chris "Mister Blinky" k.'s Profile

Wow... This place is not town tire... Check out my Photos~!

As I wondered why they kept the place looking so much like my favorite old tire & fix-it shop. I ventured in.

Imagine an old car fix-it shop with worn exposed brick and concrete where each of the old garages are transformed into a mini-boutique...

Now imagine me naked...

Just kidding, but the place is about as shocking as Mr. Blinky naked. Because each "Garage" has a different motif. From bedroom accessories of bath salts, perfumes, bed sheets. Then move to the next garage. You have furniture or outdoor pots or planter. Its not Arte Mexico but it is interesting and eclectic.

Need a new muffler? No they don't have that but go back further into the "garage" and search out an amazing supply of orchids and other greenhouse dandies..  Think if Gomer Pyle had returned from the Marines and admitted he was as gay as Ricky Martin... But loved the grease stained concrete too much to go Louis XIV on you..

Eventually you will make it to gardening supplies in a back passage or cruise over to the room of many mustards and jams. Here is where Gomer or Chico and the Man meet Julia Child with a pretty decent variety of teas too..

But wait need more? Try going to the outside garden area and find some vintage garden furniture..

Well Goooollly we got that too!  It was more fun exploring than buying as there was little sales support. But the nice gal who did help was trying her best but its soo spread out with so many items I think she was unsure if she should hover or just do an oil change...

It sounds as if I am sassy. I am not. I liked it and will go back. Converting an old auto garage is done with taste and style. The products are a bit pricey. I got this great grapefruit mint bath salts 32oz for $25.. Hmmm  salts! Sounds weird but it feels so refreshing....

Can't give it 5 just yet because the staff seemed a little less attentive considering I was the only one there during the day... I think with just a little training of the sections they might have a better idea what they have and don't have. That aside, if you looking for a curio or orchid, or some stimulating idea for a empty corner or present for a friend I highly recommend this place...

Mister Blinky has a dog named Lulu.. And she being a little princess needed a nice walk after breakfast.

Amazing layout... This used to be a Christian Science Church and reading room. Not anymore!

The entire trellis entry way is now seating. So walk right up to some white table cloth areas now encircles both entrances.

I spoke to the owners and they put some $$ into fixing it up.  They have turned a this Spaulding / Sunset corner into a little Moroccan tea, hookah, bistro.

Lulu and I noticed that they feature a full breakfast menu, with a delightful mix of coffee, teas, french pastries, egg dishes, and what I believe they call mezza menu. This includes middle eastern "snacky" appetizers like hummus et al.

What impresses me is that besides having a full kitchen and great outdoor patio... They have done some interesting eastern twists on the standard "Coffee Bean and Tea/Starbucks" faire you always see.

For  example I am going back to try their fig and rosewater smoothie.. That sounds delish!

Now Lulu began whining and the smell of food for LuLu is too much.. And so as I finished my chat with the Owners.. I left but not before stealing a menu, and seeing the great egg dishes like their benedict and great fresh fruit sides...

I love the smell of fresh fruit in the morning" Duvall's personal chef...

So I will be be back! Great that they have a giant parking lot too. Oh did I mention the Gi-Normous banquet area? Handles about 300+ Or the indoor tented lounge with Moroccan tin colored glass chandeliers? Or the comfy couches? Take a look at the pictures I took!!!

Or the ornamental Hookahs.. Which you can't smoke indoors but they allow you to use outside..

Overall very chic, food looks great, and the owners where very nice... I am bringing my friends there soon before it gets packed...

Honey? I got a new place to get your sunday eggs benedict.. Its walking distance from our house in the hollywood hills!

More on the food... After Lulu gets her nap...

This was an amazing little opening for a store.. Check pictures

If you ever queried why everything must become digital and not fall into a Ludite Stupor.. Then stop by this Gallery/Store/Photo shop...  Follow their army of 35 and 120 film takers around the world at http://Lomography.com ...

What was stellar was the selection of their NON-digital cameras.. From ones that were ready for underwater to 180' degree cameras with rotating lenses.. Prices range from $40 to $350 depending on the features of the camera.

