Ready to walk off that big meal at Canter's Deli across the street? Head into this branch of Council Thrift Stores and I guarantee you won't walk out empty-handed. And your $$$ goes back into the LA community so I say it's a win win.

I like that everything is neat, clean and organized. You'll see a staff member or two sliding around, keeping it all together. Of course with any thrift store, you never know what you'll find on any given day. But the selection here is good and the clothing is high quality. Aspirational stuff too, like an amazing Melissa and Doug bird activity contraption -- hard to describe but so cool and too rich for my blood ($199). On my most recent visit, I picked up a pair of pants and three legit Ping golf clubs, including a like-new putter ($7.99). Drive for show and putt for dough, if you get my meaning.

No color-coded discount days at this store. But the prices are fair. With the money you save, it's off to Erewon down the street to celebrate with a Hailey Bieber ($18). Cheers!

OMG

I'm a Target person, through and through, having worked for Target at the beginning of my career. So, I'm loyal to them, OK? But I must tip my hat to the sheer size and volume of stuff available at Burbank's giant Walmart Supercenter. If you're used to Target, it's like going into outer space. Here's my comparison (there's a Burbank Target about 20 yards away from this Walmart):
-- Parking: no problem; the parking lot is huge
-- Supermarket: just wow; this makes Target's market look like a 7-11. Fresh meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables and everything else you'd find at a huge full-service supermarket. Almost unreal.
-- Pharmacy: a dud; long lines and irate guests. You'll never wait long at Target's friendly pharmacy (division of CVS). Plus Target $$$ for every 10 prescriptions filled.
-- Stuff: yes to quantity, no to style. You'd never see it at Target, but merchandise here is stacked 20 feet high, yikes. Target's clothing is more high-style.
-- Cost: Walmart's cheaper on just about every item. Cheaper than Amazon on lots of stuff!
-- Shopping experience: it's a different crowd at Walmart, and it's crowd-ed. Target is a more leisurely shopping experience.

Deal breaker? Target has a full-sized Starbucks.

A HIT! Few know the feeling of sliding into a restaurant and announcing "I'm on the list." Well, Yelpers do, making everyone else in line turn green with envy. We work hard for the privilege, greenie!

Once "Robbie B" was checked off the list, it was time to decide which slice would be my sampler. The speciality here are "Soho Squares" (rectangle-shaped slices with a thicker crust). But, if you're like me, learning towards the isosceles triangle style, they got you. I ended up going with both, a triangle-sized cheese slice (awesome NYC-style thin, crispy crust) and a rectangle of the spicy pepperoni. Of course I wolfed them both down.

To go? Sure. But if you've spent 45 minutes parking in Old Town Pasadena, why not dine in. Tons of seating, drinks and desserts if you've got room. The chocolate chip cookie up at the register is worth the cheat.

Thanks TD and Yelp for rolling out the red carpet at Prince Street!

OK Hollywood Boulevard continues to slide in a southbound direction, but if you are headed to a show at the Pantages, as I was, well then, there you are. Park once, have dinner and see your show! Towards that end, Te'Kila is a fantastic option. It's right down the block from the theatre. Who wants Mexican food? Me.

The best deal in town is Te'Kila's happy hour. Tacos, nachos, wings, sliders, margaritas all discounted til 7. Indoor and outdoor seating with no waiting on a busy Friday night. Chips and salsa, the best barometer of any fine dining establishment, is ten stars.

Yelp alert: perhaps because it's a touristy area, 18% gratuity is added to ALL checks. So when you see that tip line, remember you are already in it to win it.