90000 Hits!

Posted on Monday 3 December 2018 by joshwilltravel

90001 Hits!

Ninety Thousand and One Hits!
90001 Hits On This Blog!

It’s RAINING! It’s really RAINING!
It does rain in Southern California!
(Please stay out of the Pacific Ocean for at least 72 hours!)

WINTER IS HERE! HELLO DECEMBER 2018!
Water is falling from the sky. There is snow falling in the mountains!

Thanksgiving is over. (see our previous Blog Post)
It was a great feast and we are very thankful for everything we have!

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How ’bout a snort?

Now…. THE HOLIDAY SEASON. “Tis the Season!”
Already sick of Christmas music and it’s still only November.
NOTE: Someone posted Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” from “Holiday Inn” on the interweb and we couldn’t watch it. JUST TOO SOON! Not even close to December 24th!

DECEMBER 2nd is THE FIRST NIGHT OF HANNUKAH!

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HAPPY HANNUKAH 2018!

We ripped the Google Hannukah Doodle>

And we made Latkes (potato pancakes) for Sunday breakfast!
(see our previous Blog Post for the recipe and instructions)

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Latkes (potato pancakes) for Breakfast!

NOTE: There’s a pretty fun Blog Post about Hannukah from last year. And a good one about “Festivus for the Rest of Us!” And there are a few more about Holiday Stuff too, including our past HOLIDAY MUSIC PLAYLISTS.

Are you ready for ~~Christmas~~ the December Holiday celebrated by everyone?
Screw the Yule Log, I’ve been to Burning Man!

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BURN CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR!

This is already going around,
but we’ll post it here before it goes wild viral,
’cause it’s effin’ funny:

Make your own “Die Hard” Christmas tree ornament for the tree!

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Copy, Print, Cut Out. Figure it out…. “Come out to the coast.”

Yes, “Die Hard” is a Christmas Film.

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HoHoHo! Modern Christmas!

We’ll do our cool Holiday Music Playlist Blog Post later…. maybe.

NOTE: We did not make a Christmas/Holiday music playlist last year,
so if you need to hear some more seasonal tunes (and these are very cool tunes),
click and open the links to our 2015 and 2016 Holiday Music Blog Posts:
2015 Holiday Music Playlist>
https://joshwilltravel.wordpress.com/2015/12/24/christmas-countdown-playlist-2015/
2016 Holiday Music Playlist>
https://joshwilltravel.wordpress.com/2016/12/25/holiday-music-playlist-2016/

‘Tis the season Dude,
Eat, Drink, Be Merry and Watch
“The Big Lebowski”

Dead & Company just announced the 2019 Summer Tour!
We still haven’t seen them LIVE in concert (other than on the interweb) and “this might be the last time”….. but they usually play better together as the tour progresses.

And speaking of LIVE MUSIC>

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Tuesday Night Traffic on the 101 Freeway to Burbank

Doña Oxford perform at the Fire Victims Retro Relief benefit (see out previous Blog Post) and she was fantastic! So, we went back on Tuesday night and saw her again at Joe’s Great American Bar in Burbank>

CLICK ON ANY SMALL PIC TO SEE A LARGER PIC AND VIEW THE GALLERY
AND THEN CLICK AGAIN TO VIEW THE PIC AT FULL SIZE!

The crowd was fun and friendly. Doña played 3 sets (we stayed for the first two) and she was awesome! Tuesday night is “swing dance” night and there are great dancers in the house and out on the floor. Really fun to watch as they Shag and Jitterbug! Joe’s has very reasonably priced strong drinks and their bar food looks pretty good (we still haven’t eaten there) also for a good price. If you’re okay with “fast food”, there’s a Taco Bell next door that’s open until midnight. We haven’t eaten any fast food (except for Habit Burger) in a very long time…. but it was there, and it was Tuesday.