And a wide range of accessories to match with flashes and color strobes..

This ain't no Sammy's though.. This is all their own brand of plastic shelled cameras.. Don't be looking for a SLR Mount for that old Nikon it tain't here buddy..

But hey, they even had a "Warhol Camera" that had multi-lenses like a spider eyes.. Kinda like a dolls eyes.. Lifeless to capture Life.. And to give you that Andy Warhol signature look...

The Opening Party.. That me (Mister Blinky) and the Oracle of Open Bars attended was full of WeHo crawlers... Not a lot of real photobugs per se.. But I could be wrong... But so few had Lumo cameras that I am just guessing the free cake and free booze was the lamp lite that these cute little liquor moths were attracted to.. DJ music from my friends at Tiki Oasis set the mood. Why can't more parties play quirky Lounge? (Listening Air Condition?)

Bit digression..
The Upstairs has a nice selection of avant garde photo books no real competition to Hennessey + Ingalls in Hollywood.. But if you want that quirky little photo book cum essay of bright colored snap shot books this is the place...

**Remember to stop by they posted up and coming Workshops, which for the space they took over begs for it to be really used as a community space especially upstairs with their 70s vinyl beige couches. ( It used to be a pawn shop) Near the Corner of Laurel and Santa Monica

I wasn't drinking.. ahem.. But the easy way to handle the cameras and despite being fairly simple, each one had a raison d'etre.. It was yellow for a reason, it had clear plastic for a reason.. It had four lenses, it had nine lenses all had a reason.. And each glass table had a plastic place holder to remind you where it came from.. Which emphasized the need to collect rather than capture which was a bit overwhelming...

In Fact, the Store appeared to have over 300 of these NON-digital cameras.. I asked one of the lovely store "associates" and we discussed bucking the trend.. I loved using ilford B&W in the day and run through 1 hour color photo processing.. The Blacks were this amazing dark velvet blues.. That was years ago.

And this darling said that now most B&W can be color processed.. And I thought hmmm, RiteAid or CVS has a drop off and will kick me a CD too..

Is Mr. Blinky going Analog? Time will tell, if they focus on the shutter-bug community and the collectible nature of it all.. I say yes.. But you will have to wait for processing film there, their machine isn't there yet...

Let's just say I felt cheap and dirty using my digital canon in this quirky fun shop of real film takers...

Recon at Midnight. Me and the Oracle of Open Bars were trolling around Hollywood. After swishing down a shirley T at the PrimeTime, and getting the best drink special flyers at Tempo.. And let me say, you haven't dived into LA Underground until you do Tempo on Santa Monica Blvd..

It was a typical Friday night midnight. Left Cat and Fiddle at around 11ish. Needing another Dive Bar Adventure... The Oracle and I decided to head up Vine. You would believe a bar named the Vine would exist..

But my Divey Friends YOU ARE WRONG!!! THE VINE BAR IS GONE!!!

It is now The Saint.. And who else would post the first post but moi, Mister Blinky Dive Bar Host extraordinaire! But enough about me, the Saint has some cute stuff. The door guy wears a black tie and bowler hat.

The inside of the Bar is updated from the Vine. Thought the tapestry really doesn't make any sense. Upstairs there is a lounge (Check Photos) The rickety stairs might make quasimodo sick.. But interesting.

The crowd is not your typical 3 of Clubs or even Mission, its basically a jacked up Libertine. Which means girls tired of waiting outside Moods or whatever end up here. Not to say the people in here are skanky..

Ooooooh Noooo.. Just I prefer a tranny here or there to break up the cheesy red vinyl.. Its not full, which for a friday near midnight is just a sign its getting its sea legs.

Drinks? Really you want me to discuss the mixology? Pleeeaaaseeee! I drink Silver Tequila Tonic, how the hell can anyone mess that up..?  Besides its not that kind of place... Go to the Roosevelt..

The crowd was kinda upscale for a non-descript exterior... What we call in the 80's in NME .. MUDs or Mobile Urban Dodgers.. Jocks with no tats, but too much tude.. With Siliconey girls wrapped around them.. If you like that..

