The Annenberg Space for Photography :: Cuba Is Exhibit

     At the start of 2017, I jokingly started using the hashtag #nospend2017 as a semi-joke as I tried to focus on spending less money on things that I didn't need or added value to my life.  Needless to say, I got a lot of crap from my friends who follow my personal Instagram account that are privy to some of the spending that throws #nospend2017 out the door!  I firmly believe that even when you set goals and have a fail, you can either quit or keep going.  I always (okay, sometimes) decide to keep going.  I wanted something cheap and interesting to do this weekend and found The Annenberg Space for Photography to be the perfect pick!

*All photos taken with my Canon G7x.

     For those of you who are not familiar, the Annenberg Space has ever changing photography exhibits that showcase a myriad of photography styles and subjects.  A few that I remember off the top of my head were sports photography, National Geographic (really loved this one), and even one of consumerism (and rich kids' lifestyles - I know, weird...but interesting). 

     The parking is $1.  That's right, parking in L.A. (Century City to be exact!) for ONE DOLLAR!  When I first discovered this, I was so thankful to the crazy wealthy family who must own this gallery space, and allowed the rest of us to enjoy it for a nominal fee.  Admission into the Annenberg is free. 😊 You park underground and take a few escalators up to ground level.

     Once you reach ground level, you'll be greeted by this very clean lobby.

     When you see that building on the left with the cut out in the middle, walk out the glass doors, and you'll see the frosted glass panels of the Annenberg to your upper left.

     I really wanted to see their "Cuba Is" exchibit, and since this was opening day of the exhibit (which runs until March 4, 2018), I decided it was best to get there early and beat the crowd to the Porto's Pop-Up see all the photography.

     There's a small space set up to look like a Cuban cafe.  It was done really well as someone clearly took the time to curate some vintage finds to decorate the space.  I wish I had taken more photos, but knowing they don't allow you to take photographs in the gallery area, and they seemed to allow it in the cafe, I didn't want to push my luck.

     I loved this neon sign!

     There is a little faux bar area set up with virtual reality glasses and headphones so you can take a little "tour" through Cuba.  It was interesting, but it gave me a slight headache (which I'm assuming I got because I'm not used to anything VR.)  Here's my friend using it.

     This little tray of sweets set me back $4.75.  They also had slices of some Porto's cakes as well as a small tray containing two cheese rolls and one guava roll (also for $4.75, I think).  If you've been to Porto's, then you know these are astronomical prices.  *Throws #nospend2017 out the door again*

     I wanted these little photo holders sooooo bad.  But y'know, #nospend2017. 😏

  
     Upon entering/exiting the building, you'll be greeted by a few stands filled with (mostly) photography-related items that are oh-so-cute.  I pretty much squealed at all the things.  I really wanted all the things (especially that "Editing Day" mug and this cute bento box that looked like vintage camera).  I walked away with nothing, but would be lying if I said I didn't regret not buying something hahahaha...

     As for the photography gallery itself, since you can't take photos in those areas, you'll just have to venture out to Century City and see for yourself!  One of the interesting things I found was a collaboration between this photographer and another photographer by the name of Tico Torres - of Bon Jovi!!!  I do recall seeing a documentary on Bon Jovi where Tico said he was into photography, but I certainly didn't expect to see anything from him at the Annenberg.  It was so cool to see.  Here's a picture for proof.  I can't disclose the origins of the photo since you're not supposed to take photos inside. 😏

     Afterwards, I went to see "It" and grabbed lunch at Bruxie.  *Waves to #nospend2017* 🙋 

     Thanks for stopping by! 💓

Echo Park Lake Photography

     These days, it is pretty tough to come up with something to shoot in Southern California that hasn't been done already.  I think over the last 8 or 9 years, I've been able to cover quite a bit of ground, and have even shot some places multiple times.  I recall driving around Echo Park in 2009 during the wee hours of the night, and thinking two thoughts:  1) Are my doors locked? and 2) Wow, there are some amazing views of the L.A. skyline here.  I made a note to return and shoot it at night.  However, back then Echo Park kinda had a bad reputation for being a somewhat shady neighborhood.  Of course, watching movies like "Training Day" didn't help. 😏  I decided to see if any of my photography friends wanted to shoot the view of the L.A. skyline from Echo Park Lake, and a few were down to go.

     In my excitement to be out shooting somewhere (after a long stint of not shooting anything for myself), I made the mistake of making a day of it.  First, we would hit up the Obon Festival at one of the temples in Little Tokyo.  This would be an easy place to also grab a quick bite to eat as we waited for the sweltering heat to pass.  It was like a thousand degrees outside, or at least it felt like it.  On top of this, I was still riding the coattails of The Sunburn of Summer 2017, and decided wearing black pants and a navy sweater was a good idea in 90+ degree weather.  

     I assure you, this was a bad idea. 😓

     I love the artwork in this area.

