. The old centerpiece was a really cool white picnic looking table. She didn't know what to do with it, and she knew I needed furniture so she asked me if I could use it. Unfortunately, the table was longer than my dining room, otherwise I would have LOVED to take it off her hands. Well, she told me this afternoon that she had the table cut and for me to pick it up in the morning. !!! I'm SO excited! Now I will have a piece of Heist & Undiscovered with me forever, and I am bursting with cute ideas for the piece. How thoughtful and awesome is that? Dining room table=Check!
That's all for now! I plan on writing about my living situation soon, because at this point I don't know what else to do. It's been.....not what I expected, let's just say that. I am unhappy, feeling betrayed and taken advantage of, and stuck. No fun. BUT, I made my bed so I must now lay in it, and Life will always go on.
LAKE TAHOE TOMORROW! I can't wait to hang out with my thoughtful, sweet, sexy boyfriend and his sweet, fun sister!!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
real quick...
I would just like to take a minute to give props to car owners and drivers in Los Angeles.
There was a lot of hype over Carmageddon last weekend, and as a new resident of the area, I naively worried about the chaos that was supposed to be "Carmageddon".\\
July 15-17, 2011 Carmageddon::
I have never had a more enjoyable ride to work, home from work, anywhere in LA. Nobody was on the road! Considering the 405 is basically always bumper to bumper, the anticipation of 405 traffic ALL over LA x 10 was definitely something that could have happened, if LA wasn't filled with outstanding citizens that all decided to use this opportunity to become more familiar with their own unique neighborhoods. It was so nice, not only because of the crazy lack of drivers out, but knowing that everyone was working together and enjoyed doing so. The people out here are really great, for the most part. There are exceptions in every group. :)
The drivers out here usually work together, which is awesome to be a part of. Everyone is trying to get somewhere, and the degree of selfishness on the road is slighty smaller out here, to me anyways. You get what you put out in LA. This city is filled with beautiful, creative, giving, kind, caring creatures. People take care of themselves and they take care of each other. It's a nice little world and I'm happy to be living in it :)
There was a lot of hype over Carmageddon last weekend, and as a new resident of the area, I naively worried about the chaos that was supposed to be "Carmageddon".\\
July 15-17, 2011 Carmageddon::
I have never had a more enjoyable ride to work, home from work, anywhere in LA. Nobody was on the road! Considering the 405 is basically always bumper to bumper, the anticipation of 405 traffic ALL over LA x 10 was definitely something that could have happened, if LA wasn't filled with outstanding citizens that all decided to use this opportunity to become more familiar with their own unique neighborhoods. It was so nice, not only because of the crazy lack of drivers out, but knowing that everyone was working together and enjoyed doing so. The people out here are really great, for the most part. There are exceptions in every group. :)
The drivers out here usually work together, which is awesome to be a part of. Everyone is trying to get somewhere, and the degree of selfishness on the road is slighty smaller out here, to me anyways. You get what you put out in LA. This city is filled with beautiful, creative, giving, kind, caring creatures. People take care of themselves and they take care of each other. It's a nice little world and I'm happy to be living in it :)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Always Caught in Limbo
Hello to the many few of you that are continuing to follow my blog at this point!
The past couple of months have been full of change and I have literally been all over the place. I've officially made the move to the West Coast and have enjoyed all 1600 minutes of my life upon entering this 72 degrees piece of heaven that is Los Angeles.
Life before the final, Final, decision to relocate to the opposite side of the country was hectic and would have probably caused much confusion had I tried to keep my blog updated throughout the decision process. I changed my mind daily, had a new idea daily, a new place I wanted to live, a new friend I wanted to convince to move with me.....It was a mess. BUT...Here I am, sitting in my new apartment in West LA (Palms, to be exact).
