Sunday Good Times

I am officially an old lady. Why? I got together with Amber, Wan, tater, Lilcee, and Jen yesterday to walk. You read that right. Walk. Granted we did a couple miles, but still. We were walking on a Sunday morning. Hags!

Post-walk, we went to the Farmer's Market to grub.

We stopped briefly at Nike.

I liked tater's shirt.

We hit Barnes & Noble, too.

Amber, Wan, and Jen opted for just crepes at lunch, while tater, Lilcee, and I headed to Loteria Grill first for yummy huevos con chorizo and ended with sweet waffles and crepes for dessert. Three cheers for variety! As usual, my meal from Loteria was simple and well done, and my classic butter and sugar crepe from The French Crepe Company exceeded my admittedly low expectations.

It was cold in the shade. All look same!

Trisha came to meet us for lunch, and we celebrated Trishmas (her birthday, for those of you unfamiliar with the term) with a cupcake and a book.

After lunch, we walked back to Amber's place and played with Wan's baby for a bit. That baby is so damn cute and so incredibly un-fussy and happy.

I do believe she is the happiest baby I have ever encountered, and even I was delighted by her joyful noises. Seriously good baby. That's high praise coming from me.

One thing that possibly delighted me more? A custom-made Lilcee Original! tater talks about it here in all its glory. It's a neat little pouch for my Nike+ to attach to my non-Nike shoes.

Thank you so much, Lilcee! I love it! It even matches my shoes and is totally cuter than those sold in stores.

Hours (and several loads of laundry) later, I went to dinner with Papa Monkey at Good Time Cafe (140 W. Valley Blvd., #209, San Gabriel), which serves inexpensive Taiwanese food in a no-frills environment. The service is excellent -- very friendly and polite -- which is a rarity in places like this.

The food is satisfying but not outstanding. I would go back, but I wouldn't be dying to do so. I was impressed by the "A" rating, though, which is another rarity for places like this. I really wish the food were a smidgen better. Then this place would probably be a Monkey favorite.

Bi-ko is glutinous rice with some mushrooms and meat in it. It is slightly firmer than the sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves that you often find at dim sum. The bi-ko was done quite well. The Taiwanese meat ball (rou yuan in Mandarin, ba-wan in Taiwanese) had a lovely chewy rice skin, but I was not impressed by the flavor of the meat and bamboo shoot filling. This is one of my favorite dishes, so I was very sad it wasn't up to par.

The fried tofu was dry and borderline bad. The sauteed oysters were eaten entirely by Papa Monkey, as I do not eat bivalves.

Good Time Cafe's pork gua bao had a nice sauce and the flavor of the meat was palatable, but the quantity and quality of meat was sorely lacking. Too much fat! Too little meat! I also like my gua bao with more crushed peanuts and sugar. The sauteed small bok choy was adequate and nothing special.

What was sort of special was the conversation that Papa Monkey and I had. I don't know why, but my parents always feel the need to discuss Brother Monkey's future with me instead of with Brother Monkey himself.

Papa Monkey is very concerned about Brother Monkey's career and thinks that Brother Monkey should take the LSAT again (Brother Monkey took it long ago and got an amazing score, but it has since expired) and go to law school. This makes me sad for too many reasons to enumerate.

I wouldn't wish the legal profession on anybody, let alone my dear little brother. Almost every lawyer I know is totally disenchanted, disillusioned, and disgruntled. It's a career that creates dissatisfaction. Those lawyers who aren't disappointed with their jobs are simply hanging on semi-complacently. Others are too early in their careers to have been totally beaten down.

Yet.

I can probably count on one hand the lawyers I personally know who are truly happy about being lawyers.

And that is sad.

Brother Monkey is so talented in so many ways. I think the world of law would be a waste of his creativity.

Papa Monkey worries about Brother Monkey's financial stability and his capacity to sustain a family. Really heavy stuff. Papa Monkey seems to think that Brother Monkey should go into academia or eventually become a judge.

Ability is not an issue. Brother Monkey could basically do anything he wants. He is that smart and that capable. The real question is whether Brother Monkey has any interest at all in pursuing these paths.

Frankly, it makes me incredibly depressed to imagine my joke-writing brother reduced (yes, reduced!) to just another (yes, just another!) serious intellectual.

Mr. Monkey's cousin asked me three years ago whether she should go to law school. I gave her an emphatic HELL NO. Even after listening to me carefully explain all the reasons that the legal field is a Black Hole of Misery, she still went to law school, and now she is fretting about job placement and this and that.

[cue "Hate to Say I Told You So" by The Hives]

I simply want Brother Monkey to be happy and not have to do something boring like I do.

But maybe being boring is a part of achieving stability.

And maybe stability is a part of growing up.

Demurrer, Dots, and Dueling Sandwiches

Who is the Queen of Demurrers?

I am! I am!

I had a hearing in Pasadena today. It's always nice when you get to court and see a slip of paper that says the judge agrees with you. Resoundingly. This, my friends, is what we call a favorable tentative ruling.

Suh-weet!

