Not so fresh at Fresh and Easy

Dropped by the neighborhood Fresh and Easy tonight to grab a few things to make mango lassi. As I walked out, I was disturbed by not-so-usual symbols painted into the prime parking spaces near the store front: mommy with kids and "hybrid only" symbols. Since when did driving a hybrid garner prime parking spaces? If one is really concerned about "living green," it shouldn't matter where one parks since one's primary mode of transportation shouldn't involve using gas at all, right? Isn't it better to pick the first parking spot available once you enter the lot and just walk to the front door? What's the big deal?

Ella's Desafinado

A combination of two of my favorite sounds - Ella Fitzgerald singing and the bossa nova!

Yang Yuck!

I'm meeting with someone next week and I made the mistake of letting the person pick a place. This is the first time I've met her so I don't know her tastes. She suggested the most in-authentic place in Chinatown! I've looked at all the Yelp reviews for this spot and it seems most of them were written by Western tongues who really don't care for authentic food.

I'm torn. The last and only time I was there, the food was pretty bland or way too salty - nothing compared to dishes I've had at Asian joints in the San Gabriel Valley or Seattle's House of Hong. Should I lie about having a bad experience there and suggest another restaurant where I'll be happy? Technically, my last experience wasn't the greatest.

I was told that I shouldn't be so critical about something as small as this. I'm still trying to decide how small this really is. Besides, food suggestions really do say a lot about a person.

RESPONSE POST
I had the dinner meeting at the spot. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The company definitely made the experience more interesting. I liked two out of the three dishes. She picked all of the food which was fine since I wasn't in the mood for much of anything there.

The author and I shared stories of us growing up and finding our cultural/ethnic identity. Thank goodness for my family and how I grew up. I wouldn't trade my experience with anyone else's. Her stories were a nice slap of reality highlighting the variety of experiences immigrants undergo growing up in the United States.

Overall, everything was better than I expected. But then again, that's me...expect the worse, hope for the best.

Magic Balloon People

The one time I truly do wish I have a camera with me...

I decided to go to a cafe in Highland Park so I could concentrate on writing. Instead of finding a nice, contemplative spot, I find myself budging into a workshop where people are creating balloon animals, demonstrating magic tricks and telling stories with their balloon animals, complete with voices. They even have this contest where you're timed while creating a balloon Disney character. The A for effort and creativity goes to the chick who had no idea what to make so she created a brown house with a yellow balloon and she used a black marker to create Peanuts' Woodstock. Yeah!

Who needs tv?! It beats being entertained by the valley-nailtoting-overdone hairstyling-shop obsessed-suv/luxury car driving-super soccer moms. I LOVE living in the City!!