I'm referring to a restaurant named Frito Misto, 316 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach. Visit their menu at fritomistoitalianecafe.com
Pier Avenue is one of three ways to get to the Hermosa Beach Pier. The other two are via Hermosa Avenue and pulling your yacht in as close as it can get and hoping the dinghy to shore you ordered, will show up. We don't have a yacht (snort!) so we drove.
In the wake of the most recent mass shooting, I was relieved to note that the minute you walk in the front door, you are facing a very large arc of booth seating with a table sized to them and a wooden barrier behind it, stretching to nearly the ceiling. Ushered around it by our server (very perky and funny Wendy) we were given a nice table at the back and bigger portion of the room, now visible because we've cleared the barrier.
As always (except for breakfast out - unless it's brunch and then, of course, one has champagne) ) we ordered a drink to sip while perusing their menu. Richie had a Stella $3.75 and I a glass of the rose $5.25 for a healthy pour. The fresh bread in a basket came with real butter (!) so I very politely asked that if they had the olive oil and balsamic dipping sauce and if so, may we have some? Two seconds later, she was back with the tall, slim glass bottles of them plus a small dish filled with chopped garlic. Del-icious! Bonus points: the cats didn't want any part of us when we got home.
To start, I ordered the side portion of Caesar salad for us to split. If that's a "side" by God I don't want to see the entrée-size salad. At any rate it was $6. I don't know what's up with restaurants these days, but to a place they are using the dark green top of the lettuce leaf which looks tired even while it's back in the kitchen I don't doubt. The dressing was inoffensive (translation: could use a little pepping up) with a generous dust of chunk Parmesan tossed over it in devil-may-care style.
Richie ordered the Chicken Marsala - two chicken breasts seared with sautéed mushrooms and Marsala sauce on a bed of linguini. He said later that the linguini was a little too al dente for him; the chicken was headed toward "Tough" but the sauce was "okay." Asked if he would go back, he nodded, "Yes." $18.
I can rarely ignore pancetta, the Italian bacon so I ordered the Pasta Pancetta, composed of that, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions and a garlic cream sauce to which I will add little chopped garlic for dinner tonight. $15, and another glass of rose.
The grand total was $53.25 for four servings (leftovers for dinner tonight) which is a very affordable dinner out.
And now we'll stop in from time to time!
Friday, November 9, 2018
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Voting With Dick and Jane ... or Party Animals Vote
We can turn damn near anything into a reason to party, even if it's only the two of us. I seem to remember going out to dinner at Bring Dollars, Home of Very Expensive Food Bistro and Bar one time to celebrate Ground Hog Day … So yesterday - Election Day - was no exception.
Even the day's start was fun as we have a new French teacher who Gets It that when a class is called French Conversation, that's what you do! Previous teachers have grounded us well in French history. My favorite story is one of a general who commandeered all of the taxis in Paris to take his men to the front line, but this is not the sort of thing that is going to pop up for discussion in today's France. Or at least, I don't think so.
Anyhow, class ends at 10 a.m. so we promptly hied ourselves off to vote. We were delighted and I was particularly gratified to see a full parking lot at our polling place and that we were numbers 10 and 11 in line to vote. For a conceited nanosecond, I imagined that many of them were readers here and acting accordingly to my diatribe on The Importance Of Voting. In real life, I doubt there was anyone there, aside from Richie, who does read me. Didn't matter; there were another 8 to 10 in line behind us. A friend, working this election told us that business there has been extremely good, starting with the poll's opening - at 7 a.m. - and hadn't slowed since then.
Even if we hadn't been there to vote, one of the workers was worth the wait. She was dressed in: very brief denim shorts with heavily frayed front pockets cut to show the red and white stripes on the pockets underneath them, a shirt of stars and stripes, a big white cowboy hat with a red/white and blue band and a pair of white cowboy boots with a 6 in. fringe around their tops. The only thing I could imagine was that she had gotten excused from her shift at the pole dancer emporium. Made standing in line semi-amusing speculating on former Miss Texas? Simply your average Southern California attention-seeker … or what?
Since our polling place is across the street from Las Brisas, when we got back in the car after voting I proposed treating him to lunch there. With alacrity he accepted. Since it was a beautiful day (the sun had finally come out) we elected to sit out on the patio, which at that time of day was shadowy with splotches of sunshine. The big plants sopped up traffic noise and we contentedly nibble on chips and salsas with an icy cold Pacifico.
It was so pleasant that after our food had been ordered and eaten, we ordered a second beer. It was just too pleasant to go rushing away home. Instead, we reminisced about previous elections, turnouts, and I remembered back in the day in New York or Missouri, that if you sported your "I Voted" sticky label, the bartender gave you a free drink for voting.
No more had to be said. We finished our beers and went straight to Suzy's, a live music-themed bar and grill that has rapidly become our go to spot. Few customers at noon - in fact, none except for us - but the barmaid and her husband the chef were good company.
