Disneyland Half Marathon - Anaheim - Part 2

When I last left off, the official half marathon pacer was passing me by (See the tiny orange flags in the center of the photo below?) If I was behind the required pace, I could be picked up by the sweeper vans at any time and driven to the finish line, which meant no medal.



I had sent my friends, Valerie Chinn and her husband, on ahead and now ran alone. Despite being behind the orange flags, there were still a good three or four dozen people behind me.

I wasn't last!

Just barely.

I briefly chatted with a woman who came out from Florida to run the half marathon until she ran ahead. Then another woman, who said she always walked behind the orange flags, but hadn't been swept up yet. And she had completed seven of them! So feeling a little encouraged, I figured as long as I stayed within sight of the orange flags, I would hopefully avoid the sweeper vans.

Except the orange flags were moving farther and farther away, until I couldn't see them at all.

With no one else to talk to, I finally put in my earphones and continued my run/walk. If I make it, I make it. If I don't, I can always try again. Now, I know 16-minute miles aren't extraordinary, but I'm slooow. My high school days of running crosscountry and soccer were looong behind me. My usual runs these days are around 18 minutes. I can do 15 minutes, but that's if I'm only running a mile. I'd already done five miles, which was the most I'd ever done at one time.

*Huff.*

*Puff.*

*Whimper.*

Did I mention it was 90 degrees that day?

Disneyland Half Marathon - Anaheim - Part 1

At the beginning of the year when I was back in Portland, I met up with my friend, Valerie Chinn, who happened to be in town too. (I recounted the story before of how her dad, who went to high school with Bruce Lee, saw the one-inch punch in person.) While catching up, she mentioned that she and her husband were planning to run the Disneyland Half Marathon and asked if I'd be interested in joining them. Ever since I went to see lil' sis finish the Disneyland Half Marathon, I've had it in the back of my mind as something to do one day. Valerie's husband is a serious racer though, having run half a dozen half marathons and almost as many full marathons in the past few years. But when she mentioned that she mostly walked the races, I figured I could do that.

She alerted me when the registration opened a few weeks later. This was the eighth year for the half marathon and the first year Disneyland was offering a 10K as well. Doing both, back to back, was called the Dumbo Double Dare. The 10k and the Dumbo Double Dare sold out within hours. The Disneyland Half Marathon sold out the next day. So just a heads up that if you want to do this, be prepared to pony up a chunk of dough and to do it fast. Registration was $175 for me. When lil' sis ran it three years ago, it was $150. *Gulp.* That was a lot of money, but it'll only get more expensive each year, so I bit the bullet.

My plan was to run three days a week -- two short runs on weekdays and a long one on weekends, adding a mile every other week. I figured it was doable if I trained for nine months. Ha! With my dad in town for several months at a time to work on the house, a sprained ankle, and just life in general getting in the way, I ran a few times a week, but never more than 5 miles at the most.

All too soon, race day drew near and I was woefully unprepared.

Angel's Knoll and Angel's Flight - Los Angeles (Downtown)

After leaving The Last Bookstore - Los Angeles, we headed up Bunker Hill to Angel's Knoll. Otherwise known as Angelus Plaza (no idea why they called it thus in the movie) or the park with Tom's bench in "(500) Days of Summer."

There used to be a plaque on the back of the bench commemorating the movie, but I guess someone stole it. You can just barely see someone sleeping to the right of the bench, so we wandered around the park to other benches to take pictures, but it just wasn't the same. This really was the best bench for views!

Sarita's Pupuseria Salvadorean Food (Grand Central Market) - Los Angeles (Downtown)

On my fourth turn at jury duty, I had to report to Los Angeles County Superior Court, which coincided with Day 2 of the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's doctor who was accused of prescribing the medication that caused his death. Apparently, getting assigned to the downtown courthouse gets some people excited because of the nearby eats. Personally, I prefer Alhambra Superior Court -- closer to home, easier parking, and better eats.

Nonetheless, I was excited for the opportunity to check out Grand Central Market during the lunch break, and in particular, Sarita's Pupuseria Salvadorean Food.



But before we get to lunch, let's backtrack a bit to that morning.

Jury duty parking was underneath the Walt Disney Concert Hall; amazing building, a pain to find the specific entrance needed for the assigned parking. Then I had to rush down Bunker Hill to make it inside the courthouse in time.

As I approached the courthouse, I saw a media circus with video cameras and protesters gathered in front. You'll have to excuse the blurry photo. My point and shoot camera had a smear on the lens and my attempts to wipe only made it even more blurry. The hazy effect seemed only too apropos for the surreal atmosphere.

