You've all seen the "Map of the Internets" right? Well, if you were to try and divide the internet up socially, it might end up looking quite similar. Obviously, like-minded people are attracted to like-minded websites since you wouldn't be surfing a page for more than 10 seconds unless one had some vested interest of a sort. What about your social standing, however the ethnocentric or sociocentric ideologies may pigeonhole you, and how it determines how you view the web? Well, let's take this essay, written by Danah Boyd, which analyzed two specific social networking sites and came to its own conclusions regarding that question alone.
So where do you think the class lines fall? Interestingly, as Rupert Murdoch jokes that many people are flocking to Facebook, it's not truly the case. Perhaps there are numbers that support his claim, but Myspace hasn't quite hit that Friendster plateau, yet. The essay asserts that while Myspace is still quite popular amongst teenagers, there is a growing class divide amongst the pervading majority of members/users between Tom's college project and the relative newcomer, Facebook. Part of this is due to the exclusivity that Facebook instilled when the site kicked off, similar to the interestingly silent Orkut (now part of the Google network). As Ms. Boyd posits, "This was what college students said. Facebook is what the college kids did. Not surprisingly, college-bound high schoolers desperately wanted in."
Interestingly, this of course leads to a snowball effect of minor elitism. Myself, being interweb judgmental enough to spurn Myspace, hasn't jumped on the Facebook bandwagon, but after a couple ringing endorsements and one admitted addiction, I've become intrigued with the Facebook phenomenon. I'm not surprised that Ms. Boyd says, "Most teens who exclusively use Facebook are familiar with and have an opinion about MySpace. These teens are very aware of MySpace and they often have a negative opinion about it. They see it as gaudy, immature, and 'so middle school.'" because really, Myspace can be quite a vacuum. Let's take this link about unbelievable Myspace page layouts for instance. No doubt all these designs are in excellent taste, but the title of the article really says it all, "Myspace Layouts that Don't Look Like Myspace." It is more than apparent that the aesthetic stigma exists, and it really does have an effect on how one views a certain website.
What's most interesting to me is that this hasn't been discovered before. Once again according to Ms. Boyd, "Teens from poorer backgrounds who are on MySpace are less likely to know people who go to universities. They are more likely to know people who are older than them, but most of their older friends, cousins, and co-workers are on MySpace." and therefore are less likely to even hear about Facebook. This type of stratification reminds me of many old sociological arguments about career motivations being decided by environment, but it also says a lot about the sites themselves and to whom they are marketed. Perhaps in this case, the assumption that there is an elitist divide between the sites is unfair. Is that unfounded?
In any case, I think I may be too old for all this social networking rigmarole and I don't think I'm a fair judge of where people fall socially in real life and on the web. It does make for interesting discussion though.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
A Poet's Plea
A highlight from college for most people is always graduation. For me, this meant an awesome baccalaureate luncheon with speaker Bill Bradley, the Wacky Walk, and a fine speech by the embattled alum Carly Fiorina. It appears to be tradition that a former alum is always invited to give the commencement address and this year's speaker at the fabulous new Stanford Stadium was the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Dana Gioia.
Typically, the commencement speakers of the past have been most excellent. Steve Jobs two years ago was memorable for his appeal that exiting students realize how difficult it is to realize their dreams. The year after saw Tom Brokaw revealing how personal relationships are formed through three-dimensional interaction and emotions. My graduating class saw Ms. Fiorina speak of how humble beginnings and family can yield greater results than one could ever dream. Mr. Gioia, while not as well-known, aptly fit this bill in a passionate and humorous entreaty that exiting students recognize the cultural significance the Arts has on society. There's some really good bits all over the place in his speech, but I particularly liked his opening for its frankness:
Unfortunately, this tends to be a concern for most alumni before their commencement. When Harvard and USC are busy having movie stars lined up to give speeches, it's disheartening when your university books a CEO that many haven't heard of. Fortunately, these people tend to give great speeches. When I first heard Carly was giving our speech, I was dejected, but it happened to be one of the best live speeches I'd heard in a long time. Mr. Gioia lives up to this tradition, but before getting into the meat and potatoes of his address, he begins thusly:
Obviously, there is a disparity in this experiment. The crux of his argument hinges upon the "findings" of this pop survey in that the popular entertainment of our day has shifted from subjects and persons that challenge you, to those which serve only to entertain you. While there is certainly a similar level of inspiration, Mr. Gioia decries that the arts have received short shrift in this case. As he explains:
