August 16, 2004

**Pac� in the Canyon - Laurel Canyon is cool and all, but doesn't it feel like you're always zipping through it on your way to the Valley or the Sunset 5 theatre? Fear not--there's a restaurant there. Located underneath the Country Store, Pac� is good for first dates, second dates, lets-be-friends dates, all of that. And you can sit outside underneath candles while the rest of the city goes by...and while PJ Harvey dines two tables away. I love this city. Pac� in the Canyon, 2100 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90046 (323) 654-8583.

**Alias Books - Used bookstores are a little shady in LA, but Alias is the best I've found. They have everything from old astronomy manuals to current fiction, and nobody bothers you if you stand reading in the aisles for a long time. But if you're that lazy, you can also browse their inventory online. And yes, it's right next to the NuArt. Alias Books, 1650 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310) 473-4442.

**You Are Not a Stranger Here" by Adam Haslett - A breathtaking collection of short stories. It's the kind of thing where it's warm and heartbreaking but still smart and witty and you don't feel like you've just watched a Lifetime movie even though you're totally crying all over the pages. It's that good. You can read "Notes to My Biographer" if you still need convincing.

**"In a Sentimental Mood" from "Duke Ellington & John Coltrane" - The thing I love about this song is that you can listen to it when you come home after a late night, while you're making the morning oatmeal, in the car while muttering death threats at the other drivers. Thanks for my lovely brother for making me listen to it--why is he always right?

**"Smart Women Vote 2004" - Damn straight they do. You can get a nifty election kit to share with your friends. Or you can be like my super-smart next-door neighbor and screen the bumper sticker onto a t-shirt. She's so crafty that way.

June 21, 2004

**"Jamesland" by Michelle Huneven - A wonderful, wonderful book that takes place throughout the East side of Los Angeles, spreading throughout soup kitchens, storefront churches, the family tree of Henry James, and historic Los Feliz homes. P.S. Michelle is also a food writer at the LA Weekly, just so you know.

**Coppertone Ultra Sheer Sunscreen - I try to wear sunscreen, I swear, but it's so greasy and drippy that I feel like a vat of Crisco. Not so with this stuff! For once, a product that lives up to its sales hype. Plus, it still has a tiny bit of that Coppertone smell, so you can feel like you're at the beach when you're really stuck in a lunch meeting or something.

**"We Can Work It Out" sung by Stevie Wonder - This is the kind of song that makes you dance in your car seat while you're stuck in traffic. Or on the subway. Or in the shower. Or in line at the post office while everyone else looks at you funny. And this song is so good that you won't even care.

**My Super-Secret Summer Recipe - This is good with farmer's market-type produce, but you can also go to Stater Bros. Makes no difference to me. Get two beefsteak tomatoes and slice through the middle. Scoop out the inside seeds so you have four tomato shells, spreading the pulp on the bottom of a baking dish. Then stuff those empty-looking tomatoes with a mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, and fresh spinach, put them into the baking dish, and cook at 425-degrees for 25 minutes. For extra oomph when serving, spoon the now-mushy tomato pulp over the tops. Ooh la la. I'm totally hungry now.

**Abrazo Ganacha, Carinena, Spain - A lovely, kinda spicy red wine that tastes great, goes well with almost anything (see Good Thing #4, hint hint), and is reasonably priced at $5.99 at your local Whole Foods. It's my new sangria.

March 1, 2004

**�Levon� by Elton John - This song wrecks me every time. Call me corny, sappy, or just emotional, but when he sings �Take a balloon and go sailing / While Levon, Levon slowly dies�� I need some Kleenex and Visine. Which can be rather embarrassing when I hear it in a public place, but whatever.

**Marshmallows - I once ate a whole bag of marshmallows and I didn�t even get sick. If that�s not evidence of the perfect food, I don�t know what is. From the lovely Peeps to the more traditional brands�not to mention S�mores!�I think I will be eating more bags in the future. God love �em.

**Massage Garage - Hands down (ha! No pun intended!) the best $45 massage in Los Angeles. Located in Culver City in the supercute Art Deco district, you can get rubbed down, facialed, or shiatsu�d for ridiculously cheap prices. They even give you tea afterwards. How nice is that? 3812 Main St., Culver City, (310) 202-0082.

