CHINESE PROTITS - UM - PROTESTS

You got to hand it to the Chinese. They sure know how to protest. I'll protect those islands any day.


Photo courtesy CRI

Green Day Billie Joe freaks out at I Heart Radio

Ok, guess what word is Billie Joe Armstrong's favorite? And you only get one f**king guess.

FUCK THIS

ANTHONY GRIFFITH SILENCES CROWD

An incredibly moving moment by a very funny man.

THE DIM SUM TRUCK

The Dim Sum Truck made a visit to my street today, saving me a trip to Arcadia. I tried the special plate - 2 Shu Mai, 2 Har Gow, 1 Steamed Pork Bun, Lotus Wrapped Sticky Rice and a Lotus Sesame Ball for $11.00. It was all yummy. Didn't knock my socks off but didn't suck either.

But $11.00!? What the hell? It's dim sum. It's supposed to be crazy cheap. Granted I saved time and money not driving to Arcadia but $11.00, in my opinion, is way too much for what I got.

Will I eat from The Dim Sum truck again? Yes, as long as someone else is paying.

CHARLIE SHEEN'S QUOTES PRESENTED BY SUPERHEROS

Oh where to stand on Charlie Sheen's tumult into the loony bin? On one hand I agree with Craig Ferguson in that all of the press is like paying a penny to watch a whacko do whacko things in Bedlam.

On the other hand, there's Charlie Sheen's Quotes Presented by Superheros.

What's a boy to do?

UMAMI BURGER OPENS IN STUDIO CITY

The fifth taste is coming to Studio City. Nestled between Mexicali and Lucky Brand Jeans (and right across from Starbucks), Umami Burger is scheduled to open tomorrow.

And what the hell is umami? Well, umami is one of the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Really? I don't remember Bottle Caps Candy coming out in umami flavor but then again my childhood was a long time ago. But it is said it's the fifth taste.

"A person's first encounter with umami is with breast milk."

Hmm, now that I mention it, my mother's breast milk did have a slight umami flavor.

Anyhoo, besides offering its namesake burger (maybe it tastes like breast milk), the Japanese infused Umami Burger offers a truffle burger and a port and stilton burger.

Umami Burger has a huge following and it'll be interesting to see how it affects business at the ever popular burger joint, The Counter, which is just a few doors down the street.

Umami Burger
12159 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA

CHEESESTEAK GOODNESS

Yesterday I had a hankering for a good-olde-fashion-east-coast-bad-for-you-good-for-your-cardiologist lunch. So I sauntered outside to the South Philly Experience Food Truck and had me one hell of a cheesesteak sandwich.

I had mine wit (yeah you heard me - wit) onions, cheese Wiz and a whole bunch of greasy goodness. The SPEFT serves up their sandwiches on Amoroso's bread - the only bread for a cheesesteak. Throw in some Herr's potato chips and a package of Tastykakes and for about 30 minutes I was back in my childhood down the Jersey shore on a hot summer's day.

KNOCKOUT TACO TRUCK

I tried the Knockout Taco Truck for lunch the other day. Billed as the "Undisputed World Champion of Tacos," I prepared myself for a Mike Tyson blow to my taste buds. I ordered the Kurabuta Pork Taco - Filipino Sisig with Sawsawan sauce in a soft shell. My wife got the Rolled Carnitas - two fresh fried tortillas with avocado sauce, cotija cheese and creme mexicana.

Sounds yummy.

Tastes - eh, okay. The Mike Tyson blow never came. It was more like a punch from my daughter's Mr. Fuzzy Bunny. It did not blow me away.

And for $10 total I wanted a little more food.

Is it awful? No, it's okay. Will I go there again? No. I'll be at Chipotle.

Jogasaki Food Truck

I live by CBS Studios in Studio City. Almost every day there are glorious food trucks parked out front. (Although the much sought after Grilled Cheese Truck has yet to rear its cheesy head). The other day a new truck set up shop.

Jogasaki.

This truck put the dingle in my dingleberries. It's awesome! They make sushi burritos. I had a spicy tuna, crabmeat, eel, avocado, rice, sweet sauce and cucumber strips wrapped in soy paper burrito. I know, shut the front door!

This picture doesn't do it justice. It's HUGE! And he made it in about 10 seconds.


The website isn't up yet but you can follow them on twitter at @JogasakiBurrito

THE NO BLOGGING ZONE

When I lived in Brooklyn, it seemed everyone blogged about Brooklyn. A simple Google search for Brooklyn Blog seems to prove that to be true. But search Studio City Blog and the result is dismal. Nothing, except for the occasional real estate blog. I suppose everyone here is busy writing a TV show or a screenplay.

So, um, I guess that's why I have this blog.

Sigh.

RIVER VIEW

I went biking with my daughter down by the Los Angeles River today. We live one block from river. It sounds fancy and would be great if it looked like this -

Or this -


Or this -
But it doesn't. It looks like this -


You can't have everything, I suppose.

NO VIOLENCE HERE

The Gabrielle Giffords shooting has opened a huge can of worms about the rise of violence and anger in our politics.

DeAnn Hatch, co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party, said, “I want to strongly, strongly say we absolutely do not advocate violence.”

Judson Phillips, founder of the Tea Party Nation, wrote on his website, "No one should be a victim of violence because of their political beliefs...but no matter what the shooter’s motivations were, the left is going to blame this on the Tea Party movement."

And can you blame the left for blaming the Tea Party?

DeAnn and Judson, here's a reminder of your non-violence advocating rallies.