Profeta

I spied this little coffee places in the back corner of westwood on Monday night when I was wandering the streets still feeling a little out of sorts after Tennis was cancelled. It was way too late for caffeine consumption but this tiny little European style place with a sexy looking coffee machine..and a comfortable vibe (i.e does not feel or look like a cafeteria OR an RSL) seemed too good not to give this 'coffee in LA' thing one last try. I got up particularly early on Wednesday morning knowing that I had an all day training course on the ASI and was going to be in need of caffination. After an early run I decided to also treat myself with an almond croissant after a certain person (thanks Eminee) had got my pastry cravings going again. This time I was not disappointed, flat whites were ON THE MENU..no explanation required, the croissant was amazing...perfect... there is even free wireless so if I so choose I can do my morning emailing here while having my coffee. Life with caffeine is looking up! There is a really cute courtyard, and lots of cosy tables indoors as well, all the morning papers in plentiful supply too. If I can commit to leaving the house early (or keep turning up to work at 10am with no shame) this could just work out. A coffee with soy is $5..so not cheap...but this good strong, earthy tasting coffee is worth it... I don't know how everyone else manages to destroy the coffee so badly but now I am on a winner I am certainly not shopping around. For a once or twice a week dose of civilisation this is a total winner. Thanks Profeta!

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One final burrito por favor

On my cycle back from Santa Monica on Sunday I got a little lost and found myself in a quite industrial part of town...only to stumble upon a treasure I had previously given up searching for some weeks back, 'Tacos Por Favor'. I can see why I didn't find this place initially.. but glad I made it there in the end. I was there during the Mexico v Argentina game of the world cup and this place was pumping (in an elderly Mexican gentleman kind of way). Unlike many of the places I have dined there really was some atmosphere here, and a real community feel (ala the spanish club before it got cool many years ago).

I ordered the spinach burrito, not being able to rest the burrito just yet but wanted to try something a little different. I decided to break with convention to photograph my burrito half eaten because before I started eating it, the look was very similar to EVERY OTHER BURRITO IN LA...I decided at this point that I should stop talking about burritos ... but thought because this place was pretty rad I should at least mention it. .. it was good, filling, tasty, saucy (black beans, cheese, spinach, rice, avocado), excellent value ($4.59) ..enough food for 3 people really. Did it stand out from the other burritos... probably not, they are all sensational. The place was pretty cool though; if I find myself in the industrial back blocks of Santa Monica again I will surely stop in to test out some of the rest of the menu..perhaps even try a taco!

Cycling in Santa Monica ...and Paris

I spent most of the morning on my bike this morning; I checked out what was on in Santa Monica today and found a great sounding photography exhibition by Gil Garcetti. The exhibition was inspired by both an appreciation of the glamorous Parisian women cycling around town and a also a wish to try and promote cycling more generally for enviro and health type reasons..sounded good!

It was fun that to get to the exhibition I went on my biggest cycling adventure so far (further than my trip to Hef's house). Its around 5 miles, not very far..and infinitely quicker by bike than bus I have discovered! There are wide bike lanes all the way from Westwood to Santa Monica I was pleased to discover. It was a cruisy 20 minute ish ride to the beach.

The location of the exhibition was a discovery in itself; the Annenberg Community Beach House. This is where the free exhibition and also a very appealing looking swimming pool (which I didn't test out today) was located. The beach house and exhibition are right on the beach bike path (literally a massive concrete bike path in the middle of a very wide stretch of sand, below). The exhibition itself was really superb, I loved it. I might even buy the book which I discovered is available on Amazon.

After that I rode around Santa Monica, cruised past Tacos Por Favour (which I will describe when I work up to talking about another Burrito..). There are some real characters in Santa Monica..loads of homeless folk (sadly) and then some more eccentric types (quite entertainly), like this gentleman above on his bike with several parrots.

See the fab bike path on the beach? (above). I am hoping at some point that will be me with a surfboard on my bike! It is really hard not to enjoy this cycling utopia, great weather, delish food and art mixed into to one big pleasurable Sunday out. It could only be improved on by some good company!

Hollywood!

I decided to have a go at being a tourist today and headed up to Hollywood Boulevard. It was a little scary, I didn't stay long, but it was good to see those things that have been on the big screen for so long. Today (June 26th) marks one year since Michael Jackson left this world, which explains why there was a crazy commotion on the footpath around his star. People had built a memorial..it was all pretty crazy. There was also a large bunch of religious folk walking along chanting "Come to Jesus" behind me so I decided to make like a tree and head back to sunset blvd where life is usually a little calmer.

