It’s been a slow news week here in Woodland Hills, and as I’m sifting through material for some new restaurant reviews, I figured I’d make a post about something I saw yesterday that amused me.  First, I got this press release in my e-mail:

Then, about an hour or less later:

IRVINE, Calif., March 10, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Regarding the news release, “Event 3/11: Free Smartphone Classes by Verizon Wireless in Woodland Hills, CA,” issued 10-Mar-2010 by Verizon Wireless over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the Smartphone Classes have been cancelled.

Only $3.14 For Morton's Key Lime Pie On Sunday 3/14

Now this is definitely an offer that both the dessert lover and math geek in me could never pass up.  A new friend writes in:

Don’t miss out on Morton’s The Steakhouse’s super sweet National Pi Day celebration where you can order their scrumptious Key Lime Pie for only $3.14 per slice in the main dining room or in the bar area (only on Sunday). Slices of Key Lime Pie are priced around $10.50, so which is the better deal? You do the math.

Guests can take advantage of this National Pi Day celebration at any LA Morton’s location not just Woodland Hills including Beverly Hills, downtown, and Burbank this Sunday all day. Here are addresses and phone numbers for each restaurant:

· Morton’s The Steakhouse Woodland Hills (6250 Canoga Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367; 818-703-7272)

· Morton’s The Steakhouse Beverly Hills (435 S. LaCienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048; 310-246-1501)

· Morton’s The Steakhouse Burbank (3400 West Olive Avenue, Burbank, CA 91505; 818-238-0424)

· Morton’s The Steakhouse Los Angeles (735 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017; 213-553-4566)

This is an outstanding deal.  I haven’t had a chance to really cover Morton’s much for the blog just yet, but it is one of my favorite steakhouses.  You can, however, pretty much guarantee that I will be heading over their Sunday for a piece of this pie, as will a few friends of mine who are absolute Key Lime Pie loving maniacs.

]]> http://www.hillsofwoodland.com/2010/03/09/a-sweet-deal-at-mortons-for-national-pi-day-3-14/feed/ 2 http://www.hillsofwoodland.com/2010/03/05/roys-rolls-out-its-aloha-hour-happy-hour-at-woodland-hills-location/ http://www.hillsofwoodland.com/2010/03/05/roys-rolls-out-its-aloha-hour-happy-hour-at-woodland-hills-location/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:26:13 +0000 Girard http://www.hillsofwoodland.com/?p=2086

I often get questions about local Happy Hours and see people searching the blog and coming in through Google looking for them.  So, today I sniffed around and discovered that Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion just began offering Happy Hour specials at it’s Woodland Hills location (6363 Topanga Canyon Blvd) this week (March 1st).

Roy’s Happy Hour is called the “Aloha Hour” and takes place weekdays from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.  Highlights include $5 featured appetizers, $5 select wines by-the-glass, and $5 Roy’s Fresh Hawaiian Specialty Cocktails.  I will be checking it out very soon.  Not sure how it will compare to the Fleming’s Happy Hour, which is pretty sweet.

From Roy’s site:

ROY’S ALOHA HOUR $5
All items $5.00 from 4:30-6:30pm Monday through Friday in the bar only

FEATURED APPETIZERS Crunchy Golden Lobster Potstickers Spicy Togarashi Miso Butter Sauce Lobster California Roll Avocado, Cucumber & Tobiko

Tempura Crusted Ahi Roll Miso Butter Sauce

Chicken Lettuce Wraps Shiitake Mushrooms & Chili Hoisin Soy

Pork & Shrimp Shu Mai “Old School” Firecracker Sauce

Wagyu Beef Sliders Chipotle Aioli & Garlic Truffle Sweet Potato Fries

HAND-SELECTED WINES

Terra Noble Chile Sauvignon Blanc

Rutherford Ranch “Roy’s” California Chardonnay

Colores Del Sol Argentina Malbec Reserva

Rutherford Ranch “Roy’s” California Cabernet

HAWAIIAN SPECIALTY COCKTAILS

Roy’s Original Hawaiian Martini Nothing says Martini like “shaken, not stirred,” and Roy’s put this delectable creation on the map. In classic Hawaiian fashion, our Maui pineapples are drenched in SKYY Vodka, Stoli Vanilla Vodka and Malibu Coconut Rum. Shaken and served with fresh pineapple.

