Wednesday, March 22nd - Marouch, Marouch, Marouch is on fire!

I go with Vivacious Gourmet E, Foreign Correspondent D, and FCD's sister and brother-in-law to Arclight to see "Some Like it Hot" one of the funniest films ever made.

Afterwards we find our way to Marouch which is about to close but they kindly let us in to have dinner. I have not been here for many years and cannot decide what to order so I order a bunch of meze with the intention of bringing a lot home to eat later. I end up ordering Cheese Borek (I prefer the Turkish Borek, I find the kind here to be a bit greasy since it's fried), foul madamas (the best!), and dolmas (a bit too acidic but still pretty good.)

I'm very jealous when I see what other people have gotten especially when FCD's sister's Chicken Yogurt Kebab is plopped down next to me. A falafel plate was ordered as was a Vegeterian Plate. A few people got the wonderful Lentil Soup. This place puts Caroussel to shame!

Drink of the day: Tan

Affirmation of the day: "Well, nobody's perfect."

Tuesday, March 21st - Astro Burger and "Cornbread & Feta Cheese"

Theater Loving Gourmet V invites me to a free showing of the play "Cornbread and Feta Cheese" showing at the Hudson Theater. There are a dearth of restaurants on that strip of Santa Monica (actually, there are no restaurants on that strip of Santa Monica) so I offer to bring some veggie burgers and fries for us to munch on before the show.

I become fat lazy American tonight and use the drive-thru. What fun! I should do this more often but I have a hard time understanding the lady when I ask her what's in the Veggie Burger Deluxe so I just order two regular veggie burgers and I customize them. And then the chick in front of me starts arguing with the people in the window over 50 cents and I'm like bitch, gas is like $3 a gallon and you idling away and wasting more money than 50 cents so like move along because I'm hungry. Ask and ye shall receive! She drives off.

The food is great! I must eat there more often and enjoy the drive-thru experience (but go when there are no bozos in front of me.) The play that we see is really interesting. It's a one woman show about being a first generation Albanian-American. I had no idea what the Albanian immigrant experience in the US was like so it was very educational. And the actress talks a lot about food so I'm hoping that maybe there's a reception afterwards? Not on that budget! The actress receives a lot of support: everyone in the audience either knows her or is Albanian.

No Drink nor Affirmation of the day.

Monday, March 20th - El Compadre

Well, well, La Stupida ends up at another Mexican restaurant with a Margarita in front of her a mere 24 hours after her migraine goes away. Ha, ha, Headache Gods the joke's on you this time: I order it with Patron!

I had met Vivacious Gourmet E at Marouch a half hour earlier but it was closed so we decided to check out El Compadre. Don't ask me why but I've noticed it lately on my new route driving home from Downtown (forget the 101 dude).

Ooooo wheee! This is a damn good Margarita! But I notice that in my head I hear Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" and the dinner conversation is getting really weird and I think that the woman at the next table is a guy but VGE says it's a chick. But I notice that everyone is having a good time so I just relax and enjoy the moment.

I got my enchiladas with Rancheras sauce but it's more Eau de Rancheras than Rancheras. VGE got a chicken tostada that looked really good. I might add that the chips and salsa were good which you would think would be a given in a part of the country that used to be Mexico but I find that most places serve crap.

I treat VGE to drinks and dinner since I broke something on her car door (if she were driving an M3 I would have to pay her mortgage for one month to make up for the damage because as any M Series driver worth his/her salt knows the M does not stand for "Motorsport" but for the French "Mille" which means "Thousand").

But I'm so drunk that M Series car gets me home in one piece even though it's raining very hard - I mean the car practically drives itself even though I have to shift (hey, I can rev it up to 8,000 RPMs so I could have kept it in 2nd the entire drive home.)

Drink of the day: Killer (and I mean this in a very good way) Margarita

Affirmation of the day: I need to stop dating men with eating disorders (don't get me started, don't even get me started!)

Thursday, March 16th through Sunday, March 19th - Migraineville

Well, the cheap tequila (or Absinthe) did me in and even my Topamax couldn't save me from the four day migraine that I had to endure. Dear Reader, I hope you never to have to experience one of these headaches because it feels like a rat is eating the inside of your brain.

