Omar, Mestemacher, and the Fiery Light

As those who know me know, I live with a silky black bovine, seal-like, and baby-goat-ish creature. His name is Omar, and he has a nose. He is my therapy dog. I don't know how long he trained at his current profession, but he's really good at it. One look, and you will probably be inclined to agree...

When I'm not staring at Omar and wondering how anything so cute could have been created by the noodly appendage, I'm eating my new favorite thing: Sunflower Seed Bread!!!!

This stuff is great! I eat it all day long! It doesn't need to be toasted to be good, it lasts a long time, it's super-filling, and it's probably (?) healthy!

I've been eating this one by Mestemacher, and some of it's selling points are: No preservatives, high fiber, cholesterol free and wheat free. Only it's preservative-free and high fiber selling points strike a chord with me, but I know everyone and there mother has a wheat allergy nowadays...so THIS IS THE BREAD FOR YOU!!!

Super yummy with some honey and peanut or almond butter....

And, while i'm munching on this amazing stuff, I'm breathing in horrible smoke-filled air. However, one thing this fire brings to Los Angeles is...beautiful lighting.  Case in point...

What is normally a boring kitchen window is transformed into a celestial vision!

Filthy and Hot

Please...someone deliver me from this disgusting weather. I don't know if I can take any more of this.

what do you know...just as I wrote that, Bolls called and I'm going to cool off my noggin' with her and a margarita!

The Majesty of the California Coastline

Just returned from a quick trip up and down the coast...and I have fallen in love with my home state again!

Drove up to Big Sur to see my friends Fishtank Ensemble play at the Big Sur Spirit Garden. The Spirit Garden is an amazing-looking place...by far the best feature is these Spirit Nests, which are basically human bird nests that come furnished with a mattress for overnights. My calculations were an entire hour off though, and arrived just as Fishtank finished. Shared some really nice wine with them and went to sleep in the top bunk of their Eurostar or Eurovan (?) instead of a lovely nest...didn't end up getting a lot of sleep, but enjoyed the camping experience nonetheless.

We then drove up to Monterey and took a walk around Fisherman's Village, where proprietors were practically throwing clam chowder at us in an effort to lure us into their restaurants. Got a lovely coconut and almond ice cream cone instead...then drove back down the coast to Cambria, where we had dinner and wine and played Gin Rummy until we fell asleep.

Up early in the morning to watch Teddy Kennedy's memorial...I was really impressed by Kerry's speech, as it was probably the most beautiful thing he's ever delivered on a podium. Got some breakfast at Linn's Pies in Cambria, then straight to Hearst Castle, where I finally took something other than the Beginner's Tour. I highly recommend Tour #2, as you get to see Hearst's bedroom (where his lampshades consist of Indenture contracts from America's early days, his ceiling is 14th century Spanish, his couches are covered in the MOST exquisite fabric ever), Marion Davies' bedroom (quite lovely too), Hearst's libraries (one prize original is Gulliver's Travels, which Harpo Marx almost accidentally pinched), his work room (large and palatial, with it's own library), and this magnificent guest bedroom on the top floor, with french windows all around, wood carved walls, and a bed as the centerpiece (called the Celestial Bedroom I think). My god. Hearst really gives you something to aspire to. More than ever, I want my own library. On a hilltop.

the Celestial Suite

And, Hearst's beach allows dogs! So Omar ran on the beach and in the water for the first time!!!

Wonderful trip, beautiful fresh air...only to return to smoke-filled Los Angeles.

The Evelyn Waugh...no not THAT Evelyn Waugh

In his travel journal When the Going Was Good Evelyn Waugh was taught about a beverage which I would ultimately name after him. The Moroccans taught him, he taught me, and now I teach you....

Ingredients:

Champagne

Angostura Bitters

Sugar Cube

Cayenne Pepper

Champagne Flute

Saucer / small plate

1. Pour a glass of champagne out into the flute. Put aside.
2. Pour some of the bitters onto the saucer/small plate (maybe a third of a teaspoon).
3. Lay the sugar cube in the bitters, rotating sides so each one sucks up enough bitters to turn brown.
4. Pour out some cayenne pepper, and roll the soaked sugar cube until all sides are red.
5. Drop the altered cube into the champagne glass. NOW DRINK IT.

Ta-Dah! Most glorious concoction ever. Good for a hangover, good before a hangover, good to give you a hangover. And each champagne bubble carries with it a cayenne pepper flake.

My Foodness

There are a handful of restaurants in Los Angeles...that have my everlasting approval. These are standbys either in terms of food quality, service, atmosphere/decor, or whether or not they will make me an Evelyn Waugh.

The Pacific Dining Car
A baseball steak almost as big as my head and a cute lobster tail with drawn butter! Waiters dressed to the nines and who KNOW HOW TO BE GOOD WAITERS. There is an art to waiting tables, and the PD's waiters have mastered it. It's open 24/7 (even on Christmas!), half the restaurant is an actual railroad dining car, and they have a great wine cellar. Hoorah!

Kendall's
Wonderful oysters and clams and sea-whatnot. The whole place is beautiful with wood everywhere and great lighting (divine decadence), and the bartenders are the best - friendly and funny. I recommend eating at the bar.

Aroma Restaurant
Despite a hideous mini-mall and deceptively shitty signage, this is a fantastic Italian restaurant. The wine list is great, the food is consistently delicious, and the waiters...art of waiting...etc... Always makes me happy.

Musso and Frank's
The best things on the menu here are the prime rib and the lamb. I happen to be a fan of continental fare, so I actually like a lot of what they offer foodwise. But some people aren't into it. I understand. Fifties food isn't for everyone. However, the atmosphere is amazing, and the bartender will occasionally make me an Evelyn Waugh.

I am fond of food, and food is fond of me.

The Dog-Eared Book Club

My dear friends Holly (Holls Bolls), Scott (Great God Pan), and Sam (the Old Accordion Man), and I have started a book club. I'm putting this out there, because if there is anyone else who is interested in joining virtually (ie through my blog), contact me, and we can set up blog posts and discussions here. Our first book is The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles, which we will be finishing up in the next week or so and follow up with J.G. Ballard's Cocaine Nights. I highly recommend starting a book club if you aren't already in one, because the insight you get from your peers is enlightening. Everyone's perspective is exposed in wonderful ways: a different take on the same passage or character says so much about how you interpret text and how you insert yourself into that text. Me? of course I'm always looking for me.

His Coy Mistress Etsy Shoppe

This is my first post to my new blog dedicated to vintage, collectibles and ancient things with dust and mold on them. I might at times, include something lovely and pink and new because it harkens back to the ancient and musty or just because it's so lovely and pink and new.

I have a delightful little store on Etsy, where you might find something gorgeous for yourself or a friend. Please feel free to take a look and email me if you find something or things you adore.

Some items which have just popped up in my shoppe...

Some beautiful silver Roger Vivier's, as pictured above,

Some classic Manolo's...





And a cute little vintage Holzman purse in red...



I am adding new and luscious things to my store everyday, so check back often!