Wing Hop Fung - Monterey Park

Three years ago, I attended a traditional Chinese medicine luncheon hosted by Wing Hop Fung. While, the luncheon was certainly an experience, I was more interested by the Wing Hop Fung story. What began as a mom-and-pop shop in Chinatown in 1985 has grown into an operation with two stores of 20,000 and 18,000 square feet selling Chinese medicinal products, teas, gifts, and fine wine.

The children of the original owners gradually took on their parents' business. The daughter works out of the Chinatown location, while the son is often in the Monterey Park store. He was interested in wine and thus began acquiring it to sell. A store selling traditional Chinese medicine side-by-side with fine wine? This I had to see. Especially, when I read that they also hold wine tastings.

Happy Bakery - San Gabriel

Three years ago, Happy Bakery - Alhambra burned down. :( After several years of seeing nothing going up in the old location, I figured the owners decided to retire. So, tipped off by the Two Hungry Pandas, I was sooo excited to see them reopen last November.


I had been going to Happy Bakery for more than a decade, getting small orders of dim sum to-go or an occasional Chinese barbecued pork bun. A small box of various pastries always made great presents for a co-worker's birthday or to thank a friend for driving me to the airport.

The old location, with its handmade "Se Habla Espanol" sign because the Chinese owners once lived in Venezuela, was worn and tired. The owners often looked it too, but that was part of its charm. No frills, but I knew that the Happy Bakery was a real mom-and-pop kind of place.

Once, I stumbled upon the owners' son's blog post linking to my post about the fire. He said people kept asking his parents whether they were going to reopen. He said he was "bakerysick" in the way that some people get "homesick."

So happily filled with nostalgia, I mentioned all that to the owners when I first stopped in last December. She seemed happy to hear that people were talking about their reopening, excited to have them back. I asked her why they took so long?

She said they wanted to find the right location and they took a vacation. After so many years of working ungodly hours, the bakery opens at 6:30 a.m., I smiled at the thought of them needing and taking a vacation.

Welcome back, I said, and proceeded to order up a storm.

They still offer a variety of dim sum to-go.

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles - Pasadena

Before oldest nephew and lil' sis left to go back, we met up with my brother and his family for a late lunch at Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles in Pasadena.

Roscoe's is a small chain of five restaurants that's been an L.A. institution for decades. It's been mentioned in several movies and rap songs, but my first introduction to Roscoe's was actually more than a decade ago through a college friend's friend. We alternated entertaining duties, and while I can't remember if I took her anywhere interesting, I do remember that her friend introduced me to Versailles' lemon garlic roast chicken and Roscoe's chicken and waffles (the location on Pico Boulevard though).

Cinespia Cemetery Screenings - Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Los Angeles

At the beginning of the summer, when oldest nephew came up for a visit, I talked him and lil' sis into seeing a movie with me at the cemetery. Yes, if you've seen "Valentine's Day," that's exactly what I'm talking about.

It was one of those L.A. things that I've been wanting to do since I first heard about the Cinespa Cemetery Screenings last year when E*starLA and Caroline on Crack tweeted about lobbing water bottles at an obnoxious guy who came 10 minutes before the movie started, plopped down on a tall chair, and refused to move. Man! Those ladies were serious! I made sure not to bring any chairs at all! :P

The cemetery screenings started a decade ago and my excuse for not knowing about them before is that I'm old and just don't get out as much as I used to. :P The movie was a classic so my third cousin came up to join us for the occasion.

Lil' Sis Ran the Disneyland Half Marathon!

Discouraged from the job hunt after lil' sis finished school, she decided she needed a goal. I thought she was crazy when she told me she signed up to run the Disneyland Half Marathon.

Lil' sis has weak ankles! She'll fall down! She doesn't run! Much less run for 13.1 miles straight!

Week by week, I watched as she added mile after mile to her routine.



I can't see!!!

After all that hard work, I have to see and photograph when lil' sis crosses the finish line!

Ask Wandering Chopsticks 9

What's up? says my adorable little niece. :)

I smile every time I look at this picture. She's soooo cuuute!

Femme Noir by Phong Hong Finalist for Oscars Designer Challenge 2010

Isn't the dress positively gorgeous? If you've been a fan of my cousin, Phong Hong, since his Femme Noir Collection debuted at Los Angeles Fashion Week last fall, then please, please, please vote for his design to be the one the on-stage statuette handler ie. "trophy girl" wears at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards ceremony.

