Potpourri

Dashed Hopes (Again, O Lord)
Bob and Pat invited us to join them and their crew for a sail this afternoon. Given the fact that our weather has been unseasonably hot (92 on the balcony the other day) I was quite looking forward to lolling on the aft cusions, soaking up the sun (and sucking down a beer or two.) Alas. It is overcast, grey and gloomy.

Update: How cool is this? A friend of Bob and the crew (both named Jim this time) is a Delta pilot and avid sailer. Knowing they sail on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m., he told them to be under the take-off point at LAX at 2 p.m. -- he was flying to Hawaii. We were and at 2:10 p.m. he went overhead. No wing waggle... but we all waved.

Movin' On Up If Only Somewhat ...
Los Angeles mag this month lists "101 Cheap Eats!" and we have dined at seven of them.
Baby Blues BBQ, 444 LIncoln Blvd, Venice - Very good; we need to get back there
Factor's Famous Deli, 9420 Pico, West LA - the annual corned beef sandwich
Havana Mania, 3615 Inglewood, Redondo Beach - love their ham rolls
The Loft, 23305Hawthorne, Torrance - love their lumpias, but Richie doesn't like Hawaiian
Phillipe The Original, 1001 N. Alameda, downtown LA - their horseradish sauce will melt your eyebrows...
Pink's, 709 N. La Brea, Hollywood - instant gastric distress, big time
Rosecoe's House of Chicken & Waffles, 1514 Gower, Hollywood - breast of chicken with a waffle only sounds odd -- it's actually quite good.

Which, it must be said, is a far cry from our having dined in ANY of the "Top 100."

A Rose by Any Other Name...
The newest issue of Saveur compares local words for a milkshake:
Rhode Island - a "cabinet" after the cabinets where the fixings are stored
St. Louis - a "concrete" for the extra-thick shakes found there.
Boston, parts of New England - a frappe (pronounced FRAP) from the French for "whipped."
California - a "smoothie" made from fruit and milk or frozen yogurt.
Caribbean and Central America - a "batidos" which are made with fresh fruit, ice and milk.