UnHip LA

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Happy 2008, people!

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Here’s a list of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Pasadena.

Kiki is missing.  Check out the harrowing story of her abduction on her Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/kikideng123

 

Pasadena on Lake Avenue was a madhouse today, a Friday afternoon.  People and crowds everywhere; it was worse than a weekend.  I couldn’t find a place to sit at two establishments, so I headed to Alhambra, Pasadena’s dirty little sister, and the Bun-N-Burger on Main Street.  Aaaah,  bliss.  An almost empty restaurant.  Sure, not good for the business, but great for me.  I was surprised that the broccoli, bacon, and cheese omelet was as tasty as it was ($6.50).  Love the deer on the wall.

 

 

Bun-N-Burger
1000 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
626-281-6777

Hours:
Mon.-Sat. 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m.;
Sun. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Here’s what the LATimes wrote about the joint:

Ohmygoodness, I just saw that the Militant Angeleno wrote up my blog on its wonderful site. And now I am just aflutter thinking I might be having visitors over here to UnHipLA.  I feel as if I should be cleaning up my room now.  So, uh, I have been slacking a little on the postings….but I got a whole camera-full of pics to post (herbal store deer antlers, TCM exhibit, another microcar, more Pa Pa Walk, volunteering at Union Station, birds’ nests)…so please do come back….thanks Militant!  I hope to make some new blog friends.  Please feel free to ravage my blog.  I am particularly proud of my Beach category because of its secrets.  I also had a great time at Under Spring, Fort MacArthur Days, Bollywood dance class, and the Tankland museum.  The Naz 8 movie theatre in Artesia’s Little India is a favorite escape of mine, and over the summer I was a Shakespeare fiend.  Please root around in my different categories; most things I go to are free because L.A.’s a great city like that. 

BTW, the Militant has a very fine blog and all should check it out stat.  I wanted to post something to do during the holidays, but didn’t get around to it.  Luckily, the Militant did (an art show at Barnsdall about Asian Americans having a sense of humor, interesting).  Also the Militant has a great series on ethnic iced desserts (great for future reference when it’s not so cold anymore.)  I am mightily impressed by the amount of research in its posts.  Go Militant go!

Happy Belated Birthday to Jmh!
And Happy Pre-Birthday to Kangster!

 

Look at this luscious creature:

 

A pumpkin empanada.

 

It’s huge, tasty, and a great deal.  You can meet its much smaller, anemic, sugar-coated cousin at Starbucks for $1.85 but come to Coronado’s for the real deal.

Coronado’s Mexican Restaurant and Catering
533 S. Del Mar Ave.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 576-5051

Hours:
Mon: 8 am - 5 pm
Tues - Fri: 7 am - 7 pm
Sat & Sun: 7 am - 3 pm

 

The rice and beans were great; the carnitas tacos not as flavorful as I would like, but still a satisfying meal ($6.25 plate).  Cookies are $.50.
 

 

 

As seen in San Gabriel, CA at Takashima’s just off Valley Boulevard.  The store is filled with Sanrio, Morning Glory, and Asian beauty products.  The second floor loft has a pretty impressive Totoro collection with towels, stuffed toys, tea sets, school supplies, and figurines.

Takashima
220 W. Valley Blvd. #108
San Gabriel, CA 91779

I finally visited the new Pasadena mega Whole Foods and spent a few hours breaking it in.  It’s gargantuan and reminded me of department stores in London where dining in-store is common.  The space has really high walls and gives the whole experience an airy, grand feel, but overall, it’s probably overkill.  The groceries are split over two levels so if you’re thinking about a quick trip in here to grab a few things, forget about it.  You’ll have to park in the structure, ride up the elevator, get a cart, shop, take the escalator up to the second floor to shop more, put your cart on an escalator too, meet your cart….you get the picture.  If you’re in a hurry, the other whole foods on Foothills in Pasadena is probably a better option.

I did like the new Whole Foods though; it was fun to sit in the cafe area and people watch.  The second floor dining options are many, plus there is a tapas and wine bar.  The massage room is just a room, no big deal, and the chocolate fountain that has been raved about on manyblogs did not impress me.  It did not look like a fountain, more like a chocolate plunger.  I think I am just bitter because Whole Foods would not let me take any pictures.  The security guard saw what I was up to and asked me not to take any shots.  So harumph!  I guess enough bloggers captured the space anyways.  So here’s my offering to the blogosphere:  Whole Food’s women’s bathroom.  

[PICTURES DELETED]
It has a woodsy, eco-friendly color scheme, which is not coming across well in this pic, and an interesting needle disposal box.  What the?  Is Whole Foods expecting diabetics, drug users, or people with medical conditions (probably the latter and this is the reason they shop at WF)?   Very interesting and thoughtful.  I’ve never seen such a thing in a public bathroom.  Kudos to them.

www.wholefoodsmarket.com 
Click on Whole Foods link to see their calendar for tastings: December 15th looks like a good day to shop and snack on holiday foods.  Jonathan Gold in his review of Whole Foods suggests that one could easily make a small plate of samples from the store.  There’s free wifi too.

Whole Foods Market
465 South Arroyo Parkway
(South Arroyo Parkway and Bellevue Drive)
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.204.2266 
Store hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily

if you happen to be in the Glendora area this Thursday, December 6th, click on this link, print out the coupon, and enjoy, that is if you like Chipotle.

