I don't even know where to start. My head just might explode.

This weekend I had Todd and Elizabeth and Don. We're not just talking different states but different countries, different lives. Just to see one of them is a HUGE treat, to see them all at once, well, I'm still tired.

For those of you who don't know the story of Don....

Between my sophomore and junior year of high school I was able to scam my way into a summer program at Oxford University. It was so nice to get out of L.A. for a month. Nice is the wrong word. Its like the after version of me on my asthma meds. Its a horrible comparison but I really did breathe better there, mentally and physically. I was comfortable. I spent that summer actually liking myself. It was one helluva vacation from high school.

People often ask how Elizabeth & I have maintained our friendship through the years, including that summer.

Two words: separate rooms.

That's why we're always so happy in pictures together. You don't get sick of someone if you don't annoy them 24/7. That's us only 4 years into our friendship. (Wow my hair was long. And those high waisted mom-jeans are something fierce.) We're not old enough to have a learner's permit but we could annoy a whole other country together! This is one of my all time favorite pictures of the two of us. If memory serves, that fabulous black Contempo Casuals top was the first item of clothing I bought and hid from mom. Ah, the memories....

At this particular program you have a "major" and a "minor." My major was drama and my minor was law.

Stop laughing.

One of my drama teachers was Don Winslow. (I had a SWEET Kodak Disc camera in case you were wondering how I captured these fabulous moments 17 years ago.) Don kicked ass and not too surprisingly still does. I think Elizabeth will have to fill me in on when/how we found out he was a novelist. (Remember kids, this was before The Google.) Ever since, we hunt and devour every one of his books.

Usually, if I like you, I'll give you a copy of whatever I have extra. I just gave away my last extra copy of Death and Life of Bobby Z . (That was an amusing sentence to write.) But DO NOT touch my first edition hardback copies. You're likely to get your ass kicked for doing something like that. Seriously.

So yeah. Don has a new book out. I've known that for awhile but I could only find it online. And really, I'm all about instant gratification which translates to my not having bought it yet. I know, I'm a very bad stalker.

So ends the story.

Elizabeth was in town on this work thingy this past week and told me to find something "fun" to do on Saturday. I was running through the list o' authors for the L.A. Times Festival of Books (she's one of them readin' types) and there he was.

Don.

So I surfed the web for a minute (heaven forbid the L.A. Times have an all-encompassing list of authors and signings and such) and found him doing signings for the Mystery Bookstore.

As we're killing time before his 5pm signing, Todd takes a flyer from the kids at Borders, sees Don's name on it and points.

"Isn't that Don?"

Wha? (I really wish I was more articulate.)

"Don, your teacher."

Sweet.


He's just as sarcastic and bitter as ever. We love him.

Cute little panda

"Where are you going for lunch?"

Dunno, you?

"Dunno."

I'm thinking about going Downtown, ya know, get a change of scenery.

"That's a good idea. There's a Panda Express there, right?"

***

Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, Grand Central Market, 7th & Fig, Pete's...the food I immediately think of when I think downtown.

One thing I have to constantly remind myself, and this may seem obvious to you, but I have to remember that everyone doesn't see the world the way that I do. I'm not saying that my way is the right way (but I think we all know it is) but its good to be taken out of your comfort zone.

I mean, I'm not a Panda girl. Panda makes me swell like a balloon and really, if you want Chinese food, go to Chinatown. But, that's just me. And I have to remember that. Some people really like chain food. Its comforting and yummy. Its just not my thing. He!! some of my favorite restaurants scare people...the neighborhoods, the mismatched chairs, the counter-ordering.

CCW might be 3 miles from downtown and 7 miles from my house, but my has it reopened my eyes to the world I share with other people. There are other people in this world...I have to keep reminding myself of that.

Serving my County

Actual conversation last weekend:

"I was called for jury duty."

Wow! Me too. How does it work here, do you call in or do you have to go to court?

"Oh, we call in. But I'm not happy about it."

Why, you're not working. Are you worried about taking care of grandma?

"No, we have a trip planned in September."

Ok...is your jury service in September?

"No, it starts in June."

Ok.

"You have to call in every day for 4 months."