I spent May 17th-June 17th in Statesboro catching up with friends & fam, and my wonderful, amazing, super thoughtful and supportive boyfriend, Will. During my stay I did so many things...Hangout 2011 was by far the most exciting thing I did [Blog + Pictures to come later} while in the Southeast. All of my time there was so exceptional. I had a totally new appreciation for my Home and the Southeast in general. Now there were times that I was a total Sweaty Keith in 100+ weather, AND being annoyed by any given stereotypical Southern occurrence, no doubt, but at certain times I was able to find beauty in things that I was not previously able to appreciate, and I am grateful for that.
Got to catch up with many friends and had the pleasure of making a few new ones [Shout out to Morgan's cousin Lindsey from San Fran and Alexis D. from Dallas--my 2 favorite new friends--Extra special shout out to Emma T., Will's sis who I had the extreme pleasure of meeting for the first time before Hangout--huge success!]
Obviously I wouldn't have decided to move here if I had not first secured a job. Undiscovered/Heist has asked me to work more than just Sundays. While I was home for the past month, I was under the impression I'd be working 3 days a week, which is ok, but I would have most definitely needed a second job, if not a 3rd eventually. However, just minutes after we crossed the California state line, I received a call from my boss asking me to work 5 days a week! Very excited and thankful for this opportunity. I will be working at both stores, so this is a lot of new responsibility for me to take on, I hope I can learn enough about the brands we carry before I start (Friday--Ha!). Also, I stopped by Pizza Fusion, which has now successfully transformed into the Pour House and I must say, looks great. They asked me to come back, and I might. I can't work as much as they wanted me to, but I'm definitely interested in a few night shifts.
This is all for now. It's been a long day and I'm sleepy :) Oh yeah, today we purchased a bed, a refrigerator, and an internet/cable package. Not too shab for day 1.
Favorite part of day: Exploring around our neighborhood and being greeted with super friendly faces.
The past couple of months have been full of change and I have literally been all over the place. I've officially made the move to the West Coast and have enjoyed all 1600 minutes of my life upon entering this 72 degrees piece of heaven that is Los Angeles.
Life before the final, Final, decision to relocate to the opposite side of the country was hectic and would have probably caused much confusion had I tried to keep my blog updated throughout the decision process. I changed my mind daily, had a new idea daily, a new place I wanted to live, a new friend I wanted to convince to move with me.....It was a mess. BUT...Here I am, sitting in my new apartment in West LA (Palms, to be exact).
I spent May 17th-June 17th in Statesboro catching up with friends & fam, and my wonderful, amazing, super thoughtful and supportive boyfriend, Will. During my stay I did so many things...Hangout 2011 was by far the most exciting thing I did [Blog + Pictures to come later} while in the Southeast. All of my time there was so exceptional. I had a totally new appreciation for my Home and the Southeast in general. Now there were times that I was a total Sweaty Keith in 100+ weather, AND being annoyed by any given stereotypical Southern occurrence, no doubt, but at certain times I was able to find beauty in things that I was not previously able to appreciate, and I am grateful for that.
Got to catch up with many friends and had the pleasure of making a few new ones [Shout out to Morgan's cousin Lindsey from San Fran and Alexis D. from Dallas--my 2 favorite new friends--Extra special shout out to Emma T., Will's sis who I had the extreme pleasure of meeting for the first time before Hangout--huge success!]
Obviously I wouldn't have decided to move here if I had not first secured a job. Undiscovered/Heist has asked me to work more than just Sundays. While I was home for the past month, I was under the impression I'd be working 3 days a week, which is ok, but I would have most definitely needed a second job, if not a 3rd eventually. However, just minutes after we crossed the California state line, I received a call from my boss asking me to work 5 days a week! Very excited and thankful for this opportunity. I will be working at both stores, so this is a lot of new responsibility for me to take on, I hope I can learn enough about the brands we carry before I start (Friday--Ha!). Also, I stopped by Pizza Fusion, which has now successfully transformed into the Pour House and I must say, looks great. They asked me to come back, and I might. I can't work as much as they wanted me to, but I'm definitely interested in a few night shifts.
This is all for now. It's been a long day and I'm sleepy :) Oh yeah, today we purchased a bed, a refrigerator, and an internet/cable package. Not too shab for day 1.