Roy’s Island Mai Tai

1988 Martini

And All Roy’s Fresh Hawaiian Specialty Cocktails

It would also seem from the information on Roy’s site that the Aloha Hour is also now available in Downtown LA.  Enjoy.

It’s funny because I was once with a friend of mine at Ralphs on Topanga Canyon Blvd & Ventura Blvd when he pointed this guy out to me.  His quote, “That guy’s a mess.”  I’m told he is a frequent shopper at that Ralphs, along with Michael Clarke Duncan who I’ve seen there numerous times.  I’ve also seen Duncan at The Baker and Whole Foods.  I’ve also seen Lou Diamond Phillips at Ralphs a couple of times.  Okay, now I’m babbling.

Noisecreep writes:

Former Warrant frontman Jani Lane was a no-show for two recent court appearances, and now there’s an active bench warrant out for his arrest, according to reports. Lane was scheduled to appear in a Los Angeles court on Feb. 23, a date stemming from his 2009 DUI conviction. Lane was expected to prove to the judge that he’s finished alcohol classes and community service.

But Lane was nowhere to be seen. So the judge rescheduled the hearing for Feb. 24, giving Lane a second chance before a warrant was issued. Of course, Lane didn’t make it to the rescheduled court date either. So now he’s considered a wanted man.

TMZ.com reached out to Lane’s lawyer, who claims his client’s been in the hospital and won’t be able to make it to court until next week. Lane was arrested last June after he allegedly hit a parked car in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. He was detained after refusing to submit to a sobriety test and pled no contest to one count of misdemeanor DUI a month later.

A month before his arrest, Lane was on ‘The Johnny Dare Morning Show’ and discussed his path to sobriety, saying, “It’s just a matter of deciding you’re done, in my opinion. I mean, that probably oversimplifies it, but really — really and truly — you have to go, ‘You know what? I’m done with this. I don’t like feeling like this, I don’t like living like this.’ And it’s also nice to get the creativity back, which is impossible to flow when you’re unconscious.”

Payman Engheta (I assume driving) and friend

I stumbled onto these pictures on a random exotic car enthusiast site which shows wrecked cars and describes the accidents, etc.  They seem authentic to me.  Payman Engheta’s car, to the best of my ability to interpret Google tea leaves, was a 2006 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Well, seems like I lost in a landslide (tentatively 58 to 3) to Mr. DiBiase.  My only real regret is that I didn’t write my name in for Business Representative.  No one was running, and not a single name was written in.  I hesitated looking at the ballot for a few minutes, but decided against it.  Live and learn.  I guess the #2 slot earns me status as an ‘alternate,’ however I believe those powers only come into effect in times of nuclear war.  So, at least there’s an outside shot for me.

I believe perhaps I can do more good from my journalistic lair.  It’s like in Spider-Man 2 when Tobey Maguire realized giving up his powers for a girl wasn’t worth it.   Well, something like that.  Anyways, congrats Dennis!

Election results are trickling in at this URL.

Yum.

Looks like in the world of the Internets I might be the man with the scoop on this nugget of delicious information.  Since the beginning of this year, Jamba Juice has been running their $1 oatmeal Wednesdays promotion and apparently it has been a big success.

That promotion came to an end this past week, and after making a few calls to our local Woodland Hills Jamba Juice locations I was informed that they have begun $2 Oatmeal Wednesdays.  One of the managers told me  this current pricing is set to last for at least 6 weeks, but he suspects it will end up being an ongoing offer.

$2 ain’t too bad for deliciousy oatmealy goodness.  Enjoy!

A friend of Payman Engheta posted this comment over the weekend.  He went to the scene of the accident and talked to some people, so I thought it worthy of reposting.

Payman Engheta was a close friend. I loved him dearly. I just visited the site tonight where the car crash occurred and talked extensively with some witnesses. There were many flowers and candles at base of the tree where the crash occurred. Plus, there was an 8 x 10 picture of Payman’s face in a picture-frame nailed to the tree.

There were about 25 people on the patio of the restaurant called “Cavi at the Big Oaks” when the accident occurred. They say Payman frequented Cavi. The restaurant is a popular destination for motorcyclists. Payman rode his motorcycle to the restaurant and ate there several times. This time, Payman was in his Lamborghini automobile driving the curvy Bouquet Canyon Road where the restaurant is located.

