Food Love

Papa Barin flew into town today, and our first stop was for some foods at A-Frame.  An order of furikake kettle corn, baby back ribs and cracklin beer can chicken later...and we were stuffed and ready for the remaining trek from the westside back to Los Feliz.

Localizing: Team in Training Greater LA Chapter

I started training with the San Gabriel Valley summer marathon team of Team in Training's Greater LA chapter in the beginning of February.  Halfway through the season, I've already learned a lot about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's impact that they've made in the lives of patients and their families and built up my running endurance into double-digit long run mileage.  The people I've met through TNT are an amazing group with powerful and inspirational stories - all working toward a common goal of finding cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma.

Returning to a proper training regimen for the first time since college has reignited my excitement about racing and reaching my running goals.  The furthest I've ever raced has been 13.1 miles - in June, I'll double that at the San Diego Rock N Roll full marathon.  The SGV coaches and mentors have been greatly supportive in training and advising on gear & nutrition.  I ran my first 5K in a few years on St. Patrick's Day weekend comfortably just under 23 minutes, and I'll be racing the inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon on Saturday - hopefully hitting my goal time which will also mean I'm on track for my goal pace for the Full :)

Follow the rest of my season on my TNT blog!

Localizing - Wolfpack Hustle Marathon Crash Race

26.2 miles blocked off for the LA Marathon. What better to do than crash it on your bike before dusk in whatever weather it may be with 900+ other people?

As someone more comfortable racing on her two feet than her bike, I partook in this year's Wolfpack Hustle Marathon Crash Race as a volunteer during the rego party and spectator at the finish.

Next year? I'll be braving the roads :)


SO many props to Roadblock, all the other members of Wolfpack Hustle and LA cycling community that make this event possible, LAPD etc for being [un]officially supportive...it was all truly amazing.

Localizing - LA Derby Dolls

When was the last time you were on roller-skates? Actual 2x2 roller-skates with the front break. For me, probably elementary school. Last Saturday, we went to go watch the LA vs SD jam at the LA Derby Dolls' Doll Factory - located in the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood. Two of us were able to score a sweet deal through Thrillist Rewards for a discount on general admission tickets plus one PBR.

The match itself was fast-paced, exciting and the packed house was just as entertaining as the teams competing - aside from the competition, there were a range of food trucks outside and several different vendors in the adjoining part of the factory. For us newbies that missed the rules video, it took a little while to understand the strategy, but we were able to catch on by the second half. We'll definitely be back again to watch another bout!

Food Love

Coolhaus LA never fails to appease regardless of what season it is. Hot? Come up with an awesome homemade cookie and ice-cream sandwich collaboration. Freezing cold? Pick one of their hot chocolate blends. Southern California bi-polar winter-spring? Hot chocolate floated with a scoop of ice cream!

Food Love

I love macarons. I love ice cream. Macaron ice cream sandwiches? Unbelievable. Milk offers a great amount of combinations - it's probably for the best that it doesn't exist around the corner from my apartment, otherwise I'd be there everyday.

Three Things

Last month, I dropped by Artisinal LA's Holiday pop-up shop in Pasadena and sampled all sorts of great food and drinks from local vendors. Everyone was super nice, and by the time I finished circulating the different tables, I emerged with a foodie high and even bigger appreciation for the variety of local businesses in the community.

Creme Caramels from Creme Caramel LA

Candy bacon from Cast Iron Gourmet

Organic spirits from Greenbar Collective

Localizing - Indian Summer

in·di·an sum·mer

Noun:

A period of unusually dry, warm weather occurring in late autumn. A period of happiness or success occurring late in life.

(Thank you, Google definition search.)

It's supposed to be well over 90 today and tomorrow. Such a tease that we had temperatures drop into the 60s the other week, allowing me to break out the fall boots. I even got to break in the Hunter wellies with a full day of rain at one point.

Sigh.

Back they go to the waiting queue for another rainy day.




Sneak peek at next Tuesday's Three Things:

Food Love

Chorizo tacos from Miski Gourmet truck

Localizing - LA Weekly's Annual Pancake Breakfast

As mentioned in my Runyon Canyon entry, much enjoyable grubbing was done while Allison visited me last weekend. We introduced her to In & Out, Papa's Place, food trucks, Fred 62, House of Pies, Wahoo's fish tacos...

...but best of all, we attended LA Weekly's First Annual Pancake Breakfast. The event was held downtown at the Vibiana, a gorgeous event space that had been the city's first cathedral - and there was already a long line when we arrived a few minutes before the event start time of 11am. The doors open promptly and the line moved swiftly; once checked in, we were greeted with awesome coffee mugs and handy forks with curved edges to help cut through the pancakes that awaited us.

And what a crazy amount of pancakes (and coffee and breakfast cocktails) awaited us. As we got in line for our first tasting, we came up with a strategy to take on traditional breakfast-type options first and then circle back for the savory types. LA Mill's line for individual pour'ed-over iced or hot coffee seemed endless, so we grabbed free water bottles and set off.

To recap:

• Tried 15 out of 20 restaurants
• Original Pancake House was actually visited twice becausethey served their apple dutch baby pancakes then refilled with a round of Kijafa cherry crepes
• Favorite traditional breakfast-style pancake? Fig's lemon-ricotta pancakes topped with blueberry butter and almonds
• Favorite non-pancake? Nickel Diner's Irish carbomb donut hole
• Favorite savory pancake? Kobawoo House's seafood pancake
• Runner(s) up? Square One's pancake topped with bacon and bacon-infused carameland Tiara Cafe's milk pancake topped with a chilled lemon sabayon and Maldon salt

So. Well. Where was I?

The event recap. Right. Well, obviously it was an amazing opportunity and sure worth the $25 ticket cost considering the sheer (unlimited!) amount of quality foods and beverages.

Who's coming into town for the next Jonathan Gold/LA Weekly food event?!

Three Things

This week features my favorite flea market finds:

Dress form found at the Rose Bowl Flea Market.

It's actually pretty true to my size as well - perhaps a sign that a DIY venture in my future should be sewing related?

Square leather ottoman with nailhead detailing and great varying shades of tan at the Melrose Trading Post. I debated and haggled hard for this baby.

Refurbished coffee table from disregarden at the Melrose Trading Post.

Three Things

• I absolutely love the abundance of Jacaranda trees in LA. It makes my runs and walks more enjoyable, stuck-in-traffic scenery more bearable and overall life more colorful.

• Melrose Trading Post has become my favorite use of 2$ (the entry fee) and area to wander around on Sunday mornings. How awesome is that bed frame? How often can you get Argentine empanadas then walk less than 10 feet and get made-to-order crepes followed by browsing vintage postcards and prints?

• Tawny versus the vintage Wedgewood gas oven continues. Can anyone explain why my cupcakes turned into minature mountains of chocolate yum? Without actual proven measurement, I'm pretty sure my oven cooks at least 30 degrees higher than the dial reads or about 10-15 minutes faster than recommended.