Favorite part of day: Exploring around our neighborhood and being greeted with super friendly faces.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Consciousness drives Evolution
California has been an amazing place lately :) Great vibes coming from all directions, I really feel like I'm on the verge of growing again. For some reason, I felt like I'd been at a stagnant point in my life lately. I just wasn't doing new things other than eating and drinking, which is fun, but my spirit or soul or something just needed a more, less materialistic experience.
We started off at Happy Hour and had a few glasses of champagne at The Loew's Hotel, quickly turning into my favorite spot. After running up a nice sized bill and trying to decide what to do next, I just said what I felt which was "can we do something fun and not spend any money at the same time?"
Hiking to the top of the Malibu mountains was exactly what I needed. Being with MJ and Amber was extra special. I feel like I'm allowed to say anything around those 2 without being criticized. I don't worry about saying anything stupid or wrong, I just get to be me. Felt nice, and it was a really freeing experience sitting above the valley being surrounded by Mother Nature's creations.
I'm very happy right now :)
We started off at Happy Hour and had a few glasses of champagne at The Loew's Hotel, quickly turning into my favorite spot. After running up a nice sized bill and trying to decide what to do next, I just said what I felt which was "can we do something fun and not spend any money at the same time?"
Hiking to the top of the Malibu mountains was exactly what I needed. Being with MJ and Amber was extra special. I feel like I'm allowed to say anything around those 2 without being criticized. I don't worry about saying anything stupid or wrong, I just get to be me. Felt nice, and it was a really freeing experience sitting above the valley being surrounded by Mother Nature's creations.
I'm very happy right now :)
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
All you Touch & All you See is All your Life will Ever Be
This is my mid-move update to remind myself of cute places I've been, and also to serve as a guide to anyone visiting LA in the near future!
Warning: I've been a lot of places :)
Father's Office Santa Monica/Culver City : Pretty good! Great beer selection. Straight forward with the menu, no substitutions or changes. We unfortunately were a little intoxicated and don't know if it was the burgers or alcohol that made us sick afterwards. Probably a combo of both considering we aren't eating much red meat these days. Good place, slightly over-rated, probably won't rush to go back.
Figtree's Cafe Venice : SO cute! Mae had a Groupon, so the pre-paid portion of the bill probably made it even cuter. We went for brunch. A+ on all of our meals.
The Whaler Venice : Great place for happy hour on a pretty day! Oceanside, beautiful sunset viewing potential. Great pitcher specials, food was decent but not that important compared to the rooftop view!
Pink's Hollywood : Historical Hotdogs! One of LA's most known restaurants. Damn good hotdog. Don't expect to ever go and not wait in a line. Worth it, at least once.
MiSoFishy Santa Monica : YUM! Repeat offender. Enough said.
Tacos por Favor Santa Monica : Another super YUM. My go to burrito place.
In N Out Burger : Pardon me California, but this is no Five Guys. No thank you.
Bay Cities Deli Santa Monica : Oooh Ms. Parker...Huge Fan. I will be back and definitely taking all visitors to try out their Goddess italian sub. Money!
Cabo Cantina Santa Monica : Eww no thank you. Over crowded, Over cheesy, Over priced, over IT.
Enterprise Fish Co. Santa Monica : Don't remember! But I think it was cute.
Alejo's Culver City BYOAlcohol! Please & Thank You. Food was ok, scene was suuuper weird and not cute if that is what you're going for, but BYOW is always appreciated.
Bigfoot West Culver City A neat place, but the energy was kind of low, so it depends on what setting you're going for. Cozy, unique, nice service, but slightly on the boring side.
Loew's Hotel Santa Monica : Ah! Taking any and everyone back. THE most beautiful place, oceanside (by the Santa Monica Pier), So cute & comfortable. Favorite Happy Hour place so far.
Trip Santa Monica : Hole in the wall neighborhood bar. Had potential, but I've only been once :)
Bravo Santa Monica : Guilty. Delivery only when I don't have time to cook and get home late.