**�Bumping Into Mr. Ravioli� by Adam Gopnik � Originally in a September 2002 edition of the New Yorker, this essay by Adam Gopnik is beautiful and funny and heart-twisting and just a perfect slice what it�s like to be imperfect. You can find it in The Best American Essays 2003, and yes, it�s worth buying the book to read it.

**The Hollywood Palladium - Maybe it�s because my grandparents used to dance there on Friday nights. Maybe it�s the giant chandeliers or the fabulous Strokes show I saw there last October. Or perhaps it�s that it�s suffocating and filled with that hot, stifling air that makes for the best concerts. I don�t know. It just makes me happy. Oh, except for that time when I was 15 and passed out in the center of the floor during a show. That wasn�t so much fun.

*ARCHIVES*

March 10, 2003

**"The Lady is a Tramp" sung by Ella Fitzgerald - Woo boy, this is a doozy. Not that I've ever heard a bad Ella song, but this is probably my favorite one ever. If you must hear more than that measly 30 second clip, go and buy the CD. You'll be be-bopping around your kitchen for hours at a time, I promise.

**Doughboys Restaurant - If you're lucky enough to live in Los Angeles, go here for food sometime soon. I held out for so long because I thought it'd be all celebrity-ish, but it's not. Amazing food, really nice wait staff, and if you get there early enough, you'll avoid the 45-minute wait for a table. Did I mention they serve breakfast 24 hours a day?

**Ranunculas - Not only is the word incredibly fun to say (go ahead, try it), but these great little flowers are cheap and seem to last forever. They look especially nice in a mason or jelly jar, but I'm sure whatever vase you have will do just fine.

**Fresh's Sugar perfume - My current favorite perfume smells like sugar and lemons and everyone I meet is like, "Ooh, you smell good. What is that?" Even my grandma commented on it yesterday, so you know it must be good. (My second favorite perfume? The Body Shop's White Musk. Just so you know.)

**Knob walls - Anyone who knows the saga of my apartment remodeling several years ago knows how much I love the knob walls at hardware store. Restoration Hardware has some nice ones, as does Anthropologie, but go to Home Depot for more affordable prices.

February 24, 2003

**Target - Oh, Target. I will never be able to officially cut the ties to suburbia because of you. You have my shampoo, fun striped socks, an Icee machine, DVDs for $9.99, and you take coupons! This love will never die.

**"Breakfast at Tiffany's" soundtrack - Even if you don't get misty-eyed at "Moon River", this is a great cocktail-party CD that goes well with pretty pink drinks and long-handled cigarette holders. Tip: "The Big Blowout" is a perfect song to play while you're getting ready to go out after work.

**"Shopgirl" by Steve Martin - I'd like to think that this book set off the "single girl in the city" publishing trend that has yet to abate. Either way, the setting (Los Angeles) is spot-on and the characterization is so heartbreaking and real that you'll keep the book by your bed so you can reread your favorite parts. And yes, it'll be a movie soon: Claire Danes and Jimmy Fallon are scheduled to star.

**Largo - Easily one of the coolest nightclubs in Los Angeles. Eat, drink, listen to music, but whatever you do, do NOT talk during the set. The owner will throw you out on your ass if you decide to flirt with your neighbor while the band's onstage. And if you haven't already blown all your money on Coachella, note that Rhett Miller has a couple of upcoming shows.

**"Season of the Witch" by Donovan - Someone put this on a mix CD for me recently, and it's taken up permanent residence in my stereo. I've never heard a single Donovan song besides this one, but I don't need to now. Harmony! "You've got to pick up every stitch..."

February 10, 2003

**The Elements of Style by Strunk, White, et. al. - I have this slight obsession with correct punctuation, so this book is my secret love. (I can almost hear my high school English teacher saying, "I told you so." Yeah, whatever. Go diagram a sentence.)

**"Three is a Magic Number" - I wasn't even born when "Schoolhouse Rock" was all popular, but damn if this song isn't the catchiest thing I've heard in months. Trivia time: Did you know that Jeff Buckley covered the song in concert at the Mercury Lounge in New York? Just another reason to love it.

