Jason V. Stingray! Stingray For The Win!

If you spend any time in the ocean -- either as a surfer or a swimmer -- you probably have heard of something called the Stingray Shuffle. My first surf teacher told me all about it, about how you need to shuffle your feet in order to convince stingrays to move out of your way. Otherwise you risk getting stung. And, I was assured, getting stung is no fun. So I pretty much always shuffle my feet when I'm heading into the water. Once you can jump on your board and paddle, you generally don't have to worry about Stingrays.

Except...

When ya do!

First, a little background on these little creatures: these little suckers are cartilaginous fish, more precisely from the suborder Myliobatoidei, which derives from the order Myliobatiformes. Got that? (and thanks Wikipedia!). They are flat fish (like the skate you might dine on at a good seafood restaurant), bottom feeders that like to hang out in the shallows just beneath the sand. The key thing you need to know is that they have one (or more than one) barbed stingers on their tails. These are put to use when you accidentally come in too close contact, and when you get stung venom is released.  Here's a typical Stingray, just for your information--

Sort of freaky to see what lurks in the sea, huh?

Anyway, back to the Stingray shuffle. The other day, I headed out for a surf because conditions were nice and mellow and in my sweet spot. Of course I shuffled my way out in the shallows, then hopped on my board to paddle out to the sparse line-up.  As is my custom, I just watched the waves for a bit, just to size up what was coming and what it looked like I could handle. Along came a wave I thought I could go for, but I was a little late and missed this first one.  Then came another, and this too looked like a good one, so I paddle-paddle-paddled, caught the wave, and got up on my board.  All good so far. But my balance was off, and I toppled over. My right foot went straight down and touched sand, and right at that moment, I felt it -- like something bit me, right between my pinkie toe and the toe next to it!

The first reaction was something like this: "Ouch! What was that?"  It didn't initially feel like much but a quick nip, but when I got back on my board and looked back, there was blood. And then came the pain!! This Freakin' hurt!!  (Oddly enough, another thought passed through my head just before I noticed the blood...."Can I stay out and keep going?"  Well, once blood was involved I figured it was time to head back to the sand, and with the pain and the bleeding it seemed like a good idea to consult with the lifeguard.

Lifeguard Alex was, I have to say, awesome.  He got on his radio and before I knew it along came another lifeguard truck and then before I knew it here was a yellow bag filled with super-hot water and I was told to stick my foot in it because the hot water would 'cook' the venom and help ease the pain. You have to soak the sting for a good half-hour to forty-five minutes and Alex sat with me the whole time, and then when my foot was done soaking he bandaged up my foot! This is a good reason to always swim and surf near an open lifeguard tower if you can. If you run into trouble, these guys and ladies are the best, and I wholeheartedly thank them for helping me. Look, here I am all fixed up, and I got to keep the soaking bag!

So, in a way, I feel like I've been initiated into some club. Although I'd have preferred to have been excluded from this club, to be honest.  I had planned to check out Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken for lunch and report on it after this session, but with my still achy, bandaged foot, I figured maybe next time.  But a bit about food. I was pretty hungry when I got home, and after something like this comfort food was in order, so I made an egg and cheese on a roll and pretty much devoured it.

Next time, Gus's!!

Old School Surf Spot. Old School Tacos -- El Porto and El Tarasco

While I love going down to El Porto because it has its rough edges and can still be kind of old school (although that's being threatened on a daily basis, unfortunately), I have yet to get a really good session in. A big reason for this, of course, is my Kook status getting in the way. For example, I look at surf reports and see that it seems like conditions may be in my sweet spot at Porto, but when I get there it's different. It's not just that the waves are bigger -- Porto is different in other ways, and I think I may have figured out one reason why on this past expedition. It's such a wide open beach break, and probably because of the shape of the ocean floor or something waves seem to form further out from shore than at, say, Santa Monica, Venice or even parts of Malibu. This may be the reason (in my head anyway) that the waves just seem to pack more power -- they have a longer distance to travel before they break and so they gather up strength. I could be wrong about the mechanics of these waves because I'm far from an expert, but that's just been my experience at Porto. Not that it's not fun to give it a go here -- it's always fun. And I'm determined to get it right at this spot on a day that works for me. So the lesson here? Persistence! And patience. They will, in the end, pay off.

