Michele "Opinionated Chick" G.'s Profile

I went to the Hammer Museum specifically to see architect John Lautner's exhibit (July 13-October 12, 2008) and highly recommend the exhibit and the museum.

First, Lautner's exhibit featuring photos, slide shows, sketches and models of his many structures (homes, schools, Googie coffee shops) reminded me how much he's added to the landscape of Los Angeles. Even if you don't know or care about architecture, I just can't imagine walking away from seeing Lautner's innovative designs and not being inspired to create something, anything.  

About the museum - it has a zen-like atmosphere with an open plaza surrounded by towering bamboo and uncluttered galleries.  In one gallery there's a collection of Van Gogh paintings, along with Rembrandt, Renoir, Sisley, Pissaro and more; it's a mix of impressionist landscapes and classic oil portraits.

There were other exhibits and film viewings that I didn't see because I spent too much time in the museum bookstore. I could've spent days in that store, it was stocked with so many amazing art books.

After not finding what we needed at Michael's craft store or Aaron Brothers, my husband and I remembered Continental Art Supplies.  

I like Continental.  Not only did they have what we needed, but I have a thing for little art stores like this. Heck, they even have a room up stairs that's dedicated solely to paper.  Ever need papyrus? They have it! Or paper that looks and feels like reptile skin? They have that, too.  

Standing among all the different brushes, pencils, pastels, tubes of oils, art books... I started to dream about selling everything to do nothing but paint and create. Then I saw myself as a starving artist... and I got hungry.  So we walked out the door and went to lunch.

Damn! I wanted to love this place. Why?

The food! It's really, really good. My husband had perfectly cooked eggs, eggs so perfect they could've appeared in an ad. The pancakes were fluffy, golden and tasted homemade. The bacon was just right, not too crisp or too chewy. My melted club and onion rings were really tasty, too.

The cooks at Cici's know what they're doing. They deserve five stars!  The atmosphere was nice, too.  

But oh..... the waitstaff was a disaster. We had to flag down someone to get seated.  No one stood at the hostess stand.  We needed to run around to find our own cream and butter. Then (and this is what sent me here to post a review, because it's something I've never seen before)...our waitress was socializing with customers. I don't mean she was just being friendly. No! She actually sat down with customers and had a full (seemingly deep) conversation with her back to the restaurant, as we waited for our bill.  My husband practically had to whip out a SOS flag to get her attention. When she finally did turn around and notice us, she looked less than thrilled to bring us our bill.  But even then she took her time walking over because (here's the killer) she was TEXT MESSAGING as she walked toward us!!

What the hell? The only way I could've possibly understood this is if the text message read, "get ur ass ovr there now or ur fired!"

What a shame. The food's really, really good.  Still, I can't see shelling out nearly $11 (the price of my tasty sandwich and onion rings) to be treated worse than my teenage daughter treats me at home.

Just yesterday, I drove by Tires Buy Mark and thought... hmmm, I haven't reviewed them yet.  I love that place!  Ok, it's greasy and smells like rubber - like a tire place should - but their smell isn't why I love them.

So I came on over to Yelp to leave my review, only to find someone else didn't have the pleasant experience I've always had at Tires Buy Mark. That, for me, is all the more reason I need to leave a review.  

I've been going to these guys for years and I've never had a problem. Plus, their prices are great and they're always so extremely helpful.  They make such a mundane task a huge pleasure.  I pull in and in only minutes an employee is putting tires on my car - no matter how busy they are.  No hassles and great prices.  That's why I love them.

Before finding Tires Buy Mark, I went numerous times to a place on Canoga and Saticoy that always took forever and constantly confused my order.  I know you're thinking "Well, what an idiot!  Why would you go to this place?" And I agree with you!!  I just thought all tire places required me to take up an entire afternoon watching Jerry Springer with strangers while breathing in grease and rubber, as rude employees figured out how to empty my bank account with their outrageously expensive tires.  Yes, I'm an idiot!  I know.
But I'm less of an idiot since I've discovered Tires Buy Mark.

One recent Saturday morning I needed to get keys made, so I remembered Franklin's.

I'm a huge fan of mom and pop hardware stores.  Something about the way they smell - of rubber hoses, lumber and other assorted manly smells.  Plus, people actually say "Hi!" when you enter.

The minute I walked into Franklin's, three or four people asked if I needed help, and the store was pretty busy.  Right away, the guy got working on my keys.  I leaned back on the Coca Cola cooler watching people come and go.  In minutes, I had my keys.  It was an entirely different experience than I've had at Home Depot, where I usually need to hunt someone down and then wait in a long line.

At Franklin's, I was in and out.

