Forming Traditions; the Best Way to End the Day of a 10k

Father’s Office II.

Melville Syrah Wine (one of my favorite vineyards).

Beet Salad - with blue cheese and walnuts (and some lettuce hidden underneath it all)

Scaldís Noel Beer - A Winter Ale

Strangely, FO wouldn’t let me have the Scaldís bottle. Apparently there is a rule that they can’t let the bottle cross over the bar counter. Weird, huh? They did let me take a picture. This beer is a seasonal and delicious. It is thick, creamy, and had a hint of cherry and clove to it. It’s one of those beers you can’t drink too many of because it’s so filling and rich, but it was nice to sip on and perfect for the winter.

Father’s Office 2: Bone Marrow

I love eating bone marrow for two reasons:

1. It’s delicious!

2. It creeps out my boyfriend and is something he would never be willing to even taste

Last time I was at Father’s Office in Culver City I ordered the Bone Marrow. The only prior experience I have had with bone marrow was from Mozza Pizzeria which set the standards high and left me wanting more. I know FO is able to execute amazing dishes so I was not hesitant nor surprised to find their bone marrow appetizing and mouth watering. Bone marrow is like a gelatinous spread similar to jelly. The proper way to eat the bone marrow is to spread it on bread/toast, and add salt. Like a good marrow, it likes to cling onto the bone so it sometimes require more of a scraping motion than a simple scoop. Which sucks because those little bones are hot when they come out and will burn if you are impatient like me. Although the salt is simple, it plays a key role and unlocked the robustness of the marrow. And of course the oiled up bread acted more than just a transportation device to the mouth by highlighting the taste of the salted marrow and adding an extra chewy texture component. The side of greens I felt was more for presentation, but I love capers so it was a nice refreshing side.

I would order this again, which says a lot because usually I go to FO for the burger (and beer!). Apparently Anthony Bourdain is also a fan of bone marrow and has stated that if he were on death row this would be his last meal. He refers to it as a comfort food. At 10-15 dollars a plate (2-3 bones) It’s more like a comfortable living food. I wish I could live in a world where bone marrow is the new mac and cheese.

Father’s Office II
3229 Helms Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 736-2224‎

Library Alehouse

Last week my roommate and I went to Library Alehouse in Venice. We have both been there before, so our continual return only shows that we enjoy it. They have an excellent beer selection and good food to go with it. They also have a Happy Hour that we always seem to forget when we say “Hey, let’s go get a drink” at 2pm 4pm. Before my roommate arrived, I killed time by trying the Shipyard Blueberry Wheat Ale. It was refreshing, sweet (more on the cider spectrum than I thought it would be), but tart! I can’t find any links for this type of Shipyard, but believe me it’s real (I called to confirm).

When we were seated in the back patio, I ordered a basic flight of beer. I asked for the wide variety of “light to dark.” I wish I had been more specific because everything that was brought to the table I had tasted before (a total life lesson). Although they were good beers, it wasn’t very exciting. My flight was composed of (from right to left on the photo): Allagash (Belgian Style White from Portland, Maine), Lost Coast Apricot Wheat (Eureka, CA), Franziskaner Hefeweizen (Munich, Germany), Stone Pale Ale (San Marcos, CA), Lost Coast Downtown Brown Ale (Eureka, CA).

For dinner I chose the Alehouse Fish and Chips (made with cod and beer batter) because I have been craving them forever. They fish was amazing and soft and the friedness made it chewy and wonderful. The curly fries were quite a treat because I rarely ever see them or order them.

Although the parking is metered on Main Street and it seems like it is always busy… you get moments like this. You can see the moon!

Library Alehouse
2911 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 314-4855

Father’s Office I

Last week my roommate and I went to Father’s Office in Santa Monica. Surprisingly, it wasn’t crowded at all. We ordered our drinks and sat down at a table. My Father’s Office drink is usually the Grimbergen Blonde, but they were out of it. I ended up getting the always delicious Saison Dupont. My roommate got a Duvel.

We ordered some sweet potato fries and the olives. Their sweet potato french fries are the best in the city; crispy and seasoned perfectly. I am a sucker for Father’s Office olives because they mix various olives with Moroccan spices. I love them.

We split the Father’s Office burger. It’s not the best picture, but seriously this burger doesn’t need my praise to succeed in life. It’s the tops.

Just know this:
1. It’s usually always packed and there is limited seating.
2. No substitutions on the burger. I suggest the Counter if you can’t handle life without substitutions.
3. The Father’s Office 2 in Culver City is better because it is bigger and serves cocktails.

Father’s Office
1018 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 393-2337

The Oinkster

This past Friday I met up with some friends at The Oinkster in Eagle Rock. I ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. Their pork is brined with soy and honey so it has a sweet and savory taste going for it, combined with the red cabbage slaw and caramelized onions. Even though you can’t really see it, there was also some Carolina BBQ sauce in the sandwich.