  
     After going to all the other temples that had "higashi" written on them, we finally managed to arrive at the correct one. 😬

     I ordered this shaved ice with green tea (that I believe they did NOT add because shouldn't it be green?!) to cool off.

     Taiko Project performance.

     Yes, that sign says "tamales". 😏

  
     A quick bite to eat at Suehiro Cafe. 

     My biggest tip for anyone wanting to shoot in and around Echo Park Lake.  Do not try to park next to the lake, especially if it's the weekend.  There were absolutely NO gaps along the curb.  It was just bumper to bumper cars all the way around.  We decided to park in the neighborhood and walk a short distance to the park instead.  Make sure you read ALL THE SIGNS before you leave your car parked in any L.A. neighborhood!

      My first impression was, Wow, this place has really been cleaned up!  I know at one point, the vegetation in the lake was dying because it was so polluted.  Then they drained the lake and reintroduced new vegetation, and now it just looks really beautiful.  I also noticed tons of people out with their families and walking their dogs.  It looked nothing like what I remembered.  We found a good spot, and waited a while for blue hour.  Even at that time, it didn't feel the least bit dangerous.  Kudos to whomever started the initiative to clean this place up!

     Waiting...  That's the thing with photography, particularly when you're shooting a blue hour.  There's a lot of waiting.  Make sure you bring a battery pack for your phone. 😊

     We didn't get the blue hour we were hoping for.  The sky still looked a little hazy.  On top of that, I didn't bring lenses with the best focal lengths for this.  I'm not even sure what I was thinking.  I really should've brought my 24-70mm.  I'm also lusting after an 85mm 1.8 right now, and will probably end up getting it in the not so distant future.  I used to have this lens, but sold it a long time ago.  Now I'm really seeing a need for this focal length in my arsenal.

     I really wanted to get closer to the buildings. 😢😢😢

     So if you're looking to shoot here, be rest assured it is safe (even though you should always exercise caution and common sense)!  If you've got any ideas for where to get the best long exposures of downtown L.A., I'd love to hear them! 😊  And yes, I discovered that I can insert emojis in my blog posts! 😯

See Soupy Eat :: Creme Town, Savoy Kitchen, and Paderia Bakery

     These days, it's pretty tough to log into Facebook and not see all the videos that have gone "viral".  There's a lot of variety - from the ones that make you outraged to the ones that warm your heart.  My favorite of these videos are the ones that involve food.  

     In this digital age, it's not uncommon for a business to experience a surge in clientele simply from a video or review of their establishment going viral on the internet.  I fell victim to this when a few months ago, I saw a video about a place in Anaheim Hills, CA that was serving up "unicorn hot chocolate".  Some characteristics that help food-based items go viral are:  1) it is a novelty and 2) it's Instagrammable (aka it looks good in photos).  The unicorn hot chocolate had both of these cornered, so within days, I head on over to give it a try.  When I finally had it in front of me, I took some cute photos of it, took a sip, and was immediately let down.  All the high hopes of drinking this magical warm concoction pretty much went down the drain when I realized it was just strawberry milk with colorful marshmallows and sprinkles.

     In honor of this viral food phenomenon, I've decided to do a regular series called "See Soupy Eat".  The title speaks for itself.  You get to see what I've tried, and I'll give you my take on these popular foods.  Clearly the pro for me is that I get to eat. :)  Think of it as my own personal version of Yelp for food I've decided to try. 

Cremia Soft Serve (3.5 out of 5 stars)

     First up, the cremia ice cream at Creme (3726 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA) in Korea town in downtown Los Angeles.  This little hole in the wall place is just a few blocks from the Wilshire/Western stop on the Purple Line.  If you're not paying attention, you'll walk right by it.  The storefront facing 6th street is barely noticeable, with no sign indicating you've arrived.  Only if you look closely at the dark, tinted windows will you see a small sign that says Creme.  Once you go inside, it's a modern looking dessert and coffee shop with minimalist furniture and mid-century modern chairs.  

     At $6.50 per cone, this stuff is pretty pricey for what it is.  It was soft and creamy, and the video I saw on Facebook claimed that it was the only place you could get cremia outside of Japan.  My friends who've been to Japan said they loved it, but since I haven't been there, I have nothing to compare it to.  It'a basically a light, creamy soft serve that isn't too sweet and sprinkled with chocolate, strawberry, or green tea powder.  It comes in a crispy cone that also has a mild almond flavor.  I liked it...but I don't know if I would pay $6.50 for it again.  It's definitely worth trying once if you're curious, though.

     I tried the green tea and strawberry powder.  Honestly, neither powder had that strong of a flavor.

     They give you these miniature shovels to eat it with.  I thought that was a nice touch.

