People, plates, and things

This morning I made a new friend. Caroline could have been a J-pop star in Tokyo but chose to toil amongst mortals in L.A. to pursue her own brand of indie electronica. I'm a fan, and it was cool to to meet her. One more perk of editing GR.


We met at his place called Romancing the Bean, a few blocks from the Media Center in Burbank. The spot has a reputation for huge, fluffy croissants and is the type of place were you can lounge--and not feel pressured to get your drink and split. Even in the morning it's dark and comfortable, and serves its drinks with a little heart dropped onto the surface. Awww... Too bad you can't see it in the pic. There aren't too many indie-sort of places like this in Burbank, and this one's all right. Free street parking, too!


This photo was taken on Friday. I did a morning interview for the next issue of GR on the other side of the Silver Lake Reservoir and then intercepted Wendy and Eloise a couple blocks away at The Coffee Table. The two ladies in my life go for walks every day, and coordinating a lunch with them was a chance for me to squeeze in some bonus time with them.


In my opinion the eatery--which also has a spot in Eagle Rock--is a bit overpriced, but the food is pretty good and the patio makes it ideal for bringing an infant. It's wide open and casual--another place where you feel welcome to just hang out. (Not so far as to offer free wireless, though.) Despite the fresh air and easygoing atmosphere, the little one started to freak out after half an hour so we had to bolt.


On Sunday, I received a surprise phone call from my friends Thy and Tadashi, who happened to be at the Cheese Store in Silver Lake and asked if they could bring over some afternoon treats. That place sells some serious gourmet fare (cheeses from all sorts of livestock as well as an amazing assortment of crackers and chocolates) and it was an offer we couldn't refuse.

It turned out to be an impromptu gathering, as our architect John came over, followed by Wendy's brother and sister-in-law. After having such great company and excellent snacks, dinner was optional. If you ever want to bring food to my house, I give it a big thumbs up. Highly recommended.