WEEK 27: July 4th - Independence Day BBQ Grill-off

For Fourth of July everyone thinks fireworks and bbqs. Outdoorsy things, right? So for this one, I want to host a grill-off for those who love healthy competition and food hot off the grill for those who love to eat! If you plan to grill, either bring your own, or arrive early to snag one there. If not, please bring some salads, fruits, snacks, and other picnic foods to share with your fellow man and country.

We will have plenty of room for games, so bring your frisbees, footballs, kites, Twister, etc.

WHAT: Fourth of July BBQ/Grill-off
WHEN: Friday, July 4th at 11:00am
WHERE: Griffith Park (Crystal Springs)

For info about the park:
http://www.lacity.org/rap/dos/parks/griffithpk/gp_info.htm

HAPPY FIREWORKS DAY!

** Image courtesy of karenswhimsy.com

Flavor of the Days - a weekly review

I'm so excited that I've written more than 100 posts! Anyway... every night's been an exciting one.




Wednesday:
Larkins in Echo Park. Tried the sausage sandwich and the catfish. Side orders of collard greens and beans and rice. Then for dessert, you have to have the sweet potato pie! YUMMY! What I liked especially was the atmosphere of the restaurant. It was like sitting at someone's house. I love how the chairs were all old-fashioned and none matched up, and how the table-tops were at one time doors. Fun place, and I recommend it to anyone who appreciates creole/soul/louisiana food.

American Tales: A night of two shorts by two of America's most famous authors - Mark Twain and Herman Melville. Twain's romance about finding love over the telephone proved a stark contrast to Melville's "Bartleby." Would you like me to give a lengthy review now? I would prefer not to. All I can tell you is to watch it yourself; it makes for a very enjoyable night.

Thursday:
Karuna Yoga: Shoshana has been teaching yoga for a couple months now, and has been asking me to take her class, so since I had a night free, I thought, "Why not?" However, during the class I regrettably noticed how stiff and inflexible I am now. These muscles which could leisurely and easily relax into the splits... are no longer able.

Friday:

Amy's Choir at the Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood. It's their number one fundraiser, and I wanted to support them and her. The theme for this year's concert was the four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water. So each song centered on one of the four. Amy's solo focused on wind... she has such a great voice; I'm so proud of her! And the group songs harmonized into an oldies-style acappella of which I'm very fond.


Hiking to Cooper Canyon Falls:
I've been wanting to go on this hike for a while - since I researched the Eaton Canyon hike. We got a little lost along the way, but we ended up finding it. I haven't been on a hike up in the Los Angeles Mountains in a long time, if ever. The trees were beautiful, the mountain air was fresh, and the sky was so blue, not this desaturated grayish blue we're used to seeing in the city. A downward walk to the Falls. Lost of fallen trees which people use as short passage from one trail to another. The fall itself was more than typical Southern California. Not as dominant as Eaton Falls, but the blame rests on the season, not the falls. By the way the moss attached itself to the rock wall, you could see that the falls rage in the springtime. March would be the perfect month to go, FYI. We ate a picnic lunch by the falls and planted our feet in the cold waters. If it was warmer, I would have jumped in with the tiny fishes that reside there. But then again, we were covered in sunscreen, and who wants to be responsible for killing the six fish (maybe of a rare species) that swim about there?

A night at Cheesecake Factory soon followed.

REVIEW on WEEK 26: Arts and Crafts

This is my first event hosted at my apt. on a weekend. I enjoyed it because it helped me block off some time for myself to work on a few ideas I'd had in my head for a few months now that I want to send to magazines for publication. I was overwhelmed by the difficulty of some, but most went according to plan: crane mobile, tulip garden, and hot air balloon. Others in the works, but I either didn't have the proper supplies, or I just couldn't figure out how to piece them together.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 4
Time alloted: 5 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Overall Experience: 3.5 (because of my frustration trying to figure out how to make the craft.... it worked so well in my head!)





Following this event, a few of us regrouped for an evening in Culver City. Our first stop was Royal-T. I love this space! It is a cafe, art gallery, and shop. It inspires me to want to open my own business. The waitress was super-cute, especially in the cosplay French maid outfit. I ordered the Royal-T High Tea, which came with tiny sandwiches and dessert. Tried an iced tea called Kyoto Sunset, which has some peach flavor. The hot milk tea was delicious though! Everything there is asian-inspired, and the gallery even displayed works by Murakami.