When he drove past the people they heard that he both downshifted and stepped on the gas. According to the witness who described the situation, the rear tires spun out from the acceleration, making long black tire marks on the road. He said the car likely accelerated from 40 mph to 80 mph over a short distance and that he hit the tree going about 80 mph. (Again, I am reporting verbatim from an eyewitness.)

There is dirt and gravel strewn from the un-paved driveway of the restaurant. The combination the tires spinning out from acceleration, the curve in the road, and the dirt and gravel from the driveway, made the rear-end of the car, where the heavy engine is located, spin to the left. The front tires went off the right side of the road over a 2-foot dirt embankment. With the front wheels sunken into the soft dirt, the acceleration of the car, and the heavy engine in the back of the car, made the rear of the car whip violently to the left.

Unfortunately for my wonderful friend, a fairly large tree was in the wrong place. The driver-side door of the car slammed very forcefully against the tree. The tree sunk about 3 to 4 feet into the drivers-side door. The car hit so hard, that the three-inch think bark was ripped from the front of the tree where the main-impact took place about three-feet wide and five feet high swath. The car literally “wrapped around” the tree with such force, that there is a large gash in the bark of the tree on the opposite side of the impact, where the rear of the car bent around the back side of the tree.

A nurse was eating at the restaurant. She said, “breathe, breathe.” He seemed to respond to the nurse by taking deep breaths. He was cut out of the car and airlifted by helicopter to Providence Holy Cross Hospital where I am very sad to say he later died of his injuries.

I visited the site because I just had to know what happened and how my friend’s life was so tragically taken. I also thought others who loved him would like to know more about what occurred.

We love you, Payman. We love your family and they will be in our thoughts and prayers.

I remember hearing about this a few weeks back, but didn’t know the kid lived in Woodland Hills.  It happened on Friday, February 12, 2010.  There is a Facebook memorial page for Adir Vered with almost 3,000 members.

KTLA writes:

PORTER RANCH — A 17-year-old boy who had his head sticking out of a car window died when the 16-year-old driver crashed into a parked vehicle in Porter Ranch.

The crash happened around 9:25 p.m. Friday in the 10400 block of Wystone Avenue, according to Sgt. Charles Swanson of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division.

The 17-year-old was apparently not wearing a seat belt, and was ejected from the car when his head struck the parked car.

The deceased teen was identified as Adir Vered, an honor student.

The 16-year-old driver and another passenger, also 16, were not injured, Swanson said.

After an investigation, police officials said they had no reason to believe the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

The driver, whose name was also unavailable, was questioned and then released.

MyFoxLA writes:

Porter Ranch – A teenager who stuck his head out of a car window died when the teen driver crashed into a parked vehicle in Porter Ranch, a Los Angeles police sergeant said today.

Adir Vered, 17, of Woodland Hills, was killed about 9:25 p.m. Friday in the 10400 block of Wystone Avenue, according to the coroner and Sgt. Charles Swanson of the Valley Traffic Division.

A 16-year-old was driving the car when it hit a parked car, Swanson said.

Vered, who was not wearing a seat belt and had stuck his head out the window, was killed when his head hit the parked car and he was ejected, Swanson said.

The 16-year-old driver and another passenger, also 16, were not injured, Swanson said. The driver was questioned and released, Swanson said.

WHWC NC Area Map

Okay, this is a shameless plug for myself.  If you live in Woodland Hills – Area 1 – please vote for me as your Residential Representative in today’s Neighborhood Council election at Fire Station 84 from now until 8pm tonight!

Look at the map on this page (and above) to see if you live in Area 1.  My real name is [].  Keep that on the QT, it’s a secret.  Go vote!

This is a situation where just a few votes is likely to make all the difference.  Thanks in advance.  And you know I’m just an e-mail away to help you with any of your Woodland Hills needs.

My candidate statement:

My name is [] and I have been a resident of Woodland Hills for almost 7 years.  For the past six months, I have been operating an Internet website exclusively about Woodland Hills that has given me the opportunity to meet many residents and business people in our community.  By doing this, I have become aware of many issues facing our community from crime & law enforcement, to real estate development, to the concerns of our local businesses.

I believe that I have my finger on the pulse of our community, and as your Residential Representative for Area 1 I will work diligently with your other elected officials and public servants to improve the quality of life of every resident of Woodland Hills.

Thanks for your support!