Would I ever recommend Time Warner Cable to my Friends, Family, Loved Ones, or even a Creepy Stranger?

No.

Yoku Yoku

Pumpkin Pie and Peanut Butter: Happiness in a Cup

Yoku Yoku
11146 Palms Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-0571

Ork Posters!

Ork Posters was my fun find of the day. Soon, this orange Los Angeles and all it’s 111 neighborhoods will be found in my apartment. Check out their other maps (Chicago, Brooklynn, D.C., Toronto, Seattle, Manhatten, Portland, San Francisco, NYC, and Boston). Super cool.

Royal/T Café

For so long I have wanted to go to the cafe, art space, and store that is Royal T café, but there were always hurdles in my way. One time they were closed. One time I couldn’t rally the troops to go. One time I forgot it existed. But then one lonely day I remembered. Supposedly, it is the first cosplay cafe in Los Angeles. What is cosplay restaurant you ask? Well I’ll tell you. Cosplay are theme restaurants and pubs that originated in the Akihabara district of Tokyo around the year 2000. They include maid cafés and butler cafés, where the service staff dress as elegant maids (or as butlers). Compared with service at normal cafés, the service at cosplay cafés involves the creation of a rather different atmosphere. The staff treat the customers as masters and mistresses in a private home rather than merely as café customers. Which is pleasant when you consider how many rude baristi one encounters in a lifetime. Royal T’s waitresses are dressed in “maid kissa” uniforms designed by Lun*na Menoh (who designed similar costumes at Takashi Murakami’s exhibit at the MOCA ). The concept and design of Royal T is the work of Takaya Goto and Lesley Chi of Goto Design.

When I walked in I immediately thought: It’s kind of like if Kid Robot had a baby with Giant Robot and this child served food. Here is a picture of what the waitresses look like. I found it on Lun*na Menoh’s website. I was way too shy to ask for a picture while I was there; they are in character (high pitched voices, super duper overly friendly and nice) which I found to be intimidating.

First I walked around and looked at the store. Here are pictures of some of my favorite things I saw (Killer Cupcake, Fake Louise, Shoplifter Bag, and my favorite, Chanel Matches)

I didn’t take many photos of the art on the wall, but I did think this piece was cool. I am pretty sure it is Murakami’s work. Correct me if I’m wrong.

After the art, I sat down for some tea. Their menu is a fusion of French, Japanese, and Californian. Breakfast (granola, french toast, baked eggs), Lunch/Dinner (salads, sandwiches, rice bowls), and High Tea (the mix of everything for 20 dollars). I ordered the Royal T Milk Tea black tea with rose petals, pieces of fruit, and vanilla brewed in soymilk. As you can see in the picture, those are the bodum’s double walled glassware that is talked about highly throughout yelp reviews. It makes the experience very aesthetically pleasing. The tea was copious and delicious. I have a habit of finishing things even when I am full because I don’t like to waste. This was worth it though.

Although my maidtress told me that the brownie was probably the best dessert to order, I had to order the Sesesame Bean Sensation, a sweet sesame cake with tons of sesame oil and sugar. I am not the most knowledgable on these little squares of goodness, but I was able to recognize that it tasted very good. I would order it again, but I did see out of the corner of my eye someone else’s brownie and it looked quite decadent and delicious. So who knows what will happen next time I am there.

Hopefully, I will be able to return again soon. Not by myself. With enough money to buy Chanel matches.

Royal T
8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 559-6300

Zelo Pizzeria

Although we had to fight some mean 210 traffic, my boyfriend and I finally tried Zelo Pizzeria in Arcadia. They are notorious for their cornmeal crust and is one of the only restaurants in (more like near) Los Angeles that comes closest to Chicago style deep dish pizza. We arrived around 6:00pm on a Saturday, arriving a little before a tolerable crowd. The place is small, but gives off a warm vibe; the walls are filled with thoughtfully hip art such as some Basquiat, pizza related album covers, and a shrine to Z-boys (skaters).

I was quite hungry and made the smart decision to order the Beet Salad - Fresh beets, roasted walnuts, blue cheese served on a bed of greens with shallot-balsamic  vinaigrette. I read many positive reviews about this salad. And after trying it, I completely agree with the reviews. The mountain of beets are chilled fresh and the walnuts are warm. If this was a movie, the star would be the beets, but the supporting role would be the blue cheese, helping bring the salad together. But, really the full cast deserves credit because the dressing was vinaiGREAT perfect. It’s good that I ordered this too because it came out quickly and was enough to tide me over while we waited for the pizza.

