​I'm not really appropriate to take out in public settings, so it was nice to see my chica set up a double date for us, even better when she was taking us out of OC and into the nether regions of LA. The place: Son of a Gun, the new-ish seafood place by the guys behind Animal, that restaurant that puts bacon on everything.

Then, she said to guess what celebrity would be the guy in the other couple. Um...Bill Handel? Some labor guy? No idea.

"C.J. from Top Chef," she finally exclaimed. OH SNAP...from my favorite Top Chef season of them all!

Of course, meeting someone with some measure of fame, let alone getting your mug broadcast for weeks on a series, is always fraught with the potential for assholery, but C.J. seemed nice enough from his appearances. Little did I know, however, that we'd have much more in common than an appreciation of Family Guy.
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Kelly Slater Facebook page

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When surf legend Kelly Slater isn't riding a wave, the brah is working on his professional image. He's teamed up with the retooled San Diego-based chain we might never refer to as Daphne's California Greek to try and convince people it's no longer the pita of horrors it was for so many years.
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​In digging through my archives for a document for my investigative side, I came across a couple of autographed copies of SaFII friend-idol Eddie Lin's Extreme Cuisine, his awesome book that the Fullerton native released through Lonely Planet. It'll make a great stocking stuffer for your dearest food lover, but you have the chance to win a free copy RIGHT NOW...that is, after the jump!

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​I don't see The Real Housewives of Orange County because I'm more of a Real Housewives of Atlanta type of guy (and isn't The Real Housewives of D.C. boring as hell?), but I do care for culinary gossip about them. Thus, an email I received from a tipster a couple of days ago:

I was at (restaurant) and a couple of them were there having lunch last week. I don't see the show, but I know it was them because there was a camera crew there, and other people were whispering that it was them. Plus, some of the people who came out in the filming had to sign a form saying they allowed themselves to be on the show.

Gentle readers: what restaurant did our Real Housewives enjoy lunch at recently? Only clue I can give is that you have to name the restaurant and where the restaurant is located--not its city, but the place (you'll know what I mean once I reveal the answer). First person to guess the name of the restaurant and location gets some gift or other from the Weekly!

And JB (I think it is): next week for your TK Burgers thing, I swear.

This restaurant was a favorite of a previous generation of Weeklings, and some in the next generation still like it. Me? Good drinks, overpriced, so-so food. Not that I've ever shared this sentiment until now--indeed, I included this place in one of our food issues, back when they were better. In that issue, our photo editor (back when we had one) called the restaurant to try and schedule a photo shoot so we could include beautiful shots in the issue and, you know, give some love to who we thought were cool people. Not only did the restaurant owners refuse to allow us to take photos, they also said they didn't want any publicity--hilarious, considering all the stars and buzz they accept from those crazy Yelp kids.

Flash-forward a couple of years to just recently. We now have a photo intern snapping shots of every restaurant we've ever reviewed for our online dining guide. When they tried taking pictures at the aforementioned restaurant, the young padewan got the boot. Outta there--again, quite interesting considering all the photos on their Yelp page. Fuckers.

For a jar of my chica's kiwi-blood orange marmalade: what is the name of the restaurant owned by these jerkish owners? The sole hint right now: WAY too many candles in both the patio and inside. One guess per comment, and no current or former Weeklings allowed.

And now, another pair of local jerks doing--what else?--the Jerk:

fugue @ flickr.com CC BY-SA 2.0

Mr. Golden Throat himself!

​Stonefire Grill sent us a press release today about their part in the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, an annual equine gala put on by (dramatic chord) WILLIAM SHATNER, whose formative influence on wan, pasty geeks is considerable. This year's charity event, the 20th annual, is May 1, and Stonefire Grill will be catering the event with grilled meats, salad, bread and brownies as an in-kind donation.

There's one small problem from this side of the Orange Curtain: none of the benefiting charities are here in OC. The money is going to Children's Hospital LA, St. Jude's, and other LA children's charities, but not to CHOC. One wonders why they would send the press release to an Orange County-based newspaper.

Regardless, it's still a worthy cause; CHLA, St. Jude's and the other charities are lucky to have such patronage, and Stonefire Grill is to be commended for donating the catering. If you're a fan of the Stonefire Grills in Irvine or Fountain Valley, definitely thank them next time you visit, and maybe put in a plug for CHOC or other Orange County-based children's charities.

Let's just hope William Shatner isn't going to serenade the donors.

No one won my Huell Howser Hollywood Farmer's Market quiz (he was eating Greek chicken kabobs), so let's move closer to home: for a jar of my chica's basil jelly, which Fullerton restaurant did Buena Park police officers visit mid-morning yesterday in their squad car? Not only that, but one of the officers was driving out of the restaurant's parking lot with one hand on the wheel while sipping on his drink--hands on 10 and 2 o'clock, sir! This clue should give it away: it's an Orange County chain that began in Fullerton. One guess per comment, por favor. And howzabout sticking to your city chasing criminals while on the clock, Buena Park PD?

And now, Reno 911!

One of the worst-kept secrets in Southern California is that the God of California, Huell Howser, frequently shops at the Hollywood Farmer's Market, held every Sunday near Hollywood and Ivar. He was there yesterday (and remembered me!), and the crowds surrounding him quizzed Huell specific episodes, all which he remembered to their delight. Seriously: the guy rocks.

Howser has done quite a few profiles on Orange County landmarks over the years, which is why I'm doing this quiz (other celebrities yesterday? Andy Richter and Booger from Revenge of the Nerds). To have him as a blind item would be way too easy, so for a jar of my chica's basil jelly: what did ol' Huell have for lunch? The hint (and it nearly gives it away): it's a foodstuff that many nationalities prepare, almost always universally the same. To make it a bit harder, though, you'll not only have to guess the food but also the nationality of the food stall from where Huell bought his grub. One guess (grub and nationality) per comment, por favor. And, now: Huell tripping!

Which restaurant recently told a group of eight who had an 8 p.m. reservation that, not only would they not be seated at their reserved time, but they would have to wait an hour for their promised table even though it wasn't THAT crowded? Hint: the party went to a restaurant next door, where they were quickly and graciously seated even though they were pretty slammed themselves. First person to guess the offending restaurant correctly gets a cranberry-cava jelly made by my chica! One guess per comment, por favor.

This song, by the way, is NOT a clue; I just think the sentiment is apropos...

Wasn't here, although Warren also loves this place...

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Saddleback Church's pastor Rick Warren made news over the holidays with his last-minute plea for $900,000 from his parishioners in two days, the most outlandish request for funds by a local pastor since Diocese of Orange Bishop Tod D. Brown began second collections to pay for his pedo-priests. I don't think Purpose-Driven® Rick will ever fully explain why one of the largest congregations in the United States suddenly hit financial hardship so quickly, but whatever: the man has to eat. A jar of my chica's pickled jalapeños/carrots/habaneros/onions to the first person who posts where Warren was recently spotted eating breakfast in South Orange County. One guess per comment, and the only clue I'll give right now is this place wasn't a chain!