Saints your bar.. Music was screaming loud, so the beautiful seemed a bit blurry... But hey no Vizio LCD to cheese it up.. So over all it was a nice scene, but I think I would prefer a Wens to a Fri ...

Not really a mixer atmosphere, like Fiddle or Bar 107. So bring a gang and chill upstairs.. Or just a friend..

Very cool little gallery on Sunset. I was blown away by the rock and roll art.

Its rare to find a tiny gallery with a lot of art. Usually its here is my Shag! Look over here! NO .. No over here..  no that's my cocktail napkin...

Mister Musichead, tons of art, books, and very cool photos of stuff I have not seen in Life, or Rolling Stone or online or anywhere actually.

Had a trippy step-mom who was a Doors groupie.. Took photos, it was like that in there. Shots were definitely not copies of famous shots. But still very high quality.

Was there on a Brit night before X-mas. Love the X-Pats for X-Mas, even had room for a tiny performance in the corner. And who doesn't like free booze?

I just wish I could find a wall to put Jim Morrison on .. Need Mick or Jim or a Stevie.. Well, then Mister Musichead is your dude!

~Mister Blinky dot TV

THis is everything I hate about what happens when dives become cool.. I really thought anybody who comes up with free vodka and free  fried chicken for an after new years event has got it going on..

But a velvet rope for a dive bar? And not a pseudo dive, its dirty, floors are sticky the booths are worn out vinyl. So as I am a professional dive bar host, I was hoping to really love it..

Now keep in mind, January 1st at 3pm, their was a line around the block for a dive bar. That never served free chicken and ran out of vodka in less than an hour.

I would choose Bar 107 in an instant over this place..  I felt sorry for the bartenders they gave out vodka but not one person tipped them.. No really no one!  I gave them a $5 for soda. I also worked the Bloody Mary desk, as it was crammed in the corner, and nobody else was helping out... I am a giver... And used to barback back in the day...

The crowd was mixed and a tad skanky.. Not good dive bar skanky, like follow you home for a free beer skank with common house flys hovering.. But rather, bloodshot, tattoo, and gang like skank..

Note: And what kind of dive charges $250 bottle / table charge? Seriously? Please tell me they were joking?  

The worst of course was the fact that a friend who was drunk off two drinks was shoved to the ground by the bouncers. You know its a skanky crowd when people laugh at guy being kicked face first to the pavement...

I just can't recommend it. The outdoor patio was cool though. Typical slight funk - chill beats that  seem to be the rage now a days, though trite at best...

But packed with bloodshot freak-a-zoids.. Maybe on another day or night it might be cool with people getting freshly smashed... Day Two drinkers not a pretty psychological sight...

Ultimately, if you go there on a normal day, it might be cool if there was no velvet rope, no false promises of complimentary food, and if the peeps were not soo cheap.. That's asking alot..

Mahalo and Aloha

Mister Blinky dot TV

Absolutely the worst imitation for a dive bar in existence!

First, if you can get there at the right hour, during the right game and you are friends of the staff, the beer is cheap and the drink prices are decent... But they play favorites...

BIG WARNING: Any excellent review is either by a non-real Yelper of dubious authenticity or has not been there in a while. You listening "Billy M." or "Melinda S." ??? They have a jukebox that over rides the DJ booth.. What's with that? Songs start and stop in the middle once someone puts a quarter in the Internet Jukebox..

Beware if a patron is on a Donald Fagen or Sade spree.. Nothing like a Sports bar and a little Sade to make you head for the exit....I love Sade.. But not with Bud Lite and Boxing matches.. Smooth Operator with Ultimate Boxing is actually freaky....

Oh, and watch out the food is triple fried in yuck... I never saw so many tables leave food on a plate where fairly cheap beer is served in my life.. It just plain scared me...

They may have been decent when they first opened.. But now they have major attitude..  Except for one bartender who was confused what to charge us, and the one or two waitresses that seemed nice..Why I have no idea...Since I never got their attention once my friends arrived they just couldn't handle a small crowd...

They have three drink specials, one for friends, another for regulars, and a third for persons stupid enough to bring a bunch of friends.. My mistake was to bring a bunch of friends, they charged us more than the special Dodger night beer... So seriously watch out...When I called them out on it, they said too bad you have too many friends? Like What?

