L.A. STORIES– PART THREE

Back in Portland, now up to our eyeballs in homework and walking to school in thirty degree weather, it’s hard to believe that just a few days ago we were stuffing ourselves silly, luxuriating in balmy weather with nary a worry except where best to eat next.

Ah, reality.

But before I completely immerse myself in the pre-holiday madness of early December around here, I need to show you a couple more highlights from my L.A. trip.

First up, Joan’s on Third.

Should you find yourself in the area, and you give a fig about beautiful food (both eat in and take out), Joan’s is a must for a quick pop in.

I read about this place somewhere (I think it was Bon Appetit magazine which once put their short rib sandwich on a cover) and having been last year, I knew it merited a second look. We found ourselves with a pocket of time and headed over.

My gosh it’s gorgeous.

It reminds me of Dean and DeLuca in NY, but it’s airier, lighter, and with a fair amount of seating.

Last time I was here I hit the bakery section and got to talking with this gorgeous woman my age and only after did I realize that I had seen her just the week before on CSI in a walk-in role.

We chatted  about Cloud Cupcakes and dark chocolate cookies (two of her favorite Joan creations) and I tried not to stare too much at the Reese Peanut Butter Cupcakes and homemade Pop Tarts.

Or the perfection of this woman’s skin — she was makeup-less but still managed to look airbrushed.

(Jeez. Are there ANY ugly people in this town? Or how about anyone just a tad less than spectacular?)

In parting, she urged me next time to try their salads.

Okay, actress lady, this time I will.

Yum — and I feel prettier already.

This place is expensive (three to go salads and some bread cost us fifty four dollars) but all the food was delicious: the Caesar with Grilled Chicken, a Chinese Chicken Salad, and a Chopped Salad (that was basically a Cobb).

All three were delectable but I really loved this last one, especially with some of the breads we brought home (focaccia and ciabatta).

It’s a good thing they put up Plexi-glass between you and the bread — people like me are likely to just jump in there without warning.

Next up, The Witch’s House.

My kids don’t understand it, but every time we go to L.A.,  I insist that we drive by it and check it out.

I mean, C’mon, just look at it.

Located in the heart of Beverly Hills (just two miles from my mother-in-law’s condo at the corner of Walden and Carmelita), it’s also known as the Spadena House (after the first occupants in 1921).

According to my pal Wiki, it was designed by Harry Oliver, a famous Hollywood art director/set decorator in the twenty years leading up to WWII,  and it was originally located in Culver City. Back then, it was used as offices and dressing rooms for a film studio.

I gather the house was moved to its current location in 1934 and that’s when the Spadena family moved in (lending their name to the house for future generations).

Anyway, that’s more than you need to know, but in person, this Hansel and Gretel-like house (with its purposeful dilapidation) is crazy to see up close.

Once falling to disrepair, an L.A. realtor bought it in the late 90’s and made sure that it was renovated to its original glory. Every time I see it I have to wonder — what must it be like to live in house like this?

No time for idle thinking now — I’ve so much more to show you in L.A.

Like delicious food at Connie and Ted’s in Hollywood.

Knowing that there was a rich meal ahead, I decided to go light on the appetizer.

Just kidding — I went whole hog.

There was an incredibly tangy and earthy Little Gem salad with tomatoes, blue cheese and bacon.

Then came the Parker House rolls.

They were cooked to order in a cast-iron pan, their glossy tops brushed with butter and topped with flake salt, giving the eater a bit of crunch before encountering a fluffy cumulus cloud of pillowy baked roll.

Good Lord they were delicious.

When was the last time you were blessed with hot homemade bread — and such a superior one?

And because Connie and Ted’s is modeled after the seafood shacks on the East Coast, you know that the seafood is going to be good.

Whether you like fried clams (both strips and bellies, of course) in a buttered roll with fries…

… or the more traditional basket o’ goodness,

it’s all delectable.

The same could be said of my buttered lobster roll.

I gobbled up this sandwich lickity split fast, but I have to say the one here in Portland (you can read about it here) was even better (and for less than half the price).

But let’s be honest, there really is no such thing as a bad lobster roll — only better and best ones exist.

A couple more highlights.

Because the weather was so good, we had to hit the golf range.

Yeah, that one.

Who doesn’t love putt-ing a golfball into a mini-chapel or  gingerbread house?

No one I care to know.

And it was here I hit accomplished something big.

Wait for it.

My first hole-in-one in five years.

And lastly, what better way to celebrate a victory than at an ice cream place?

But not just any old joint would do — we just had to go to another place I found on Pinterest.

The Ice Cream Laboratory.

Located on Santa Monica (and right off Rodeo Drive in the retail heart of Beverly Hills), this place takes a custard base, adds mix-ins, a good amount of liquid nitrogen, and just a few minutes of your time.

Okay, this was a new one for me.

I let the kids decide which flavor combos they wanted (Salt Lick and Cookies & Cream); we ordered and we didn’t have to wait long for the magic to happen.

First the custard goes in…

… and then the liquid nitrogen was piped in from a giant tank nearby.

I think halfway through the freezing process the gal added in the other chunky ingredients, and then voila.

Custom, made-to-order ice cream — without emulsifiers, preservatives, or stabilizers.

Only deliciousness.

They had to use a sharp spatula to get it out of the KitchenAid mixer, and then it was artfully formed into a perfect scoop.

Both ice creams were some of the most velvety, silken frozen confections I’ve ever had — it brought me back to gelato in Italy. Only this time with quintessential American flavor combinations.

Pretzels and caramels or fresh broken-up cookies are never wrong– especially when you use Mad Science to bring them together.

So here’s to a great week with the in-laws, culminating in a Thanksgiving feast at Joan and Casey’s.

It’s always so touching when Joan asks every single person to tell the crowd what they are grateful for that year.

Me, I’m grateful to belong to such a lovely group of people.

And a very special thank you to my mother-in-law, Ruth (as seen here with Larry, one of my husband’s brothers).

Your generosity floors me and if I look one tenth as good as you do — or am one-fifth as active– approaching my 92nd birthday (no, that’s not a typo, that’s her age), I’m one lucky devil.