To Live and Dine in LA
Over the past few years, new as well as, uh… seasoned, friends have inquired about my favorite places to eat, experiences to enjoy and sites to see in Los Angeles. Tiring of the frequent search for the list of go-to spots, it finally occurred to this aging modern Bedouin to document this in more than some haphazard list, save it in the notes section of my laptop and eliminate the panicked search. Can I tell ya’??….. It still takes several minutes to scour the several dozen notes saved on my computing machine.
Solution: Sharing it with you here, on my oft-neglected blog. Now I know exactly where to find this baby for the occasional update and can share it with the pasting of a hyper-link. Viola!
NOTE: This is by no means exhaustive. As a matter of fact it’s my intention to flesh out these entries with a bite more context before the end of spring. A couple of other places also popped into my mind as I type this intro. If you can get your hands on one of the list of 100 best LA restaurants by the late-great Jonathon Gold, do it. I promise it to be well worth the effort to find it, then research to identify which establishments still operate. If you encounter trouble locating one of his annual rosters, drop a line and let me know.
In the meantime, I offer my humble musings of good times and good eats in the City of Angels. If you have any additions, drop a line and let me know. Remember to check back for the occasional update!
Bon Appetit!
I could go on endlessly about LA, it’s been a year since I’ve been back so you’ll want to confirm these places are still around. LOTS of cultural things to do, and food for days in and near that city. Off the beaten path: Like poetry slams? Check out The Poetry Lounge on Tuesday evenings. If cooking is your thing, go to Now Serving, LA’s only book store catering to all things culinary. I’m pretty sure they will ship any books you don’t want to schlep back in your luggage. Spend an evening at Dockweiler Beach where you can literally light up your night at the public fire pits. Lastly, but definitely not least, check out the nearly unknown museum of African American Art located, are you sitting down…. ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF MACY’S. That’s right, at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Macy’s on the third floor, you will find a collection of work by African American artists.
Three of my favorite eateries:
Sunday Gravy. Love this Italian place and the siblings that run it. If you go, tell Sol & Ghazi I said hi!
Truxton’s, near LAX & Santa Monica
Huckleberry, also in Santa Monica
The Ramen Joint, near LAX,
Alta, on Adams
Post & Beam, in Baldwin Hills
Lasita, a Filipino restaurant in Chinatown – in the same building as Now Serving.
Clearly I find it impossible to limit myself when it comes to food in LA. Actually, that applies to food anywhere. Almost forgot:
Little Fatty in Mar Vista (on the West Side). And swinging back to East LA…
Lastly, a drive up the coast is always an amazing experience! I did it once with my kids, from LA to Santa Cruz, and found it to be just as exhilarating as our cross country drives from DC to the coast. Malibu is scenic wonder, with enough well-known and hidden gem eateries to make the pit stop worthwhile. Fuel up for the coastal drive with an assortment of candies from the one and only SweetBu Candy Company. Trust me!