The Joys of a Mini-Vacation

"Vacation" to me means "someplace else." Yeah, I am easily amused...

Yesterday morning, over his coffee, Richie read in the LA Times Food section of a barbecue chef that travels with some of our local farmers' markets. . Westchester on Wednesday was the place to be.

For non-locals, Westchester is north of LAX. We rarely "go north" so much of it is unexplored territory. The farmers' market was near the Howard Hughes Center, a huge, sprawling mall.

Except that it wasn't. We went into Nordstrom Rack and while Richie buttonholed clerks and customers about the market, I scooped up a pair of Sperry Top-Siders and two t-shirts. Since Nordstrom all by itself is a very expensive department store and Nordstrom Rack is the home for errors in buying; stuff that didn't sell well, I made a killing -- saved $52.

A sales clerk told Richie that there used to be a market- a long time ago - and, oh! it was on Saturday not Wednesday.

Disappointed (no barbecue) we shuffled back towards the car. "Hey! Since we're this far north, get over on Lincoln and we'll go to Baby Blues BBQ. So we did.

(Previously reviewed: Baby Blues BBQ, 444 Lincoln Boulevard, Venice 90291 babybluesvenice.com)

We had a pair of lunch specials for $10 each (pulled pork on a toasted, grilled ciabatta roll with cole slaw on top and beans on the side.) Their beans are different -- kidney, black and pinto beans with slabs of onion in a thickish broth. It was all very, very good and I could kick myself for waiting some three years to go back there. Portions were so generous we had the leftovers for dinner. I love it when we can get two meals out of one. But we did eat all of a slice of key lime pie...

Coming home, Richie took Venice side streets and the residential section is far different that of Venice Beach. Well-kept houses, tidy lawns and no bizarre characters.

We left around 11 a.m. and were home at 2:15 p.m. We saw new places, ate very well and I saved $52 shopping for things I needed and wanted.

It is good to get off of the reservation every now and then...