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August 2, 2007
Bargain Zen: Leslie Porter’s Meditation Class at Santa Monica College
Filed under: Play — StyleGuide @ 2:48 pm
I am a regular in the hallowed halls of community college adult extension programs across the Southland. As an alumnus of East L.A. City College, Santa Monica College, Rio Hondo College, L.A. City College, UCLA extension and Beverly Hills Adult school, I have to say one of my favorites courses is “Meditation for Everyone” at Santa Monica College’s Continuing Community Education program.
The class begins with instruction on how to meditate, then everyone gives it a go for increasing periods of time. Finally, instructor Leslie Porter leads a discussion on Buddhism.
Once I got past being surprised at myself for paying a course fee to sit completely still for 45 minutes, I found it rewarding. Supporters tout improved decision-making, communication, well-being, health and patience as long-term benefits of meditation.
Leslie herself will surprise you. She started our class saying, “I go on meditation retreats where I spend 40….”
This is the part where I expected her to say “minutes.”
“…days in meditation,” she finished. Forty days without saying a word? Amazing.
Me? I’m pretty proud when I get my 10 minutes a day.
Where: Santa Monica College
Price: $$$ ($20-50)
Do you meditate?
Best Fried Chicken in L.A. – Golden Bird Fried Chicken
Filed under: Eat, Midtown, South — StyleGuide @ 3:13 am
A bold statement, I know, to declare the best fried chicken in a city full of strong birds, whether Dinah’s, Roscoe’s or Honey’s.
But I have to say, there’s something about Golden Bird.
First, the name. “Golden Bird” is the perfect appellation for a chicken that, fitting for Los Angeles, is the color of a deep, dark suntan glistening with oil. The tender meat sports a batter coating that is smooth, crispy and light.
Served with the ubiquitous (but odd) side of crinkle cut sweet pickles in a tiny paper cup, the chicken is consistently good. Sides, however, can be hit or miss, but heaven can’t be much better than those days you strike upon a buttery, flaky biscuit with its salty top baked a rich brown, creamy mac and cheese or greens spiked with tender chunks of pork and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper.
There’s a lot of nostalgia for Golden Bird chicken, an L.A. institution since 1953, as locations have diminished over the years. Expect a resurgence with 14 new locations soon to be added to their five existing L.A. stores.
I hit the one at 4725 West Venice, just west of La Brea near the OSH.
Price: $ (under $10)
Where: Check www.goldenbirdchicken.com/contactus.html for locations
Call: 323-525-0488
Do you love Golden Bird? Or does your heart belong to another poultry shop? Tell me about it….
Beignets outside New Orleans: The Gumbo Pot at the L.A. Farmer’s Market
Filed under: Eat, Midtown — StyleGuide @ 3:06 am
I like the L.A. Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax best on sunny afternoons. We set up on the west side of the market to enjoy a perfect pair — cold pitchers of beer from the bar and hot beignets from The Gumbo Pot.
Discovering The Gumbo Pot’s beignets capped a long search for decent New Orleans-style beignets in Los Angeles. For the uninitiated, the famous doughnut-like confections are airy rectangular pillows served adrift in a snowstorm of powdered sugar. The truly decadant can choose chocolate beignets.
Beignets, beer and the sounds of the market — close your eyes and fool yourself, just for a moment, that you’re 1,900 miles away, basking in that Big Easy sun.
Price: $ (under $10)
Where: Farmer’s Market, 6333 W 3rd St., #312
Call: 323-933-0358
Have you found good beignets in Los Angeles? Give us the 411.