Bristol Farms in a pinch?

I went into the Beverly Hills Bristol Farms yesterday - just to do some research.

Wow they have beautiful foods!

But... I still have reservations about their meats...

Garth, who works in the meat department, saw that I was looking but not buying - so he engaged me in a conversation that I wouldn't have ventured in, but he drew it out of me...

He wanted to know why I was seeking grass-fed beef as opposed to the beef they carried which is valued for its superior flavors and marbling. Garth explained that their cows are not pumped with hormones or antibiotics (good, and good) - and while BF considered carrying grass-fed beef, they opted against it because most of the available Grass-Fed beef comes from Uruguay. Kinda far - and not good for that carbon footprint.

I broached the subject gingerly - I didn't want to sound like I was pontificating - I also didn't want to sound like I was an authority on the subject.

But I do have genuine concerns - so I explained about how the grains are toxic to the cows - and how they go to slaughter at such a young age (because they'll get too sick and can't live beyond the 14months) and the questions about the feed being given to the cows - whether it's GMO or not, and the fat content (good for flavor - bad for health) Omega-3 & vitamin levels... all stuff that I've mentioned in earlier posts and can be found on countless websites...

BTW - O!burger's beef comes from Uruguay... not very Local... (not that good).

I also asked about their lamb. Grass fed but grain finished... The lamb used to be imported from New Zealand - which was all grass fed - but didn't have a good shelf life once it got to the store...

But Garth seemed genuinely interested in my thoughts and perspective and why I was seeking these items. Perhaps because of our conversation, the topics we discussed might be addressed on their corporate level.

On the plus side - BF has certificates for all their vendors - and can easily trace back all sources of the food they provide. They don't carry hormone/antibiotic pumped meats... But I still won't get my chickens from them (I don't want to eat chickens fed soybeans).

O-Burger! I ate meat today!

I finally tried a new burger joint that opened in We-Ho recently. I called up Miss Julie K and wanted to see if she was game for lunch and indeed she was. This is all in the name of research, so it's ok for me to spend some money here.

O-Burger touts its all Grass-Fed Meats and all Organic produce as the thing that makes it special.

Impressions?

Well, the burger was good. How can I rate it though... the price was $7.99 ($8.65 with tax) and for an extra $3 you can make it a combo and get fries and a drink. It's expensive... but I'm still going thru sticker shock as prices are climbing everywhere across the board... But if I'm limiting the times that I am eating out - and this is a once in a while treat, perhaps the price is acceptable considering what it is. This definitely ain't McDonald's.

Julie thought it was too sauce-y for her liking... and i did see how the sauce was dripping from her burger. I liked mine perfectly well. She also didn't like the sweet pickle, but I loved it.

Julie took great pix with her phone, and once she emails them, I'll have some cute stuff to post.

I waited almost 2 hours for the bus????

When: Saturday Night
Where: Hollywood Blvd. at Cahuenga
Time: 12:30am

Theoretically, I'd have been home by about 1:15am depending on if I'd get the connecting bus on Wilshire or if I'd have had to walk.

Actual arrival time: 3:10 am.

The 217 bus runs once an hour (owl service) and should pick up from Hollywood and Cahuenga at 35 past the hour.

I arrived at 12:30 - 5 minutes early.

and waited

and waited

saw the Eastbound 217 go by

still waited

it's 1 am now.

still waiting...

(overheard: "hey - check it out - that bitch [me] is still waiting there - hahah")

mortified - i glanced at my watch

now it's 1:30 - time for the next bus to come...

crickets? not even... just the sounds of honking/sirens/loud drunk people... Hollywood Blvd. is a traffic jam - with crazy drivers...

another Eastbound 217 goes by.

some homeless 19 year old kid from Idaho started talking with me. I was thankful for the conversation... he'd noticed me an hour earlier (imagine an exaggerated eye roll here).

Now it's past 2am. The bars are all closing down... and I'm still waiting!

What time does the bus come?

2:15!!!

I was there for 1 3/4 hours. trying to be responsible - reduce congestion - avoid drunk drivers... doing my part... but if the bus that's supposed to run once an hour comes almost 2 hours late, why would I ever subject myself to the humiliation and waste of time ever again?

True it was congested - traffic was barely crawling. The trip that takes 20 minutes was about 40. But still - 2 buses should have passed during the time I waited... I saw 2 eastbound buses go by - why not West bound?

To add insult to injury:

The bus pulls up at Wilshire just as the Wilshire bus is stopped at a red. I run to the bus - and it's Standing-Room-Only.

She didn't even open the doors for me.

It's 2:45 in the morning - and she leaves me - a single white female standing on the curb.

#$*% and @!^%

I had to walk the rest of the way and got home around 3am.

I'm NEVER EVER EVER taking the bus on a Friday or Saturday night EVER AGAIN!

Epiphany time

A friend pointed out to me today... said I've been slacking on my blog...

yeah - there's a reason...

I had an epiphany... i got bored of talking about politics... and because my blog is called "political idealism" i thought i would be betraying it if i simply returned to talking about the mundane... about my daily experiences...

but i suppose that's what made my blog unique - that i could just talk about MY experiences and struggles and successes - and my particular insight.

so i returned that noam chomsky book to the library - and instead i'm reading Gorgeously Green.

It's more useful to me. Very approachable. Easy steps to find ways to change without turning all granola, sandal-wearing nouveau hippie on you all.

Monkey Business?

Could he be talking about me?

Do Not Disturb?

Ipod = the modern day "Do Not Disturb" sign.

I have one - don't get me wrong.

And when I wear it, I'm basically saying - "don't talk to me - i'm in my own world".

But I limit my ipod usage to when i'm on a workout machine at the gym, or flights where i'm trying to sleep... and especially when i'm sitting next to someone I have no interest in talking to.

I see so many people on the bus and the subway wearing them - but I could never do that. Even walking on the street...

I'd rather hear street sounds and keep tuned-in to the world rather than tuned-out.

I tried to listen to my Ipod one day last week while walking to the bus stop and taking the bus/subway - but I felt so vulnerable. I hated it. I felt like anyone could sneak up on me - that I was susceptible to attack. I also felt like I could miss important signals - like cars honking or sirens wailing or info from some loudspeakers. I don't understand how so many people just tune out to the world by popping those earbuds in their ears.

When I worked with the AIDS Marathon training program - so many of the runners kept insisting on listening to their ipods while running - yet as a site assistant - I had to act like a running cop by telling them to stop. I did a marathon 4 years ago (dreadful experience - had food poisoning that made my marathon last 7 hours). I didn't use an Ipod. I didn't want to - i couldn't imagine! I wouldn't have been able to hear the cheers of the crowds - the different music all around - the ipod would have taken me out of the experience.

I'd rather be awake and alert than in a zone while out and about in the city.

On a Downtown Train

I've been riding the trains lately. Metrolink to be specific.

I took this job - a part-time gig - that afforded me the opportunity to ride the Metrolink trains and hand out surveys.

It's more of a research project for my own personal interests than having a job for the sake of getting paid. It's provided me with a lot of insight and has been quite informative.

But the hours have been odd (to say the least). Some shifts started at 4am. Meaning I had to wake up at about 2:30am just to get ready and get to Union Station on time. So I've neglected my writing for a bit... but I'm loaded with a wealth of information which I will begin to share again starting this week.

Along with the evils of Palm Oil & Palm Kernel Oil... but that's another blog... for another day...