Food Inc.
Re “Jonathan Gold’s 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants” (August 26):

Geez! This is practically the same exact list that’s been in existence since 2000! Gold needs to start reviewing rather than living off his reputation.

—Comment by stwsr, L.A.

 

Mr. Gold,

Could you please be perfectly honest and list the places that:

A) are run by your personal friends and/or people who have radio shows on which you appear regularly?

B) you have not actually eaten at in the past year?

Some of these spots have been going downhill for years. While I respect your Pulitzer and your career, I think this list is way off in many places.

—Comment by Diana

 

All of the restaurants and only two in the San Fernando Valley? Our side of the mountain has great restaurants, and maybe Mr. Gold should venture his way more past Ventura (Boulevard) to see what the 818/747 areas have to offer. And yes (because of the Westsiders), we are a part of the City of Los Angeles and should be considered in L.A. Weekly. Or change the name of the publication/Web site to L.A. Westside Weekly!

—Comment by Greg, North Hollywood

 

I haven’t finished reading this exhaustive list but so far, so good in my opinion. I love Gold’s writing and take on things. His annual list always factors into our dining choices so we keep a copy in both cars.

—Comment by Brian, Sherman Oaks

 

Your list is ridiculous, Jonathan. You embody the too-oft-true critique of Angelenos: that they are a shallow lot, obsessed with themselves and the pseudoculture they imbibe/create. You powder puff. Your list has precious little to do with good food and is more about showcasing your too-cool-for-school chef name-dropping. I could take you. You’re the kind of guy who would put Swingers on the list (a.k.a. Jack Rabbit Slim’s) but not Bay Cities Deli next door. You’re the kind of guy who would put Babalu on the list and not Tacos Por Favor (or Father’s Office). Pansy. (Your favorite movie scene is no doubt the opening scene from American Psycho.) Look — you took a swing at Ramen California, and you’ll prove to be the dangling fool for it. The signature dish is right in your liberal, carrot-hugging wheelhouse. Hypocrite. (You remind me of Uncle Monty in the movie Withnail & I.) But what I’m REALLY mad at is that I’ve only been to 16 of the 105 (not 99) places mentioned — so I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, as well as about 100 hours of homework to do because of you. I could still take you — Monty.

—Comment by Sullivan, Santa Monica

 

Woodstock Pride
Re “Taking — and Ruining — Woodstock,” by Melissa Anderson (August 26):

Hey, Melissa … sounds like sour grapes to me. Bet you wish you’d been there. I was. I came early and got really sick with strep throat when it rained on the third day. But I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything else I’ve done in my life.

Haven’t seen this film yet, but I will. Please let us boomies enjoy the sweet joy of Woodstock once again in peace and go on to something else. And take that punim off your face.

—Comment by Terry, L.A.

 

Waves on the Waterbus
Re “On the Waterbus,” by Gendy Alimurung (August 26):

I would have really enjoyed this colorful description of the Waterbus if it didn’t do it at the expense of the program and its employees. Even though the program isn’t cheap, it brings business into the marina and creates jobs. It’s helping people to get through this recession, even if it’s not doing it in the most obvious way.

Brandon, a Waterbus employee who wasn’t mentioned in the article, is a college student working Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights all summer, despite his intensive weeklong football practices. He’s saving up enough to get through his next semester.

Daniel, another employee, just started school last week in Berkeley but has been driving back every weekend to complete the season. He hopes to come back next season because it’s a good job that’s been helping him to get through school.

All the captains go through intensive 12-hour shifts on their weekends; employees like Warren jump right back to their regular job on Monday. Congrats on finding this little gem and claiming it as one of your own novel L.A. “discoveries.”

—Comment by I aint the Walrus, San Pedro

 

Fire Squad
Re “Los Angeles’ TV Station Fire,” by Steven Mikulan in L.A. Daily (September 1):

This situation reminds us of how ill prepared we are to communicate in a situation like this. As a resident of Altadena whose house was threatened, I found it very frustrating to not receive up-to-date information on TV. You would think the threat to a NASA lab would have been enough to garner press coverage, not to mention all those families who were trying to come up with an exit plan. While I called our sheriff for updates on a regular basis, what if I was a Spanish speaker and, further, what if the phone lines were down? When you are in this situation, you look to any (somewhat) credible source of information to HELP you.

—Comment by Leila Kumar

 

What everyone remembers in times of disaster is that broadcasters, who are virtually printing money by exploiting the “public airwaves,” are returning nothing to the communities they ostensibly serve.

Reagan’s elimination of the Fairness Doctrine and FCC regulations mandating “public service” programming is partly to blame.

But ultimate fault can be laid to the public’s continued acquiesence to Federal broadcasting law that has shifted local ownership of stations to multinational media giants with no profit incentive to take an interest in the welfare of their viewers.

—Comment by Fletch

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