J.P.O.T.

panda steez

2011-07-19T16:29:00.001-07:00

Rebula Without a Cause

2011-07-11T09:03:00.001-07:00

Italian White Whine

2011-06-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Summer sippin' - Some wines I've had recently, and several others - recent notes posted at my tumblr. Lazy to post here, so just pictures.

2011-06-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

We gonna be visor beast

2011-05-31T16:03:00.001-07:00

How cowboys keep cool

2011-05-25T13:06:00.001-07:00

5k groupie love what

2011-05-25T12:57:00.001-07:00

MaxnRelaxn

2011-05-25T12:43:00.001-07:00

Basil Buddies

Spaghetti al Granchio & Valle dell’Acate “Case Ibidini” IGT

2011-05-17T10:59:00.001-07:00

More information here.

Wines with Grindz

2011-05-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

The dish pictured isn't much to look at, but Shoyu Chicken epitomizes comfort food (and the many variations of it in asian/pan-asian cuisine - chicken adobo, ga kho, etc.). The dish contains a heavy soy sauce component, which can be off-putting against certain wines. I have been toying around with the idea of oxidized whites with this dish - - inspired by past conversations with Lou Amdur - - so I whipped up a batch and paired it with two wines.

The wine on the left is a Bodegas Valdivia "La Cosecha" Oloroso (NV) and the one on the right is a Bibich "R5" white blend from Croatia (2008). Both wines were purchased from Domaine LA, off Melrose and retail around $20. Jill Bernheimer at Domaine LA, gave me a quick run-down on the R5, and categorized it as a 'baby orange wine' with the nutty/oxidative notes I was seeking, so I went with it. Both wines performed well with the dish - with a salinity component and flavors of roasted nuts and acidity that helped to lift the counterpoints in the dish (soy/brown sugar/onions). The Oloroso, as expected - was heavier in the mouth - but wasn't cloying, helped undoubtedly by the acidity and related long finish. I did find the R5 the 'winner' of the two, since it was a bit lighter in weight/body - the R5 being a blend of several Croatian grape varieties and Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.

Overall, success all around - and I was happy to jot these down in the memory banks for potential wines when dealing with large spreads of Asian food.

P.S. - as I removed the chicken to reduce the sauce further, I placed the thighs underneath a broiler for a few minutes. It was my first time trying this, but it seemed to help carmelized the chicken skin a bit more - which helped flavor-wise. It certainly won't get you crispy skin, but that's not the point. I'll do this going forward with the dish.

Some recent wines....

2011-05-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

All consumed in April/May 2011. All great. Individual thoughts captured here.

Burger Wars - Five Guys Enters the Fray

2011-04-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Seeming that we like to cover burgers in between our coverage of Notre Dame football and wine, I thought it would only be appropriate to point to a recent article from the LA Times regarding the expansion of Five Guys Burgers into the Southern California fast food market. Southern California is one of the fiercest markets for fast food chains in the nation (pure speculation on my part - but I'm confident this is the case), and if you're coming in to the market - you better have your A-game on. I've tried Five Guys - and I need to give it a few more shots, but so far I am unimpressed. At the time, I stopped at the Cerritos location, so I look forward to being able to try one of their newly opened outposts closer to LA proper - to give the chain another shot. I won't belabor points here, but my thoughts in summary:

I agree with most of the analysts quoted, in that Five Guys will not overtake In-N-Out, but there will be some market share lost by INO over time.
The article speaks to Five Guys falling into a niche above INO, because of pricing and their 'fast casual' format. I believe that model has been road tested before with limited success - see Fat Burger.
In the end, I don't think Five Guys can differentiate itself enough to warrant consumers to shell out extra money in droves, fast casual or not - so INO is relatively safe. I do like the additional option however.
Minor nit about Five Guys is the expansive menu (options wise). I was fine with such options and selections, but as I've grown older - I now appreciate a streamlined menu and ordering process. To that, INO will always have me as a fan.

2009 Valli Unite Brut & Beast Frizzantte

2011-04-08T10:00:00.001-07:00

Piedmontese blend of cortese, moscato, favorita, chasselas & timoraso - grapes I don’t regularly gulp, but what a wine. Hippie juice (literally farmed by an Italian commune of farmers). Good fruit, dry - sings with food.

Food and Wine - For Context

2011-03-11T22:44:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy of terroirwines.com.au

It's been awhile between posts here at JPOT, but guess what? Life happens(ed). Needless to say, I wanted to take some time out to share some thoughts shared with me during a recent meal earlier this week, and my own thoughts on the matter of food and wine pairings. On a rather blah Monday, I headed to Lou on Vine for his Monday supper. Always solid, this week's supper was especially an event because Lou was featuring cassoulet on the menu. Lou's cassoulet is always a hit, so I had to amend my plans and head over for this seasonal dish.

Chef DJ Olsen, commander of Lou's kitchen, puts together a mean cassoulet. First off, he serves the duck confit and sausage atop the beans (separate) - which allows him to serve a crispy duck confit and a moist/snappy sausage. I won't drown you in hyperbole here, but between the tarbais beans, the duck and pork confit and the Toulousse sausage - I was in heaven.

To pair, Lou poured a glass 09 Causse Marines Marcillac. I'm not too familiar with this wine, but I was quite pleased with it - especially against the backdrop of the cassoulet. The vegetal notes reminded me of a cab franc, but a lot more rustic - scents of the dry brush from the hills of Southern California's Inland Empire where I grew up. I smiled as I drank and took a bite, repeating the process while sitting at the bar.

As with a sixth sense, Lou knows exactly when to come over and inquire about the wine one is drinking. Lou led with asking how I enjoyed the wine, and then went on to point out how well he thought it went with the dish (I nodded emphatically in agreement). Lou then pointed out the importance of 'context' in regards to enjoying a wine. In this case, I was sipping a wine from a region where cassoulet is considered king. The wine, although enjoyable on its own, made perfect sense in combination with the cassoulet.

I'm not a devout believer in hard and fast rules of wine/food pairings. Sometimes I think accepted conventions are over-engineered and limit wine drinkers, as opposed to freeing them. I've cracked enough jokes with Lou on the topic, that I'm confident he shares the same thoughts (from a retweet written by @UnmitigatedGaul).

This is not to say that wine enthusiasts like Lou don't think that there's value in wine/food pairings, however. A lot of folks will tell you that wine needs food and vice versa. Count me as a true believer in this axiom. As I sat there and chatted with Lou about how good the Marcillac was with the cassoulet, I thought about another common 'rule' of wine/food pairing in that wines taste best with foods/dishes that come from that specific region. Now, do I need to find myself a heurigen in order to enjoy Austrian wine? Not necessarily (more on that below), but if I ever have a chance to enjoy ingredients/food preparations that originate from the same region of the wine I'm drinking - why not take the plunge?

I guess what I'm saying is that I used to be skeptical about the whole idea of 'if it grows together it goes together' for wine/food pairing. I wanted to say "fuck the man" and drink whatever the hell I wanted, with what I wanted - as long as I had food with my wine. But Monday helped to highlight just how great a thoughtful pairing could be, and the beauty of it is that you don't have to overly think it and succumb to the mental masturbation that is wine/food pairing. Here, I just had to ask "what would the locals drink with this dish?" and go from there. Now in the end, I can go against the grain and still have just as an enjoyable of an experience with an off-the-wall pairing. Knowing both sides of the pairing coin however, makes for a better appreciation of wine and its potential harmonies with food. So drink up, and if you have a chance to match a wine with its respective regional cuisine - give it a shot, you can always order a different wine later.

Note on heurigen month - - - rumor is that there are a number of establishments here in LA are in talks of hosting a heurigen month, a celebration of the Austrian wine tavern culture - - complete with Austrian wines up the wazoo. Nothing's been officially announced, but I wait anxiously for it. It should be a blast.

In Studio Set, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

2011-01-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

came across this in-studio footage of Edward Sharpe and his band. They kick ass.

Lost Where I Belong

2010-12-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

Really feeling this MBE set. Smooth, relaxing and perfect for today, as the clouds and rain finally break and the sun begins to shine again here in LA.

Here Comes The Sun

2010-12-22T11:20:00.001-08:00

Photo via Ben Ford of Elkhart Truth

Thanksgiving Wine

2010-12-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

I was too lazy to cobble together a list of wines I planned to drink for Thanksgiving, so this is an 'after the fact' listing. The picture above is of the 09 Keller Estate Riesling (trocken), which was fantastic against the bevy of flavors on the table (can't go wrong with Riesling for Thanksgiving in my mind). Focused acidity and minerality and great finish, although Uncle Rico found the petrol notes too much (I'm going to convert him at some point), and the acidity off-putting.

