Top Ramen

I happen to be a fan of Ramen Noodles. I love going to a new restaurant and trying their noodle selection. This post however is about the home variety. Those dehydrated noodles you find in most if not all groceries. Yes there is nothing like having fresh noodles delivered to your table hot ready to be eaten. But in those rare occasions when you want to eat a bowl at home the packaged noodles are the way to go. There are many different kinds of these home noodles, but my favorite brand is Top Ramen. I enjoy Top Ramen by Nissin because all the salt/flavor is separate from the noodles. And when some of these store bought noodles can have upwards of 1000 plus milligrams of sodium in them having the choice of how much you put in can be beneficial. I generally don't put the entire salt packet into the water as the noodles cook. Not only that but I don't even drink the liquid that the noodles were cooked in. I put just enough of the flavored liquid into the bowl so the noodles aren't totally dry.

My favorite flavor of TR is the oriental. Its tough to describe the taste to you but it is the best of the rest. I do by the other varieties just to switch it up every so often though. Not only do I enjoy them as they come I also try to spice them up a bit too. I like to put a good amount of Sriracha hot sauce on my noodles. I have put fresh cilantro on my noodles when they finish cooking. If I by the shrimp flavor I take some fresh or frozen shrimp and cook it with the noodles. I also have put a handful of spinach in the pot and place the noodles on top to cook together. That makes for a delicious meal. Substituting pasta for ramen is a good way to use up that las bit of sauce so it doesn't have to go to waste.  Not only is ramen tasty it is also cheap too. You won't break the bank putting together a delicious meal. So go out there get some ramen and see what you can come up with.

Monsieur Marcel

I have a fascination with France. The food, the culture, and the country itself. I had the opportunity to go to France in 2010. I flew in at night to Nice then drove down to Cannes. I was there for the film festival that year. It was an amazing experience that cemented my love for the country. The food was an intense and pleasurable adventure for my palette. I enjoyed a pizza with an egg in the center and some of the best chicken wings I've had in a long time. Both of those places were located right next to the hotel I stayed in. Waking up to fresh Brie and Croissants with a boiled egg is something people need to have in their lives. 

I get back to the states and move to Los Angeles. The food culture in Los Angeles is a varied mix. I found a couple of French food spots but none of those are really worth mentioning. I ended up talking to this French girl online. We became friends and when she was in LA we hung out. I took her to those French places I knew. They didn't wow her in the slightest. She looked up places online and found Monsieur Marcel. Monsieur Marcel is located at The Grove in Hollywood. We went to the Grove and found the cafe in the farmers market area. The place even has its own market where you can buy European imported groceries. We took our seats and looked the menu over. Right away she was impressed by the selection of food. 

She found a menu item that she enjoyed a lot back home called Merguez. It comes as a sandwich or entree consisting of Moroccan lamb sausage. I ended up getting a Poulet Pesto(chicken) sandwich. I know what you're thinking "a chicken sandwich, really". Let me tell you this was an amazing piece of food artistry. It tasted so good. The sandwich came with a side of thin french fries. Hanging out with her influenced my condiment selection to accompany my fries. They like mayonnaise with their fries in France. I tried Ratatouille for the first time. Ive had sautéed vegetables before but not like that. We went back there a few more times before she went back home. One of the last times we were there I got a sandwich called The Normandie. Its a tasty sandwich made with Bacon, Brie, Apricot Marmalade, and sliced Apple. This is one of those sandwiches that after the first bite you have to put it down to savor all the nuances contained within. I recommend this place to anyone looking to expand their taste of both food and culture from France. 

Normandie

Philly's Best

I was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. I moved to Maryland shortly after that.  I would go back to Philly from time to time to visit family. Now being from Philly I have a particular pallet for cheesesteaks. Finding a good cheesesteak outside of Philly is one of the hardest things in the world to do. There are many theories as to why that is, from the bread to the type of meat used. But one thing is for sure a Philly cheesesteak is one of the best foods you could ever put in your mouth. Having access to a good cheesesteak was just a two hour drive away. But for a while I was to young to drive so i'd have to wait for my dad to come and pick me up.

Living in Maryland I had friends who knowing I was from Philly would always take me to places that had "cheesesteaks". And none of the places they took me to ever made the grade. Its funny to think about them just raving about a place and then I would come in and shut that down real quick. I remember taking a day trip up to Philly with some friends a few years ago. The suggested we go to a touristy cheesesteak place on South street. They all love it. I on the other hand quickly pointed out how bad it was. The next time we were in Philly I took them to a place I like going to. I told my friend before we get in the car to take a bite out of the cheesesteak. His eye nearly jumped out of his head. He said it was the best he'd ever eaten.