It's rare that judges will reverse a tentative, so I was all smiles while I sat in court and waited for my case to be called. I'm a Nervous Nellie, though, so, while smiling, I still flipped through my papers in preparation. Opposing counsel, who was an old white guy, was not all smiles while he flipped through his papers. I love beating old white guys.

After winning my argument (and I hardly argued -- such is the beauty of having your writing convince the judge of your point before oral argument), I went to Dots Cupcakes. For me, no appearance at the Pasadena courthouse is complete without a visit to Dots. I actually look forward to going to the Pasadena courthouse because of Dots. Every courthouse should have a cupcakery nearby. It would make life so much better.

When I got to Dots, it was closed! Well, closed before it opened at 10 a.m. So what did I do? What any cupcake-loving monkey would do -- I sat in my car and waited 10 minutes until Dots opened. Ridiculous, I know, but I took this opportunity to call my buddy Pescado and catch up a little with him on old firm gossip. At 10 a.m., I told Pescado that I had to go get my cupcake on, and I opened the doors to sweet sweet goodness.

Whoomp.

That's what happens to you when you open the door to Dots. You get hit with the yummiest smell, a delightful conglomerate of vanilla and chocolate and heaven.

The Shark's birthday was two days ago, so I thought that was a good reason to get a dozen cavity-inducing goodies for the office. I also got another four to enjoy at home with Mr. Monkey.

When I got to work, everybody marveled at the sugary masterpieces. I got one of each flavor available today. The Shark got first pick in honor of his belated birthday. These babies went bye-bye in a matter of minutes. Good thing I stashed away those extra four in a safe place.

You'd think that would be the end of my food adventures for the day.

Nope.

Bax and I went to Mr. Baguette for lunch to see how it compares to Lee's Sandwiches.

I got a chicken baguette and an iced coffee. Bax got turkey and cheese on a croissant.

See how eerily similar our adventure at Lee's was!

We both liked our meals, but we are bigger fans of Lee's. Maybe it's because we had high expectations for Mr. Baguette or because we were so hungry when we ate at Lee's last time. I'm not really sure, but it's hard to pinpoint exactly why we both prefer Lee's. I think we need a side-by-side taste test to put this issue to rest.

In totally unrelated news, my beloved The Original Texas Barbecue King has been razed to make room for more units of that damn Orsini apartment complex. Ugh. I am sad. It's not exactly R.I.P. time, as BBQ King has moved to a new location at 53rd and Vermont, but I will no longer have finger-licking-good baby backs just a few minutes away. Boo! Curse you, Orsini! You are a useless monstrosity!

Finally, in more unrelated news, I rode my elliptical today for 30 minutes again, but I ramped it up to level five from its previous level four. I was pleased with the 3.70 miles I did on the higher level. It was harder with that extra resistance.

Happy Happy Pizza Pizza

I don't know what it is, but I've been near deliriously happy recently. Maybe it's all the sunshine. I love spring!

My day started off with some review of documents and then a telephonic hearing. I love telephonic hearings. There's nothing like sitting with all your papers in front of you and being prepared for just about anything. It's like an open-book test! Complainant was in pro per. Sometimes I feel bad going against unrepresented folks. It's just not a fair fight.

[Note to readers: Never represent yourself!]

The hearing was uneventful. Complainant was ill-prepared (again), and we didn't discuss anything substantive (again). When that was through, I hopped right onto a conference call. What a snoozer!

By the time all my telephoning was done, I was ready for lunch. Giggles and I went off-campus to Bollini's Pizzeria Napolitana. Small, unassuming, and located in a run-down strip mall, I didn't expect much.

I was more than pleasantly surprised, and I'll definitely be back!

We shared an arugula salad (arugula, fresh corn, smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms, teardrop tomatoes, goat cheese, and red wine vinaigrette) and the Steak Special Pizza (horseradish sauce, onions, gorgonzola, mozzarella, herbs, marinated steak, arugula, and black pepper). The bacon is on the side because Giggles doesn't eat bacon, but I sure do! Crunch, crunch, mmm!

I really enjoyed all the food. The salad was fresh and flavorful. The pizza was thin, crunchy, chewy, smoky, and delish. Prices are reasonable; our meal cost about $23 pre-tip. Monkey-approved! Monkey-recommended!

The rest of the day flew by. I love when days don't drag.

I rode my elliptical for 30 minutes when I got home. I did 3.75 miles. It's not running by any means, but it's a start. I just need to get into the habit of exercising again.

Brunching Crew and Running Shoes

I frantically searched for my Tacori hair pins this morning. I was meeting some friends for brunch, including Jane, the intended recipient of my lovely pins. She's getting married this Saturday!

The lovely pins have been put to very good use. Obviously, I wore them on my own wedding day, but I also lent them to Winnie and tater for their weddings.

After e-mailing the girls that I might show up empty-handed because I'm totally scatterbrained and misplaced the mother-of-pearl lovelies, I finally found them! For some reason, they were sitting in the sad monkey "baby" favor bag that mrs. shorty cake had made especially for me for Wan's baby shower.

Phew!

