I'm a sucker for novelty, as long as it's not something too dangerous, scary, or emotionally/physically exhausting. Therefore, a guidebook like Not for Tourists is perfect for people like me because I can seek out novelty in the L.A. area and flip through pages of tidy maps that tell me where to go without having to actually really go to any of these places.
That's not to say that I don't want to go to any of these places. Au contraire, I would go to all if I could, but one can only do so much and reading about fun places is half the fun of actually going, right?
See, I was prompted to flip through my NFT guide tonight in an attempt to formulate some late night plans. As a college student, I am supposed to act and find great adventures spontaneously, but that's not really my style. Spontaneity, in my opinion, typically does not emerge at the most convenient times, so relying on it to strike on a Saturday night and magically find something exciting to do seems like a bit of a crapshoot. Besides, I'm a planner in general. I make to-do lists every day. I e-mail party invitations. Yep, I'm that kid.
My age, unfortunately, prevents me from visiting some of Los Angeles's classier nightlife joints, but who knew that there was a restaurant on the Sunset Strip open late with a mechanical bull? Apparently, there are also several karoake joints that stay open until 6:00 A.M. and kitschy beach-themed diners. Cool, right? Imagine what kind of people frequent these places, what faces one could see, and what conversations one could overhear.
Restaurants and clubs are, after all, feature some of the most varied smattering of individuals. Probably not the finest individuals in Hollywood, but at least some characters that provide good stories and insights into - well - who we all are. There's a piece of us in every drunken twenty-something, every gaggle of giggling high schoolers, every forty-year-old couple. Plus, I constantly itch to escape from the college apartment party, the cloistered soirees on someone's mom's old couch with with indistinguishable movie noise coming from the TV.
So, thanks to Not for Tourists for letting me dream about the possibilities to explore and be an active young person in this huge, huge city.
Showing posts with label Los Angeles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Los Angeles. Show all posts
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Today I Appreciate the Korean BBQ Taco Truck
In my family, the higher risk of gastro-intestinal illness a taco is likely to cause, the more authentic and therefore "better" said taco must be. This, of course, means that I have not yet fulfilled my duty as a true Mexican food aficionado because I have yet to order any food from a real L.A. taco truck. White van, silver heated roof, and aluminum foil-wrapped tacos dripping with the fat of pork al pastor is what comprises a true taco truck and that, my friends, must be what eating real Mexican food is like.
Alas, I attend school in West Los Angeles where an authentic taqueria cannot be found because - well - there's plenty of authentic Mexican food to go around in Downtown L.A. Also, unfortunately, accessing Downtown L.A. without a car (as is my state right now) is a rather laborious task as it requires transferring to different buses and/or subways. Public transportation for me is only an issue when it takes longer than an hour to get somewhere that, by car, would take only 30 minutes. So, my reasoning for never tasing the joys of a taco truck seem reasonable given the expensive cost of my time.
Yet today, I can say that I experienced the joy of ordering from a taco truck, even if it wasn't of the traditional Mexican variety...
The Kogi Korean BBQ taco truck circulates around the Los Angeles area, selling $2 tacos and $5 burritos filled with a choice of short ribs, pork, chicken, or tofu. The toppings on the tacos (alas, I cannot speak for the burrito) include a spicy cabbage salsa with sesame seeds, cilantro, onion, and romaine lettuce "tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette."
Feel free to salivate. It's delicious.
The particular truck I found was on the corner of Landfair and Ophir (a few blocks from my apartment) and a few of my literary journal buddies and I waited, discussing the joys (?) of the Twilight phenomena, David Foster Wallace, and hipsters/poets (e.g. "I'm so cool I don't need a TV. Also, I write experimental poetry."). We traced the path of every passing car and truck with our eyes, glancing around the corner to catch a glimpse at the newest oncoming headlight hoping that it would be our truck.
Needless to say, the wait for food was worth it. I write this one tofu and one short rib taco later and am content reimagining the dripping of the tender cubes of beef, the satisfying spice of the tofu, and the crunchy cabbage topping encased in corn tortillas. While the tacos were decidedly more Korean than Mexican, the spice factor and sweet, sesame flavor more than compensated for any salsa I may have missed.
New food always provides opportunities to explore different senses and to appreciate the melding of different cultures. It's easy to take Los Angeles for granted, but with moments like this, it's difficult not to appreciate the beautiful culture union here and the ways in which people create their own unique, cultural communities.
If you, too, would like to appreciate the Korean BBQ Taco Truck in the near future and you live in L.A., here's the website. There's a schedule posted for where the taco truck will travel next: http://kogibbq.com/
Alas, I attend school in West Los Angeles where an authentic taqueria cannot be found because - well - there's plenty of authentic Mexican food to go around in Downtown L.A. Also, unfortunately, accessing Downtown L.A. without a car (as is my state right now) is a rather laborious task as it requires transferring to different buses and/or subways. Public transportation for me is only an issue when it takes longer than an hour to get somewhere that, by car, would take only 30 minutes. So, my reasoning for never tasing the joys of a taco truck seem reasonable given the expensive cost of my time.
Yet today, I can say that I experienced the joy of ordering from a taco truck, even if it wasn't of the traditional Mexican variety...
The Kogi Korean BBQ taco truck circulates around the Los Angeles area, selling $2 tacos and $5 burritos filled with a choice of short ribs, pork, chicken, or tofu. The toppings on the tacos (alas, I cannot speak for the burrito) include a spicy cabbage salsa with sesame seeds, cilantro, onion, and romaine lettuce "tossed in Korean chili-soy vinaigrette."
Feel free to salivate. It's delicious.
The particular truck I found was on the corner of Landfair and Ophir (a few blocks from my apartment) and a few of my literary journal buddies and I waited, discussing the joys (?) of the Twilight phenomena, David Foster Wallace, and hipsters/poets (e.g. "I'm so cool I don't need a TV. Also, I write experimental poetry."). We traced the path of every passing car and truck with our eyes, glancing around the corner to catch a glimpse at the newest oncoming headlight hoping that it would be our truck.
Needless to say, the wait for food was worth it. I write this one tofu and one short rib taco later and am content reimagining the dripping of the tender cubes of beef, the satisfying spice of the tofu, and the crunchy cabbage topping encased in corn tortillas. While the tacos were decidedly more Korean than Mexican, the spice factor and sweet, sesame flavor more than compensated for any salsa I may have missed.
New food always provides opportunities to explore different senses and to appreciate the melding of different cultures. It's easy to take Los Angeles for granted, but with moments like this, it's difficult not to appreciate the beautiful culture union here and the ways in which people create their own unique, cultural communities.
If you, too, would like to appreciate the Korean BBQ Taco Truck in the near future and you live in L.A., here's the website. There's a schedule posted for where the taco truck will travel next: http://kogibbq.com/
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