Archive for January, 2009

Saturday Afternoon At The Pharmacy

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

pharmacy_store_front1So I’m standing in line, right? Like any normal human being, except this time it’s a pharmacy pick-up line and I just happened to be standing in back of a lovely late 50′s-ish couple. My presciption was ready when I called, so it shouldn’t take long, I thought.

The lady; heavy-set with ingrown roots and a matching pantsuit shuffled to the seats adjacent the waiting line while her husband; skinny, gray-haired and unamused by the rantings of his frugal wife stood idly by. ” 153 Dollars seems quite pricey doesn’t it George?” “Yes, but you have high cholesterol and apparently this stuff works or something,” he replied.  ”Well before you start on my cholesterol maybe you should get yours checked, you don’t even know what yours is,” she exclaimed defensively. ” Sure it’s 108 or 217 or something…” he replied while browsing through what seemed to be an overwhelming shelf of nasal sprays. The woman, scoffing at his uneducated guess, went on… “George, you’re the one that thinks that if I raise my arm during the test, it’ll lower my cholesterol, ha ha.”

Trying not to laugh at both her overbearing volume and his sheer ignorance, I looked away. And so it continued…for the next ten minutes…all about cholesterol levels and over-priced medication.

laugh-words

“Let’s just go somewhere else and get it…” he muttered quietly as he turned down the vitamin isle. Her response? “Why? So we can avoid it just like you do with going to the doctor?” Oh geez. Here it goes…

“Mia,” the pharmacist called out aimlessly. I paid and got the heck outta there.  Needless to say, the couple carried on their conversation. T’was quite an experience.

My Recent Yelp Endeavor

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

I’ve been spending quite a bit of time reviewing restaurants and businesses on Yelp.com the past few weeks, the site is pretty interesting. I’ve been enjoying writing reviews more than I expected. I guess what I like most about it is that I’m practicing writing reviews and getting work done at the same time. What’s even better is that Yelp.com is fairly easygoing and I can write in my own voice. I’ve written about hospitals, car repair shops, local italian food and Segway- Santa Monica.

thumbs up and down

I like that I don’t have to be uber professional and bland. There are some pretty good writers reviewing on yelp too, which makes it an educational site too! Okay, but seriously, I really am learning a lot about my writing and other peoples’ writing as well.  Which Yelpers are getting their reviews read?

I’ve only been on Yelp a couple weeks now but have already started noticing some key elements. Yelp is its own world; they have a language, a community and a personal side. Some people really get into posting threads on forums about their personal lives (and some of them I’d rather not read). Some Yelpers are really dedicated to the site and spend countless hours posting in forums, rating restaurants, creating Unofficial Yelp Events (UYEs) and giving out “compliments” to Yelpers who have written good reviews. These countless hours are essentially what make you an Elite Yelper. Elite members go to Elite Yelp Events and spend time posting, threading, rating, reviewing, complimenting and marking reviews as “Useful, Funny and Cool.”

Overall I think Yelp is a pretty great site for writers and restaurant connoisseurs alike. To see some of my reviews check out my Yelp site.

I guess this unintentionally turned out to be a review of Yelp.com itself… maybe I should stop reviewing for a few days ;)

If you’re on yelp too, let me know!

A Westcoast Mardi Gras

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

Venice Beach, Calif.

Crowds snapped pictures at every chance they could. Locals joined them in awe, grasping at soaring beaded necklaces.  The sequined jester swaggered on stilts, while Greek gods and goddesses waved from below. Though most may claim that Venice Beach, Calif. would regularly be occupied by such wild characters, Mardi Gras gave a reason for Los Angeles to join in the colorful Mardi Gras celebration.

Like they do every year, The Krewe of Grandview participated in Venice Beach’s annual Mardi Gras parade.

This group of Los Angeles locals includes scantily clad fairies, kings, queens and fantastic creatures. A Jester on stilts, Rapunzel and a cardboard robot join them, however, anyone can join them in the festivities.

Begining at 1 p.m. at the corner of Rose Avenue and Ocean Front Walk, as it has since 2001, the group from Mar Vista, Calif. parades up the Venice boardwalk every Saturday before Fat Tuesday.

Following the parade, french-influenced funk band, The Gumbo Brothers continued the Mardi Gras celebration at the Santa Monica Bar and Grill in Santa Monica, Calif. at 4 p.m. Their funky soul style sets the mood for traditional Mardi Gras activities. Traditional activities include loud singing, bead exchanging and beer drinking. The Gumbo Brothers play at the party following this annual parade, but this Cajun-style band can be found here every Wednesday.

Krewe of Grandview 2008- Venice Beach, Calif.

Krewe of Grandview 2008- Venice Beach, Calif.

El Pollo De Oro, Cabo San Lucas- Restaurant Review

Thursday, January 8th, 2009
During my last visit to Cabo San Lucas, BCS, I returned back to one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in Cabo. I say this not because it’s the most expensive place in town, nor because it has the best food in town, but because El Pollo de Oro, year after year, is reliably delicious and extremely inexpensive.

El Pollo de Oro boasts brightly-colored tablecloths, pointsettias galore and sure-to-have-been hand-layed brick. The ambience, however, is not the first thing I would mention when recommending this authentic mexican joint- it would be the chicken. El Pollo de Oro slow cooks whole chicken on rottisserie for hours. When it arrives at your table be prepared- the skin is flavorful, crisp to perfection and the meat is tender and moist.

The ribs are also raved about!

The best part? A quarter chicken with rice, beans and tortillas- only $3.50 USD! GASP!
Although the service is reliably slower, El Pollo de FANTASTICO far surpasses the experience I had at one of Lonely Planet’s top 5 recommended restaurants, O Mole Mio.

El Pollo de Oro is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner from 7:30-10:30pm.
Located at the corner of Cardenas and Morelos.

My Trip to Baja California

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

Well, I’m back from Mexico and what a trip it was. It’d had been a while since I’d traveled….Belize was the last big trip I think. Granted I’d done trips here and there to the firetower, San Diego and Vegas.

Mexico was a blast, it was time for a bit of relaxation and adventure.  I spent a night camping on the beach, a few in a rooftop Palapa and numerous days off-roading through endless cacti infested deserts.

On the Pacific side of the continent’s Southernmost point we spotted Leaping Manta Ray.  These Manta Ray are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They leap out of the water and slap back down
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2QTOz8kDZg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1]

I also made my way back to visit Cuco y Pilar’s at Rancho Pilar where I witnessed a lot of growth in the area.  A family of Canadians has begun constructing a huge house at the top of the hill overlooking the beach where I camp.  It’s sad to see the land develop, it was kind of nice having a remote camping spot with friendly neighbors.

baja caves

On our way up the Eastern Coast of Baja California Sur, I stopped to explore a huge cave we saw at the bottom of a dry river bed.  Filled with cows and lined with cacti, the cave was an amazing sight.

The New Year has begun and I feel refreshed.

Happy New Year.