Need I mention that my social life was in the toilette these four days?

Wednesday, March 15th - El Conquistador

Not much to say about this Silver Lake classic other than I should have stayed away from the Margaritas!

Vivacious Gourmet E had made the reservation here for the Mysterious Book Club meeting and there was a mistake with the table that she wanted so the management gave us double Margaritas for the price of singles or something like that. I think that they must have put Absinthe in those Margaritas (or at least mine) because after a few sips I felt like lying under the table (I didn't see any green fairies though - I think).

I ordered a cheese quesadilla with poblano chiles but it's too heavy on the nearly raw chiles and in my daze I wish I had ordered the enchiladas instead.

But we still had a great time and a good meeting plus our waiter Ricardo was a blast: he was a combination of Esquivel and Lina Wertmueller.

Drink of the day: Killer (not in a good way) Margarita

Affirmation of the day: I stay away from cheap tequila.

Tuesday, March 14th - Mission Impossible? In Search of Good Fried Chicken in LA

Vivacious Gourmet E and I are feeling a bit down so what do we do in that situation? Eat fatty carbs! And what better place to do that than Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken?

I've only been to the Deep South once but I was blown away by how good the fried chicken was. I just never knew fried chicken could taste so good! Needless to say, the fried chicken out here is no bueno compared to what I had in Georgia (and I'm being gracious when I say that).

But Honey's Kettle tastes really good! It's not coated fried chicken like in Georgia (it's battered) but the chicken is never dry and you get really meaty pieces and even the batter is good. Plus, for you carboholics, you get fries and a biscuit with your order. And the piece de resistance: a spicy dippy sauce similar to Trappey's for your chicken - yum!

After our fried chicken lunch VGE turns me onto the Culver City Farmers Market and she points me in the direction of Rockenwagner's baked goods. "Hello lover!" I say to the bacon/cheese/poppyseed twisty (and to the jalapeno/cheese preztel.) We then go to a small cafe and indulge in some hot tea and a chocolate pecan tart.

We're feeling pretty good right about now.

Drink of the day: More friggin iced tea!

Affirmation of the day: Carbs are good!

Sunday, March 12th (Part 2) - Goddess Gourmet G

So I meet up with Ms. Hollywood and Goddess Gourmet G at Adorable Gourmet H's place to watch "Pride and Prejudice" and "The Sopranos." Goddesss said in her rsvp on the Evite that she was going to use us as food guinea pigs - yes! If you've ever had Godess' food you know how I'm looking forward to this get-together! (This is not to say that if Ms. Hollywood was cooking I would be disappointed since I also love her cooking).

But first we'll talk about Mr. Darcy. We all know that it's a very hard part to play considering that Sir Lawrence Olivier first set the standard. So I give each Mr. Darcy the Mr. Darcy Test: I play each version of "Pride and Prejudice" for my dog Mr. Darcy (named after THE Mr. Darcy NOT Marcy Darcy's husband on "Married with Children") and I see how he reacts. He has only disliked the guy who was in "The Ring" who played Mr. Darcy in "Bride and Prejudice." Unfortunately, I disliked the Keira Knightly version of "Pride and Prejudice" so much that I couldn't bear to see it again so I will never know what Mr. Darcy thinks of Matthew Macfayden's Mr. Darcy.

Now on to the food: Adorable Gourmet H bought some salami and great piece of cheese from the gourmet store at Alcove and Goddess Gourmet G brings prosciutto, some more salami, fresh mozzarella, olives for the antipasto platter. We are too busy eating and chewing the fat that we hardly pay attention to that dreadful movie. Since "The Sopranos" is coming on soon I'm getting in the mood to try some of GGG's pasta. It is a short fusilli with a creamy, cheesy sauce (cheese, sour cream, perhaps heavy cream) and chicken. It is fabulous! It's the type of thing that I dream about eating all of the time but don't because of the fat and calories (who am I trying to kid? I'm obviously getting molti fat and calories from somewhere.)

Drink of the evening: more iced tea

Cookie of the evening: Nuns' Nipples baked by AGH herself! (cookies beat out affirmation this evening.)

Sunday, March 12th (Part 1) - Papa Cristo's

I can't think of anything better to do on a late Sunday morning than going to Papa Cristo's for an early lunch with a great group of people. I can't think of anything worse to do on a late Sunday morning than driving to Papa Cristo's.

