Chowhound: Blu Jam Cafe - West Hollywood

Chowhound is a new entry on Septenary. Since we tend to eat out a lot in LA, be it dinners out, food on the go or brunch/breakys/lunches while working, there's a lot to write about.
More than likely I will be co-listing stuff here that I also post on Yelp but many of you aren't Yelpers and you deserve to get the skinny on the delishisness.

Our Yelp Review:

Eat breakfast like a king, share lunch with your friends & give your dinner to your enemies." So said Camile the chef/owner of Blu Jam as we finished up our family breaky this morning. While my 18 month old daughter gobbled down a *HUGE* bowl of fruit (good fruit, too: blueberries, bananas and strawberries!) my wife powered down the Blu Jam French Toast


and I scarfed my Roma via Paris eggs and potatoes.



We love breakfast out. We have eaten and dozens of morning bistros, griddles and cafes. This one kicks the ass out of each of them.
I say go early, before the shops open and Melrose comes to life when Los Angeles has that sleepy feeling of a city recovering from a helluva night out. Then the parking is easy, there are plenty of seats and the atmosphere is perfect.
If BJC ever put out a cookbook I would be first in line to buy it.


Actual backing music: Frank Sinatra
Suggested background music: Okkervil River.

listening Post: Van Halen - 3

When I was about 15 or 16 my best friend in the summer vacation town of Bar Harbor was a guy named Pete. I met him while we were both prep cooks at the town's greasy spoon. Pete was a metal guy all the way. Used to listen to Pantera before anyone knew who they were. He took me to see Ozzy at the Blizzard of Oz tour stop at the Bangor State Fair, (Randy Rhodes was 5 feet from me and a little band named Def Leppard was the opener). Pete also had a pair of pants tailor painted with white stripes to emulate Eddie Van Halen's guitar. While I was immersing myself in Queen, Pete was learning to shred. I never even gave the Pasadena boys a chance.
Let's remedy that now, shall we?



Van Halen - III - 1998 (Don't Buy it)

Everything you've imagined is true.
I can't get through it.
It's crazy bad.
Cherone sounds like he wishes he was in Queen and not even classic Queen. For some reason Gary is trying to make everything sound like Headlong off the Innuendo album.
The music is worse than generic. It's TRYING to be interesting and failing.
I wanted to be able to say that I made it all the way through but I stopped halfway through. "Dirty Water Dog" was the end for me.
You wanna try? I dare you.
It's just awful.
I want to forget it happened.

Grade F

New Tattoo

Zoe inspired it.
Iden designed it.
Emily inked it.
I wear it.
The Zoe Tat.

Getting ink done.

Sitting in the chair @ purple panther getting the Zoe Logo tattoo done. Hard to type while emily is poking my skin with needles but it'll be worth it.

Update: The tat looks fantastic. The colors, the size, everything. Best way I could think to celebrate ZoZo and how much she means to me.

Snapshot: West Hollywood

During my journeys today I happened to park directly in front of the very first apartment I lived in in los angeles. No, not the columned one with the big windows.
Look down the driveway. See the windows low to the ground? That's a basement apartment. The one I shared with a man who would become a famous director. The one where we had a party where we invited so many strangers. The one where we painted in the walls, and my bed frame was made from milk cartons.
My first pad.

ShoZing

There is no reason for this post except that I am trying out the iPhone app ShoZu.
The above picture is The Hall of Justice. I mean, the Hollywood Bowl.

Firebug? Firefly? Bugaloo?

We spent my mom's last afternoon with us at the (very cool and cheap) Amy's Playhouse in Passdena.

Radiohead: Los Angeles 8/24

Truly an amazing show. Something about the music and this band in particular, with their dystopic sensibilities and desperation through post apocalyptic decay versions of humanity that really lends itself to Los Angeles. There is a disconnect here and the songs that Radiohead chose for the show fit that to a "t". Sadly, now there is the next day buyer's remorse and word comes out that tonight's show will contain more from The Bends and OK Computer.
But, let's just stay with this one.
I've read some comments where people say that the audience was lackluster. I give you that. In LA there is a very real attitude that screams, "Hey, monkeys, entertain me, I'm rich." I think that does happen. I think that's why Springsteen hates to perform here. I don't think the band gave out any more to make the audience participate any more than we already were. Look at the setlist below. It's not exactly sing-song round the campfire time with Radiohead.
Every song from In Rainbows was performed. Which is aswesome. The thing about In Rainbows is that when I listen to it I want to lay back and let the grooves and mood wash over me. Almost as though I'm listening to Jazz or Classical.
And there is a different response from Kid A, of which 1/4 of the show consisted. That album is like a rave concept album. When National Anthem (fucking sexy song, by the way) comes on, I want a glow stick. I want some E.
I thought the audience's response to Paranoid Android was fantastic. I think if there had been just one Fake Plastic Trees, or High and Dry or even Karma Police, you would have seen and heard the Hollywood Audience fill the air with their voices. It's just not the same to try to sing along to Videotape or All I Need or Morning Bell. Songs like that are meant to be washed over the crowd.
Now I am done speaking up for this audience because during one of my favorite pieces, "How to Disappear completely", a sad, desperate song that closes the show before the encore, the gaggle of hens behind me were talking, LOUDLY about dropping something that they concluded they would find when the lights came up. They weren't there because they love the band or the music, they were there because they know Creep and Karma Police. They were there for some hits and maybe they got a taste of it with There There, but I doubt it.
One thing I don't think you do during a Radiohead concert is talk during the songs. And there is a big difference between "What song is this? What album is this from" than "Oh, yeah, Gina called and was wondering if we are going to her place next weekend. I told her that we are going to drive up the coast......blah blah blah." Save that shit for Liars, the opening band. Who weren't bad but could have not been there and no one would have noticed.
All in all, it was a great show. I am glad that Beth was there and that there was so much from the only two albums that she really has ever heard. As I said, Kid A is one sexy mutherfucker. And I played In Rainbows a lot when it came out.
And she loved the show.
As did I.