OH!

Yeah, I guess we have it a bit easier here in la-la land. I've been calling in everyday this week and last night I got the recorded message of doom to report for service.

It started out pretty, even from the parking lot:

(I should sell this to MTA for one of their ads.)

It was sort of nostalgic to be back downtown. I had lunch plans with a friend I made while working there. I knew exactly how long it would take to get to downtown and park and all of that. I ignored the "official" directions. It felt good to be back on my old turf. Don't get me wrong. I still love working 2 miles from home. But downtown meant so much to me personally and professionally for so long.

When walking into the jury room, I grabbed a copy of the Downtown News. I read an article discussing an event by Jeffery Sebelia (winner of the last season of Project Runway) showing his latest collection for Cosa Nostra (his clothing line created pre-Project Runway). The event took place in a loft complex right next to the 7th street bridge, next to the L.A. River... weird it was so close to an area I spent so much time. I know I'm rambling but this morning was a bit a blur of feelings of jury duty doom and odd nostalgia...I don't know, my whole downtown life seems so familiar and yet so far away.

(Another view from the parking lot)

After a few hours reading & knitting & dreading, my name was called. And, like my life after downtown, I headed west. Though, this time instead of Century City, I headed over to Central Civil West. Yup, I was reassigned to the complex division of L.A. Superior. Obviously I'm not to talk about my case, and I won't.

But yeah, that was my day.

Thank doG for TSA

Fade in Easter Sunday, cute girl with a blue wheeled duffle bag, and one large black tote bad standing in the security line at MSP airport. Sad, yet wearing her bunny ears ('cause Jesus loves the Easter bunny), she puts her coat & UGGS into a bin, her purse into a bin & tosses the tote and the duffle through.

TSA: "WE NEED A BAG CHECK ON 4!"

Cute Guy: "Think its yours or mine?"

Bunny Eared Girl: "Its mine....Its always mine."

TSA: [holding bin with white purse] "This yours?"

BEG: "Unless he happens to carry the same Betsy Johnson handbag, I'd have to say yes."

TSA: [Beginning to walk to the bag check area] "This all you're carrying?"

BEG: [pointing to the parade of bags on the conveyor belt] "No, not at all."

TSA: [Takes bin to the end of the conveyer belt & riffles through purse] "Where are your lotions?"

BEG: "Excuse me?"

TSA: "Your lotions. Shampoos. Your Ziploc bag."

BEG: "Oh, I don't carry any of that when I travel."

TSA: [confused yet glaring]

BEG: "My boyfriend lives here so I just leave a bag o' stuff with him."

TSA: [digging FURIOUSLY through the understated yet stylish handbag...finally the look of triumph on the angry man-lady's face] "What do you call THIS?!"

BEG: "Nail polish."

TSA: "Why isn't in a ZIPLOC?"

BEG: "'cause I didn't know I had it in there."

TSA: "I'll let it go this ONE TIME but next time have it in a Ziploc."

Yes, that's right. I had a bottle of nail polish, forgotten at the bottom of my bag. Because, if there is something to really fear when flying, its not terrorism, stupid loud talkers on cell phones, or even fear itself, but Lippmann Collection nail polish. Those sparkles are something scary.

I get stopped like this every time I travel. And I don't travel with any of the forbidden stuff. I either have my girly crap waiting for me when I arrive, or I'll buy it when I get there.

And the sad thing is, I wouldn't even mind all the torment if I felt any safer flying. But while they're scolding me about nail polish, who knows what could be taken into the airport through an employee entrance or even security.

In search of the Moose

Yeah, yeah, L.A. city girl blissfully taken with the quaint small-town life. The concept of driving more than 10 minutes (without traffic) for food is just something I don't understand. So, anytime we venture to Southern Minnesota, eating is definately an adventure. One night we drove to Iowa for food. Dude, we went to another state to eat. He!!, I can't make myself drive to the valley for good sushi and we're driving to another state? Well, Southern MN is like a foreign country to me so I just take the same attitude....sure, I'm game for anything.

Here's the latest...

