Bon Iver (@ Hollywood Bowl)

The rain may or may not have hid my tears! So apropos…

Puff puff pastry (@ Mr. Holmes Bakehouse)

Birthday Blue Star Donuts for Mary (@ Venice Canals)

This peanut butter powdered donut with habanero blackberry jam will change your life.

Glass beauty (@ Wayfarers Chapel)

I think I might get married in this Lloyd Wright stunner. I just need to find a husband first! Just kidding (they also do baptisms, so a baby daddy will suffice).

Case Study House No. 8 (@ Eames House)

Leave the keys under the mat. I’ll take this house exactly as it is!

Et tu, Target? (@ Target – Manhattan Beach)

Tame Impala was lit af (and so were we) 🔥🔥🔥 (@ FYF Fest 2016)

4 years in LA today. What a dump! (@ Vista Hermosa Natural Park)

Because Mondays. And car accidents. (@ Randy’s Donuts)

I’ve wanted to see Radiohead live since I first heard Exit Music (For A Film) in the 9th grade. You guys, that was 20 years ago! Yikes.

I kind of expected them to stick it to LA and not sing Creep, but no Paranoid Android or Karma Police, either??? You’re killing me, Thom! OK Computer is my favorite album of theirs, so No Surprises was my favorite song of the night:

The Psychedelic Furs (@ Santa Monica Pier)

Sabrina and I got separated on the way back from seeing her favorite 80s band at the pier. They cut off the line for the metro after she got on, and she turned around just in time to see me mouth, “I have your keysssssss!” from outside the train as it pulled away from the platform. I waited 15 minutes for the next train with these kids who were discussing the ending of Lost (that I had somehow avoided finding out for the past six years in futile hopes that I would start watching the show someday). They got on the train with me, and I missed my stop because I was too preoccupied listening to them ruin the endings of shows I’ve never seen. I got off at the next stop and tried to text Sabrina that I had to wait another 15 minutes for a westbound train, but her phone was in my bag, too! I thought she would for sure push me onto the tracks once I finally arrived at the station half an hour after she did, but she was just happy that I was okay. She even brought me pastries from Uplifters Kitchen today as a thank you for the pizza I brought for us to share at the beach!

Where do broken hearts go??? (@ Museum of Broken Relationships)

What kind of meat do they serve at this booth? (@ Tacolandia 2016)

Kevin Garrett (@ The Echo)

Remember that name. He’s gonna be big! Also, he liked my video, so I can die now, obvs. Please invite him to my funeral. And request that he sing this Sam Cooke cover ♥

Live from the Artists Den: Young the Giant (@ El Rey Theatre)

When your sister, your cousin and Baberaham one of your best friend’s husbands enter a contest for you to win tickets to see your favorite band’s secret show, you know you’re loved… especially when one of them wins and they take you as their guest! Young the Giant was just as good as the first time I dragged everyone to go see them five years ago! They’re coming back to LA in October, but I’m considering missing their show to go on a trip with Shi to NYC instead. I don’t even know who I am anymore.

Write it down, take a picture, IDGAF (@ Arts District Brewing Company)

Casting charms with these clowns (@ Universal Studios Hollywood)

Wizarding World of Harry Potter officially opens next week, but Pammie, Shi and I were able to attend a sneak preview. I’ve only seen a few of the movies, but I went partly because two of my favorite Potterheads were in town, and mostly because I was promised butterbeer. Shit was magical. Check it out if you’re in LA with $115 to spare.

You should be writing this down (@ Whole Foods Market DTLA)

PDX ♥ LA (@ Pok Pok LA)

My favorite wings EVAR are from Pok Pok in Portland, and now they’re in LA! If you didn’t have a reason to visit me before, I can give you half a dozen now…

I downloaded the transitory app partly because of craigslist killers, but mostly because my friends go on sketchy tinder dates.

WARNING: This beer is cold af, you guys (@ Wood Handcrafted Pizza)

I’m here for the tamales (@ Hollywood Forever Cemetery)

I cropped the meth heads out of this shot (@ MacArthur Park)

Micheladas under the blood moon with Deane and Isadora (@ Block Party)

Accurate.

Questlove x Michael Jackson (@ Grand Park)

If this event was any indication of what ACL will be like, I’m not ready for the heat (sunburn city!) or Anthony’s dance moves.

You dim sum, you lose some (@ Kang Kang Food Court)

My mom and my sister visited me in LA this weekend, and we had Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And since that wasn’t Asian enough, we took pictures of our food and posted it on instagram.

