THE SPOILED UNDER-30 CROWD!!

THE SPOILED UNDER-30 CROWD!!!


When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking Twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... barefoot...BOTH ways
Yadda, yadda, yadda


And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that... I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today.

You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!

And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!


I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have The Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!


There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen!


Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox and it would take, like, a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!


Child Protective Services
didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass!
Nowhere was safe!


There were no MP3's or Napsters! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the damn record store and shoplift it yourself!


Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players!

We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished and the tape would come undone. Cause - that's how we rolled, dig?

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal, that's it!


And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either!


When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your mom, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, a collections agent, you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!



We didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen... forever!

And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!


You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on!
You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel! NO REMOTES!!!


There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying!?! We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-bastards!


And we didn't have microwaves, if we wanted to heat something up we had to use the stove! Imagine that!


That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy..


You're spoiled. You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980
or before!


Regards,
The Over 30 Crowd

Best Vietnamese Cuisine in LA

I love Vietnamese food, but I don't like driving through LA traffic to Westminster. I found two incredible Vietnamese restaurants nestled in the heart Los Angeles for us locals.

If you've never had Vietnamese food I suggest that you try it at one of these two locations .
Both restaurants cook with noticeably fresh ingredients that leaves the palate feeling invigorated and the dining area is clean in its minimalist style.
Dining at these locations is sincerely enjoyable, affordable and you leave the restaurant feeling satiated and light.

Things to experiment with:

Drinks:
I recommend for newbies to experiment with tea or with Vietnamese coffee, one of the most potent cups of caffeine I've ever sampled. The brew is usually so bold that a non experienced coffee nut may need a second glass of hot water to dilute the amazing concoction.

Appetizers:
For the first course, I recommend an order of "Summer Rolls". The fantastic appetizer is served chilled, not fried and makes for a great starter in the searing hot months.
The Summer Roll is made of cucumbers, herbs and shrimp wrapped in a sheet of rice noodle. The option of adding lemon grass steak to the dish is available, but unnecessary. To eat, one simply dips the roll in a savory sweet peanut sauce and enjoy the fresh cool vegetables, dance with the sophisticated touch of shrimp, drenched in a salty sweet peanut dipping sauce.

My favorite appetizer in cooler weather is "Bun Xeo" which is essentially a Vietnamese crepe filled with shrimp, bean sprout, basil, mushroom, tofu and lemon grass steak. You're left to your own wits at wrapping the morsel in piece of lettuce, wrapped again in rice paper and dipped in peanut sauce or a sweet vinaigrette.

Main Course:
For the main course there are two options that are guaranteed "safety" dishes that anyone would love.


When the temperature drops in LA, I tend to favor "Phô Noodle" at the restaurant. Phô is a bowl of delicate rice noodles bathed in the house broth, and served with your choice of protein: chicken, beef, tofu or seafood. I usually ask for sliced sirloin.
*note: The bowl is served piping hot with the slices of meat (sirloin) resting on top of the noodles.....rare. Dunk the beef into the center of the bowl to allow the broth's temperature cook the meat thoroughly. This is the method for guaranteeing ideal personal degree of cooking.
I suggest dumping a few bean sprouts and a few sprigs of basil into the bowl as well.

How to eat Phô:

Personally, I like to have my Pho accompanied with a side of Hoison Sauce combined with chilli.
I cram the spoon with noodles, a piece of protein, a dab of my Hoison concoction, fill the remaining space with the broth and ingest. This is a delicious method that will eventually become cumbersome. At that point, I ditch the idea of combining each ingredient into the spoon and go wild on the noodles and protein.
The broth makes a great chaser and warms your body instantly.

Vermicelli:

During the summer I thoroughly enjoy a bowl of Vietnamese Vermicelli topped with charbroiled steak and spring rolls..."bun." It's served cold accompanied with a side of vinaigrette. It's an Asian's answer to a summer salad.
This dish is deceitfully light and delicious.
Douse your bowl of Vermicelli with the vinaigrette and enjoy.
It's awesome accompanied by a beer or a Vietnamese Iced Coffee.


Bon Appetite!

Pho Cafe
(Silver Lake)
2841 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-0888
Unpretentious, affordable and fantastic. The only drawback is that a storefront sign is completely absent. The business is so confident about its food that it relies on word of mouth marketing.... which is working. There is often a line outside the restaurant during dinner and weekend lunch.
Find Pho Cafe by spotting the Escrow sign next to it.



Ginger Grass Silverlake
www.gingergrass.com
2396 Glendale Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039-3209
Fresh, tasty food, reasonable priced. It's Western influenced enhancing the the marriage of East and West in its food and its ambience.
(323) 644-1600

Ice Cream for EVERYBODY...Lactose or Not!

