28. Food Forward's Persimmon Pick in Sherman Oaks

I've been wanting to WWOOF for a while now. WWOOFING is essentially couch surfing but on a farm - for free room and food, volunteers help with daily maintenance (picking fruit, tilling soil, milking cows, etc.).

Because I am in enrolled in a full-time graduate program, it's hard to commit to a stay on a farm, especially since the closest to LA is about an hour away. So...instead, my friends and I volunteered through Food Forward's fruit picking service. On our specific day we picked persimmons in Sherman Oaks.

The organization goes to the backyards of private home owners who have abundant fruit trees. Then all of the fruit is donated to an organization that helps feed the less fortunate. My friends and I met in front of the Sherman Oaks house. The Persimmon tree was HUGE. We ended up filling 23 boxes, equalling over 900 pounds of persimmons and there were still a large amount hanging on the highest parts of the tree (where we couldn't reach).

There were seven of us total, including two people who worked for the program. Charles, the main organizer for the day, was very supportive and encouraging. We used ladders, fruit sacks, pickers (look kind of like lacrosse sticks), sheers: a whole array of gardening tools. It was a beautiful day so it was nice to be outside doing something good for humanity. It did get a bit tiring after a while, but we were only there for an hour and 1/2. After picking the fruit and boxing them, we raked the lawn of fallen leaves and split/rotten fruit, and carried the boxes to a large truck. This particular pick was going to a Jewish organization for those less fortunate, and some of the fruit was going towards a canning service through Food Forward, to help maintain freshness of the food.

I would definitely recommend volunteering with Food Forward. I might not do it again, because it is a bit strenuous (ha, I'm such a wimp), but apparently persimmons are a particularly stubborn pick (the fruits don't want to leave their mama tree!), but I definitely felt like I did a good deed for the week and it was really pleasant.

You can learn more about Food Forward here: http://foodforward.org/
I believe they have pickings once a week.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Apple Pan

The Apple Pan is a quaint old-timey diner that has even maintained its authentic, nostalgic architecture in the middle of bustling, always-under-construction Los Angeles. The little restaurant, hidden by the Westside Pavilion Shopping Center and the vast building and parking structure of The Guitar Center, is a true gem.

We were only stopping in for pie, but I've heard the burgers are excellent. We got some french fries and ketchup (delicious!), and banana cream pie. Oh wow was that pie delicious. The crust was a wonderful texture and taste, and the cream filling wasn't too sweet and was coupled with real banana slices. There were several other flavored pies I wanted to try, but was full from the 1/2 slice I'd just eaten.

I would definitely go back to try the other flavors and enjoy the general ambiance. The service was good too, and the man helping us was very friendly and attentive, especially with ensuring I get nut-free pie (due to my food allergy).

A+, Apple Pan, A+

You can learn more about The Apple Pan here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-apple-pan-los-angelesre

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Cacao Coffee House

I had a lovely Saturday night. Things were going quite well on my friend date. We ate a nice, large meal at Blue Plate on Montana, got dessert at Beachy Cream, spontaneously wandered over to the Santa Monica Pier where we played stupid carnival games (did not win) and took silly photos in a photo booth that smelled like urine. For a night cap, we decided to get tea. I knew Cacao is open til the wee hours and had past by it once before on my way to Cafe 50's. It was at this pit stop that the night got weird.

Upon entering, the guy at the front named Aaron (?) was extremely friendly. We chatted with him about who knows what. Shot the breeze, as they say. I ordered a "sleepytime" tea (typically a mixture of chamomile and peppermint - I drink a tea from trader joes with this name every night before bed, and it has more calming properties than sleep-inducing ones). He made a few comments, that at the time meant nothing, but looking back...could be interpreted differently. When I asked what the sleepytime tea had in it he said "Don't worry, it'll knock you out". The sleepytime tea box (which one would assume held the tea-bags) was the Celestial brand, not the best, but one I've had before. My friend asked to be surprised, but she didn't want something caffeinated. He said he'd make her a "red bowl" (not sure why it was named this) and told her it was "special".

Then I went to the bathroom. Big mistake. When I got back our teas were on the counter, waiting for us. Neither one of us had watched the preparation - why would we watch tea get made you ask? Keep reading, cowboy.