Which seems unfortunate if not altogether sad. Understandably, this base entertainment isn't the sole factor in belittle the arts in our society, but a result of what many call the "dumbing down of America." While it seems to stem from television and the media, Mr. Gioia does not place the sole blame upon consumption, but places it somewhat on the shoulders of public education's willingness to cut programs creating enrichment and stresses the importance of instilling such passions at a young age:
According to Gioia, it's this "marketplace" that has the greatest effect on culture's sublimation. He cites endorsements, movie plugs, and advertising on television. He cites Hollywood's continued role in politics as salespeople. Eventually, it's not this yearning for commerce that he feels the public should focus on:
Furthermore:
So, Gioia reiterates the importance of instilling artistic culture at an early age yet again along with placing a little blame on the current climate of price before value. This especially permeates on the internet itself, where I had a difficult time finding even one competent and active community discussing saxophone musicianship, yet there are several copycat gossip websites littered about the ether. Sure, I find myself browsing these for entertainment, but what does that say about the amount of people interested in playing an instrument many might identify with Kenny G and Bill Clinton instead of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane? Does it seem elitist at all? Perhaps, but the passion you need to explore the arts is equal opportunity:
I find myself guilty of this on a couple of points. First of all, maybe I'm not as socially responsible as I could be, maybe I'm more willing to sit myself down on the couch and bathe myself in cathode rays, and maybe that's just the tip of the iceberg. Reading his speech helped me realize that there's much more I could be doing for myself. In closing, he reaffirms how rewarding immersing yourself in the arts can be:
All of this I agree with and this is why many should be a strong proponent of supporting local artists and art communities. We are particularly lucky to live in a city with a burgeoning and impressive arts community of both the high and lowbrow varieties. This closing paragraph is a declarative truth to Gioia and hopefully to many others, and is inspiring in its conviction. So while I may have not been there to witness the entire speech firsthand, I find myself moved.
Typically, the commencement speakers of the past have been most excellent. Steve Jobs two years ago was memorable for his appeal that exiting students realize how difficult it is to realize their dreams. The year after saw Tom Brokaw revealing how personal relationships are formed through three-dimensional interaction and emotions. My graduating class saw Ms. Fiorina speak of how humble beginnings and family can yield greater results than one could ever dream. Mr. Gioia, while not as well-known, aptly fit this bill in a passionate and humorous entreaty that exiting students recognize the cultural significance the Arts has on society. There's some really good bits all over the place in his speech, but I particularly liked his opening for its frankness:
I know that there was a bit of controversy when my name was announced as the graduation speaker. A few students were especially concerned that I lacked celebrity status. It seemed I wasn't famous enough. I couldn't agree more. As I have often told my wife and children, "I'm simply not famous enough."
Unfortunately, this tends to be a concern for most alumni before their commencement. When Harvard and USC are busy having movie stars lined up to give speeches, it's disheartening when your university books a CEO that many haven't heard of. Fortunately, these people tend to give great speeches. When I first heard Carly was giving our speech, I was dejected, but it happened to be one of the best live speeches I'd heard in a long time. Mr. Gioia lives up to this tradition, but before getting into the meat and potatoes of his address, he begins thusly:
There is an experiment I'd love to conduct. I'd like to survey a cross-section of Americans and ask them how many active NBA players, Major League Baseball players, and American Idol finalists they can name.
Then I'd ask them how many living American poets, playwrights, painters, sculptors, architects, classical musicians, conductors, and composers they can name.
I'd even like to ask how many living American scientists or social thinkers they can name.
Obviously, there is a disparity in this experiment. The crux of his argument hinges upon the "findings" of this pop survey in that the popular entertainment of our day has shifted from subjects and persons that challenge you, to those which serve only to entertain you. While there is certainly a similar level of inspiration, Mr. Gioia decries that the arts have received short shrift in this case. As he explains:
Today no working-class or immigrant kid would encounter that range of arts and ideas in the popular culture. Almost everything in our national culture, even the news, has been reduced to entertainment, or altogether eliminated.
Which seems unfortunate if not altogether sad. Understandably, this base entertainment isn't the sole factor in belittle the arts in our society, but a result of what many call the "dumbing down of America." While it seems to stem from television and the media, Mr. Gioia does not place the sole blame upon consumption, but places it somewhat on the shoulders of public education's willingness to cut programs creating enrichment and stresses the importance of instilling such passions at a young age:
There are so many other ways to lead a successful and meaningful life that are not denominated by money or fame. Adult life begins in a child's imagination, and we've relinquished that imagination to the marketplace.
