The City Observed: Tony’s Saloon

The City Observed: Tony’s Saloon

I asked for a Red Hook cocktail with Bulleit Rye, but the bartender suggested something else. A Red Car Named Desire is made with rye, luxardo, and cassis, with a peel of lemon. At first taste, it was too sweet for my liking, but it 

Summer in Traffic

Summer in Traffic

I live on the East Side, but I work on the West Side.  When I moved to Los Angeles, I found this scenario unthinkable.  I’d found a place in Hollywood, and while I looked for work, I looked solely east of La Cienega.   If I 

The City Observed: Thrillist’s Punch Crawl – (Los Angeles Roars On)

The City Observed: Thrillist’s Punch Crawl – (Los Angeles Roars On)

During the week of Zooey Deschanel and Pat Morrison’s war of words over Downtown LA, two opportunities arose to experience the wonders of the metropolitan center of the city. The first was the Thrillist Bols Genever Punch Crawl on Wednesday night, and the second was 

Liberty Weekend

Liberty Weekend

My favorite way to spend the 4th of July weekend is at the beach, as I’ve done for the last three years. I have an affinity for Manhattan and Hermosa beaches, as do all of the rowdiest high school and college kids, who enjoy getting 

In Reverence to Enjoyment

In Reverence to Enjoyment

One month after my return, Paris is with me still, casting itself over my every experience like a transparency overlay.  In the morning, when I walk to my driveway and get in my car, another version of me continues walking down a narrow 17th-century cobblestone 

The People of Hollywood, Part 1: Jimmy

The People of Hollywood, Part 1: Jimmy

In the heart of Hollywood, at the foot of Griffith Park and just east of the Walk of Fame lies a street lined with tall, supple date palms.  Their green and orange bursts of foliage frame a corridor of sky that leads straight to the 

The City Observed: Cafe Culture

The City Observed: Cafe Culture

I’ve always had a thing for cafes. It began in high school, with a search for a personal identity. (That’s an interesting time in a teenager’s life – her first unaccompanied forays into social activities. What one chooses to do, where one chooses to go, 

Ongoing Love Affair

Ongoing Love Affair

As of two days ago, I have lived in Los Angeles for two years, and California for nearly five. It was 85 degrees downtown just one hour ago. It is 5:30pm now, and there are a good two hours of daylight left, after the recent 

The City Observed: Katsuya

The City Observed: Katsuya

Katsuya is a trendy Japanese restaurant on the corner of Hollywood and Vine.  It is often the backdrop of paparazzi photos and videos featuring the likes of Mark Wahlberg or Charlie Sheen exiting its large glass doors and gliding into their fancy cars at the 

The City Observed: Wilshire Spa

The City Observed: Wilshire Spa

It had been an extreme winter. I’m not referring to the weather – I live in LA; I’m referring to life and activity. October through December saw a mess of meetings, obligations, rehearsals, online marketing, offline networking, panic attacks and meltdowns, all in preparation for