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

Big Winter Swells Mean A Lot Of Looking (And Learning) And Eating

Big winter swells hitting both Northern and Southern California are great news for most surfers, who live for this kind of stuff. For the more mellow-inclined like me, it's good surf-watching weather. You can actually learn a lot by watching surfers do their thing, and so my last few outings at the beach have mostly been about observation. Also, for the longest time I've been wanting to give Topanga a try. Often when you drive PCH and you pass Topanga the surf looks pretty mellow, with waves that don't seem too intimidating rolling around the point. But, as in many things about life, looks can be deceiving. In fact I think I once consulted with my former surf teacher about Topanga and I'm pretty sure he warned me that not all is as it seems, but I have a bad habit of not listening to good solid advice and and just forging ahead, which is something I am always trying to change. Anyway, not too long ago, with big stormy swells making conditions out of my comfort zone at Venice and Santa Monica, I noticed things might be a little quieter by Topanga, so I figured I would check it out. Well, the first couple of surf-checks revealed waves that I wasn't liking the looks of. Then came the day where things did look better. So I suited up, grabbed the Greco and headed for the water. Now, the tide was going out on this particular day, which revealed something I hadn't noticed before about Topanga -- rocks! Lots of them. Rocks everywhere. You have to negotiate these rocks into order to get into the water, and it's a little tricky. This was not entirely new to me -- Little Dume has rock issues too but it also has a rock-free area where you can wade in without worry. So I negotiated the rocks (not easy!) and started a paddle out -- and then, not sure what, but something spooked me. It was probably a combination of things -- the current much stronger than expected, plus how far it was to paddle out, plus another surfer coming close as he rode a wave in. Anyway, it was a total fail and I turned around and headed back to the beach (or...rocks!) as fast as my arms would take me. So chalk that up to some days the surfboard also works as a lunch caddy, like you see in this picture here!

That was, by the way, a very delicious sandwich, a BLT and C, or bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheese sandwich. It sort of was a consolation prize, I guess, for doing so badly. The good news is the big swell backed off, and yesterday I got in some nice water time. For the first time in what feels like forever I caught a couple of waves, got up and got my little ride. So whatever you're doing that frustrates you? Keep doing it. And if you have a bad day, eat a good sandwich. You'll feel better.

Surfing, Jackie Onassis, Diana Vreeland, and Shepherd's Pie! And, Yes, I can link them.

First a bit about surfing. Trying something new can often be a good thing, even if at first it may seem somewhat intimidating.  Like a new surf spot. This past weekend, after too many days of not being able to get in the water because of rain and then bigger swells than are good for me, things finally backed down. Unfortunately they backed down a little too much. When I got to my spot at Tower 26, the ocean was just completely flat. I mean, really flat! I headed down to Tower 24, where a couple of guys on boards were trying to catch some waves, but they were having no luck at all. So the day was looking like it might be a wash. Until I pulled out my phone to check Surfline and reports for Malibu and other spots. Venice seemed to be slightly better and was closer so I headed a bit south. Sure enough, just north of the Venice Pier some nice small waves were rolling in. There was a few other mellow day surfers already there when I paddled out, and I wound up having a blast on these little waves. Later that night we had Shepherd's Pie for dinner, which was made from leftover Roast Beef from Christmas Night dinner. Here it is:

What does legendary style maven and magazine editor Diana Vreeland have to do with surfing and Shepherd's Pie? Well take a look at this!

https://youtu.be/3wRmpc-Fh3o

Not only did Vreeland love surfers, but she thought skateboarders were great too. GREAT!!

So there's Vreeland. Did you know Diana Vreeland and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis were very dear friends? Well, they were, and one thing that Mrs. Vreeland would like to eat when she came to Mrs. Onassis's for dinner was Shepherd's Pie. This fact was picked up in a book called "Cooking For Madam," by Marta Sgubin, who was Mrs. Onassis's longtime cook. So the next time you find yourself with leftover roast (it could be beef, or lamb, or even chicken or turkey), make a Shepherd's Pie. Here's how:

Shepherd's Pie
(Recipe adapted from Marta Sgubin's "Cooking For Madam")
Serves 6

3-4 cups cooked roast beef or lamb (or turkey or chicken)
3 tbsps. butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsps. flour
1 3/4 to 2 cups beef stock (or chicken if you're going poultry)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Mashed potatoes (recipe follows)
*note: if you have leftover vegetables you can throw them in too. I had a cup or so of cooked green beans, which worked really well. Just fold them into the sauce with the meat.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Finely chop the meat and set aside.  Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until tender and translucent, about five minutes.  Add garlic.  Saute 30 seconds more. Sprinkle in flour and stir, without browning, about two minutes, until flour is blended in. Slowly pour in stock and whisk. Bring to simmer and cook, whisking, until thickened about two or three minutes. Fold the chopped meat into the sauce. Season well with salt and fresh ground pepper.
2. Spoon the mixture into a two quart oven proof casserole. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top. Use a fork to rake a design into the potatoes. Dot with more butter if you like.
3. Place the dish on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are browned and starting to crisp.

Mashed Potatoes

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 tbsps. butter

1 tbsp. horseradish

Salt and Fresh ground pepper

About 1 cup milk

1. Place potatoes in medium pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer potatoes until very tender, about 20 minutes. 
2. Drain potatoes and toss butter into the pot, along with horseradish and salt and pepper. Using a potato masher (or a ricer if you want a really find texture) mash the potatoes well.  Now start adding in milk, starting with about 1/2 cup. If the potatoes seem dry, add more milk, up to about a cup, until you reach a nice soft and smooth consistency.  Taste again for salt and pepper.

As always if you're looking for a good read, please also check out and pre-order my novel "Women Like Us" on Inkshares.  Here's that link:

https://www.inkshares.com/projects/women-like-us?referral_code=68914607