According to Gioia, it's this "marketplace" that has the greatest effect on culture's sublimation. He cites endorsements, movie plugs, and advertising on television. He cites Hollywood's continued role in politics as salespeople. Eventually, it's not this yearning for commerce that he feels the public should focus on:
The role of culture, however, must go beyond economics. It is not focused on the price of things, but on their value. And, above all, culture should tell us what is beyond price, including what does not belong in the marketplace. A culture should also provide some cogent view of the good life beyond mass accumulation. In this respect, our culture is failing us.
Furthermore:
At 56, I am just old enough to remember a time when every public high school in this country had a music program with choir and band, usually a jazz band, too, sometimes even orchestra. And every high school offered a drama program, sometimes with dance instruction. And there were writing opportunities in the school paper and literary magazine, as well as studio art training.
So, Gioia reiterates the importance of instilling artistic culture at an early age yet again along with placing a little blame on the current climate of price before value. This especially permeates on the internet itself, where I had a difficult time finding even one competent and active community discussing saxophone musicianship, yet there are several copycat gossip websites littered about the ether. Sure, I find myself browsing these for entertainment, but what does that say about the amount of people interested in playing an instrument many might identify with Kenny G and Bill Clinton instead of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane? Does it seem elitist at all? Perhaps, but the passion you need to explore the arts is equal opportunity:
What is the defining difference between passive and active citizens? Curiously, it isn't income, geography, or even education. It depends on whether or not they read for pleasure and participate in the arts. These cultural activities seem to awaken a heightened sense of individual awareness and social responsibility.
I find myself guilty of this on a couple of points. First of all, maybe I'm not as socially responsible as I could be, maybe I'm more willing to sit myself down on the couch and bathe myself in cathode rays, and maybe that's just the tip of the iceberg. Reading his speech helped me realize that there's much more I could be doing for myself. In closing, he reaffirms how rewarding immersing yourself in the arts can be:
Art delights, instructs, consoles. It educates our emotions. And it remembers. As Robert Frost once said about poetry, "It is a way of remembering that which it would impoverish us to forget." Art awakens, enlarges, refines, and restores our humanity. You don't outgrow art. The same work can mean something different at each stage of your life. A good book changes as you change.
All of this I agree with and this is why many should be a strong proponent of supporting local artists and art communities. We are particularly lucky to live in a city with a burgeoning and impressive arts community of both the high and lowbrow varieties. This closing paragraph is a declarative truth to Gioia and hopefully to many others, and is inspiring in its conviction. So while I may have not been there to witness the entire speech firsthand, I find myself moved.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Hot Times in the Desert - Continued
Finally, I've uploaded all the photos I took with my dinky little camphone. Head over to Flickr to see the latest photoset. The big highlights were the food and the show, but just being able to relax poolside for hours on end was rewarding enough. I have plenty to say about the show and about the restaurants, but suffice it say, Grace and I had an excellent time. One more month and we'll be back there again!
Hot Times in the Desert
There's lots to be said of Vegas. The 107-degree weather, a night at the Wynn, eating more than my fair share of excellent food, and seeing a genuine Las Vegas spectacular. I will post more details when photos have been uploaded.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Happy Birthday to G
Today we celebrate the day my darling Grace was born. Forever I am grateful that she is here and consider today a gift. She's my heart, my soul, and my inspiration and I love her.
Happy Birthday, dear.
Happy Birthday, dear.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
A Night at the Magic Castle
A passing interest of mine, when I was quite young, was magic. Not the kind of Wiccan mythology incantations you might read in a Harry Potter novel, but the run-of-the-mill saw your assistant in half sort of business. There's still a couple of books sitting in my old bedroom with numerous tricks all over, but there's no way I'm able to perform any of them in any sense. Even so, I've always been fascinated with magicians and their dedication to the performance and practice of magic. One such highlight was seeing David Copperfield for the first time, the numerous on-air specials of his, Lance Burton, and even the mysteriousness of Harry Blackstone. Popular magicians they were, but very intriguing as well is their connection to the history of magic.
No doubt then, why I was duly impressed with the Magic Castle .
