Croc

The cupholders in my Aurora have proven to be a mild irritant on an almost daily basis...but that's like the one thing between it and perfection so I won't complain too much. I actually like the fold-out design, but not being completely enclosed allows drinks to "sweat" onto the wood console right where the heated seat switches are--not good.

Does corned beef exist in LA? I'm not having any of this pastrami bull$h!.

Hate to burst your bubble NOS, but rice in and of itself isn't really that healthy. In fact, I can think of a lot of really unhealthy rice (Chipotle's comes to mind). It all depends on the way it's prepared and what's in the dish. Brown rice is way healthier than white rice (it also has a taste--yum). In fact, anything that's "white" (or "refined") has usually been processed to death, draining it of any nutritional value. (Refined/bleached/enriched) White flour, (refined) white sugar, white rice, etc. Rice, unless you're talking brown, is all carb and very little fiber. Brown has more fiber, but it's still carb-y. As far as ethnic foods go, Japanese is usually the healthiest (again, avoid the fried stuff like tempura) because of its reliance on protein and seafood (miso soup, seaweed, fish, edamame, etc) Authentic Chinese can be healthy, but none of that actually exists anywhere in America outside the most cosmopolitan cities. Avoid Chinese--it's deep fried and greasy. Mexican is another cuisine that CAN be healthy...but in the US it generally isn't. Thai isn't too bad, but it depends on what you get and how it's prepared. I'd say it's a little healthier than Chinese, but nowhere near as healthy as Japanese. Basically, though, you can make whatever cuisine you want yourself and make it healthy. Buy a wok and make chinese stir fry with minimal oil, use a lot of fish and low-fat beef on the grill, use shrimp, crab, lobster and scallops and whole grain pasta for italian (stay away from creamy sauces), use whole grain tortillas and grill some fish tacos, etc. Dude, just get a cookbook and start playing around. You'll soon get a sense of what works with what and what tastes better/is healthier/unhealthier. Joy of Cooking is a good one. I also recommend doing some reading on the internet about appropriate portion sizes and how many calories per meal you should have.

Is that the name of it? Cool. All I know is it's the only Thai place I've been in LA, and it's the only one I need to bother myself with finding. Sometimes a restaurant is just that good where you know anything else will be a letdown. Highland Park? Dude, I'm in West Adams...short drive up the 110. BTW have you ever been to Lucy's? It's this greasy nasty taqueria on the corner of Hoover and Washington and it's fantastic. The nachos carnitas con guacamole is awesome. Another LA-eatery I enjoy is Roscoe's Chicken 'n Waffles. That counts as ethnic, right? BTW--where are you going to school? I remember a while back you mentioned shadowing at USC.

THE VERY FIRST TIME?????? Good lord man, how did it take so long? Sushi is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, and a sushi meal pretty much consists of all the food groups in appropriate portions--as long as you avoid the tempura rolls and other fried things. I highly recommend the "Dragon Rolls," "Rainbow Rolls" or "Caterpillar Rolls" as they are the healthiest. All of those are variations of the same basic roll and depending on the restaurant the names can be used somewhat interchangeably. They consist of a sliced maki roll with rice on the outside that then has slices of some/all of the following on top: avocado, tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi, whitefish sashimi, and/or BBQ'd eel.

I know the best Thai place in LA...it's in Thai Town, but I don't know the name of it. I just know how to drive there haha. Take the Hollywood Freeway and get off at the Thai Town exit (Hollywood Blvd) and proceed east for a few blocks. East of Serrano and west of Harvard is a strip mall on the north side at the T intersection with Hobart. This place is at the back right corner of the strip, and it's phenomenal. Ask for the spicy fish salad (not on the menu).

Blind spots shouldn't be too bad. I'm sure the rear camera will be available, too.

No, I don't think that was even a large saki. It was just for me as my friend drove. Really cool restaurant, though. It's a converted warehouse with art on the walls, exposed brick and track lights. The tables and chairs are made out of corrugated cardboard though...really fascinating.

Done that. Quite an experience! Anyone in the LA area, I highly recommend this little place tucked in a back alley near Mission. It's called R23 and it has the best sushi I've ever had. It's crazy expensive though...I spent over $100 that night just on myself and I only ordered 2 hand rolls and 1 sliced up maki, some saki, and red bean ice cream.

