hot tamales & photobooths, SoCo & lime

at a bar in silverlake called cha cha, at the end of each evening a mexican dude comes around with a heated case full of tamales, $2 each. though i was craving some Jack in the Box (the best fast food in the world (in 'n out doesn't count)), i decided to give it a shot. i was nervous it would be some horrible pouch microwaved crap, but nope -- homemade, wrapped in a corn husk leaf, chicken, pork or cheese tamales, with the non-cholula, non-tabasco, non-fake kind of spiciness that only comes from putting real chiles into maize. 'snice to be close to the border, i like!

also for $2 at cha cha: four distinct color photobooth photos. why photobooths are still such a fun novelty when cameras (be they digital or on your phone) are basically ubiquitous i'm not sure, but they still are. maybe it's the momentary blindness that ensues after each flashbulb goes off in your face (maybe it's the fact that they use flashbulbs), or maybe it's the naughty feeling of going into a photobooth with another person, or maybe it's just that they're old fashioned. whatever it may be, fine holiday fun. especially after you've taken down a couple SoCo and limes.