I have found the wonder-all ice cream shack for everyone!

My sister and my ex are both lactose intolerant. Cruel Fate and their genetic make up rob them and thousands of other people the ability to savor the Heaven-sent, incredible frozen treats we call ICE CREAM.

One must admit that there is no better place to find joy, comfort and solace than in its company.

Ice Pan is a modest ice cream shop peeking out of the West Hollywood Shopping Plaza, towered over by a giant Target.

The ice cream is incredibly fresh and natural with absolutely no chemicals nor preservatives polluting this frozen goodness...and yet it maintains amazing flavor and texture. It's fantastic for health nuts and the ice cream deprived (the lactose intolerant).

Choose from full cream, low-fat, notfat or soy milk; add toppings and then watch the staff whip it up teppan-style on a freezing cold pan. They literally form the ice cream in front of you.

The toppings range from the usual chocolate binge treats to fruits and nuts. Sigh! It's absolutely delicious.

I even tried the soy-ice cream to test out the waters for my ex. And though I usually detest ice cream not made of full cream, I was absolutely amazed on how much I enjoyed it. One could not tell that it was made of soy.

I encourage you to give it a go when you find the opportunity.


Ice Pan Inc
www.icepanusa.com

7100 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046-5896
(323) 883-0267

LA's BEST Muffins

The absolute BEST Muffin place in all Southern California.

My ex had a thing for breakfast foods....especially muffins. After much research I found this tiny, amazing place nestled in the heart of Echo Park for a final awesome surprise snack before dropping the ex at the airport. The muffins at Delilah are AMAZING and the service is excellent. It felt like one of those old school co-op muffin houses in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The ex had a mouth savoring blueberry muffin and I had a sausage and cheese muffin (sounds weird, but it was INCREDIBLE)
I strongly encourage you to explore this absolutely fantastic muffin shop....they sell cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods too, but the muffins are this cafe's strong point.


Delilah Bakery
www.delilahbakery.com
1665 Echo Park Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90026-2647
(213) 975-9400

OPUS: Fine Dining by the Wiltern Theater

If you've ever watched Japanese cook off shows and scratched your head wondering what they're describing, I recommend Opus in Los Angeles.
After my first bite I instantly understood culinary masterfulness and became aware of my palate. Adjectives and metaphors previously lost to me on the Food Network became crystal clear at Opus.

http://www.opusrestaurant.net/
3760 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010-2807
(213) 738-1600

The ambience is beautiful and the food was exquisite. The price is a modestly expensive, but well deserved.
The menu changes sporadically leaving one the possibility of never being able to revisit a favorite dish, but the sense of adventure in exploring a new dish is unmatched.

I strongly recommend the tasting menu ($30 dollars for 3 courses or $90 for 9 course meal)
The new chef is a genius at understanding how to combine subtle flavors and interesting textures to create an esculent orgasmic masterpieces.

During my visit, I had the pleasure of acquainting myself with the house bartenders who surprised me with an interesting concoction: a celery martini. I was initially hesitant to try the green tinted brew , but was immediately relieved and joyous after my first sip. One can not help but be impressed by the clean, crisp taste of the drink. The celery was a perfect accent, but not overpowering. I could imagine this special martini as a great way to clean the palate after a meal at Opus.

Opus is a fantastic restaurant to dine before heading across the street to listen to a favorite band or performance at the Wiltern Theater.

Korean BBQ: Los Angeles

One of the benefits of having Korean friends who are also hearty eaters is that they're eager to help me explore Korea Town and its many fantastic, commonly unknown (to outsiders) restaurants.

Korean cuisine is excellent for die hard carnivores and for late hour munchies after the club. I've found that most of the restaurants I've visited open late and enthusiastically cater to late workers and club goers without sacrificing the quality of their food or ambience.

1. If you are sincerely a carnivor, I recommend MANA:
MANA Korean BBQ
http://www.mannakoreanbbq.com/
3377 W Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
11am-11pm on weekdays
11am-12am on weekends

MANA is one of the best Korean BBQ restaurants in the Greater Los Angeles Area for a very amazing deal.
For $16.99, a patron can eat an unlimited amount of meat with one restriction: don't waste food.


There are a few cautions I must express before you try out MANA.

1. In the unlimited meal deal there is a stern monetary penalty for food left over and untouched.

2. When the restaurant gets busy, the only way to get the servers' attention is to speak Korean.
These simple phrases help tremendously.

