dear diary

Quilting Gone Wild

2010-02-06T07:36:00.001-08:00

Nothing says Christmas like February!

It's raining, it's pouring, the two greyhounds are snoring. I'll be spending the weekend sewing, staring at the kitchen ceiling and spending time with friends. And in the spirit of friends and projects I bring you the pajama quilt.

Anyone out there who has any skills (computers, cars, knitting, sewing, etc...) will understand how this quilt came to be. I was sitting with my mom in the kitchen of our adopted family, eating dinner, decompressing from work when I heard the following words:

"Hey, could you do me a favor?"

Uhm, ok.

"Lexi has all these pajamas that she can't part with so I thought you could make something out of them."

Uhm, ok.

"Here's the bag."

Uhm, ok.

That bag sat for about two months in the same spot in the entry hall. I didn't move it. Mom didn't touch it. Finally one Saturday I opened it up, spread it out on the dining room table and saw what I had to work with. I moved the feetie pjs around like fabric swatches trying to figure out what would match what and what I could actually do with them.

And, in case you ever wondered, size 2T & 3T pjs don't give you a whole lot of usable fabric. You have to cut off the zipper, the cuffs and the feet. And, again, in case you were wondering, cutting up a small child's old pjs feels oddly rude. I mean, I was asked to do this, but I still felt like I was punching a teddy bear.

Without further ado, I present you with...

The pajama quilt! I have to admit, doing projects like this make me feel a little less odd about quilting. I mean, when you think quilting do you think of a fabulous 30-something who wears 4 inch heels on a daily basis. Sorry, off-topic, just something I think about.

Here's a close up:

Yes, this wee lady has a thing for dinosaurs. She LOVES dinosaurs. And Shamu.

For the back I just did a piece of baby blue minky fabric. For those of you who don't hang out in kids stores or fabric shops, this is minky:

You've seen the super soft nubby fabric. Yeah, this is it and its called minky (minkee? minkie?). I said I worked with it, I didn't say I knew the proper spelling of it.

I'd love to show you a picture of Lexi with her quilt but she was sick on Christmas so this had to travel to her house with one of Santa's volunteer elves. But, I did receive a plethora of texts about the quilt so I deem this project a success!

Food Truck Fundraiser - Part II

2010-01-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

Hi! See, I made it back, two posts, ONE WEEK. I can hardly stand myself.

Eat Phamish - I'll admit, before NomNom I'd never even heard of Banh Mi. But, now that I have, I'm hooked and apparently picky. We asked the kids on Eat Phamish which of their sandwiches was their favorite. (Vegetarians, skip down to the Buttermilk write up). Steak. Sold. I never thought I'd use the words "light" and "steak" in the same sentence without the help of Mad Libs, but here we go. This was, no joke, the lightest steak sandwich I've ever had. And, I make the statement with nothing but love in my heart. It was wonderful. I loved it. It would have been the perfect lunch today. Or tomorrow. Thursday? Maybe in this weather Pho would be better. Either way, I need to find the Phamish this week. Yum. Twitter. Web.

Buttermilk Truck - Ok, so this was supposed to be an update but it seems I can't navigate my own blog to find the first posting. Hmm, a promised post that never came to be? That's so not like me. Anyways, so Steve & I went to the opening of this truck. And, after surviving more (real) Louis Vuitton bags than I'd ever thought I'd see at a food truck we knew this truck was good, but give it a few months and it would be EPIC. Yeah, it was epic. Pancake bites, french toast sticks, homemade donuts...a definite stop. Our group was quite thankful we had each other as if any of us had been alone, we could have easily ordered & eaten all three of the above foods and not had any issue finishing them one by one. Twitter. Web.

King Kone - This is one of the first trucks I followed. An ice cream truck. Sounds obvious right? We've all grown up with the ice cream trucks with the annoying music and selection of Bomb Pops. Well, this ain't that truck. This truck sells, and I'm not kidding when I say this, the best dipped cone I've ever had. And, if you've met me, you won't be surprised to know that I've met many a dipped cone. And they have shakes, and they have sundaes, and they have all sorts of magical treats. If both Cool Haus & King Kone were in front of me, my head might explode if I had to chose between them. Twitter. Web.

Dels (update) - Don't worry, I still love them. But I wanted you to know that they're adding flavors. I still love the lemon but you can have other things too.

Fishlips (update) - Again, the love is still there. And, I've been told by people <*cough*Jason*cough*> that the sushi served on this truck is better than some actual sushi joints (like with real tables and chairs and waiters and stuff). Just thought I'd share.

Food Truck Fundraiser

2010-01-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

Seriously, you put 26 trucks in one location? And then you tell me a portion of the money goes to charity? How fast do you think I can walk over there after surviving my first yoga class in months? Ask Regina & Todd, they'll tell you.

Oh, and before I forget to tell you, mark your calendars for 2/13/10. LA Food Truck Fest...somewhere in downtown. Check their website/twitter/facebook for updates since you know I can't be trusted to let you know in a timely manner.

Sorry, back to the trucks. So the nice people at T Lofts hosted this event. 26 trucks. Epic. Here are the new kids (and a few other kids that redeemed themselves).

Grilled Cheese Truck - I stick to what I said about them the first time - Their grilled mac & cheese with pork and grilled onions is BRILLIANT. And now that their grill works, all of the sandwiches are fabulous. If you're on a diet, run away. If you want a d@mn fine sandwich, run towards. Twitter. Web.

Louks - I've been wanting to try this Greek truck for awhile now. And, I was not disappointed. We shared the feta fries & the honey louks. Yum. If I could find this truck for lunch/dinner, I would love to try one of their gyros but in a group it just doesn't make sense. In the meantime I'll dream of what it can be. Another positive, the owner came out to see what we thought. He was everything a Greek food truck proprietor could be. Awesome. Twitter. Web.