That's THE OSCARS!

As in the red carpet gold statue OSCARS!!!

Il Sole Restaurant - West Hollywood (Closed)

While I'm not one to chase after celebrities, every once in a while, I end up dining at some of their hangouts. And so it was that when I was invited by Kelsey Beniasch of Wagstaff Worldwide to dine at Il Sole Restaurant in West Hollywood, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

After all, Jennifer Aniston, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Orlando Bloom, Cameron Diaz, Courteney Cox-Arquette, David Arquette, Rod Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Robert Downey, Jr., Jerry Seinfeld, Brooke Shields, Lisa Kudrow, Sharon Stone, Sheryl Crow, and Sting have all been photographed here.

The restaurant welcomed back Executive Chef Issac Rivera, who worked at Il Sole almost a decade before, and who recently came back from traveling and working throughout Italy. Rivera brought with him some new recipes and a Sunday prix-fixe menu; the restaurant wasn't open on Sundays before.

Since Il Sole was small, dark, and intimate (probably why it was popular with celebrities), joining us were just two others, Gourmet Pigs and SinoSoul.

Banh Mi & Che CALI Bakery - Westminster (Little Saigon)

I have a soft spot for the original Banh Mi and Che CALI Bakery on the corner of Bolsa Avenue and Magnolia Street in Westminster.


Before Vietnamese sandwich shops became so ubiquitous, there were specific places I'd always go. Well, I still do but I hadn't visited this location in a while. When I used to work in Orange County, whenever cousin Q came home from college, his mom would give me $3 and ask that I buy him sandwiches on my way home. Buy 2, get 1 free on sandwiches and desserts. So three Vietnamese sandwiches were only $3. I'd end up buying a set for me too and often gave one to whichever homeless person was waiting in front.

I was always amused that white homeless men chose to park themselves in front of this very Vietnamese strip mall in the heart of Little Saigon. I guess they liked their banh mi! Once, one of them specifically asked me to get him the #4. I can't remember if it was the Banh Mi Xa Xiu (Vietnamese Barbecued Pork Sandwich) or Banh Mi Xiu Mai (Vietnamese Meatball Sandwich). The menu board has changed since then, but I was still tickled that he had a preference.

It was also here that on another visit, when I asked yet another white homeless man if he'd like a sandwich, he said someone already bought him one, but he'd like a Che Dau Trang (Vietnamese Pudding with White Beans and Sticky Rice in Coconut Milk). I hadn't planned on getting dessert, but how could I resist not buying him one?

Sure it can be a madhouse. You have to fend off older Vietnamese people selling plants and herbs from their backyard or various magazines and newspapers. Once inside, no one seems to know how to line up so it's a free for all. During peak times at this location, don't even bother being polite. The person who shoves herself to the front of the line gets her order.

Besides sandwiches and desserts, there's the usual assortment of Vietnamese snacks and pastries. But on this day, it was just three sandwiches for $5 for me. Yeah, the price has gone up a little since then, but it's still a great bargain. I usually just default to the Banh Mi & Che Cali Restaurant - Alhambra these days because it's closest, so I had forgotten how good these sandwiches could be.

Club 33 - Disneyland - Anaheim

Don't know what Club 33 is?

S'alright.

I didn't either until recently. But if you're a Disney freak, like lil' sis is, then "SQEEEEE!!!

OMG!!!

OMG!!!

OMG!!!

OMGWTFBBQ!!!"

For the past several years, I had seen kevinEats post about his first, second, and third visits to this exclusive club but hadn't paid particular attention. Plus, I didn't know he could invite guests so it wouldn't matter how exclusive it was, I wasn't getting in. Except last year, Mike of Famished LA did get in, as Kevin's guest. Mike is a Disney freak. So when he mentioned that Club 33 had closed its waiting list because there's a 14-year wait, then I paid attention.

Walt Disney built Club 33 as an exclusive and serene oasis where he could entertain visiting dignitaries away from the hustle and bustle of Disneyland. Unfortunately, Club 33 didn't open until June 15, 1967, six months after Disney's death.

If you are a Disney freak, then you probably already know about the door marked "33" in New Orleans Square. Entrance is only allowed if you're with someone who has membership. Membership itself is limited and corporations and individuals pay thousands of dollars at admittance and in annual fees. Not that that matters since there's a 14-year waiting list that's been closed to new additions for years. Once you secure an invite, locate the not-so-secret doorway and press the buzzer on the intercom concealed in a hidden panel. You are not allowed in unless your name is on the list. You are not allowed in more than 5 minutes before your reservation time. Dress code is nice-casual ie. if you're visiting the theme park that day, change out of your tank tops, shorts, and sneakers.