Plus, they're right next door to Le Bon Bread.  So, of course, I stopped by there for a pastry.

The next time I have a friend visit from out of town I may have to take them to Cheebo for lunch.  Why?  Because it's sooooo LA!  Remember Annie Hall's last scene at the Source on Sunset Boulevard?  Cheebo is more LA than that.  With its organic menu, art-covered tangerine walls and rock star and movie-type clientele, Woody Allen couldn't create a better only-in-Hollywood scene.

Though the sky was black and gray and drizzling, the moment my daughter and I entered Cheebo, sun seemed to pour through the mosaic of colored glass panes and land right on Slash from Guns n Roses.  Even though the small room was packed and servers swooshed by carrying towers of pita bread on hummus, Slash - with his full black curls and pierced nose - was hard not to notice.

After being seated next to a group of guys, we discovered the crayons placed on our table and began coloring away on the white paper-topped table.  My daughter worked on her hot pink heart, while I scribbled some psychedelic amoeba-like orbs.

The guys next to us - some independent film people, I'm guessing from what they were talking about - pointed out their own tablecloth art:  One blood covered dagger and some boobies.

"Well, that about sums up guys, right there," I said, glad they laughed instead of getting offended.

Our lentil soup and Mediterranean plate arrived.  Everything was fresh and tasty.  As we ate, Slash walked by dressed in black jeans and black T-shirt.  My eyes locked on his muscular, tattooed bicep... Oops, I was staring.  But it's a small place and I was facing that way...  Oh, come on!   To not stare at Slash when he was only two feet in front of my face would just be lame.  I stared.  I ate.  I colored.  I liked Cheebo.

Where can a Valley movie-goer reserve seats in the section she wants?  Where can a Valley movie-lover see AFI films on the big screen if she doesn't want to drive to Hollywood?  Where can Valley-ites avoid half-hour long previews and too-loud and repetitive commericals?  Where can a Valley-dweller eat a perfect baby green salad in balsamic vinagrette with an upclose view of the 405 rushing by below?

The Valley's own Arclight in Sherman Oaks, complete with cafe.  I love it!

My daughter used to take guitar lessons here.  What a great place!  Founded by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it's a non-profit music school that not only provides music and voice lessons for children at reasonable prices, but also provides funding for those who can not afford it.  Every year Flea holds fundraisers for the conservatory, and I would imagine people can make donations all year long.

I loved those Saturday mornings when my daughter went to the conservatory.  She would have her guitar case over her shoulder as I dropped her off.  Then I'd walk up to Casbah Cafe for a tart and spearmint tea and then cross the street to the Silverlake farmers market; the whoe time knowing she was having fun practicing some Pink Floyd riffs.

Also her teacher was great - patient, kind and, yet, straight forward - always telling her the way it was.  She was improving, but not practicing enough - he could tell.  

She set aside the guitar around the time she started wanting to learn to drive a car.  Ahh...  I miss those Saturday mornings in Silverlake.

Thanks, Flea!!  You're doing great work.

Cafe Carolina was - thank goodness (as I mop my brow in relief... because I invited a bunch of friends) - as good as the Yelp reviews said.  It's a cozy little place run by Chef Giuseppe Dossi, who even answers the phone himself with his friendly Italian accented voice.

First came the salads.  My husband and I shared the wonderful spinach salad (Organic baby spinach tossed with red onions, walnuts, mushrooms, warm shallot- mustard vinaigrette and topped with salted ricotta).  It was perfect, gently dressed in the warm vinaigrette.  It's the sort of salad I aspire to make, but rarely do.

Next, came our butternut squash soup with Marsala and mushroom.  While the texture was smooth and creamy, I found it bland in spice and a little sweet.  But this was the only dish that didn't blow me away.

I read the gnocchi with Gorgonzola was really good, so I ordered that.  Two of my friends, lovers of good gnocchi, ordered gnocchi in pesto.  My husband ordered steak with Dijon sauce and another couple ordered Penne in a tomato sauce.

Out came my gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce - light potato dumplings in a seductively silky, rich buttery cream sauce with perfectly flavored (not too pungent) Gorgonzola.  Ahhhh...the dish looked like pearls immersed in a bed of white silk.  And, ohhh, it tasted... well, this is what I said after my first bite, as two of my gnocchi loving friends and my husband dipped their forks into my dish, "I can imagine growing up as an Italian child and craving this dish as my ultimate comfort food."  It made the most creamy mom-made mac and cheese seem about as comforting as plate of jiggly, cold cubes of tofu in comparison. Yes, this gnocchi is true comfort food.