Willoughby Road - Another truck that has eluded me, but no more. This southern theme truck did not leave the group disappointed. I could have eaten the shrimp grits all by myself (and happily...stupid sharing) and the fried chicken wasn't at all what we expected but we totally loved it. The party was divided on the coleslaw. I wasn't sold since it had too much kick for me, but there wasn't any left at the end of our visit, so I was apparently in the minority. I can live with that. I'd totally visit Willoughby Road again. Twitter. Web.

Vesuvio - I have two words for you: Rice balls. Really can't we just stop there? If you're anything like me hearing those two words, you're already sold. But, if you need more, keep reading.... I had completely forgotten that my mom made these a year or two ago. And anyone who has had food at Chez Gramma knows that once she makes something, the standards are high. So when I was noshing on the aforementioned rice balls, I was not disappointed. I think a meatball sub is in order the next time I chase down this truck. Twitter. Web.

Ok, more tomorrow...Eat Phamish, Buttermilk Truck (update), King Kone, Dels (update), Fishlips (update).

First Friday, Thought Not on First Friday

2010-01-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

Ah yes, another month, another blog post. I don't know why I can't pull myself together on the craft portion of this blog. Oh well, onto the food!

With January 1st falling on a Friday, the fine First Friday folks decided to move it onto the next week. This gave both good and bad results. Good: There were fewer people so you didn't want to punch anyone to get anyone out of your way. Bad: There weren't as many trucks. Oddly, even with our merry band of 5.5 people, we managed to find enough trucks to fill our rumbly tumblies. Though the dearth of good dessert options did not go unnoticed.

FrySmith - This review is a little late as I've now tried over half their menu. But, at least I can speak with authority! Whatever, the most important thing about this truck is that they killed a sad rumor. When you get the In-n-Out truck, why don't they have fries? Word on the street was they couldn't do fries on a truck. At least that's what they'd tell us at work every year when the truck would pull up. LIARS, ALL OF THEM. FrySmith fries are FABULOUS and their combinations sound frightening but they're AMAZING. Please do the following to appreciate the FrySmith:

1. SHARE - If you try to eat this alone, its VERY heavy...not recommended with all of our post-holiday food issues. Oops, that might just be me.

2. USE A FORK - Yes, I know fries are traditionally finger foods but to get the magic of the FrySmith you need to get all the tastes into one bite.

3. FREE YOUR MIND - Seriously, the first time you look at their menu its a bit odd. But let me tell you odd in this case is fabulous. Web. Twitter.

Asian Soul Kitchen - I was so sad last month when I was too full to try these guys. They set up after we did our Abbott Kinney crawl. But this time they were there bright and early and so was I. First you start with the presentation of the menu. I have a feeling most people who try the truck aren't super familiar with Asian fare. So this nice man introduces you to their fabulous menu. Having spent many a night on Sawtelle I'm an EXPERT, except when I have to lean over to k8 and ask her what something is. But whatever, this truck's menu didn't scare me and I wanted to try one of everything. Instead, we tried the spicy mac'n'cheese (a slow burn...for the hot fans out there; the best mac'n'cheese from a truck yet), Lollipop Chicken (I would like some right now, please), sliders (soooo good, I'll take a few of those as well if you're delivering), and ying & yang rice (awesome.) Can you tell I'm a fan. Thumbs up. I'd definitely find them for a meal. I'd like to try everything on their menu. Web. Twitter.

Fressers - So every month, after First Friday, mom asks me about the trucks, what I ate, etc... She's infinitely amused that I eat off of trucks. Of course, she's much more amused when I bring the food home so she can try it, but that's another story. I'm going through the list on Saturday morning and I get to Fressers, they do Pastrami. "That's all they do?" asks mom. Well, who cares if they do it REALLY well. And let me tell you, they do it REALLY well. For a lunch run, I'd say this truck is perfect. (Ed. to add - Ok, so I just checked their menu and they do more than the pastrami. But, seriously, the pastrami is so. good. I was distracted that they offered anything else.) Web. Twitter.

DogtownDogs - Like FrySmith, I might have allegedly tried DogtownDog a few times before sharing my findings with you. I've now had three different dogs and they're all fabulous. Hands down the best dog I've had. And all the froo-froo stuff they do with the California dog and the Trailer Trash dog, yeah, that doesn't hurt either. You want a good hot dog, this is the truck to hit. Web. Twitter.

Slice Truck - Hmmm, pizza from a truck. For L.A. thin crust pizza, it's good. I would say this truck would be fabulous for a party but since the truck scene is all about the wack-ball fusion foods, this is, well, thin crust pizza. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Web. Twitter.

See you next month, unless I actually tell y'all about all the stuff I made for Christmas before then. Weirder things have happened.

JennyLeeQuilt

2009-11-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

As you know, in January I started taking sewing classes. I did pj pants, a skirt and the dreaded dress. By April, I finished my first quilt. (I'd insert a picture here but I worked on it until and after I gave it to Todd so I don't have one. But, you'll have to take my word that its the most fabulous turtle-themed quilt ever. Seriously, its fabulous.)

Since Regina & I had so much fun in our first quilt class we figured we'd take another one.

Now might be a good time to mention we did a really basic quilt class to start. Here's a picture of Regina's. Fabulous right?

Ok, where was I? Right, taking another quilting class. Then, real genius struck me. Why don't we each make TWO quilts, one for each of us and together we'll make one for JennyLee?! Brilliant right? JennyLee is getting married and it would be the Best. Gift. Ever.

Luckily Regina suffers from the same delusional disease I do and agreed.

I'm in Minneapolis giving Todd his quilt and no sooner is out of my hands that we're at my favorite fabric shop Crafty Planet. I'm pulling together fabric, trying to figure out what I'm doing (lets take a minute to note that I don't have a pattern, I don't know what kind of quilt I'm making or how much fabric I need). So, I buy a TON of fabric. Again, no definitive idea what sort of quilt it will be, only that it will be a quilt.

Regina & I get to class (Double Irish Chain for those keeping score at home) and she takes the fabric I bought in Minneapolis and makes it work for the JennyLeeQuilt; she tosses in a few accent colors to make everything pop and figures out what fabric should be the focus.