My doppelganger is hosting the event here this morning and of course her magic touch draws in the nicest people. I want to eat everything on the menu but I'm still full from yesterday's dim sum event so I opt not to get any appetizers, just an entree today. I like getting the dinner plates at Papa Cristo's because you get a small side greek salad plus those yummy greek potatoes and a side of the tzatziki (yogurt, dill, and cucumber dippy). I'm thinking about getting a chicken kebob plate but it's Sunday so maybe I'll see if they have lamb rib chops today (if you order the lamb chops you will get shoulder chops which I'm not a big fan of since my mother used to make them all the time when I was a kid.) The rib chops are the "rack of lamb" which are market price and today's price is $14.99 (a little steep considering that you get only four small very thin chops.)

When some appetizers start arriving at the table, Glenda, the woman sitting across from me, and I decide to get into the spirit of things and we order Saganaki (sizzling Greek cheese with lemon served with pita.) Good stuff. I notice that a lot of people order a Greek Salad topped with Gyro which looks interesting but I would think that it would taste a lot better stuffed in a pita.

Drink of the morning/early afternoon: iced tea

Affirmation of the morning/early afternoon: I live in a vibrant, alive city. I want to get out of first gear. I love living in Los Angeles. I can't wait to turn off Vermont Avenue. All is well.

Saturday, March 11th (Part 2) - From Tantra to Tabla

I leave Chinatown sans a no front license plate ticket (thank you, Saint Richard!) and I'm off to the Music Center where I see a production of "The Cherry Orchard" with my mother.

I leave my car in the LA DWP parking structure since I have another event tonight at the Disney Hall so the moms drops me off at Tantra where I am to meet USC Prof P (three times in one week!), Ms. Hollywood and her friend Balaka, Fox, and Maestro (Maestro Gourmet N has asked to be referred to simply as "Maestro" and after he solved the whole Sopranos' Tony Uncle Al riddle for me I have to concur.)

The theme of the evening seems to be turning into Indian "lite." I would have preferred the strong (and I might add good) flavors of India Sweets and Spices (not to mention paying a sixth of the price) to those of Tantra's but Tantra is closer to the Disney Hall and it has booze and atmosphere. Oh, and Tantra has this weird reservation policy - a $15 per person no-show charge. Since we get there right when it first opens and the restaurant is 98% empty this seems a little extreme.

USC Prof P gives me a ride down to the Disney Hall in his totally fab Integra - one of the greatest cars ever made. We meet up with Mr. Taste of Thai, Goddess Gourmet G, and Tracy. The show, "North Indian Master Musicians" is actually being held in REDCAT and it is very crowded but we get seats together thanks to Mr. Taste of Thai.

The show is supposed to begin with "a 10-tabla ensemble in a set of classical Hindustani repertoire" and who walks onto the stage but 10 ferengi! Uh, je m'excuse but where are the ten gorgeous Indian guys I've been anticipating for two months? Ok, breathe, all is well. But then one guy is playing this one instrument which is like a lilliputian organ that has been cross-bred with an accordian. Ok, I recognize the sound from listening to Indian music however this guy is playing the same bar of music over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again for about 45 minutes. I feel like running onto the stage and smashing the thing with my foot but am worried that audience members will say, "what a bitch." But then find out later that I would have been heralded a hero had I done so.

At the beginning of the second act the headliner, Swapan Chaudhuri, comes out with more ferengi - WTF! When they start playing you know these guys are musicians' musicians. At times the music is a little to experimental and atonal but overall it is quite enjoyable; however, I want to hear more classical Indian music so I feel a little disappointed.

Drink of the night: Mango Method (Stoli Vanil with mango juice)

Affirmation of the night: Never make a reservation at Tantra.

Saturday, March 11th (Part 1) - Dim Sum Go Go

Off to Empress Pavilion on this very cold morning to My Doppelganger's tea tasting and dim sum event. Thank goodness she has acquired a private room because I would not want to be one of those poor schlubs waiting outside for an hour and a half for a table.

