Gotta Drank! 3Dog Cantina

After a movie at the Arclight we walked up Cahuenga Boulevard in search of sustenance.  Old standbys Big Wangs and Kitchen 24 didn't seem too appetizing nor did newish burger and beer joint, Stout.  All of a sudden, I realized there's a lot of bars on this corner with the aforementioned trio, swanky gastropub Saint Felix, a new, tiny cocktail joint called The Powder Room and I believe semi recent additions The Blue Boar Pub and 3Dog Cantina.  The last two share the same owner but I was in the mood for some Mexican grub and we went with Cantina.  This used to be a pretty big and I thought happening sports bar where I'd viewed a few UFC fights.  Not sure if it's the same owner but the interior was completely renovated but still spacious.  It was surprisingly quiet on a Sunday evening but hey, I hate crowds so no complaints from this guy.

Their drink menu has plenty of variety with the expected tequila and margarita offerings as well as some mother fucking moonshine, which I am an imbiber of and quickly ordered.  Complimentary chips and salsa started us off and they have 3 varieties of fresh made guacamole available.  Food wise, you've got your tacos, burritos and fajita selections.  My carne asada tacos were very tasty if a little pricey at $16 for 3 but ya know, it's Hollywood.  Most surprising was their kale Caesar salad, if you're not a fan of salad or kale, I urge you to try this just once, it's that good.  Happy Hour runs through the week with specials on food and drinks so we'll definitely be back to take advantage.

Hitting the Thunder Road:

Damme Saturday: Comics and Moonshine

Saturday:  The seventh day, Nordic for bath day due to the Viking practice of bathing on Saturdays.

Thor:  Norse god associated with thunder and protecting mankind; a Marvel comic book hero created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby.

Moonshine:  High proof distilled spirit, usually produced illicitly.  Also known as White Lightening.

I don't know how the stars aligned to give me such a pitch perfect early Saturday but after seeing Thor: The Dark World, I reached for a copy of Marvel Visionaries: Walter Simonson's The Mighty Thor, Volume 3 and started reading.  The collection starts as Thor leads an army into Hel to free the captured souls from Midgard (earth) being kept by Hela, Goddess of Death.  After facing down Hela in a one on one showdown and having his face scarred in the process, Thor emerges victorious and heads to earth to clear his mind.  There he gets mixed up with Beta Ray Bill, the Power Pack AND a jerry curled Beyonder to battle the evil Kurse, the super powered lackey of Malekith.

Simonson's art is crisp, detailed and exciting.  Being on a different world, the costumes and colors pop, creating a kick ass blend of medieval fantasy action.  I cracked up when some of Thor's warriors brought back crates of M-16's from Midgard and used them in Hel.  His writing is also commendable as it takes you to a different world of magic mixed with myth.  This is especially cool since most of Marvel's characters are grounded in reality, limitations and problems people could actually have.

The moonshine just seemed appropriate because each issue got crazier than the last.  I remember a story about Rob Liefeld being handed a stack of early Fantastic Four issues to read along with every Beatles album to listen to in the background.  The Beatles went to India and partook in some herbal enlightenment to open up their creative channels.  I can't listen to music while reading and don't do drugs so this 70 proof Apple Pie will just have to do.