Entertainment of a sort was provided by the Hermosa Beach Police rousting a homeless man who had been living (presumably) in the parking lot. They numbered four with a pick-up truck and two cop cars. Business had to have been slow in Hermosa Beach. The man was sitting on the curb at the base of a Big Lots sign. After more than an hour, he got up, they all talked some more and they took him away. Show over, we finished our beers and went home. Where we both had a nap. Mexican food is so filling
Even the day's start was fun as we have a new French teacher who Gets It that when a class is called French Conversation, that's what you do! Previous teachers have grounded us well in French history. My favorite story is one of a general who commandeered all of the taxis in Paris to take his men to the front line, but this is not the sort of thing that is going to pop up for discussion in today's France. Or at least, I don't think so.
Anyhow, class ends at 10 a.m. so we promptly hied ourselves off to vote. We were delighted and I was particularly gratified to see a full parking lot at our polling place and that we were numbers 10 and 11 in line to vote. For a conceited nanosecond, I imagined that many of them were readers here and acting accordingly to my diatribe on The Importance Of Voting. In real life, I doubt there was anyone there, aside from Richie, who does read me. Didn't matter; there were another 8 to 10 in line behind us. A friend, working this election told us that business there has been extremely good, starting with the poll's opening - at 7 a.m. - and hadn't slowed since then.
Even if we hadn't been there to vote, one of the workers was worth the wait. She was dressed in: very brief denim shorts with heavily frayed front pockets cut to show the red and white stripes on the pockets underneath them, a shirt of stars and stripes, a big white cowboy hat with a red/white and blue band and a pair of white cowboy boots with a 6 in. fringe around their tops. The only thing I could imagine was that she had gotten excused from her shift at the pole dancer emporium. Made standing in line semi-amusing speculating on former Miss Texas? Simply your average Southern California attention-seeker … or what?
Since our polling place is across the street from Las Brisas, when we got back in the car after voting I proposed treating him to lunch there. With alacrity he accepted. Since it was a beautiful day (the sun had finally come out) we elected to sit out on the patio, which at that time of day was shadowy with splotches of sunshine. The big plants sopped up traffic noise and we contentedly nibble on chips and salsas with an icy cold Pacifico.
It was so pleasant that after our food had been ordered and eaten, we ordered a second beer. It was just too pleasant to go rushing away home. Instead, we reminisced about previous elections, turnouts, and I remembered back in the day in New York or Missouri, that if you sported your "I Voted" sticky label, the bartender gave you a free drink for voting.
No more had to be said. We finished our beers and went straight to Suzy's, a live music-themed bar and grill that has rapidly become our go to spot. Few customers at noon - in fact, none except for us - but the barmaid and her husband the chef were good company.
Entertainment of a sort was provided by the Hermosa Beach Police rousting a homeless man who had been living (presumably) in the parking lot. They numbered four with a pick-up truck and two cop cars. Business had to have been slow in Hermosa Beach. The man was sitting on the curb at the base of a Big Lots sign. After more than an hour, he got up, they all talked some more and they took him away. Show over, we finished our beers and went home. Where we both had a nap. Mexican food is so filling
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
La Tristesse de les Gaufres Francaise
or "The sadness of French waffles."
"Yes, you there in the back? No, (laughing) I have not lost my mind!"
SAVEUR, a food and wine publication arrived the other day and throughout it's pristine pages, I noted that almost all of the bakery items on offer were … very brown on top. Some might even say, "Hellfire, woman, they were all burned!"
In the back section the magazine gave us a recipe for waffle sandwiches. The normal breads in which sandwich ingredients are normally enclosed was - burned waffles. This is not the only insult delivered to waffles with what could only be a resounding slap - I was instantly reminded of a lunch we and Michelle had in Trouville and my dessert was a waffle, covered with vanilla ice cream and tracings of strawberry jam. No one else at the table wanted to help me out in this matter and poking around in it with my fork, I understood why.
In reading the following recipe I noted several decidedly UN-American waffle ingredients.
BATTER FOR SANDWICH WAFFLES
1 and 1/3 cups sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup of sugar, divided - doh; two 1/8ths sugar
pinch of kosher salt - use sea salt instead
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1 stick (4 oz.) butter, melted
4 large egg whites
Whisk the sour cream egg yolks, milk, 2 T sugar, sea salt, followed by adding the melted butter
Whip the egg whites and other half of the sugar and gradually add to mix very gently.
Ladle 1/3rd cup of mix onto the waffle maker, close the lid and cook until the waffle is lightly browned around the edges.
Their recipe continues - "butter the waffle with mayonnaise, layer on slices of avocado, add sheets of prosciutto or Spanish ham and dot with arugula. Top with another waffle, squashed with a weight such as a heavy skillet and bake until warm.
Obviously, you can put in any filling that you want to add, but I can't recommend Velveeta somehow.Which is kind of sad - it makes such a great grilled cheese sandwich - any bread. …
"Yes, you there in the back? No, (laughing) I have not lost my mind!"
SAVEUR, a food and wine publication arrived the other day and throughout it's pristine pages, I noted that almost all of the bakery items on offer were … very brown on top. Some might even say, "Hellfire, woman, they were all burned!"
