Meanwhile, at the Legion of Doom

Things that would happen if The Legion of Doom merged with the Swiss Family Robinson:

1. Cheetah makes the Robinson boys into men.

2. Mother Robinson sews Solomon Grundy a new pair of pants.

3. They combine to build this sweet house..

The first time I came across this place, I half expected to see Julie Andrews sweeping the front porch surrounded by little cartoon bluebirds. Turns out, that song ain't so very far from wrong. It was designed and built over a 24-year period by former Disney animator Lawrence Joseph and became a Historical-Cultural Monument in 1996.

Years later, Elijah Wood and Sean Astin would move into the neighborhood.

Lawrence and Martha Joseph Residence & Apartments
Dunn Dr. south of Venice Blvd.
Culver City

Chairs of Palms, Election Day Edition

Just in time for (and in celebration of) the end of the interminable election season, I bring you this piece of fine wicker seating.

Now you may be asking yourself...

"Self...what does this chair, fine as it may be, have to do with the elections?"

Well you see, this chair has a nearly presidential lineage. Once upon a time, it posed for a lovely prom photo with future First Lady Michelle (Robinson) Obama. 

As you can see, both have aged wonderfully.

By the way, please take a few minutes out of your Tuesday to vote.

Vote for someone.

Vote against something.

Just vote. Please. 

We Don't Need Another Hero

Yours truly has been quite busy. I've become the intrepid reporter. Mostly sampling high school football stadium snack bar cuisine. But it has given me more reason to be out and about during the day. After all you can never have too much vitamin D.

Well, actually you can. And it can cause all kinds of nasty symptoms. But it's pretty hard to do...like drinking coffee with a fork. But I digress...

Just a couple of days ago I was out on Driveabout, which can be either:

a.) The Los Angeles equivalent of Walkabout.

b.) A clever way to say I got lost trying to get somewhere else.

You decide.

Regardless, I turned a corner and came upon this.

Thinking I had perhaps stumbled upon a secret entrance to Thunderdome, I googled it (and the strange spaceship looking building that calls itself Samitaur) shortly after I got home. Turns out, it's the Samitaur Tower and is going to be an integral feature to one of the stops on the Expo Line.  It's also an event board, art show and performance space all shaped like a stack of stainless steel overstuffed Oreos. 

Since my mad prattlings can't possibly equate to the creator's vision of the tower, I'll shut up and let you read all about it now. SPOILER ALERT: There's no Thunderdome.

Samitaur Tower

Corner of Hayden Ave. & National Blvd.

Culver City

Chairs of Palms, the Revenge

When I saw this sofa sitting on the curb this afternoon, I paused for a moment of silence to remember my old college sofa - aka, The World's Greatest Couch. All foam, no frame. If I laid on it for more than 10 minutes, it was instantly naptime. Speaking of which...I feel a doze coming on. 

All Coop'd Up

They (whoever They are) say pizza is like sex. When it's good, it's very good. But when it's bad...it's still pretty good. If that's true, I'm sprung on The Coop.

As a lifelong California kid, I'm reluctant to acknowledge we're outdone by the N-Y-C. But I have to tip my hat to New York pizza. Sorry, Chicago...you may be my kind of town, but eating pizza with a knife and fork makes me feel un-American.

Every good neighborhood deserves a cheap, quality pizza place. Which is exactly how I described The Coop after first sampling their cheese pizza. It's hard to beat a large pizza for around $10. The only thing they don't have is a cool commercial. But if you can't do better than this epic spot, why bother trying?

The Coop

10006 National Blvd.

310.837.4462

On The Right Track

I have often said that if the City of Los Angeles decided to ever redesign its flag, it should feature a giant, orange construction cone. Honestly, it wouldn't be much worse than the city's current flag.

But every so often I'm reminded that construction can be the labor pains of progress - an idea that was especially encouraging when I saw this on my drive home from downtown this afternoon.

This, boys and girls, is the soon-to-be-completed Expo Line that will connect Culver City (and eventually the beach) to downtown Los Angeles and all of the other Metro lines therein. I know I mentioned recently how cool I think this is going to be when it's finally finished. But just in case you needed a visual representation of how I feel, just watch this.

My Night at the PNC

Being an election year and all (and me being unemployed and all), I have more time to try and wear my Concerned Citizen hat. So when I came across the website for the Palms Neighborhood Council, I figured it would be a worthwhile resource. After all, what better way to get to really know your neighborhood than going to a council meeting?

So I dusted off my trusty notebook and headed off to the monthly board meeting, feeling a bit 11th gradish and wondering if Mr. Hubbell was somewhere smiling. Though he never really smiled much. And when he did, it was kinda creepy. Like he didn't do it all the time and was still getting used to the sensation.

Anyhoo...