While we waited for the gallery to open, we stopped by Helms, which was famous back in the day for its bakery. We perused the aisles of various furniture markets. Didn't buy anything, but that settled my curiosity.

Next we went to the Corey Helford Gallery for Carlos Ramos' Exhibit - Natural History Museum: Part I. He had such amazing pieces! I love the style, the colors, the shapes, and the balance of each piece. Such eye candy and inspiration for some pieces I'd like to work on. We ran into quite a few familiar faces and chatted until we headed to our final destination that night...

LA Film Festival. We drove to Westwood's Majestic Crest Theatre to view their Shorts Program 5. I liked the first one and the last one. Everything in between seemed mediocre, making me wonder what other shorts were submitted to this program. It really makes me question good art, whether it be the written word or the painting on the wall or the images that appear on film. There's such an abundance of crappy work and imitation. It truly saddens me. I mean, Carlos' work was good, but when I walked down the street to another gallery opening, it looked like work from a beginning drawing class. And the films seemed the same. Some tried to be different, but they lacked a quality that good films possess - and that's a good story, in my opinion. Nevertheless, there were 2 of the 6 I did enjoy, and I guess that's better than zero. I just love being inspired, though, and when it doesn't happen... I feel let down. There you go, Rochelle, expecting these expectations.

Flavor of the Day - Cube

Tried the restaurant Cube last night with an old friend. Sat at the cheese bar, in front of some cheese on display which are open for tasting. They bring you some bread and a cheese to taste. It was called Sborp, a hard cheese from Switzerland. Very good. We ordered the Wasabi Disk to try, which was a soft, spreadable cheese, a creamy version of the Japanese mustard. And we ordered a pizza with spicy salami and mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. So good! For dessert we tried something that tasted like a chocolate pudding with hazelnuts and carmelized bananas. What's great is they change their menu every week. I would definitely return and recommend it to anyone who enjoys an interesting cheese on their tongues every now and then.

Showed my friend around Hollywood and Highland: the Walk of Stars and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. We saw some celebs from the BET after party.

Then we went to iO West again to watch Kat Botz in Space, who won this week's competition. 2 down and I don't know how many more to go. But they are very talented people and I'm inspired to learn some improv myself.

So that was my night in Hollywood.

Flavor of the Day - A Weekend of Beating the Heat and Heating Up the Beat

Saturday's Day of Adventure:

Breakfast at Waffle - Overall the place was reminiscent of an old-fashioned diner. I had high hopes for this place based on the orangey fun decor both inside and out. I asked our waitress if she'd prefer the Carrot Cake or Pecan Waffle. She suggested the former, so I ordered that, yet she still told the kitchen to make the latter. I was frustrated because my order came about 15 minutes later, and they seemed to rush out the meal so the waffle tasted like a soft, uncooked yet burnt piece of bread. The flavors seemed to compete with each other instead of complement each other. What made it worse was that the waitress' demeanor turned from friendly to negligent. She knew she screwed up but wasn't going to accommodate me for making me wait. Good service usually provides you with a complimentary side of potatoes or "something to eat" while waiting, not a sharing plate for food I don't really care to share. I'm not much of a bacon fan, so when she provided the plate, I took it as a slap in the face. So... when it comes down to it: bad service and overpriced for such a mediocre meal. The food made me feel queasy for a couple hours. Not returning anytime soon.

Relaxing in Malibu - We wanted to beat the heat by going to beach, and apparently all of Southern California thought the same. The drive took a couple hours due to traffic. We went to El Matador once again, and what we remember as 5 other parties there last we went, there were a couple hundred. No parking, long walk. Hot.... We found a part of the beach that provided some shade, to which I welcomed since I didn't want to burn or even tan. About 20 degrees cooler there than in the valley. I got some writing done. The others went into the water. Overall very relaxing. We also ate our Whole Foods lunch there. Fruit was perfect for the heat.

Make Music Pasadena - Deane wanted to watch the Raveonettes perform live. And Pasadena offered this free to the public which was nice, however, it was the perfect opportunity for heatstroke. And a girl next to us fainted while the crowd was building. On hot days like those, it should be advised that everyone stay indoors and find a free air-conditioned building... or they should provide free drinks for all attendees. Because that was just asking for trouble. But the band was pretty good. I was turned on to the music since Deane played their music on the drive over.