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Taco Bell! 3 Regular Crunchy Tacos with Hot Sauce

So we ate, drank and listened to some great music, but we didn’t stay for the third set because we were tired, starting to get a headache, hungry again and our back was hurting something awful. Too much sitting and too much standing., so we headed home for bed before midnight.

NOTE: The price of going to a concert is out of control! $100+fees+parking+concessions to see a show is a luxury for most people, and most people can’t afford it these days. Please support Venues and Bands that don’t charge a COVER!

“Beats the hell out of a Yule log.”

HAD OUR YEARLY PHYSICAL! Mind your health, it’s the most important thing!

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Eat, Drink and Be Happy. We’re all gonna die.

AND NOW SOME POLITICAL STUFF>
Mueller’s questioning might take a strange turn (he should get Liam Neeson!)

LYIN’ CHEATIN’ CROOKED EVIL DONNY!

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The Walls Are Closing In on Lyin’ Crooked Evil Donny!

Key Mueller witness and Roger Stone associate Jerome Corsi admits to MSNBC’s Ari Melber that he lied to Congress, that he tried to get stolen Clinton emails back to the Trump campaign in 2016, that he “absolutely” intended to help the Trump campaign by doing so, that he told Roger Stone about John Podesta’s emails and that his lawyers are still communicating with Trump’s legal team “as if” there is a joint legal defense.

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CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY! VIOLATIONS OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT!

Whatever your political posture is, this is WRONG.
Every citizen of the United States must protect our Democratic Government!

Warmonger! Assassin! Mass Murderer! Celebrate him!
He was a murderer and a war criminal.
Oh boy, let’s play “follow the casket” as they honor this POS.
LYIN’ CHEATIN’ CROOKED EVIL GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH!

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The Danger of Comedy! He was a Murderer and a War Criminal!

That’s all for now. And now back to our HAPPY BLOG POST!

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What Do You See?

We collect JOKERS!
Proud to be a “Card Carrying Fool” and follower of St. Stupid!
(see our previous Blog Posts)

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“Chestnuts roasting on an open pyre.”

The LA AUTO SHOW is back in town! (read our previous Blog Post)

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From the LA AUTO SHOW in 2016

PEACE ON EARTH. GOODWILL TO ALL. STOP THE VIOLENCE. NO HATE.
“DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.”

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“Can We All Just Get Along?” – Rodney King

Monday, December 3rd, 2018 just after Noon: OK, going to publish this Blog Post!

The War on Christmas is Coming!

Yes, there will be a DECEMBER HOLIDAY BLOG POST in the very near future.
No, we are not taking a Christmas Vacation this year (again).

FIESTAWARE FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER! Good Shabbos Everyone!
ON THE MENU: Cousins visiting from out of town. Cornish game hens with stuffing, asparagus, challah bread, cran-raspberry-orange juice and then a $5 cake for dessert.

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Banana Split & Espresso in Red Fiestaware at 3am on Monday Morning

THANK YOU! 90000 HITS!

From Wikipedia:
90000 (ninety thousand) is the natural number following 89999 and preceding 90001.
It is the sum of the cubes of the first 24 positive integers, and is the square of 300.

READ OUR PREVIOUS HOLIDAY BLOG POSTS!
https://joshwilltravel.wordpress.com/2017/12/26/happy-christmas-2017/

I took the “Yiddish Lingo” quiz and scored 100%. Oy vey!

Use the links below to FOLLOW and LIKE us on other social media!

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“Teacher says, Every time a bell rings an angel get his wings”

“Rock Bottom will teach you lessons that mountaintops never will”

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The Wisdom of Milt & Edie’s in Burbank, California

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Happy Hannukah!

Taco Tuesday! Dinner at El Torito Mexican Restaurant in Sherman Oaks

Posted on Thursday 10 March 2016 by joshwilltravel

Taco Tuesday! Mexican food at El Torito in Sherman Oaks.