Marv and Lisa's eyes rolled back in ecstasy as they each enjoyed my gnocchi... and they know good gnocchi.  My husband, while finding his steak quite tasty, said he'd definitely order the gnocchi next time.  Everyone cleaned their plates.  Nothing was left over.  Apparently, everyone was very happy with their dishes.

By this time the little place was filled, and my table was getting a little rowdy (we were on a gnocchi high, I guess).  Lisa, so satisfied with her gnocchi in pesto and house salad, stood up and said, "I'm going to go hug Chef Giussepe!"  We all watched her march off into the kitchen.

Lisa came back smiling.  "What a great guy!  I love this place!!"

I told everyone I heard their tiramisu (Ladyfingers, mascarpone and espresso in a delicious layered cake) is really good.  So we ordered plates of those and cups of coffees.

As the waitress (and she was great, by the way - even after we wore her out) was about to walk away to get our dessert and coffee, I said, "Wait!! I heard the Chef makes a killer cup of hot chocolate."

"Oh, well, I have to ask him.  He only does it at his discretion."

"Please," I begged with a pouty face (I stopped maturing at about four.)

And then she came out with my big, cup of fluffy whipped cream on top of the richest, most incredible European style hot chocolate I'd ever had.  Lisa and Marv kept dipping their spoons into it.  Lisa finally stole my cup away from me (nah! I gave it to her) .  It's sweet, creamy-ness reminded me, somewhat, of the Cafe con Leche I used to have in Spain - something a European mother might  make over the stove.

The tiramisu was a great way to finish the meal - one of the best I've had in awhile.  After all the soups, salads, entrees, coffees, hot chocolate and desserts each of our meals averaged under $50 per couple. What a deal!

Delighted with our meal,  our entire group got up and walked to the kitchen to thank the Chef for the wonderful evening.

*Oh, one more thing - they do not serve alcohol, but charge a $2 corkage fee if you would like to bring a bottle of wine.

This review is for Bank of America Nationwide

The Bank of "Opportunity" (Which in small print means:  The opportunity to suck you dry, screw you over and try to make you believe it's for your own good.)

I have a teenager.  She's a good kid.  She's got a job.  She works hard and is always on time.  But she screwed up by a mere five dollars on her account.  Yes, I lectured her.  That seems to be all I do.

I could see on her online statement that she bought a Jamba Juice and something at Starbucks (each debit of about $3 each) when she had no money in her account.

So of course the bank started in with Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) fees.

Argh!  I was so upset - with my daughter, yes!  And with the BofA... hell yes!!

Why?  Shouldn't my child learn responsibilty?  You bet.  But I'll be damned if her hard earned money will get snatched up by the greedy claws of BofA.

See, once upon a time in the land of Common Sense - a place that sometimes seem to exist far off in an exotic, misty distance - B of A would not let a customer make a purchase with a debit card if there were not sufficient funds in the account.  Yep, I learned a time or two about this myself.  Forever running to cover my private account with my business account, I've screwed up before - and have had to return items while standing at a cash register.

Sure, it was pretty embarrassing when the old man behind me in line offered to pay for my sandwich... but....well, let me get to the present -

Today, after seeing my daughter's account online, I walked into the bank with my kid.  We sat down with the nice lady at the new accounts desk, and I explained:

"Look, she's learning... and you know, B of A has this nasty habit of letting people use their debit cards even when there isn't money in the account.  It wasn't always like that.  I remember when the purchase would be rejected right there."

Then the nice lady scowled and spoke to me as if I am a ninny.  "B of A would rather not embarrass people, which is why we changed our policy."

Now, if that scowling lady wasn't replacing, via her computer, wads of cash into my daughter's account, I would have said this:

"Give me a F***in' Break!  B of A doesn't want to embarass the customers?  Hot damn, that's freaking hilarious!  You mean to tell me we customers should be thanking the bank for this great convenience?  My daughter should be thrilled she was charged a double digit fee for $3 Jamba Juice purchase?  Whooo hooooo hooo! "

Instead, I kicked my daughter (as in, "Did you get a load of that horse sh*t?) under the table and later lectured her on their corporate greed and how she better damn well never let them get near her hard earned money again.

Anyway, here's a message to Bank of America - if I were to stay at your Bank of "Opportunity," please hand me a form that gives me the choice of how I'd like to use my debit card -

1) Let me get embarrassed when I have no funds

2) Suck me dry of my hard earned money

I would like the "Opportunity" to  pick #1.

*My rant is backed up by an article in either the LA Daily News or LA Times I read recently, which was about how banks (and specifically BofA) have adopted this relatively new debit card fee that mostly affects teenagers and college students just learning how to handle finances.  If I find the artilce, I will link to it.*

I didn't find the article, but the link below explains that, basically, BofA is doing everything they can to screw us over
http://www.bankofameri...