Monkeyhouse Toys - All Girls Show this time around. Lots of pieces and a variety of media and genres. Since I was there I picked up the piece I purchased from Alex and Leticia's gallery - Salvador. He was the biggest piece in their show and they reduced his price since people weren't buying him since he was so big. I was happy to have him and support my friends at the same time.


Malo - Decent Mexican food and a pleasant atmosphere. That was my second time this week going there. Went there for Bryan's Bday on Wednesday. Had good carnitas tacos and interesting ones like potato and eggplant, beef and pickle, etc. I tried the flautas this time. The chips and salsa with guac is always a win too! As for drinks... overpriced and un-yummy! Maybe that's why I gave it the "decent" grade.

Patrick's Summer Solstice Party - It was the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer, so Patrick and Thomas threw another party. They have one every year. Met a lot of fellow artists and musicians. Patrick and four of his buddies performed. Saw a lot of old faces I haven't seen since last year. Good times. Perfect for the crowd of asian women who enjoy white men and white men who enjoy a lot of asian women. Too bad I didn't get to jump in the pool.

Sunday's Evasion of Heat
Tried to take advantage of the free AC in various venues:
1. Arclight - The Incredible Hulk

2. Charcoal

3. Milk - Scrabble

WEEK 26: June 28th - ARTS AND CRAFTS DAY

I've been trying to come up with some craft ideas for kids so that I can potentially publish something in a children's magazine. I thought it would be fun to share some ideas with you, and for you to also experiment on your own. If you have some ideas in mind already, bring the supplies with you. If you have no idea, look up an existing craft in a book. I have a few books that you can look through, and plenty of supplies. But I do urge you to bring something with you.

WHAT: Arts & Crafts Day
WHEN: Saturday, June 28th from 10:00am till 3:00pm.
WHERE: My apt.

Here is a list of potential supplies to bring:

straw
tooth pick
paper plate
plastic egg
plastic cup
bottle/can
popsicle stick
oatmeal container
cereal box
pie tin
dried beans/rice/uncooked pasta
cottonballs/q-tips
jar/pot
balloon
shoe box
construction paper
cardboard tube (toilet paper/paper towel)
pencil/pens/markers/paints
magazine scraps
paper mache
string/yarn/twine
plastic utensils
tissue box
paper bag
hole punch/scissors/glue/tape/brads/pipe cleaners
hangers
egg carton/milk carton
pins/safety pin/clips/paper clips/clothes pins/tacks
fabrics/ribbons
beads/rocks
coins
foil
balloons
sand, rocks

For some inspiration:
http://www.losangelescraftmafia.com/

Also: BYO beverages and food!

Following this, we will be spending the evening in Culver City if anyone wants to join:
6ish - Royal-T
8ish - Carlos Ramos' Art Show "Natural History Museum" at Corey Helford Gallery

REVIEW on WEEK 25: Garage Swap

Our world is full of stuff, mostly stuff we don't even use anymore. We see things in stores and think that we won't be complete without them. Or, if you're like me, I see something I really like and it won't leave my mind till I "have it." And once I do have it, I don't want it anymore. And then say I give it to someone else, hoping they will like it, but they don't want it either, and stuff will keep recycling itself, but no one wants it. Thus is the story of my life because I'm a packrat in a lot of ways. I have a lot of things I've collected that I've added sentimental value to in the entire duration of my life. And I never want to get rid of anything because of it. But I do have my cleaning rants where I will get rid of things, and although my sentimental side will later say, "Why did you get rid of that, stupid! It would be worth something now!" my other side must succeed it by saying, "Did you really need all that stuff?" Thus is the normal thought of us struggling-to-not-be-messy Sagittarius.


Most people brought clothes and movies and games, which were the items that seemed to be most wanted by those who attended. A few people couldn't make it to this event, so they donated their "stuff" to me earlier in the day. Thank you to them! I cooked up some fried rice, thinking it would fit the theme perfectly since it's using up old ingredients to make a new dish. I also ordered pizza from Garlic Jim's. But the thing about this gathering which made people leave early and me tire early was the awful heat. It had been over 100 degrees that day which carried on till the late evening. Plus, there was so much "stuff" in my apartment that there really wasn't room to move. Either we need a bigger apartment or less stuff to occupy it. Maybe both.

