TO LIVE AND DINE IN L.A---DOWNTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY

I AM A FOOD FREAK. I WAS BORN IN L.A. AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY MY PARENTS TO ALL THE GRANDE HOLLYWOOD AND LOS ANGELES RESTAURANTS.

Thanks to Josh Kun, a curator for the L.A. Library, and brilliant exhibit showing all those menus, photos of the restaurants, plus music from our city, is on display right now. It is so cleverly done, that there are dining tables at which to sit, almost as if you are ordering.

For anyone who grew up here, you will get misty thinking about the Brown Derby Grapefruit Cake or Don the Beachcomber's drinks, or Fridays at Ma Maison; flannel cakes at Musso's. The only surprise was that Chasen's and Perino's and the Luau were not in the exhibit. Sad. It makes no sense.

Romanoff's

Ma Maison

Clifton's

Pig 'n' Whistle

Don the Beachcomber

This journey to the library was in honor of Sandy Pressman's birthday. I wanted to take her to the library, as well as a special lunch. I was sure I knew right where the lunch place was. As we rounded the block I said, "It's here on your right."

I WAS WRONG. I HAD LOST THE RESTAURANT.

Fortunately, a nice Turkish gentlemen took pity on us and showed us the alley we wanted called St. Vincent's Alley in the jewelry district

It was Sevan Restaurant and the food was great. But, just before dessert, a building behind us caught fire and we were overwhelmed by sirens, firemen and police.
Happy Birthday, Sandy

Sandy and the firemen. The alley was too narrow for the trucks.