I'm also big on old-school Mexican food -- Tex-Mex some might call it, or Cali-Mex. Anyway, I love crispy tacos, and platters that include refried beans and rice. If you're in the mid-city area, for example, I'd send you to El Cholo (although they have other locations but the one on Western near 11th Street is the original and dates back to the 1920's!). Tito's Tacos, of course, are always excellent, and I've also always been a fan of Lucy's El Adobe across the street from the Paramount Lot (although beware...the service at Lucy's can be spotty). But walk into Lucy's and you could be in the 1970's California, especially if you sit in the booth with pictures of the 1970's-era Governor Jerry Brown and his then girlfriend Linda Ronstadt. But if you're in El Porto you'd have hit up El Tarasco on Rosecrans just east of Highland (and hat-tip here to Osoporto Founder/Guru Jon Berry for the recommendation). After my session the other day at Porto, here was lunch--

This was the #7 dinner plate. It features two fully-loaded crispy beef tacos, along with rice and beans. If you like old-school Mexican you will love this place, which has been there since 1969. The guy next to me ordered a burrito, wet (drowning in sauce and topped with cheese) and the thing was gigantic! I'm not sure if he was going to be able to finish it, but I'll have to come back and try one of those too. And the Chile Relleno, because I'm nuts for those.

El Porto is really, I gather, the northern end of Manhattan Beach but it was once independent, and it still maintains a bit of scruffiness -- the little beach town of Carpinteria south of Santa Barbara has a similar vibe. I love these old-school beach towns. But these places may not be able to maintain their low-key scruffiness forever, so if you like places like it, don't delay. And while you're at it, hit up El Tarasco.

http://eltarasco.menu

As always, if you're looking for a great beach read, click my website, hit the Women Like Us icon and order a book!

Chicken Wing Elbows! Chicken Wings at Howlin' Rays!

Surfing looks simple. And for some people, who make it look really easy because they're so good, it is. But for a Kook like me, it's never simple. Like executing a good pop-up. It's just getting to your feet! But, for me anyway, there's so much going through my brain at the same second it's often hard to get it all right. But lately I've been really trying to always nail it. Especially when it comes to hand placement. When you're paddling into a wave, and you start to move down it, it can feel like you're nose-diving. What do you do when you start to fall forward? If you're like most people, you throw your arms out in front of you to break the fall. Well, with surfing that's exactly a recipe for disaster! Don't ask me how I know this. Your hands need to be down by your ribs on the board -- so it looks like you have chicken wing elbows is how I've heard it described and it's a good description. So lately, while also trying to focus on where my feet are landing when I get to my feet (another recurrent issue), I've also been really trying to focus on hand placement and thinking about those chicken wings.

Which of course made me hungry. I love chicken wings. In fact I think wings are probably my favorite part of the chicken. So when I heard that the food truck Howlin' Rays, which does riffs on Nashville Hot Chicken, had opened a bricks and mortar space down in Chinatown -- just across from Chego and next to Pok Pok Phat Thai, and downstairs from Ramen Champ and now also including Scoops Ice Cream and...what the Hell kind of food court is this? A shockingly good one. Anyway,  I wanted to try Howlin' Rays, and because I had chicken wings on the brain, that's what I ordered. Here's a look-see:

First of all, here's a secret: I ordered the 3-wings, not too spicy, and they gave me four!! I didn't even ask for the extra! Nor did I ask for extra pickles, or extra sauce for my super crunchy and delicious fries. Okay, so the bottom line is these guys at Howlin' Rays? They totally rock. Get yourself downtown and try anything here. It's all going to be amazing. Just be aware -- the line gets long really really fast. So plan on waiting a bit.  But...just go. Eat hot chicken. And if by chance you're trying to improve your surfing skills, think of your elbows like chicken wings!

Howlin' Rays:  http://www.howlinrays.com

Even Kooks Can Sound Knowledgeable. Then Republique's Kimchi Fried Rice!

