Luck o' the Papas Fritas

I've now been in L.A. officially for over a year. I am using St. Patrick's Day as an anniversary date as it is one of the most memorable days of my first few weeks in L.A.  I was driving over an hour everyday to my job in Santa Monica, I wore Lakers colors (purple and gold) by accident, I had tea and sandwiches with my Aunt Sybil(not really my Aunt), and I went downtown to a shitty Irish barf-fest with my male roommates where beer was green and it cost 8 dollars.

This year I played things my way. Now I drive one mile to work.  I wore a delightful combination of mint and forest green to work.  I ate a DELICIOUS Philly cheese steak at Cafe Al Dente. I hung at my favorite place, Bar One, with some lovely Jewish American Hos, Tiffany and Lauren. Oh and Beau too.

The highlight of the evening was the walk home from the bar (what a luxury) and a stop at one of the four in a 1 mile radius 7-Elevens by my house where Beau bought me Sabritas Habanero Limon Papas Fritas. Oh dear St. Patrick.  What a treat of potatoey goodness.  

These babies brought the heat with a twinkle of lime.  I need a glass of H2O near by to fully enjoy them as I am a wuss when it comes to spice.  Overall they are a surprisingly flavorful chip that I fully intend on adding to my 7 Eleven jaunts every now and then.  

All in all I had a pretty spectacular St. Patrick's Day, followed by a beautiful, warm day at Pointe Dume in Malibu.  I'm happy to be L.A. 

My Sour Valentine

I love Valentine's Day.  I always have, even when I'm a single lady (oof, I don't like that phrase anymore), and I always will.  Truthfully any holiday with the promise of food, candy and dressing up in specific colors or outfits to identify that you are indeed celebrating that holiday is alright by me.  

This year was a single affair, although I did expect at least a giant heart shaped cookie cake out of the day, and courtesy of my work Valentine, Mair, I had a frosting covered rainbow chip delight, along with a festive pack of Airheads candy.  I gave out Valentine's bearing the image of my 2008 obsession, a Waste Allocation Load Lifter *Earth class and a Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator.  The Sweetheart candies produced by the same people who bring you Necco wafers that were part of the folded valentines, were not as popular as the homemade treats delivered by my co-workers.

My night ended up the opposite of what I expected (although I really had few expectations)

and I found myself wandering around my neighborhood 7-11 at about 11:30pm in search of my much craved for comfort chip, Lay's Sour Cream and Onion. I had already finished the bag of Zapp's Spicy Creole Tomato Spiked with Tabasco early on in the week.  A true delight in the Zapp's flavor line-up.  My worries of too much spice to make for an enjoyable chip were silly.  It was a perfect, tangy and savory, crunchy kettle chip with the most enjoyable kick of spice.  Zapp's, will you be my post-Valentine?

At first, it appeared the 7-11 did not carry my much needed crisps, and considering I had just walked 3 blocks in the

 frigid Los Angeles night air (it was at least 40 F, haters!), I was facing the fact that I just might need to compromise on the 7 Select Brand of Sour Cream and Onion Kettle Potato Chips.  Then at long last, I found my savior taters, the Lay's Sour Cream and Onion, and I knew the night would be less lonely, especially with the three bags I stuffed in my 7-11 bag.  I also brought the 7-11 in house brand home with me, to accompany the 7-11 staple, the Double Gulp, mixed inside, Dr. Pepper and Diet Dr. Pepper.  

When my Valentine's and I arrived home, we cozied up to the PowerBook with my over watched DVD copy of 'Gone With the Wind' and a much smaller than the afternoon's cookie cake covered in Valentine themed icing.   I finished all those bags within 12 hours.  

The 7-11 Select Sour Cream and Onion Kettle Chips weren't too nice,  they reminded me of french onion powdered soup mix with the tiniest flecks of green onion in the aftertaste.  The Lay's, however, remain my all time favorite, widely available potato chip.

As long as I have the foods that erase my sadness, and a metabolism that keeps me from acquiring a fat ass, Valentine's Day will remain satisfying, despite my relationship status.