I slid in the side just a couple of minutes late, snagged a couple pieces of pizza and found a seat off to the side. Moments later, I was scribbling away in my notebook. But this time it was actual notes. Not like high school when I was pretending to take notes while actually dealing out a quick hand of Pusoy Dos.

While the kid in me curses the grownup in me for maturing enough to get some value out of a council meeting, the grownup in me felt like he was "in the know" for hearing about DWP's plan to refurbish its electricity transmission line from Olympic down to the Scattergood power plant near LAX. While the project is still in the idea stage, it's expected to take about a year to replace and refurbish a utility line originally set in 1976. There will be the expected road closures and street construction, but the end result means repaved roads and better electrical transmission with fewer outages.

Of course, there's no telling how that proposed construction could conflict with the expansion of the Expo Line of the Metro - perhaps the most exciting project on the Westside right now - that will stretch out to the beach. Traffic already can back up in Palms. It could certainly get worse...even if the end result is more accessibility to public transportation. No pleasure without pain, eh?

Speaking of which, there was mention of planning for a Palms-Culver City Film Festival. Would be cool, no?

Without going all High School civics, it was very cool to see a group of people who love my 'hood as much, or probably more, than I do. For anyone living or working in the neighborhood, they have open board meetings on the first Wednesday of every month. Or you can just keep up with them via their website.

I'll do my best to post any community events here. If you know of anything, definitely pass it on to the Council...and don't be afraid to cc me as well. Deal?

This Little Piggy Went To Market, Part Deux

A wise man once told me "Titles don't cost anything." I immediately figured him for a Yankees fan.

But when I thought about it, I realized he was right. So I started collecting titles like Garbage Pail Kids. Currently I care to be addressed as The Bizarro Punxsutawney Phil of Palms. Namely whenever I poke my head out of my burrow, the weather is guaranteed to change. I come outside one day and it's the hottest one in Los Angeles history. I wait a week...it's raining.

That meant three things.

A. It would be awhile before my $3 Big Lots beach mats would get an encore performance.

2. Fewer crowds at the Farmer's Market.

D. I should probably go outside more often.

The normal staples normally include apples, trail mix, gin(ger) and juice. But in an effort to promote seasonal eating, the walk home was spent googling how exactly one prepares Swiss Chard. Wish me luck.

Culver City Farmers' Market

Main Street between Venice and Culver

Every Tuesday, rain or shine from 2-7 pm

By the way, if you're looking for a farmers' market or co-op in your area, I always recommend LocalHarvest. Having spent some time in the Central Valley, I recognize the value of helping local growers. Not to mention FM fruits and vegetables taste better than the store bought ones...so there's that.

Don't Read This Post!

There are lots of things I've done against my better judgement. Eat two pizzas in about 16 hours. Spend actual money to see Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot.

I now am adding this post to that list.

I've previously mentioned that walking aimlessly has produced positive results in my life - including coming across Tokyo 7-7, which immediately became my favorite coffee shop. Maybe it's because it's tucked away in an alley behind a parking structure. Or maybe because it's run by the coolest group of cute old Japanese ladies.

Or maybe because this was our bill after pancakes and bacon for two with a side of eggs, home fries, coffee and juice.

No...thank you. I'll definitely be back.

Tokyo 7-7
3839 Main Street
310.204.5728

Chairs of Palms, The Return

For Rent

Cute, cozy three bedroom upper. Previous tenants were a bit flighty. Floors may need some cleanup. Available all winter long. May need to renegotiate lease in the spring. 

Get The Pho In My Belly!

Despite having a fridge full of newly purchased groceries, the idea of cooking for myself was slightly less appealing than adding Baconnaise to a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich. Maybe it was ignorance. Maybe it was apathy. I don't know and I don't care. 

But it also could have been the little tickle in the back of my throat that cried out for some chicken and noodles in a giant bowl of steaming broth. Super Pho to the rescue! Add in a few squirts of Sriracha and it will open up your sinuses. Plus for less than $7, there's enough for two people...or two meals if you're stingy. It's like a flashback to my halcyon days of the $5 La Barca burrito!

Mmmm...that's goooood soup! 

Super Pho & Teriyaki

10953 Venice Blvd.

310.204.2829

20 Degrees Cooler Inside...

Do I have to wait that long for relief?

Hot Buttered Bugs

I'm pretty certain that my internal organs are compiling a daily list of grievances that they will file against me at the worst possible moment in some sort of misguided labor battle. But until the day my hands go beyond my control and literally cut my nose off to spite my face, there will be days like Saturday.

Because eating pizza and drinking beer in front of the television (allegedly) gets boring, my girlfriend Teresa was able to convince me to head out on a college football day to Redondo Beach for the Lobster Festival - but not until after the Trojans finished their beatdown of Washington State. Of course, the promise of more food and drink made the decision a little easier.