Sometimes I have really good days in the water. I paddle somewhat fearlessly (for me) into waves (okay small ones) and even catch them. Often, I'm still pretty much a Kook, not paddling hard enough and missing the wave, or popping up too soon and stopping dead in my tracks. My last surf session was a combination of the two. I was going well on some tame little waves, but just as I was feeling good about myself, a fellow surfer came along and decided to give me some pointers. This happens a lot, and I don't really mind. Except by now, I pretty much can identify every mistake I make. So when he said, "One or two more paddles, and you'd have had that wave," I knew it already. Still, I told him thanks and we chatted a bit about this and that. Then, a short time later, as I was strapping the Greco back to the roof of the car and getting ready to leave, there was a car that had pulled up next to me, with two guys and a girl, maybe college age, and they were unloading boards and wetsuits. One of them asked me how it was out there. Without even missing a beat, I said "Oh, well, you know waves were kind of mushy, and a little hard to gauge but it was fun." And the girl said, "Looks like they're closing out," and I answered, "Yeah, yeah. Maybe better later on when the tide gets higher, though." As I was driving off it occurred to me that I sounded like I knew what I was talking about, even if I'm not quite sure what I said was perfectly correct. I've picked up some information over the last few years of my surf odyssey though, and it seems that I might be able to pass some information along.

Here's some more information to pass along, in case you haven't made it to Republique on La Brea, in the old Campanile space. My advice is go! I've been here for a couple of lunches. The first was to sample Chef Walter Manzke's version of the delicious, but ultra-simple sandwich, the Jambon Buerre, which is basically ham and butter on a baguette. Republique's version was excellent, and there's a picture on my Instagram if you want to see it so check that out. But this time I got the Kimchi Fried Rice, because it's another dish I just love (I've talked about my fondness for the Kimchi Spam Bowl at Chego too -- get that if you're downtown!). Instead of Spam, Republique's version has chunks of tender braised short rib, and a couple of very softly poached eggs on top. This makes for very good eating. I pretty much want to go back to Republique and sample just about every breakfast, lunch and dinner item on the menu. Here's the Fried rice:

But wait, there's more!! This was a business lunch, and consumed by my lunch partner was this bit of deliciousness you see here, a seriously good Belgian waffle with seasonal fruit (in this case cherries) and Vermont Maple Syrup. Take a look:

Can't go wrong there, can ya? So if you're looking for seriously good breakfast, lunch or dinner and you're anywhere near La Brea between Sixth and Wilshire, go to Republique. Only warning: it gets very, very crowded!

More info: http://republiquela.com

The Blob!!!! Plus Other Creatures From The Sea at Ohana Poke Company

This was a first -- after a nice little session in somewhat choppy seas the other day, and as I was heading in, I noticed a lady in a big straw hat. She was standing at the edge of the water waving and gesticulating somewhat frantically. When I reached the sand and unhooked my leash I got a better look at her -- She was maybe 70-something, with grey wind-blown hair under that big hat. She wore a very blue blouse, and she had an accent. I think it was Scottish, but maybe it was British. Anyway, turns out she was waving at me. Here was the conversation that unfolded:

Lady In Hat:  Did you see it?
Jason: See what?
Lady In Hat: There was a big thing out there.
Jason: A...what?
Lady In Hat: "It was swimming very close to you."
Jason:  It...whaaa...?
Lady In Hat: Kind of a big blob of a thing.
Jason:  Oh.  Um...Well, it was probably a dolphin.
Lady In Hat:  Oh...hmmmmm.
Jason:  Or a sea otter.  We see those a lot.
Lady In Hat: It could have been. Yes. Sea otter. Well, I just thought you should know. Big blob of a thing!

I thanked her for the heads-up and went to shower off. It's funny because there was a time when something like that would have totally flipped me out. But since I really hadn't even noticed anything swimming nearby it was all good. I've noted this before but we share the ocean with creatures of the sea. I've seen dolphins and I've seen sea otters, and I'm pretty sure that once I saw a baby tiger shark as it bumped off my leg. Pelicans soar overhead all the time, sometimes frighteningly close, like they might take off your head with those big sharp beaks. I've seen whales, but mostly when walking and mostly off of Malibu. Whatever The Blob was it decided to leave me alone so it's all good!

I was, of course, hungry after being in the water, and since I had creatures of the sea on the brain, some seafood seemed appropriate (okay in a weird sort of way!) I had been meaning to try the new Ohana Poke Company in Silver Lake so that's what I did. Here was lunch:

This bowl included heirloom brown rice, nicely spiced Tuna, kimchi cucumbers and a bunch of other delicious stuff. I like to spread some on a chip, like these from Rusty's. This was a really good light lunch to have after a surf, and if you want to go veggie or vegan you can do that too because you can get the bowl with tofu. Poke originally hails from Hawaii and is definitely surf-friendly food. And if you've had any blobs or creatures following you in the ocean, turnabout is fair play. Go eat some creatures from the sea!