In the background is a sparkling rose from Weingut Markus Huber Hugo, an Austrian producer. It is made up of Zweigelt and Pinot Noir (more of the former), and provided bubbles/lift and fruit for those looking for something other than a white wine. Between these two, there was no need to open anything else and I think they went perfectly with the fare on Thursday.

I made a conscious decision not to open any reds on Thanksgiving (e.g., the oft-recommended Pinot Noir and Zinfandel), but I couldn't avoid it all weekend. The Bojo Bug bit, and I opened a few bottles of Beaujolais over the weekend. I opened an 09 JP Brun Terres Dorees L'Ancien which drank well - tart flavors and some body. I'm reading that the lauded 09 vintage was a ripe one, but in review of my notes of the same wine from last year, I really didn't see a difference in what I tasted last winter in the 08. Good stuff nonetheless. Speaking of 08s, I opened a bottle of the Chermette (Dom. du Vissoux) Cuvee Traditionelle, which I believe is a 'step' up from their standard Beaujolais cuvee (I could be wrong). Good wine, some dirt elements which I enjoy and food friendly.

Nobody Ever Shut It Down Like You

2010-12-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

Click Start Menu -- Shutdown!! HOT Daaaaaayaaaaaam!!

Was doing some holiday shopping over the weekend, and this hot joint came on the PA while I was on the escalator. It was one of the musical moments you have when you kind of just let your neck get loose, vibe on out and let the beat droooooooooop!

Obviously, the key visual parts to the live videos are when Alicia makes her way, with grace and stunning capture, to the piano for the crescendo and denouement of the song.

I Got 99 Eats But A Quiche Ain't 1

2010-12-08T10:12:00.000-08:00

Published in early November, Jonathan Gold lays out L.A. Weekly's 99 Essential Restaurants. I wish the format and navigation of the vast guide to some of LA's tastiest dining was more forward-thinking and looking, e.g., the technopolis' column in the FT's How To Spend It. Now that's what I would call food porn. Get on it L.A. Weekly.

And...Behind Door No. 3: The Bonus Jack

2010-12-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago, TPops and I took issue over which Fast Food Double Patty Burger deserved the nod for being best in class here and here. (note: this evaluation excludes local/regional burgers, such as In-N-Out's Double Double or a Tommy's Double Cheese Burger or a Baker's Double Baker.) I've been tempted to try the Big Carl since then, but it's just too hard to go the Big Carl's way when you're at Carl's Jr. with all their awesome burgers.

Lately, an old fellow once on the scene (but one that I've never tried) is returning to the burger block and has been receiving much advertising -- from bus stops to billboards, the Bonus Jack is back, and being offered in a combo meal at a nice recession-friendly price of $3.99. Today I ventured to the local Jack-In-The-Box and gave it a whirl, to see how it would stack up against the Big Mac and Big Carl.

Let me say this: the Bonus Jack is legit. It is a tasty and satisfying burger. It is not overly salty, and the melding of flavors (bun, lettuce, french dressing, 2 beef patties, 2 slices of american cheese, middle bun, pickles and onions(?))is nice. The overall flavor profile of the Bonus Jack actually lends itself more to be compared with a Double Del Cheeseburger or the Baker's Double Double, rather than the Big Carl or Big Mac.

So in the end, I can't conclude that the Bonus Jack is better than the Big Carl or Big Mac, but it certainly can hold its own in any burger battle, double patty or single patty.

Post Rivalry Week

2010-12-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

As it is, the Trojans are 7-5, "and this season has definitely been a failure," he says. "To have the winning streak stopped against Notre Dame, that's the most disappointing thing of all."
LA Times, 11/30/2010

Here Come The Irish! Oooh weee!

And I call this look, "Cardinal Steal" (AKA, "The Look of Lane"):

Rivalry Week

2010-11-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

Rivalry Week

2010-11-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

Garlic Chicken (poulet aux 40 gousses d'ail)

2010-11-24T10:28:00.001-08:00

Found a great recipe as I flipped through Olney's "Simple French Food" - and it's pretty simple. I don't have the recipe in front of me, so I won't be able to provide exact measurements, but I didn't follow those anyhow, so you should be fine if you wing it

Richard Olney's Garlic Chicken (poulet aux 40 gousses d'ail)
Take cut chicken pieces, and place inside of a dutch oven (or casserole dish that has a lid) and season with salt, pepper and dried herbs (I went with a pinch of tarragon, and a good helping of oregano). Throw in a shit ton of garlic cloves, unpeeled and toss with enough olive oil to coat everything and provide a coating on the bottom of the pot/pan.

Create a pocket in the middle for your bouquet garni, which Olney suggests the standard celery, parsley, etc. - but I went with what I had which was thyme, some fresh savory, and leeks. I think a bay leaf would be awesome and if you have marjoram on hand, that would work. I think everything except rosemary would be great for this dish.

Place lid on top of the pan/pot and place into a 400 degree oven for an hour, hour and 15 minutes. Olney calls for an hour and forty five minutes, at 350, but I went at a higher heat for shorter time. The next time I do this, I may take the lid off at some point, and try to brown the chicken (or maybe do it a bit before hand?). Olney also recommends one use a dough "paste" to line the pot and help secure the lid, but I skipped that piece.

As it comes out, you can squeeze the puree out of the garlic bulbs and spread it onto toasted/grilled bread for a great treat. I just slathered it onto the chicken itself. Any side would go well, but I'd likely try some braised greens of some sort to counter the savory/caramelized garlic and chicken. A nice cru Beaujolais and you're good to go.

I'm really enjoying Olney's book. More recipes I'm sure to come.....

- Rivalry Week

2010-11-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

Unmundane Monday: It's A School Night!

2010-11-22T11:42:00.001-08:00

Tonight @ Bardot in Hollywood. Should be a doozy.

Vasco da Gama da Vino

2010-11-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered some wines from Portugal at Mignon (see below, earlier post), and I gotta say, pretty good stuff. Here are 2 bottles of stuff I've savored, and I can easily see both being great pours and pairing potential during the delicious hollerdaze. So if you're lucky to find them in stock somewhere, pick 'em up (should be under $20). Or use them as a starting point (e.g., varietal, region) to help you select something new you haven't tried before.

2009 Luis Pato Maria Gomes Bruto Beiras

Spritzy / dry / juicy / crisp / longer finish / delish

2008 Herdade do Esporão White Reserva

Floral / Fruity / Creamy / Grapefruit / Peach / Moderate finish / delish

One thing I realized, after enjoying the Luis Pato Maria Gomes Brut, is that when it comes to sparkling wine, I like my bubbles like my dejeuner: petit. Small, agile, spritzy, effervescent little bubbles. Not clunky, chubby ones. Something about the little ones and how it allows for a more enjoyable, tastier wine experience. Just my opinion, and I'm sure there are going to be wines that need chubby bubbles. But that's beyond my current wine-acumen at the moment, and I'll just have to pop that bubbly when it surfaces, if ever.

Anyways, salud!

Young Blood

2010-11-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

Damn, this track is currently burning down my speakers, homie! Cheggit!

The Naked And Famous - Young Blood from The Naked And Famous on Vimeo.

Simple French Food

2010-11-18T11:47:00.001-08:00

First post back on J.P.O.T. - it has been a long time coming. More information on Thanksgiving wine and such, but for now - peep the new book. It's not NEW per se, and I've read a lot on Olney - I just have not had the chance to purchase this book. It's now mine.

Beaujolais Nouveau Day

2010-11-17T13:24:00.000-08:00

We are in the heart of fall here in the northern hemisphere, and with that, many of us are wrapping ourselves among the autumn flavors we hold dear to heart. Pumpkin, ginger, squash, nutmeg, grapefruit, butter, pecans and walnuts, cinnamon, turkey, lamb, braises and the yummy list goes on. And with the holidays fast approaching, the intersection of booze, family and joy prepares its arrival as well. No better way to roll out the red carpet for such a time of year than to celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau Day, which according to the Mignon wine bar in downtown LA: "That's when the very first wine of the vintage arrives and everybody parties and gets drunk off the stuff." So come on out on Thursday evening, November 18th, 2010 to Mignon and enjoy some awesome pours of vino at $5, as there should be a good bunch of folks there ringing in the final stretch of what is 2010.

Mignon Wine and Cheese Bar
128 E Sixth Street, Los Angeles CA, 90014
Phone: 213.489.0131
Open 5PM - Midnight Daily

2010-11-17T11:51:00.001-08:00

Put it in da air! Ooooo weeee!