A Hollywood landmark for several decades, the Magic Castle is a converted Victorian House serving as a private club and home to the Academy of Magical Arts . Lucky as we were to have a couple of connections, we were able to have a pre-birthday dinner for Grace and see a few of the featured magicians perform sleight of hand, prestidigitation, and even mental feats of mystery. The club itself does a good job of keying in the atmosphere as the space is quite warm and very indicative of mid-century elegance. One can find the dining area typical of the traditional American steakhouse, but the 5 bars situated throughout the Castle appear friendly and inviting. For a Monday evening, the venue was spare, but it's been known to be quite crowded during peak days and hours.
Performances were definitely the highlight. We started out in the Close-Up Gallery and were treated to a fine introduction to the sleight-of-hand magic of John Carney. His dexterous work with a deck of cards had to be seen to be believed, but his opening 10-thimble trick was a classic. Our second act was Art Benjamin, the Mathmagician. A full-time professor of mathematics, Mr. Benjamin moonlights as a mental marvel. His most impressive calculations were shadowed by the fact that he could square a five-digit number using only his training and knowledge of mathematical principals. Even if it wasn't magic in the obvious sense, it was amazing.
After a brief retreat to an excellent dinner (rack of lamb and prime rib), our little group moved along to the main stage for the featured performers, Shoot Ogawa and Fielding West. Shoot, a revered Japanese magician, performed a group of quick illusions including some color-changing batons and a coup de grace of disappearing and reappearing fans and warmed up the crowd very well for the Las Vegas lounge-act of Fielding West. Mr. West, no doubt a magic and comedy veteran, put on a well-practiced series of tricks. He fooled me with his maniacal destruction of Bob the Bird and even managed to put a spin on an old classic. I'm afraid, however, that some of the crowd really wasn't entertained, which I think is a shame.
Rounding out the night was another dose of the Close-Up Gallery and the relatively new tricks of Adam Grace, including a rather unique cell phone trick. As it was quite late already, we made our way to visit the invisible pianist, Irma and requested a few old favorites. The room itself, with its Mucha-painted ceiling and dark velvet couches reminded me that a lot of magic really is in the sell. The atmosphere and performance, the devotion to the practice of illusions, and the passion of each magician can be seen in the posters and caricatures lining the walls. There is a rich legacy at the Magic Castle, which no doubt spans the decades and it's depressing to think that it one day could become a relic. While magicians like David Blaine and Criss Angel seek to make "street magic" relevant at a very cynical cultural crossroads, I'm encouraged by those that continue to sell the tradition.
No doubt then, why I was duly impressed with the Magic Castle .
A Hollywood landmark for several decades, the Magic Castle is a converted Victorian House serving as a private club and home to the Academy of Magical Arts . Lucky as we were to have a couple of connections, we were able to have a pre-birthday dinner for Grace and see a few of the featured magicians perform sleight of hand, prestidigitation, and even mental feats of mystery. The club itself does a good job of keying in the atmosphere as the space is quite warm and very indicative of mid-century elegance. One can find the dining area typical of the traditional American steakhouse, but the 5 bars situated throughout the Castle appear friendly and inviting. For a Monday evening, the venue was spare, but it's been known to be quite crowded during peak days and hours.
Performances were definitely the highlight. We started out in the Close-Up Gallery and were treated to a fine introduction to the sleight-of-hand magic of John Carney. His dexterous work with a deck of cards had to be seen to be believed, but his opening 10-thimble trick was a classic. Our second act was Art Benjamin, the Mathmagician. A full-time professor of mathematics, Mr. Benjamin moonlights as a mental marvel. His most impressive calculations were shadowed by the fact that he could square a five-digit number using only his training and knowledge of mathematical principals. Even if it wasn't magic in the obvious sense, it was amazing.
After a brief retreat to an excellent dinner (rack of lamb and prime rib), our little group moved along to the main stage for the featured performers, Shoot Ogawa and Fielding West. Shoot, a revered Japanese magician, performed a group of quick illusions including some color-changing batons and a coup de grace of disappearing and reappearing fans and warmed up the crowd very well for the Las Vegas lounge-act of Fielding West. Mr. West, no doubt a magic and comedy veteran, put on a well-practiced series of tricks. He fooled me with his maniacal destruction of Bob the Bird and even managed to put a spin on an old classic. I'm afraid, however, that some of the crowd really wasn't entertained, which I think is a shame.