My female friends freaked out in the bathroom.. It needs to get cleaned up... That's all I can say...I stay away from bathroom humor...

Now if you want to go to a scary wanna-be dive bar, with a staff with an attitude that doesn't match the stanky atmosphere than this is your place... Otherwise cross the street and go to the Fifth.. Its run by the guys at the Well and the Woods..I only mention the Fifth cause once i brought my friends there they were so cool they extended the happy hour prices for us...

Not sure of all the fond memories Melinda S. either since the Draft just opened ... It had been the Port just a few months ago this Aug 09... I liked the Port, true divey place but honest divey.. Not the Plasma Screen fried crap, slow internet pop jukebox real obnoxious attitude of the Draft....

Read Scott the first reviewer for the truth...  Seems they need to create fake reviews to fool poor unsuspecting dive bar crawlers.. So beware.....

Plus if you are going for Sports watch out again, I heard the bartender tell a guy they couldn't play a local game, but of course he got the $2 Dodger Bud beer special and my friends and I got the more expensive $2.50 Bud special... What kind of place charges two different prices for the same beer? I am repeating but I am still in shock...

I just guess we looked like we could pay more since we were in a large group...

Also beware of the well drink specials too.. They appear optional too depending who you know...

Too bad really since it has potential, they just blew it with bizarre pricing system and cheap greasy eats with velvet rope attitude in their brains..

Hopefully it may change but don't bet on it... Show owner comment »

Really 4.68 Stars... But Yelp is not as precise as I am....

I did not know of this "15"(previous place), only my friends rave about it.. I am ignorantis..

As for my experience, I was invited by a friend to stop by and the street power was out. But I was intrigued... People drinking at a candle lit bar... My kind of atmosphere.

Finally got back and returned. Power on... This is another in a line of "Sun Shiny" decors in the Obama Era of Change in Dining. I find it pleasantly surprising, considering the dishelved look of every Echo Park denizen.

Seriously glance around, it looks like a casting call for the Kurt Cobain story in there. Except for the bright walled interiors, the massive blue wave relief art, and the comfy brown leather dinner seating, I thought for sure somebody be speedballin' between octopus scampi and the ginger carrot soup..

The service was kind and considerate. Even when our bottle of water went to the table next to us.. Didn't they wonder why they were getting a bottle of Pelligrino ? Drunk off their decent wine list they offered us the remainder of the half drank bottle of water..

"Oh ha ha .. Haa!" You little drunk grungers! You are so charming in that $98 James Perse T-shirt.... La la la... Scratch that.. I am sure it was a Target T... Anywhos..

The waiter made note of their free bottle accidentily served by the host/manager helping out... And my burning snarky soul was eased...

The food was exceptional. My lover who was bored wanted to go out but was on a strict regimen which I will not go into, suffice to say, she nibbled micro-bits and loved it all, and demanded to return when her regimen was over...

The carrot-ginger soup was spectacular! Spicy, gingery (if that is a word) and not a spec of cream. To deliver a rich vegetable soup, that is spicy and not tart, in our world of Thai infused of every angelo asian fusion cuisine is superb. Did I just rave about carrot soup? Yes I did!

The duck salad with cabbage, oh my goodness, try and get moist tender duck served warm anywhere in this city for under $15 dollars. It can't be done! No where I dare you! And the herbs de provence and the fact that they warmed / steamed the cabbage made all the more tasty. And for under $9 dollars amazing.

BTW.. Nothing on the menu is over 9 dollars... NADA! Yes some are small plates but I had soup, salad, and appetizer sized scampi plus dessert and I was stuffed.

Onward.. The octopus scampi, and its not called scampi, but olive oil, garlic and seafood, it was tasty like scampy octopussy. No I like my octopussy in sushi bars, and of course its cooked there like the shrimp is also.. But something about expecting soft shrimp or scallops, but getting chewy octo really ruined it for me... But its flavorful, so I blame my dreams of a soft, and gooey sea creature with eight legs that clearly does not exist on this one planet of ours...

