Learning to Love LA

I'm very grateful to realize that the longer I stay in this city, the more I like it. My sister is coming to visit this weekend, and I'm very excited to see her and to show her around this city that I'm starting to think of as home.

I found this blog post on Caroline on Crack called "100 Things To Try in LA Before You Die." Please check out the list at her blog, as it has links to many of the places/drinks/eats.

Here is the list. The (very few) things I've already done have a strikethrough.

1) Cocktail punch at the Radio Room in the Edison

2) Chili dog from Pink’s - I'm veg, but I've had the baja dog and onion rings...might have to add a stop here to the agenda with my sister.

3) Rattlesnake and rabbit with jalapeno at Wurstkuche

4) Korean short ribs taco from Kogi BBQ taco truck (I finally got there and had the quesadilla with tofu - awesome. Also saw a line of 50+ people run across the street to get to the truck. Funniest. Thing. Ever.)

5) Great Los Angeles Walk

6) Ajo Garlic Ramen at Ramenya

7) Sour Kraut Cocktail from Copa d’Oro

8) Red velvet cupcake from Sprinkles

9) Singing Elvis at Palms Thai

10) Churro from churro cart at Disneyland

11) Junk food dessert platter at Simon LA

12) Dessert tasting menu at Providence

13) Classic martini at Musso & Frank Grill

14) Roasted bone marrow at Church & State

15) Pedal boat at Echo Park Lake

16) Bowling and $4 cocktails at Shatto 39 Lanes

17) Kobe-style beef at Park’s BBQ

18) Mulholland Drive from 405 to 101

19) Medicina Latina at Malo

20) Father’s Office burger

21) Maple bacon doughnut at Nickel Diner

22) Mashti Malone’s lavender ice cream

23) Red Line Metro barhop

24) Live music at Spaceland

25) Magic Mojito at Bar Centro at the Bazaar by Jose Andres

26) Wine tour through San Antonio Winery

27) Sample everything at Scoops ice cream

28) Bike from Santa Monica to Hermosa Beach and back

29) Mochi from Mikawaya Little Tokyo

30) Broiled San Francisco stuffed French toast at Starling Diner

31) Mojito sampler jelly shots at Bar Nineteen12

32) High Tea at Royal/T

33) Pimp your own burger at the Counter in Santa Monica

34) Carne asada burrito from Tacos Tumbras A Tomas at Grand Central Market

35) Diddy Riese Chocolate Chip Cookies

36) Ride the mechanical bull at Saddle Ranch and have a premium SR AMF

37) Greyhound Proper at Hungry Cat

38) Blue cheese fries at Pete’s Cafe and Bar

39) L.A. Conservancy’s Historic Core walking tour

40) 21+ screenings at the ArcLight

41) Secret beef feast at Totoraku

42) Moonlight Rollerway

43) Bartender’s Choice at Comme Ca

44) Tomato, mozzarella, sausage, salami, bacon & guanciale pizza at Pizzeria Mozza

45) Ride the Pacific Ferris Wheel at Santa Monica Pier

46) Late-night Danger dogs

47) Bet on a horse at Santa Anita racetrack

48) Loco Moco (foie gras loco moco, quail egg, spam, hamburger) at Animal

49) Blood & Sand cocktail at Tiki Ti

50) Tea and a stroll through Huntington Gardens

51) Drive Sunset Boulevard from Echo Park to PCH in a convertible

52) Double chocolate croissant pudding with Jack Daniels sauce at Milk

53) Hike from Fern Dell Drive to Mt. Hollywood, stopping at Griffith Observatory

54) Meatball sandwich from Bay Cities Deli

55) Scorpion cocktail at Hop Louie

56) Magic Castle

57) Scoe’s No. 2 at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles

58) L.A. Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats

59) Philippe’s French Dip with hot mustard

60) Dim sum at Empress Pavilion in Chinatown

61) Remember the Maine at the Varnish

62) Omakase dinner at Urasawa

63) LA Phil concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall

64) Pool party at Standard Rooftop Bar

65) Quarter chicken with side of garlic sauce at Zankou Chicken

66) Goddess spa treatment at Olympic Spa

67) Vodbox at Nic’s Martini Lounge

68) Turkey dinner at Clifton’s Cafeteria, don’t forget the green jello

69) Los Angeles Marathon

70) Marty & Elayne at Dresden Room

71) Coleslaw and sourdough toast at Original Pantry

72) Real Black Dahlia Tour by Esotouric

73) Ninotchka at Bar Lubitsch

74) Stay in a bungalow at Chateau Marmont

75) Auntie Em’s Market dinner

76) Sunday wine tastings at Silverlake Wine

77) Grilled cheese night at Campanile Â

78) Power lunch at the Polo Lounge

79) Cadillac Margarita at El Cholo

80) Courtside at a Lakers game

81) Angel City Derby Girls Tournament

82) Box seats at Hollywood Bowl summer concert

83) Dodger Dog at Dodger Stadium (I had a beer - close enough?)

84) Ride the Good Year blimp (I'm striking this one out because I couldn't possibly - I'm terrified of dirigibles.)

85) Sip mojitos poolside at the Hotel Roosevelt’s Tropicana Bar

86) Ringside at Lucha VaVoom

87) Summer movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery

88) History Walk from Mission San Gabriel to Olvera Street

89) Taro ice cream at Fosselman’s

90) Galco’s Soda Pop Shop

91) Apricot & Honey 75 at the Penthouse during sunsetÂ

92) Angel City Drive-In

93) Downtown Art Walk

94) Bonfire at Dockweiler Beach

95) Bingo at Hamburger Mary’s

96) Karaoke at Brass Monkey

97) Yee-Mee-Lu “blue drink” at Good Luck Bar (I'll have to go back to drink blue.)

98) Sunset dinner and horseback riding with Sunset Ranch

99) American Food & Wine Festival

100) Hike to the top of Sandstone Peak and sign the register

I've got a lot to do! I'm stoked to check out the LA Street Food Festival and Mutti Gras Pet Parade this weekend, and maybe to add more strikethroughs to this list. Then on Sunday I'm flying to Arizona for a week long shoot...anybody know anybody in Prescott?