Cerritos Regional County Park

Cerritos Regional County Park
19800 Bloomfield Ave
Cerritos, CA 90703
(800) 404-5888

Category: Parks
5 star rating
7/28/2008

56 acres of good, clean Cerritos fun. My fondest memories here include family and church picnics, tennis on Wednesday nights, jogging along the park perimeter, and running away from scary ducks at the lake. Wait, the last one was freaky, not pleasant.

Park features (http://ci.cerritos.ca....):

* Lake with fishing permitted
* 50-meter outdoor swimming pool open in summer
* Gymnasium
* Multipurpose room
* Tennis courts
* Basketball courts
* Picnic shelters
* Picnic tables

Also, the olympic-sized outdoor pool is FREE to everyone during the summer. The hours are funky: 12:30 - 2:30 PM then 3 - 5 PM. Yes, they take a 30 minute break between their 4 hours of operation. Also, the ONLY thing allowed in the pool area is your body and your bathing suit. I mean this literally. No flip flops, no towels, no foldable chairs, no water bottles, NOTHING!

Zion Market

Zion Market
12565 Carson Street
Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716
(562) 865-6600


Categories: Grocery, Ethnic Food
5/5 star rating
7/27/2008

I'm a die-hard Zion fan...though you'll never hear me calling it "Zion." No, no, young buck, I come from the old skool and pronounce it "Shee-on." I come here for the amazing produce specials, sesame rolls at the bakery, and to drool all over the packaged banchans. Mama mia.

Gui Rim Korean BBQ

Gui Rim Korean BBQ
3977 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 387-5459


Categories: Korean, Buffets
Neighborhood: Koreatown
5/5 star rating
7/27/2008

This was the site of my last burfday party, and oh what a treat it was! Gui Rim Korean BBQ has about a dozen different meats on the all-you-can-eat menu, some of which I was too scared to try (e.g., intestines, hearts, etc.). The standard meats (galbi, bulgogi, chicken, pork) were divine.

Service was excellent and servers didn't have daggers for eyes when you asked for banchan refills. Dee-licious!

Karnak Korean Club

3319 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 380-1030


Categories: Restaurants, Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: Koreatown
3 star rating
7/27/2008

DISCLAIMER: I haven't stepped foot in a K-Club since 2001. Hence, this review is based on my experiences from back-back-back in the day.

Oh snap - Are you kidding me? Korean night clubs are listed on Yelp? LOL...craziness.

OK, so back in my semi-wild and crazy 20s, Karnak was my spot, yo. I came here at least once a month and pretty much never had to pay more than $20 to my servers, who used to call me and my peeps to "no-ra" (translation: to play!).

Great fruit platters, small bottle of crown, a couple of beers, and you're set to get on the dance floor and shake your goong-dang to the latest beats in hip hop and K-pop.

Sure, booking sucks, but what do you expect at a K-club? BTW, here's a little secret. You'll find out whether you're perceived as attractive or unattractive by the group of fools you get booked with. Are they totally hot and make you blush? Surprise! The waiters think you're a hottie, too! Is the table filled with fugly rejects from the Planet of the Apes? Uuuum...'nuff said.

Oh snap!

Neul Bom Korean Restaurant

Neul Bom Korean Restaurant
10712 Beach Blvd
Stanton, CA 90680
(714) 226-9292


Categories: Korean, Barbeque, Food
1/5 star rating
7/27/2008

Sorry Neul Bom (translation: Forever Spring), you really disappointed me. The place just looked kinda dirty, cramped, and depressing. The service and actual food was pretty crappy, too - the absolute WORST in $9.99 AYCE K BBQ dining (Mr. Lee's in Artesia takes 2nd place).

It was a Saturday night and the place was jumpin' with 90% non-Korean customers, which right off the bat tells you that my own people know this place sucks.

We waited in this tiny little area with chairs next to the door for about 40 minutes - very drafty, cold, and swarming with families and their billion little screaming kids. Once we were seated (at at a table with a busted TV set, no less), it took them 15 minutes to bring water.

The food was blah, as the meat wasn't quality. They also don't swap the grill even though it got all nasty charred. Banchans were depressing and bland.

Honestly, I hate giving 1-star ratings, especially if they're for K establishments, but I gotta keep it real and bring truth to the masses.