Picture you’re ideal burger. Whether it’s a 3 ingredient classic or a 9 ingredient masterpiece, you’ll be happy at The Counter in Santa Monica (among other locations). In fact, they make it so you only have yourself to blame if you aren’t happy with your concoction!

It’s a bustling diner atmosphere with skateboards on the wall, and their choices go way beyond the traditional. Your first task is to go through the check sheet to custom build your burger.  You pick from multiple bun, meat, cheese, veggie, sauce and other topping options until you’re happy.  Mine consisted of a wheat bun, turkey burger, pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, a fried egg (my favorite burger topping!) and the garlic aioli.  Top it off with some Sweet Potato fries and a root beer float to go (they’re malts are highly recommended) and I was in HEAVEN!

Burgers run between $8 and $14 and are worth every penny.

The Counter. 2901 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica CA 90405

So, as I’ve already said, I’ve never been able to keep up with a diary or datebook. BUT, I refuse to let that be the case here, so I WILL start blogging again. So much food and fun to report on!

Basically, please stay tuned… There will be an extreme influx of entries in the near future.

“If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character…Would you slow down? Or speed up?”

-Chuck Palahniuk

I really like that quote because it speaks both to the possibility of reincarnation and I think it stresses that people are remembered differently in everyone’s mind in living and death. We each see a different side of ones character based on our own personal experience.

They say death comes in 3’s…

Yesterday, we lost two greats in the entertainment industry, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Farrah to a long and inspiring battle against cancer and Michael more suddenly when he went into cardiac arrest as a result of currently unknown causes. We also lost Ed McMahon on Tuesday due to ongoing health complications. While all three made very different contributions to our world, they are all classic and legendary performers who will never be forgotten.

I could sit here and list all their accomplishments, but I don’t think anyone needs me to remind them… These icons speak for themselves. They were not only staples in our society, but served as benchmarks for comparison in their respective fields.

I’m interested to see how Elton John manages to squeeze all of them into this rendition of “Candle in the Wind.”

RIP M.J. and F.F. 6.25.2009 and E.M. 6.23.2009

Hah. I just wanted to say that.

Thinking back, I thought LA and DC were going to be worlds different, but after being here for almost 8 months now, I can say that they are, in fact, quite similar.

As I’ve said before, politics is all showbiz and showbiz is all politics. So really you are dealing with the same personality types in both places. Politicians and entertainers are in the business of self promotion. In DC, a politician will have a “meaningful” conversation with anyone in their voting district and in LA an actor will make a “lunch date” with anyone in hopes that they will make a much needed connect. At least everyone’s nice to eachother so as not to burn any bridges… even if it is based on selfish motives. It’s the nature of the biz.

I think the biggest difference between myself and every other of the gazillion “actress/models” in LA is that I spend all my money of food and drink and not a penny on clothing and accessories.  For me, what I put INTO my body is more important than what I put ONTO my body. Not to mention every style repeats itself, so if I just keep my clothing for long enough, it comes back into fashion! Seriously, I was at a “hip” party the other night and I saw fashionista girls wearing dresses I wore in 5th grade… and they’re as ugly as they were when my mom made me wear them. I would rather spend $30 on 4 oz of Inniskillin Vidal Gold Icewine, than $30 on a stupid headband… unless the headband has seahorses on it.

Heaven for some would be a closet of Jimmy Choo’s, but heaven for me is a 3 hour meal topped off with a turkish coffee and a glass of ice cold Johnny Walker Black.

I can say, without a doubt, that nothing brings me more joy (or sorrow) than food and drink. Eating it, drinking it, cooking it, smelling it, sharing it, regretting it… The food of the soul is, well, food.

Ever since I can remember– I have been eating everything in sight. I was the only 6 year old I knew who ordered her “Mussels steamed in white wine, with the portabello mushroom in the balsamic vinaigrette.” Which prompted a questioning look from the waitress to which my mother replied, “that’s what she wants!”

“I’m hungry,” is probably the most common thing that comes out of my mouth, next to my well known belches. After spending a recent vacation with me, my good friend only refers to me as “Snacks”.

I was the 80 lb adolescent who could down 3 Big Macs a meal and LOSE weight. (Although no one warned me that would all change when I went to college…) My best friend’s mom always joked after every meal that she was submitting me to NIH for testing b/c she couldn’t figure out where all the food was going.

There isn’t a thing I’ve been presented with that I haven’t tried… (Not an invitation.)

For me, eating is always an occasion, not just a source of fuel. The end of every meal marks the beginning of a long thought process regarding what my next meal will be and I will plan my day around it. Whether it’s fasting for a Korean BBQ feast in K Town or cleansing for the purest of Sushi experiences at Hama in Little Tokyo– My day revolves around sustenance.

BRB… I’m hungry.

“Where are you from??”

I should just have a laminated card with several options.

“What do you mean??”¬† I reply.

Like my heritage, hometown, alma mater? Because they could not be more different.

I am not Italian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Greek, Spanish or Cuban.¬† Despite popular belief; I am Lebanese-American.¬† Thanks to my 6′5″ dark featured, deep voiced father–I will forever keep people guessing. And thanks to my 5′5″, blonde, green-eyed mother–I don’t have my father’s nose.

I get my argumentative side from growing up outside Washington, DC.  I get my ability to drink Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey from attending the University of Georgia. And I get my need to remain as unassuming as possible from currently living in Los Angeles.

I was almost Jamie Lee Hyder… but at the risk of seeming unoriginal, my mom changed Lee to Gray.

I was almost Hailey Hyder… but at the risk of sounding like Dr. Seuss, my mom changed Hailey to Jamie.

I was almost Murphy Hyder… or was that my sister? Anyway, my dad was no longer allowed to contribute after that suggestion.

Sooo… I’ve never been able to keep a diary, datebook, notebook, or sketchbook current. Mostly due to my inability to focus on anything for over an hour–let alone for over a week. BUT, with that said, I will make a valiant effort to not leave this entry solo. Promise.