Gotta say--lovin' those mannequins on Santee. Here's to chubby trophy wives!

Cool post! I like the "being a tourist in your own backyard" idea. Let us know how really Happy You Can Be No Matter What. And where we can get what that author is smoking!

Not to worry, unless you've broken into the CDC or that lab in Russia, I don't know its name, you haven't spread any smallpox.

Great admiration for the library that actually looks like a library instead of a bank. Guess LA does have something in common with yogurt after all. (JOKE!!)

If you feel that tape series is worth it, you could make knock off copies and flog them on the blog -- unless you'd make Roy, Bob and Frankie slave over the copy machine. None of us would want to contribute to the enslavement of a cat (even though Bob would do it for bacon).

Have a good weekend :)

Can you get me one of those "explicit f*cking lyrics" belt buckles for me? We just don't have cool stuff like that in New England. LOL

I actually learned that no one walks in LA from my favorite British sitcom, "As Time Goes By." :)

Me needs an "Explicit Fucking Lyrics" belt buckle. It would so impress my impressionable kids. Heading down to the Albuquerque "Valley" today to watch my son's baseball game. I think I'll pretend to be a tourist and explore my own back yard.
Big booties for all.

I totally should have bought an 818 belt buckle. Just because.

I love it when you post photos of LA. I miss home...so much.

Oh! I wish we had King Taco in Dallas and not this tex-mex food... Keep the pictures coming!! PLEASE

Wait! I just went to The Crochet Dude's site - you would NOT believe the hook he has -- made me think immediately of something naughty. http://thecrochetdude.blogspot.com/

Laurie - you've got to talk to him -- maybe he'll get you one...... LOL

I want to know if you saw the hot waiter at the Geroges Pompidou cafe????!!!!

What kind of camera do you have or recommend? I really need to break down and get one already. You do need that 818 buckle. My favorite is my USN buckle (US Navy) that my brother gave me when he got out. I like to tell everybody I was in the Navy because I swear like a sailor.

I need to move to LA. Seattle is getting a tee-tiny bit boring for me.

Auntie Purl, would you indulge me in my idiocy, and come on over to my blog and vote for my new hair colour? :)

Ya know, you are makin me want to travel to that distant western land called, Los Angeles.
Libby are ya crazy? Seattle vs LA, Seattle WINS! I'm just sayin is all (CAPism!).

My camera is a Kodak Easy Cam CX6330, and I love it. It wasn't expensive, and it's certainly not a teetiny thing, but it's durable and takes good pictures. Plus, I am one of those old fashioned types who needs to look through the optical viewfinder (you know, like in a regular film camera) so I can't stand those cameras that only let you take pictures by looking at the LCD screen. I am maybe a 102-year-old woman inside LOL.

Libby, I voted!

The Crochet Dude has a big hook. heh heh Oh! And ya'll, thank you so much for clicking and visiting Drew and Yarnzilla.

I am full of tacos.

Somehow the King Taco looked much better than it tasted. Hmmmm.....maybe I wasn't supposed to lick the computer monitor. Damn! Hey, maybe someone more techonologically advanced than me will create a way for us (quasi-normal people) to live like the Jetsons did. Then I could actually TASTE the King Taco treats. :D p.s. Thanks for the links for Lark's music! I'm totally loving it, and will hit the kickoff in Winchester this summer/fall if he does a show.

Thank you, I too need to view through a viewfinder. Love my old 35mm but it is time to go digital. Speaking of old women, you could be my grandma who lived to be 102. It is her picture I posted on your frapper map. Love and miss her muncho.
Libby I voted too.

Mmmm. If there's one thing I miss about California (born & raised in SoCal), it's the plentiful, delicious, easy-on-the-wallet Mexican food. Check out that hot, fat tamale! Yummm. I need to find me a hottie like that here in P-town.

-Helen in Portland

This is just like "L.A. Stories" without Sarah Jessica Parker! If you had just taken us for a colonic, I'd've been all up in your business.

