Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

Kogi’s Roy Choi is quitting? Yes, he might have single handedly created a new food truck craze which then led to another restaurant craze which then led to millions of overnight food critics on Yelp. The foodista movement began and in it’s wake destroyed as much as it began. Healthy food, no, much of the food trucks out there is rich, oily, buttery and is shit  you wouldn’t make or eat at home. Maybe that’s what most people want, but not if you knew how it was made, and maybe not if you ate better versions of it that’s been around much longer. Yes, I’ve interviewed Roy early on for Giant Robot. He is great at what he does. Yet him wanting to not cook, not eat beef, and this is big news? C’mon. It’s a dietary and lifestyle change. His shits will be different, his tastes will be different, and it’s just his own evolution. His commentary on the riot look back? As much as he’s a great guy and does make a point of what’s important today as well – the current youth, it’s a look back at a tragedy. As much as 9.11 was covered again, so is the LA Riots by LA papers. Why not let LA papers re look at the riots? It’s the web, it’s writing and it’s important. If you think he makes sense, then let’s transpose The LA Dodgers? The kids are more important than them as well. (Huffington Post – Roy Choi)
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Los Angeles I’m Yours Interview is a bit generous with the title: The Ability To Do Everything: An Interview With Eric Nakamura. Nice photos and nice job. Thanks much fellas. It’s an honor. Eric Nakamura is one of those people who will talk to anyone. He’s extremely approachable, extremely nice, and extremely talented. He can do just about anything too, from running a successful store to a….. (LAI’mYours – Eric Nakamura)
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Fujiya Market which has always looked out of place on Virgil was once in an area of Japanese Americans called J-Flats. No. I’ve never heard of that, and this market at 80 years is still there. The proprietors aren’t the originals, but the space looks classic and great. I made a comment recently about Granada Market on Sawtelle which shares a similar type vibe. It’s old, classic, strange and you hope it won’t close, but it probably will. No kid wants to take over an old market as much as they’d want to own a taco truck. For spots like these, I’d wish there were grants, rent subsidies and so on just to keep them open as historical locations. They do matter in the history of a city. (LA Weekly – Fujiya Market) For more photos, take a look at this flickr page by Guzzleandnosh.
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  The Doctor is In. Not quite, but it sounded like fun. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is committed to LA and has recently purchased Magic Johnson’s 4.5% share of the Lakers. Did you know he’s the richest man in LA worth 7 billion? That said, the Dodgers offer has come across his plate. (ESPN – Patrick Soon-Shiong) The photo above of Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa came from a visit to City Hall where  Don Nakanishi, Lisa Ling, and Dr Patrick Soon-Shi0ng were getting a special award, the post is here.
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