Perfect Second Sunday

I took Monday off. We thought we would go out to Glen Ivy. But, after a very full and physically taxing Sunday trimming trees and doing chores...and my insomnia all Sunday night, we just weren't up for the drive out. So, what to do?

Malibu Seafood?
Local beach?
Santa Barbara? (quickly nixed for the driving required.)

Ok. Let's decide where to eat first.

Again, Malibu Seafood? But then, the potentially looong drive out to Malibu seemed daunting. I had not slept ALL night. I luckily dozed off at about 8AM and woke at 11AM. I was determined NOT to spend another moment of my day off in bed. I had to think quickly.

Let's go somewhere we've never been. What kind of food for lunch? hmm...sushi? I immediately thought of Sushi-Gen in Little Tokyo. I had come across a great review while yelping for sushi places for my mom's birthday. And we were off on what felt like another Sunday.

There was a slight wait, as expected, upon arrival at Sushi-Gen. We could have sat at the sushi bar immediately but we were here for the lunch time specials available in the dining room only I had read raves about. I think we waited for maybe 10 minutes. After ordering, everything was a bit rushed but I think the value is high. You get a lot for the price. The sushi was fresh and tasty. The cooked food was a tad salty for our taste but not bad. The warm tofu app at the start was particularly yummy.



Chocolate, Red Bean, Mango
I was hoping they served tempura ice cream but the bill was brought to us about halfway through our meal. I guess it's a no dessert type of place. Then, I thought, lets go get that red bean pancake thingy! You know, the place where you can watch as they make it on the spot. So fresh and warm! Subsequent research tells me the cakes are called imagawayaki and the place I was referring to is Mitsuru Cafe. Alas, it was closed. pout. Fine then. Just across the way, Mikawaya was open and they serve mochi ice cream. (and regular mochi desserts, gelato and shave ice btw). They make their own mochi so it was very soft and tender. In fact, they claim to have invented mochi ice cream. So there, Mitsuru. grumble grumble. pause. Who am I kidding? That imagawayaki is so damned good. I think I need to go back soon on a not-Monday to scratch that itch.

Then, we wandered a bit, visiting Popkiller Second where the man sold me a pair of new aviators! I lost my original pair while hanging with Mart and Henri last year. They were cheap and he went into the back to find them...and Sergio liked them more than the ginormous Elton Johns I was seriously considering. (They made my face so small--a very difficult feat!)

Then, I insisted we stop in at Kimski Makes, (right next to the downtown outpost of Eagle Rock fave Spitz). From the outside, it looked like I wouldn't be able to afford a thing. But I was wrong! Possibly my new favorite store? I am now the proud owner of a purple flower headband! Sergio assured me I didn't look stupid wearing it. He wanted me to put it on as soon as we left the store. It's a bit carmen miranda does floral - but I feel pretty with it on so that's all that counts.

donning the spoils of impromptu shopping

Rest of day: We stopped in a thrift shop in Pasadena I read about and were disappointed. Then we caught a matinee showing of District 9. I liked it. The details were amazing and it all looked very real. The story isn't the most complex ever but it was fun. What I really wanted to see was Zooey in 500 Days of Summer. The showtimes didn't quite match our schedule so I acquiesced to the alien movie.

P.S. While driving away from downtown, on the 110, we spied this:



We have no idea what that is about. We saw it about half complete on the way out to Little Tokyo. It was cool to see it finished but were perplexed. There was a lot of pointing and gesturing by who we assume are the designer and project manager.

UPDATE: Oh....so that's what it is! Sergio told me he saw it on the news too. Hmmm....would've been better to use native plants, methinks. But I'm never one to begrudge a little beautification. Looks nice.