Savoy Kitchen Hainan Chicken (4 out of 5 stars)

     One of my friends kept mentioning this place called Savoy Kitchen (138 E. Valley Blvd.)  in Alhambra, CA.  Apparently, it has a reputation for being one of the best places in SoCal (some people even consider it the best in the nation) for Hainan chicken.  It's a dish from Singapore that originates from the Hainan province in southern China. It consists of poached chicken, rice that's been cooked in chicken broth, and sauce for dipping.  The one served at Savoy Kitchen came with ginger-scallion, garlic-chili, and dark soy dipping sauces.  

     We arrived right after they opened at 11:00am on a Saturday.  The place was already brimming with people.  Luckily, we were seated outside within 5 minutes of getting there.  We all had the Hainan chicken, of course, along with the lemon iced tea.  The prices were very reasonable.  The Hainan chicken plate was around $8.50 (and two dollars extra if you want dark meat).  You can drink unlimited refills of the lemon iced tea for around $2.  

     They had this sugar syrup you could add to your tea.  I think we consumed more than our recommended daily allowance of sugar that day.  It was so easy just to keep pouring since under normal circumstances, you'd add sugar in granule form.  It was easy to lose track with this. :)

     When the chicken arrived, the presentation was nice and clean.  It doesn't look like anything special, but after you dip the chicken in the sauces, it does taste quite good.  My friend who suggested this place said some YouTubers tried out Savoy and said the Hainan chicken was a "flavor explosion".  I don't know if I'd use these words to describe it.  I was good, but a flavor explosion it was not.  I'd best describe it as a simple meal that feels like the Asian version of "comfort food".  I thought the chicken was tender, and the rice was moist and flavorful.  The dipping sauces were a good compliment.  I didn't care too much for the side salad, but it tasted okay.

     I ordered the $2 creme brulee...because who sells creme brulee for $2?!?!  Well, at this price, we were not surprised to learn that they had sold out of the creme brulee - and that I was getting the LAST ONE!  I agreed to share my good fortune hahahaha.... It was good, but I wouldn't say it was the best creme brulee I've ever had.  I thought it was too thick, and I prefer mine to be somewhat soft.  Honestly, I was still hung up on how they sold out of creme brulee when I placed my order at 11:15am!

     Overall, I really enjoyed the Hainan chicken.  The service at Savoy Kitchen was quick and friendly.  Again, I have nothing to compare it to (not to mention everyone's tastebuds are different), but this dish is definitely worth trying and a total steal for $8.50!

Paderia Bakehouse Malasadas (3 out of 5 stars)

     I discovered this place from a friend's Instagram post.  The main staples of Paderia Bakehouse (18279 Brookhurst Street Suite #1) in Fountain Valley, CA  are its specialty malasadas.  When most people think of malasadas, they think of Leonard's Bakery (on the Hawaiian island of Oahu).  A visit to Paderia Bakery will cost you a lot less, though.  I've actually had the malasadas at Leonard's several times and have sampled all the varieties they sell, so I'll be able to give you a comparison of the two.

     I love the decor at Paderia.  Once you get over all the cute modern industrial decor, you'll gawk at the prices of their bakery items.  It. Is. Not. Cheap!  The Yelp reviews I read were filled with people raving over the cookies.  If you look closely at the picture below, the cookies are a whopping $4!  The oatmeal comes in at a steal for $2.25.  For that price, I expected the cookies to be HUGE.  They were NOT.

NOTE:  They sold out of MILK.  Who sells out of milk on a Saturday morning just 30 minutes after opening???

     I couldn't bring myself to spend my hard-earned cash on these highway robbery cookies, so I couldn't tell you if they were every bit as mind-blowing as the Yelp reviews said they were.  I can, however, offer you this photo of them.  They are regular-sized cookies at jumbo-sized prices.

     Another popular item at Paderia seems to be their banana pudding.  They open pretty early (8:00am).  I got there at 8:30am and they were sold out of the banana pudding.  I'm baffled by how quickly this stuff sells out.  I don't know who's buying it this early, but someone out there clearly likes their banana pudding!

Ensaymadas

      For about $15, I got 7 malasadas (original sugar, cinnamon & sugar, nutella-filled, and coconut-filled).  These are like the fancier (and more expensive) version of Leonard's malasadas.  They are light and fluffy, and you can tell at first bite that they use the freshest ingredients to make these.  My favorite were the coconut and Nutella malasadas.  While I enjoyed these flavors, they were too fancy for something that should be simple.  I'd definitely have these again if I were in the mood to treat myself.  Heck, maybe one day I'll even spring for those $4 cookies!  As much as I enjoyed the malasadas, I couldn't help but think the prices were a bit ridiculous (no matter how good any of it is).  For this reason, I don't see myself frequenting Paderia.  If you take away the plane ticket you'd have to buy, Leonard's wins hands down based on taste and value.

     Hopefully you've enjoyed this first installment of "See Soupy Eat".  I have a couple of things on my "to try" list.  Got any suggestions?  Leave them below! :)