In 2011 I moved to California. Miles away from any good cheesesteak or so I thought. I ended up finding  a place called Philly's Best located in Burbank California. I went in thinking how good could this place be. To my surprise very good. The meat is flavored well, they import the rolls directly from Philly. How can you go wrong with that. They even sell Tastycake products too. If you are from the east coast then you've probably had a Krimpet at one time. Not to mention the assortment of toppings from peppers (spicy or mild) to barrel pickles. Needless to say I am a fan of this place. It is a little taste of home on the West Coast. So if you are in Burbank swing by and grab a cheesesteak for yourself.

Current Situation

I have not worked since June of last year. All my money is running out. Positive thoughts can only do so much. Applying to jobs and hearing nothing back takes its toll. Just have to keep moving forward.

Words For Her

I want to love you every morning, every night, and every moment in between.  I want to love every inch of your body from your head to your feet.  I can’t deny the way I feel. I was afraid of it. Afraid of feeling like this about someone. Not knowing what the future of us is makes me un-easy. Will we last forever or just a few brief encounters? I beat myself up every day emotionally thinking about this situation we could be putting ourselves in. It doesn’t do me any good making myself lovesick over you. You’re not here. I don’t know when I’ll see you again. Dwelling on this is a futile act. An act that I cant help but undertake daily. Admitting to this doesn’t make it any less foolish. I guess this is my life till you change it for good or worse.

A New Kind Of Love

I consider myself to be a straight male. Even though I have seen a couple of dudes I would consider pretty. More feminine not so much masculine. Ten years ago I found myself looking at some stuff of an adult nature on the Internet, and came across some "Shemale" porn. A new and interesting world was opened to me. The title of this piece is not referring to the porn itself but of a particular girl I came across. Fast forward to a couple of years ago I found a girl who I was attracted to instantly. She is a transgender woman, the proper term for a male who has transitioned into a female. I didn't know I would be so into her. Don't get me wrong I have found some trans-women attractive before but not to this degree. Blonde, tall, great face, great butt, and she is European. Great combination for any type of woman.

I ended up finding her on twitter. I struck up a conversation with her. Things are going smooth. She adds me on facebook. She tells me she thinks I am attractive. I thought that would be the extent of the relationship. Just an online rapport and that’s it. But to my surprise she wanted to meet. I obliged and the date was set. Let me tell you I was nervous as a man could be. We ended up going to Chic-fil-a and then back to her place. I would like to tell you some interesting sex story but that didn’t happen. We ate and watched a movie. I left shortly after the end. We hung out a few more times. Only a couple of those times did I spend the night. Still I didn’t make any moves. She may have been getting frustrated with me. But I have never been with a Trans-woman before. Wasn't sure what to do with the equipment. 

As I got to know her I became more and more infatuated with her. She is a breath of fresh air. Since she isn't from the US she doesn't have the same mentality. She is French. She was very innocent. So much so that some people took her kindness for weakness and took advantage of her. I didn't want to be that type of person in her life. I wanted and did treat her with the respect she deserves. I found myself thinking about her all the time. I have never felt this way about anyone. My nerves got the better of me. We ended up having a conversation about our relationship. She was into me but she stated that since I wasn't showing interest in her that her feelings were starting to fade. Of course we get into all this a week or so before she heads back to France. 

I officially fucked that relationship up. I still have it bad for her. I am afraid that we will only be "just friends". I have to get over that nervous feeling she gives me. Take the first step and win her heart. Maybe one day it will happen. Who knows? I guess only time will tell.

A Walk Among The Tombstones

I joined a website called Meetup.com. One of the groups on the site is for free screenings of movies. This particular move happened to be A Walk Among The Tombstones starring Liam Neeson. I follow the instructions on how to get my ticket for the screening. These events tend to give away more tickets than seats in the theater, so its best to arrive early. I show up to the theater and find my seat.

Liam Neeson is Matt Scudder, a retired former alcoholic cop that becomes a private detective. A former junkie Howie, who had a run in with Matt a while back gets him in touch with his drug trafficking brother Kenny. Kenny's wife was kidnapped and murdered. Matt after hearing how Kenny's wife was tortured takes the case to find out who did it.

Over all I enjoyed the movie. It had good tension and suspense. I also liked the introduction of T.J. as Matt's young associate. They had a good dynamic, and the young actor who played T.J. held his own acting next to Liam. The only thing that bugged me was the end of the movie. There is a scene (spoiler alert) in which one of the bad guys is handcuffed to a radiator but some how manages to free himself. Other than that it was an enjoyable film. I do recommend it.

