It's ALL about the Sushi in LA

Within hours of arriving into LA, I found myself sitting at the bar at Sushi Roku (corner of La Cienega and 3rd) waiting for a friend. I ordered a glass of wine and just watched the world go by. There is always something going on here. The last time I was here I sat at the counter and that dude who plays Angel (David... with that crazy long last name) was sitting next to me. The sushi is great here... but, you are paying for the scene too. We had a fabulous dinner... loads of fresh sushi including toro, yellowtail and some of the best salmon sashimi I have ever eaten! The one big thing that I noted here was that this is soooooo California. My dinner date asked if they had gluten free soy sauce... and ya know what? They did! That is the heart and soul of dining in LA. You want whole wheat rice around your rolls... no problem. Ya gotta love it.

The next morning I found my way to the gym at the Sofitel which was nicely outfitted with a bunch of cardio machines (all with their own personal TVs), a full weight area and a bar where anyone could help themselves to chilled bottled water, towels, headphones, and fruit. I also loved that they had two computers already on the internet so that you could check email after your workout. Really nice.

After the gym, I walked (yup... it was already almost 65 degrees!) to Starbucks for a coffee. The Sofitel offers a free coffee service in the lobby, but I really wanted to get outside and enjoy the weather a bit. After my walk, I came back to the room and ordered an eggwhite omelet and it CAME with coffee and juice! I'm not sure why that was so unbelievable, but it was... I guess I am used to paying $50 for breakfast! Imagine only paying $25 for a full breakfast delivered right to my room! (I know what you are thinking... Lori, you must be crazy... $25 for an omelet is ridiculous and my Italian neighbor would slap me and ask for the chicken that laid the golden eggs before paying that much!) But, I thought it was well worth it.

The Sofitel is a hotspot (WIFI) ...so, your high speed internet access is only $9.99 a day. That is typical for a big hotel. So, again... did not feel like I was being robbed. After working for a few hours, I made my way up to the Universal area to meet the Made in America crew for lunch. This was the first time I was going to meet John Ratz and I was a bit nervous. We dined at Casa del Sol... a very nice Italian restaurant right outside of Universal. The weather was spectacular, so we dined al fresco on their patio. It was so nice to sit in the sun and have an iced tea. Man, the Mid-Atlantic winters are hard to get through!

I ordered a pear and prosciutto salad with a bit of balsamic as a starter. I then had a seared tuna over canneli beans for my main course and some sorbet for dessert. Yum! Everyone really enjoyed the food... so, check it out if you are in the area. I also really liked the staff who were super accommodating. (I guess with a large party and a big check... they should be nice, right?)

The meeting with John and the crew went really well. I found him to be really funny and very passionate about the state of the American economy. Especially in the manufacturing industry. One of the main issues he is dealing with is the fact that high schools across America are not offering shop class anymore. Its true... kids are just not being encouraged to try some of the professions that we need everyday. Plumbers, electricians, factory workers... and the real issue is that those kids that may not be college material are not getting the opportunity to try their hands at one of these crafts that could land them a job once they graduate.

John also told me about his other projects. He does voice over work for Pixar... In fact, he's been in every single one of their animated features! Did you also know that he was in Empire Strikes Back? I mean.. how cool is that?

After lunch, I made my way back to West Hollywood and stopped off at Loehmanns for some retail therapy before my next meeting. Loehmanns in LA is great... it always has the best brands... and while it may be a bit pricier than what I would find in DC... its worth it! I picked up a pair of True Religion jeans for $125! They usually sell for $260... so, I was super excited.

That night, I met my meeting at the Chart House in Malibu. This is another great option when you are in LA. This is a great restaurant and it is perched right on the bluff at the end of Topanga Canyon... right on the beach. All of the tables by the windows overlook the beach and it is just a really great spot to enjoy the beautiful Pacific. The food was pretty good too. Not the best meal... but, the ambiance is worth the trip. I had scallops and they were nice... the best part of the meal was the classic Chart House chocolate molten lava cake. Its yummy.

The next day, I went back to the gym and walked over to Starbucks again. I then did some work before meeting a friend out for lunch on Robertson. I made sure to stop into Lisa Klein and Kitson before walking over to the Newsroom Cafe. I bought Eva a shirt and touched the merchandise at the other stores. It was great. I then met my friend for lunch. The Newsroom is another great Hollywood haunt. The food is good... but, the best part is that it is located directly across the street from the Ivy. So, as you dine you can watch the paparazzi stalk the celebs and wanna-bes as they sip their mimosas. FUN!

After lunch, I drove up to Griffith Park to meet the Made in America crew for a shoot. This is another great secret of LA that is a must-see when you are here! This park is lined with majestic redwoods and the drive up to the Observatory is a windy road up to the top of the mountain. When you get to the top, their is the historic observatory... and the best part... a clear view of the Hollywood sign! In fact, on a clear day you can see all the way to the ocean! Its amazing... so, plan some time to hike around the park and enjoy the views. It is well worth the time.

The shoot was great and we wrapped around 5pm... so, I hit some traffic on the way back to West Hollywood. I still had time before my dinner meeting, so I stopped off at Bliss Spa on La Cienega for a mani-pedi. Just what this girl needed!

Dinner was sushi again.. but this time, I went to Koi. You know what Koi is... this is the place that you always read about in the rags. This is where Lindsay, Paris and Nicole come to hang. Its a real celeb hang-out and I was thrilled to have on my new size 6 True Religions!!

Now, I have to tell you that dinner at Koi might have changed my life. It was THAT good and totally worth the money you will spend here. We started with some great sashimi... one dish was albacore with these fried onions over the top. They also had this great spicy tuna dish... but, instead of the tuna being in a roll.. it was on top of a hash brown like disc. It was FAB! They then brought out rock shrimp tempura that was tossed in this sauce that was a like a light mayo with a kick. They also brought out some kobe beef and then another fish that was pan seared in soy. All I can tell you... is that it was all GONE and every piece was heaven in my mouth. To die for... so, make your reservation and be sure to ask for James as your waiter. He took great care of us... in fact, we never even looked at a menu. He just brought everything out for us. Really nice.

The next morning, I hit the gym one last time before driving back out to Long Beach for my flight back to DC. Another successful trip to Los Angeles... filled with great meetings, fab shopping and delicious food. God, I love that town.

Next week I am off to New York to attend the Travel Channel Academy. I am staying at a place called Country Inn the City on the Upper West Side. This is supposed to be the best kept secret of New York. We'll see.

Travel On...
Lori