Hmm. 5 Principles for happiness... THAT should be good.

Is cookie dough involved in The principles?

OK. I will stop having fits when I pay $2.60 per gallon for gas. Thank goodness I now have a job to which I can walk. Besides now I can justify the wine at dinner. "What? Oh, I'll burn those calories off tomorrow during my walk." Those tamales also look like a reason to get some walking in -- either down a street or on a treadmill.

Um, you think that price for gas is bad, come north. It was 3.19/3.29/3.39 in SF this weekend. Needless to say I bought my gas out in the burbs where it's 'cheap' (roughly the same prices you showed).

I miss L.A., thanks for all the pics!

mmmmmm, mexican food....I miss LA...

Your photos took me back. This past June we were visiting LA and went to that exact market. Afterwards we ate delicious Mexican food!

mmmm....tacos!

Mmmmmm, I could do with a taco right about now. Pass the hot sauce! :P

There was a song in the 80's called, "No One Walks in LA". I used to think that it was the Pretenders that made that song but later was told that they didn't. Who sang it?

Also: dig the bootylicious mannequins in Santee Alley. At least someone appreciates a woman with a little junk in her trunk.

"Walking in LA" was by Missing Persons. Don't ask me how I know.

Dude, the Fabric/Garment District rules. But don't forget your anti-bacterial gel next time...

Those pictures made me nostalgic for the downtown library. I used to hang out there all the time during my lunch. It’s a nice place, plus you are never for want of reading material. Always a plus ;). Now I don’t even leave my cube except to go to the Friday farmers market, sadly Koreatown is very lacking in interesting places to hang out or even good vegetarian food :(

Everyone around here carries a knockoff LV so it's not even worth it. You carry a cheap plastic croc bag and people stop you on the street and ask you if it is real crocodile skin. As if. If I had a extra grand I wouldn't be buying a purse. I'd be buying yarn.

I would totally buy an 818 belt buckle. I was an 818vDirectory Assitance operator in my distant youth for about a year. Until I lost my mind because it is so boring.

Oh man, now I want a taco. but not from there, from Taqueria Juanitos on Victory and Balboa, MUCH better than King Taco, imo at least.

I miss Cali now, boo.

Laurie...

Your pictures made me miss California so much (born and bread in So Cal). The gas prices got me though. I will be out this summer, and a majority of my family lives in this small town in the Mojave desert, which means I will have to drive from Orange County to there and back again.

Love the chubby trophy wife. I'm going to incorporate that into a sentence within the week.

Miz Purl,

I am may be your newest stalker. I've only gotten up to May 2005 in the archives, but I spent 80% of my workday doing it! And it's only Friday! I can't wait to finally see what the mystery cat whatchamacallit is. Or to find out if you finally broke down and bought a bottle of germicide in order to knit your first clapotis.

I am experiencing my own shitty life altering experience and since I can't smoke and don't drink, I am left only with humor to quell the daily terrors. Thank you for sharing your crazy life with us!

Oh, and I also wanted to comment that the mannequins at the Venice boardwalk shops like Sexetera (next door to the Jewish synagogue, I’ll have to post pictures of that one day), also have the bootylicious form. Interesting. I totally need to go find myself a 310 belt buckle now.

hey- just lurking and found your blog very funny- I'm here in downtown -at run infusion gallery- If you want to see some great art -come on down - I would love to met you .mabey bring a taco/ just kidding. here's my website www.infusiongallery.com

While not as expensive as in LA, gas went up from $2.54/gallon to $2.67/gallon in 20 minutes while I dropped my daughter off at daycare this morning...

WWW.GASBUDDY.COM

Check the prices in your area. Mine SUCK!

I miss the library. Oh my days of unemployment sitting with the stinky homeless folk at the LA Downtown Central Library. Loved it. I am, however, loving my job more...I guess.

I'm totally drooling over those tacos. Guess I'm gonna cook Mexican tonight!