Six classes and countless Sundays later, I present you with the JennyLeeQuilt.

Yeah, its a queen size and if you've ever tried to photograph anything that big you can understand it why I hung it from the upstairs banister with binder clips.

Here's the focus fabric...

I love the birds. I love them even more since JennyLee used this fabric in her wedding. And no, I didn't know that when I bought it. We're just on that bird level.

And these swirls. I just loves these floral swirls. And, if you know me, I'm not a floral swirl kind of girl. I'm not sure what came over me when choosing fabric.

Another thing about this quilt that really worked was the division of labor. When it comes to quilting, there is a fair amount of work, especially one of this size. It just so happens that Regina & I loathe different things so the aspects we like least about quilting, the other person actually enjoys. I was happy to iron and do the top quilting while Regina is brilliant at accurate cutting & making all the wee squares match up. So, oddly the work division was 50/50. I don't think anyone was more surprised than we were.

Yeah, I took this as JennyLee was opening her gift. Nothing says thoughtful like Yeah,-sorry,-forgot-to-take-a-decent-picture-of-the-borders-&-binding. But, I LOVE this wood fabric. Its the backing for the quilt in case you were curious. Its among my favorite prints. And, we hand-stitched that binding shut. Its the only part of the quilt that's hand-done so if you had visions of Regina & I hunched over the quilt for months, make sure you have large sewing machines in that picture. We did the hand-stitching on our lunch hour in various available conference rooms because nothing says investment banking like two girls hand-stitching a quilt.

And, we figured if JennyLee didn't love it, we could share custody of the quilt. Its PERFECT in my yellow guest room. (I threw it over the already made bed so no the quilt doesn't have any lumps.)

But, JennyLee did love it, so she gets to keep it.

Happy Wedding JennyLee!!

Westside Food Truck Round-Up - An Ongoing Series

2009-11-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

I don't think I've told you Dear Diary about First Friday. My bad. First Friday on Abbott Kinney is well, the first Friday of the month along Abbott Kinney between Venice & Westminster. The shops & restaurants stay open, the food trucks come en mass and everyone walks their dogs, kids, and friends along the street. Its now a staple in my social calendar. Join us....just don't take my parking spot. Get there after 6pm, after I park. That works for me.

Where to begin? Obviously, I'll start with my new FAVORITE truck and it isn't just because of the name....

The Flying Pig - Its big, its pink and its FABULOUS. Duck? Braised pork? Crab balls? Yup, you betcha. So. Good. Steve & I have decided this is our new favorite truck. Now, I don't think I can say its better than the Godfather of all nouveau Food Trucks but it is my current favorite. Twitter. Web.

BoolBBQ - When I saw the menu I can tell you I honestly wasn't expecting much. It looked like several other trucks we'd seen. Then Steve spied a piece of paper taped up that read "Fish Taco." SOLD! Seriously, best fish taco I've had in years. I'd like another one right now actually. And, k8 & mrk were very taken with their taco. I can't tell you which one it was but they LOVED it. I'll be more open-minded next time and just order one of everything on the menu. Twitter. Web.

Dainty Cakes - I'm a food truck nerd. I admit it. And when I saw these guys running amuck I wanted to make sure they were going to be at First Friday on Abbott Kinney since there was a derth of desserts last month. So I messeged them on Twitter. And they wrote back! I was so excited. And then they were at First Friday! And I was even more excited. And then I told them about Twitter and they were so happy to see me. And then they gave me an extra cupcake with my order because they're nice people. And the cupcakes were good, way better than Sprinkles. The red velvet was excellent, probably one of the best I've bought. So, go support a nice food truck and have a cupcake. Twitter. Web.

Fish Lips - I've seen these guys around. Sushi chefs making each order fresh. And, I can honestly report, the food was just as good as I had hoped it would be. I think we'll need to time our next lunch-time JoAnn's run on a day when these guys are parked over at T Lofts (Tennesse & Butler). Their sushi would be an excellent lunch. Two thumbs up. And, as an added bonus, an actual MARKET, like one that doesn't move, will be carrying their sushi. Twitter. Web.

Dosa Truck - This truck has been quite ellusive. I follow it on Twitter but until tonight it was just a myth. Well, the myth is now fact and I can report that this would be another great lunch stop. Their wraps are yummy and not at all heavy. Mina & I both agreed that the bread (I'm sure there's an Indian word for it) for the wrap was great. And, unlike most of the food trucks roaming the streats, Dosa is very vegetarian friendly. Twitter. Web.

Next up, Buttermilk!

Westside Food Truck Roundup - Part II

2009-10-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

South Philly Experience - I had heard mixed reviews on these guys so I really wanted to try them. Holy wow. I managed to share the sandwich (steak with onions and cheese whiz) with the group and I think that shows my love for the people in that group. I mean, it was that good. If I didn't like those people as much as I do, I would have snatched their portions out of their hands. But, I knew I'd find SPE again, and I did and it was just as good. Twitter. Web.

Marked 5 - When I first heard about these burgers with rice as a bun, I thought, hmm, interesting. Now that I've had a burger with rice as a bun, I think, hmm, when can I get another one? Do I get the lamb again or do I try something different? So. Good. and so many questions to ponder. Twitter. Web.

India Jones - I've heard of this truck but I don't like Indian food (or rather, Indian food doesn't like me) so I opted not to follow it. In the immortal words of Pretty Woman: "Big mistake, huge." Needless to say, I'm following the truck now. It doesn't matter if you do or do not like traditional Indian food, this truck is good. It was even a wee bit spicy and I don't do spicy and I still liked it. Twitter. Web.

Border Grill Truck - Like the Sprinkles truck, I don't tend to follow the more corporate trucks. I mean, I'm two doors from Sprinkles every month and I pass by Border Grill on a semi-regular basis. I like the trucks because they serve food to which I don't normally have access. Yeah, there's a reason I don't follow the Border Grill truck, and I'll leave it at that. Twitter. Web.