There were some pretty famous old sights as I trotted around, and a good view of the famous HOLLYWOOD sign looking back up from sunset blvd.

Once I was back on Sunset Boulevard I was minding my own business when a slightly disturbed fellow started running up to people and hugging them. I wasn't really in the mood for stranger hugging (smelly stranger hugging) so I ducked into a little store with groovy thinks and vintage clothes called popKiller (really, it wasn't my fault, I was not planning on shopping). Cool store though, with some fun Japanese chicks and a Chihuahua running the show. So while I waited for the stranger danger to pass I spotted this nifty little dress. I tried it on, it fit, it was fate...it was coming home with me!

So..all in all, a good day!

Tennis?

Well last night was one of the the first of my semi-social outings with the folks I am working with. They are a pretty impressive bunch (I was glad they invited me to do something sporty rather than anything that required intellectual prowess or worse).

Tennis is a new thing they people started doing a few weeks ago every Monday night. I was invited to come along and despite not having ever really having learnt how to play tennis it seemed like a pretty good idea. We all met at the Westwood tennis club... conveniently on my way home from work .. I managed to borrow a racket and tested out my new shorts in public (I purchased some running shorts recently, feeling my lycra running pants might be a little confronting to hang out in with my new colleagues; they are strictly stranger only wear).

I learnt a couple of things at tennis, mainly:

1) I am completely crap at tennis

2) Tennis is fun even when you are completely crap

3) I am strong enough to hit the ball well out of the court, but not focused enough to hit it within the lines on purpose

4) The IT whizz (Kenny) is an very skilled tennis coach, and a patient man. I now have something of a forehand and a backhand..not bad for one night. Apparently he coaches his kids..I am sure that is more relaxing!

5) Tennis Smurf is a rare collectible item now (I am sure I had one as a kid). Deciding against asking my new tennis buddies to take a photo of me in action, or worse still taking photos of my new friends and appearing creepy, I will leave you with my blue faced friend!

Right now I think I am going to keep playing tennis (at this stage my social calender means I am pretty flexible). Its a nice change from running...which I have been doing a lot of.

My new favorite running track is the UCLA perimeter, its just over 7.3km by the time I get home, or 8.3km if I go the long way and avoid the last hill (which i do sometimes...I have given all the hills unpleasant names, such as the hill of discontent, its a hilly area). My tennis buddy last night runs marathons so I might have a winning combo there!

I have a few other small wins today, I now have a bank account AND a social security number. No actual money to speak of but I am hoping that come soon.

I also have about 16 hours (from what I can calculate) of face to face and online clinical trial ethics training to do... its full on, ask me about the ethics of publication, mentoring, peer reviewing.. go on ..I DARE YOU). I also spent my first morning in the clinic today...its a tight ship and its absolutely flat out, organised with almost military precision..these guys are amazing in the way they work!

So..that is new for now.. I am super busy for the next week that I can see which is good, I was starting to feel restless ... no time for that now!

Oh... I almost forgot my other small win!! I think I am finally starting to get used to the cars driving on the right side of the road...the last few days I have hardly had a near miss either crossing the road or riding my bike! (probably should not get too cocky or I will be blogging from a hospital bed)..but it is good especially on the bike to find myself less often facing on coming traffic or in the middle of intersections having got it wrong again.

Tommy Tacos

This curious little building right near Gushi has had me wondering for some time what goes on in there. There are always groups of men there..gathering late at night, i thought perhaps a saucy venue of some sort? Turns out this little gem is Tommy Tacos. I stuck my head in (there are seriously no signs) and saw that this little hole in the wall dishes out delicious Taco treats as well as other Mexican fare. I ordered the vegie burrito, for a bargain $5...there was a 12 inch version for $6.50 but the 8 inch one I purchased must have weighed more than half a kilo! It was massive, filled with avocado, tomato, cheese, rice beans and sauce..oh and some lettuce and herby business. It was more than i could really eat but so tasty I ate it all anyway... very satisfying...could have handled more beans and less rice but the combo was very tasty and yet another reason why I probably wont cook too often. What a find! Clearly not a brothel..and now i know why all those people are there hanging out the front! Super yum!

Sunset Strip

I headed out on another mission today and saw some cool and famous shit. I went for a bit of a walk along Sunset Strip. Whisky A Go-GO and the Viper Room are right over the road from each other... and I also found some fun looking comedy places.

This was my favorite find..I think Linday Lohan lived here for periods of time but I didn't see her as i passed on by.