A Genuine Hollywood (Sign) Murder Mystery…

Posted by M. Johnson on Jan 18, 2012

We cover it all here at Is It Any Good. The good and the bad.

Beverly Hills / Rodeo Drive

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

The center of the damn universe. No, seriously. Just ask ‘em.

Brand Blvd.

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

The main drag in Downtown Glendale.

Chinatown

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

The first modern Chinatown, owned and planned from the start by local Chinese-Americans.

Dim Sum Rule, The

Posted by M. Johnson on Jan 1, 2012

Take the number of people in your party, multiply that number times 3.5, round up or down (depending on how hungry you are) and that’s the number of plates you should order at a Dim Sum Place.

Go over that number, and I guarantee you’re leaving food on your plate.

Of course, the 3.5 number has worked for me and mine.  In the end, we’re only talking another 2-5 bucks to on your bill.  You may find that 3 is a better number for you and your friends.

Again, in Dad terms it’s:

X (X being the number of people at the table) times 3.5 = number of dishes to order.

First Thing on the Menu Rule

Posted by M. Johnson on Jan 1, 2012

Being a foodie can be tough, because it necessitates going into some restaurants completely blind (as in…Oh my God, I’m looking at this menu and I have no idea what the heck to order).

So, when in total doubt about what to order at a restaurant, order the first thing listed under their Main Courses sections. Odds are that’s the thing that a) is their best seller, b) the thing they want to be their best seller or c) the thing they’re proudest of. Hard to go wrong in any case.

Laguna Beach

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

Where the Rich and Republican live and play.  Orange County being the only place in Southern California where you’ll still see a lot of John McCain for President T-shirts and bumper stickers.  Despite that it is GORGEOUS.

Little Tokyo

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

The heart of the Japanese-American community in Los Angeles.

Monterey Park

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

This is the real Chinatown.  This is where the Chinese Community lives and thrives to this day, and the restaurants match any you might find in the homeland.  Again, a lot of the residents are first generation immigrants, and speak nothing but Mandarin or Catonese, so the food has to be up to snuff.  Not all the restaurants are gems, but places like NBC Seafood, 888 Seafood, Elite (formerly New Concept), are first class, all worth the trip from wherever you are in town.

Oscar Alert! Oscar Alert! Oscar Alert!

Posted by M. Johnson on Feb 25, 2012

To a great number of you, the Oscars are a fun night in, a chance to gawk at celebrities, check out ladies fashion, and make bets on who’s going to win or lose.

To us in Los Angeles, it’s also a headache.

It’s a couple weeks of trying to find out when they’re going to shut down that stretch of Highland Avenue (a block from the former Kodak Theater), and generally make life a nightmare for people who actually live in Hollywood.

From the USA Today, pretty much boiling it down:

“The 84th Annual Academy Awards are this Sunday, and as we all know that means a traffic cluster**** for those among us who aren’t being escorted down Hollywood Boulevard by helicopter or limousine or something else that we don’t even know about,” whines the local blog LAist.

 

The Los AngelesTimes is a bit more subdued, stating that “Hollywood street traffic and subway operations were being disrupted Sunday in preparation for the evening’s 84th Academy Awards ceremony.”

 

The website says several blocks of main thoroughfares Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue are closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Several streets around the Hollywood & Highland Center — home to the venue formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, site of tonight’s show — also will be closed.

 

Some streets aren’t scheduled to reopen until Tuesday, the Times reports.

 

Public transportation won’t help much, either. The Times says the Hollywood/Highland Station subway stop is closed today.

Sunset Boulevard

Posted by M. Johnson on Dec 5, 2011

Another lovely area with lots of little Bistros and Bars, and of course, Boutiques…but mostly Bistros and Bars.  Minimal celebrity sightings, but you never know.  Parking is not readily available and is muy expensive.

The Philippe’s Rule…

Posted by M. Johnson on Jan 26, 2012

This one’s pretty simple. You’re in Los Angeles for pity’s sake, the home of Philippe’s the Original, the place where the French Dip Sandwich was invented. You have no business ordering a French Dip Sandwich anywhere but Philippe’s.

The “When-In-Doubt-Go-For-The-Real-Thing” rule…

Posted by M. Johnson on Mar 12, 2012

It’s pretty simple. Los Angeles is a patchwork of ethnic neighborhoods, all of whom specialize in their particular fare. So when in doubt, try to go there for your grub. It’s almost always worth the effort.

To all you casual wine lovers that want to step up your game…

Posted by J. Tsuneishi on Mar 31, 2009

Some of you have been asking for a list of “currently available, reasonably priced wines” that are amazing and easy on the pocketbook.

The wines on the list are not all world class amazing, but they will certainly give you a leg up when you’re shopping at a boutique wine shop or the local Bev Mov.

You might want to also consider reds from Spain or Italy, and whites from France and Germany for high quality and good value.