I met Jane, tater, Lilcee, and Wan at The Kitchen for a yummy brunch. I was really relieved that I didn't need to show up empty-handed, and I happily handed over the Tacori pins to the next bride.

tater and I heeded The Kitchen's chalkboard sign and had sangria and a mimosa, respectively.

We all shared an appetizer of macaroni and cheese with extra sharp cheddar cheese and garlic cream sauce. The flavor was quite good and the macaroni al dente. While thoughtfully seasoned, I think it could've used a tad more *oomph* and perhaps an ever-so-slight touch of softness. Truth be told, I like my mac 'n' cheese a little mushier. The garlic was a great modification of the familiar comfort food, though.

I had a breakfast sandwich with prosciutto, fried egg, frisee, and bleu cheese. tater chose the pear pancakes with caramel sauce, accompanied by bacon and potatoes. Jane opted for a scramble with avocado, mushrooms, bacon, and provolone. Lilcee dined on a scramble with tomato, basil, bacon, and mozzarella. Not pictured are Wan's herb baked eggs topped with parmesan and accompanied by bacon and potatoes.

Being the little Joy Luck Club that we are (this is what one Kitchen employee called us, no joke), we all sampled each other's entrees and said, "Mmm." The Monkey gives thumbs up to The Kitchen, notwithstanding her being labeled an Amy Tan character by The Kitchen staff. The most expensive brunch item is $11, so the meal was not outrageously priced.

After brunch, Lilcee, Wan, and I headed to A Snail's Pace at the Paseo Colorado in Pasadena.

It was sort of an impromptu group trip. I'd planned to go all along to get fitted for new running shoes. I mentioned this at brunch. It just so happened that Lilcee needed a new visor, while Wan also needed to get fitted for shoes, so we made it a group outing!

A salesperson helped Wan and me get the right shoes for our feet (yes, "me" -- if you don't understand why, read my previous mini grammar rant about this). Here's Wan running in the store.

I wear a neutral running shoe because I have little to no pronation. We discovered this when the salesperson carefully observed my feet as I ran up and down the back hall. Rumor has it, sneaky Lilcee got a video of me running in my rolled-up jeans. It is possible that this video may surface soon. I am already embarrassed at the mere thought.

[UPDATE: She did. Here it is.]

I tried on four pairs of neutral shoes: Adidas, Brooks, Saucony, and Mizuno. The Adidas were really light and cushioned. I felt like I was running on a cloud. The Brooks were weirdly pointy and stiff. The Saucony shoes were comfortable enough, but not as cloud-like as the Adidas. The Mizunos were extremely light, and I *felt* fast in them.

My faves were the Adidas adiStar Cushion 6 and Mizuno Wave Rider 11. Here are some better pics than the ones above.

The salesperson told me to put one on each foot, and it was instantly clear which was the better shoe for me. Even though I really loved the look of the Mizunos, there was no comparison. The Adidas were awesome. Cloud, I tell you! Wan posited that I may have preferred the Adidas because I wear Adidas so much, and I think she's right. I already have five pairs at home, two of which I wear rather frequently.

I leave you with a Run D.M.C. classic:

My Adidas walked through concert doors
And roamed all over coliseum floors
I stepped on stage at Live Aid
All the people gave, and the poor got paid
And out of speakers I did speak
I wore my sneakers but I'm not a sneak
My Adidas cuts the sand of a foreign land
With mic in hand, I cold took command
My Adidas and me, close as can be
We make a mean team, my Adidas and me
We get around together, rhyme forever
And we won't be mad when worn in bad weather
My Adidas
My Adidas
My Adidas

Standin' on 2 Fifth Street
Funky fresh and, yes, cold on my feet
With no shoe string in 'em, I did not win 'em
I bought 'em off the Ave with the black Lee denim
I like to sport 'em that's why I bought 'em
A sucker tried to steal 'em, so I caught 'em and I fought 'em
And I walk down the street, and I bop to the beat
With Lee on my legs and Adidas on my feet
And now I just standin' here shooting the gif
Me and D and my Adidas standing on 2 Fifth
My Adidas
My Adidas

Now me and my Adidas do the illest things
We like to stomp out pimps with diamond rings
We slay all suckers who perpetrate
And lay down law from state to state
We travel on gravel, dirt road, or street
I wear my Adidas when I rock the beat
On stage, front page, every show I go
It's Adidas on my feet, high top or low
My Adidas
My Adidas

Now the Adidas I possess for one man is rare
Myself, homeboy, got 50 pair
Got blue and black cause I like to chill
And yellow and green when it's time to get ill
Got a pair that I wear when I'm playin' ball
With the heal inside make me 10 feet tall
My Adidas only bring good news
And they are not used as selling shoes
They're black and white, white with black stripe
The ones I like to wear when I rock the mic
On the strength of our famous university
We took the beat from the street and put it on TV
My Adidas are seen on the movie screen
Hollywood knows we're good if you know what I mean
We started in the alley, now we chill in Cali
And I won't trade my Adidas for no beat up Bally's
My Adidas

Clearly, this will be on my Nano when I run!