Through research I have found that Carolina sauce could mean either North Carolina sauce or South Carolina sauce. North Carolina has three types according to the region of origin: Eastern (vinegar with pepper flakes), Piedmont (tomato-based and vinegar), and Western (tomato-based and thicker). South Carolina is home of the yellow mustard and vinegar based BBQ sauce (sometimes a little ketchup is thrown in there, but primarily it’s a mustard sauce). The sauce the Oinkster was using was most likely a North Carolina version, but I am not qualified to determine the region. I do know that it was delicious. Also, they have homemade house ketchup and chipotle ketchup. Yum!

Although I did not drink, I recognized the sweet deal of 3-5 dollar beers (draft: Stella, Widmer, Fat Tire, Miller Light, Stone Pale Ale, Arrogant Bastard; bottle: Rolling Rock, New Castle, Grolsch, Guinness, Kirin Ichiban, Corona, Stone Levitation, Stone IPA, Boddingtons). They also have a happy hour during the week from 3-6pm for both beer and food.

Overall, everything was quite tasty, making it a great post-drinking (or between drinking) spot. Of course you can always dine here without the involvement of alcohol, but what fun is that? Eating here reminded me of what it was like to live near a variety of food options (there are a lot of too many Italian restaurants, Starbucks, and Pinkberry in my neighborhood). I giggled when I saw the cops.

The Oinkster
2005 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 982-8865

Eagle Rock: Colorado Wine Company

I love the Colorado Wine Company. So much, in fact that I need to say it again… I love the Colorado Wine Company! I have been going there ever since it first opened in 2005. Not only are the owners, John and Jen, some of the sweetest and most friendly people, but anyone that has worked or currently works there, are also great people.

I tried to think of the main reason behind why I enjoy Colorado Wine Company, but found that I am unwilling to settle on just one. Instead, I have made a list:

- I already mentioned that the owners/staff are amazing (but it is worth repeating).
- The atmosphere is organized, intimate, and cozy.
- The prices of wines by the glass are reasonable.
- I am always able to find a great bottle within my 8-15 dollar price range.
- I am always able to get a great recommendation for the aforementioned bottle; very knowledgeable people!
- Nobody judges your palate, there is “Wine For Everyone.”
- The art on the walls is constantly changing and showcasing talented, local artists.
- I always make a new friend while I am there; the people who I meet are laid back, friendly, and fun.
- Parking is rarely a problem.
- They send out witty newsletters and have a beautiful and active website.

This past Friday I went to their weekly tasting with my roommate. The tagline to the tasting was “Happy Thoth Day!” in celebration of the first day of Thoth, the ibis-headed god of knowledge, in the Egyptian calendar. The best reason to raise your glass! Here is the list of the wines in order of how they were served:

1. Tangent Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Edna Valley, California
2. Mr. Riggs Riesling 2006, Clare Valley, Australia
3. Lonardi Valpolicella 2004, Verona, Italy
4. Wisteria Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, California
5. Earthworks Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Barossa Valley, Australia

I am not going to go into great detail about how each one tasted, but instead want to stress that they were all delicious! These are the quick notes I wrote later in the evening about the wines: Favorites are 1, 3, 5. Tangent was sweet, perfect to start the tasting. Mr. Riggs was not as sweet as I expected for a Riesling, but quite satisfying. The Valpolicella was great, light in taste. Wisteria was good, but where does it come from? Earthworks was full bodied and pleasant, could drink a lot more of it.

The Co Wine Co is one of the remaining reasons, aside from a few friends in the area, that I return to Eagle Rock. When I am on that side of town, I always try to stock up on some inexpensively priced wines. I am willing to pay more here than I would at Trader Joe’s because I know that John and Jen have put a lot of time and effort into choosing amazing wines and I fully trust their judgment and selection (in comparison to me just choosing wines by which one has the cooler label). I came home with bottles Tangent and Valpolicella from the tasting, and two other bottles that I found around the store that looked good.

Whether to pick up a bottle, sit down for a glass, or have a cold one from their impressive beer selection (No Bud Lite here), I encourage everyone to visit Colorado Wine Company! Check out their website (also sign up for their newsletters) to see what event works best for your schedule. I have included information on two of their weekly tastings and their hours of operation, but I know they offer events on other days so it is best take a look at their event calendar.

Friday Wine Tastings (5 wines; 15 dollars) - 5:30-8:30pm

Lazy Sunday Tastings (4 wines; 12 dollars) - 1:00-4:00pm

Store Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday & Wednesday: 11:00am-9:00pm
Thursday-Saturday: 11:00am-11:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm

Wine Bar Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday & Wednesday: 4:00-9:00pm
Thursday-Friday: 4:00-11:00pm
Saturday: 1:00-11:00pm
Sunday: 1:00-5:00pm

Colorado Wine Company
2114 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(323) 478-1985

The Best Way to End the Day of Your First Half Marathon

After running a half marathon, walking around Balboa Park, eating a large quantity of amazing food, and car ride home to Los Angeles, there was only one thing left I needed to make the day complete.