La Grande Orange Santa Monica : Up & Down with this place! Great happy hour prices and cute selections. Good if you can't decide on another place to go.
The Basement Santa Monica : Gnarly! Another place we take our visitors. Cute drink selections and happy hour until 10. Similar to your rich friend's basement you used to chill in during high school. Nice unmatched couches, great drinks, great vibe and privacy.
3 Square Cafe Venice : Adorable!! Perfect for a pre-work brunch with friends before rushing to work on the cutest street in Venice, Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Amazing menu selections, good service, cute atmosphere. Always busy!
The Daily Pint Santa Monica : Ok. At first this place reminded me of Nowhere Bar in Athens. Then, it became more clear that it was like Nowhere bar around 11am-early afternoon crowd. Never got better, definitely was creeped on while trying to enjoy our pints of beer and play a friendly game of Jenga. Might go back because of the beer selection, but during the day. The nighttime brought some unwelcome visitors around.
Bourbon Street Santa Monica : Like most bars named Bourbon Street across the US, I have no recollection of this one. Guess that means I liked it!
The Galley Santa Monica : FUN! Good when you are in a crazy mood. Felt like I was tripping with all of the bright Christmas lights and the people oddly dressed in ship-crew attire. 2 Thumbs Up.
Cha Cha Chicken Santa Monica : THE BEST! Favorite! BYORum & Vodka for the AMAZING Flavored Aqua drinks... need to commit to visiting at least once every other week before I leave California for good.
Peet's Coffee Nothing Special! Good for coffee if you are in the area :)
Novel Cafe Santa Monica AMAZING! Organic Granola, fruit, and yogurt=Perfect breakfast before work.
Pizza Fusion Santa Monica Good! I work there and I'm not tired of it yet. Great for Gluten Free individuals.
Crumb's Bakery BEST CUPCAKE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. Truth.
Finn McCool's Santa Monica Best Calamari in Santa Monica so far! Trust me, I order Calamari just about everywhere. It was their cocktail sauce that made it!
Panini Pizza West Hollywood Rumored to be the best pizza in West Hollywood. Carolina and I ordered delivery when we were staying at The Beverly Hilton. Rumor=All True. Yums.
Cheesecake Factory Hollywood- The Grove QUIT Playing. Perfection! Once a year type place though [Caloriesss]
The Border Grill Santa Monica & Downtown LA SO Cute! Amazing margaritas. They have a section of smaller meals that are the perfect size when you're pairing dinner with Pomegranate & Ginger Margaritas.
Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles West La & Hollywood JUST DO IT. Seriously. Another Los Angeles County only place, and a Snoop Dogg favorite. A+++
The Library Alehouse Santa Monica Cute place for happy hour on Main St.! Great beer selection, good app's. Calamari is not so good here, I do remember noting that.
Musso & Frank Grill Hollywood The Oldest restaurant in Hollywood! Reminded me of Sardis in NYC. Very nice ambiance, fun to eat at with my family.
Houston's Beverly Hills Meh. Definitely could pass. I hear the steaks were good, but I was in the mood for something lighter and I wasn't too impressed.
Lemon Moon West LA SO cute! Good when you want a lighter lunch with amazing choices. We went before the Chelsea Lately taping. I can't wait to go back again and try other menu items. The Roasted Chicken Panini and Corn & Green Chile Soup were phenom!
The World Cafe Santa Monica Really neat atmosphere! They offer bottomless Mimosa's, but you have to commit to them to make it worth it. Must order an entree ($25ish-per person) to qualify. Most people don't usually want $25 worth of food that early, but if that's what you are looking for, this is the place! Down the street from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, so it's a great place to stop in before/after on a pretty Sunday :)
El Torito Santa Monica Only consumed 2 shots of Patron here. They were great & not too over priced.
La Cabana Venice The Margaritas=Muy bien...Food=Mas o Menos. Fun when you already have a buzz and want to be loud with friends in a cute, cozy setting.
