Salt's Cure Cures All

So I had a delightful weekend. On Thursday, I saw Pina at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood(GO...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinerama_Dome ...coolest way to watch movies EVER). Pina is Wim Wenders' 3D documentary-tribute to famous dancer/choreographer Pina Beausch and it is SPECTACULAR. It's a totally different way of using 3D and for anyone who is a fan of dance, this is a a completely unique way of experiencing it- you're on the STAGE with the dancers, you can hear them breathing, see their muscles pulsing...it's just rad.

Friday, I had some buds meet me at the Thirsty Crow, and while I will always love that place and go as it is across the street from my apartment and they serve my favorite drink, the venue was less than ideal. They said they were at capacity when the bar didn't seem crowded at all, so I had a bunch of friends in line and some gave up and went home. Then, when I asked the bouncer if I could go talk to my friends in line, he told me they "didn't want traffic walking in and out," so I would basically have to get in line if I left my own party. But our waitress was lovely and I had the whole back area no problem, so if you're having a SMALL gathering (maybe not on a Friday), this place is still the tits.

Saturday, I popped by my friend/neighbor/hero Jason's in the day and did everything in my power to avoid the delicious meats they were grilling up for his brother Rob's birthday, because after hanging with Anna for a while, a bunch of us went to Salt's Cure (http://www.yelp.com/biz/salts-cure-west-hollywood) in West Hollywood for dinner and my world was rocked forever. I totally broke my diet, but then yesterday I was good, so whatever, WORTH IT. Anyway, Salt's Cure is a SMALL place, so we did have to wait like 45 minutes for our table of 7 (and we had a res), BUT, the host brought us a free bottle of wine/round of drinks and was very apologetic (hey, sometimes people take a long time to eat their food). We also got a pickle plate with the most scrumptious, lightly brined pickle slices, soft/warm pretzel bread and homemade mustard. Then we sat down and the real eating began. We got a cheese plate with three distinctive cheeses (an insanely tasty and salty hard cheese, a semi-soft and semi-stinky little number, and the best cheese I've ever had in my life, which was a blue, sort of in the vein of a Humboldt Fog) and some pistachios and jams.

The way it works at this place is that they always have the same appetizers, but the main menu consists of about ten items that change daily based on what's fresh and then are posted on a big chalkboard at the back of the room. Emily got this beautiful farmer's salad with soft cheese and the freshest (but ripe) avocado I've ever tasted. PRETTY:

I know, I know, IT'S DARK I NEED AN IPHONE. Then I ordered this raw beef sprinkled with arugula and parmesan (I THINK), which was basically a really delicate carpaccio:

Mmmm. Anna and Lindsey got amazing looking bacon cheeseburgers and Brett and Noelia got pretty-pink flank steaks; Noey's with a side of baby broccoli and Brett's came with FRIES (the fries come with mayo, which I adore, but they also make their own ketchup, if you want to order that...OF COURSE THEY DO). Kyle got a moist-looking (ew, moist) crabcake and a side of squash with a creamy hunk of maple butter on it. Emily got beautiful, HUGE grilled oysters and a side of the buttery-est mashed potatoes you've ever seen. I got a chili pork shoulder and then died and went to Heaven. Behold:

Obviously this pic doesn't do this entree justice. It was a giant, fatty, pillow-tender hunk of shoulder, marinating in a soup of its own juices with white beans and kale and I actually wanted to wash my hair in the bowl it smelled/tasted so wonderful. Also, the wine selection isn't super extensive, but after sort of a metallic red blend, Kyle ordered a DELICIOUS cab that helped send me into the food coma that followed this meal. We got this smooth, cold chocolate pudding:

How cute are those baby mason jars? They also brought me a slice of grapefruit pie with a candle in it, which we were all resistant to order but then DEVOURED as it is really a spin on a key-lime pie, except with grapefruit and therefore, fabulous. It was perfect.
Yesterday, it was a rare gray day, and I took a good, long solo-walk around the RES and kind of felt old and wistful, but in a weirdly good way. Then I went to my friends Julia and Jack's place (perfect Venice house, PERFECT funny/smart couple) to watch my Giants MAKE IT TO THE SUPERBOWL BABY!!! Jack won't let me post the photo of him getting "excited" (sounds way scarier than it was) about an intense moment of the game, so here is the TV:

Great TV, Jack and Julia! Then I went and saw Haywire with Kalen and I can't even talk about it because I love Soderbergh and this was...not good. But thanks for the memories, everyone!