Blah, Blah, Blog

2011-03-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

Fade into me

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My Favorite Frocks...With a Sale that Rocks!

2008-11-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

My favorite dresses come from a boutique on Montana Ave., in Santa Monica...better known as Leona Edmiston. But, given the current economic conditions of my wallet, I haven't been able to do any shopping there for a while. That's why I was thrilled when I received their email, this morning, announcing their upcoming "Annual Sample & Warehouse Sale" coming to the Montana Ave. location. Dresses start at $35, accessories at $29, and includes a buy 4 get 1 free offer. Sale starts Friday, 11am-7pm, for VIP clients, and open to the public, Saturday-Sunday, 10-6pm. Hope to see you there!

This Christmas, Give the Gift of Life

2008-11-14T13:24:00.000-08:00

A few months after losing one of our cats to cancer, we finally decided we were ready to adopt a new friend. But, where to start? Our first cat came from an adoption event at Petco and our second was a stray. Since we already had a cat, it was very important to make the decision based on personality - which wasn't easily judged in a crowded, noisy store. Thankfully, our vet recommended the Lange Foundation.

We were amazed both by the staff and the facility, on our very first visit. Everyone was friendly & helpful and there were rooms where you could simply visit with the animals for as long as you wanted. At the time, there were over 100 cats living there. It took a couple of visits to make our decision, but we finally settled on Puppy. He had been rescued from a shelter and was being nursed back to health, after contracting a nasty cold.

Once Puppy was deemed healthy and ready to be taken home, we found their paperwork to be extensive (they carefully screen perspective owners) and their adoption fees surprisingly low, being well below what other organizations were charging.

So, you might understand why the Lange Foundation holds a special place in my heart. And, as the economy worsens, it's important to remember such a special organization that cares for so many animals in need. This Christmas, instead of giving a fellow animal lover another doggie sweater or kitty collar, consider the Lange Foundation's "Gift of Life." A $75 donation will help save a cat or dog from the LA City animal shelters - while the recipient receives a photo and story of a recently rescued animal. And, if you can't afford to make a financial donation, consider a donation of your time. Volunteers are always needed to help walk the dogs or simply to play with the cats!

Shop Locally...Online

2008-11-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

Like everyone this holiday season, I'm going to be scaling down on my gift-giving budget. For what gifts I will be buying, I'm going to try to keep my purchases to local, small businesses, where possible. But, since I'm also trying to save on gas and time, I'll be doing a lot of my shopping online. That's where Etsy comes in. They have a great 'shop local' feature that allows you to find artists in your area. I recently used this feature to purchase a pair of Holly West earrings as a birthday gift. They were beautiful, unique and best of all, local!

How Often Does Your Dentist Call?

2008-11-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

I've had the rare call from a doctor to see how I was doing, after being diagnosed with one malady or another. But, never have I received a call from a dentist. So, you can be certain that I was pretty darned surprised when my telephone started ringing, this evening...and there was Ronald Greene, DDS on the other end of the phone.

Just a bit of back story, first. I've been going to the same dentist for the last five years. He's wonderful. He's so wonderful, that I drive all the way from Santa Monica to Manhattan Beach to see him. And those of you unfamiliar with LA, that's usually a 1.5 to 2 hour round trip. He's so wonderful, that even though I have dental HMO coverage, I pay out of pocket to see him...even in this economy.

So, back to today. Yes, I spent nearly 2 hours with my mouth wide open having a temporary crown put in. No, it really wasn't all that bad. First, his staff is amazing...all of them are kind, helpful and friendly. They pay attention to you, explain the procedures thoroughly, give you options, and actually take care of you. Then there's Dr. Greene. He's just...great. And, after his call tonight just to see how I was feeling, he's now my dental hero!

Sushi King...For the Love of Uni

2008-11-02T10:37:00.000-08:00

The husband and I are big into sushi. Toro, hamachi, uni, aji...these words make our mouths water. So, every few weeks we head to Sushi King, on 14th and Wilshire, for our regular fix. There are more expensive, fancier spots, but this is the place for quality fish that won't break the bank.

Sushi King opens at 5:30 p.m. and we make a point of getting there early, in order to sit in Saito-san's portion of the sushi bar. His yellowtail sushi is so generous in size, it has its own tail! The fish can literally wrap around the rice. And don't get me started on the melt-in-your-mouth Toro.

We don't always limit ourselves to nigiri sushi, however, as their signature dish is something called Seabass Misoyaki. It's a simple marinated and cooked fish, with cold green beans in a light sesame sauce...deeeeeee-lish!!!

After years of going to Sushi King, we actually left enough room for dessert this time around...or so we thought. "What's do you recommend?" we innocently asked Saito-san. "We have a poached pear in cream sauce," he replied with a gleam in his eyes. WOW!!! Yes, we were stuffed by the time we finished off the last drop of cream sauce...but it was worth it.

And, all we can say is, "Thank you Saito-san, we'll be back!"

Couture You Can Afford

2008-10-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

Coffee...I love it. The smell, the color, even the site of those shiny, deep brown beans. For me, there's so much comfort in the simple, routine pleasure of starting each day with my café au lait and ending it with an espresso. Like two wonderful bookends.

While the husband and I have sampled and enjoyed a host of the premium beans, we've finally settled on our favorite. L.A. Mill, now marketing themselves at "The Couture of Coffee," offers a wide selection of beans at their site. Each one has a useful description, and we've found that they are pretty accurate.

Previously, their coffee beans would come vacuum bagged and marked with the roast date. Now, they come in beautiful, custom labeled tins. While the tins are very nice, we found that they quickly multiply if you order the coffee regularly. So, the solution for us has been to request the vacuum bags in our order.

Orris Restaurant Does It Again

2008-10-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

The husband and I had our second stunning dinner at Orris, last Saturday night. Every bite was incredible. Ahi tuna tartar, homemade smoked salmon, lamb loin carpaccio, and on and on. We wished we could have tried everything on the menu.

The restaurant's influence is Japanese-French. The menu is divided into hot & cold small bites, with 2-4 pieces per plate, depending on the size of your party. They also have a seasonal menu, along with nightly specials. The wine list is varied and bottles are reasonably priced.

Even their desserts were unforgettable. The husband tried their apple tartin, finding it buttery, light and flaky. Last time, I had their Valrhona flourless cake topped with espresso gelato...yum. This visit, I opted for the Valrhona chocolate ice cream...WOW!!!! I was speechless. To top it off, they also know how to make a great espresso. And, the service was excellent.

We've made a point of getting to Orris when it opens Saturdays at 5:30 p.m., as they don't take reservations and tend to fill up quickly. And, on the last two times, we found ourselves waiting for them to open with the same couple. The restaurant obviously gets repeat business, and now we certainly know why.