Lunch on Wednesday

5-27-08

After I came back to see a screening of "Spring Breakdown" (The film was just ok. It's for high school kids who loves this kind of party-comedy) with Cindy at Burbank 16 Movie Theatre (I saw Mayumi's husband's brother in the film!), I stopped by Ralph's at Hollywood + Western Ave to get some spaghetti for lunch tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my turn again. I was thinking we have been eating Japanese food lately, so I decided to make Japanese-Italian Pasta (it's still Japanese, isn't it...). But, Aya chan made Tortellini with tomato sauce today's lunch. Oh well, my lunch tastes more Japanese way so I hope she is okay with this. Today's lunch title is: "Spinach and Sausage pasta with Sesame Mayonnaise sauce". It was my first time to cook this, but it came out pretty good. And I had to take some photos of this.

仕事帰りにBurbankという隣町まで行って「Spring Breakdown」という映画の試写会に友達Cindyと行ってきました。この映画、高校生が春休みにパーティーリゾート地へ行ってばか騒ぎするコメディー。もうちょっと奥深く面白くしようよと思ったけど、題名からしてぱっとしない感じ。映画が終わってからアンケート訊かれたけどほとんどのコメントに「つまらなかった、だいたいエンディングは予想できた、もうちょっとひねりが必要かも」などと嫌なコメントばかり残してしまったよ。んーまーアンケートだからいっか。一つの意見だよ、これもまた。最後に好きなシーン：「盲導犬が卒業するところ」。。。笑

映画の後はRalph'sへよって明日のお昼を作るためにスパゲティを買ってきました。今日のレシピもCook Padで。
一応タイトルは「水菜とハムのごまマヨパスタ」でもうちには水菜もハムもなかったので、「ほうれん草とソーセージのごまマヨパスタ」にしました。出来は．．．結構おいしい♪　あやちゃんのお口に合いますでしょうか。
いつもなら忘れる記念撮影も、今日はちゃんと覚えてました。ちょっとオレンジっぽいけど、まーいっか。

I was listening a few songs during my cooking. They are low key and reminds me of 70's disco a little. Except the Presets, In Flagranti, and Metro Area came from Brooklyn, NY. I don't know much of them, but I read they've been around a quite few years.

お料理しながら聴いてた何曲かここに上げておきます。上の二つは結構メローで、70年代のディスコを思い出させるような感じの曲です。二組ともNew Yorkはブルックリン出身だそうです。the Presetsは前のブログにも書いたようにオーストラリア出身。（最近オーストラリア出身のホットなバンドが多いなー）

In Flagranti - coquine supermarked mix (MP3)
Metro Area - Atmosphrique (MP3)
the Presets - A New Sky (MP3) (my favorite song from the new album Apocalypso)

Recipe of the pasta (for 2 people)

-Spinach - 1 bunch -ほうれん草　１束
-Sausage - 3 bunch(?) - ソーセージ３本
-Spaghetti - for 2 people - スパゲッティ２人分
-Mayonnaise - 1tbl spoon - マヨネーズ　大さじ１杯
-Soy Sauce - 2tble spoon - しょうゆ　大さじ２杯
-Mirin - 1tble spoon - みりん　大さじ１杯
- Mashed White Sesame -すりつぶし白ごま
- Black Pepper - 黒胡椒　少々

1- Cut Spinach and Sausage as you like.
2- Boil pasta for 9 -10 min.
3- Put mayonnaise in a pan and boiled it.
4- When you see mayonnaise boiled, you added sausage and cooked-pasta to it and mix.
5- Add soy sauce, and mirin onto #4 and mix
6- Add spinach and cook, mix well
7- Add mashed white sesame and black pepper
8- Voil-la! Itadakimasu!!

Memorial Day Weekend

5-25-08

This weekend was pretty mellow. I didn't plan much, just wanted to go with a flow.
But, I always have something to do anyway...

On this Sunday, there was a DJ coming from Chicago (I believe...) who is supposed to be a big name for house music. His name was DJ Sneak. I invited Midori, Mayumi, and Akiko if they wanted to come and see his playing. There was someone else, but he wanted to stop talking to me under special circumstances so he didn't come, obviously... It was too bad to lose a friend like this, but what can I do... (sorry, no detail) Instead of Akiko and this guy, Mayumi's husband, and his brother came along.
Elevate Lounge was located very close from my work on Wilshire (+Flower). It is on 21st floor and they got a nice view to see whole downtown Los Angeles, and got a patio that we can have some drink and chill. It was cloudy in this morning, so we weren't sure we wanted to go, but we were glad we decided to go.