Although they had quite a variety of “gourmet” sounding pizza, I opted for a classic slice of Sausage pizza - Homemade sausage, tomato sauce, marinated green peppers, sauteed onions, mozzarella (like all my pictures please click on the image to see a larger, better version). I ordered the sausage to counter the anticipated sweetness of the cornmeal crust and vegetables. Since it is made fresh to order, we had an awkward waiting period. My poor boyfriend didn’t have a salad and became crankier from hunger by the minute. Words can’t describe how thankful I was when it arrived hot and delicious to the table. The crust was sweet and crunchy.  It was awesome, but I would probably order a cheesier option next time. Since these are loaded slices, 1-2 slices is more than enough.

Ultimately, I think the best plan of action would be to order a variety of pies to go and buy some beers. The atmosphere at Zelo is fun, but pizza and beer at home is sometimes hard to beat. I hope to get the chance to go back again soon to try different toppings (like the Kale or the Corn) and their big puffy Zuccotto dessert. Or, I hope they spread their wings and come out to the west side (wishful thinking).

Zelo Pizzeria
328 E Foothill Blvd
Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 358-8298

Jin Patisserie

I recently stopped by Jin Patisserie, a pastry boutique on Abbot Kinney. My post won’t give the place justice because I did not sit down in the quiet tea garden or have any of their delicious pastries. However, I know from prior experience that this place is nice. It’s a quiet sanctuary separate from the hippy hustle and bum bustle of the street, an isolated zen-world. The owner, Kristy Choo, is an inspiration. She is a native of Singapore that has baked with some of the best. In 2003, she opened Jin Patisserie, combining her knowledge of traditional Asian recipes with the understanding of the American (specifically the LAian) palate to come up with unique creations.

Sadly, I didn’t have time to sit down and relax. But, I did have time for some green tea. Even when you order tea to go, it is still a thoughtful production. Instead of merely handing you your cup at the register, they ask you to sit down so the tea can properly be steeped (which takes a a few minutes depending on the tea) and then bring out a tray filled with your tea and sugar for your liking. Although such a small detail, it still impressed me.

I cannot remember the name of the green tea I ordered. This is good and bad. It’s good because it shows that there are a lot of tea options. Literally, pages of tea to choose from. It’s bad because I can’t find the tea menu online and this reminds me that I need to start writing things down. However, I am pretty sure you will be happy with whatever tea you order. They use tea from the French company Theodor ( Jin Patisserie is one of approximately 8 locations in the US that sell/use this type of tea).

This place isn’t just tea though. They make cakes, cookies, chocolates, and have a food menu that includes sandwiches and salads. When I was ordering my tea I couldn’t help but notice they had Yek Yek Cookies. I was all like: “What’s a Yek Yek cookie?” Probably a question the counter receives a lot. Apparently they are traditional cookies from Singapore that Jin has a family recipe for. I know, not very helpful. But from it’s description it sounds like a unique soft, shortbread cookie. They also have an eclectic and extensive list of chocolates that I would love to try some day.

Although I can’t remember specifics to what I drank, I do remember that I thoroughly enjoyed my cup of tea. It is the type of place you can go with just a close friend, a romantic date, by yourself, or with a large group (they have Tea Service!).

Jin Patisserie
1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 399-8801

Intelligentsia: Itzamna, Guatemala

I recently was able to get a bag of Intelligentsia’s Itzamna, Guatemala. In Yucatec Maya mythology, Itzamna is the name of an upper god and creator deity that supposedly lives in the sky. The meaning of the deity’s name is unclear, but could refer to a large lizard or Caiman (itzam) or to a liquid such as dew (itz). Aspects of the god were sometimes designated by the epithet “Itzamna Kauil,” which could mean ‘the powerful’.

Flavor: Chocolate, red apple, date
Acidity: Buoyant, well-rounded
Finish: Walnut, nutmeg, butterscotch

Even though the harvest season is from January to April, the coffee tastes like you should be drinking it during the Fall season. Immediately at first sip, I taste the red apples which turns into a sweet slightly spicy taste, which quietly disappears. Not a shy exit, but a confident exit. As if the flavor just came to say hello, compliment you on how good you’ve been looking, and then be on their way out. Because of the transition from loud, pleasant taste to quick and polite exit, I was left wanting to drink more.

Counting down the days until Intelligentsia opens in Venice….

Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 663-6173