I leave a bit early because I don't know about you but je refuse! to take the M3 into that ridiculous parking lot in the Bamboo Plaza. I normally park on Broadway just north of the Plaza because it allows for a quick getaway. But it's Saturday and I notice that there are some parking restrictions on the east side of the street. Hmmm. But wait! Across the street in front of St. Peter's church there are no parking signs. So I put the car in gear and drive over to the other side. However, I'm not in the clear yet. Everytime I park in Downtown LA I get a no front license plate ticket (usually by the same guy; he must see my car - I have a very distinctive license plate - and yell, "yes!") so I say a quick prayer and then I'm on my way.

So today we are sampling five different types of tea: Jasmine, Chrysanthemum, Dragon Well, Oolong, and Pu-Erh. The dumplings arrive on huge platters and are far from dainty - they look like they've been exposed to radiation they are so big! Among the dumplings are the following: vegetable potstickers, fried shrimp, har gow, shui mai, and shrimp and scallop. We also receive huge platters of spring rolls, fried noodles with chicken, and vegetable fried rice. For dessert we have sesame balls and egg custard tarts which go quite well with the Pu-Erh tea.

Drink of the morning: Pu-Erh Tea (smells like Miracle Gro, tastes like dirt!)

Prayer of the morning: Blessed Saint Richard (Patron Saint of race car drivers and car enthusiasts), grant me thy help. I have need of this special favor and I call upon you for assistance. My request is for the parking enforcement not to give me a no front license plate ticket today. It is with faith in thy powers I ask thee, and with confidence in thy mercy and generosity towards my request. Amen.

Friday, March 10th - Dinner at Chez Mobie

The God of the Haagen Dazs Bars is out of town so Stubborn Gourmet T has some of her close friends and her tax guy over for dinner. Earlier in the week she had threatened to cook (we presume to get back at us for going to Spago without her) but when I heard that she doesn't know how to turn on her second oven I quickly volunteered to cook the dinner (plus I had something in mind that I thought would make her very happy.)

Off to Trader Joe's I go where I buy loin lamb choppies, a whole kosher chicken, and various items to make a platter of "bits" (inspired by Foreign Correspondent D - prosciutto drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and fresh ground black pepper, a semi-soft Spanish cheese, and thinly sliced mango). I also plan on making a blue cheese potato gratin so I buy not blue cheese, because quite simply I don't feel like driving to the Silver Lake Cheesestore, but a raw milk French artisinal gorgonzola cheese at TJ's.

The first thing that I do is un-kosher the chicken: I stuff it with two slices of fatty pancetta, a slice of prosciutto, and a tablespoon of butter (I had already seasoned the cavity with salt and pepper.) I next pull my mandoline, which I bought two years ago, out of its box in order to cut my potatoes into paper thin slices. It's going ok; by the third potato I'm really getting the hang of it and I cut the whole potato in about 30 seconds.

I pack up the car with food, pans, and implements and I'm off to Laurel Canyon. While parallel parking on a steep hill with a manual transmission car that weighs 4000 lbs out of the corner of my eye I see this crazy woman running towards my car waving a piece of paper at me. What do I do? I'm finally so close to the curb: do I ignore her or do I save myself and peel out of the space? I quickly glance at her and realize it's not a crazy lady after all (well, not too crazy) it's Stubborn Gourmet T carrying a cheese souffle recipe: apparently she's running from neighbor to neighbor trying to borrow a souffle pan. Man, I'm way too tense and I've got to start upping my medication 50% tonight - yikes!

We go inside and Cat and Sandy are making Martoonis and they've put out a small platter of truffle pate and Brin d'Amour cheese which is the greatest cheese ever created. I put out the plate of "bits" and start roasting the chicken and baking the potato gratin. Linda and James (tax guy) show up. Shortly thereafter "Andy Lau" and Ms. Vixen (aka the future Mrs. "Andy Lau" perhaps?) arrive. I plan on not drinking but "Andy Lau" has bought one of my favorite Proseccos so I must have a glass (it's the Prosecco that we were all drinking when we all first met and formed the Big Spenders.)

So instead of the cheese souffle Sandy recommends making an asparagus and cheese frittata. Cat had just finished making a beautiful green salad. I start to pan fry the lamb choppies which I have doused with extra virgin olive oil and have seasoned with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

The dinner was fabulous! Everthing was wonderful and cooked to perfection. Of course, my favorites were the two things that I didn't cook: the salad and the frittata.