Dessert, was an almondine cake.. Now I think momma's duncan heinz cake with fluffy insides when you use the word cake... Mamma, they just don't understand you.. This was not cake.

It was tasty. I got the cinnamon whipped cream on the side. Rather than explain it.. Imagine a bachlava sans flakes.. That's in in a tiny rounded shapes. Sugary, almondie, great with the whip, but cake? Momma don't roll over its okay.. I still love real cake...

Why not 5 stars? Bottle of water mix-up and kinda lacksidasical service, knocked it off .32 stars... On a slow not full restaurant kinda no excuse... But over all great..

Hidden behind some funky shop on Ventura Blvd is this little village of a Japanese restaurant.

The Creaky Door opens.... Irashaimase!

Inside a large closed roof patio with heat lamps, little children scurry along their shitizu puppies, koi fish nibble at your toes,  and shy school girls giggle as you pass by.... Okay, Okay I exaggerate...  

But there is a covered patio. Inside is the traditional sushi bar and tables. It does feel like you have discovered a new little hideout in the valley though... Something about the place reminds me of Imperial Gardens of Sunset Blvd Fame, the vibe or Bob Crane's ghost looking for babes to hookup with in a Palms Spring Motel.. No wait I exaggerated again.. But it does have a comfy old Japanese cafe feeling.

Unlike Shiris K Yelper, I have worked in a Sushi House many a moon ago and Guess what... All fish is Flash Frozen... All Fish is flown in from the Indian ocean, sea of Japan and etc.. Trust me you don't want unfrozen fish from the Indian ocean.That's been sitting on a ship for even 3 days.. Sorry I worked at Hotti-Totti Sushi spots and yep its frozen... Tasty too.. But I digress....

This is traditional Japanese Sushi Cuisine 2.0... You got your new Fangle Jama Pena aka yellowfish with citrus and pepper, you got your Oishi Beef or Chicken... Yada Yada...

But its good. Its very good. And sure its got your freaky lets throw something together like the Pink Panther roll... Albacore over a cal roll, and nice selection of cold sake... Fairly attentive service, but not spectacular service....

So ANyWho if you want to go and hide from Estelle Looking to hookup with Bert on Viagra at the Muddy Moose or Blanche at Pinot Cafe and her too tight designer jeans.. God Your 68 Years Old Lady! Let it Go! .. OOps I got carried away again

This is a great Valley favorite of mine

This is a sorry state of a restaurant on Hollywood Blvd. As Kress, and Geisha House, and many others try to revive the coolness factor,  sadly other than decor this establishment fails.

Two exceptions: Food did taste as advertised. The fact that the food did not surprise was pleasant. And the interior design is bright and airy.

Now the realities. Service is so bad that the hostess at Geisha House actually agreed that she too had to go and get her own drinks that sat at the bar for over 20 minutes. We gave up and got our own.

When the inside joke of an establishment is serve yourself or go thirsty, I just can't give you above a 2 stars.

To say the service was horrible would be an insult to all the rude burned out actor waiters, who just won't get the thousand island dressing the other table next to you has because he just doesn't want to deal with the kitchen.

This service saw us get our own drinks and asked us how everything was? Mind you Yelpers, one of our guests at the table still had no drink or food. HELLO!!!! What planet are you on?

Next the food. If it says its  pumpkin mole chicken. It was. But the presentation of orange pumpkin sauce poured over boiled chicken tenders on an empty oval plate. Five slices with pumpkin puree. No garnish, flowers, parsley, just lumps of boiled chicken and thin pumpkin sauce.

The taste was pumpkin mole though, and if you like mole, pumpkin and boiled chicken it was decent. I would be embarrassed to serve that at a party. It literally looked like somebody puked on the plate. The black beans were served in separate cup. It was one of the most monochromatic dinners in a Mexican restaurants I have ever experienced.

Then of course they lost the credit card, and they said we didn't give them the card. Which is curious since they picked it up with it sticking out of the receipt booklet. 40 minutes later they found it in a menu they were about to give to a new table... Hmmm?

Honestly, I will never go there again. The drinks were on the expensive side, the service was the worst, and other than the sunny interior decor, the food was barely passing...