Del's - Del's, for the AZ folks, is similar to Eegies, in that its a light refreshing sort of icee. I dug it and the boys who work there aren't hard on the eyes either. We also found out that they have a shop on Lincoln so I'll be going there. And they're bad @sses as they'll come visit the forbidden zone (aka Century City). They SAVED me and a few of my friends here when we lost AC a few weeks ago. Light & refreshing...I dig the Del's. Twitter. Web.

The Grilled Cheese Truck - If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you'va already had an earful regarding the opening night for these guys. (And really Steve does a better write-up than I can.) And I get TGCT's point that they're not mechanics. I'm ok with that. But, I'm not ok with a grilled cheese that isn't grilled. I mean, the cheese wasn't even melted. But, their cheesy mac & rib with grilled pork & onions is brilliant. If you do want to try them, get that. Seriously. You won't be mad at me. Twitter. Web.

Let's Be Frank - Ok, its not a truck but a big trailer, whatever, it parks & serves food. Now that Spoc's stopped serving hot dogs, I can easily say this is the best turkey dog in L.A. and Todd rates their hot dog as better than Pink's. Overall review - They're organic, they're friendly, and they serve a d@mn good dog. Go visit. Twitter. Web.

Westside Food Truck Roundup - Part I

2009-09-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

This will be the first in an ongoing series. I know some of you scorn the idea of the truck. Why follow a truck on twitter when there are like a thousand restaurants around. Here's why I love the food trucks:

1. You can't beat the price.
2. With this new wave, the food is incredibly good.
3. The portions are just the right size....large enough for a meal but you don't need to roll yourself home.
4. No valet parking.
5. Tips are appreciated, not expected.
6. No charge for sharing.

Without further delay, I bring you my first food truck round-up.

Kogi BBQ - The truck, the myth, the legend. Yes, it is as good as everyone says it is. Would I wait an hour or two in line, no. Would I wait 25 minutes with a friend, you betcha. My only warning on the Kogi is order appropriately. If you don't like spam, don't order it. If you don't like spicy, don't order the Blackjack Quesadilla. I think some people over estimate their magical powers. If you stick with what you like (or more importantly, what I like) you won't go wrong. My favorites: Short rib taco or burrito and their hot dog. Find them on their blog or twitter. They now have three trucks running amok.

Baby's Badass Burgers - Two things need to be known about this truck. 1) Its a slider truck. 2) They have very friendly attractive women working the truck. If that's not enough motivation for some of you, the food was surprisingly good. Todd & I shared the Original Beauty and the Mamacita. You get two of everything (except their one MONSTER burger) so its easy to share. We also ordered sweet potato & curly fries. Stick with the sweet potato. They're some of the best I've had (though in a tie with Gastrobus) and the curly fries needed to be cooked a wee longer. Shockingly you can find them on the web and on twitter.

Barbie's Q - The first truck Steve & I hunted together. Yeah. They get booked for a lot of private catering events and their bbq sauce is some of the best I've had. Web. Twitter.

Gastrobus - I was ridiculously excited to try the yellow food truck. And, thanks to the Abbott Kinney Festival, I was finally able to catch up to them. Regina & I ordered the same thing...BLT and sweet potato fries. Both, darn good. We agreed the Joan's on 3rd BLT was better, but lets be realistic. This is not a restaurant and the sandwich cost a fraction of what Joan's cost. I'll absolutely hunt down the Gastrobus again...probably at the Brig as it seems to be their only Westside dinner stop these days. I love that their menu changes & I look forward to trying something different next time. Web. Twitter.

CoolHaus - What could possibly go wrong about an architecturally themed ice cream truck. NOTHING. I love this little short bus. Its cute and the ice cream sandwiches are the best ever. Cookies and ice cream are fresh and delicious and they even come with an edible wrapper. Brilliant. My only complaint is that they don't have mint chip ice cream at every stop. But, their vanilla bean was some of the best I've had and the cookies...I'm stopping now. If you're going to cheat on your diet, cheat with CoolHaus. Web. Twitter.

NomNom Truck - I agree with Steve, this truck has the best look to it. And, thankfully, their food is as good as their look. I loved their Grilled Pork Banh Mi as well as the Lemongrass tacos. I'd skip the spring rolls...but I know a few other people who LOVED them. So, yeah, to each their own. Web. Twitter.

Coming soon, Dosa, Grilled Cheese Truck, South Philly, Chef on Wheels, Fish Lips Sushi and Marked 5.

Reissued vs. Vintage

2009-07-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

I've always adored fashion from the 50s & 60s. With my body type I think I'd be married to a billionaire right now had I been born just a few decades earlier. And, after working years of retail, I learned quickly and often that one shouldn't just follow trends to follow trends, but look your absolute best. Sadly, I have friends who look good in everything but for the rest of us born with curves and such what not, we have to be a wee bit careful.

In my quest to learn to sew I was quite lucky as Russel picks patterns on the more traditional side for his garment sewing classes. These look good on me so needless to say I signed up for all of his classes. You've already seen my skirt. The next step was the dress.

Now, I knew the dress wouldn't be easy. I had seen students from previous dress classes attend the next session to finish. So, I should have been prepared. But this pattern isn't the friendliest and if I hadn't had Russel, I probably would have tossed the dress half way through. But, with all the compliments I get, I'm glad I stuck with it.

I made some changes to the dress. I did snaps instead of buttons (since it was SCREAMING for a wide belt to go with it) and the sleeves are poofier than the pattern said they would be. That's ok, I love a poofy sleeve so I just went with it.

(This is why I have other people take pictures of my dresses)

Since making this dress I've been on the hunt for patterns with a more vintage feel. So, I'll be curious to see if patterns from the past are easier to work with than the patterns with a vintage feel from the present. I have several reissue patterns in my collection. And, I just ordered my very own vintage patterns from this fabulous Etsy shop thanks to this post on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. I didn't know I'd be able to. I mean, people from the 50s and 60s are wee little people. I was so excited to find patterns that would fit me! So, I can't wait for the vintage vs. reissue smackdown to commence.