Rounding out the night was another dose of the Close-Up Gallery and the relatively new tricks of Adam Grace, including a rather unique cell phone trick. As it was quite late already, we made our way to visit the invisible pianist, Irma and requested a few old favorites. The room itself, with its Mucha-painted ceiling and dark velvet couches reminded me that a lot of magic really is in the sell. The atmosphere and performance, the devotion to the practice of illusions, and the passion of each magician can be seen in the posters and caricatures lining the walls. There is a rich legacy at the Magic Castle, which no doubt spans the decades and it's depressing to think that it one day could become a relic. While magicians like David Blaine and Criss Angel seek to make "street magic" relevant at a very cynical cultural crossroads, I'm encouraged by those that continue to sell the tradition.
******
PS - This also brings to mind a very prominent magician and advocate, Ricky Jay, but that is a post for another time. This one's already gotten too long... Monday, June 11, 2007
Currently...
- Struggling with an idea for the Stanford Magazine fiction contest.
- Looking forward to a trip to Vegas at the end of this week.
- Reading "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk.
- Re-listening to an old Dashboard Confessional CD.
- Attempting to compile a list of music to play at the wedding.
- Enjoying a bag of Twisters from Isabella's Cookies and Grow.
- Rifling through a six-month old Netlix Queue by watching Volver amongst others.
- Working on a rusty golf game.
- Grappling with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney .
- Attempting to improve my drawing skills with limited results.
- Living.
- Breathing.
- Etc.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Date of Some Noteriety
August 24, 2007 is a day that should live in infamy for us, but it also appears quite popular for other reasons.
Not much else going on that day, but I think it will be memorable most of all for our wedding, less than three months away at this point!
Don't! Panic!
- Lindsay Lohan will be arraigned on that day for her car accident with a curb.
- Rage Against the Machine will allegedly release their schedule for a new nationwide tour.
- And It will be the very first day of the very first Penny Arcade Expo.
Not much else going on that day, but I think it will be memorable most of all for our wedding, less than three months away at this point!
Don't! Panic!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Lord Stanley
The Ducks win the cup! Who knew!?
My dad and I used to go to Ducks games back in Junior High and High School, so even though my first love is with the Kings, I'm still a Ducks fan. It's almost as shocking as when the Angels won the World Series, but nonetheless, it is exciting.
Who's with me for a field trip to the Honda Center to see the Cup?
My dad and I used to go to Ducks games back in Junior High and High School, so even though my first love is with the Kings, I'm still a Ducks fan. It's almost as shocking as when the Angels won the World Series, but nonetheless, it is exciting.
Who's with me for a field trip to the Honda Center to see the Cup?
Monday, June 04, 2007
For the Love of Art and Food
Culver City has grown.
I remember a short time ago, when I was fresh out of college and freshly moved home after a four-year stint in the Silicon Valley. It was during these times that I found myself becoming increasingly more familiar with this county they call Los Angeles. As maligned as it is across the country, I believe LA is a misunderstood city/community. There are those who describe it as a vast array of loosely connected villages, a poor imitation of a large city, and even those who dub it "Hell-ay." Admittedly, I wasn't too fond of the complex system of freeways, nor was I really a fan of sitting on the 405 for hours on end, but through patience and a sense of adventure, the city really has carved itself into something very, very close to being called home.
Taking my very first post-college experience with LA being spending a lot of time in and around Culver City and the west side with a few friends of mine, no doubt due to their convenient apartment location near the downtown Culver area and of course their penchant for perusing West Los Angeles, my experience began perhaps a bit insular. Really, when your regular weekend dinner is a place called "Tom's #5" there's not much other explaining that needs to be done. It took a while, but after a few years, we've ventured out to the South Bay, East Side, Long Beach, San Gabriel Valley, North Hollywood, Pasadena, and practically every other nook and cranny save for Central Los Angeles. No place has asserted itself more changed in my mind than that place with which I became familiar. The Culver City area, while somewhat small, has always contained a good-sized arts community, none of which I experienced in my first years, but that has changed dramatically with the city's first officially recognized Art Walk.
Presented by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Art Walk took place this last weekend in a variety of galleries and studios along Culver Boulevard and La Cienega. Showcasing mostly local artists, the galleries were open to the public and were a tremendous eye-opening experience for myself in that I never knew so many existed amongst the various cafes and surrounding production studios. I can't possibly name every single artist we saw along the way, but I was most impressed by the diversity of styles and media through which they sought to express themselves, no doubt they are quite gifted in their talents, but also gifted with a largely supportive West LA arts community.