Here's more info on Ohana Poke:

www.ohanapokeco.com

Swells Still Too Big Plus New Tattoo = No Surf. Consolation Prize: Malibu Seafood.

These big swells just keep coming, from winter into spring, which means us mellow-day surfers sit by the sidelines and watch the pros. It's kind of a bummer, I have to say. I wish I was braver about big waves. Still, I've said this before but you can learn a lot just by watching good surfers, and so a trip to the beach isn't a total loss even if you can't get in the water.  Meanwhile, I'd been waiting for heavy rains because of El Nino, but while Northern California got dumped on, we didn't get them here in LA. Why wait for rain? Well, if you've been following along on the Women Like Us voyage to publish (and click the link below if you haven't!), you'd have seen updates that had to do with my getting a tattoo honoring our dog Derric, who was rescued from life in a lab by the Beagle Freedom Project. When you get a new tattoo, you're supposed to stay out of the ocean for two weeks, which seems like an eternity if you love to be in the water.  But if we had the heavy rains, you'd most likely want to steer clear of the ocean anyway so I'd been waiting for a series of storms because that would have been a good time to get the tattoo done. Unfortunately I was out of luck on that front (plus we could have used the heavy rains). Still, we're getting these big swells, which for me means not a lot of surf time so I finally made the appointment and just got the new tat. But just because you can't get in the water, you can still have good eats with the ocean in view.  Like at one of our old favorites, Malibu Seafood.  Here was a recent lunch when the nephew was in town:

This is a combination platter. It includes really nicely fried fish, shrimp, scallops and squid.  Of course we also had clam chowder. You have to eat chowder at a place like this. And don't forget the oyster crackers. They're integral.  It's all extremely delicious. Why does food always taste better when you eat it by the sea? When we lived in Malibu, I'd often stop at Malibu Seafood to buy fish to cook, but we'd eat there too, sometimes in the car if it was too crowded! This place gets super-busy, especially on summer weekends, so it's best to try and time your visit so it's not at a prime lunch or dinner hour.

So if you can't get into the water, you can eat within sight of it.  Here's more info about Malibu Seafood:

www.malibuseafood.com

And if you want to read about the tattoo and Derric the beagle, and maybe even order a copy of my upcoming novel, here's that link too:

https://www.inkshares.com/books/women-like-us

El Nino Is Tough On Us Kooks. Plus A New Tuna Melt!

Wow! I just can't seem to get a break. And by a break, I mean one of those nice mellow wave days when I feel best on my board. Of course I must add that the real good surfers are having a blast. This is due to El Nino, which has been sort of a dud so far in Southern California in terms of rain, but it's still producing massive storm surges way out in the Pacific that are sending big, big swells into California, and that's what those guys and ladies live for. So I keep waiting for mellower days, but they've been rare these last few weeks. I'm sure they'll be back soon, though. Sorry big guys and ladies! Oh, but the good news for California with this El Nino is snow has returned in force, most especially up in the Sierra around Mammoth. Haven't made it to Mammoth yet, but I did make it up to Baldy to take some turns, and they had some pretty decent snow for a while. So there's your silver lining.

Meanwhile, I almost forgot  to post this sweet picture that Kate Funk took of a most delicious tuna melt -- because you can never have too many tuna melt pictures -- or ideas on where to get one, right?

Not bad looking, huh? This one came from the newly revamped Rose Cafe in Venice, where we had lunch after one of my little excursions in the water on a mellower day. I remember going to the Rose Cafe years ago. I recall it being sort of an earthy-crunchy kind of place, with lots of granola and alfalfa sprouts. Well, it's gotten sleeker, and more like the Venice of today, with upgrades all around on the food too. The bread was super delicious, the cheddar was aged, and I'm pretty sure those pickles are house-made. Fries couldn't be better too. So next time you're out by the beach, and you have a taste for a tuna melt, can't go wrong with the Rose Cafe! If you've had a good day in the water, it's a reward. And if you've had a bad day, it's consolation!

rosecafevenice.com