Harvey

Harvey is probably the cutest, or perhaps the strangest, dog that you've ever seen. That's because he's actually a human. According to his vet, he is a kid inside a dog suit. It's the eyes. What do you suppose he's thinking about?

HARVEY
HUMAN COMPANIONS: Zack & Angie
NICKNAMES: Le Harvs, Boo-tee, Pooch
HOBBIES: Keep away, wrestling, being aloof, begging, barking at passers-by, sniffing, rolling in stank spots
TALENTS:  stair-diving, jumping, sprinting, ankle-biting, shaking, emitting strange sounds
DISLIKES: anything on wheels, small children, Halloween decorations, vacuums
FRIENDS: Charlie, Carlton, Rufus, Bella and humans, Jenny, Suzanne, and Natalie
HANGOUTS: The Pet Set Doggy Daycare, human furniture, Stearns Park, Huntington Dog Beach, Arbor Dog Park, the bathtub, any spot in the sun, the front door

Jalapeños and Cheddar and Waffles, Oh My!

This is no ordinary waffle. Behold the Jalapeño Cheddar Waffle at Omelette & Waffle Shop, a local breakfast hot spot in San Pedro. It may sound strange, but it is truly delicious. The zest of the peppers and cheese is perfectly paired with butter and syrup.  Sweet not only meets savory, but has a full-blown love affair. I am helpless against the powers of this waffle. I was seduced yet again on my second visit to Omelette and Waffle, a favorite of my friends Katie and Matt. On my first visit, I had to share this glorious waffle. The one pictured here was all mine, save one bite, which was shared reluctantly. On my next visit, I will attempt to resist the powers of the JC Waffle. My next selection from their enormous menu? Breakfast burrito? Huevos rancheros?

Delicious Bar Snacks Entice Two Women to Risk Souls and Wallets

Last night was a special night.

My friend Christina has invited me to be her plus one at an exclusive blogger event. We don our high heels and head to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel to check out magician Ivan Modei's Intimate Illusions show. With fifteen minutes to spare before the show, we hurry over to Sidebar, one of the hotel's cocktail lounges. Christina and I order two drinks, a vodka and cranberry and a dirty gin martini, respectively. The friendly barback plops down an array of bar snacks; honey-roasted almonds, wasabi peas, kettle chips, and olives marinated with fennel. Delicious! We crush them. He even gives us water (with lemon) before we ask. The first round is on me. The show is about to start so I quickly calculate the tip and scribble down the total without paying attention.

After Ivan's amazing performance, we poke around the hotel and decide that, indeed, we do need another cocktail. Why not? Round two: two lemon drops and more bar snacks. We have time to sit and relax, observe the scene, sway in our bar stools to some Top 40. Round two is on Christina. The check comes, she hands over her card, and the realization sets in.  We gather my receipts for comparison, recheck the itemized receipt.  Why, yes, those were $17 lemon drops.  Suddenly, it's all clear.  Everything is amplified.  The Dior and false eyelashes, the real-life Housewives of Beverly Hills arguing in the bathroom, the attentive staff, the wannabe Entourage crew wearing sunglasses in the corner, the plastic surgery, the debutantes (yes, really) in the ballroom, the divine bar snacks. Noooooooo! What are we doing here? We rush to the valet stand, wait uncomfortably behind the dozen or so uniformed valets, and let out a sigh (or a giggle?) of relief as we speed off with our souls still intact.  Barely.