Now I just need a fabulous pattern for a full skirt. I have this idea for some of the fabric I bought in Alaska...I just need the perfect full skirt to pull it off....

Best 4th of July Dress Ever

2009-07-12T12:07:00.001-07:00

I've been itching to post about all the sewing I've been doing but the pictures I take of myself are dreadful. So, I brought all of my creations onto my cruise in order to have a fabulous backdrop and a great excuse to take pictures of myself.

What says July 4th more than red, white and blue? A red, white and blue Obama dress on the Diamond Princess in Vancouver!

This dress is Eclair from Colette Patterns. If you sew and you like these designs, buy them all immediately. Her patterns are clear and accurate. Love, love, love.

I did make it a touch big for two reasons: 1) I didn't know that she was the only pattern maker who doesn't lie when she gives final measurements and 2) I didn't know how the fabric would behave when washed. So, I wanted to give myself a bit of room.

Even with the dress a wee bit big, it stayed up all day. And, when I say all day, I mean, all day, through customs, with all of my luggage, dashing around the ship...all day.

I love this dress. I'll definitely make it again. The only change I made to the pattern was that I didn't stitch the lining to the waist. I skipped that because I haven't washed this yet and I think the 2 fabrics might shrink a bit differently.

The main fabric is President Obama Circle Blue (though I refer to it as Obama heads) found at Joann's in Monroeville, PA but you can find it at fabrics.com. The lining is a light blue kona cotton, the ties are a red kona cotton, both bought at Michael Levine, downtown Los Angeles.

I had a ridiculous amount of fun wearing this dress, best 4th of July dress ever.

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' - Wedding Part II

2009-05-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

So our bride & groom are happily married. The cheese has been unveiled & the guests enjoy mulled wine while the bridal party takes pictures.

sigh.

Wedding pictures can be painful. They can be uncomfortable and awkward with people yelling at you and you try to look happy and ignore the fact that your face hurts from smiling so much. It was cold out and I was enjoying my mulled wine. I didn't want to leave the reception to go smile for an indefinite period of time.

And then I stepped outside and saw the chaos.

These pictures? So. Much. Fun. If this photographer didn't live in another country, I would so hire him. We could not stop laughing. But, when we could stop laughing, we'd get some fetching photos.

Me & Elizabeth & Todd
The second of my 3 favorite pictures as two of my favorite people who happen to not live in the same state as me, are all in the same place, same picture.

Here we have the "American Group" along with the groom:

Todd, me, groom, bride, father-of-the-bride, mother-of-the-bride, boyfriend-of-the-mother-of-the-bride & sister-of-the-bride.

Here's the last of my favorite three:

Aren't we all cute? I just love this picture. Love, love, love. I think more American weddings should do this. Apparently, I was told, this shot is standard at British weddings.

Well, I was going to actually talk about the wedding, but I can do that tomorrow. Lets see some more of what we in America call wacky and what those in the UK call normal

FYI, it is normal to attend a wedding in your country's traditional garb. This tradition is rad beyond words.

Here we have Scotland and Austria represented. And, in case you like to play where's Waldo when looking in pictures, yes, in the Scotland picture, that is the bride & groom dealing with one of the bride's straps popping off thanks to a delightful bear hug delivered to the bride.

And here, if you're asking yourself, why isn't that nice picture of the traditional garb of Norway in better focus? I'd really like to get a better look at those fabulous socks. Yeah, here's what the photographer looked like:

Now, a sane person would have handed the camera to her boyfriend who was holding nothing at the time. Or, she might have even handed over the flowers, the wedding program and/or the purse. But, we're talking about a member of the bridal party so really, sanity doesn't enter the picture until after the wedding festivities are over. Yeah, that's in the bridal party handbook.

But, here is a tradition I will happily bring to American weddings. Those of you who know me well are scared right now. And you know what? You should be.

Behold!

Funny hats & fascinators!

Part III, coming soon....

Back in the saddle again

2009-05-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

The wedding saddle that is.

And no, I'm not getting married. I'm the girl who's been in eight weddings and also assisted in countless others. So, in honor of weddings and people I love, I present you with the last wedding I was in. Unfortunately work and holidays hit so I wasn't able to bore, er, tell you about it before.

This one wins for furthest travelled. That title was previously held by a wedding in Maine but that wedding has now been dethroned.

If you're new to my blog, I'll give you a hint to where I was:

Yup, you guessed it, Tahiti. Oops, sorry, that's where I want to go, not where I was. Yes, we traveled across the pond.

Now, you might think to yourself, well, a British wedding would be easy. I mean, its a country where English is spoken and we've all seen "Four Weddings and a Funeral." That looks like great fun. And it was, but everything was different.

Actually, could you go watch that movie before you read any more? It sure would help the story. I'm sure you have the DVD. I can wait.

....

The language is different, the dress code is different, the bridal responsibilities are different...everything is well, different.

Lets start at the reheral, shall we? See that nice father daughter couple walking towards the house where both the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception were held? That's the bride and the father of the bride. Can you see that she's wearing a suit? (Click on the picture if you need more detail.)

At the rehearsal, Elizabeth was wearing pants (those pants you see right there) and when the vicar asked how long her dress was (to know if kneeling would be an issue) I said it was the same length as her PANTS. Yeah, everyone had a good laugh at that one, except for the 5 Americans who didn't know why they were laughing.

Britain 1, Maid of Honor 0

And, by the way, I was a Chief (and only) Bridesmaid, not the Maid of Honor.

Britain 2, Maid of Honor 0

The day of the wedding, there were a few traditional issues that we won't go into on the interwebs. But I will tell you this.

Britain 2, Maid of Honor 14,986

We all made it to the church on time, though a few of us might have been walking quickly due issues alluded to above. But, it gives me a good excuse to show you one of my three favorite pictures from the wedding (note Elizabeth is holding her wedding shoes so they don't get dirty on the walk to the church.

Don't we just love her dress? Off the rack ladies. Yes, you can find a dress for a reasonable amount of money. I bet someone really cool bought that. And yes we're going to ignore that the bride is gorgeous and completely in shape and could have worn a paper sack and looked fabulous and instead we'll focus on the fabulous dress, off the rack.