2010-11-17T11:49:00.001-08:00

Introducing, Elmo jr. Found this little guy in my backyard one morning taking the high ground on this stump. Love the paws on this fellow.

2010-11-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

My name is Jonas (Gray); I'm carrying the wind.

Goodness, Friday

2010-11-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

From the previously-mentioned Black Light album, "Paper Romance" by Groove Armada. Welcome, the Weekend, nice to see you again! Where did you say you were from again?!

Hello Kitty Lookin Better Than Cher At 50

2010-11-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

Big party for the Sanrio homies this November 12-21 in LA-Santa Monica at their LA pop-up-gift store world tour stop. Click the foto for more four-one-one.

Hard Boiled Soldier Boy Told You So

2010-11-11T14:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Tricerapops for the heads up on the Hong Kong Film Festival at the LACMA, this November 12 thru the 27th.

Check out this LA Times Around Town piece on the festival as well.

Bronx Footbawl

2010-11-10T16:32:00.001-08:00

Yankee Stadium almost ready for ND-Army on November 20th, 2010. But please believe the focus this week is all on Utah aka You Tall! aka uTAW aka...okay, dead horse.

Bob Ross: So Hard

2010-11-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

Everytime is soo right...

2010-11-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

These new Barry White-inspired Charmin toilet paper commercials really get me in the mood to drop a deuce. Never before has taking the browns to the superbowl seemed so sexy, steamy,smooth and slick.

From Black to White

2010-11-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

One of my top albums of 2010 was Groove Armada's Black Light. Out now is a remix of the album entitled, White Light. Simple enough, but still very grooovy man. Check out a remix of "History" below.

And now, the original, but live:

Ain't it funky?

2010-11-05T11:04:00.001-07:00

Root Down Thursdays is back. The venue is slick and just right. Sound system is real live.

No regrets, just love

2010-11-05T10:56:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! I love this song!

2010-11-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

Best Fish Taco In Ensenada

Simplicity: Steak and Salade

2010-06-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

More details on this meal - - - - - here.

2006 Joël Taluau Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Vieilles Vignes

2010-06-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

12.5% ABV, imported through Premier Wine Co. (Richmond, CA)
Cab Franc - so only fans need apply (no oak)
Sweet fruit with some vegetal characteristics we come to know and love out of Cab Franc
Medium bodied and grainy tannins that aren't too much of a distraction. At about $20, you'll have a more interesting wine than your average Cru Bourgeois or Napa Cab.

2007 Germano Angelo Barbera d'Alba

2010-06-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Imported by Tanaro River Imports, 13.5% ABV. Less than $20 retail.
Supposedly a good year for Barbera d'Alba, but this really fell flat for me. There's some fruit here, but it's muted and not as fresh, as compared to the Camerano I had earlier this year. I'm missing some of the acidity I find charming in a Barbera, and the wine finished rather short.

Nonce - "Mix Tapes"

2010-05-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

This song was so ill back then.

Tumblr Tryout

2010-05-23T21:12:00.000-07:00

I started a Tumblr page - mainly out of curiosity, but at the time I needed an easy (see innocuous) way to post an image for a Tweet I sent out regarding a sample sale. I couldn't be bothered with using Flickr or Picasa, so went with Tumblr. I'm sure this will go stale as with other social media outlets I'm using not named Twitter (I even have issues keeping this blog up to date). Not sure what I'll do with this Tumblr page, but so far the slow responding page loads are turning me off fast. Stay tuned, at least I was able to secure the TriceraPops name on Tumblr (heavily sought after I know).

Summer Sippin' - 2010

2010-05-23T20:42:00.001-07:00

I will be drinking copious amounts of the following rosés this Summer:

Radical!

2010-04-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Lisztomania - for the Chil'ren

2010-03-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Wine Blog - Honor Roll

2010-03-07T15:20:00.000-08:00

So as mentioned in a previous post, I flirted briefly at the idea of becoming a wine blogger, and I have decided to turn it in. A few reasons why:

1 - I'm a wine noob, and I should really just focus on drinking, than capturing thoughts in a blog and be a wine poser. I'm happy to do this (focus on drinking).
2 - I'm not really bringing any fresh perspective (i.e., the "wine noob" blog niche is rich with other dynamic and compelling reads), so really - I'm just an echo in the blog wilderness (if I may borrow from Jeff over at Viva La Wino).
3 - Finally, there are some great wine blogs out there written by some folks who are better writers, better blog designers and have a better palate than I, so let's leave it to the experts shall we?

I want to take this time to highlight a few wine blogs I frequent, and why. This is by no means an all-inclusive listing, and for any of you I'm forgetting, I'm sorry - no offense meant.

Viva La Wino - This dude, Jeff is pretty cool. First off, he averages a bottle a day I'm guessing. He keeps the blog up to date and current (my reader feed is always updated, almost on the daily). Jeff also drinks a ton of different varieties/varietals - so you're getting a good cross section of wines from around the world. He's also very frank and knows what he likes and does not, and doesn't hold back on his reviews. He'll often go off on some tangents like what heavy metal band is of interest to him at the moment, or general rants on wine and the economy - but that adds flavor to the blog overall.

Smell, Swirl, Slurp - Written by a boifrend/gurlfrend duo, these two Angelenos are tres cute and really into wine. I love the back and forth between the two, and they have one of the more better designed blogs out there. Easy on the eyes, the design is fresh and the blog is really well put together. SSS has a good amount of recurring posts about trips to the local market for a wine (where they will capture their notes, both Him and Her), and also wine 'quizzes' where She will quiz Him on wine trivia and basics. It's really quite fun to follow their blog and you can even sense the love they have for each other, and sometimes catch some allusions to hanky panky, which adds to the whole voyeuristic aspect of blog readership (which is another topic altogether). Love these two - and look forward to meeting them some day.

Some other ones, with quick blog notes on why you should check em out -

Brooklyn Guy's Wine and Food Blog - Well written, and approachable in format/topic. I really like this guy's palate and he drinks a lot from importers that I buy wines from as well - so it's cool to get his sense on the same wines.

Jason's Wine Blog - This guy is a great follow on Twitter, but his blog is even better in terms of information on wines, specifically from Trader Joe's. I send my friends who look for reviews/advice on TJ wines, to this guy's site.

Good Grape - This blog focuses on wine in general and offers some great reads on the industry and consumer/producer topics that help pass the time between bottles. Also, the guy who runs the site is an ND fan, so you know he's good people.

McDuff's Food & Wine Trail - For some of the similar reasons I like Brooklyn Wine Guy - I like McDuff's site. He keeps his posts pretty succinct and drinks some rather interesting wines - all approachable and available for purchase from my local wine shops (which I appreciate).

I might break this post into a second half, to get you more thoughts on other blogs I read. This is just a break of some of my daily reads. Thanks for reading.

Good/Cheap/Euro-esque Wine - Unicorn Status in the U.S.?

2010-03-05T22:35:00.000-08:00

*Image courtesy of Slate.com

The title of this post is a bit of a jumble - and really it's because the creative juices are pretty low at this point. That being said, this topic is one that has been of interest to me, and raised (probably rehashed a bit) by a few blogs/papers I follow. The concept of a good 'table wine' is one that seems to have eluded U.S. producers at the bemoans of consumers and wine writers alike. There are many theories to why this is the case (which I will not repeat here but will lazily link them for your reading pleasure), all of which seem to have some weight. Based on my casual reads on the topic, and I have by no means researched this at great depth, I think the factors are largely due to economics. Real estate prices (especially in California) make it cost prohibitive to produce a 'good' wine that is 'cheap' and perfect as a 'house bottle.'

BUT, is it as simple as that? We have to believe that there are producers out there willing to put together wines that have character and a semblance of depth, easily drinkable and have it priced within reach of the casual wine drinker? Pessimists might say that the market drives demand for bland, over oaked, and monotonous wines - and producers are simply giving the people what they want. Again, I think that's too easy (i.e., blaming it on the unsophistication of American wine drinkers).

Without completely derailing the point altogether, Jordan MacKay's article on the topic raises the common complaint of American wine drinkers when they return from their European vacations - "Where can we find that wine we had at (INSERT NAME OF CAFE/TRATTORIA HERE)?" Tyler Colman (Dr. Vino) constantly hits on the idea of 'context' as a huge factor in the enjoyment of wine. One's mood along with location/setting will lend itself to how much one will enjoy a particular wine. You can theoretically argue that after you return home from Europe, the chances of replicating that wine experience you had while on vacation is slim, and you're left with just nostalgic feelings and associations with the wine in question. So even if the EXACT wine was available for the consumer, would it even matter?