And food and drink there was...in abundance. All sorts of different booths selling all manners of tasty snacks. But I couldn't go to a lobster festival and not have lobster. That would be like watching an episode of Three's Company that somehow didn't involve a crazy misunderstanding.

Having just had my first crawfish experience a few months ago in New Orleans, it hit me just how much lobsters look like giant insects. Now if only silverfish tasted as good with lemon and butter. Did I just say that out loud? We'll chalk that up to the beer talking. Or the euphoria over hearing an honest-to-goodness Steely Dan tribute band.

It never stood a chance.

We were even lucky enough to hang out with Daniel Tosh's stunt double

Chairs of Palms, Pt. 2

In front of the Metro PCS store on Venice Blvd. Technically, it's on the Culver City side of the street.

To be continued...

This Little Piggy Went To Market

Friday afternoon, I found myself cruising the streets of Palms and Culver City feeling a little bit like Johnny Kemp, wondering what to do with the $20 burning a hole in my pocket. Beers at happy hour? Pizza and beer? Beer and beer?

Since a $7 12-pack of the High Life (it is the Champagne of Beers after all!) solved half of my dilemma for me, I started to think that maybe I shouldn't undo all of this week's good work at the gym in one fell swoop. After all, Rome wasn't destroyed in a day...or something like that.

So instead, I decided to hit up my local corner market for some goodies to cook up for a semi-nutritious dinner. $1.50 later, I had enough garlic to make a garlic butter cream sauce as well as keep Team Edward from coming anywhere near my apartment. Plus it erased what minuscule pangs of guilt I felt for continually using the change machine at the store-owned laundromat next door. Huzzah!

Palms Super Market
3658 Motor Ave.
310.202.1230

Chairs of Palms

You ever take a walk somewhere and just had a hankering for a good sit? Then come on over. We've got chairs and sofas on almost every corner. It's just like, it's just like a mini mall!

To be continued...

Wherefore Art Thou, (Alfa) Romeo?

Pardon the awful headline. It's late.

But not too late to enjoy another automotive gem gracing the curbs & sidewalks of West Los Angeles. Enjoy Alfa Romeo Meets Speed Racer.

Gotta love the missing passenger seat. Stuntman Mike would be proud.

Claiming India Sweets & Spices In The Name of Palms

I look forward to Tuesdays since they're normally centered around Law & Order: SVU marathons and futilely waiting for J. Wellington Wimpy to pay me back for lunch.

It's also Samosa Day! In what has become a weekly ritual after my stop at the Farmer's Market, I pop into India Sweets & Spices. I was introduced to their spiced potato-filled bits of Savory Snack Heaven by Eniko, who heard about them from Anuja, who just went there on her own. Go Anuja!

The lunch buffet is quality as well, not to mention cheap. But those little golden gifts of goodness give me something to look forward to every week - plus an additional way to use up the ginormous bottle of Sriracha I bought from their market. Wash 'em down with a Mango Lassi, aka the sweet nectar of the SSH gods and that's a pretty good afternoon.

Oh and pay no attention to the Culver City zip code. They're on the Palms side of Venice Boulevard, so they belong to us. Don't try to argue with me! (*fingers in ears* I'm not listening....LALALALALALA!!!!)

By the way, this is their new sign. It recently replaced one that was hand spray-painted. This one is nice, but it lacks the character of the old one. If anyone has a picture of the old sign, please email it to me. I'd love to post it - with all props to the appropriate person/people, of course.

India Sweets & Spices
9409 Venice Blvd.
310.839.8607

Marcas' Monday Mad Men Moment

We now return you to the rest of your work day.

Jack's 5th Show

The cool thing about being friends with cool people is getting to do cool stuff. So big thanks to Christine - always one of my favorite people for inviting me to the Jack show in Irvine on Saturday.

For one night, I ventured outside my five-mile bubble. Skid Row, Night Ranger, The Cult and The Steve Miller Band put on a damn fine show. But for a chance to see Young MC & Vanilla Ice...hell yeah!

Robert Van Winkle himself held court at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. No joke, RVW crushed his set. Never thought I'd see a Vanilla Ice show live...expected even less that I'd have a great time. The only thing more surreal than that was seeing Michael Rosenbaum hobnobbing with Young MC backstage. Yes, that Young MC.

Midway through Ice's set, it was taken over by a convention of Cougar Juggalos.

Not to be outdone, The Cult rocked pretty hard.

Even as a Dodger fan, I must bow down to a pair of kick ass Padre Reeboks, complete with the old-school Swingin' Friar logo. Props to Doug for this sweet find.

Vagina is for lovers. What's that? It's Virginia is for lovers? To-may-to. To-mah-to.

Chego!