But the evening was fun for what it was, and the rest of the stuff will be donated to Salvation Army.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 10
Time alloted: 3 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Overall Experience: 3.5 (because of the limited space and the heat)

To learn more about our consumerism, visit a site called: "The Story of Stuff," and listen to a free podcast called "How stuff works." (Howstuffworks.com) Very interesting info!

WEEK 25: June 20th - Garage Swap

Clean out those closets (and the rest of your house) for summer! Garage swap is here! Bring anything that you don't wear anymore (clothes) , watch anymore (dvds), play anymore (games) etc. We'll put them all in a pile and people will have the chance to take what they desire. If you don't like anything there but you think your friend who isn't there will like the garage item, then take it! I'm all for re-gifting and shopping at the second-hand stores. Saves our planet from our obsessive and excessive over-consumption. Whatever we have left will be donated to goodwill.

WHAT: Garage Swap
WHEN: Friday, June 20th at 7:00pm
WHERE: My apt.

Possible items to bring:
- clothing, accessories, shoes, jewelry
- dvds, cds, video games, other electronics
- board games, books,
- kitchenware

Do not bring:
- underwear
- old food
- anything that should belong in the trash already

Bring your friends, your friend's second-hand items, and your friends with their second-hand items.... heck, bring your enemies as well. I'm sure we can find something they'll hate to have!

But seriously...
REMEMBER: One's trash is another's treasure.

NOTE: Food will be provided.

Flavors of Spice: Indian and Mexican Restaurants

Two of my favorite foods in one week: Indian and Mexican food... ate at two of the best places in LA that could satiate my incessant cravings for the two. And I like it HOT!


6/8/08 - PASSAGE OF INDIA (off Burbank Blvd. near Sherman Oaks):
When you ask for spicy, they give you spicy! Always leaving restaurants disappointed that the food you asked to be spicy is actually mild? Well, search no more! When you ask for it, they'll give it to you tenfold. And while I was crying over the meal, they were tears of pain and pleasure and joy all mixed into one. We started with vegetarian samosas (you have to when eating north indian), and ordered a mango lassi and an Indian beer. Then, when our entree arrived, the real fun began! I ordered the Bhenga Bhaji (eggplant curry) spicy. And not only did my lips and face heat up, but so did the conversation. We also ordered a mixed tandoori meat plate, which was a sampler of lamb, beef, chicken, kabob. That was a nice balance with the curry. But I had to mix a lot of the rice and naan with the curry to make it edible and to cool the tummy. My stomach was on fire for the rest of the night... but it was so worth it. I ended up having to mix the leftovers with a bag of the same stuff from Trader Joe's. So good that I craved it all week.


6/14/08 - EL CHOLO, THE ORIGINAL (in K-town):
This restaurant has been in business since 1923. And I can see why the people have kept them around! You start off with the usual - chips and salsa. We ordered some fresh guacamole with ours, which happens to be the best guac I've ever tasted at a restaurant! I ordered a sampler platter called A Taste of Mexico (1996). It arrived in front of me on a giant plate: an aged cheddar enchilada, a beef rolled taco, a chile relleno, and a green corn tamale (which is by far the sweetest and best tamale I've ever tasted!) with rice and refried beans! Such a yummy treat!!! I'm definitely returning there with a larger appetite (though I think I killed it the first time with the chips.)

Flavor of the Day - Evening of Shel Silverstein

Friday, June 13th -

Watched a performance based on Shel Silverstein's "adult" works. At the Odyssey Theatre. The show consisted of a variety of his plays and songs. I had no idea he jump-started his career by writing for Playboy, truly not a children's piece. But everyone knows him for his fun, playful, wacky, and sometimes sentimental works like "Where the Sidewalk Ends," "A Light in the Attic," and my favorite, "The Giving Tree." As you may recall, I've taken a liking of shorts lately, so this was perfect for my A.D.D. All were very comical and his use of words demonstrated his comedic genius. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Silverstein's work, enjoys comedy of all kinds, and just needs a quick laugh.

Afterwards we grabbed some tea at Volcano Tea. I ordered the Honey Green Milk Tea with aloe and lychee strips. Good stuff. Revised a couple of plays I'm currently writing. Well, attempting to write. I've been slacking lately on the writing. I feel I go out way too much, and that it should be cut in half. Play AND work... work and play... balance is contentment.