Red Light Ticket

  So a few months back I ended up running a red light. I currently live in California and wasn't sure of the penalties regarding traffic violations. I moved here from Maryland and had no idea of what to expect. Turns out I was right. My ticket is for 490$ dollars. I thought that number was absurd so I decided to look up what the red light tickets are in Maryland. To my surprise they are only 75$ dollars. Thats insanity. I cant believe how much higher the cost is in this state. My mind is completely blown over this whole thing. I wondered if the rest of the country was as high as Cali. I found out that only a few states actually have red light cameras as part of their traffic laws. Only 21 to be exact. There are 9 that prohibit the use of red light cameras and 20 that have no law for them.

  I really don't have any idea why California's tickets are so high. Where is all the money going? I am sure a bunch of people's pockets are getting fatter off of this. California has one of the highest red light ticket cost in the country. Oregon beats them by 30 bucks. But thats only if you happen to run the light in a school zone. If not its only 260$. I know all the states generally don't hold each other to the same standards but I still don't feel like I need to pay that much money. Its really annoying especially when you are not working. Rent and grocery money going down the toilet. I should hit up the ticket clinic and see if I can get out of this ticket. It is short notice since I have to go to court on Friday. Worth a shot tho.

Here is the link to the site I got the state red light costs from. State Speed and Red LIght Camera Laws

Unemployed

I dont know exactly how long I've been without work. It has been sometime. My money is running out too. I look for work in the field I received my degree in but so are thousands of other people. Its tough waking up not knowing if/when you will work again. My degree happens to be in film as in moviemaking. I can go on a set and do all of the behind the scenes jobs that are there. Like directing, grip, producing etc. Granted there will need to be a bit of training to do the job to the standards of the person hiring me. What's annoying is searching for work and having to sign up for tons of different websites. Some are free and some are not. I use the free ones and a couple of the paid ones but it just pisses me off to have to give money I don't have to these sites. Now I am sure you are thinking that if I sign up for ten different paid sites that one will pay off. But that 10-30$ could get me my next meal or be part of rent. I guess it is one of those damned if you do damned it you don't situations. I am staying positive through this whole situation but I may have to move in with Moms if things don't pick up. Well I'll just have to wake up tomorrow and get back at it again. If nothing comes of this I may have to get a civilian job. Shudder. :/

RIP Paul Walker

     Paul Walker passed away on November 30^th 2013. I didn’t know him personally but like most of his fans, I shared a connection to him. He seemed to be really grounded as a person. Not overcome with all the Hollywood hype that affects most in his position. He was a fan of cars and the racing lifestyle. He was an actor. But he was more than that. He was a philanthropist working to help those less fortunate than himself.  He donated a great deal of money from his own pocket while raising funds for his charity.

     I find it weird to have an emotional connection to a total stranger. But maybe that makes me a good person. I was in my apartment watching Black Snake Moan when I found out about his passing. I didn’t think it was real since celebrity deaths have been faked before, especially on social media. I finished watching my movie and checked my twitter again. The story was confirmed by Paul’s team on his personal twitter.  I felt sadness after reading that tweet on my timeline. Tears swelled in my eyes. I remember him just days ago tweeting about the new Fast and Furious movie. Now he is gone. 

      I decided to go to the site of the car crash that took his life and the life of his friend Rodger Rodas. I got in my car and took the 30 min drive from North Hollywood to Valencia/Santa Clarita. It happened near the Automotive Performance shop Always Evolving. It was a somber scene at the crash site. A little less than 50 people were there when I arrived. More came and went while I was there paying my respects. It sunk in for real at that point, just seeing all the mementos people left there.  Flowers, Candles, pictures, toy cars, dvd’s, and even some bottles of beer.

I cant imagine what his daughter must be going through. My condolences to her and the rest of the Walker family. 

Comikaze Expo

  Friday November 1st I went to the Comikaze Expo. The Comikaze Expo is a nerd fest. If you are a fan of comics, horror, sci-fi, gaming, and cosplay this is the place to be. It started in 2011 to be Los Angeles' answer to San Diego 's Comic-Con. So far it seems to be doing just that. Stan Lee was there the first year. He liked it so much that he put his name on it. Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo became its new moniker. I volunteered in 2011 with plans to do it again the following year. I wasn't able to do it due to work. So third times the charm. In this case it wasn't. I emailed the expo to see if I could do it again this year.  No one replied to my emails so I just went as a spectator.
    I decided to go on Friday because there was a panel on screenwriting I was interested in. The expo is held at the Los Angeles convention center. Which is about 35-40mins from me in North Hollywood. Thats not counting the time I might have to spend in traffic. Since I didn't want to drive I decided on taking the subway there. I walked to the Universal City station and got on the train. It takes about the same time to get there, but without all the hassle of traffic. I got off at my stop and started walking to the convention center. I happen to walk by a Red Mango with one of the employees standing outside handing out samples. I was a bit hungry and decided to purchase on of the smoothies to tide me over.
    When I arrived I had a couple of hours to kill before my panel started. I entered the main hall to have a look around. Lots of vendors to be had. I ended up at the Hot Topic stage to watch AMC movie talk panel. When that ended I made my way to the room where my panel was being held. The only bad part about the panel experience is that I forgot my notebook to take notes. I absorbed what I could during the panel. After it was over I made my way downstairs to the main hall again. I saw my favorite comic artist Marc Silvestri doing sketches and signings. I went to one of the vendors to by a comic that he had drawn to get it signed. After that I caught the Fangasm panel. Fangasm was a show on SyFy about a group of fans of pop culture that are vying for a chance to work for Comikaze.
  All in all I had a great time at the expo. I missed a bunch of cool stuff and people only going one day. I plan on going again next year. Hopefully I can go for more than one day.