 

My friend Shmoo says she has this psycho-killer ability to be able to judge a restaurant by its facade.  She’s keen like that.  So when we went to Pa Pa Walk on Valley in the SGV, I anxiously awaited her judgement.  She gave it a once-over and deemed it worthy.  We sat in the bright orange-colored room and were not disappointed.  Two smoked duck plates (we both agreed there is no better way to eat duck, it’s gotta be smoked; the dish is succulent), a wonton soup, and spinach dish later, we ambled out of the pleasant shop.  The wait stuff was quite kind and friendly too.  I didn’t feel ignored and hurried like I usually do when dining in Asian places.  The staff seemed to have kind eyes.  Shmoo who can be endearingly East-coast abrasive in restaurants was melted to an Oliver Twist-like child when asking for things.  “Excuse me, would you have any chili sauce for us,” instead of “Get me some hot sauce and some bowls. Pronto!  Growl!”  

Shmoo, who is far more Foodie than I, declared this to be the best Chinese meal she’s had in L.A.   We wanted to get hungry again, so we could go back for dessert - shaved ice mountains.  We would have walked off of our food but it was raining, so we waited in my car in the parking garage, our feet hanging out the windows.  Yes, it was totally juvenile and we even waxed about our high school days - Shmoo "artfully dodged the maximum allowable classes" while I tried to, but didn’t have too many places to hide (boarding school).  We just needed some cheap alcohol and other aides, and it would have been like ditching class.  We stared out the sunroof at the garage ceiling.  It was a great moment.  There is something about sitting and talking in a parked car that seems to bring out the philosophical and angst in people.  It’s like taxi-cab confessions.  It’s like talking in the intimate space of a bed together, but not really. At 11 pm, we rolled out of the car, and got up to Pa Pa Walk just in time to see the kind-eyed staff leave.  They closed at 10 pm.  So no shaved ice for us, but still a great night.

Pa Pa Walk is a Taiwanese street food restaurant in the Hilton Hotel shopping plaza.  On this cold rainy night, it was the only packed restaurant in the plaza.  Hands-down, the place has the simplest decor, but probably is the happiest place there.  The plain walls seem to say: “this place is just about the food.”  You eat without distractions, but the orange-ness gives it all a good glow.

I went back the next day (without Shmoo because she lives too far away) and had the shrimp omelette, sausage fried rice, and fishball and meatball soup, all delicious.  The place has a missing ingredient I don’t see in a lot of Asian restaurants - an unhurried harmony.

Pa Pa Walk
227 W. Valley Blvd., Ste. 148-B
San Gabriel, CA 91776
626-281-3889
11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays

#16, Smoked Duck with rice, eggs, and veggies   $5.50
(the waiter said it was a salty dish, but it’s not)

#48, Taiwanese sausage and egg fried rice,  $5.95

#70, Shrimp Omelette,  $4.75

#80?  Spinach, $3.50  (Sorry, forgot to take pic, but this was good.)

#94, Mixed Ball Soup (Fish & Meat),  $3.95

Here’s what Wandering Chopsticks and Henry Chan thought of the place.  Be sure to click on Henry’s video to see the orange-ness of the place. 

 

And might I suggest afterwards go and get a foot massage at either the Tibetan place or Vivid Spa upstairs. 

*** UPDATE ***

I’ve had the duck plate several times now since my original post.  Sadly, it’s never been as good as the first time that rainy night.  Maybe because Shmoo and I had to work so hard to get there, braving the rain and all.  Also Shmoo came from pretty far away.   I actually just had the duck again today and got a stomach ache from it.  Life is cruel this way.

But other dishes I have eaten there such as the spinach noodles and coffin bread soup were delicious, especially the soup. The strawberry shaved ice dish was okay, overly sweet, but still fun to eat for two.

 

Great soup in a tasty, crunchy bread box.  I’m sure this is high in carbs and calories.

 

The BMW Isetta, on display at Alhambra’s New Century BMW dealership.

Also known as the rolling egg, yogurt pot, and coffin on wheels (see the Wiki).

I’ve often thought while lumbering down an L.A. freeway that I should have a car for one.  Here I am in a 5-seat sedan with tank-like walls and I am all by my lonesome - one person going to the drugstore, one person making a run to the beach, one person….  Okay, this isn’t a single’s ad.  Nevertheless, feeling like I am wasting space and gas, I would wish for a car for one.  Well, after visiting Alhambra’s BMW dealership, I ain’t making that wish anymore.  I climbed into this little one-seater (or two), the BMW Isetta, and thought this was an instant death wish.  The single door is in the front and it closes in on you like a roller coaster safety bar.  The little car is clausterphobic and cramped.  I’m a relatively small person 5’4” and I felt trapped.  Yes, it’s the cutest little thing ever, but nope, you won’t see me in this little rolling egg.  I’ll stick with my airbags and tank.  

Turns out that the Petersen Automotive Museum is currently running an exhibition on microcars that will be ending February 3, 2008.

Microcars, the minimum in motoring
Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Blvd.(at Fairfax,)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tuesday through Sunday
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
(323) 930 - CARS
www.petersen.org

Beep! Beep!  Go microcar go!