X-Games LA

Got to catch a few events with our friends from Countour HD and ended the night at Coles, the best spot in town for a Pastrami Dip & a glass of Bourbon. Johnny Drum is their house and it’s great with one big cube.

A Slice of Mexican Heaven

I was hoping to capture enough photos to tell the story of what I’m doing this week. The problem is I’m too busy doing it (and nothing at all, at the same time) and then when I go to get a photo, it just isn’t speaking the volumes to properly tell the story. The short version is this; After a couple years of my friend asking me to come down to his vacation home, I finally had no good reason not to. A short flight from LA to Puerto Vallarta, picked up by JC (yes, you read that correctly), driven through the jungle for 40 minutes, through 2 sets of Jurassic Park-style gates and eventually greeted by Evee with a plate of homemade frejoladas and a margarita, I can truly say, I am Mexican. Or should be. Or at least I’m feeling very much at home. With just a few hours of travel I’ve been transported to paradise, in the most grand style. We’re in Punta Mita, a point jetting out into the pacific, with water on 3 sides, and service that puts the nearby Ritz Carlton to shame. Great friends, drink and food, and this really is Heaven. Thanks a million Deano!

Happy Birthday Day & Hello Blake

Today was Dayan’s birthday. And as if that’s not enough to celebrate, I also got to meet Blake Langdon, a very cool kid with a brand new body. He’s already exhibiting great style. Later on, a feast at Philippe’s on Melrose. Not quite up to the standard set by the one in NYC, and the bartenderness is a twat, but the Peking Duck is a cut above Mr. Chow’s and the chicken satay is crack. Worth a college try if you like very sweet, rich, overpriced food… and really, who doesn’t.

Torn between two tastes

Our friend Tamara was in town from Calgary, sorting out her wedding dress and the last deets of their rings (photos to follow in a couple weeks). She was staying at the Beverly Wilshire, home to one of our favorite slow food spots, Cut. Wolfgang a sears a mean bit of Kobe, and it’s a hard place to drive away from when you’re hungry, but we managed to squeeze into our most favorite Osteria Mozza. If you haven’t been, you may be missing the best meal available in Los Angeles right now. Not much more to say about the food, it’s perfect. When you do try it, there’s a good chance your waiter will be named Roman. And if you’re very lucky, you’ll get the pleasure of meeting Jeff at your table, the coolest Sommelier this side of Bordeaux, with a special love for and knowledge of the Bourbon. Their well bourbon is Buffalo Trace, it’s better than most at twice the price. The Buffalo Trace Distillery is the oldest in the U.S. and also home to the venerable pappy Van Winkle, a personal favorite. Somehow a bottle of Four Roses and another of Hudson were parked at our table for last half of our stay, both also incredible, though I prefer the FR. And as if the meal wasn’t rich enough, when we dropped Tamara off, I had to confess to Wolfgang that we ate elsewhere. Good sport that he is, he still posed with his favorite jeweler.

CafÈ Habana

A regular and favorite stop on every trip to NYC is to CafÈ Habana for a steak sandwich (best East of the Hudson), corn and to see the beautiful Leslie Meenan. To go or to stay. So worth the stop. Corner of Prince & Elizabeth.