今週末はメモリアルデーウィークエンドでした。いつもは毎日のようにプランを立てて忙しくしているのですが、今回はなるべく立てないようにしてゆっくりしようかなーって思っていたんだけど、いつも何かあるんだなー。
日曜日はシカゴからDJ SneakというDJが来るということで、かなり彼の音楽が好きだった私はいつものガールズ、みどり、まゆみ、あっこを誘って行ってみようということに。結局あっこちゃんは来れなかったけど、代わりにまゆみんのだんなさんとだんなさんの弟くんが一緒に来ました。
このElevate Lounge,結構眺めがいいから天気のいい日にはここは最高です。風通しもいいからちょっと暑くても気持ちいいー。おいしくてさっぱりするヴォッカトニックを飲んで、DJ Sneakのかっこいい音楽聴いて（最初誰も踊ってなかったのが寂しかったー）仲良しガールズとおしゃべり。

With Midori, and Mayumi.








With Mayumi's husband and his brother, Matthew.
Matthew said he was in "Will & Grace" in the last season... Mmm, sorry I don't remember... I will check and look for you when I get a chance...
He looks like Christian Bale.

まゆみんのだんなさんとだんなさんの弟と。
だんなさんの弟、マットは「一応」俳優さん．．．。最近は俳優業はしてないみたいだけど。私の好きだった「Will & Grace」というコメディーにも出ていたみたいなんだけど．．．覚えてないです。ごめんね。
でも彼、クリスチャン・ベールに似てない？


The big guy with a headphone, that is the DJ Sneak. There weren't too many people in this club since it started so early like 3pm even though it was Sunday night... No wonder not too many people showed up... His music was good though.

壁の前でDJしてる太っちょさん、彼がDJ Sneak。そこら辺でタコス売ってそうなんですが、かっこいい音楽流してました。



DJ Sneak http://www.myspace.com/sneakthedj

Elevate Lounge
811 Wilshire Blvd Downtown Los Angeles

Entertainment Week Part 2

5-24-08 Foals Night

I wasn't like this before when I was in Japan though I just love to see a band I love in person. Feel the energy, feel the song, and feel the crowd. Especially, the ticket is so affordable to go here in Los Angeles, comparing to a price in Japan, it just makes me easier to go. (it was like $40 and up in Japan 14 years ago)

But this week was just overloaded of concerts... Cut Copy, the Presets, and this Foals. I don't think I will do this again for a while... it was so much fun but used too much energy.
I am so glad this weekend is Memorial Day weekend. I could sleep till I NATURALLY wake up, not by my alarm clock. :)

今週はタイトルの様にエンターテイメント週で、ちょっと疲れたかも．．．。金曜日にFoalsというバンドのショーに行って来て、超楽しかったけど、１週間のうちに３つ以上のバンドを見るという行動は多分もーしばらくの間、取らないかなー。でもやっぱりコンサートっていうのはバンドや観客のエネルギーを感じたり、大好きな歌を生で聴けたり、皆と一緒になってこういう一時を分かち合うっていうのがいい、超いい。だから席もできれば1階席じゃないと嫌っていうのが自分の中にある。２階だとなんかそのエネルギーの中に溶けこんでいない感じがするからね。

Ok, back to Foals... They played at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. I love this venue since this place is sooooo small, and we can get to see the band so close. If you can find a band you like playing here, I definitely get a ticket through FAX (so then you don't have to get sucked in all the "convenience charge" by Ticketmaster). It will be like $10 plus $2 (service fee! Cheap!!). Not bad, eh?

This venue is kind a starter venue for a big name band when they were just starting to sell their names. I saw the Killers, the Youth Group, the Elefant, of Montreal, DATAROCK, Tahiti 80 etc...　When they come back to LA and play again, they always have a show at a bigger venue like Wiltern, and Hollywood Bowl (if they play at Hollywood Bowl, that means they are BIG). Anyway, the Foals music was great, and felt so much energy! But the vocalist wasn't looking at the center/front, so we ended up watching his back almost whole entire show.

今回のFoalsはWest HollywoodにあるTroubadourというコンサート会場で見ました。ここは自分のお気に入り。この会場、超小さいから、好きなバンドがすぐ目の前で見れる！超売れっ子バンドが最初に音楽活動を初めてちょっと名が売れ始めたぐらいの時にライブをする場所です。the Killers, Youth Group, of Montreal, DATAROCK, Tahiti 80などなど、今は結構名の知れているバンドをここで見ました。このFoalsもでっかく有名になっていくのかね。

The Troubador
9081 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069
(ゆかちん、Everybody Elseが明日ここでライブするよ。ロスに来なーー！）

The Foals - http://www.wearefoals.com/ 　(their website is cute!)

My concert buddy, Mike says the vocalist - Jimmy(?) looks like the actor, Jason Schwartzman .

このボーカルのジミーって俳優のJason Shwartzmanに似てない？てコンサート仲間のマイクに言われて確かに．．．と納得。


We go to concerts often lately... My concert buddies, Evan (left) and Mike (finally on a pic lol - right). And Midori who is not on this picture. She wasn't feeling well this night. It's cool we like same type of music. :)　Let's go something again! lol

最近、この二人と良くコンサートに出かけます。エバン（左）とマイク（右）。あと写真に載ってないけどみどりもね。みどりはこの晩、調子悪かったです。
友達の要素で同じ音楽が好きっていうのは私の中で超大切です。また行こうね！