A good Friday night usually begins sitting on my couch eating a tasty dinner. It usually ends with me waking up with a kink in my neck because I fell asleep on said couch - trying for the 12th time to make it all the way through Ten Tigers of Shaolin. Maybe one day I'll start it before 1:30 in the morning.

Earlier in the day, I was in service to others...namely driving in circles helping someone in need. And it netted me $10. With my newfound windfall, I thought I deserved a treat. My first trip to Chego!- from the makers of Kogi. For weeks, I've been wanting to eat here, but their hours of operation seemed to mirror my work schedule almost exactly. I don't have that problem anymore. But I digress. 

I went with the Sour Cream Hen House, mostly because it's the funnest name on the menu to say. I was hooked on the first bite. It's worthy of one of those Taco Bell-esque Frankenwords like tastetacular or cruncheweesy. Spicy, grilled, crunchy, creamy. Sprilluncheamy!

Chego!
3300 Overland Ave.
310.287.0337
www.eatchego.com

The Subcontinent's Greatest Adventurer?

Snake Surprise and Chilled Monkey Brains not on the menu.

Pimp My Ride: The Home Version

There will come a day when I will go out and remember to pick up everything I need in one trip. Tuesday was not that day. Since man wasn't meant to live on quinoa alone - no matter how delicious it may be - it was time for another outing.

It's not really out of the ordinary to see a Pimped Out Ride, it is Los Angeles after all. But a DIY pimp job involves a combination of deep respect and comedic ridiculousness usually reserved for Asians doing Christopher Walken impressions.

Not all "custom" paint jobs are suspect. For instance, maybe you drive an ice cream truck for grownups. I can get down with that. Though, I'd probably stay away from the Choco Taco.

Because driving an unmarked delivery van isn't creepy enough.

Barefoot Rattlesnakes & Smiling Trees

Calling yourself a "creature of habit" sounds a lot more mysterious than "guy in a rut". Regardless, it's Tuesday which means my weekly grocery shopping trip. It always begins with a walk through the Culver City Farmer's Market on Main Street between Venice & Culver. Having apples back in season (though I'm still waiting for the Pink Ladies) has slightly improved my mood over thoughts of summer being taken over by fall.

After getting my fill of fresh fruits and veggies, a brief stop at Trader Joe's rounds out the trip. Today was one of the days that I was rewarded for being a creature of habit.

Ladies and gentlemen...The Barefoot Rattlesnakes

At least, I think that's what they're called. That's the reluctant answer I got from one of the members. Nonetheless, any street band with not one but TWO singing saws is pretty cool.

Later, in an effort to not be "guy in a rut", I took a different route home. On the grand scale of life changes, it's not exactly picking up and moving to a new country, but it beats looking at the same scenery every day. And every once in awhile you find something out of the ordinary.

Sure, TVs and games are great...but how much for the oversized Mr. Potato Head pieces?

Taking the Fork in the Road

After five plus hours alternating my gaze from the computer screen to the television, I figured it might be a good idea to head outside and get some vitamin D. Plus the Law and Order: Criminal Intent marathon was over. 

Usually walking aimlessly has worked out pretty well for me. I wish I could say the same for Walking With Purpose. One night in Tulsa comes to mind. But that's for another time. I've always been fascinated with buildings sitting along forks in the road which is how I first stumbled upon the Parish of St. Mary in Palms splitting the difference between Faris Dr. and Watseka Ave.

Part of the charm of Palms is the diverse look among the buildings. In a city that gets knocked for its lack of architecture, it's always cool to come across something that looks like nothing else. Not to mention there's something kinda apropos about a church being located at a fork in the road.

St. Mary in Palms
3647 Watseka Avenue 
stmarypalms.org

Backstage

Not that I ever need an excuse, but the first Sunday of the NFL season is reason enough for me to check in for a long, productive day of drinking and eating at Backstage. As always Celina was there bright and early to cater to the walking zombies looking to shake off a Saturday night hangover - whether liquor or late night football induced.

After a few $2 Pabst Blue Ribbons and some fantastic chicken nachos, I was almost feeling too satisfied to notice I was smack dab in the middle of a Seahawks bar watching my 49ers get run over by the crowd favorite. To help make things better, I stuck around after 4:00 for their daily Happy Hour. Nothing helps chase the blues away like some garlic fries and a $3 Newcastle.

Backstage

10400 Culver Blvd.

310.839.3892

www.backstageculvercity.com

Hi...

My name is Marcas. I moved to Palms in February, 2009 - partially on the insistence of my good friend Eniko.

(Say hi, Eniko...)

Anyway, I just wanted to share some of what I think is good in my hood. Hope you like it. Feel free to share.

Oh and if you ever see that fella down the on the right walking around...it's just me. Feel free to say hello.