Monday, April 26, 2010
The Vibe Between Friends
Carlyn and Seena
Tonight I've found myself back down in Orange County to meet up with Carlyn and Seena - two girls I've known since college years. I'm nearly an hour late because of the heavy traffic leaving L.A. and then going to the wrong location.
It's good to see old friends - especially ones whom I've always been close. The conversation turned as it always does between us to a mix of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, with something about vibrators run amok as they get worn down. Of course, there are some things in life that I try not to understand...
Tempura
Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms
Fried Octopus
Grilled Beef Tongue
Grilled Pork Belly
Tori Kara Age
The girls ponder
Grilled Squid
Grilled Salmon
Shiso Rolls
Salmon and Yellowtail Nigiri
Hamachi Kara
Rainbow Roll
Green Tea Ice Cream
Not bad...
Kappo Honda
18450 Brookhurst Street
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
714-964-4629
Gardena Bowl
Revisitng The E-Myth Revisited
Years ago, paintball master Earon Carter turned me on to this little coffee shop inside the Gardena Bowling alley on Vermont. The place has the best Portuguese Sausage I've tried anywhere.
How ironic that a place outside of Hawaii would have the best Portuguese Sausage. But it's good. Damned good. And I try to make an outing here whenever I come to Southern California.
Two Portuguese Sausage patties, two fried eggs, picked cabbage and bacon fried rice.
It's decidedly simple fare. Nothing crazy or experimental going on here. Just basic, local island favorites. And really, what more does one need? Add a little Hawaiian Sun and you're golden.
Hawaiian Sun Lilikoi Iced Tea
A close-up of the bacon fried rice.
Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop
15707 South Vermont Avenue
Gardena, CA 90247
310-532-0820
www.gardenabowl.com
Jack In The Crack
If You Lube It, They Will Cum
The Pool of Dreams
Nestled in a quiet neighborhood in San Fernando Valley is a house rented by The Porn King. It's a relatively non-descript house with two bedrooms, manicured lawn, pool and a jacuzzi. It is also a set that's well known to The King's subscribers.
In many ways, it's a house like any other house. There's a fridge, a washer/dryer, television, computer and the usual trappings of any home. Beyond that, there are little tell-tale signs that things in this house aren't the usual things that happen say, across the street in that three bedroom single-family.
Scattered around the house are bottles of lotion, baby oil and lubricant. The sign in the bathroom doesn't say "welcome to our home", it says "no fucking on the sink you fat pigs." In the kitchen where one would normall find a blender is an array of digital still cameras and a couple of HD video cameras, some big and some small (for handheld action, I presume).
I have to ask The Porn King about the house and how famous it is to his subscribers. I imagine that his loyal subscribers would kill to stand where I'm standing. This house is legendary. Lovers world wide have viewed porn shot on that couch or by the pool. This is hallowed ground. Real AVN Award kind of stuff.
For a moment, I imagine myself as a porn star. A stud taking young vixens by the pool on camera for the world to watch in wonder and amazement. The Next Ron Jeremy. I just need more hair (on my chest). I wonder what that would be like.
I don't have to wonder for too long because one of The Porn King's producers is banging a model in one of the bedrooms. A producer banging a real, certifiable porn star. The Porn King tells me her name and she's well-known. I'm amazed. Maybe that could be me.
But I'm not here to bang porn stars (though I could be persuaded), I'm here to hang and talk shop with The Porn King. The King and I go way back. Back to when he was just a regular guy in the world and not the industry mogul that he is today. Tonight it's a casual and relaxed night of steak, cigars and drinks by the famous pool (and not on the famous couches).
It's then that I realize how difficult it would be to live in this house. Producers in one room banging porn stars, web designers in the living room coding the websites and models milling about. If I lived here, I don't think I could get anything done, much less wear anything but a robe.
The odd thing is that in spite of all this, it's the most relaxed, casual and least action-intensive night I've had since arriving in Southern California nearly two weeks ago.