There are some things happening that I believe might help push things along, and towards the idea of producing a quality wine that is affordable wine and that would be suitable for bistro/restaurant/everyday home consumption. Restaurants are embracing the house red/white concept, but putting more focus behind the offerings so that they are not afterthoughts. MacKay highlights up and coming (a relative term, maybe overused) appellations/regions that might help to serve as home base for producers looking to meet that perfect storm of advantageous economic conditions and ample market demand for a good vin de pays - American style. So maybe hope is not all lost, but let's hope it's soon - we're all getting thirsty.

Robert Parker Jr. and Meatloaf - Brothers From Different Mothers

2010-03-05T08:38:00.001-08:00

ok go - ttsp

2010-03-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

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2010-03-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

In my life --

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2010-03-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

Orange bloody orange.

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2010-03-01T23:47:00.000-08:00

Oscar Week Inspiration
(thanks LA Times Sun 02/28/10)

What is Tricerapops Drinking?

2010-02-26T23:35:00.000-08:00

So I wanted to capture some notes for the three of you folks out there who read this blog. As an aside, I've given up my brief flirtation with wine-blogging. After researching and reading tons of other blogs, there are folks who drink more, know more, write more, and are just plain better at this whole blog thing (which I will cover in another post at some point). What I AM committed to going forward, is to capture briefly some notes on wines that have really moved the meter for me, so to speak:

Christian Venier Clos de Carteries Cheverny Rouge 2008 - Pinot Noir and Gamay got together and made love without any protection and in the woods (my perverse way of saying this is a 'natural wine'). Floral and perfumed, this is sensual and dare I say, feminine of a wine. Drinks so easy, it might be my wine of 2010.

NV Andrea Calek 'Blonde' - No SO2, unfiltered, this is wine in the raw. Chardonnay and Viognier - this drank like a flat cider at first, but the flavors would develop from glass to glass. I drank the entire bottle before knowing it, and it was soooo good. A very close second behind the Cheverny as best wine in 2010 so far.

NV Cedric Bouchard Inflorescence Blanc de Noirs "Val Vilaine" - I haven't toyed much with grower Champagne, but this one might be an epiphany bottle for me. No better way to describe it than balanced and pure in fruit. Dry enough to keep me interested and just a great drink all around. Pricey at $60 (approx) but worth EVERY penny.

Guy Breton Morgon, Vieilles Vignes 2006 - Earthier than the Lapierre Morgon I had last year, but still rings of fruit and tart flavors (representative of Morgon). The earthiness brings it down a bit and keeps it centered - I enjoyed it. A Kermit Lynch import as well.

Whither the term, "Foodie"?

2010-02-26T23:03:00.000-08:00

An old HS friend of mine recently went off on a rant, all within the virtual confines of his Facebook 'wall', but a rant nonetheless - on the merits of the term "Foodie." His beef (nyuk) essentially was that the term is a loose categorization of unsophisticated eaters who happen to LIKE food, and that it does not denote one to being a gourmand. It was clear where he stood on the term and the related strata of food appreciation, and where 'foodies' fall in this, er.....food chain.

I won't argue the merits of his rant per se - because I actually agree with a lot of what he brought up. I think things get sticky when you bring up subjective/relative concepts such as 'sophistication' in defining one as a foodie - so I'm not really buying that angle. I think his overall viewpoint however, is reflective of a backlash against the term 'foodie' and what it is perceived as representing. I am too lazy to link, but I have come across Tweets, blog posts, and articles about the burgeoning use of the term and how it has begun to devolve into a negative term. I think the term is just too vague - and because it is vague, it can take on multiple meanings, good and bad.

So in place of foodie, I offer the following terms for your adoption (with brief definitions):

Food-tographer - Someone who loves taking pictures of their dishes (usually whilst eating out) and sharing it via Twitter/Blogs/Facebook/etc. Pictures from hot/trendy/popular restauratns carry a premium, and similarly pictures from obscure/kitschy/hole-in-the-wall destinations are also prized.

Food-enthusiast - Someone who lives to eat. They are game to trying cuisines of all types and price ranges. These folks are not afraid to pledge allegiance to a particular chef or restaurant group, or cuisine - and will defend restaurants to the death (or at least until the chef leaves and opens another spot).

Food-activist - This is someone who subscribes to food trends and takes arms in defense of any current trend in food, whether it be locavore dining, sustainable foods, etc. These folks were yesterday's army of organic and natural foods pioneers, but they're on to some next level shit now.

Food-fan - Someone who just eats a lot. They can eat at a Michelin starred restaurant and a taco truck, without any sense of irony.

Food-douche - Someone who just really gets into food as another pissing contest. Whether it's being first to review a place (elite Yelpers beware) or just incessantly brag about exclusive dining experiences. These are the folks we love to hate, but in some ways are jealous of them as well.

As Uncle Rico mildly put it one day, "Foodies are elitists in disguise." I think the term does really deserve a rethink, but it might be easier to just give up categorizing oneself altogether. Really, all that matters is that you're hungry, right?

Ye Olde Public Wine Shoppe

2010-02-26T22:14:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of domaine547.com

This post is long overdue, but I've been busy - so sue me. 2009 was an interesting year to say the least. During the course of the year I discovered Twitter (@Tricerapops), and through Twitter I found a number of individuals who shared the same interests that I did (e.g., Notre Dame football). It wasn't long before I was able to find a number of local wine retailers utilizing Twitter and started following their accounts.

I won't belabor the point, as it has been covered ad nauseum in magazine articles and posts before this one, but I will simply echo that a rapport with one's local wine retailer is pretty important. By 'important' I mean if one is to get 'serious' about wine, it is important to have a relationship with folks who breathe and live the stuff everyday. Short of visiting a winery and speaking with winemakers themselves - the wine shop is where you can find these knowledgeable individuals.

Beyond just visiting the stores and chatting with the various owners about what is exciting them currently, I find that it is now easy to interact and learn more about wine through social media, and this is where my point lies. The handful of local retailers that I frequent in town, I consider to be pretty savvy when it comes to social media and use of the Web to further their reach to the customer. It goes beyond static websites however, as the retailers that I will highlight in this post actually go above and beyond. They blog (and in blogs they praise, they rant, they recommend), they interact via Twitter and Facebook and in the process, they share pieces of themselves and their personalities. Online outlets are not just for announcements of sales and prices (although there is nothing wrong with that), these retailers go beyond - whether it's tweeting about a great restaurant they have been to, local community news, or music recommendations. All of this helps to further build and and establish that rapport between a customer after they have left the store. In short - these folks get it.

In the evolution of my wine habit, I have gone from liquor/grocery stores, to big box retailers and 'specialty' beverage stores, and now I am happily in the 'local retailer' phase, which is where I hope to remain for a long time. I have no hesitation recommending these retailers and I would encourage you to check out their websites/blogs/Twitter feeds/Facebook fan pages - as they offer a glimpse into the personalities behind the counter. Tell them Jesse/Tricerapops sent you - it might garner a chuckle or a "who?" - but it would make me feel semi-important.

Domaine LA (@domaineLA) - one of my favorite stores in town, Jill in short - rocks. Always willing to walk you through what's new and what she's excited about, you can see the joy and excitement in her face when she recommends a bottle. I tell people often that they can go in, set a budget and a flavor profile, and they will walk away with something that they will enjoy, because Jill will only sell stuff she likes and would recommend.

6801 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038 - (323) 932-0280 - domaine547.com

Wine Expo (@WineExpo) - I found Wine Expo through Twitter, having not known about the store before hand. Located in Santa Monica, the Champagne/Sparkling wine selection is BANANAS. I appreciate what Roberto and the gang do at Wine Expo because they are passionate about bubbles and 'Italian' wine and they make no bones about it. The store is packed to the gills with selections from Italy and there are tons of grower Champagnes to choose from. Roberto is awesome with helping wine novices and veterans alike sort through the menage of choices. Oh, and you can always count on awesome music when you're in the store and link to great music recs via their Twitter feed

2933 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90404 - 310-828-4428
wineexpo.com

Colorado Wine Company (@cowineco) - I subscribed to their old newsletters back in the day, when websites and e-newsletters were just taking off as means for businesses to reach their customers. Back then they were ahead of the times, and it's still the case now. John and Co. run a great neighborhood spot, that's relaxed and calming. Folks are sitting around tasting/talking/browsing - it's a nice space. I can walk into the store stressed and walk out relaxed, and not even have a drink to get me to that state! If this place was closer to me, I would be there more often - but I don't let distance keep me from this Eagle Rock storefront for long periods.