So we took most of the day in. About two and a half hours of walking along the streets of Los Angeles. Seeing so many others waiting at crosswalk struck me as an anomaly, since when did so many people actually walk in LA? What was even more surprising was how many people were interested enough to make the trip down to a relatively small, but burgeoning city for what could have been a parking disaster. Luckily, there are no shortages of structures or permit-lined streets to cause a surface street traffic jam. Lucky is the city also, that there are plenty of quality restaurants to entice those willing to brave the drive.
Growing as much as it has, Culver does benefit from these eateries. You have your requisite gastropub, Ford's Filling Station , the vegetable heaven Tender Greens, and grilled-cheese lovers new spot, Meltdown Etc, to name a few. This night, we chose to sample the somehow elusive Honey's Kettle for the most decadent fried chicken. If there is anyplace in this city that I will travel for fried chicken, it will be Honey's Kettle. At first bite, the battered skin pops and cracks, only to reward you with what has to be the most moist and tender chicken I've had thus far. Each dense biscuit is a flaky pillow of buttered nirvana. The sides were unremarkable, aside from the painfully sweet pickles, the coleslaw was a bit wet, so I'd recommend sticking with the basic chicken and biscuits for now. If anything, it's one of the few places in the city to serve Mexican Coke. If you know what I'm talking about, I need not say any more.
There we were though, in a Culver that was not the city I remembered from five years ago. How far it's come has nothing to compare to how far it can go.
I remember a short time ago, when I was fresh out of college and freshly moved home after a four-year stint in the Silicon Valley. It was during these times that I found myself becoming increasingly more familiar with this county they call Los Angeles. As maligned as it is across the country, I believe LA is a misunderstood city/community. There are those who describe it as a vast array of loosely connected villages, a poor imitation of a large city, and even those who dub it "Hell-ay." Admittedly, I wasn't too fond of the complex system of freeways, nor was I really a fan of sitting on the 405 for hours on end, but through patience and a sense of adventure, the city really has carved itself into something very, very close to being called home.
Taking my very first post-college experience with LA being spending a lot of time in and around Culver City and the west side with a few friends of mine, no doubt due to their convenient apartment location near the downtown Culver area and of course their penchant for perusing West Los Angeles, my experience began perhaps a bit insular. Really, when your regular weekend dinner is a place called "Tom's #5" there's not much other explaining that needs to be done. It took a while, but after a few years, we've ventured out to the South Bay, East Side, Long Beach, San Gabriel Valley, North Hollywood, Pasadena, and practically every other nook and cranny save for Central Los Angeles. No place has asserted itself more changed in my mind than that place with which I became familiar. The Culver City area, while somewhat small, has always contained a good-sized arts community, none of which I experienced in my first years, but that has changed dramatically with the city's first officially recognized Art Walk.
Presented by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Art Walk took place this last weekend in a variety of galleries and studios along Culver Boulevard and La Cienega. Showcasing mostly local artists, the galleries were open to the public and were a tremendous eye-opening experience for myself in that I never knew so many existed amongst the various cafes and surrounding production studios. I can't possibly name every single artist we saw along the way, but I was most impressed by the diversity of styles and media through which they sought to express themselves, no doubt they are quite gifted in their talents, but also gifted with a largely supportive West LA arts community.
So we took most of the day in. About two and a half hours of walking along the streets of Los Angeles. Seeing so many others waiting at crosswalk struck me as an anomaly, since when did so many people actually walk in LA? What was even more surprising was how many people were interested enough to make the trip down to a relatively small, but burgeoning city for what could have been a parking disaster. Luckily, there are no shortages of structures or permit-lined streets to cause a surface street traffic jam. Lucky is the city also, that there are plenty of quality restaurants to entice those willing to brave the drive.
Growing as much as it has, Culver does benefit from these eateries. You have your requisite gastropub, Ford's Filling Station , the vegetable heaven Tender Greens, and grilled-cheese lovers new spot, Meltdown Etc, to name a few. This night, we chose to sample the somehow elusive Honey's Kettle for the most decadent fried chicken. If there is anyplace in this city that I will travel for fried chicken, it will be Honey's Kettle. At first bite, the battered skin pops and cracks, only to reward you with what has to be the most moist and tender chicken I've had thus far. Each dense biscuit is a flaky pillow of buttered nirvana. The sides were unremarkable, aside from the painfully sweet pickles, the coleslaw was a bit wet, so I'd recommend sticking with the basic chicken and biscuits for now. If anything, it's one of the few places in the city to serve Mexican Coke. If you know what I'm talking about, I need not say any more.
There we were though, in a Culver that was not the city I remembered from five years ago. How far it's come has nothing to compare to how far it can go.
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