OakMonster’s Den

People who drive in the fast lane on the freeway going at the speed limit while everyone else is going faster AND won’t get over to let faster traffic pass.

Same people in the carpool lane with a dozen cars stuck behind them AND won’t get over to let faster traffic pass.

Self proclaimed health nuts who looked down upon you for enjoying bacon and butter but they go out to tan in midday sun without sunscreen.

Same health nuts going all organic and fat-free but drink like alcoholics.

Scientology.

My former work place.

Occasionally, my current work place.

Extremists of any kind–Muslims, Christians, Environmentalists, etc.

$3+ cupcakes.

Designer purses.  (Seriously, $3000 for a fucking purse?  Does it come stuffed with $2550 cash?) 

Designer baby/children’s clothing.  (Found at James and Aurora house was a cute little True Religion t-shirt.  They wouldn’t believe me when I said that itsy bitsy 6-12mo shirt was probably $40+.  A boy’s t-shirt on their website is $58.  What do you think?)

People who keep looking at you while you talk to your friend in the elevator, hoping to be included in the conversation just because they get into the same elevator as you.

People who rush into the elevator before the people inside can even get out.  (That is a very FOB Asian trait, by the way.  So yes, partly it’s cultural, but that doesn’t make it excusable.  Thai people do that at home.  I mean, think about this for a second, people.  If the folks inside couldn’t get out, there is no room for you on the damn elevator.  Duh!  But you’re not in your homeland any more.  Adjust to the new norm already, sheesh.)

People who talk on their cell phones in the restroom while doing their business.  WTF, seriously!

I’m sure there are a LOT more things one don’t understand.  Care to share a few?

Saturday at the El Dorado Nature Walk with the boys, Brandon and Erik.

We also got into a little bit of a public art project.

As I was coming home the past week, I noticed there were these flat, wooden stakes duct-taped to a few lamp posts along the road. I wondered what they were for so I asked Brandon when we drove by. The most logical explanation is that these were parts of political campaign signs. Folks just removed the paper part and not taking off the rest.

Brandon said jokingly, “Maybe somebody needs to protect themselves against vampires or something.”

Naturally, an art project was born: “Use in case of vampire attack”.

*

Today I went on with Nora to the Brewery Art Walk in Downtown LA. For those who are not familiar with the Brewery, it’s an art colony of over 500 artists, the largest live-work colony in the world. The Brewery is a 22-building complex on 23 acres, comprises a variety of structures, some dating back to 1888. This used to be the plant where they brewed Pabst. Twice a year, they open up their doors to the public, quite literally welcoming us to their homes.

And my god, how much I still would LOVE to live in a loft. And how much I would LOVE to really have space to CREATE without worrying about messing up my space. LOL.

Nora and I perused a lot of spaces with our main focus on photography. We didn’t have the energy to do them all, but we did what we can.

Afterward, since we parked right by it, Nora and I made a pit stop at the San Antonio Wineries. We walked out with some tasty sparkling white wine. Man, that place could totally be bad news for the wallets of a wayward alcoholic Asian and an adventurous wine drinking English-Irish. But we managed to escape with 2 and 1 bottle each respectively.

I put a little slide show for you here but I have all of my pictures over here.

Today was just like any other day. I parked my car in the parking lot behind my building. My spot is the closest one to the gate to the apartment, and I usually would be the 2nd or 3rd car in the lot when I get home. I got out, got my stuff out of the back seat, and walked around the car.

Athena was sitting in front of the gate. In the parking lot.

And no, she wasn’t there when I parked my car.

The cat has apparently learned to recognize the jingle jangle of my car keys. The same thing would happen in the morning. My key jangled, she would show up to say hi and walked me to my car. But this was the first time she crossed out of the gate.

Of course, as per the usual afternoon routine I have established with Athena this past week, I would run upstairs, kiss Brandon hello, grab a bag of kitty treats and head back down for some borrow kitty time. I’d spend a good 5-10 minutes down there talking to a “talkative” cat and feeding her a bit of treats.

Sometime Brandon would join me. Athena hasn’t quite warm up to him the way she does with me, but then again, I AM the one with the food.

This time, Brandon came armed with the camera. And with a bit of culinary persuasion, Athena finally got friendly with him, and actually found his legs to be the source of extra warmth she needs on these cold evenings.

Oh, only if that cat learns to come up our stairs. It would all be over for us. She would probably spend her night outside our door because the second floor is a LOT warmer than downstairs.

In any case, I am truly happy that Athena decides to keep us. I already see the calming effect she has on Brandon. We get the benefits of having a cat without actually having one. Athena gets the food and the love. We get to have a borrow cat.

Sweet deal for all.

Behold, the cuteness of the Cat That Is Not Ours But We Wish She Is.

Oh, and on that note, I started a new set on my Flickr called “Not our Cat(s)”.  Check it out. 

Too big a news to wait until the end of the day to post.

