It's that time again.

 

It's "mistakes" like these that make Thom Andersen mad. 

Removing the 2008 Edition to make room for the 2010 Edition. 2008 was either a year I actually read a lot or I actually remember to at least list them here. Of course, I highly recommend all Chandler, but my favorite is still The Long Goodbye. Read it, stat! Also, the L.A. River book is really illuminating. Y'all know how much I love the L.A. River. (Everytime I write LA now, since watching Los Angeles Plays Itself, I feel a pang of guilt and have to put in the periods).

Books I Read: 2008 Edition

• Blake Gumprecht - The Los Angeles River: Its Life, Death, and Possible Rebirth
• Edna Bonacich & Jake B. Wilson - Getting the Goods: Ports, Labor, and the Logistics Revolution
• Edward Thorpe - Chandlertown
• Elizabeth Ward & Alain Silver - Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles
• Gordon G. Whitney - From Coastal Wilderness to Fruited Plan: A History of Environmental Change in Temperate North America from 1500 to Present
• K. Bruce Newbold - Six Billion Plus: World Population in the Twenty-First Century
• Massimo Livi-Bacci - A Concise History of World Population
• Philip Durham - Down These Mean Streats a Man Must Go: Raymond Chandler's Knight
• Raymond Chandler & Robert B. Parker - Poodle Springs
• Raymond Chandler - Farewell, My Lovely
• Raymond Chandler - Little Sister
• Raymond Chandler - The High Window
• Raymond Chandler - The Lady in the Lake
• Raymond Chandler - The Long Goodbye
• Raymond Chandler - Trouble is My Business
• Ruth Wilson Gilmore - Golden Gulag
• Stephen Ambrose - Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West
• The Imagineers - Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real

Top 6 Sandwiches of 2008

Ok, I just made a really delicious sandwich--a sandwich even you vegetarians can eat! I'll get back to that later. First, I think it's important that you know about these sandwiches.

6) Meltdown, etc., Culver City: Mozzarella, Fontina, Grilled Eggplant, Yellow Squash & Zucchini, Roasted Red Peppers, Caramelized Onions, Walnut Pesto on Focaccia Bread aka Grilled Cheese. mmmmm.

5) Alcove, Los Feliz: Crab cake sandwich: maryland style crab cake made from sweet blue crab meat on a caramelized onion bun, caramelized bermuda onions, wild arugula, tomato and chipotle aioli on the side

4) Breadbar, Century City: Ahi Tuna Burger on Golden West Five Grain Bun with Seared ahi tuna, crispy onion, radish, tomatoes, wasabi mayonnaise, garlic ginger fries.

3) John O'Groats, West Los Angeles: O'Groats Crab Melt: Meaty, moist, and flavorful crab cake on a rustique roll with tomato and melted provolone cheese.

2) Damon and Pythias, Westwood: Portabella Caprese Sandwich: Portabella Mushrooms on Grilled Foccacia Bread with Roasted Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fresh Basil and Mixed Baby Greens.
1) Tender Greens, Culver City: Free Range Chicken with Rustic Bread, Aioli, and Roasted Peppers.

Ok, now to the sandwich I just made. This is what you need to do. Toast two slices of Sourdough Wheat Bread with a few slices of fresh Ovoline mozzarella. While you're doing this, sautee sliced white mushrooms, shredded carrots, baby spinach, and a little diced fresh garlic in a pan. Add some salt and pepper and mix in Trader Joe's Caesar salad dressing. Cook for just a few minutes while bread and cheese is toasting. Take the bread out of the toaster, cover with the vegetable mixture, and then top with quartered cherry tomatoes and bean sprouts. Woila! realllllly tasty.

2008 Concert Photos

Mr. Greenwald put up his annual Best Of Concert Photos post. Last year mine were so much better than his. haha. Since then, he has improved and, in comparison, mine are pretty weak. Plus, his blog has a nice and convenient way to view the photos unlike mine. Hopefully you can handle it anyway. Enjoy!