Hoping to share a little bit more about my other interest and life outside of the gym/Muay Thai. Maybe you share the same? All recommendations and comments welcomed.
Thanks for reading!
Food:
I have an odd relationship with food.. I love it, but sometimes it doesn’t love me back. From residual disordered eating and body image issues from unhealthy habits during my fighting career to recently being diagnosed as gluten sensitive and IBS (it’s a spectrum), it’s one the few things I still indulge in despite the repercussions.
My diet is overall pretty good. I mostly eat fish/vegetarian now a days as it’s what makes my body feel good and keeps me performing well with the frequent exercise I do during the week.
Weekends is when I kinda go off the rails and love trying things around the neighborhood and whatever trendy LA restaurant is being buzzed about during the month.
Arc Angel in Mar Vista Oaxaca style burritos. Fairly new stand on Venice and Beethoven serving Oaxacan style food. Don’t ask for carne asada or al pastor as it’s not native to that area of Mexico. Try the Cessina (their version of al pastor). What sets their burritos apart is the ingredients used, especially the use of Oaxacan cheese (think string cheese), cabbage, black beans and rice. Mostly green sauces as opposed to red.
Lastly, burritos are finished with pan toasted adding a crunchy texture to the tortilla.
Highly recommended!
https://www.instagram.com/tacossanmiguelarcangel?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Motherwolf: Classic Italian in a modern, trendy spot deep in the thick of Hollywood (between gower and cahuenga). I’ve been wanting to go here for so long as it’s a top recommended spot to fine dine in LA. TBH, not a whole lot of difference between the menu here and the menu of Felix on abbot Kinney. Arrabiata spaghetti, squash blossoms, arugula salad, prawns, and an olive oil pound cake to round it out.
It was aiight. In a difficult area of Hollywood to navigate (especially during weekends). I think this place might be ok for this one time only.
No comparison to more modern Italian cuisines such as Bestia in DTLA arts district which is more representative and influenced by the diversity of LA.
Travel:
Got to spend a few days in the Midwest last month for Coach Erin’s title fight in Indiana.
A very confusing Airport (midway) and what would’ve been an hour uber drive turned to 2.5 due to traffic on a Friday afternoon, I find myself in Hammond Indiana. This whole time I thought Hammond was in Illinois.
First time in Hammond and found it pleasant. Quaint. Quiet and sparse. Not a whole lot to see or do but we did find a Vietnamese restaurant that we ate at two days in a row. They had the best pork chop broken rice dish I’ve had in recent memory.
For our last day we spent it in Chicago being tourists. Been here before and always had a certain fondness for the place. In general I found people to be very kind out here and as we were walking around we generally felt people are happier.
At least that’s what I noticed. A lot of people smiling.
As far as food, we had a bit of deep dish pizza from giodarnos which I come to find is more akin to a pizza pie versus a true Chicago deep dish.
Overall not a fan of the density of food provided and the effects it has on me. Think I’ll pass next time.
Music:
It evokes! One of my favorite forms of human artistic expression and something I’ve followed since a child.
Men I trust garage sessions
Great indie band from Canada and really enjoyed the simple compositions of their music in this album. Really shows their quality of musicianship. Beautiful instrumentation and vocals.
Peelingflesh The G Code
Slam music from Oklahoma. Slam being a very very specific and niche genre that has recently gained notoriety has being appropriated by the beatdown hardcore (a violent genre of hardcore) scene.
Slam music has a very distinct sound and vocal style but peeling flesh has made it more digestible with their trap music influences adding a ton of groove to their music, on top of drumming that is absolutely insane. Probably one of the most violent shows I’ve been to recently at one of the shadiest venues in LA. 1720 warehouse.
Not that the people that run the venue are shady, in fact it’s one of the most professionally ran and organized venues that tend to put on alternative music genres and a bass to their sound system will leave your hair follicles sizzling.
It’s just that it’s located on the outskirts of Vernon, CA. Not quite DTLA, adjacent, but in the middle of a steady encampment.
Situated underneath the 10 freeway, all the cooper wiring stripped from the light poles around the neighborhood will have you walking through bonfire scenes reminiscent of the PC game ‘Deus Ex’.
Also a 50/50 chance of having your car broken into. C’est la vie.
Speaking of going to shows and shady venues, I finally had to ‘ask a punk’ for a venue address. Typical of underground DIY venues, you have to get help from someone truly dialed in the scene.
So I messaged the first punk that came to mind, and when that person didn’t respond I messaged the second most punk person I know (jk, this person was the first person I messaged). I kid because they are a gym member and I know they are reading this. :p
Basically located two blocks from the heart of skid row. You know it’s bad when you are walking and everything gets eerily quiet and there is plenty of parking everywhere. It makes 1720 warehouse seem like the Venice West.
Guitar playing:
Taking a break ATM from studying and learning Elliott Smith and Smiths songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctbMZy8HsvI: Off/On Topic with Coach Vic Vol. 1Santeria: not a huge sublime fan although it’s not hard to know their music since it’s a Los Angeles radio airwaves staple.
As suggested from all my guitar instructors, find music that you like and learn to play it as a way of practicing your guitar.
This solo is kinda simple with a lot of guitar technique involved along with fast playing. Hammer ons, pull offs, chromatic passages and going back and forth, up and down on the neck.
Great excuse to use the ‘clip’ and ‘speed’ functions on Youtube!
Also this song reminds me of a time in 2020.. or 2021? Anyways a group of us went to Rosarito to go watch Triumphant Muay Thai.
The morning of the show former TBI and super talented musician Simon and I were getting coffee at the hotel bar and there was a piano there. Simon started playing Santeria while I started singing the opening lines.
A lady walked over to us and tipped us a dollar. We were both confused. Did she like our performing or did she tip us because she wanted us to stop?
Anyways, that is a fond little memory as a result of the sport.
Podcast:
Un round Mas:
Spanish only podcasted hosted by two prolific Mexican boxers. It gives so much insight on the sport, politics, training, history, and a very unique POV with some great interviews of boxers from past and present.
I recommend listening from the first episode to present. Thanks to former TBI gym member Dylan for the recommendation.
As a result, I’ve been watching a ton of boxing recently. Rewatching fights to spot new things and techniques. Sort of like when you listen to a song you’ve listened to a billion times and notice something new.
Fights:
Been going through a ton of Morales fights. Love that hard hitting, toe to toe, technical aspects of ‘Mexican Style’ boxing. It’s where I draw a lot of inspirations from my body shot and uppercut game.
I recommend watching all of pacquiaos fights with Morales and Marquez. Modern boxing history. Always reminds me of watching these events live with my extended filipino family and getting utterly berated each time pac won. (which was all the time)
Finito Lopez:
Considered the best boxer of all time. Nicknamed ‘the little finest’. Fought at the minimum weight class (105 lbs)
Tv/Movies:
I rarely follow TV shows as much of my free time in the best was spent.. ‘not being free’ but have made it a point to unwind after work with some TV. I like TV shows after work because of the ‘sustained’ intrigue versus the immediate closure a movie provides at it ends. Similar to when you finish reading a book and when you’re finally done with it there is a bit of sadness? Is that just me?
The Bear: It was sorta spoken to me but not heavily recommended. After driving by the same billboard for it this last summer I finally sat down and watched and wow. It’s good!!
It touches on so many things I can relate to. Food, fine dining, running a business, dealing with alcoholism and self sabotaging relationships. Great writing and great character arcs.