Upon first taste the red bowl was amazing, it was chamomile tea and soymilk infused with honey. We chatted some more, for about 15 minutes, allowing our drinks to cool, and then we started to drink our tea. At this point Aaron made his way outside to chat up some other customers, leaving us alone.

After about 20 minutes of drinking our tea, I felt very tired. Kind of like it just hit me. My friend told me that she felt weird, all of a sudden. We both started panicking. We felt stoned. We got up and left, leaving the tea where it was. I went up to Aaron and asked if he'd put anything in our tea and he angrily defended his product.

We sat in the car laughing at what was happening. Was our tea laced with some sort of marijuana honey? What the heck! Now, the logical side of me, says this can't be. Maybe we were just tired, run down from a long day, we both got hit with fatigue at the same time, and due to anxiety and adrenaline caused by the situation, we felt stoned (the power of suggestion - I was tired --> my friend tells me she feels drugged --> I freak out and convince myself I'm stoned too). However, I sincerely cannot deny that feeling I had - the laughter at things that aren't funny, the tingling hands and lips, and slow, heavy, confused, out of body feeling = all things I've experienced from marijuana...but also can be caused by plain and simple anxiety. Very hard to tell. My friend, however, is convinced our drinks were laced with something.

After we got into sweats, climbed into my bed, and watched old home videos of me, we started to feel better. I believe it took me about 30 to an hour to feel like myself, and my friend a little longer.

I don't want to rate this coffee place, because I can't do so accurately. The red bowl drink tasted amazing, but the side effects were very undesirable. The place is open late, but you will be judged by hipster coffee junkies that sit in grungy clothes at the tables on the sidewalk. I thought Aaron was a cool guy, but maybe he is too cool. I don't know. Very weird experience, and I will not be going back. If you go, you might have the same experience we did, or have a pleasant experience drinking tea that doesn't do anything aside sooth your aching throat or warm you up on a cold day.

Learn more about Cacao here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/cacao-coffee-house-los-angeles
(NOTE: I could not find any yelp reviews suggesting a similar experience).

27. Dodger Game + Friday Night Fireworks

Root, root, root for the DODGERS...if they don't win it's a shame....

Friday night I went to the Dodger game (Dodgers vs. Rockies) at the Dodger stadium in downtown Los Angeles. I'm not an avid baseball fan by any means. I wanted to go for the experience and mostly, for the Friday night Fireworks which are a legitimate firework show and hailed as one of the best.

The actual dodger game was mostly fun due to the company I was with. We got our tickets on goldstar for about $12 and boy were they bad seats. We were at the top of the rafters, but still, miraculously had a fairly decent view of the field. Some moments of the game were really fun to watch, but for the most part, we sat and talked and ate bad stadium food (wouldn't recommend the dodger dog, honestly). The Dodgers were killing the Rockies, so the suspense was pretty meager.

After the game (Dodgers won 7-1), the field became flooded with people (a literal sea of people) ready to watch the fireworks. Due to the potential hazards and claustrophobia of being surrounded on all sides by dozens of bodies, we elected to stay in the rafters - though we moved down several rows, as the stadium cleared.

The firework show was spectacular (and I rarely use that word). It lasted a long amount of time, and the fireworks were actually pretty invasive, as they were so huge. They also had some interesting shapes I hadn't seen before - flowers, hearts, and one that made the sky look as though it were filled with sparkling stars. The fireworks show was timed to Frank Sinatra songs (a dedication to a former famous dodger who loved Frank Sinatra), so the environment was fairly romantic and nostalgic. I'd never seen a firework show coupled with music, and I really liked it. The show lasted about 4 Sinatra songs and was the highlight of the evening and my weekend.

Friday Fireworks are over now, but if the stadium ever offers fireworks again, I would highly recommend going. It's a great addition to the night.

26. Hillel Rosh Hashanah Service

I'm Jewish. Not Jewish, but Jew-ish. Although I am born into a family of Jewish faith, my mom says we come from a line of atheists. I don't know what I am. I try not to think about why this earth was formed and created and what will happen after death, because I think this is something none of us truly know the answer to, and I'd, personally, rather not spend my life trying to answer or solve the mystery. I'd rather just live.