Migration (@ Santa Monica Pier)

@hotxtea‘s yarn art installation can be found over the pedestrian bridge just north of the pier. It’s def worth checking out before the city takes it down!

Summer movie night (@ Hollywood Forever Cemetery)

Love wins (@ Micheltorena Stairs)

Brought to you by the letter A (@ Alfred Coffee)

¡Salud! (@ Broken Spanish)

Happy birthday with sprinkles on top! (@ California Donuts)

These donuts were almost as cute as my favorite 4-year-old ♥

I don’t know what’s sadder—is it that part of my job as a web designer at Skechers involves creating e-blasts for the cafe inside our office building (how else would you know that tomorrow’s special is chicken tikka masala?!), or that while googling BBQ photos to use for their 4th of July special, I immediately recognized this spread from Smoke City Market???

If you’re looking for the key to my heart, a platter of smoked BBQ beef ribs will unlock all the mysteries.

Highlight of my day: After lunch with my coworkers @ Pitfire, the cute cashier slipped me a free jumbo chocolate chip cookie on my way out.

I met up with my coworkers outside afterwards, thrust my cookie in the air and was all like, “FREE COOKIE, BITCHES!” Our excitement was short-lived, though. When we got back to my car, I had two parking tickets—one for an expired meter (my friend paid the wrong one) and another for not having a front license plate (I mean, if my car was meant to have one, it would have come with holes drilled in it).

I owe the City of Manhattan Beach $96 for that free cookie!

We’re only here for the doyer dogs tbh (@ Dodger Stadium)

Glass ceilings (@ Union Station)

Chicken and waffles with my woes (@ The Tasting Kitchen)

Love when the girls visit me in LA, if only for brunch and chisme!

Stuffed with tacos and wrapped in a mexican blanket (@ Tacolandia)

Today was a good day.

Juice flight-ing this cold (@ Verve Coffee Roasters)

Spicy Pork Belly Ramen (@ Ramen Champ)

I only eat ramen when I’m sick or when Shi is in town. Today it was both!

Love when she visits ♥

(@ Santa Monica Farmer’s Market)

#TBT to Kim Kardashian’s ugly cry face (@ FYF Fest 2014)

This is also the face I’ll be making when Morrissey headlines this year’s festival.

If you don’t belong, don’t be long (@ Hollywood Blvd & La Brea Ave)

Day ruined (@ Smoke City Market)

I still had my beloved beef rib and brisket. Best BBQ I’ve had so far in LA (and in life!).

Whitewashed (@ Bates Motel)

I like my coffee with a side of reassurance (@ Dinosaur Coffee)

Day ruined, part 2 (@ Churro Borough)

The last time Deane and I tried to eat Churro Borough, they sold out at the pop-up they were having at our beloved Ramekin (RIP!). Now that they’ve set up a brick and mortar at Ramekin’s old spot, they’re even more popular! Hopefully we’ll get to have churro ice cream sandwiches again before we’re on social security.

Cubanos on the curb (@ Animal)

Jon Favreau and Roy Choi hosted an El Jefe pop-up from one of my favorite movies tonight! Chef was everything, and so was this sandwich (and so was this soundtrack!).

Make a donation of $10 or more to sponsor my participation in San Diego Humane Society’s Walk for Animals and receive a bag of homemade beer bones made with repurposed spent grain locally sourced and generously donated by LA craft brewery, Progress Brewing!

You can donate HERE. Please put your address in the “Personal Note to Walk Participant” field if you want dog treats. If you’re in LA or SD, I can probably just meet up with you 🙂

I battle my obvious love of dogs on a daily basis.

I can’t watch a cute puppy video on youtube without clicking on all the related videos. Next thing I know, I’ve lost three hours of my life watching 103 videos in a puppy surprise playlist and have been crying for at least two of those hours. Just kidding. (I cried for all three.)

When Pammie asked if I wanted to do a walk for animals, I immediately said yes without knowing any details other than dogs were somehow involved. Her office organizes this huge fundraiser that includes a bake sale where homemade dog treats are sold for donations, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to combine my love for dogs with my love for baking and get involved.

I reached out to some local LA craft breweries, and Progress Brewing in El Monte was generous enough to donate some spent brewing grain towards my cause. I drove out to what the dude described as “east of east los” with nothing but a 5-gallon bucket and a friend to witness my death in case the dude chopped me up into little pieces and dumped my body in the mash tun (I did meet him on the internet, after all).