REVIEW on WEEK 24: Improv and Concert

Tuesday: Tres Improv Tournament

We drove out to Hollywood's iO West. Took forever to find parking, but we eventually found some at the Arclight Theatre parking structure. This was a fun event in that two groups of three improvisers performed. Afterwards we the audience had to choose the team that would progress to the next round. Deane's fellow improv group "Katbotz in Space" ended up winning this first round. Congrats to them; they deserved the bragging rights. They were hilarious!

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 4
Time alloted: 1.5 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Overall Experience: 3.5



Thursday: String Theory Concert

I had planned to attend the Taiko Drum Performance a month ago at LACMA, but I had never brought it up so another offer was made before my mouth opened. But we went to the Craft and Folk Art Museum across the street. It was my first time at this museum. They had two exhibits open to the public: Il Vetro Veneziano: Contemporary Venetian Glass and Ironings performed by Mung Lar Lam. Since my visit to Venice years ago, I have been fascinated by glass-blowing and various techniques they use in making their pieces, from the colors to the texture to the thickness to the objects themselves, functional or otherwise. And the ones in Murano are renowned for their technique. Much like the gondolier, the art of glass-making is usually handed down within the family through generations. The ironing exhibit seemed lacking, the finished products scarce. I guess Mung Lar Lam is going to make an appearance and will iron in front of everyone. I never thought of ironing as an art form, but I guess the way the cloth is creased under the heat it creates a form otherwise unable. It's like the cloth is the canvas and the iron is the paint. I visited the gift shop which seemed like a gallery of various arts and crafts. Some really cool ones from around the globe. I absorbed a few ideas we could try for my upcoming Arts and Crafts Event. I also continued with my origami craze and bought more paper for a project I want to try.

As far as the actual concert goes, I was very impressed by this giant string machine. I don't remember what they called it, but they let us give it a go after the show. Many of the instruments used in the band were: guitar, drums, violin, cello, something that looked like a sitar, saxophone, saw, and this other machine that makes spirit sounds. There were also a couple dancers for certain songs. I'm not quite sure how to categorize their music, but I enjoyed every song.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 2
Time alloted: 3 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Overall Experience: 4

** Calendar of June Events - Please Provide Feedback!

I thought to give you all a heads-up in one post. These are the tentative dates. Please let me know if a date doesn't work for you and a suggestion of a date that would work. Also... please fill out the survey on the side so I can better plan events with bigger turnouts. I'd like it if everyone who wants to attend can attend. Thanks!

Week 24 - (Tuesday) June 10th - Improv and (Thursday) June 12th - Concert
Week 25 - (Friday) June 20th - Clothing/Junk Swap
Week 26 - (Thursday) June 26th Arts & Crafts Night
Week 27 - Fourth of July BBQ Grill-off!
Week 28 - Open Mic Night and Coffee Tasting
Week 29 - (Open to Suggestion) possibly Wicked or Dr. Faust
Week 30 - (Open to Suggestion) possibly Wicked or Dr. Faust
Week 31 - Skydiving!!!

Let me know which you're interested in attending and whether weeknights or weekends work better.

WEEK 24: June 10th - Improv Show - & June 12th - Concert

*** CHANGE OF PLANS FOR THIS WEEK!
*** PLEASE NOTE: Arts and Crafts will be postponed several more weeks.

So for this week we have:

WHAT: KatBots in Space (Improv Trio)
WHEN: Tuesday, June 10th; 8:00pm
WHERE: iO West - 6366 Hollywood Blvd.; Los Angeles, CA 90028 (Ph: (323) 962-7560)

Tickets are $5.
For more info: http://west.ioimprov.com/
-------------------------------------
WHAT: Free Concert
WHEN: Thursday, June 12; 7:00pm - 9:00pm
WHERE: Craft and Folk Art Museum - CAFAM is located at 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

Celebrate the start of the Summer Season with a concert in the CAFAM Courtyard. This concert is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

Please rsvp to (323) 937-4230 x50 or rsvp@cafam.org

For more information, please go to www.cafam.org

Flavor of the Day - Pasadena and SIlver Lake

FRIDAY:

1. Ate at Delancey's in Hollywood: From its exterior, I take it to be more of a cowboy saloon based on the signage. But it's actually an Italian restaurant. The pizza I ordered was one of the best in town, though I do have to admit that I haven't tried too many pizza places in Hollywood. North Hollywood's Little Toni's Pizza is still up there. Yes, I was leaning to the salads because I'm trying to eat healthier lately, but the pizzas were just calling out to me. I ordered one with goat cheese, eggplant, and sun-dried tomatoes! Ate whatever I had left for breakfast the next morning too!