Aside from the religious aspects, I do feel tied to the Jewish culture and most Jewish people. When I find out someone is Jewish, I automatically feel some sort of connection to them due to many overarching values and general qualities most Jewish people have. I have recently decided that I'd like to learn more about religion, from a curiosity stand-point, and also to fuel a script I'm writing about a young Jewish girl in Brownsville during the 1950's.

USC's student body consists of a fairly large Jewish population, (not that many are in the film school, oddly enough...at least not in the MFA program) and thus has several Jewish clubs, etc. I decided to attend a Hillel Rosh Hashanah service with my friend, to see what it was all about. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which is followed by Yom Kippur, a time to reflect and atone for one's sins and come up with resolutions (from what I know, anyway).

The service was on Tuesday afternoon (and most services were held Monday which was the first day of Rosh Hash). The Hillel was fairly empty and the Rabbi was young and affable. It almost felt more like a classroom setting, which I kind of enjoyed. The service consisted of readings from the Torah, audience participation (the Rabbi asked attendants questions about the Jewish faith, etc.), a small, inspirational speech by the head of the Jewish Studies at USC (a very endearing older gentleman), the passing around of the Torah, and the blowing of the Shofar (a ram's horn).

After the service was over, brunch was served - bagels and lox (of course), manichevitz, challah, fruit, etc. And people chatted.

I still felt like an outsider, while I was there. I hadn't gone to temple since I was 12 years old (and promptly stormed out b/c that was my disbelief in God phase, and besides what kid liked to go to temple anyway? I was already at the age where my main goal in life was to find a cute boy, and after diligently scanning the rows of seats to find there weren't any...what was really the point of being there? ha). As we were leaving Hillel, the Rabbi and Head of Jewish Studies both said "Happy New Year" to me in Hebrew, but I couldn't get myself to say it back. I felt like it wouldn't be authentic, like I'd be lying or pretending I was something I'm not.

Overall, it was an interesting experience. What I liked about the service were some of the inspirational quotes from the Torah and some inspirational things the Rabbi said. It made me feel renewed and as if I had an added sense of purpose in my own life - it felt like a new beginning. However, because religious practice is not something I was raised with or something that comes naturally to me, it did feel kind of like a class with subject matter that wasn't really my cup of tea. Would I go again? Probably not, unless it was more of a social gathering or a way to meet fellow students. A big part of my personal Jewish experience is the warmth and family-feel of the culture, so I would love to participate in activities or events more geared towards that and less towards tradition and religion.

In the service, I was struck by something that I often think about. There are many rituals, even down to the clothes you can wear (men must wear kippas and a shawl - I'm forgetting the Hebrew word for it now), and it makes me wonder why people still commit to these rituals. Is it for a sense of tradition? Is it due to something that's been ingrained since childhood? Is it something done without thinking? Or is there a specific purpose for the adherence of traditional rituals, and if so what is gained from it? These are all questions that came to me, while simply looking at the back of a man's head (specifically at his yarmulke).

It is these questions that keep me from a solid religious or faith-based practice. I don't like to do things or participate in things unless I truly know why I am committing specific actions. Religion goes so far back into history and is such a huge facet of society that is still very confusing to me. I might want to explore further, or maybe I'll just stick to eating bagels on my own time.

Learn more about Hillel USC here: uschillel.org/

25. Bootie LA

Bootie LA is a dance/theme party at the Echoplex in Echo Park. The event is known for its crazy mash-ups and DJ re-mixes.

My friend and I went for the "Back to School" theme party. The event called for naughty school girl and nerdy boy outfits, crazy mash-ups, battle of the vjs, photo booth, and a dance troupe. We didn't get there til after 11 PM so we might have missed some of the events.

If you arrive before 10, you get half off tickets, so $6 versus $12. I would highly recommend getting there early, because when we got there it was definitely full, so it would have been just as fun an hour earlier, and cheaper. Upon arrival we were greeted by the "photo booth," which in actuality is a man with a camera and a fish eye lens in front of a station. The station was school themed - there was a chalkboard, rulers, chalk, a desk, etc. I was a bit bashful, but the photographer was kind of nice and helped us make some cool poses. It was somewhat awkward because people kept walking by and staring (unlike what happens in a normal photobooth - privacy!)