Britain 2, Maid of Honor 14,987

As luck would have it, the church they were married in is right next door to her now father-in-law's house. Again, you see this in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Everyone walking from a fantastic old church to an equally fantastic old house for the reception. Fabulous, right?

Britain 3, Maid of Honor 14,987

Although this wedding has many British traits to it, the bride and groom did put their own spin on the most important element of the entire day.

Cheese.

Oh, you don't believe me?

That's cheese. That's cheese from France. That's cheese from France picked up by two friends of the bride & groom. (Only one person was sent but he invited a friend for the adventure.)

Seriously.

Of all the preparations for the wedding, this was the one single element that was key to the success of the event.

Now I think you fully understand the crazy of my friends and why I adore them so very, very much.

Part II coming tomorrow.

Hands on 3rd

2009-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

Friday night I was able to con, er, make plans with Jenny and Mieke to crash the opening of Hands on 3rd. I really wasn't sure what to expect other than free food. And really, give me a few free cookies and I'm yours.

And free cookies they had.

(They had cheese & crackers and wine and soda. It was a lovely spread, but really, I was about the cookies.)

This event definitely had an art show kind of vibe in both the people attending and the overall mood of the room. Everyone was creative and curious, trying to take it all in without breaking anything.

From what I understand, Hands on 3rd is going for a community feel. There's very little retail (though, I think that'll change since people will need supplies) as their current focus is on classes. And those classes are incredibly varied, and all look to be quite interesting. Oh sure, they have sewing and quilting and crochet but they also have make your own kitchen garden, millinery, frame building, and the list goes on.

One of my favorite things about this space is the energy. The owners & teachers are just so enthusiastic to share their talents with you. I spoke at length with Corina Haywood, their millinery teacher. She was just lovely and I couldn't be more excited for her fascinator class on 5/17.

Of course since they didn't know me and were happy to see people walking through their door they asked how we had heard about their space. Well, of course, I told them, Ellen originally found them. It was her keen eye that discovered this little gem before they even opened.

All in all it was a lovely evening filled with cookies and good company.

HANDS-ON 3RD
8377 W. 3RD STREET
LOS ANGELES, CA 90048
(323) 655-0515

HOURS:
TUESDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 10am - 6pm
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY: 10am - 9pm
SUNDAY: 12noon - 6pm

I think I found the best burger place in L.A.

2009-04-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

So, I have three three books on how to make cool stuff from felted sweaters. (Wow, more on those adventures later.) So, one day I hit a few thrift stores in search of cheap sweaters to felt. During my adventure, I pasted Danties. But it wasn't Danties anymore, it was a Hole in the Wall. Literally, they transformed their space into Hole in the Wall Burger Joint. Same owners as Danties, same amazing ingredients, but they turned their attention to burgers.

Thank you nice former Danties people. Thank you very much.

As you'll see on the website, you pick the meat, the bun, and the toppings. And, since the nice owners take food very seriously, all of the above is fresh and made to order. So. Good. I'd even say its better than In'n'Out. Mom & I agreed its better than The Stand (don't get me wrong, The Stand still has best burger in Century City). But Hole in the Wall fries kick all kinds of fry booty. So good. And, apparently, they're doing well...which is awesome.

Seriously, its 9am and I'm getting hungry writing this.

So yeah, do me a favor and run over there. Its at Santa Monica & Bentley, just one block east of Sepulveda on the south side of the street, behind Winchell's. Pick me up a burger on a wheat bun with onion mayo, provolone, lettuce, onion, tomato, and a side of fries. You can order online, call or just show up. But, there's my order. Bring it over anytime.

Thanks.

Hole in the Wall Burger Joint
11058 Santa Monica Blvd.at South Bentley Avenue
310-312-7013

Hours:
11am to 8pm Mon.-Fri.
11am to 6pm Sat.

A New Love

2009-04-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, you might remember last year when I asked the interwebs if they wanted to go with me to this. Well, in my attempt not to eat every cupcake within reach, I resisted both years. Instead, I read the flier intently, looking for new local cupcakes to sample, in the name of research of course.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that one of the competitors sold cupcakes just steps from my office. Blue Cupcake sells her wares every week at the Century City Farmer's market. (My directions last night: Go to Sees, walk past See's, walk over the bridge, yeah, there's the Century City Farmer's Market.) And, I just learned that she also sells at the Downtown Farmer's Market at Pershing Square on Wednesdays.

Ok, her cupcakes aren't just good, they're gramma-approved. Seriously. And not just the chocolate, and that's really saying something. So, on Thursday, pop over to the Century City Farmer's Market. She's over with all the food people, just a few steps from the chicken guy (look for the HUGE line).

Biggs & Featherbelle

2009-03-30T09:25:00.001-07:00

I should have posted this last week but we'll just chalk it up to my being a bad person....

See that banner?

<---That one? Yeah. You know you've been all good in this recession, saving your pennies, not going out and buying new sewing machines or designer shoes (ahem, well, moving on...), so do something nice for yourself, at a discounted price of course. I was introduced to the fabulousness of Biggs & Featherbelle at Felt Club, and even discussed them before in this odd little soapbox of mine. But now you can try them without the hesitation of, well, full price. Just use their BIGGSALE discount code until Wednesday (4/1) at 1pm and you get 50% off EVERYTHING.

The real steal is getting their fabulous soap for $2.50 per bar. That's outstanding. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I did most of my damage in the bath soak section. Their bath salts & soaks are just fabulous. And then I decided to try a few of their scrubs...and well, a large box will be arriving at my house hopefully in the very near future.

Enjoy!

Huckleberry Cafe

2009-03-24T10:52:00.001-07:00

For the record, I'm a devoted Daily Candy follower. I can't remember how I first heard of them. But they've served me well for years, haircuts, food, sample sales and such what not. So, when they talked about Huckleberry Cafe, I tossed it on my to do list.