Dillon's Irish Pub & Grill Hollywood #1 Beer Special Award! Great selection, $3 all day! What! Perfect for a few drinks before enjoying a show at The Pantages Theatre...Beauty & The Beast for us!
Chaya Venice GREAT Happy hour spot! Will be back again. Cheap drinks & apps/sushi.
Hot Dog on a Stick Santa Monica (Pier) If you are on the Santa Monica Pier...Do It! Thanks Kendra Phillips for introducing me.
Pinkberry Santa Monica (Promenade) DELish. If you are wanting yogurt + fresh fruit and unique toppings...stop in after shopping.
Abbot's Habit Venice CUTE place for coffee in Venice on Abbot Kinney.
Sinner's and Saints - Culver City - Dull city. I should give Culver bars another chance, on a night other than a Tuesday. I know there is more potential :)
The Wiltern
The Hotel Cafe
That British Place
Classy Nails
Warning: I've been a lot of places :)
Father's Office Santa Monica/Culver City : Pretty good! Great beer selection. Straight forward with the menu, no substitutions or changes. We unfortunately were a little intoxicated and don't know if it was the burgers or alcohol that made us sick afterwards. Probably a combo of both considering we aren't eating much red meat these days. Good place, slightly over-rated, probably won't rush to go back.
Figtree's Cafe Venice : SO cute! Mae had a Groupon, so the pre-paid portion of the bill probably made it even cuter. We went for brunch. A+ on all of our meals.
The Whaler Venice : Great place for happy hour on a pretty day! Oceanside, beautiful sunset viewing potential. Great pitcher specials, food was decent but not that important compared to the rooftop view!
Pink's Hollywood : Historical Hotdogs! One of LA's most known restaurants. Damn good hotdog. Don't expect to ever go and not wait in a line. Worth it, at least once.
MiSoFishy Santa Monica : YUM! Repeat offender. Enough said.
Tacos por Favor Santa Monica : Another super YUM. My go to burrito place.
In N Out Burger : Pardon me California, but this is no Five Guys. No thank you.
Bay Cities Deli Santa Monica : Oooh Ms. Parker...Huge Fan. I will be back and definitely taking all visitors to try out their Goddess italian sub. Money!
Cabo Cantina Santa Monica : Eww no thank you. Over crowded, Over cheesy, Over priced, over IT.
Enterprise Fish Co. Santa Monica : Don't remember! But I think it was cute.
Alejo's Culver City BYOAlcohol! Please & Thank You. Food was ok, scene was suuuper weird and not cute if that is what you're going for, but BYOW is always appreciated.
Bigfoot West Culver City A neat place, but the energy was kind of low, so it depends on what setting you're going for. Cozy, unique, nice service, but slightly on the boring side.
Loew's Hotel Santa Monica : Ah! Taking any and everyone back. THE most beautiful place, oceanside (by the Santa Monica Pier), So cute & comfortable. Favorite Happy Hour place so far.
Trip Santa Monica : Hole in the wall neighborhood bar. Had potential, but I've only been once :)
Bravo Santa Monica : Guilty. Delivery only when I don't have time to cook and get home late.
La Grande Orange Santa Monica : Up & Down with this place! Great happy hour prices and cute selections. Good if you can't decide on another place to go.
The Basement Santa Monica : Gnarly! Another place we take our visitors. Cute drink selections and happy hour until 10. Similar to your rich friend's basement you used to chill in during high school. Nice unmatched couches, great drinks, great vibe and privacy.
3 Square Cafe Venice : Adorable!! Perfect for a pre-work brunch with friends before rushing to work on the cutest street in Venice, Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Amazing menu selections, good service, cute atmosphere. Always busy!
The Daily Pint Santa Monica : Ok. At first this place reminded me of Nowhere Bar in Athens. Then, it became more clear that it was like Nowhere bar around 11am-early afternoon crowd. Never got better, definitely was creeped on while trying to enjoy our pints of beer and play a friendly game of Jenga. Might go back because of the beer selection, but during the day. The nighttime brought some unwelcome visitors around.
