LA Spelled Backwards Is AL

On Friday afternoon I hung out with my friend Tony and his partner Michael. Tony and I met years ago at a friends party. All day people kept introducing us. It became a running joke... "Hey, it's very nice to meet you... again!" Knowing my affinity for a good dog they took me to one of L.A.'s most enduring wiener landmarks... Pink's. Located near the corner of Melrose and LaBrea, Pink's is a family owned business that has been serving hot dogs and burgers since 1939. Customers can opt for traditional fare but I wanted something a bit more unusual. To be perfectly honest I was not prepared for the meal that awaited me. We got in line (there's always a line) and perused the menu. After a not insignificant amount of painstaking deliberations I settled on The Spicy Ozzy Dog (spicy Polish dog, nacho cheese, american cheese, grilled onions, guacamole, and chopped tomatoes) and Pink's tribute to David Hasselhoff... the Ultimate Hoff Dogg (two stretch dogs in a single bun, mustard, Swiss cheese, pastrami, and sauerkraut... surprisingly, no ham). We sat down and before taking a bite a woman at the next table asked if she could photograph our lunch. Can't say I blame her. It was a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. The food? Man oh man it was yummy! Tony said the locals take their dogs seriously. Opinion is hotly divided as to the best in town. There are those who would quickly dismiss Pink's in favor of their particular favorite. In my humble opinion, much like dirty movies, there are only degrees of good.



With stomachs stretched to the limit and battling the summer heat, we pressed onward. We took a photo under the ultra famous "Hollywood" sign then cruised Melrose Ave to browse the shops. At one point I was assaulted by a giant lobster in front of an antique store... I survived but remained shaken for hours. A bit later we stopped at a vintage clothing store where Tony took interest in an old denim jacket. The price? Take a seat folks... 400 bucks! The woman at the shop offered "It's just like one that Steve McQueen wore in the 60's". Remarkably she said it with a straight face... the sheister!



That evening Burt and I met for drinks at Frolic Room. This would be his first and only stop of the evening. He'd been working steadily and was exhausted. I suspected medical marijuana played a significant role in his condition. Burt is ten to twelve years younger than I. Yet he was the one who went home at... like 9:30pm. I hereby request that all refer to him by his proper name "Lady Burt".

Although Burt did go home early he left me with an excellent suggestion... Jumbo's Clown Room. Jumbo's has all the accouterments of a classic hometown strip joint without nudity. What customers (both women and men) get are young, nubile, tattooed rockabilly chicks and goth girls pole dancing in bikinis. The place was packed and it was rockin'! To my eternal chagrin no photography was allowed.



On Saturday. July 31st I drove to Las Vegas. However before leaving the L.A. area I made one crucial stop. Nearby Whittier, CA is home to Oceanic Arts. If you are opening a Polynesian restaurant, contact Oceanic Arts. If you are designing a movie or TV set with a tropical theme, contact Oceanic Arts. If you are outfitting your cramped NYC apartment with bamboo and tikis, contact Oceanic Arts. If you are having a backyard luau and need a couple of extra leis, contact Oceanic Arts. No project is too big or small. Oceanic Arts has what you need!