recap-tarts and flea markets

Sunday we got up to have brunch with Brian and his lovely lady at a family hotspot called Tart. Which is attached to the Farmer's Daughter, you may remember it from earlier blog entries as the place we like to stay. It has unfortunately become pretty expensive.

From Tart we went to the Melrose Trading Post to find some treasures, as recommended by the latest Lucky magazine. It was a hot day and for some reason trying on vintage clothes wasn't all that appealing, sorry Lucky. What was great was all of the jewelry, handmade and vintage. A lot of 1920's pieces a little too outside my price range and besides I had furniture on my mind.

We both walked away with some nice trinkets, me a star necklace and a vintage purple purse and mom a necklace and vintage pin that went so great with what she was wearing. I came home with some ideas for my small space.

I hear later that Taylor Swift had been there the same day we were. We didn't see her, but we had a great star sighting ourselves just after leaving the flea market. We hadn't seen anyone all weekend, which was strange for LA and this time of year. I thought it would be great to stop into Bristol Farm's for some French Macaroons, a bit of a snack before having mom try another gluten free pizza place, a favorite of mine. I also knew since it is one of the last grocery stores before hitting the canyon, that the probability of seeing someone was pretty likely and just when I thought that there wouldn't be, we saw Will Ferrell.

After the sighting it was more pizza, then home and a movie.

recap-dim sum athon

I was excited to show mom a bunch of places she had never been before, make her try some things she was not familiar with. Especially since we have already done a lot of the touristy things, Walk of Fame, Pink's the like. And what I like about mom is that she is up for anything, so I took her to Chinatown.

It was super hot that day and we took the subway to Union Station. We took a side trip through the station so that we could admire the architecture and see why so many people want to get married there, next to where you board the Surfliner to San Diego.

We went to Empress Pavilion, where I like to get dim sum. My LA bestie, Teresa, met us and as soon as we were swarmed with cute older asian ladies with carts upon carts of dumplings, deserts, boba tea and chicken feet. (which I have tried, but not on that occasion. let me tell you, I have tried a lot of things, but you never, never forget the fact that they are feet, ever)

I stayed tame for mom's sake. We snacked on chicken buns, meatballs, crystal shrimp dumplings, sesame buns with red bean paste. See pictured.


After lunch we walked around Chinatown and went to some shops. I was on a quest to find Rose Green Tea. I love the taste and rose is really good for your skin. But alas after all the places I checked, they didn't have it. I made special care to tell mom not to come into the places that smelled like salted squid, I love trying new things, but that is something that really has a smell that lingers.

Mom and me in Chinatown:

recap-pampered and pressed

Day 2 of Mom's visit involved heading to the Aveda Institute in Los Angeles to get our hair did and beautify pre-birthday dinner.

I was all ready to do before and after shots, but they were a little just too before for my taste. So imagine us in our before shots, gray hair, pale skin, sad and then see us here in our after shots.




Happy Happy.

After beautifying we went to a place for Chicago style hot dogs, just to tide us over before going to have one of the best steaks in our lives at Taylor's.

Taylor's is a short dangerous, not because of the environment, but because it is so close to my house walk from my apartment. My mouth is watering right now. I thought Taylor's was a perfect place since it was born the same year as my mom, so I thought they would have it in common.

It is a really old school joint, dark, with leather half moon booths, white table cloths, waiters in uniform. We thought old school drinks were also called for. Their Dirty Martini isn't bad. Then it was time for steak heaven, you know when you take that first bite, make eye contact with the person across from you and both at the same time say "oh, my expletive God, that is a good steak"

We both had the Kansas City, upon a friends recommendation. I can't describe how good it is, you just have to come out.

recap-finally

After giving mom the 15 second tour of my house. (It is pretty small, but cute. I will show pictures when I feel like I am more settled and am not living out of boxes.) We headed for our traditional first stop Marmalade Cafe in the Farmer's Market section of the Grove. We sat outside soaked up the blazing sun and put a plan for the trip in action. Which involved shopping and a trip to whole foods to get supplies for pizza making at home.

I was surprised to learn that mom had never had a heirloom tomato. Feeling sorry for her, I bought one so that she could try. I don't think she will be going back to those mealy tasteless things at the grocery store, but then again every fruit and vegetable tastes good here.

One thing that we learned is that surprisingly hipster looking stock boys in knit caps have really great wine recommendations. I like reds that aren't that dry, mom likes white and sweeter chilled wines. With that he pointed us immediately to the Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc, which was in fact perfect and went well with the gluten free pizza I made.

That was day 1.

Update

I am sure you are anxiously waiting photos and a report from my mom's visit, but one thing I learned about this app is that I cannot post photos without it crashing and it takes up so much memory on my phone that I have to charge it all the time, even when blogger Is not in use. So I will just have to wait until I get my internet next week.