**Slurpees at 7-Eleven - The older, wiser sibling to the blended mocha, Slurpees are king in my land. I'm a purist and insist only on the wild cherry flavor, but some people I know & love like the Coca-Cola ones better. They're odd ducks like that.

**"Rabbit Songs" by Hem - I buy a lot of CDs, but this Brooklyn band's release topped my personal "Best of 2002" list. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous, and every song is better than the last one. Listen to "Left Me Here" or "Half an Acre" if you need further convincing. Better yet, download their cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Valentine's Day". How apropos, don't you think?

**Los Angeles Flower District - This is great if you a) like fresh flowers, and b) are an obnoxious morning person like me. Get there super-early on Saturday morning and buy sterling roses, stargazer lilies, and potted orchids for dirt-cheap prices. Don't forget your $1 admission entrance, plus quarters for the parking meters. Use the money you save to treat yourself to breakfast afterwards. Los Angeles Flower District, 766 Wall Street (between 7th & 8th), 213/627-3696

February 3, 2003

**The Stand, Laguna Beach - Forget all of the touristy, seaside dining in Laguna and go here instead. A tiny red shack situated next to a Circle-K, The Stand features some of the best vegan food I've ever had, and I'm not even a vegan. Try the avocado and hummus sandwich or their handmade tamales, then sit outside so you can see the ocean. Get down there soon, though, before their persimmon smoothies go out of season. The Stand, 238 Thalia Street, Laguna Beach, 949/494-8101.

**Anne Taintor - Get rid of your "Kiss the Cook" magnet and pick up one of Anne's instead. With sayings like "She was willing to ignore her mother's well-meaning advice" (sorry, Mom) juxtaposed against her Rosie-the-Riveter artwork, these aren't your typical Susie Homemaker decorations, thank God. And yes, she's got Valentine's Day cards, too. Feel the love, baby!

**House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski - I normally hate suspense novels, but oh my goodness, I couldn't put this book down. It's doesn't seem scary while you're reading it, but then at night, when you're lying in bed and every single noise sounds ten times louder, you'll see what all the fuss is about. And it's intelligent, too. We love intelligent books, oh yes we do.

**Bonne Bell Lip Smackers - They're $1.29! Now even us girls on a budget can look �ber-lovely. And why is it that their colors are better than most of the selections at MAC or Clinique? Beats me. I'm partial to the Dr. Pepper and Watermelon flavors, but I know someone who swears by Strawberry, so whatever floats your boat. What the hell, splurge and get two, you crazy kid!

January 27, 2003

**The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers - Oh, my goodness, this is one of my top 5 books of all time. With lines like "the whole world was this music and she could not listen hard enough," Carson just breaks your heart on every single page. Read an excerpt if you don't believe me. But would I ever lead you astray? Of course not.

**Burberry Plaid - I've never been a person fond of labels or name brands, but for some reason, Burberry got under my skin and I can't shake it. It's timeless, it's classy, and it makes you feel like an uptown girl (even when you're stuck on the 6 train downtown during rush hour). So what if their keychains cost $100? Think of it as an investment...because you're smart like that.

**Gourmet Coffee Warehouse, Venice - Located on the corner of Rose Avenue & 7th Street in Venice, this is one of the best coffee places in Los Angeles. The coffee's organic (if that sort of thing is important to you, you health nut), but even better than the coffee are the two benches just outside of the store. Everyone from local store owners to neighborhood residents to homeless people hang out there--good luck finding a place to sit. Gourmet Coffee Warehouse, 671 Rose Avenue, 310/392-6479.

**"Ophelia" as painted by Paul Steck - When I was forced to read "Hamlet" in senior year English, I thought Ophelia was a simpering little whiner. This picture, however, made me feel differently about her. There's something about the smile on her face, or perhaps it's her hands clapsed to her heart. Either way, she looks almost happy, which is perhaps the saddest thing of all. (Bonus points to those of you that recognized this picture from the back of Hole's "Celebrity Skin" CD. Your gold star is in the mail.)

**Flip-flops - In honor of the eighty-degree temperatures that have been flirting with the west coast recently, I have to mention my favorite pair of shoes: my flip-flops. Not only are they wonderfully loud in quiet hallways, but they never cause the same wounds that 3-inch heels always seem to inflict. Check out Flip-Flop Trunk Show if you want a snazzy new pair, or just scoot over to Rite-Aid and buy 'em straight off the rack. And for you East Coast popsicles, don't worry: summer is only five short months away!

