Hazel "Literally!!" Q.'s Profile

I know that purple neon sign from Urban Outfitters is luring - nay - practically sucking you in like a vortex of manufactured cool, but be strong. Use all of your might to ignore it and instead storm right into Popkiller across the way.

I will admit though, this store does make me feel like an out of touch adult. You remember the out of touch adults from when you were a kid right? You're telling inside jokes about TMNT and George Michael and the out of touch adults try to laugh like they understand what the hell you're talking about. The tables have turned. Some of the things in this store almost make me want to say out lout, "I don't get it." or "That's a thing?" or "People are wearing those again?" But I don't dare lose what miniscule amount of cred I have, so I just smile and chuckle fake knowingly.

Aside from the things that totally make me feel old, this store is filled with all kinds of awesome. Lots of t-shirts that are definitely more original than UO across the way, so much jewelry you may just renounce Etsy forever. and really just all sorts of random other gift items and accessories and clothing. For such a teensy store, it really packs a punch.

Best of all? Everything is totally reasonably priced. Not super cheap, but definitely affordable and won't make you wonder if the pricetags have a typo.
I love finding a store that I can go into and leave with a gift in hand that's perfect for any number of people on any number of occasions - and that's exactly what you can do at Popkiller.

Santa Ana is generally my DMV of choice, but it turns out the Fullerton one ain't to shabby either. For some odd reason I'm staunchly against DMV appointments. You have to set an appointment no less than 10 days in advance. It's just a bit silly. So, it means I've gotta find a DMV that doesn't take 3.5 hours for a simple task.

Fullerton has this under control. Seriously, they get you in and out of the colorless hell that is the DMV. Everyone is right on top of things, and you'll spend less than a half hour here if everything goes according to plan.

So, basically what I'm trying to say is please, please, please don't ever go to the Fullerton DMV and leave this lone beacon of light of government offices to shine for me and me alone.

And I thought reviewing my gynecologist was getting too personal, no, THIS is getting personal. But, looking for a therapist is such a shot in the dark, I'm forever grateful for Stephanie's review of Dr. Asturias from a few years ago, so I figured it's time I pay it forward.

I've been to a therapist or two in my day, but some were just plain awful and some were just so boring or new agey that we just didn't mesh. After a tough year or so, I decided to try again. Enter Dr. Asturias.

Not to do the whole Catherine Zeta-Jones thing, but yeah, I've dealt (or "suffered" as they say) with depression for, well, for a long fucking time. It's one of those things you feel like you're not really supposed to talk about, but if you do you're being an attention whore or something. Screw it, sometimes things just ARE. Anyway, even throughout other trials and tribulations and other doctors and lazy psychiatrists, I can say I never really understood it until now. Dr. Asturias has really helped me understand... well... me.

Here's what's funny about me reviewing a psychologist: I HATE talking about myself. I can talk about bacon or last week's Homeland or the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow for hours upon hours. When it comes to me. *shudder* The point is, this man should receive a medal for dealing with a patient like me who doesn't understand the whole concept of talking about oneself. His patience is amazing. (I guess his patients are too, if I don't say so myself.)

I was hesitant about visiting another therapist, period, and even moreso because he's male. I know, I'm a total sexist, but it did give me pause. He's just all kinds of fantastic though. And is just real. I feel like some therapists just spout out random cliches and junk, but he is very self-aware if he's using a cliche and lets me joke about the whole thing, but still makes sure I take my whole situation seriously.

Speaking of cliches, I know it's the most cliche thing to say about a psychologist, but what the hell, I'll say it anyway - he totally saved my life. It's true. I've been through some goddamn dark times in my head, and I can honestly say that even though I've only been seeing him six months, I feel better about myself than I have in 15 years. And I'm excited about the future and even, dare I say... happy.

I've been lucky enough to get to know Laura through Yelp actually and have had the chance to order a few things from her business, Apples & Oranges lately. I haven't given a huge order yet, but I have had her print some banners for me from time to time.

Things that are awesome about working with Apples & Oranges:
-Prompt! Emails are returned immediately. Which is huge, so many print shops make you wait and wait and you have no idea if they got your file. Laura is right on top of things.
-Informative. I always get all my options and advice from Laura on the best way to go with things.
-Quality. Yep. Best banners I've had. They do good work.

Look, I know it's not my most exciting review, but sometimes you just need practicality, ya know? I'm definitely gonna be back for some more printing projects soon.