Kevin, the co-owner of Progress Brewing, was actually a really nice guy. He asked if I preferred “Black IPA” or “American Red” doggy biscuits! Ha. I went with American Red, obvi, since I’m not a fan of IPAs. Dogs are also allergic to hops, so if you’re going to repurpose spent grain, make sure the brewery didn’t mash hop the batch you’re getting.

It’s best to use the spent grains within the first few days after brewing, otherwise they’ll go bad. I used a FoodSaver and froze them in portion-sized bags for storing and later use, since they gave me around 40 pounds of grain.

Here’s a simple, all-natural recipe if you want to try making these at home:

Ingredients:

• 4 cups spent grain
• 2 cups organic barley flour
• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 organic eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients and mix with your hands until a thick dough forms. Roll out the dough on a generously floured surface and cut out shapes with cookie cutters like this cute dog bone.

Line the biscuits on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 225 degrees and continue baking for 2 hours. Cooking them the additional time at the lower temperature will help ensure they dry completely, extending their shelf life.

The dried biscuits will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container and even longer if you freeze them in zipper bags. You can give them to your dogs straight from the freezer as a cool summer treat, or, if you’re in LA, in the dead of winter when it’s 90 degrees out!

I woke up before the sun on a Saturday to go hiking and eat vegetarian food with Deane, Ledi and Isadora (@ Kitchen Mouse).

I don’t even know who I am right now.

Excuse us while we eat our feelings (@ The Hart and The Hunter)

Vintage vibes (@ Rose Bowl Flea Market)

Our flea market finds included a vintage bag for Chel, a t-rex toy for Darien, an Alf hand puppet for Shi, and a vintage gun lock for Anthony.

The only thing I took home was a sunburn on my chest.

Museum day with this nut (@ LACMA)

Shi and I spent the day sitting in traffic and tar pits. Two museums on one Saturday in LA was just too ambitious.

Sunday adventures with this slut (@ Eggslut)

He took me to Home Deeps to get a tire pressure gauge and made sure my car was safe to drive, but he also took me to Compton to get BBQ for dinner. Idk if he wants me to live or die, tbh.

My favorite place in LA is closing for good this weekend, so I had to go there one last time before I went home for the holidays. Deane and I cried into our last chocolate bread puddings ever, and then we ate our tears (@ Ramekin)

You know you live in LA when free parking is a gift.

…then I googled you (@ Culver City Art District)

…or the wurst idea ever! #onlyinLA

Greenhouse vibes (@ Commissary at the Line Hotel)

Ooh, baby, I like it rawww (@ Fishing with Dynamite)

The claws are out (@ The Port of LA Lobster Festival)

It smells like doyer dogs and betrayal (@ Dodger Stadium)

Overheard at the table next to us (@ Grub):

“I need an exact headcount for the lobster bake I’m throwing at my house for my birthday, because I’m flying in fresh lobsters from Maine.”

“My sister is really into strippercizing right now. She has a room in her house with just a stripper pole in it.”

Oh, Hollywood. I nearly spit out my blackberry pepper champagne cocktail.

LA opened its first Dunkin Donuts today, so I’m halfway there, you guys!

The Strokes – You Only Live Once

Epic weekend. I saw The Strokes perform, and I forget the rest. x__x (@ FYF Festival)

Crossed another one off of LA Weekly’s 99 Essential Restaurants list… 93 more to go! (@ Father’s Office)

Anthony visited before his BBQ class in LA, and we tried one of LA’s best burgers. It was meh, felt more like a sandwich because it was served on a french roll, but the beers were excellent. My favorite burger in LA (and in life) is still from Plan Check!

Hopefully he learned some new skills from the BBQ Pitmaster for the next party he unwillingly lets me throw at his house.

Two years in LA today. Where did my life go???

Life after Summer (@ Bradbury Building)

Sunday Slutty Sunday (@ Eggslut)

You ready, B? (@ Rose Bowl Stadium)

Let’s get ready to rumbleeee (@ Cooper Design Space)

Made in LA (@ Hammer Museum)

A giant load is the only thing on the agenda tonight (@ Bubble Beach Laundry)

Angelenos (@ Angel City Brewery)

Cute carbs (@ Superba Food + Bread)

Made in L.A. Music night every Thursday (@ Hammer Museum)

I keeps it real. Also, I’m apparently still sexy.