SATURDAY:

2. Hiked in Eaton Canyon: I discovered this hiking spot online while looking up hikes in and around Pasadena since I had planned the rest of the day's events in Pasadena. So we went there, checked out their little nature center, which was much more impressive than one would expect. Picked up a map and was on my way. The first half of the hike was through a flat terrain, various sorts of plant species surrounding us, but all the same that it was boring. But once we got to the bridge things became more interesting. We walked under it and followed the stream of water to its source. We had to do a lot of stream-hopping and rock-maneuvering, but we got there after a hour and a half (it's a 1.5 miles distance.) And I was really impressed!! I haven't seen water fall that fast or that hard in Southern California in ages! I wondered where all the water had come from... which will lead to our next hike to Cooper Canyon Falls, which I hear is even more beautiful and impressive. But this hike is well worth the effort!

3. Gamble House Tour - Deane is interested in architecture, so I thought to take him to the famous Gamble House which represents Greene and Greene's fine example of the Arts & Crafts Movement in Pasadena. I learned more about this style, how everything was hand-made, and we got to see how each room compared and contrasted to the others. I loved the kitchen! And I loved how they had windows inside the home and sleeping patios. Oh, and they made me take off my heels and wear pink slippers instead. I also saw an old co-worker there, who wants to model his house in this unique style.

4. Norton Simon Museum - Again, another place Deane had never been. I'd been there many times before, but I always enjoy going because they have a great collection - from ancient times to Renaissance to Modern to Contemporary. Some of my favorite artists there include Rafael, Degas, Van Gogh, etc. And their rotating exhibit consisted of works by Marcel Duchamp, an artist I've had mixed feelings about before, but I can appreciate his work. Then we walked through the gardens and saw the sculptures and the flora surrounding them. We got some great shots of the bees kissing the lavender.

5. Silver Lake Architectural Driving Tour - After learning about Arts & Crafts Movement, we decided to take a drive to see some examples of Modernism, namely Neutra. I love the houses there and how each has its own unique flair. And it was my first time on the other side of the lake, which was beautiful.





6. Dinner at Gingergrass - preceded by a stop at the Wine Club of Silver Lake and the Cha Cha Lounge. Bought a couple wines. There is a white and red called Bandit that we bought, contained not in glass but a thick paper carton. I'll let you know how it is once I try it. The beers at Cha Cha lounge are $1.50! Can't beat the price! And then at Gingergrass we tried the DangAde and the VietTea. The VietTea was delicious! Sweet yet not overdoing it. We ordered 2 appetizers: And my main course: Banana Leaf Fish, which, unfortunately, I do not recommend. It left a bad taste in my mouth, and the combination of ingredients just didn't seem to fit.

7. The Grove - I bought my first clothes from Anthropologie. I know, I've been splurging this past week. But they are SO cute! Plus, they were having a sale, so I guess it's not THAT bad. :)

** POSTPONED!! : June 14 - Arts and Crafts Day

I've been trying to come up with some craft ideas for kids so that I can potentially publish something in a children's magazine. I thought it would be fun to share some ideas with you, and for you to also experiment on your own. If you have some ideas in mind already, bring the supplies with you. If you have no idea, look up an existing one or just bring supplies and we can figure out what we can muster up together.

WHAT: Arts & Crafts Day
WHEN: Saturday, June 14th at noonish
WHERE: My apt.