We went on a Saturday, about 11ish. I thought we'd be safe, before the lunch rush. We even scored a spot in the parking lot in back. This is already going really well!

Then we walked in.

Total. Chaos.

This contrast off good news/bad news becomes a theme.

Its not super clear how to order but we figured out that there's sort of a line that you stand in until someone talks to you to take your order. But, the HUGE menu board above the counter...yeah, that doesn't apply on the weekends. You can order only from the wee weekend menus on the counter.

The girl taking our order was sweet and answered our questions as far as how to order, what they specialize in and all the things you ask the first time to a place. As luck would have it, what we wanted to eat were on both boards. She hands our order down the line. After we shuffle down to pay. I'm asking the cashier questions....silly things like, can we sit outside, how do we get our drinks. She's ignoring me. Awesome. Whatever, we pay. I'm committed and hungry at this point.

No tables.

Seriously, if I'm paying $35 for lunch for two people (and by I, I mean Todd) and I'm ordering at a deli counter, I don't think a table is too much to ask for.

A few minutes pass and we were able to scout a table. Score! But one of the many, many employees there didn't really appreciate my asking for it to be cleared. As I watch the many, many employees mingle I see they're divided into two camps - 1) those who are serious about the food service industry and are obviously there to learn. They hustle and get stuff done and have a great attitude; and 2) those who are just there for a job and would rather serve food than clean up after the patrons.

I have to say our food was fantastic. For what it is, its expensive, but really good. (In case you're curious, I had the meatball sandwich while Todd tried the Fried Egg Sandwich.) The bread? Outstanding, baked fresh there. The pastries? Yup, made fresh there too. If I could convince someone to bring me lunch RIGHT NOW (whatever I'm hungry), I'd ask for them to go there. Yeah, it was that good. But, would I go there to sit and to eat again? No. For the cost, its far too much work. Should you try the food? Absolutely. And, you should bring me some bread, or at least a pastry.

Huckleberry Cafe - Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica at 10th - check their hours, they're still in their soft opening phase.

Here we Sew again

2009-03-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Apparently Monday has become sewing day here at Dear Diary. I'm not complaining. I just think my odd blogging habits are amusing.

We've covered Sewing 1A, so, lets move onto Sewing 1B.

As I'm sure you've correctly guessed by the outfit and the link above, I made the skirt. (And, seriously, that pose is not my fault. That tree was crying out for some cheese and the confusion on the faces of the IT guys standing out there smoking just strengthened my decision.)

Thanks to this class, I now understand the importance of French Seams, taking a waist measurement seriously and the excitement that comes when people do not ask you if you made something you're wearing. Besides, these classes are just fun. And, the more I take, the more confident I get about my sewing. When I cut the skirt out I had so much extra length (shut up, I know I'm short) that I was walking around class with it pinned up to the correct length as a bubble skirt. I'm not thinking I should have grabbed some tulle and made that bubble. Hmmm, ideas, ideas....

Anyways, here's a close up of the fabric. Something about the red roses on the pink & blue background spoke to me a few months ago at Michael Levine. And, as all knitters know, if fiber talks, you have to buy...or else it haunts.

And haunting is bad, especially in this economy...we have enough to think about without fabric following us around, taunting us because we didn't buy it.

Turtle Pants!

2009-03-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did just type the words Turtle pants. See, I just did it again. Crazy right?

Ok, we've already discussed the Sewing Arts Center. But, I've never told/shown you what I've learned.

Sewing 1A.

If you've never used a sewing machine, or if you never really learned how to use a sewing machine, this is your class. Russell walks you through all the basics from fabric selection, to cutting out a pattern correctly to tools of the trade, to measuring yourself and yes, sewing. I dug this class and had a great time.

For the actual object you make, you do PJ pants. (I was even able to sneak in a second pair in a different size, different fabric, different thread.) For both pairs, I lived on the edge, did not measure myself or the intended victims, er, gift recipients, and just trusted that the size in the pattern would be about right. I mean, we're talking pj pants.

And Pair No. 1 fit! (Yes, they're just a smidge long but he wouldn't let me hem them.)

*Happy Dance*

Here's a close up of the turtles:

If you need turtles, Harts is currently out of stock but you could call up the nice ladies at Three Crafty Ladies in Florida. They have the fabric. I saw it a few weeks ago. In fact,they have pretty much every beach, nautical, oceanic, themed fabric in current existence. If you find yourself in that part of Florida, I highly recommend that shop.

Oh I'm Watching

2009-03-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, I didn't love the last restaurant I went to and I have a strong if-I-don't-love-it-I-don't-blog- about-it policy, so we'll switch gears into movies. And, this one goes out to the ladies, and I say that because the movie was about 90% gentlemen and 10% ladies and really, there need to be more of the female persuasion represented.

Ladies, you want to see Watchmen. No really, you do.

I sort of wanted to see it. I mean, it looked like it would be amazing on screen. I'm easily amused by pretty colors and nifty costumes. And then I saw it. Yeah. Ladies, go now. Seriously.

Gentlemen, you can go as well. But judging by the hoards of you in the audience I really don't need to tell you to go.

Curiouser and Curiouser

2009-03-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Day 4 and the hits keep coming...

For anyone going to the Mar Vista Lanes and doesn't want "bowling alley food" have I got a treat for you. Directly across the street The Curious Palate has opened. I've read about it. I've wanted to go. And really, it surpassed the hype.

You walk in and it looks like a local deli. There are meats ready to be sliced, salami ready to be served and pickles ready to munch. But, if you look a little closer you see that every item is hand-picked. The pastrami is from Berkley. The pickles are home made. The drinks are somewhat unusual and somewhat familiar. It all sort of knocks you off your game, but in a good way.

I had the prosciutto panini with a small order of mac'n'cheese to share with the table. And by share I mean everyone got a bite while Steve & I pretty much hoarded the mac. It worked out well. The other sandwiches enjoyed were the pulled pork, egg salad and a meatloaf burger. Everyone was happy and no one shared...always a good sign.