2114 Colorado Boulevard
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
Ph: (323) 478-1985 - cowineco.com

Keep It Simple - Gorbals - Downtown LA

2009-12-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

Scotch bar, good music, minimalist decor, good+punchy flavor, smaller portions, decent prices, downtown la, historic building, is what it is.

good job, Chef Ilan.

THE GORBALS

Snoop Tom Tom Doggy Dog

2009-12-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

Tasting Notes - 2007 Gauthier Pierre et Rodolph Bourgueil 'Soif de Jour'

2009-11-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

I picked this up a few months back at one of my favorite shops in town, Domaine LA. The owner Jill, handed this over when I came in asking for some Loire valley reds that she would recommend. I made a commitment towards the end of Summer to dedicate a good portion of my drinking to the Loire in hopes of learning more about the region and what it has to offer wine-wise. I'm normally intrigued with the herbaceous qualities of a cab franc and the 'funky' stylings that are a welcome break from cab/merlot/et al. blends that make up a large portion of my French memory banks.

This particular wine, if I can recall correctly, came in at about $16-$18. It's 100% cab franc from Bourgueil, an appellation that I am not too familiar with, given my normal intake from the Loire are Chinons. Upon first whiff, I was immediately greeted with scents of 'funk', like black soil/faint manure type of smells. I'm not opposed to 'earthy' tones in my wine, and it's actually something that I look for now and again. This wine however, really came at me - like it forgot to brush it's teeth or something. Pinotblogger uses a term to describe these types of wine, which he calls a "shit-merde" of a wine. This was one that I think could have fit the bill. Scents of soil, herbs and leaves really left no room for any hints of fruit (faint). Upon drinking, you could taste some of the fruit however, but again the notes were light (cherries and red fruit), and I was picking up more gamey flavors consistent with the nose.

The wine has a weight similar to that of a pinot noir, with mild tannins and acidity and a bit of menthol on the mid palate, which helps to lengthen the finish a bit. The funkiness shows itself in taste, which again, isn't too bad - and after some breathing in the glass, it was tempered a bit. Day 2 was even a more mellow affair, although the wine did lose some of its complexity by then.

I paired it with some bread and pate, and some saucisson sec, hoping it would marry well with food, but it really didn't stand well with the items I was eating (but it didn't clash as well - it just was its own entity). Not sure if I would pick this up again, but I would consider revisiting it again after trying some other wines from the same appellation and getting a larger sense of the terroir.

Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe (Music Video) from Saman Keshavarz

2009-11-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe (Music Video) from Saman Keshavarz on Vimeo.

Notre Dame - it could happen...

2009-11-16T21:42:00.001-08:00

Tasting Notes - NV Domaine Philippe Tessier - "Cheverny" Cremant de Loire

2009-11-15T21:41:00.000-08:00

I'm digging champagne. I like how it goes with most everything. I'm really getting into the idea of having it throughout meals, and not just during hors d'oeuvres or as an apertif. Here's the problem - to enjoy and feed my increased appreciation for the fizz, I have to be willing to shell out at least $30 for a decent bottle.

Which is why I am a fan of sparkling wine, essentially bubbles for less. What I have learned in my short period of time exploring wine, is that sparkling wines can be great bargains and offer up some awesome taste profiles and flavors that rival that of the French offerings from Champagne. What's even better is that many of the sparklers I am in to right now are from other regions within France (Alsace and the Loire, as examples). This summer I found myself drinking a number of offerings from Loire and the Languedoc (specifically, Limoux) and many of them were basic cremants.

The Tessier "Cheverny" is a $16 offering from the guys and gals at K&L, straight out of the Loire. Made of pinot and chardonnay, it does it's best to emulate its cousins from Champagne and does a decent job. The nose is toasty, with some classic notes of toast and roasted almond. The palate is overtaken with citrus/green apples/lemon zest - and the finish is dry and smooth. Good for the price and would do well for any holiday party/dinner you're hosting.

Tasting Notes - 2008 Aforado Albarino Rias Baixas

2009-11-15T21:23:00.001-08:00

I drank a lot of Albarino in the late spring/early summer this year, based on some recommendations from my pal at work. Wanting to branch out a bit, I took a break from the increasingly popular Spanish white to try other varietals. I picked up this bottle a while back during my marathon tour of wine shops in LA, over at Silverlake Wine ($20), and had it shelved for a while. Over the weekend I opened it up to pair with some dishes, and it was quite a delight.

First off, here are some specs on the wine. It is mostly albarino, with some 'dollops' of Caino Blanco and Loureira Blanca, which I am not too familar with. In review of the virtual shelf notes by the importer, Jose Pastor, looks like the wine comes from a family producer in Rias Baixas. The wine sees no oak as par for the course with Albarinos and is aged four months 'sur lie' before bottling.

The wine was unique in that the nose was quite underwhelming. I caught hints of citrus and slate, but nothing really with any pop. Upon several drinks, I noticed a very strong attack, almost sour in an initial approach. Many may find this off-putting but I thought it was intriguing. The wine evoked some mouth puckering acidity and cut across well in the finish. I don't know if the wine could be considered unbalanced given its weak nose but strong fore-palate, but I thought the acidity was well integrated and finished rather clean.

I paired this with some poke I picked up at Bristol Farms and it was a natural match. Day 2 I paired it with a last-second tater tot casserole I made, and the acidity cut through the cream of mushroom quite well. At $20 I wouldn't say this would be an everyday drinker, but I would heartily recommend it for any dinners involving a fair amount of seafood, or even as an apertif.

Three Apples - the Hello Kitty Exhibit

2009-11-15T21:11:00.000-08:00

I took the girls to the "Three Apples" exhibit over at Royal/T Cafe and Gallery in Culver City recently, and took some pictures. You can view the album here, but it was basically a menagerie of Hello Kitty items and artist renditions that would suit any fan. I personally wanted to get the girls the patent leather Hello Kitty bows, but failed to pull the trigger whilst at the gallery. I'll likely run back to grab them from the gift shop at some point. The event is over now, as Royal/T makes way for its newest exhibit - the cuisine of LA's own Ludo Lefebvre - of LudoBites.

Tasting Notes - 2008 Infinity White Wine Blend

2009-11-13T22:25:00.000-08:00

So I've heard some buzz around this wine, both from Jill over at Domaine LA and the gang over at Colorado Wine Co. I had to give it a shot, considering I was looking for a house white for Thanksgiving. The wine is from the Central Coast (Santa Barbara) and is made up of Grenache Blanc (60%) and Viognier (40%). It's a relative bargain at $10, so you could very easily make this a house white, even outside of the holidays.

The story is that this wine is made up of the excess juice left from La Fenêtre winery - where the winemaker, Joshua Klapper also works. He's teamed with Adam Leeman and have tried their hand at bargain blends, with the white blend in the model of a Rhone white. I'm afraid that with the recent summer months behind us, I mainly drank albarinos and sauvignon blancs, so my context was a bit off when it came to whites. The Infinity was not too foreign however - so it was well received. I am not too familiar with Viognier, and I was afraid that it was going to be flabby/fat - especially given the price, but the wine drank quite differently. I was pleasantly surprised with citrus and tropical fruit notes, bracing acidity and a complex/long finish. The acidity is held in check with the finish, so it's not like I'm drinking adult lemonade. I think I have a winner as the acidity will help in pairing this with various items for Thanksgiving, but also there is some weight to the wine that will help stand on its own in between meals / or when one is sprawled out on the floor watching the games. At $10 a pop, this is a good value. You can find this at most wine shops in LA. I've seen it at Domaine LA, K&L and Larchmont Wine and Cheese.

Tasting Notes - 2005 Lento Lamezia Rosso "Romeo"

2009-11-13T22:09:00.001-08:00

I picked this wine up from the guys over at Wine Expo in Santa Monica ($17). I don't get out to this place too often, it's quite a trek from my part of town, but whenever I'm in the area I try and swing by. I'm not too well versed in Italian varietals, but I cannot think of a better place to try obscure grapes from Italy and flex one's palate outside of Piedmont and Tuscany. On a whim, I picked up some bottles from Calabria my first time out to Wine Expo and I enjoyed the wines that I purchased. I followed suit on my second visit and picked up some more bottles from Calabria, including this red blend, the "Romeo".