It doesn't get better than this. Good food, good times, and the most important thing, good friends.

Drink of the day: Prosecco

Affirmation of the day: My good now flows to me in a steady unbroken, ever increasing stream of happiness.

Thursday, March 9th - Sanamluang Cafe

Out of all the Thai restaurants in LA this has always been my favorite. Though I have to admit I haven't been going that often in the last couple of years (might it have something to do with the 30 minute street parking until 8 pm on Hollywood Blvd?)

I keep this restaurant as one of my contacts on my mobile. You're wondering if I'm that much of a foodie? Well, yes I am but that's not the reason. The reason is because when you call information not one operator knows how to spell the name of this restaurant - and you know that I don't either.

So Mr. Taste of Thai hosts a dinner here tonight and I was surprised to learn that I already know seven of the nine participants. 2 people decided just to do their own thing, one person was late, so six of us decided to eat family style and we ordered like we were about to start a month long fast. My picks are the fried shrimp cakes and the pork fried rice. I really want to order my favorite dish (the name escapes me right now) which is ground chicken meat with chili and mint served with rice and chili vinegar sauce but another diner is going to order the same dish but with shrimp (turns out I should have ordered the chicken version because the shrimp version is completely different.)

Some of the other good picks: Steamed chicken over rice (one of my faves this night - so simple yet so delicious - just steamed chix served over yummy rice with a spicy hoisin like sauce and a slightly flavored chicken broth); General Noodles - Soup (egg noodles with roast pork, roast duck, shrimp, and ground pork, with greens and beans sprouts and you get a choice of dry or soup); Pad See Ewe which was fabulous (I had this dish last week at Chan Dara and it was so sweet it tasted like cotton candy - blech!); Duck Salad; and Roast Pork with Egg Noodle - Dry (the guy who ordered this took 90% of the noodles and the guy sitting next to him to the other 10% so I took the greens and the fried shallots on the bottom of the bowl - it was excellent - went really well with the steamed chicken.)

Didn't try: Roast Pork over Rice (essentially Chinese Char Siew with a bottle of Red Dye No. 40 poured over it and then placed on a bed of rice); Beef Salad; and Pad Thai. I hate Pad Thai.

Normally, I love noodles so much that the inside joke between Stubborn Gourmet T and I is that I'm hillbilly Thai. Once, after having eating noodle soup for breakfast four days in a row in New York, Maestro Gourmet N declared that I was a Noodle Whore. Well, guess what? He was right! But I hate Pad Thai.

Drink of the day: Red Syrup with Cream (bubblegum flavored pink syrup with about a cup of half and half - my fat ass thanks me.)

Affirmation of the day: This dog is a perfect idea in Divine Mind and now expresses God's perfect idea of a perfect dog (said about a certain Teutonic dog who inisists on waking me up every ten minutes when she's hungry.)

Tuesday, March 7th - Cocktails, Tapas, and "Night Watch"

Stubborn (and I say this in the most loving way possible of course) Gourmet T and I want to check out Pinot's new eat. on sunset where Pinot Hollywood used to be. We choose the lounge over the restaurant for the cheap tapas menu. Joining us are Foreign Correspondent D, Silver Lake Beer Expert L, Chick Magnet "Andy Lau," USC Prof P, and his high school friend whose name I have forgotten how to spell. Mr. Spago will be joining us later at the Arclight.

The drink menu is extensive and "interesting" but the tapas menu is a little small but it suits us fine in the beginning. We start off with the rock shrimp fritters with aioli, the fried olives with pesto aioli, bbq salmon, and a simple green salad. We then order a grilled cheese sammie with carmelized shallots. Still hungry we move onto the appetizer menu from the restaurant and order the toad in the hole and the chestnut ravoli. (Now I mistakenly thought that the toad in the hole was this beautiful concoction that is pictured on their website [a slice of thick toast with prosciutto and fried eggs]: that item is on their lunch menu and what we got was more like an upscale Egg McMuffin - quite good actually but more something I would prefer to eat at breakie than at cocktail hour.) We finally yell "basta!" and then we see another table get a big batch of pommes frites with a big scoop of that wonderful aioli - we must go back!