And if you are a Disney freak, like lil' sis is, then entering its hallowed doorway and dining there just might make your childhood and adult Disney dreams come true.

Femme Noir by Phong Hong Debut at Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week Fashion Angel Awards Emerging Designers Runway Show

Everyone in the family has always known my cousin Phong was talented. But last week, when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced that he was one of three "emerging designers" who received the inaugural Fashion Angel Award from the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Cultural Affairs, it was even more wonderful that my cousin had this opportunity to show off his skills.

His new Femme Noir Collection debuted at the Downtown Los Angeles Fashion Week Fashion Angel Award Emerging Designers Runway Show at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA.

Phew! What a mouthful. Can I get a "whoohoo!"?

So excited! The show didn't begin until designer Randolph Duke, who was on the committee who picked the winners, showed up.

Breed Street Food Fair - Los Angeles (Boyle Heights) (Closed)

I first heard about the Breed Street Food Fair, a collection of Mexican street stands in Boyle Heights, back in 2007 when Abby of Pleasure Palate uploaded pictures of her visit on Biggest Menu. She was introduced to it by Street Gourmet LA, who stumbled upon the lively scene while scouting out new places.

Gorditas made by splitting a handmade tortilla topped with a pumpkin and sesame seed mixture, I had never seen the like before and definitely wanted to try. I didn't get a chance to do so though until June 2009, and then I returned a couple of days later, and the week after that, and the week after that.

Squash blossoms, corn fungus, and fried chicken necks. Sure I've made Squash Blossom Quesadillas, and I've heard of huitlacoche (Mexican corn smut) before, but didn't know of where I could get some. And not only could I get both here, but deep-fried chicken necks and freshly fried churros too. Yum!

Korean BBQ Corner (Farmers' Market) - Alhambra (Closed)

Recently, I was browsing the Farmers' Market - Alhambra when I noticed a new stall. Korean BBQ Corner. BBQ ribs. BBQ beef. BBQ Chicken. Wait, pitas? Wraps?

Curious, I came closer and saw...




Whoa! Korean/Middle Eastern fusion. Pitas and lavash wraps stuffed with Korean barbecue. Genius!

Bamboodles Restaurant - San Gabriel (Closed)

When I first saw Bamboodles Restaurant replace the Chinese ramen restaurant, I figured it was along the same lines and didn't pay much attention. Then via Pleasure Palate, I saw Exile Kiss's post about how the noodles were kneaded by a man bouncing on a big bamboo pole.


Err. That sounds a lot dirtier than it actually is.

See?

Man bouncing on bamboo pole.

Palms Thai Restaurant - Los Angeles (Hollywood)

Back in September 2008, my brother and his wife, cousin Q, his older brother and his wife, and I dined at Palms Thai Restaurant, home of Thai Elvis.

Don't be cruel. Surely you've heard of Thai Elvis?



Unfortunately, the acoustics in the restaurant were absolutely retched. I couldn't even tell you what Thai Elvis was crooning that evening. Nonetheless, where else can you get pad Thai with a side of "Love Me Tender"?

Abraham Partamian Armenian Bakery - Los Angeles (Mid-City)

Several weeks ago, I received an invitation to a pre-grand opening tasting of Fulfilled, a Japanese imagawa-yaki pastry shop in Beverly Hills. Go outside of the San Gabriel Valley? Ack! Because I had to drive so far, I wanted to make it worth my while. So I decided to detour to Abraham Partamian Armenian Bakery in the Mid-City neighborhood of Los Angeles.



I was searching for an Armenian bakery in a neighborhood that's now half Latino because it supposedly offers the best lahmajoun in town. Lahmajoun/lahmajune/lahmacun, however you spell it, according to Wikipedia is an Anatolian dish of very thin dough topped with minced lamb, tomatoes, and spices. It's sometimes referred to as Armenian or Turkish pizza.

Earlier in the spring, I was inspired by this Los Angeles Times article about how Leon Partamian, Abraham's son who never married or had children, left the bakery to his two Mexican workers. Francisco Rosales and Jose Gonzales had been with him for more than 35 years. That two Mexican Americans make the best, and bake upwards of 500, Armenian "pizzas" a day definitely goes on my list of things that are "Sooo SoCal." Not that I'm suprised since I've often seen Mexicans working in the kitchens of Little Saigon restaurants.