This wine is a blend of several native grapes in Calabria (specifically the Lamezia Terme DOC) - Greco Nero, Magliocco, and Nerello Mascalese. I know nothing of these grapes, but I do know that the final product in this bottle was a solid wine. The wine had some bright red fruits in the nose and some pepper notes, but that was about it. I was a bit skeptical as to what this wine could really offer, but upon several drinks afterwards - I was quite impressed. The wine has a racy acidity that calls out for food, and soft tannins. There was enough body in the mouthfeel, so it did not seem as if I was just drinking grape juice - well integrated from a tannin/acidity/fruit perspective. We paired it with a simple penne pasta with rosada sauce and italian sausage and it was quite the hit. I imagine the lower alcohol level, mellow tannin and good acidity would make this a perfect red for Thanksgiving - I imagine it would hold up well against the menage of flavors at the table. If I'm in Santa Monica any time before then - I will definitely make an effort to purchase some more bottles for the holiday.

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holler!

2009-11-07T23:23:00.001-08:00

Those who know me, know that I love me some Thanksgiving. But, for those of you who like to put away the jack-o-lanterns in place of Christmas trees and wreaths - this post is for you...

We're heading into the holiday party season - so here is a little music to help you break up the monotony of the Chipmunk Song and "12 Days of Christmas" as sung by the Muppets (both classics, don't get it twisted). Download this podcast (look for "Soul Santa" - by JBX) by the dudes over at Daptone Records for a soulful compilation of holiday treats that will surely help that spiked egg nog go down easier this year. You'll note that the tempo can swing from upbeat to moody soulful, so ideal settings would be amongst other grown-ups over drinks, during the wind down.

Here's the playlist (the Otis Redding track is off the CHARTS!) -

1. Jing Jing A Ling ~ Honey and the Bees (Chess)

2. Merry Christmas, Baby ~ Otis Redding (Atco)

3. This Christmas ~ Donny Hathaway (Atco)

4. Stevie Wonder Drop (Motown)

5. Snowflakes ~ Betty Lloyd (Thomas)

6. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? ~ The Emotions (Volt)

7. The Gift of Giving ~ Bill Withers (Sussex)

8. Eddie Kendricks drop (Motown)

9. Soul Santa ~ Funk Machine (Creative Funk)

10. Silent Night Chant ~ Rotary Connection (Cadet Concept)

11. Christmas in Vietnam ~ Private Charles Bowen (Rojac)

12. Let’s Make This Christmas mean Something This Year ~ James Brown (King)

13. Without The One You Love ~ The O’Jays (Neptune)

14. Gwendolyn Berry (The Sisters Love) Drop

15. Let’s Get It Together This Christmas ~ Harvey Averne Band (Fania)

16. Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas ~ Carla Thomas (Atlantic)

17. Back Door Santa ~ Clarence Carter (Atlantic)

18. I Wanna Spend Christmas With You ~ Lowell Fulsom (Kent)

19. Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby) ~ Nathaniel Mayer (Munster)

20. It’s That Time of the Year ~ The Manhattans (Starfire)

21. Santa’s Got A Bag of Soul ~ The Soul Saints Orch. (Jazzman)

22. Pull My Sled ~ Raindeer Runners (Soul Fire)

23. Merry Christmas Baby ~ Charles Brown & Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers (Hollywood)

24. Smokey Robinson Drop

J.P.O.T. Kitchen Adventures - Pork Belly Duo

2009-10-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post these pics awhile back. I had a hankering for pork - so I decided to pick up some pork belly from the boys at A-Grocery in Echo Park and do it up two ways. I paired it with a nice German Riesling and it made for a nice Sunday supper.....

Pork Belly Two Ways (oven roasted and braised), pea shoots and spaetzle with oyster mushrooms.


From Pork Duo

BLU - one amazing artist

2009-10-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

my teacher told me about this artist, blu, after seeing a murakami print I had on my binder. This video is ubelievable, and his website is really awesome too. definitely worth checking out.

BLU Website

COMBO a collaborative animation by Blu and David Ellis (2 times loop) from blu on Vimeo.

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2009-10-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

As the sun sets on the Dodgers 2009 season, sadly so, I do want to wish the boys in blue a great thanks for their 2nd great consecutive run at the World Series. It was a great season with lots of fun times. Cause it's 1-2-3 strikes your out at the oooold baaaalll gaaame!

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2009-10-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Lets Go Dojers!

Big Burger Battle - COUNTERPOINT

2009-09-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

Allow me to provide a contrarian view to the "Big Burger Battle" post below, by our own Uncle Rico. I think the crux of Rico's argument lies in the 'experience' and nostalgia wrapped around the Big Mac as opposed to the new kid on the block, Carl's Jr's (Hardees) offering - the Big Carl. While a valid argument, and on those grounds I would agree with him, I would like to examine the burgers in terms of taste profile. No offense to Uncle Rico, but in these times and as restaurants fight for our dollars, I'm looking for a high quality-to-price ratio. So let me summarize why the Big Carl is superior to the Big Mac -

Larger burger, lower price
Meat patties are meatier (see point 1 above) - something that is CJ's strong suit
Lettuce leaves as opposed to chopped lettuce - again, contributing to the 'more burger for your buck' factor

The three factors alone put the BC above the BM, hands down. I will cede that the lack of onions does leave something to be desired, and the McDonald's special sauce is superior - but those are not significant enough for me to dock the BC major points. In the end, the BC is an apt alternative for the BM, if not a BETTER alternative (for the money). As a personal tip, I usually get the mini peppers (chilitos) and have them as a side to help introduce some acidity to the meal.

I will conclude that In n' Out aside, Carl's Jr is running point in the fast food category for me right now (I would put them in the 'second tier' - amongst the common names, McD's, Jack in the Box, etc.). I'm not a huge fan of their $6 dollar burgers, but their flagships (e.g. Famous Star) are the tastiest and best value right now out there if you're on the run and need a quick lunch.

The Big Burger Battle

2009-09-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

If you've been surfing the tube as of late, you may have noticed Carl's Jr.'s newest burger family member, the Big Carl. A direct assault on McDonald's Big Mac, the Big Carl's position is more beef, less coin.

So the other day I stopped into Carl's Jr. to have a taste of this new contender. The result: it was more food than experience. Because that's what the Big Mac is to me and I'm sure to many -- an experience. When one grabs onto a Big Mac, with either one hand or two, the first step is to smoosh the poofy stack of goodness to acquire a firm hold on the burger. Then the burger nears and hits the lips, and images of childhood, innocence and Mac Tonight begin to fill your consciousness, and for the next 4-7 minutes, peace and serenity are present.

I love Carl's Jr., but there's a reason why there aren't any direct competitors to the Big Mac out there. What can be done to help the Big Carl's cause? Simple: onions and relish. The Big Carl's flavors are a little unfinished and juvenile. A lot of meat, a lot of chesse, and a lot of 1000 island dressing. That's not gonna put you in the same ring as the Big Mac.

So Carl's, I hate to say this, but you gotta come harder if you're gonna take on the Big Mac.

On to Ann Arbor, who we all know is a whore....

2009-09-06T21:37:00.001-07:00

2009-09-05T12:40:00.001-07:00

Andiamo ND!

Tasting Notes - Kickoff Edition

2009-09-05T00:31:00.000-07:00

2007 Antech "Cuvee Eugenie" Cremant de Limoux -
Sparkling wine from the Languedoc, made in the methode champenoise style. I found it a well balanced offering, with plenty of fruit notes offset by dry bubbles and hints of honey. Great finish and value for the $$$

2005 - Chateau Busquet, 'Vielles Vignes' St. Emilion -
50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Nice fruit in the nose, with hints of cocoa. Drinks well as it opens up. Astringent, but not to a fault and finishes well. Another great example of an accessible '05 Bordeaux under $20.

J Gold - 99 Restaurants and a B*tch Ain't One!

2009-08-29T03:22:00.000-07:00

The grand-daddy of LA foodies, our own Jonathan Gold, has listed his annual 99 essential eateries in LA. It's ON now.

Funny side note, Gold was actually bantered about as POTENTIAL replacement for Bruni over at NYT. For someone who loves street food in the underbelly of LA, that says a lot.

Summer Musings

2009-08-29T02:33:00.001-07:00

A few notes as I reflect on the summer winding down and as we go into summer v 2.0 (i.e., Fall) here in LA -

Tasting Notes -
2008 Adega Cooperativo Regional de Monçao "Trajarinho," Vinho Verde, Portugal - A lovely albarino from Portugal. I must admit, this summer I really started looking into albarinos through suggestions from a buddy at work, and my attention was really over on Spanish bottlings. This vinho verde from their Iberian neighbors has a little bit of spritz, but nothing I would consider overdone. Sharp on the attack, lovely finish - and nice weight throughout the drink. I'm sad I found this towards the end of the summer, because I would have drank this all season. Oh, and it's friggin cheap as s#it.