SOME people at the table think I'm kidding about how my new medication turns me into a raging lunatic until Stubborn Gourmet T and I almost get into fisticuffs about the movie "Crash." But we hear the words "half price drinks" and "macaroni and cheese" and we look at each other and say at the same time, "we have to go there!" See dear Reader how food and drink bring people together?

Off to the Arclight to see "Night Watch." I had actually seen this movie before - well, kinda, sorta. I went to a midnight screening which started an hour late (1 am) and then I fell asleep at 2 am. While watching it again I realized that I must have been half asleep the first time around since I missed the most important plot points in the first half of the movie.

Drink of the day: Wild Cherry Mojito

Affirmation of the day: I now write a really bad screenplay that gets made into a worse piece of crap film that wins several Academy Awards.

Monday, March 6th - Lunch at Gingergrass

Vivacious Gourmet E and I decide to do lunch. We both need a shoulder to cry since it appears that in both of our lives Fortuna has spun her wheel and the arrow has landed in the "WTF!" slot.

We're about to get into my car and then we hesitate; we realize that everytime Vivacious Gourmet E is in my car the Flat Tire Monitor comes on. Last time was a big four hour ordeal with trying to get the flat bed tow and the rental car (luckily we had the foresight to have a couple of mojitos ahead of time.) Since each tire has less than two hundred miles on it (yeah, this is how many flat tires I've gotten lately [see paragraph above about Fortuna's wheel]) we decide to take the chance and drive the half mile to the restaurant.

I could eat at Gingergrass everyday - the food is wonderful and the service is always great. Both Vivacious Gourmet E and I had the Wok Tossed Chicken. This is the one place where I like everything on my plate to touch: the stir-fried chicken mixed in with the broken rice and the Vietnamese cabbage slaw atop the chicken/rice mixture. Divoon!

Drink of the day: Gingergrass Gingerale (I really wanted a Vietnamese iced coffee but needed to stay away from the caffeine in order to diminish medication's sharp edge.)

Affirmation of the day: I am now on the royal road of Success, Happiness, and Abundance, all the traffic goes my way; however, LA road traffic goes in the opposite direction.

Sunday, March 5th - Dame A's Oscar Party

At 2 pm Adorable Gourmet H picks me up at my house and we bop over to Silver Lake Wine for some red to go with dark chocolate and white to go with pizza. Our next stop is Sunset Junction where Adorable Gourmet H buys flowers for Dame A at Gilly Flowers. We then go to the Cheesestore of Silver Lake where I buy the last two chubs of salami, a slice of truffle pate, a baguette, a small container of spicy house mix olives, and the wonderful "cocktail" mix from Spain (essentially corn nuts but mo' betta and addictive as heroin.) Then to The Grove where Adorable Gourmet H fulfills her need for dark chocolate at Bodega.

Then off to West Hollywood for a fabulous night (a shoutout to Adventurous Gourmet B, Hiking Gourmet T, Overworked Gourmet N, and USC Prof P.) The Brazilian pizza is good and quite interesting, the wine is not; it starts off good but then it just, well...dissipates.

Medication's sharp edge returns when "Crash" wins best picture. Bon Jour! The name of this film should be entitled "Crap" people!

Wolfgang Puck aint got nothing on Dame A.

Drink of the day: molti vini (translation - lots of wine)

Affirmation of the day: I am now ready and willing to receive molti vini

Saturday, March 4th - Cha Cha Cha

This restaurant located in the yet ungentrified area of south Silver Lake/east Hollywood is still going strong after being open for more than 20 years.

We started off with a pitcher of sangria. Now, yours truly is taking a daily medication in order to prevent migraines and this medication turns me into a raging lunatic (yeah, you think those Reebers in "Serenity" are bad? Try cutting me off in traffic, Jocko, and see what happens!) and the sangria was rather soothing to my nerves and I managed not to insult my fellow diners too much.

Unfortunately, the food was off the mark. The basics (rice, beans, platanos, fries, etc.) were sufficient but the rest tasted very unfresh which surprised me considering how busy they were. However, I was with such fabulous company they would have made a bowl of Hormel chili taste good.

Drink of the Day: Sangria

Affirmation of the Day: All is well in my world…bitch!