I might have disagreed when one girl exclaimed that it was the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie I've EVER had. And you know, I'm a chocolate cookie connoisseur." It was good. And they do have samples out so you can try it. And if you try it, you'll probably buy one. But since my mom doesn't bake commercially, I can't make statements like that. Though the "Not Fudge" brownie was tasty. I'm not sure why it was "not fudge" and I didn't think to ask. But it was good, "not fudge" and all.

For drinks, don't expect to order a Diet Coke. They do have the bottled Mexican Coke but their other sodas are fairly eclectic. I tried their Apple Cider. Yum!

Yeah, I don't think you'll go wrong here. Except you might show up for dinner when they're closed. Right now they're only open 10am - 6pm. Hopefully that'll change.

"And it was a land filled wit yogurt..."

2009-03-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Day three and I still have food to tell you about.

Yogurtland

This is Jenny's fault. And, by the way, since she is my self-appointed food Sherpa she really needs her own blog. Anyways.

Jenny comes into sewing class one night...

"Have you had Yogurtland, so good!"

Jenna: "No, what's Yogurtland?"

Jenny: "Its above Beard Papa on Sawtelle."

The conversation ended there; I was getting hungry and there was much sewing to do.

Fast forward a few weeks and I drag Todd in. And by drag I mean I asked if he could forgo Beard Papa for something new and he kicked the dirt a few times and agreed.

It was yogurt heaven. There were flavors upon flavors. And you get to do it yourself. And you can ask for wee cups to try the yogurt before you commit. And they have all these toppings. And its only $0.30 an ounce.

Jenny was absolutely right. It was so good. Unless you're my mom and frozen yogurt doesn't agree with you, you really need to try this place.

I was about to give you the address, but I just discovered that its coming to Westwood Village soon. This is going to be bad.

Santa Monica Seafood - New! Improved!

2009-03-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently its food week here at Dear Diary. That's not a bad thing. Its about time I shook up my culinary routine. Eating in all the time, though good for the waist and the wallet, doesn't do much for the blog.

Santa Monica Seafood has comfortably moved into their new home at Wilshire & 10th. Its a beautiful space with an incredible array of food and, important to any Angelino, a parking lot. You can get, obviously, seafood as well as flowers, spices, beverages, salads and entrees either to eat in or to go. Saturday we seemed to arrive just before the mad rush of people. We even had time to be confused by the new layout. I mean, there are tables but at first we didn't see any servers but we did see the HUGE menu board. Do you order then sit down? Finally I saw a server and she pointed me to the empty host stand. We waited about 10 seconds before we were seated. Approximately 2 minutes after that about 8 different people wanted tables. Obviously, they didn't have my back up plan, so the had to wait and gaze longingly at our food.

Todd started with a New England Clam Chowder (yes, they have Manhattan as well). Why I didn't order a cup will forever confuse and haunt me. It was really good. For lunch I had the cioppino while he had the grilled Mahi Mahi. My cioppino was fabulous and they were kind enough to give me a HUGE wedge of bread with which to enjoy the broth. So. Good.

The food was excellent, the service was good and the prices were totally fair. However, this place is not for the timid. I will give the same advice for going to the market portion as for going to the restaurant: If you don't speak up you're going to get passed over for a table, or for us, our place in line at the market. With that said, I'd go back in a heartbeat and I've already told my mom to tell one of her friends that this is a must visit for her & her husband.

Korean + Taco Truck = Good Food

2009-03-09T14:05:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has ever met me knows that I am really bad at math. But, they also know I'm really good at incredibly random combinations of ideas...hence the English Lit. major and the obsession with the legal system. So of course the idea of a Korean Taco truck just undid me. But their hours and locations weren't my thing. So I waited. And eventually they came to my hood at a time I was actually hungry.

8:30pm Friday night:

Jenna: [GPS in hand walking towards the door] "Ok, lets go!"

Todd: [reading the sports section of the paper] "What?"

J: "Aren't you hungry?"

T: [confused] "Yeah."

J: "Ok, lets go."

T: "Ok."

J: "You're driving."

T: "Where?"

J: "Head towards the village..."

And so it began. The area the truck was parked is technically in my hood but its behind fraternity row in that mess of apartments and narrow winding streets. I don't pretend to know that area well. So I grabbed the GPS, plugged in the intersection and we were off.

Since we'd never had their food and there was no formal menu ("Verbal menu tonight") we ordered a few times. Watching everyone order, most people had heard about Kogi but hadn't had it yet. So, don't feel stupid if you have a bunch of questions. They're used to it and were super cool to everyone.

I had the signature short rib tacos (FANTASTIC) while Todd tried the spicy pork (he loved it.) I did try the slider...not quite my thing but Todd was kind enough to finish for me.

After talking to the nice guy who takes your order (Eric?), we learned that there are now two trucks in this budding empire. We had the pleasure of eating from Verde. (Apparently Rojo is the original.)

Pretty much everything is $2. We were quite full when we left and we spent under $20 for the two of us. Honestly, its worth following them on Twitter (or the Twitter feed on their website) to find them; the food is that good and that unusual. For the Santa Monica kids out there, they go to SMC a few times a week. Apparently they could use some love at that location so go try a few tacos. You'll thank me.

Oh, and Ellen, if you'd like some pictures, here you go. Far better than what I would have taken with my camera phone in the dark.

Because all the cool kids are doing it...

2009-03-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

1. Favorite Food: risotto
2. Hometown: Los Angeles
3. Favorite Color: Red
4. Celebrity Crush: Russell Crowe
5. Favorite Drink: Diet Coke
6. Dream Vacation: Tahiti
7. Favorite Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake
8. What I want to Be When I Grow Up: Grow up?
9. Name: Jenna
10. What/Who I Love Most in the World: Todd
11. One Word Describes Me: Random
12. Username: Radomile (Yeah, I cheated. There were no photos tagged with Radomile.)

You can do this too. Here's how:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search. (Please, go to Advanced Search and choose Creative Commons images only. Otherwise you are stealing.)
b. Pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into this free mosaic maker