And don't you worry, sugar. Your man will come find you for his chubby trophy wife. It happened to me, and now I've lost a bunch of weight. But see, this way I know he really loves me! It's definitely the way to go!

Forget the tacos...I want a big fat tamale!! I'm going to have to settle for my measly frozen weight watcher's rice and beans...(it's in the freezer right now...and yes, it's 3:13pm and I haven't eaten lunch yet...)

We have thoes same mannequins in our mall here in Houston.. but only at one store. It's called Bu-Yah-Kah or some such.. but really its the hoochie mamma store. lol.

Eureka! I was just browsing opentable for where to take a client in LA next week (Water Grill? R23?) when I flipped over to your post and saw KING TACO.

SOLD!!!

Do they take Diner's Club?

Sheesh. Our gas prices aren't that bad even here in New England. Yet. I love flea markets. I just can't help myself.

Where is King Taco? I'll have to check it out next time I'm in L.A.

Have you been to Tito's Tacos in Culver City?

Tacos Moreno in Santa Cruz. Gotta go sometime, delicious!

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
At some point in the past few weeks, or maybe in the past few days as I am not that observant, really, the price of gas has gone from "Oh, that sucks.." to "Holy crap, can you at least buy me dinner before you try to bleep me?"

Thanks for making me LOL!!! :)

trophy tamale.

*SNORT*!

Yes! King Taco is great! There are tons o' great taco places here in L.A. The best place to check on MANY taco restaurants is Bandini's Great Taco Hunt - http://tacohunt.blogspot.com/
Bandini is, himself, The King of Taco Tasters!

So, Purlie Doll, where are the rest of the Paris photos? More Paris stories?

where is king taco?

i am hungry.

I never really wanted to visit LA before reading your blog, Laurie, but now I do. Those tacos look so good and we have good Mexican food in Austin.

If any of y'all knitters are looking for another place to talk about knitting, some of my friends have started a knitting forum. It's really easy to use and we could really use some new posters. Check it out at www.knittersforum.com

Hmm...the song "Bootylicious" just randomly popped into my head...and now I think I know why! It's from reading all the comments...

And why don't they have those mannequins in all the stores? They're a lot more realistic...(but really, shouldn't they have a corresponding belly bulge?)

Your post began with gas and ended with tacos. Seems a bit backwards, methinks.

Puhleeeze, girls! King Taco? Tito's. Ya, they're pretty good, but....have you been to El Tepeyac? That's the real deal. Even if you work in Downtown L.A., you have to drive a bit (to East L.A), but you will not be disappointed. They're closed on Tuesdays, though. If any of you Downtown L.A. girls want to take a field trip to El Tepeyac, give me a holla!

As for the library, it is beautiful. I am guilty of working very nearby and not getting there as often as I should. It's a great way to spend a lunch hour.

I *almost* went to the Alley today. I controlled myself, though. You do know that Michael Levine has yarn, right? Not as much as the Valley stores, but when you are desperate for a yarn fix and you just happen to be in Downtown L.A., that's about the only place to go. By the way, did they have a 661 belt buckle????

J.

Aw, Laurie- you made me a little homesick! And oooh, I loved the 818 buckles. I knew you'd find them, only the 909 really gets dissed...

HEY...the Santee Alley looks like the bazaar here in Kabul...and BTW...I want my pirated LOST! DVDs back (just kidding).
I'll be your sugar daddy...(just kidding)
Thats all I got.
Out.

I feel like a stalker getting my laurie fix. I freaking love this blog. So funny, you are a true wit, and I love the pics. Cracks me up you walk around with your camera taking pics. Cracks me up how interested I am. Keep clicking and writing!

Now I want to go to California and see LA. (I've never been further west than Chicago so the chances of that happening are slim to it's-just-another-never-to-be-realised-dream. Sigh.)

Is it me, or do the 213 belt buckles seem outrageously oversized? Wonder what they're trying to say about all of us over here in the 'hood. (K-town, represent!)

Laurie, just stumbled upon your wonderful posts recently. Thought it was high time I stopped lurking and said hello. BTW, thanks for the horoscope. Dead on.