This place being directly across from Broadway spells nothin' but trouble for a grazing gal like myself. I haven't had a sit-down dinner at Three Seventy Common yet, but after hearing about their private whiskey dining room, I can't wait to. I did have a chance to grab a bite and a bev at the bar.

The bone marrow with chimichurri is so damned deliciously perfect. It just melts in your mouth and the spices are excellent. They've got a good beer list and a great cocktail menu. I had a tasty gin buck made by an ever-so-friendly bartender, and I was sad I wasn't in for a long night of drinking because it definitely made me crave more.

So, I've only had a smidge of what Three Seventy Common has to offer, but rest assured I'll be back soon. And often.

It's been here a while now, but I'll still always call it "the new location." And I'm absolutely in love with the design of this location. The old spot on 2nd street was packed to the rafters with music and dvds and toys and books and everything. The place has more stuff, but so much more space. It's so airy in there, and the architecture is all kinds of fantastic. Plus there's an entire book section now, sure, it's not a huge book section, but it has it's own section, and that's always a plus in my book.

Yeah, yeah. We live in a digital age. I know. Still, few things beat the magic of an amazing local record store. Everyone should stop in here and drop a few bucks from time to time.

The only bad thing I have to say is, it's too bad they aren't open late-night/bar hours, because the drinks are works of art.

I haven't had a chance to grab a full dinner at Broadway yet, but I was able to snag a seat at the bar on a recent Thursday evening and, if sitting at the bar is this great I can't imagine how incredible the chef's table must be.

The problem about trying to write about a cocktail menu is... well, naturally your memory of said cocktail menu will tend to be a bit fuzzy. But trust. It's simply amazing. It's the sort of bar that you can go to and ask the barkeep for something delicious and he'll whip up something akin to a Portlandia-esque cocktail filled with whiskey and love. ( http://www.hulu.com/wa... )

Admittedly I didn't try a ton of the food, but I did have some splendid brussels sprouts. I mean, how many times in your life have you had brussels sprouts that were "splendid?" Even though these little green balls of fury are all the rage these days, I can assure you, you haven't enjoyed brussels sprouts until you've had them at Broadway.

The real gem of what I tried though - wasabi sorbet. It comes with the hamachi dish, and it's goddamn out of the world. It has the most perfect texture, just a bit of that wasabi kick, is icy cold and just all kinds of delicious.

If you didn't have a chance to make a reservation and you find yourself in the neighborhood, I totally recommend trying to catch a seat at the bar - but I'm 99.9% sure a real dinner will be 999.9% more amazing.

I may never be the outdoor type, but in keeping with one of my resolutions this year, I'm trying to enjoy the great outdoors a bit more. So, after a bit of research I opted for Santiago Oaks to begin this whole "outdoorsy" thing.

As everyone mentioned, these trails are all dog-friendly. So we packed Penny up and headed out. Sadly, Charlie had to stay at home, she's a bit of a priss and I have a feeling we would have had to carry her by the end of the day if we took her.

You do get some great views of Orange County from up there. Maybe some of the trails are shadier than others, I'm not sure, but we went on a perfectly mild day, so it didn't matter. It does seem like it could be a bit brutal in the summer though.

I've gotta say though, this was a good start to my journey of become an outdoorsy gal. The trails weren't too difficult, I could take my pup, there were lots of trail options, a great little lunching/picnic area, and clean bathrooms. I'll definitely be back for my next dose of vitamin D.

Two new year's resolutions, one stone: Save money. Eat more veggies. Bam! Top Valu is where it's at. Don't get me wrong, I love the farmer's market, and do get a good chunk of veggies there every week, but wowzers, Top Valu is amazing for cheap produce. Better selection and cheaper than most other ethnic markets around.

Seriously, four cucumbers for a buck? That's 75% cheaper than Ralphs. Lots and lots and lots of veggies for great prices. The seafood section isn't huge, but it's nothing to scoff at either with some really great deals on fish and seafood. Plus you can pick up some carne asada and other goodies here too. Sure, it's far from the nicest neighborhood in Long Beach, but it's definitely a place to go and save a few bucks while still stocking up on fresh veggies.

If you're not Korean, don't be too intimidated by shopping at a Korean market for the first time. For the most part, Zion Market isn't all that scary at all.

The produce is generally cheaper than, say, Vons, but not as cheap as your local Mexican grocer. What shines here is the fish department. It is a bit more intimidating here, but they are all friendly enough and will get you a fresh fish to take home in no time.

Honestly though, my favorite thing about Zion Market is the sashimi bowl. It's $5.99 and it's one hefty bowl of fish and salad. And if you're on a diet of any sort, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal for take-out anywhere.