And I promise, this is NOT a Rick Roll.

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On my bus last night, one of the ladies asked the other, “Have you been to the Fresh & Easy market?”

“Oh my god, YES!” I chirped in. “I LOVE the place!”

The lady looked at me, stunned for a second. “Oh, I was going to say the opposite.”

Apparently, that might just be the opinion of most Americans of the brand new “neighborhood markets”, a creation of Tesco. The LA Times reported a few days ago claiming that the sales at F&E were 70% off mark.

Folks don’t want to change their shopping habits. The lady on the bus claimed that F&E has “nothing”. The store was too bare, she said. She wanted more variety and stuff. She hated the self check-0ut. And, she didn’t say it outright, but she wanted the groceries bagged.

I am one of the small number of people who is madly in love with the place because it is the exact opposite of what that lady wants in a store.

I don’t want that much variety because I don’t want to spend an hour in there wading through stuff I don’t need. I’m not stuck on brand to begin with. The less variety, the better.

And when I say the less variety here, it means the less of typical COMMERCIAL variety, but not in the range of products.

For example, last night I picked up a Greek style yogurt, a Swiss style yogurt, and a Goat Milk yogurt on the shelves among a wide variety of F&E brand yogurts. You just won’t find your regular Yoplait in the place. There may not be a fridge full of competing Tillamook and Land O Lake cheeses but there’s a wedge of Cotswold and other delicious cheeses you won’t find in there. And dear god, the meaty and delicious British cut bacon!!! But I digress.

The place is clean and streamlined. No giant display around the corner. No coupons needed. No member cards needed.

The best part? You check out your own grocery. Oh my god! No more wasting time waiting for somebody to bag your stuff while trying awkwardly to be friendly with the cashier. Absolutely no line to fuss with.

It was easy to get in and out of Fresh & Easy and THAT is exactly what I want. Sure, I would spend about the same amount of time going to my local Vons around the corner as driving a mile over to the closest F&E. But I spend a LOT less time in F&E than in a Vons.

Everything you usually come in for–produce, meat, dairy, and booze–are located in the first few rows, not buried in the back of the store like most grocery chains. If you want to stay and browse, go right ahead and saunter through the back parts of the store. Otherwise, you’re in and you’re out.

The quality of the meat from this place is definitely better than my local Vons. The chicken breasts were definitely fresher. The beef? Rival what I can get fresh at Ploughboy in Fountain Valley.

And the price? People assume that because it’s a British chain, or a brand new small fry that it’s going to cost more than the bigger chain. WRONG. The prices are very competitive. They even have a special sign to tell you when certain products are cheaper than anybody around.

Let me just say that Brandon has NEVER ask to go to the grocery store before. Last night, he actually wants to detour from our dinner run to go there. After all, he says they have the BEST pre-cut pineapples outside of Hawaii. He also loves the self check-out.

So while I let this older lady dissing the joint. I can see the younger generations flocking to this place. It’s perfect to pop in on the run.

If you like to spend time in the grocery store and getting your human interaction fix from your cashier, stay clear.

If you value your time and your money; if you’re an adventurous consumer; and if you HATE everything the normal grocery store stands for, you’ll love Fresh & Easy.

Find one near you.

Note: Yes. I’m supporting my local favorite store for the most selfish reason. I love the goddamn store! And if they go under, I have to go back to Vons again. And I DON’T WANT TO!!!

It goes something like this.

An eager kitten entangling your feet as you walk across the courtyard…to get her some treats no less. (I’m thinking, “If I trip and hit my head on the pavement and bleed to death, you will NOT get your treat, cat.)

El Pollo Loco Caesar Bowl for dinner. Surprisingly filling. No clean up. (I did order a flan but I haven’t eaten it…yet.)

A fuzzy robe. (Who needs pants anyway!)

A glass of pinot noir.

A quiet apartment.

A brand new subscription to Napster. Oh dear god. Music I WANT. At my command! It is surprising how fast time flies when you build your playlist. Much like the same time warp I enter when adding movies onto my Netflix Queue. (By the way, I heart Amy Winehouse!) Seriously. I can be on this thing all. damn. day. Music = Awesomeness.

And to top it all off, I have Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential waiting for me. At this rate, I think the warm bed with Brandon in it would distract me too much to get to Tony’s fine writing.

My car is now in the shop. I dropped it off last night and no only I didn’t get the rental car as promised, I didn’t get the courtesy shuttle ride either. Nobody told me if I get there after 6 p.m., the rental car place is closed and the shuttle service is over.

Oh and they called me this morning, they asked me again if I wanted the fuel injection service. I said no already. Sheesh.

Like that is not only enough aggravation, Brandon has gone and done this.

ETA: Now that the day’s over…and trust me, part of it I wish someone would jump out from behind a cubicle to say April’s Fool!…Happy April’s Fool, everybody!  The original post had a Rick Roll, but it seemed EVERYONE was doing on today so I switched.  Hehe.