I LOVE Asian food. Viet is my least favorite at this point, but it's also the cuisine I've had the least experience with. I love authentic Chinese and Korean...and Japanese is pretty good. I don't like Indian though.

No argument from me. That guage cluster looks so incredibly dated. Other than the "BVLGARI" nothing about it is remotely luxurious.

Buying THAT for your brother is just all kinds of effed-up. Haha

I wouldn't classify the interior as "terrible" at all. The design just hasn't aged well. There are quite a few high-cost, high-quality pieces in there, but the overall design theme isn't as luxurious as it needs to be. As for the exterior, it still turns heads. I don't think the exterior needs much of a refresh at all. I'd update the headlights to look more like those on the CTS and I'd do the same to the taillights. I'd redesign the rear decklid to remove the insert and clean up the reverse lights, but overall I'm happy with the exterior design.

No, but sales of the V6 Cadillac would be virtually nill unless priced around the $50k mark. Why get the V6 Cadillac @ $60k when the V8 Corvette bases at $47k? Convertible or not, that would not be a big enough incentive for most buyers.

No, I just overheard. Seriously, it's just somewhat astounding that you think the XLR would be helped by your proposal--you've been posting on this site a long time and IMO should know the market better. A "unique engine" that would set Cadillac apart in a good way would be a 10 or 12 cylinder. Look at the Colorado/Canyon. They offered I5s when everyone else had 6s. Not the only reason, but a good component of why those flopped. Also...why the hell would someone buy a $65k V6 XLR when they could get a V8 Corvette starting in the mid-$40s? "For the luxury" isn't a valid answer.

+1

Yes, smartass, I have been privy to them.

I would actually recommend the 2008 Sierra 1500 Crew Cab Short Box 4WD SLT 4SA. That way you can get the Active Fuel Management and its 1mpg bump. I'm not 100%, but I think you can get almost everything on this trim as on the Denali.

Dude, Northie's right on just about everything. A V6 XLR with your suggested pricing is a TERRIBLE idea. Luxury buyers, and especially luxury SPORT buyers, don't give a rat's ass about economy or value; they care about having something better than everyone else. Bonus points for "better" styling and power. Country club conversation: Richie Rich: New ride? Frugal Frank: Yea! A brand new Cadillac XLR! I love it! RR: It looks pretty nice...so, what kinda power you get out of it? FF: Well, it's a 6, but it moves well and its more economic. RR: Whoa buddy...a SIX? *Hushed* Are you guys doing alright? I mean the economy is in the can, but I never thought you'd be making sacrifices...

Misleading topic title; it really sounds like it should be "Indian company reportedly in talks to buy Jeep from Chrysler." That said, if Jeep is to be sold off, it should be to GM. Reunite the two brands again. GM arguably makes the best SUVs in the industry, and it would be a natural fit. Then HUMMER can go back to being a model instead of a brand. I almost wonder the viability of GM somehow acquiring AM General--it would certainly be helpful with regards to supplying the government with military vehicles and trucks. I know that Renco inked a deal for AM General back in 2003 (I think) for about $1B.

Thanks. I didn't think they were based on the W.

The late-90s were on the U-body...was that based on the W? I looked back online and found that the original dustbuster design received between 3 and 5 stars for its front and side crash tests (both varied within a star depending on the year). I wouldn't say the originals were THAT unsafe, but the U-bodies definitely were structurally-deficient.

Yea, it's pretty hard to sell a vehicle to parents with kids when there's a good chance mommy will die.

Drug-addled or not, Winehouse deserved that win. Her talent is incredible. I'm also a fan of Swift.

Pulling out is not worth it for the dealership buyouts and "badwill" it would generate among the fanatically-devoted SAAB fans. SAAB looks like it will have a competitive lineup with a few additions in the next couple years, and to be quite honest, none of their current offerings suck. The 9-5 is average, but it is also ancient. The 9-3 lineup is phenomenally good. The 9-7X is the best of the GMT-360s. If SAAB can get a crossover (one is planned) and a smaller vehicle, then the lineup will be competitive. The 9-5 is scheduled for a redesign soon anyway, yes? SAAB is an "opportunity" brand and I think if SAAB and Saturn dealerships were paired up, the pairing would benefit both brands by expanding their markets. SAAB just has a terrible dealer presence, so you can't blame them for pretty low sales.