Here are a list of potential supplies to give you an idea of what to bring:

straw
tooth pick
paper plate
plastic egg
plastic cup
bottle/can
popsicle stick
oatmeal container
cereal box
pie tin
dried beans/rice/uncooked pasta
cottonballs/q-tips
jar/pot
balloon
shoe box
construction paper
cardboard tube (toilet paper/paper towel)
pencil/pens/markers/paints
magazine scraps
paper mache
string/yarn/twine
plastic utensils
tissue box
paper bag
hole punch/scissors/glue/tape/brads/pipe cleaners
hangers
egg carton/milk carton
pins/safety pin/clips/paper clips/clothes pins/tacks
fabrics/ribbons
beads/rocks
coins
foil
balloons
sand, rocks

REVIEW on WEEK 23: Chocolate Fondue

I thought we'd be chocolate-hating after this night, so we cooked up some pasta to counteract the sweet cocoa. Spaghetti and mac&cheese. When it came to dipping, though, we dipped all sorts of things into the dark chocolate: strawberries, ginger gummies, banana chips, celery, brocolli, carrots (yum!), gummy bears, cherry tomatoes, etc.

The dark choclate was the only chocolate we melted. We cracked off pieces of the other bars we got, like white coconut, mint chocolate, and a Vosges Bacon and chocolate bar (not my fave.)

Afterwards, we watched "Hard Candy." Kind of a twist on the pedaphilia/stalker/suspense genre. Reminded me of "Saw." I don't want to give it away, but when you see it, you'll understand what I mean.

----- STATISTICS -----
People attended: 7
Time alloted: 3 hours

----- RATING ----- (out of 5 stars)
Overall Experience: 3.5

Flavor of the Day - June 4th

We watched "shAme" at the King King in Hollywood. shAme is based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter." The play stayed true to the book, although I really can't remember much of the book. I loved the music. I'm growing a certain taste bud that enjoys rock operas. My first was "Rent." A lot of great voices, great cast... good eye candy too! I recommend it to anyone. Give it a 5 of 5 stars. I guess because it was free I enjoyed it even more. Following this was a "Night of Shame," which had bands playing. I loved the space also. I never thought a nightclub could pull off what a playhouse could, but it did, and it did it better than many of the other small playhouses I've been to lately.

Since we were in the area, we walked to Pig-n-Whistle. Not what I thought it would be. It was karaoke night and the crowd lacked excitement. The slow pace not only bored me but it seemed to force me to leave because the only thing keeping us there was that it was warmer inside than walking on the streets.

I bought my first Tokidoki top at Virgin Megastore. I hadn't planned on buying anything, but his stuff is so adorable that I couldn't resist. And I thought it would be okay to splurge. (I usually only spend $25 at most on a top, but the young frugal girl in me was silenced and I decided to "spend my hard-earned money on something I really like." Believe me, I would have bought more, but the price tags scared the courageous me away.

As we waited for Deane to finish up with his improv show, we got a snack at Mel's Diner. It was already pretty late and I didn't want to spoil my sleep with something big, so we got a plate of twisty fries. Yum! Haven't had those in a while.

And that was my Wednesday night....

Flavor of the Day - Joshua Tree

Spent the weekend with Deane in Joshua Tree. Such a fun place! I was worried about the thunderstorms, having been warned about a tornado that hit Riverside. And some people say Global Warming doesn't exist. Anyway, we drove there straight after work. I had been wanting to take my car camping for a while, and though we didn't actually camp there, we stayed in a moderately cheap motel considering how clean and nice the rooms were.

On Saturday, we ate breakfast at the Country Cafe... hearty breakfast. We headed to the Visitor Center to get some information and maps on the park. Here are the places we hit that day:



1. Lost Horse Mine



2. Forgotten Ruins -



3. Barker Dam - Petroglyphs, Dam

4. Skull Rock - Looks like a skull. All I have to say: lame.

We ate dinner at Las Casitas since we were craving Mexican food and we both had headaches from all the walking and lack of lunch. We packed plenty of water though, and learned that once half your water is gone, it's time to turn back. Don't want to end up like a lot of folks had during the gold rush.

Sunday we contemplated the search for Carey's Castle. I was a little tired from the day before, and if it took us forever to find a place that's already marked, who knows how long it would have taken if we were to search for an unmapped location. But we did get to venture on a number of other great hikes after stopping for breakfast at Rock Hard Cafe:


1. 49 Palms Oasis -

2. Cholla Cactus Garden

3. Cottonwood Spring - My favorite tree/flower I discovered in Joshua Tree


4. Mastodon Peak - Great 360 views of the valley

Passed a bunch of the windmills on the way home.
Ate dinner near Cabazon Outlets, Pachanga Casino... at A&W which brought back a lot of childhood memories. The best root beer!

Overall we had a great trip, and I hope to return there soon for some more rock-climbing! :)