Los Angeles, California
September 2006

Chinatown "Freek"

My Host Is: Jim B (aka Tikiyaki Sr.)

Next: "Almost Famous"

Tikiyaki Sr took me and Tiki Jr to Downtown LA's Chinatown district today for some lunch and Chinatown sights...

Here's us at the entrance to Chinatown....Dragonslayers? Not us...I know that some of you may confuse me with Gandalf the Gray and Bilbo Baggins, whom I met briefly at Rivendell. They cut the official Gnome representatives scene from the movie! Came down to me or Frodo and I guess you know who won.

These dragons were big and scary, so we took this quick pic, and slid by unnoticed.

That's Me and Tiki Jr with Teenacide Records impresario Jim Freek (actual name) at his favorite sign in Chinatown...The TEENpost.

Jim is really funny and entertaining, and knows LA really well. With a name like Freek he fits in real well too.

Teenacide puts out great powerpop records, mostly by bands with girls
in them. Hmmm. He's the new Phil Spector or Kim Fowley. (Google those names if they're not familiar) Wonder if he could set up my band Puna Gnome and the Pixie Chicks? Hmmm...Pixie Chicks I better trademark that...lol. If anyone steals The Pixie Chicks name I better appear in the video! Then again maybe there is already a Pixie Chicks? (Sorry Bud I researched Pixie Chicks and it's taken...maybe you could still be in their video...something about Ice Cream I think...lol. Daisy rock? What the heck?)

Freek was kind enough to offer us some Chinatown Wisdom...between this and our meeting with Buddah, we'll be overflowing with Chi by the time we hit the road. Hey, who thought LA was such a ZEN place?

Where's all those Pamela Anderson clones I keep hearing about? (Hey that's a good question.)

Next stop....LUNCH, at the oldest standing restaurant in Los Angeles...Phileppe's. This is where the French Dip sandwich was actually invented (true factoid my friends).

This place opened in 1908. Coffee is STILL 9 cents a cup...yes, you heard right, 9 CENTS!!! Take THAT Starbucks!

Sorry, we got a little too close to the camera in this shot. Director, Tikiyaki Sr yelled at us for not "hitting our marks" (Hollywood movie lingo for not standing in the right place). Personally, I think he had the shakes and needed some coffee himself.

Here we are inside Philippe's. This place is old school, man. You go up to the counter, order your food, it's served up in under a minute, and you're own your way. There's actually sawdust on the floor which made me a little nervous for Tiki Jr. It's a big hit with the downtown work crowd, and gets packed during lunch hours...we got there before the rush.

That's me on the Freekphone. Michael Eyesner from Disney called (for the 6th time)...he says he needs a stand in for one of the Dwarves for an upcoming project. STAND IN? I'm no STAND IN, I'm a STAR baby! I told him "too late, you blew it", and that I'm already booked for the rest of the year.

He'll be wanting to buy the rights to the "Puna Gnome World Tour" story in a year or so...Get your checkbook out, Mickey, that one's gonna cost ya!

(Perhaps, when Bud visits Vicky in Florida, he will visit Disney World and skip past the execs, win Snow White's heart and a spot in the upcoming epic Snow White, the Seven Dwarves and a Puna Gnome.)

Me and Tikiyaki Jr were eyeballin' that french dip and apple pie. Tikiyaki Sr, was nice enough to offer some up. Damn Tasty, or "ONO" as we say in da Islands. For those of you unfamiliar with the "French Dip Sandwich", it's just a sandwich on a typical hero/sub roll, only the roll is dipped in some beef juice to make it tasty...guess what...it works!

...and that's us in front of some famous Chinese dude's statue. Smile brah, you're gettin' your picture taken!

...and here's us in Chinatown Square. Looks festive right? I wanted to go for a dip in the pond, but Buddah back there was watching, so I refrained....Don't wanna upset Buddah and ruin my Chi.

(Photos: Jim B. / Dialogue: Jim B. & Tony V.)