Good, Bad and Old Friends

Post-Harvey - The good is that the guy who owns and runs a couple of mattress shops called Mattress Mack opened the store to let those fleeing Harvey come in an hunker down. 

The nation of Taiwan is donating $800,000 to rescue efforts in sympathy - every Summer and Fall, they have devastating typhoons. 

The Houston Police Chief put out a warning to  would-be looters.  Don't do it.  We will catch you and we will impose the maximum punishment.  Even it quits raining, you won't see sunshine for a very long time. 

Post-Harvey - Bad.  Very bad.

Faux ICE and fire fighters are showing up at people's houses and making them evacuate.  When the deluded, bullied home owners  have rounded the corner, the "ICE" and/or the fire fighter go in to the house and rob the people blind.  ICE is NOT in Houston or environs and does NOT plan to be. 


Chasing Favorite Restaurants - Hey!  Stop!  We want to eat there!

Both restaurants got their starts on the upper end of Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach. 

We loved the Ragin' Cajun due to the many visits we've made to New Orleans.  Whenever we were overcome by hush puppy longing, w knew right where to go.  And we did.

But then the evil landlord who owned the property decided to let his son open a restaurant.  So he kept jacking the Cajun's rent up until the owner couldn't pay it.  Instead, forced out, he took it on the road with a food truck.  Then luck and a nice landlord smiled on him and he opened the new Ragin' Cajun on PCH in Redondo Beach.  Business has been good there, but apparently a longing for his old stomping grounds moved the owner to buy a third property and set up shop again.  The new place is on Pier Avenue - just about dead center across from his original Ragin' Cajun.  Now, chant with me:  Karma's a bitch.

We had dinner there last night, the owner, in his Cajun outfit - soft-colored plaid shirt, tails hanging down, a pair of jeans so long that he could have been wearing 6 in. spike heels and the hem would have only brushed the floor instead of sweeping it.)  greeted us with his usual enthusiasm, and we enjoyed ourselves and the food.  Richie ordered a beer and I asked for a glass of pinot grigio (white) and the portion had to be about half of a bottle.  It was $7 and the whole bottle was $28. 

Crème de la Crepe  is also great favorite when we miss Bretagne and Normandy and their foods of note.  When they first opened - at the top of Pier Avenue - we supported them with enthusiasm.

And they, in their turn have prospered (not due to us)  and now have crepe stores in Beverly Hills, San Diego, Long Beach, Culver City and Huntington Beach and RB's own Riviera Village as well as the now-flagship Dominique's Kitchen. 

We had lunch there today.  We had French class from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and Richie wanted to continue the French experience.  My Matinale crepe tasted exactly the same as the first one I ever ate there - buckwheat crepe, scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon.   Richie's Americain of ham, egg and melted  Brie was the same, too, he said.  We split a dessert crepe of mango, caramel syrup, vanilla ice cream and a cloudy puff of whipped cream. 

For your consideration - Monday nights are 50% off a bottle of wine; Tuesday and Friday, all the mussels you can eat for $25 and Thursday night is a three course dinner for $29 or $45.