The beauty of getting lost in DTLA (@ Boyd & Omar)

On Wednesdays, we eat Churro Borough (@ Ramekin)

The power went out in my apartment building again last week! I was already running late, and I had to go back upstairs in the dark to tell the maintenance guy to manually open the garage gate so I could get to fucking work already. This has happened three times in less than two months! And these are only the incidents that I know of, because I spend less than 50% of my time in this apartment (unless a burglar is reading this, in which case I’m home all the time. Plus I always keep my sharpest pair of fabric scissors within reach. And I’m not afraid to cut you.)

Once I get my new car situation settled, I’m moving out of this overpriced shit hole and torching it on yelp!

The 4 most beautiful words ever put together: Churro Ice Cream Sandwich (@ Ramekin)

Churro Borough had a pop-up shop at my fave dessert spot in LA the one day I happened to be there, and my life will never be the same.

Refrigerator door to the past (@ Good Times at Davey Wayne’s)

Stoned (@ LACMA)

I love the silence between us when it comes to burgers and bread pudding. Like, don’t even talk to me right now. (@ Hook & Plow)

You leave LA for one weekend, and people cheat on you with wonuts.

I procured this hen for Deane last night (@ Guelaguetza)

Sister time @ Unique LA yesterday with Pammie, Deane and her sister, Andrea!

My favorite purchase was this ‘You’re the only wiener for my bun’ card. I should have gotten multiples just in case! Ha.

About that brunch life (@ BLD)

Best. Pancakes. EVAR! I want to marry them, have their blueberry ricotta babies, and live happily ever after in that maple syrup log cabin tin.

Adobo burgers and ube shakes. This is about as Filipino as I get. (@ The Oinkster Hollywood)

LIFE GOAL: Eat my way through LA Weekly’s 99 Essential Restaurants list (or die trying). 3 down, 96 to go. (@ SQIRL)

Awesome decor, freakishly large chicharonnes and colombian neck ties. (@ Escala)

Carnival across the street from the crib. Might have to put my bra back on for a churro.

White negroni to start off the best meal I’ve had in a while (@ Bestia)

No vodka? And where do I exit??? (@ Bootleg Theater)

OH MY GLOB <3 (@ Gallery 1988)

I can’t pass a cronut shop without swerving into the parking lot (@ California Donuts)

Pot for dinner… also, we might eat at this Roy Choi resto (@ Pot at the Line Hotel)

Cro-muffin top (@ Kettle Glazed Doughnuts)

Got this Runyon thing on lock! (@ Runyon Canyon)

<3 (@ Poinsettia & Melrose)

Only in LA (@ Fairfax & Rosewood)

Book tunnel (@ The Last Bookstore)

Fuckin’ french toast (@ Blu Jam Cafe)

Hiked the Hollywood sign in my Dodgers hat. Am I LA yet???

Zangief mules + old school cool (@ EightyTwo barcade)

Every Tuesday, Deane and I go trolling for sweets in LA. We coincidentally started doing this on Fat Tuesday, not realizing it was Mardi Gras—we just wanted some pie! And so… Fat Tuesdays were born.

So far, we’ve been to Alcove (Los Feliz), The Pie Hole (DTLA), and Ramekin (Los Feliz). We went to Ramekin two Tuesdays in a row (and the Saturday in between!), because their chocolate bread pudding fixes things in the universe. So does their s’mores cookie. And their strawberry brick toast. That are all BAKED TO ORDER. Don’t even get me started on their earl grey ice cream.

Someday we’ll get to the other places on my sweets list, but today is not that day.

Tajin margarita (@ James Republic, Long Beach). Happy birthday, Karey!

Am I doing this right? (@ The Pie Hole)

LA rain + Local Natives.

I wanted to tell you all my secrets, but you became one of them instead.

There’s a cafe in Los Feliz that has a table with drawers full of secrets inside. I didn’t leave one of my own tonight, partly because neither of us had a pen, but mostly because I was afraid someone I knew would find my note and recognize my impeccable penmanship.

I love being on top of you.

Because donuts. And dat ass.

Lit (@ LACMA)

ME ON FRIDAY:
Have fun in SF, Deane! I won’t go to Glazed Donut Bistro without you.

ME ON SATURDAY:

Young the Giant – Paralysis

And lately I’ve been thinking
I’m not feeling anything at all
Will I survive in the dead of night?
And now the lights are fading faster
Save me from my disaster

Obey your traffic signs.