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PHO-NNY STORY October 23 2012
We were in Hollywood, it was cold, and we were hungry. Naturally, we thought to have pho. So we Yelp’d “pho” based on our current location. First one to come up was Pho Citi. No thanks. Second one was Pho Cafe with four stars and one dollar sign. Jackpot.
We followed the GPS and drove down Sunset, but couldn’t find Pho Cafe the first time and the second time. So I said, let’s just park, we have the address, and we’ll find it.
We ended up parking underneath the really sketch Silverlake Bridge. Walked uphill back to Sunset and through a dark parking lot for a closed taco stand.
To get here. An unmarked restaurant with a kitchen on one side, tables on the other, and a tiny space between.
Sat down, got a stained, crinkled paper menu, and ordered.
I was excited. I love hole in the wall spots like this. Whenever I eat pho at a new restaurant, I always judge it by two things: 1) spring rolls and 2) rare steak pho. Their spring rolls are made with filet mignon that kinda tasted like bulgogi. WINNER. Then came the soup. The only things I put in the soup are fresh jalapenos. No hoisin, no sriracha. But my cousin does, and she didn’t have to put any of that in it. It was that good. And the steak. It doesn’t get tough after sitting in the broth.
The couple sitting next to us ordered a Vietnamese crepe that I’m gonna have to try when I go back. By the way, my cousin went back the next day!
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HODGEPODGE October 22 2012
My cousin told me that the 2k+ photos I have on my iPhone are surely slowing my device down. So, here’s another photo dump before I transfer them over to my Macbook.
I took this Saturday morning when I was driving in LA. It’s finally starting to feel like fall, although I hear we’re going back into the 90s by the end of the week. When I saw the raindrops and the palm trees, I immediately thought “it never rains in Southern California.”
Me, Shelly, Steph, and Dave (The Hundreds) at the 722 Figueroa Fall Preview Party.
Rick & Ray artists KreativeThought and Garfield Adams had a great weekend. On Saturday, they performed at Grub Shack’s launch party. Then on Sunday, they joined Bambu, Rey Resurreccion, and Kixxie Siete at The Rent Money Tour.
When we met with Team Manila last week for the photoshoot, I was just picking out my shirt size and not really seeing the design. This is the one I ended up with. After learning Team Manila’s story, I realized how fitting the statement of holding strong and staying true is for both the creator and the wearer.
I attended a memorial over the weekend for an old friend who suddenly passed away. A lot of us decided to let off some steam by hitting the gun range. We pulled our friend’s collection of handguns and brought those to shoot with in his honor. Rest in peace, Lou. You have left a legacy, and we salute you.
The new McQueen book came in. This one is more of a collection of photos from his runway shows. It’s visually amazing.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a photo on my Instagram of pieces of the Berlin Wall that can be found on Wilshire Blvd. They were pieces from the west side of the wall, where artists from all over the world came to use the barrier as a canvas before it was deconstructed in 1989. Below is a photo of the east side of the wall, where the gallery that owns it commissioned artists like Retna to interpret the idea of surveillance and separation.
Whenever this guy is in town, I have to see him. Jason Mraz: Stripped at Wiltern Theater on October 6.
My dude CPablo (Agenda Show) and his girl Nikki. I’ve known CPablo since we were like 6 years old. After elementary school, we went our separate ways. Fast forward some 15 years later, and we reunited through our respective industries.
Food! 1) BCD Tofu House. Korean food is quickly becoming my comfort food. 2) Salted chocolate chip cookies from one of my favorite restaurants, LGO. 3) Milk tea boba from Four Leaf in Little Tokyo. I think I’m addicted.
A break in the clouds.
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2 YEARS LATER October 19 2012
I always consider October 19 to be the birth of Rick & Ray Creative Management. Two years ago today, the Rhythm Natives dropped their debut album, and I announced what has become my most important endeavor. This was my favorite part of the CD packaging - a photo above the clouds with the words “dedicated to those who chase dreams”. It’s meant for you, it’s meant for me.
The self titled debut album is free on Bandcamp. And if you’re in the Bay Area this weekend, you can catch KreativeThought (one of the emcees in the band) perform at the Grub Shack launch party in San Jose.
Keep chasing, keep holding strong, and keep going ‘til you get there.
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OPEN FOR BUSINESS October 18 2012
The Seoul Sausage brick and mortar opened earlier this month, and we finally made it over. Their food won them The Great American Food Truck Race (Food Network), and they had a line out the door to prove it. The space, on Sawtelle and Mississippi, is quaint, but has a kind of energy that makes you want to come in. Bright artwork, music, community seating, and customers on smartphones getting ready to post food porn to their social networks. We had sausage, kimchi balls, kalbi poutine, and Korean soda to wash it down. As always, it was great. Congratulations again to our dudes Chris, Yong, and Ted. You did it!
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RETNA October 17 2012
The Los Angeles bred, Seventh Letter reppin’, graffiti/street/contemporary artist, Retna, is currently showing a solo exhibit at Michael Kohn Gallery in West Hollywood. His work is synonymous with LA visuals - from billboards to freeway overpasses, from murals to trains - so we really wanted to check this one out.
I read somewhere that Retna wants interaction to come from his work. The original alphabet he created is never really translated; he wants people to figure it out. We went around the gallery thinking of what this piece said, and what that piece said. We were throwing ideas at each other, and though we may have been right or wrong, this is certain: it’s complex. It’s captivating. And it’s beautiful.
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