Fetishes

   Fetish as defined by Webster's is a need or desire for an object, body part, or activity for sexual excitement. There are people into some weird stuff. I look up some fetishes and I couldn't believe what some people like. I found one that I'm into. Pygophilia is the buttock fetish. And I must admit that I do enjoy a nice booty on a girl. Paraphilic Infantilism involves people dressing up like a baby. I'm still trying to figure out why someone would want to dress up like a baby to get pleasure. It boggles my mind. And don't think that I'm putting someone down for wanting to do it. Just seems strange to me.
  I found out about one fetish watching Real Sex on HBO back in the day. People dressed up in furry animal costumes having sex with each other. But that is not what actual Furries are into. They just like dressing up for the most part. The sexual side of that is called Plushophilia. They tend to get together to get busy. Now that I found that out I feel like HBO did some editing or found the one horny guy to follow around.
  Some other weird ones include noses, eyes, mucus, old people, obscene words, trees, and more. Check this list out and be amazed. Such a weird wild world we live in. I guess if it's not hurting anyone go ahead and do it. Some of those need to be done behind closed doors. But of course there are fetishes that take place out in public. Any who do you and get your freak on.

The Princess Bride Live Commentary

I found out about a screening of The Princess Bride with live commentary from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science. Weeks before I purchased my ticket in anticipation of the event. The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies. And to see it with  people who actually worked on the film talking about it live would be a new experience. In the listing of movies screening this month from The Academy it said that director Rob Reiner and star Cary Elwes would be doing the commentary. And it would be hosted by Jason Reitman son of Ivan Reitman.

The night of the event came and I headed to the theater. I got there hoping to find a spot in the main parking garage. I pull up and the attendant tells me to go to on of the other two garages. I go to the second one. That one is full too. So I get sent to the third. As I pull up I see the lot full sign and get discouraged. But as the attendant working sees my car she waves me to the entrance of the garage. I drive a Mini Cooper perfect for parking in small spaces. Of which there was one left in the garage that my car was able to fit in. I parked, thanked the attendants, and walked to the theater.

I walked in did the security check and went to find a seat. Once the waiting ended the introductions were made. The CEO of The Academy introduced Jason Reitman and he in turn introduced Rob Reiner.  Cary Elwes was not in attendance for the event. The movie started and the commentary was underway. I have never watch the movie with commentary on the DVD. So this for me was an amazing time. Finding out about production, pre-production, and post. This was the first ever live commentary event and it didnt disappoint.

The only negative about the entire event was the woman sitting behind me. She was in her late 30's early 40's. She ended up bring her mother to the screening. The mother had never seen the movie before. I honestly don't know why you would bring someone who had never seen a movie to a screening with commentary. The woman kept wanting Jason and Rob to stop talking so she could watch the movie. Hearing her voice in my ear was annoying. If you wanted your mother to see the movie just show it to her at home. Don't bring her to this type of event and complain the whole way through. Besides that I had a great time.

For a girl

Fuck your face and how it makes me feel.

The way you stare at me.

The way you smile.

Your nose, your lips, your eyes.

I think about you all the time.

I long for you when we are apart.

The way you bite your lip deep in thought.

You’re so beautiful when you’re sleeping.

Even more when you’re awake.

I have never felt like this before.

You’re whom I adore.

I love you.

Contemplation

Two men stare off into the distance. The sun is setting leaving the sky a beautiful amber color. The sky is on fire. At least that’s what it looks like. Contemplation of life is the goal in this situation. What makes things so special to some but to others just fleeting moments to be thrown to the wayside? Ponder that as you go through life enjoying these moments. Will it be something you enjoy forever or for the time it is taking place? 

For Otep

She massacres words on the regular

Poetic pros so full of meaning

She speaks to her soldiers through music

They love her for it

They listen to her words and feel her presence

She drives them forward when the world holds them back

Shadow Soldiers moving as one

They make her stronger

To devour those weak minded souls that stand in the way

She is Otep