January 20, 2003

**The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette - I am currently obsessed with etiquette books. I read them like novels. But this one is the best since it covers any and all questions, from ones that might come up often ("What's the best way to politely refuse a second date?") to ones you will hopefully never have to ask ("What's the correct way to eat oysters at a dinner party?") Dilemmas, dilemmas...

**"maggie and millie and molly and may" - I've never been a huge fan of poetry, but ee cummings is an exception. This was the first poem of his I ever heard, and the two lines "may came home with a smooth round stone / as small as a world and as large as alone" still knock me out. Read it and weep. Literally.

**Pizzicotto Restaurant - This could very well be my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles and it's great for any occasion. Parents in town? Take 'em. Awkward first date? Go here. Plus, not only is the food incredible and the dress code casual, but the wait staff is so nice that you won't even feel intimidated asking for wine recommendations. Or telling them your wine budget. Pizzicotto, 11758 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood, 310/442-7188. (Yes, make reservations. It's super-tiny.)

**Movie theater balconies - Even the crappiest, most homogenized film seems better when you watch it in the balcony. And yes, stadium seating is lovely, but it's not quite the same. In Los Angeles, head to the Mann National in Westwood or the El Capitan in Hollywood. And if memory serves, the movie theater on Second Ave. and 12th St. in New York has a balcony. Yes? No? Please tell me either way. Mann National, 10887 Lindbrook Drive, Westwood, 310/208-2765. El Capitan, 6838 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood. City/Reading Cinemas Village East, 181 2nd Avenue (between 11th & 12th Sts.), Manhattan.

**"Frying Pan", sung by Evan Dando - "One laugh in the middle of a struggle / Eight diamonds at the bottom of a puddle / Did you ever stare at the moon 'til you saw double?" This song was originally written by Victoria Williams, but Evan's version was included on "Sweet Relief", a tribute CD to help Victoria raise funds for her medical bills. When you're too worn out to even think, put this song on. Listen until you can move again.

January 13, 2003

**"All Tomorrow's Parties" by the Velvet Underground - "And what costume shall the poor girl wear / to all tomorrow's parties?" If the lyrics don't get you and Nico's voice doesn't grab you by the neck, then the piano intro will rock your socks. Don't say I didn't warn you.

**"What Were They Thinking?" in the New York Times Magazine - A fabulous glance at normal average people with normal, average, and completely fascinating lives. Don't be surprised if your neighbor shows up in the column one day--they have a way of getting around.

**Ted Hawkins - He was an old man who used to play at Venice Beach with just his guitar, and you'll kick yourself for not having heard of him sooner. He's like a more resigned Otis Redding--chase with either whiskey or red wine and the love letters your ex wrote to you.

**The 8th floor of the Grove Shopping Center's parking structure, Los Angeles - Forget Mulholland and the Santa Monica Mountains: one of the best panoramic views of L.A. can be found at the very top of this parking lot. Take in the scene and ignore the car honking behind you. (Remember, patience is a virtue.)

**"Looney Tunes" cartoons on the Cartoon Network - Anyone who remembers "The Snorks" can tell you that the current crop of Saturday morning cartoon shows suck. Luckily, there's salvation. Three straight of hours of Bugs & Daffy airs every Saturday and Sunday morning, so now you have a reason to set your alarm on the weekends. If only they were followed by "The Smurfs" reruns...

January 6, 2003

**Smith's Rosebud Salve - Fabulous goop in a pretty lil' tin. Put it on your cuticles, split ends, cracked leather boots, whatever. It works best as a lip balm, though, because whenever someone kisses you, you'll taste like rose petals. Ooh la la.

**Lyrics from Spoon's "Small Stakes" - "Small time danger in your midsized car / I don't dig the Stripes but I'll go for Har Mar..." Kills me every time, even though I believe in the polar opposite of that statement. I've been singing it for three days now. Plus, they're going to be on "Austin City Limits" on January 11. And you'll be watching, of course.

**Butter Rum Lifesavers - Sheer bliss for less than a dollar a roll. Stock up if you can find them because your friends are going to wipe out your stash. Trust me on this.