There were a lot of people dancing, scantily clad dancers and a dj on the stage, disco-esque lights, the whole nine yards. I really liked that most of the dancers were men and women in outrageous, sparkly costumes. It was refreshing and in opposition to all the Hollywood bars which have women dancing sexually in lingerie (I've noticed that when this happens, most of the men in the bar/club just stand there and watch...and it's creepy. This was different because the dancers were hyping up the crowd and everyone else was dancing. There was no ogling, at least not to my knowledge). There were two bars, and an outdoor area (mostly for smoking, but also getting fresh(?) air). The bathroom attendants had candy stations, and my friend and I were given lollipops, which kind of played with the whole school/kid theme.

Overall the event was really fun. It was upbeat, had a non-hollywood crowd, which is a plus in my opinion (it was very diverse in terms of age/gender/sexual orientation/ethnicity, but was mostly heterosexual mid 20's peeps). There were two downsides, in my opinion. While the mash-ups were really fun and flowed together very naturally, I thought there would be more 90's songs due to the theme. Britney Spears was on the cover of the ad for the event, so I thought we'd be jamming to mash-ups of Britney, N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, etc., but it was mostly current songs or songs from a few years ago, and some indie pop/rock songs I'd never heard before. It was also extremely hot - which most clubs are, I suppose. We found a huge fan located near one of the bars, and kind of danced in front of it and stationed ourselves there for most of the night.

I would highly recommend Bootie for a night out - they have events twice a month. Oh - and I would also recommend getting valet - that area can be a bit sketchy, and not particularly safe for walking multiple blocks just to save five bucks.

Learn more about Bootie here: http://bootiemashup.com/la/

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Sugarfish

Sugarfish is the perfect name for this Japanese gem of a restaurant. The fish is so fresh and delicious that the diner does not need to douse it in sauce for taste. Sugarfish is located throughout the city. I went to the one on San Vicente. They have free 2 hour parking in the lot just outside of the small restaurant.

Once inside, it was crowded, and we had a 20 minute wait. But it was definitely worth it. Sugarfish is a niche restaurant that caters to the authentic Japanese cuisine experience. The chef prepares mostly raw sushi and sashimi (a couple rolls which include crab, are cooked). The restaurant purposefully excludes any rolls that are Americanized such as tempura rolls, philadelphia rolls, etc. Similar to Father's Office, you are not allowed to ask for additional or different types of sauce. The chef prepares the food the way it should be eaten, coupled with the "correct" sauce and garnishes. 

When I went I ordered an iced green tea (it was the real stuff, it wasn't from a tea bag), edamame, which were boiled and salted, a cucumber roll (silly, I know - but it was THE BEST cucumber roll I'd ever had - the rice was sticky and somewhat sweet, and the ingredients were extremely fresh), Tuna sushi (so fresh and delicious!), and Yellowtail sushi (perfectly cut slices and melted in my mouth). My friend ordered a special (where you are presented with each roll/course right after the other, based on chef recommendations), and I tried some of her blue fin tuna handroll, which was also very tasty. 

I've gone back a couple times since then to get the sushi to go (they have a special to go menu, namely items that won't get soggy - so no handrolls). I ordered the blue fin cut roll to go, and all the same things I'd had before. I have to admit the fish didn't taste as good "to go" versus in the restaurant. The cucumber roll, was amazing and weirdly filling. 

The design and ambiance of the restaurant is cool, a bit trendy, but mostly traditional. The way they present the food is clean, sleek, and modern, as well as the way they package their to go orders. If you order "to go" the sushi comes in a paper bento box, separating each item with the appropriate sauce, ginger, and wasabi. It also comes with a small index card describing how to best eat the sushi and the sauce it comes with. 

This restaurant gets an A+ from me. I will certainly go back and try different dishes. Another added bonus for me personally: on the menu it says to alert your waiter or waitress of any food allergies. This added awareness provides for a comfortable dining experience for food allergy sufferers. 

You can learn more about Sugarfish here: http://www.sugarfishsushi.com/