Saturday, November 7, 2009

A Hodgepodge of Blogs

A full Indian dinner at Anarkali; or, in my brother's words, "Holy Rhea!"

The amazing work of Mike at Studio City Tattoo.

Well, friends, I still have no complaints about living in the city. Despite the hustle and bustle of being in the heart of Los Angeles and falling asleep to the sound of my downstairs neighbor getting her ass slapped, I really do love it here. There's nothing that compares to living close to family and friends, and I constantly am befuddled by how quickly time flies when you're having fun. This week's mish mosh of spots is listed in the order of which they were visited:

Studio City Tattoo 11032 Ventura Blvd., Studio City
A friend recommended the artist, Mike, to me. I went with said friend to get her tattoo and was rather impressed with Mike's efficient and smooth work. Before I left the shop, I chatted with Mike and showed him some sketches of what I wanted. He asked me to email the sketches and to give him a few days to create a design around a previously existing tattoo. Four days, 30 minutes, and a glass of wine later, I was thrilled with the outcome. Mike's intricate work on my bony right foot was more than I could have asked for. Tattoos come with a hefty price tag (the shop's minimum is $80), which is well worth the investment for a piece of art that will last you forever. I think I'm done with my tattoo frenzy (are you happy, dad?), although I'd go back to see Mike if I ever got the urge to be inked.

BLD 7450 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles
Thank you, LA Restaurant Week! For a $26 prix fixe plus an $18 wine pairing, my friend, Mara, and I got to experience one of LA's most talked about eateries. We each got an appetizer (bacon-wrapped figs), entree (butternut squash lasagna), and dessert (bread pudding). Clearly, the foods in parentheses were my selections for the evening. I'm a firm believer that a meal is well worth the splurge if it pleasantly haunts your palate for weeks to come. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, before wishing a hearty Shabbat Shalom to all those nice Jews we saw on the walk to the Village Idiot.

Oak Fire Grill (formerly Stone Fire Grill) 829 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood
For some reason, this sports bar/pizzeria has turned into my new family dinner spot. The thin crust pizzas are delectable and delicious and the Happy Hour deals can't be beat. The other night I went to Oak Fire with my girl, Talia, newly-engaged and co-creator of the Three Day Rule. She asked me to accompany her to Oak Fire (the night the Yankees won the World Series oh heeeeeeeeeeeeeey!) to take some pictures of guys on the town. To our surprise, we were turned down by bar fly douchebags who wouldn't let us snap even one shot. They were rude, too! Um, are you kidding me?? I'd be flattered if some cute dudes approached me for their website which highlights eligible young singles on the town! Whatevs. Short and sweet: go to Oak Fire for the Happy Hour and the food, not for the dudes. Ew.

I do hope to see all you 21+ singles at the Three Day Rule's next mixer at Bar Lubitsch on Wednesday, November 18, from 8-10pm. I mean, who isn't excited to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right [Now]??

Rush Street 9546 Washington Blvd., Culver City
My good friend, Jess, recommended this place for dinner and a drink the other night. We met up Thursday night after work for a night of fantastic company, awesome food, and great service. The place didn't fill up until around 7:30, making it easy for us to snag a table without a reservation. The turkey burger was moist, the sweet potato fries were crisp, the mac 'n' cheese was garlicky and amazing, and the first round of drinks was free. This is a great spot for meeting friends or a date. There's a stripper pole (say whaaaa?!) on the second floor behind the bar and a patio open for dining, drinking, and smoking (ick). Park in the lot off Cardiff; it's free for the first two hours and $1 every hour after that.

Prix 8776 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
I've raved about Roger before and I'll rave about him again. I'm now a return customer and I've gone to Roger for two of my nine piercings. He's been in the business for 11 years and has pricked the best of the best, including the Osbourne family, P. Diddy/Puff Daddy/Sean "Puffy" Combs, and LaToya Jackson. This salon is clean and thorough with a friendly and fun staff. No doubt you should call and ask for Roger for your next piercing. My N.T. and I have a love-love relationship with him. Gotta love the Rog.

Anarkali 7013 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
Still my favorite Indian restaurant in L.A. Last night I went with my girl, E, and we indulged to the point of physical pain (I still believe there's a little Indian man Bollywood dancing inside my tummy). The food never disappoints and their Chicken Tikka Masala can't be beat. They started us off with free Samosas and topped us off with Rice Pudding, on the house. Be sure to print the $10, dine-in only coupon before you go, and they might even give you another one at the end of the meal, like they did for each of us last night. Park at a meter and save yourself the cost of valet.

Download this: "Memories" by David Guetta. It's one of those songs you can relate to.