Thinking about chips and salsa! We hit up the El Torito Mexican Restaurant at Ventura blvd and Van Nuys blvd. There’s a parking lot that’s always full, valet parking and (TIP) street parking available. If you get lucky, you’ll find a parking space in the lot. If you’re smart you’ll find street parking at a meter on Ventura blvd, Moorpark street or Van Nuys blvd.

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Mexican Food at El Torito Restaurant in Sherman Oaks

Enter through the double doors and into the reception area. There’s a Taco Bar (and Lunch and Brunch) Buffet area and a hallway to the restrooms on the left. The Bar is ahead of you behind the hostess desk and the large dining room divided into three areas is to the right.

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Dinner at El Torito Mexican Restaurant in Sherman Oaks

The Bar is usually busy, and on Tuesdays it is really crowded because of the Taco Tuesday $1.99 Taco special (It used to be $1.00) and the Taco Bar spread which is only available in the Bar area. It’s also very loud with music and conversation, so we decided on the regular menu and a comfortable booth in a quiet corner of the center dining room.

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At the Bar at El Torito in Sherman Oaks

The Bar is pretty fun if you can find a seat. They have beer, wine and spirits. Usually there’s a tequila drink (margarita) on special or it’s “happy hour” and there’s always a game on the televisions and loud music playing.

Besides the Taco special and Taco Bar Buffet, they have a Bar Menu with appetizers and small plates and you can order off the regular menu in the Bar area as well.

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Taco Tuesday! The Taco Bar Buffet at El Torito in Sherman Oaks

I haven’t tried the lunch buffet or Saturday/Sunday brunch in a long time, but it’s a pretty good value and a they have a lot of different choices available. A Mexican food buffet is always pretty good! Tacos, burrito makings, fajitas, enchiladas, tamales, rice, beans, desserts, fruit, salads, soups, salsas and more; and then breakfast foods, menudo, juices and pastries for the weekend Brunch buffets.

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Center Dining Room at El Torito Mexican Restaurant in Sherman Oaks

The Dining Room is large and spacious, and divided into three areas. There are tables and large booths available. The menu is traditional Mexican (gringo-style) fare, but they recently upgraded the recipes and the food is very tasty and you get a lot of it!

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Mexican Food at El Torito in Sherman Oaks

Drinks from the Bar and all kinds of fun cocktails are available at your table too!

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Drinks on the Menu at El Torito in Sherman Oaks

On the Menu: Chips & salsa, Fiesta platter (nachos, beef flautas, chicken wings and a cheese quesadilla), Macho Combo (chicken burrito, beef taco, tamale & chile relleño with rice, beans and sweet corn cake) and a shot of Silver tequila with lime.

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Warm Tortilla Chips & Roasted Pepper Salsa

The chips are made fresh and served warm with roasted pepper salsa. They’ll make fresh guacamole at your table if you order it. They have a good selection of appetizers, entrees and ala carte items. Not so much on dessert, only deep fried ice cream, flan and a tres leches cake. Free refills on soda and most other beverages and more chips and salsa too.

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Silver Tequila Shot with Lime(s)

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Fiesta Platter! Nachos, Beef Flautas, Chicken Wings & a Cheese Quesadilla

I recommend the Fiesta Platter to start. Eat the nachos and chicken wings, take home the quesadilla and flautas. Then order a Macho Combo (your choice of four items) with rice, beans and sweet corn cake. Eat what you can and take home the rest for tomorrow.

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Macho Combo! Beef Taco, Tamale, Chicken Burrito, Chile Relleño, Rice & Beans

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Happy Birthday! Mexican Birthday Song at El Torito Restaurant!

It wasn’t my birthday, but the waitstaff came over and sang to the table next to ours so I got a nice picture. The service was excellent! I didn’t have to look around for our waiter because he was checking in with us regularly. When I finished the coke, he was right there asking “would you like a refill?”. Every request was handle promptly and the Manager even came by to ask how everything was.