Trimont (about 15 minutes from where we were staying) has a town owned restaurant called the Chocolate Moose. Its the sort of place mom'n'I have joked we should open...cook when you feel like it and close when you don't. Well, we were hoping to eat there on Saturday for lunch (when they usually feel like cooking) but it was Easter "weekend" so they didn't feel like cooking. Seriously, that rules and something that would so not fly in the big city. I told T that is a manditory meal (assuming they're open) for next trip. I mean, a town owned restaurant that serves what they want to serve when they want to serve...freakin' awesome.

Since that was Trimont's only restaurant. (Again, I get crabby when I only have one restaurant per block to choose from here, but when in Rome...) We pushed on, to a "large" town in search of food (Makato for any of you playing along at home). We exit the highway to take the scenic route through town. Uhm, yeah, industry and mini-malls are scenic, I guess. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Mankato is a nice place and I just saw the seedy underbelly. Though, I should have had T pull over to take a picture the best adult shop sign ever. Seriously. "Free vibrating egg with purchase of Easter Basket." I mean, what says Easter and Jesus and stuff better than a vibrating egg? Sadly, I had to use the little girls room, so really, stopping at red lights was optional at this point; I wasn't about to pause for a picture.

Speaking of not pausing for pictures, I did not take one that day. Not one of pizza (not that s.ly has been skimping on the pictures of the famed pizza, and btw, Bicko really does live up to the hype), nor one of our dinner companions, (s.ly & Melba joined us for dinner with drinks followed at Herkimer). And, that was d@mn fine pizza followed by drinks at a d@mn fine bar. I mean, color me happy, they had not one but two kinds of cider. Definately picture worthy. Oh well.

Having a rough time

In case you were wondering, there's no Orange Roughy in greater Minneapolis. Word on the street is that its over fished. I'm just letting you know in case you're looking for it and feel like a moron 'cause you can't find it. I'm here to help.

Our food choices that day were odd yet satisfying...bagels for breakfast, Byerly's for lunch and
Torge's for dinner.

Bagels - I really could have lived the rest of my life and never know about Cinnamon Sugar bagels. Soooo good. From someone who swore off bagels, other than an occasional wheat, this was not a good discovery. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Byerly's - For the L.A. kids, this is the equivalent to Gelson's. They have really good specialty food...the soups seem to be a particular favorite in this crowd. As a whole, spendy yet worth it. I'll need to take a bit more time to poke around. We were in a bit of a rush so I didn't get a chance. I mean, any market that offers samples of key lime pie is a happy place in my book.

Torge's - The finest Fairmont has to offer. Well, the finest Fairmont has to offer that doesn't allow smoking. Not that you'll ever go there, but if you do, order the Artichoke Crab dip. I seriously made a mistake by not making this my dinner. It was yum and stupidly I had to not only share but be expected to eat my entree. So yeah, next time, this is dinner.

Mas Por Favor

Thankfully I was in Minneapolis so really, even when going to a Mexican restaurant, I'm not expected to speak any sort of Spanish...which in my life is very important. Really, you don't want me to speak Spanish.

For lunch we did the sky room at Macy's. I was impressed. The space was bright and spacious and food was very yummy. If you've never been there, you have different options, Mexican, salad bar, Asian, deli and grill. I had Mexican, T had salad bar and L had deli. Every one's food looked good. (If L wasn't a good 5 inches taller than me, I would have totally taken her sandwich.) And, seriously, for the Midwest, my food was solid bougie Mexican...a great stop for lunch.

For dinner we went to Maza, more bougie Mexican. Its owned by a local restaurant family and located in downtown Mpls. Its casual yet upscale... expensive but without the pretension or dress code. And you know, they delivered. The wait staff was knowledgeable yet not condescending, which is a tough line. The drinks were yum (if you like girly, do the Cucumber Margarita) and the food was well portioned and very different. Though, one word of warning. If you are a hot wuss, meaning you can't handle spicy dishes, think about your choice of restaurant. I tend to fall into the spice wuss category and this was really in my upper threshold. But, in all honesty, this was T's birthday dinner, not mine, and he loved it, so it was the correct choice. And, all of my friends dig food spicier than I do so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone.

You definitely get what you pay for. Go there. Tonight. Yum.