Speaking of tastings, I am really bummed I didn't get to go to more of the tastings as part of 'Barnsdall Fridays' in Hollywood. The guys/gals at Silverlake Wine pour some good selections, and the scene cannot be beat. Uncle Rico and Jho, to their credit, tried to get me out there earlier, but the timing never worked out. I hope they continue next summer.

Summer Listening -
I don't really have any sort of summer soundtrack this year, outside of some songs I have heard over and over and over on the radio while driving. Uncle Rico has highlighted some of the albums that I have had on steady rotation, offerings from Phoenix and Bibio. Outside of this, I've downloaded a few of the DJ sets from the Do-Over, who have really stepped up their game with regards to capturing their DJ sets (audio quality has improved).

Summer Eats -
Outside of a dinner at Church and State back in July, there really have been no inspired experiences out in the LA dining scene for us this summer - but that's a direct result of us not going out a lot (at all actually). Of course there have been some of the normal hits - Best Fish Taco in Ensenada (Los Feliz), Kyochon wings (Koreatown), Taco Zone (Echo Park), Mendocino Farms (Downtown, for lunch) - but outside of that, nothing much to write about. I am insanely jealous of the folks that have had a chance to try Ludo Bites, and while there have been detractors, I would have liked to judge Umami Burger, Golden State, Animal, and Tavern on my own. Oh well, they're on the to-eat list. I cooked a lot, and I'll share some recipes and photos on another entry (at some point).

What I am looking forward to -
The return of college football, specifically the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Reports from camp are positive and we're in good shape (knock on wood). The Nevada game gives me some anxiety, but every season opener does. I really think this season has a shot at being something special.

Tastings on the rooftop. The neighbors here in our building got together for a recent rose tasting on the roof, and it was a success. I look forward to future events where we'll center in on themes/varietals - all in the name of getting drunk.

I visited Domaine547's new brick and mortar spot on Melrose (Domaine LA), and I'm excited about the potential of the space and the offerings. I will definitely drop some bucks over at Jill's shop as we head into the Fall. She's promised to carry wines of value and integrity - and a shop like her's in the area has been long overdue (I'll say it, I hate the Larchmont Wine and Cheese Shop).

With Fall comes braising and slow cooking. I'm going to break out of my short rib comfort zone and really explore braised pork and chicken - we'll see where it ends up.

Oyster season. Enough said.

Get Perpendicular Yo

2009-08-26T11:53:00.001-07:00

The homie Ellsworth and others will be spinning next week at the Far Bar in Little Tokyo. It's free, and divey. Vámonos!

One Big Holiday

2009-08-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

JPOT apologizes for the inactivity as of late. Just getting back from a tour on the North East coast, and just sorting through the remains of our brains.

And so to our faithful, all 3 of you - talk to you soon.

Ambivalent Summer

2009-08-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

Bumpin' Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue currently, and it's a pretty sweet album. Bibio's MPC and instrumentalist skills are fresh and classic, and this is a good album to cop for urbane summer members.

Just put the needle to the wax and enjoy, but tracks to note: Lover's Carvings, Fire Ant, Ambivalence Avenue

This Is My Truck

2009-08-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Next up in the mobile-truck vending phenomenon in Los Angeles: Los Doyers are now rolling deep in their very own Ticket Truck!

Press Release: Dodgers Ticket Truck hits greater Los Angeles
West Coast Hip Hop Artist Snoop Dogg takes vehicle on its inaugural drive

Follow the Dodger Truck @ Dodgertown USA Twitter Page

The growth of mobile vending in Los Angeles is a great indirect help in the city's and people's effort to move towards a more pedestrian, urban experience. Pretty awesome, and way to go PR/OPs folks at Dodgertown. Let's ride this Truck to a championship baby.

A Page For the New Age

2009-08-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

"Remember to practice your reading!" I exclaimed to my kindergarten Reading To Kids members, as they left this past month's reading club, with their books in hand. Reading to Kids is a volunteer organization that aims to help inspire and support underserved children in developing a love and passion for reading, for reading enriches lives, and opens the doors to many more opportunities in life.

"That's funny," I thought. "You get better at reading by practicing reading." I guess reading that now, it's not as funny as I originally thought. In fact, it makes perfect sense. If you want to be good at something, you have to practice it. It's so easy as an adult to take for granted the things you can do. You can ride a bike. You can swim. You can cook an omelet. You can READ. But the true question is, can you do all these things well? Do you spend the time and the energy to practice these things, so that you may do them well?

You may have the skills to read, good books to read, good magazines and newspapers to read, good blogs to read, good reading comprehension, and a genuine interest to read, but how well do you really read? I've met people now and then who tell me that they wish they could read more in their lives. I've met people who do nothing but read and wish they could read just as much as they do and do other things too. And I've met people who, like myself, begin reading some things, but are likely to put those things down before finishing them and picking up other things to read or to do instead.

Enter David Ulin, the Book Editor of the LA Times. David explores his inner-self and the signs of the times to understand why he, a great lover of reading, struggles today to read well, and why we must all continue to strive to read well.

Finding Your Focus
by David L. Ulin

David's thoughts are helpful, and further confirm the notion that reading well takes a dedicated practice -- a practice that is both focused and disciplined. Practice is so important today because of the way that world is these days: the speed and coverage of information is unprecedented in today's world, and it is too easy to become buried and lost in the code and cacophony of the times. A dedicated practice will pull you out of your current flow and put you aside, alone, to focus on that one and only thing that you wish to do well. A dedicated practice will bring to light your errors, your fallacies, your shortcuts and short-comings, and of course, what you are doing well already. A dedicated practice builds awareness -- the first and most continuous step in doing anything well.

My Kundalini Yoga teacher has some good words about how to plan for practice in your life.

10 Ways to Get Ahead In The Information Age.
By Patrick

It's an everyday thing, and every second of every day is an opportunity for progress and success. With a positive attitude and energy, intellectual honesty and an objective evaluating-self (that cuts you zero slack), you will bring a beneficial practice to your life and move towards doing what you want well.

But maybe, just maybe, it's not entirely up to us. Maybe some of us can't read well because of how language, media and words exist today; maybe the interaction between our nerves, mind and the available information (and how that information is made available, its transmission medium) creates a fragmented existence that renders us incapable of the focus and direction of times past.

Enter Amazon, and the Kindle 2. Perhaps this marriage between hardware and software is what our minds and souls have been clamoring for when it comes to reading in the 21st Century. But alas, as Nicholson Baker writes in the New Yorker, echoing some of Ulin's sentiments, what we are looking for will not be found in something exosomatic.

A New Page
Can the Kindle really improve on the book?
by Nicholson Baker

Baker's coverage of the Kindle 2 is pretty amazing and extremely comprehensive, and I really enjoyed his personal stories and experiences with the device. If you're somebody who has been thinking about the Kindle, wondering if it would lead you to become a "better" reader, or a reader who reads more, or a reader of stuff you never would have read before, then definitely read Baker's article to aid you in your pre-Kindle-purchase conclusion.

I guess what it comes down to is time and space: can you find the time and space in your day and life to sit down, put your brain down, and breath deeply? If you can, then you will forget all time and space, and then anything is possible.

Up!

2009-08-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Echo Park Lake Bird Walk

WHEN: Sunday, August 9, 2009, 8:00 AM
WHERE: Echo Park Lake, starting @ the boathouse
WHAT: Walk and observe the many species of birds at Echo Park Lake
WHY: Because we are not alone and it's FREE
HOW: With your legs, eyes, and if necessary, sight-assisting technology
FOR MORE INFO: e-mail judycalifornia@yahoo.com or call (323) 663-6767.

Cal-ee-faux-ngha, F--- Yeah!

2009-08-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

The FYF Fest, formerly known as the F-Yeah Fest, is going down Saturday, September 5th, 20009, at the Los Angeles Historic State Park.

The musical festival was held in Echo Park and Silverlake last year, and featured a fun and eclectic musical line up of local and fitting gigs. This year's line-up is pretty similar to last year's, but the festival is moving to a new location as a part of its new charitable mission (raising awareness about and saving California's State Parks, which are facing closure due to Cal-ee-faux-ngha's current fiscal crisis). $20 quid gets you f-ing in.