The prices are reasonable. The Buffets and Specials are a pretty good value if you’re hungry and want to eat a lot of food. Drinks are also pretty reasonable and some of the drink specials are excellent! You get a lot of food and we even got a AAA discount on the check!

It was a very good meal and a pleasant dining experience. Good food and lot of it. The service was excellent and it wasn’t too expensive. A Very Happy Taco Tuesday!

El Torito Mexican Restaurant – Ventura Blvd (at Van Nuys Blvd) in Sherman Oaks

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El Torito Mexican Restaurant in Sherman Oaks

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Hollywood Bowl with Joshua Bell & Friends!

Posted on Wednesday 9 July 2014 by joshwilltravel

Hollywood Bowl with Joshua Bell & Friends!

Tuesday night in Los Angeles? How about a concert at the Hollywood Bowl?

Hollywood Bowl (copyright 2014 JoshWillTravel)

Arrive Very Early! Get parking or take the Shuttle, Allow plenty of time and avoid the rush. Don’t be the latecomer just starting your picnic when the concert starts! Proper Hollywood Bowl etiquette is FINISH your dinner BEFORE the start of the show!

We had Box Seats and brought a picnic dinner. The boxes are nice because they provide a fold-down table for dining which they will remove before the concert begins. Two things about dining in the box: you’ll be at a different level than your table partner because of the raked theater seating and the boxes are tight and a little close quarters. It can be difficult to maneuver, but the canvas seats in the boxes are so much better than the benches (even with a cushion). Note: They recently replaced all the old wood benches with new stadium benches, and there are also a couple non-box sections with stadium seating.

The Hollywood Bowl is fully accessible for guests with special needs, just be aware of the steep hillside terrain and large crowds that can at times be difficult to navigate.

The best dining option at the Hollywood Bowl is to bring your own picnic dinner. They even let you bring wine, beer, and other beverages for the classical concerts, but you should always check because they have restriction and are pretty strict about them at the rock and family events, and at big events where they are selling alcohol.

They also have a sit down outdoor patio restaurant, Patina at the Bowl, but you’ll need a reservation in advance! And they have concession stands that serve overpriced snack food and drinks, alcohol service varies.

TIP: You can park and picnic at the Ford Theatre across Highland when they don’t have a conflicting event. Or, the best place to picnic is at the top of the Bowl! Ride the escalators all the way up to the picnic area with tables, benches, and a great view of the city. Seating is first come, first served so arrive early and allow time for parking, walking and dining!

ON THE MENU: Lamb/Turkey Shwarma, rice, hummus, tabouli, falafel, pita bread, tahini and hot sauce, baby carrots, avocado, string cheese, sweet potato tortilla chips, cherries, an apple, Hershey’s chocolate bar, red wine, Pellegrino water, and a coke.

Picnic at the Hollywood Bowl (copyright 2014 JoshWillTravel)

We like to bring too much food and take home the leftovers. It’s also nice because you can share your food with total strangers while you picnic. We ordered dinner from California Mediterranean Cafe and packed the sides, dessert and beverages from home. As I mentioned dining in the box can be difficult, but after going to the Bowl for years, it’s a practiced affair. Dinner was good. I was hungry. We finished eating, and put the food away. They took away the garbage and the folding tables as the orchestra was tuning up.

Every show at the Hollywood Bowl begins with “The Star Spangled Banner”, and it’s okay to sing along, most people do it badly…

The program was Joshua Bell & Friends:

The weather was perfect. Not hot, nice breeze, not too cold. Perfect. The concert was good. A little too much “slow sleepy music” and not enough flourish on the pieces. The L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra is always great! The choice of the pieces and the flow of the show was a little “jerky”. Glenn Close singing two of the pieces was a nice touch, the Eleanor Rigby with Frankie Moreno from Vegas was different but very entertaining, and the quartet with Joshua Bell and Time for Three was just plain cool. The classical pieces were played and conducted well and the concert was very enjoyable.