Gas is going *up* in the US? It's static here. Mind you, locally it's 92.7p per litre here for el-cheapo unleaded and 98.7p for super-unleaded, which is (Oh god, now I need to do arithmetic).
1 US gallon = 3.785 litres
So. We pay £3.50 to £3.74 per gallon.
£1 = $1.74 (which is about normal in my experience, but I remember $2 = £1), so that's $6.10 to $6.51 per gallon, give or take some crummy maths.

You guys are really catching up with us here (it's so expensive mostly due to the amount of tax we pay, rather than the crude oil price, so I don't quite know why your gas is going up and ours isn't).

I cycle as far as possible (which isn't very far, to be honest), and also use the bus and tube. I can't afford to drive. Petrol and insurance and parking fees to park outside my own flat, and it's just not worth it. Running for the bus is exercise, anyhow.

I should shut up about petrol now. It is a boring subject for a de-lurk.

Have a great weekend,
xxx

Heading for L.A. in May (semi-annual trip to check on family). Will have to try both Santee Market and King Taco. Thanks for the suggestions.

I wonder if the guy on the self-help tape sounds like Troy McLure on the Simpsons, you know, " Hi, do you want self confidence? Then act like an *ss, or better yet, ME!"

Reading this post made me miss California so much. I'm coming back in August so it's not that far off. I love the Fashion District and taco stands too:)

it is time for my yearly L.A. fix. I NEED to go. NOW! WAHHHH!!
L.A. doesn't have a 604 area code does it - one that I could steal for Vancouver. heh heh cause we are soo hardcore up here in canada.

OMG King Taco. I completely forgot about that place. So tasty.

Also, do they still have the McCormick & Shmick's on the top of the library tower? Also so tasty. And excellent after-work specials.

Viva King Taco!

Laurie, you are making me miss home. In a big way. There is no King Taco in North Carolina, but we do have awesome Shrimp 'n Grits.

And if anyone wants to add more roundness to the butt head over to the El Gallo Bakery in East Los Angeles. There is only one El Gallo and they have the best sweet bread (pan dulce) this side of the border. Try the cuernos (Big fat, dense, butter loaded crossiant things. Have one with your coffee and kiss the diet goodbye, and say hello to being bootylicious.) I forget what street its on- but ask any Mexican or Chicano you run into- they'll tell you where El Gallo is. Its a mythic kind of place- kind of like King Taco.

Next door to El Gallo is a tortilla place which makes hand made tortillas. When you buy them they throw the freshest batch in a plastic bag and hand them off to you. Hot. Steaming. You could eat half a dozen in your car just trying to drive home.... don't ask me how I know.

Thanks for the info about a lot of the knockoff stuff being made by child labor. When I refuse to go to purse parties that promote that stuff, I get the "weird" look when I start talking about the dark side of counterfeit goods. And I just received Hello Kitty toilet seat cover that is guaranteed to make you happy!!!

When I was in L.A. last year for work, I think I stayed in a hotel across the street from that library, and had heard it was a hip-happenin' place. Alas, I had no time to visit it, unfortunately. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I didn't hate L.A.!
Note to self: do not rely on satellite GPS to get you around a downtown area with tall buildings that hide the sky.

I am single this week...Husband and kids off on an adventure for Spring Break...I think I will haed over to the Library - I am a Library whore but I have not been to "the" Library before. Hmmm...Road Trip..

Are people really wearing belt buckles with their area codes? EWWWW! (In DC we would need "Zone" buckles because we all have the same area code - both the "cool" parts and the yucky parts...)

Alright, I want to go have some of those tacos and tamales...

The mannequins on Santee may be bootyrific, but those jeans must go! Too.much.bleaching. All it does is make the thighs look larger.

Thanks for the virtual tour of downtown L.A. I live 15 minutes away from downtown and I never make it there. Now I know what to look for.

818 represent! Notice there is no 909. Could be on to something (no offense to you I.E. ers out there).