"Excuse me" sheelay hamnida
"I don't understand" Eehay moht algaysumnida
"Can you help me?" Mu-ŏ-sŭl do-wa-dŭ-ril-kka-yo?

2. Late Night Tofu
BCD Tofu House
http://www.bcdtofu.com/
(213) 382-6677
3575 Wilshire Blvd (at Ardmore Avenue)
Los Angeles, CA 90010
24 hrs

ask for the soon tofu
+combination if you're really hungry
they go from mild to spicy

Soon Tofu is essentially a piping hot bowl of soup with a lot of spiced heat from mild to extreme, accompanied with silky tofu and your choice of protein.
Traditionally, a raw egg is partnered with the stew. Crack the egg into the bowl and let the temperature from the soup cook the yolk and white.

The meal is attended with a few traditional side dishes (au gratis) ranging from salted fish, to kimchee (spicy pickled cabbage and vegetables)

3. Late Night Korean Sampler
Hodori
213) 383-3554
1001 S Vermont Ave Ste 102
Los Angeles, CA 90006
They have everything from kalbi (barbecue short ribs), duk-bok-ki (spicy rice cakes) to yuk-gae-jang (spicy beef soup with scallions)

Hodori is an all around Korean diner. The food is relatively inexpensive, the restaurant is immaculate, opened 23 hours and there is a huge variety of dishes for the budding fan of Korean cuisine.
Lit pictures of each dish is displayed proudly at the front of the restaurant for the timid visitor.
The meals are accompanied by an array of appetizers (au gratis) usually including a few forms of kimchee (pickled vegetables) and potato salad.
Hodori's food is delicious and recognized throughout the community. They're proud of their reputation as proven by the newsprint of a former president dining at one of their locations on one of their walls.

Best Dim Sum in the LA Area

DIM SUM:

Dim Sum is a Chinese cuisine involving a wide range of light dishes escorted by tea. It's usually served weekend mornings until mid afternoon at Chinese restaurants and specialty Dim Sum eateries.

Dishes come in small portions carted throughout the restaurant by a troop of Asian servers though a menu is usually made available for specialty or dinner items.

How it works:
Dim Sum reminds me of ordering peanuts at a baseball game from snack vendors.
When you see a dish that catches your eye, just wave the server over and point to the dish that you desire. The server will place the small plate on your table and stamp the bill at your table indicating your order.
It usually becomes a game of gathering one's sense of culinary adventure, pointing to random dishes and experimenting. I assure you that you will quickly learn what you like and dislike at a restaurant.

After the meal, a server will tabulate the number of dishes you asked for by organizing them by size and specialty on your bill.
Viola! You're done!

My recommendation for first timers:

1. Order tea. I usually prefer a mixture of jasmine and chrysanthemum. It helps with digestion.

2. Take your time when ordering your meal. Dim Sum is less about stuffing your face and more about enjoying an easy brunch with friends. There's no need to horde your food. Enjoy and sample each dish that come your way and catches your attention.

3. Keep an open mind. I'll warn you that there may be a few, occasional exotic dishes (chicken feet, baby octopus, tripe...ect) the majority of the foods are tame and made with mundane ingredients. I assure the first timer that they may only seem exotic in appearance.

It's my suggestion that a newbie stick to the basics and make an occasional leap of faith with an unknown dish. This kind of random selection will be the only way you will ever find out if you like something or not.

The Basics

1. Shrimp Dumpling-It's shrimp wrapped in cooked rice noodle. Good with soy sauce/ hot chilli oil.

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2. Turnip Cake-It's turnip and rice flour compressed and made into a little cake. It's slightly salty, but overall pretty mute in flavor. I suggest asking for HOISIN SAUCE for dipping.

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3. Rice Rolls-Pork or Shrimp wrapped Rice Noodle accompanied by a slightly sweet soy sauce.

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4. Char Su Bao (Pork Bun)- Slightly sweet and salty pork slices wrapped in a fluffy bun. An alternative to this dish is one made with chicken instead of pork.

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5. Su Mai- Usually ground chicken or ground pork occasionally mixed with minced shrimp, scallions, garlic and water chest nut. It's wrapped in basic won ton wrapper. Good with soy sauce/ hot chilli oil.

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6. Egg Custard Tart- It's a traditional light dessert/ pastry made of egg and custard.

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My recommendations for LA are:
The Empress Pavillion
in Chinatown on Hill
(take the escalator upstairs)
http://www.empresspavilion.com/
The website has a small sample of their dim sum menu and directions. I recommend showing up early as there is usually a wait on the weekends.

My recommendation for a more authentic place:
Ocean Star Seafood Restaurant
145 N Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754-1581
(626) 308-2128