The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival 2009 / The Local Coffee  and Tea Scene Meetup at Venice Grind and Mar Vista Farmer’s Market / Thai Culture Festival 2009

The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival 2009  – When I first heard of the Port of Los Angeles’ Lobster Fest, I had no idea what to expect. I was excited – as I enjoy lobster. Plus, I loved festivals in Los Angeles. So, with that very promising  combination, what could go wrong?

Turns out, a lot.

While standing in line for our $17 lobster dinner, my fantastic festival partner, Justine and I commented on why anyone would come to a lobster festival and get fish and chips. Of course, we were drinking our $6 beers and commenting about a lot of things. When you’re in line for and hour, you have to pass the time somehow, right? But, we just didn’t get it.

After we got to the front of the line and our tickets were scanned, we waited for our customary school counter style delights of boiled lobster, a cup of potatoes, the weirdest looking chemical produced butter solution I have ever seen (remember those old Carnation ice cream cups? That’s what it was in), a sealed container of cole slaw, a bread roll, butter, lemons, napkins, fork and knife and sanitary wipe. However, we were told by the servers that they were out of potatoes. Which, would make the ration of “things made in a lab processing plant” vs. “food cooked here” rather dim on my plate. After saucily telling them that we’d wait for the potatoes (I had seen them throw some more on the grill. And, I was determined to get my $17 worth), we waited and were soon gifted with potatoes.

The next problem? Seating. There was none. Even with two huge tents of chairs, people watched like hawks, waiting with glee to swoop down and potentially take any seating that was available for their party. So, we stood.

Still wondering why anyone would visit a lobster festival and not get lobster, Justine and I stared at our newly secured plate of foodstuffs. We were happy that we had braved the line with beers in hand, but confused as to what exactly to do next. Justine went first, cracking the lobster’s upper body by stabbing it with her knife. She cracked the shell alright – and the stomach. Green looking bile quickly poured out of her lobster, soaking her cardboard tray. We both stared at it in confusion, slightly revolution and speechlessness. Suddenly we knew why people would visit lobster festivals and get fish and chips or nachos: People that had been there before and knew how completely odd, out of place and downright disgusting cracking and eating your own lobster can be.

Plus, for the small amount of lobster tail meat we got for $17? I am so happy that I know how to cook and have a Costco card for the next episode of “Kim has a Craving for Lobster”.

So, after we both purchased $8 nachos to wash the epic fail of lobster from our palettes, I drove us home.

The Local Coffee  and Tea Scene Meetup at Venice Grind and Mar Vista Farmer’s Market - I’m an organizer in another group, The Local Coffee and Tea Scene on Meetup.com. The next day, Sunday, was a planned meeting at a lovely coffee spot in Venice, The Venice Grind. After our semi weekly meeting, my friend Kate and I visited the Mar Vista Farmers Market.

Thai Culture Festival 2009 – Still reeling from our Lobster Fest 2009 edition FAIL occurrence, Justine and I ventured over to the Thai Culture Day 2009 at Barnsdall Park. A very cute festival, it was host to various games, interesting Thai culture vendors, a vegetable carving area and more. It made up for the previous day’s festival – and then some. Plus, our festival food was only $8. Oddly enough, it was Chinese food. But, definitely worth it.

So, with the stories behind the images done, enjoy the gallery!

Gallery:

A Weekend of Festivals, a Farmer’s Market and Coffee