Bourbon Street Santa Monica : Like most bars named Bourbon Street across the US, I have no recollection of this one. Guess that means I liked it!
The Galley Santa Monica : FUN! Good when you are in a crazy mood. Felt like I was tripping with all of the bright Christmas lights and the people oddly dressed in ship-crew attire. 2 Thumbs Up.
Cha Cha Chicken Santa Monica : THE BEST! Favorite! BYORum & Vodka for the AMAZING Flavored Aqua drinks... need to commit to visiting at least once every other week before I leave California for good.
Peet's Coffee Nothing Special! Good for coffee if you are in the area :)
Novel Cafe Santa Monica AMAZING! Organic Granola, fruit, and yogurt=Perfect breakfast before work.
Pizza Fusion Santa Monica Good! I work there and I'm not tired of it yet. Great for Gluten Free individuals.
Crumb's Bakery BEST CUPCAKE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. Truth.
Finn McCool's Santa Monica Best Calamari in Santa Monica so far! Trust me, I order Calamari just about everywhere. It was their cocktail sauce that made it!
Panini Pizza West Hollywood Rumored to be the best pizza in West Hollywood. Carolina and I ordered delivery when we were staying at The Beverly Hilton. Rumor=All True. Yums.
Cheesecake Factory Hollywood- The Grove QUIT Playing. Perfection! Once a year type place though [Caloriesss]
The Border Grill Santa Monica & Downtown LA SO Cute! Amazing margaritas. They have a section of smaller meals that are the perfect size when you're pairing dinner with Pomegranate & Ginger Margaritas.
Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles West La & Hollywood JUST DO IT. Seriously. Another Los Angeles County only place, and a Snoop Dogg favorite. A+++
The Library Alehouse Santa Monica Cute place for happy hour on Main St.! Great beer selection, good app's. Calamari is not so good here, I do remember noting that.
Musso & Frank Grill Hollywood The Oldest restaurant in Hollywood! Reminded me of Sardis in NYC. Very nice ambiance, fun to eat at with my family.
Houston's Beverly Hills Meh. Definitely could pass. I hear the steaks were good, but I was in the mood for something lighter and I wasn't too impressed.
Lemon Moon West LA SO cute! Good when you want a lighter lunch with amazing choices. We went before the Chelsea Lately taping. I can't wait to go back again and try other menu items. The Roasted Chicken Panini and Corn & Green Chile Soup were phenom!
The World Cafe Santa Monica Really neat atmosphere! They offer bottomless Mimosa's, but you have to commit to them to make it worth it. Must order an entree ($25ish-per person) to qualify. Most people don't usually want $25 worth of food that early, but if that's what you are looking for, this is the place! Down the street from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, so it's a great place to stop in before/after on a pretty Sunday :)
El Torito Santa Monica Only consumed 2 shots of Patron here. They were great & not too over priced.
La Cabana Venice The Margaritas=Muy bien...Food=Mas o Menos. Fun when you already have a buzz and want to be loud with friends in a cute, cozy setting.
Dillon's Irish Pub & Grill Hollywood #1 Beer Special Award! Great selection, $3 all day! What! Perfect for a few drinks before enjoying a show at The Pantages Theatre...Beauty & The Beast for us!
Chaya Venice GREAT Happy hour spot! Will be back again. Cheap drinks & apps/sushi.
Hot Dog on a Stick Santa Monica (Pier) If you are on the Santa Monica Pier...Do It! Thanks Kendra Phillips for introducing me.
Pinkberry Santa Monica (Promenade) DELish. If you are wanting yogurt + fresh fruit and unique toppings...stop in after shopping.
Abbot's Habit Venice CUTE place for coffee in Venice on Abbot Kinney.
Sinner's and Saints - Culver City - Dull city. I should give Culver bars another chance, on a night other than a Tuesday. I know there is more potential :)
The Wiltern
The Hotel Cafe
That British Place
Classy Nails
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