FYF Fest
Los Angeles Historic State Park
Map of Los Angeles Historic State Park
FYF Fest Roll Call and Notes

Summer Sights For Sore Eyes

2009-07-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Left leg, right leg - there's not much more to walking than just that - God willing, of course. Simple, natural and neutral: free is the mind when you let your breath move you in a slow, steady stroll.

I've been blessed to have the chance to do plenty of walking in Los Angeles. I know I am speaking the obvious here, but there's almost no better way to experience a town, city, village or place than to walk it. That would explain why walking tours of centres rich in culture and history are so popular; why downtown LA's Artwalk is such a unique and inspirational, fun time spent in downtown; why walking to a farmer's market (downtown,Silverlake) or swap meet on a Saturday morning proves to be more than just shopping; and why the expression, 'Don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk' imparts much meaning and experience to anyone willing to recite and live it.

A lot of my walking has been in downtown, since I've worked here for almost 5 years and I've been lucky to never have to drive into work. Lunch time adventures, happy hour tours and frequent day dreams have led me block to block, up and down, and all around downtown. When you're walking, you're free - free to whistle, free to feel, to see, to smell, to hear, free to just be, and free to open the flow. What comes next is to each their own, but you can trust that it's genuine, powerful and infinite. Very thoughtfully and kindly, my friends hooked me up with a pair of Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gel Shoe Inserts for my birthday this year. Yeah, I know, real jokers, but seriously, the best joke ever. I'm sooo Gellin'.

My parents are avid walkers for as long as I can remember. Whether it be doing laps around the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains, Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, or the lake of Echo Park -- I know their day isn't quite through until they have had their chance to take those relaxing and fulfilling strides.

Then you have Dr. Marc Abrams, better and famously known as "the shirtless, newspaper-bearing Silverlake Walking Man," who walks all over Silverlake/Echo Park in jogging shorts whilst reading literature, who recently made it officially into history when Jason Michaud, the owner of the Local eatery on Sunset, commissioned artist Nicky Gagliarducci to paint a mural on Local's exterior wall of Abrams walking across Los Angeles and among historic Angeleno landmarks. Call it the Universe conspiring, but the other day I was walking from Los Feliz to Echo Park and passing Local, observing the Mr. Silverlake Walking Man mural, when out in front of me approached none other but Abrams himself, shirtless, walking and eyeing a newspaper! Later that week I came across the Eastsider LA post from above, and had a good smile to myself, feeling very much a part of this crazy Universe.

What tipped me off into this pondering of walking was the obscene amount of walking I've been doing as of late, and having come across the now-playing movie (500) Days of Summer. A coworker mentioned wanting to see it, and when I finally saw the trailer and read some of the many great reviews this flik is getting, my intrigue heightened.

Then in today's LA Times, Christopher Hawhtorne writes a sweet piece on the movie's love affair with downtown Los Angeles and the silent, timeless beauty of architecture.

L.A. as filtered by love in '(500) Days of Summer'
By CHRISTOPHER HAWTHORNE, Architecture Critic

Not having seen the movie and completely unknowing to the historic specifics of Los Angeles architecture, I wish I could offer some words of contribution to Hawthorne's articulate discussion of both the movie and the stone, metal and glass jungle of Los Angeles. I definitely can fathom and appreciate the thematic potential that architecture can serve in cinematic romance (e.g., Lost In Translation [Tokyo], Before Sunrise and Before Sunset [Vienna and Paris] and Woody Allen fliks and New York City), and it's nice to see (500) Days of Summer receiving high regards for it's story, execution and embrace of Los Angeles.

So I'm moved to catch (500) Days of Summer soon, and hope that it's all that I would hope it is -- like any ol' walk on, any ol' day.

That's life.

Lou Being Lou

2009-07-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

Footage from Lou's team meeting with the ND Alum team upon arrival in Japan...

I Heart Echo Park

2009-07-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

Cause I Got High

2009-07-29T17:05:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the buddy Phillip who sent us this photo from his recent trip to the NYC.

Additional comments from Phillip on the High Line: bring your harmonica.

Sounds like my kind of park!

Eddy Money

2009-07-25T16:58:00.001-07:00

This post will really have no significance to anyone outside of Uncle Rico, Jho and yours truly, but really - who reads this blog besides us anyways? In any case, Los Angeles is home to Uncle Rico and I - but South Bend has a special place in our hearts. Change is constant out in Indiana, especially around our beloved alma mater, the University of Notre Dame.

I had heard about the "Eddy Street Commons" project a few years ago. There was buzz about a development project that would essentially eradicate the rundown homes and blight in the surrounding areas of the university. Many were heralding the project as a means to introduce a campus "center" to the area, allowing students with shopping, residential and entertainment options close to campus - essentially adding the 'college town feel' to South Bend. The economy then took a hit and I kind of assumed that the overall project lost steam. Fast forward to 2009, and it looks like they're ready for a go-live of later this year.

Boasting an impressive mix of office space, retail, and residential condos - including a hotel opening in 2010, this Eddy Street Common project is the real deal. Coming from a town that brought us the Grove and the Americana, I can certainly understand the potential around such a project at Notre Dame. In looking at online videos and renderings, it all looks pretty impressive - and in the end, it should give fans and students a reason to just walk around the university for post game drinks, without risking one's life walking to an off campus party or waiting for a ride to Grape Rd. to wait in a 2-hour queue for Outback. Early word is that the 'Irish-American' pub chain Kildare's will open an outpost, along with another Northeastern chain - Doc Magrogan's Oyster Bar. I mean, one can make an argument that this is just the gentrification of South Bend - but really, this isn't making over Harlem - there really wasn't anything worth saving in the area.

Uncle Rico - imagine if you had this in your hood as you were walking to and fro from campus in 0 degree weather?

Phở Fantastic

2009-07-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Growing up, our Mom would bust out phở on many a'weekend, with enough made to feed a relatively small army. I never quite appreciated it while growing up, but looking back, there were quite a number of visitors whenever she made her famous noodle soup. I realize now that when she made it, it was for the masses - friends and family would flock to the house and enjoy a nice hot bowl of the soup, and it would make for a wonderful weekend brunch/lunch - and dinner for the immediately family.

Fast forward to 2009, and as indication of our Mom's comfort in growing into her now Angeleno skin, she has continued her tradition from her kitchen in Echo Park. Having made her soup for folks in the Inland Valleys and behind the Orange Curtain (Westminster), it was now time to bless her Angeleno friends and neighbors with some hearty ass phở.

On a whim, my Mom tells me she has bowls ready for me to consume one weekday. Of course, these last second plans never work out for me, given my day job and my night job with helping out with the tri-tots. My Mom did not seem to care, "More for the rest of us" was her attitude, having stated that her EP neighbors had already scored an invite, including some kids from the local Dream Center - who often cruise the neighborhood looking to help out the residents and spread the good news (my parents, not really religious in a formal sense, thought these volunteers to be charming and thought what better way to treat them but to FEED them?). Countless text messages and calls from my siblings led me to breakdown and plan a lunch detour for a nice bowl myself. Pictures below are from Auntie Kimbo Slice....

The Dreadi Strikes Again

2009-07-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

It was a sold out crowd at Chavez Ravine on Manny Bobblehead Night, but the Dodger outfielder sat out the game because of a sore hand. (He was hit by a pitch the night before.) But he came in later in the game, to pinch hit for Billingsley, with the bases loaded. Loretta was on deck, but returned to the dugout, and Manny emerged - the crowd goes bizerk. One pitch later, GRAND SLAM. This video really captures the energy building in Elysian Park these days, and hopefully it'll be more than enough to carry the Dodgers to the World Series and beyond.

Ceee Aaaay - All Daaay

2009-07-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Keep your eye out for Tricerapops poplockin' in the used house vinyl aisle.

Let's Get High

2009-07-22T11:29:00.000-07:00

I <3 NY, but once jHo showed me this FT article about New York's newest city park, The High Line, I fell in love all over again.

Manhattan’s elevated park
By Edwin Heathcote

An old elevated railway converted into a hovering, urban park and walkabout?! Talk about a serious intersection of efficiency, creativity, form, and function. I am a big walker, and some my favorite memories of NYC are of walking from simply here to there, and so I can imagine that I will be even more of a fan once I get to strut this park personally.

For additional commentary and a glimpse into a day in the life on the High Line, read the following article from the New York Times. Be sure to check out the their links to the Standard Hotel New York, which is one of the many cool flowers to blossom on (literally) and along this new path through one of Earth's most adored cities.

For High Line Visitors, Park Is a Railway Out of Manhattan
By DIANE CARDWELL