The Setlist

1. 15 Step
2. There There
3. Morning Bell
4. All I Need
5. Pyramid Song
6. Nude
7. Arpeggi/Weird Fishees
8. The Gloaming
9. The National Anthem
10. Wolf at the Door
11. Faust Arp
12. Exit Music
13. Jigsaw Falling into Place
14. Idioteque
15. Climbing up the walls
16. Bodysnatchers
17. How to Disappear Completely

encore:

Videotape
Dollars and Cents
Paranoid Android
Street Spirit
Reckoner

2nd encore:

House of cards
Lucky
Everything In Its Right Place

listening Post: Van Halen - Balance

When I was about 15 or 16 my best friend in the summer vacation town of Bar Harbor was a guy named Pete. I met him while we were both prep cooks at the town's greasy spoon. Pete was a metal guy all the way. Used to listen to Pantera before anyone knew who they were. He took me to see Ozzy at the Blizzard of Oz tour stop at the Bangor State Fair, (Randy Rhodes was 5 feet from me and a little band named Def Leppard was the opener). Pete also had a pair of pants tailor painted with white stripes to emulate Eddie Van Halen's guitar. While I was immersing myself in Queen, Pete was learning to shred. I never even gave the Pasadena boys a chance.
Let's remedy that now, shall we?



Van Halen - Balance - 1995 (buy it)


Hmmm....
This is a weird thing. Lots, I mean LOTS of people hate this album. I don't.
It's a strange piece but it's also terrific in many respects. "Not enough" sounds like the band's "Innuendo". It smells of Queen, it reeks of Swan Song. Then again, there's also, "Can't Stop Loving You" which sounds like the theme to "Beverly Hills, 90210", I shit you not.
This is a thicker album than VH has made. Maybe the thickest since Fair Warning. Wolfgang's dad is reigned in like a budweiser stallion and we are better for it. This is the triumph of "band" over "Van Halen". And there's a lot to love here.
The first Eddie solo, "Strung Out" is the weirdest thing the band has put on record in a while and I would stand it next to Eruption on almost any day. It helps that it was originally recorded in 83 BEFORE the band's super-duper status.
"Amsterdam" rocks with a thump instead of a thud, as so much of VH's offering have in the past. Even if it is all about partying...so what?
Balance is the best thing Van Halen has done since 5150. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it's the fact that it's Hagar's last with the album that makes it so. I can see a world where he got comfortable and exerted his influence resulting in this album. The power play would piss of Eddie and Alex (the indignant twins) and they would boot him out.
Sounds right to me.
This isn't a Van Halen record. It's a Montrose record. A Hagar album. And it's good.

Update: I wrote this as the album was closing, as the last track "Feelin'" began. I had to get back in here to mention that this song is the heir apparent to Queen. Forget Paul Rogers and all that new crap. Sammy Hagar go it right in 95 and that song is the shit.
That is all.

Grade A
A Side: Amsterdam & Can't Stop Loving You & Don't Tell Me What Love Can Do
BlindSide: All the Instrumentals. Big Fat Money, Aftershock, Not Enough
DownSide: The cover. I mean, just look at that. Blech!

listening Post: Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

When I was about 15 or 16 my best friend in the summer vacation town of Bar Harbor was a guy named Pete. I met him while we were both prep cooks at the town's greasy spoon. Pete was a metal guy all the way. Used to listen to Pantera before anyone knew who they were. He took me to see Ozzy at the Blizzard of Oz tour stop at the Bangor State Fair, (Randy Rhodes was 5 feet from me and a little band named Def Leppard was the opener). Pete also had a pair of pants tailor painted with white stripes to emulate Eddie Van Halen's guitar. While I was immersing myself in Queen, Pete was learning to shred. I never even gave the Pasadena boys a chance.
Let's remedy that now, shall we?



Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge - 1991 (Buy it)

For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge? Get it? The album says "Fuck", Bevis. He he he....yikes. These are grown men.
They sing about Poundcake. Which, I think, is more about pounding someone's cake than Sara Lee. Or maybe it's Sara Lee's Poundcake. Or maybe they want to have sex with dough....I don't know. I don't care.
This sucks.
It's lifeless. It's boring. It sounds like 3rd rate Judas Priest at times. Which is like a notch below Ratt.
There is no there here.
This is one really obnoxious record that sounds, much of the time, like Fingers Bertinelli didn't even listen to the backing section and just asked what key the songs were in and sent some leads over.
The melodies are empty headed and lunk sounding.
The single was good, the rest, not so much.
Van Halen, more and more, are really all about the alchemy of VH, VH, Anthony and Roth. After that, they are pretty much useless.

Grade D
A Side: Right Now
BlindSide: Nothing. I really didn't like this at all.
Downside: The weird talky prog of Pleasure Dome