In the back section the magazine gave us a recipe for waffle sandwiches. The normal breads in which sandwich ingredients are normally enclosed was - burned waffles. This is not the only insult delivered to waffles with what could only be a resounding slap - I was instantly reminded of a lunch we and Michelle had in Trouville and my dessert was a waffle, covered with vanilla ice cream and tracings of strawberry jam. No one else at the table wanted to help me out in this matter and poking around in it with my fork, I understood why.
In reading the following recipe I noted several decidedly UN-American waffle ingredients.
BATTER FOR SANDWICH WAFFLES
1 and 1/3 cups sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup of sugar, divided - doh; two 1/8ths sugar
pinch of kosher salt - use sea salt instead
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1 stick (4 oz.) butter, melted
4 large egg whites
Whisk the sour cream egg yolks, milk, 2 T sugar, sea salt, followed by adding the melted butter
Whip the egg whites and other half of the sugar and gradually add to mix very gently.
Ladle 1/3rd cup of mix onto the waffle maker, close the lid and cook until the waffle is lightly browned around the edges.
Their recipe continues - "butter the waffle with mayonnaise, layer on slices of avocado, add sheets of prosciutto or Spanish ham and dot with arugula. Top with another waffle, squashed with a weight such as a heavy skillet and bake until warm.
Obviously, you can put in any filling that you want to add, but I can't recommend Velveeta somehow.Which is kind of sad - it makes such a great grilled cheese sandwich - any bread. …
Monday, November 5, 2018
Election Drama Avoidance
Why get yourselves agitated by liars who mislead in exit polls and TV stations that "predict" outcomes when they are not smart enough to come in out of the rain?
When the polls close, that's it. The next day is soon enough to find out. Then, fresh from a blissful night's rest, you can rant all you want to because you will be well-rested. No matter which way you voted or whom you expected to win.
We'll be watching the last episodes of "Lord Wimsey; the Nine Tailors" during this frenetic madness and happy to do it.
You betcha we will have voted (as we have in every election preceding this one.) The new French class from 9 to 10 a.m. and straight to the polls. I will be interested to hear what the voter turnout had been up to that point. The 2016 election had a line out the door of our voting place.
Vote - so you can participate in the post-election discussions...
When the polls close, that's it. The next day is soon enough to find out. Then, fresh from a blissful night's rest, you can rant all you want to because you will be well-rested. No matter which way you voted or whom you expected to win.
We'll be watching the last episodes of "Lord Wimsey; the Nine Tailors" during this frenetic madness and happy to do it.
You betcha we will have voted (as we have in every election preceding this one.) The new French class from 9 to 10 a.m. and straight to the polls. I will be interested to hear what the voter turnout had been up to that point. The 2016 election had a line out the door of our voting place.
Vote - so you can participate in the post-election discussions...
Sunday, November 4, 2018
A Voting Alert
Today is a good day to read up on various propositions (and candidates) we will be asked to vote aye or nay on next Tuesday.
Sunday is traditionally a day of rest thus a hour devoted to political research is a lot more possible than from 9 to 5 weekdays or during Saturday errands (also a long-standing American tradition.)
Especially if, in the past, you have shrugged and said, "I don't have any idea what they're talking about so I'm not going to bother to vote."
I don't think that this is or would be much of an excuse to all of the families who have lost loved ones in America's numerous wars to insure our freedom and most especially our right to vote.
I feel very strongly that if you do not go vote, you absolutely do NOT get to carp and complain about any of the measures that were passed or the men and women who were elected.
Put your money where your mouth resides or lose the post-election whine until the next one. Sorry, you're not allowed regrets if you didn't vote. And, I might add, we know who many of you are and will not hesitate to tax you with this thought: No Vote, No Whine
Sunday is traditionally a day of rest thus a hour devoted to political research is a lot more possible than from 9 to 5 weekdays or during Saturday errands (also a long-standing American tradition.)
Especially if, in the past, you have shrugged and said, "I don't have any idea what they're talking about so I'm not going to bother to vote."
I don't think that this is or would be much of an excuse to all of the families who have lost loved ones in America's numerous wars to insure our freedom and most especially our right to vote.
I feel very strongly that if you do not go vote, you absolutely do NOT get to carp and complain about any of the measures that were passed or the men and women who were elected.
Put your money where your mouth resides or lose the post-election whine until the next one. Sorry, you're not allowed regrets if you didn't vote. And, I might add, we know who many of you are and will not hesitate to tax you with this thought: No Vote, No Whine
Saturday, November 3, 2018
A Scientific Treatise On The Effects of Daylight Savings Time on Our Pet Cats and Dogs
Unfortunately I found no specific results for this topic on your average gerbil or hamster. In lieu of same, I would add that I once had a tank of goldfish that were smart enough to know when feeding time was and would churn up their waters at their usual time for a bite.
As is true of too many scientific tests to be measured, both cats and dogs and many others of our animal friends are driven by greed. I.e. for owners who feed their cats/dogs at a specific time. While these animals can't read a clock per se their stomachs serve as their time-telling aids.
An oddity in this matter is that pets who are given a medication at a specific time of day, never seem to await that as they do their normal food. Our 17 year old calico cat gets a liquid medicine at 7 a.m. every other day and so far, she still tears into her breakfast and then curls up for a digestive nap, making it very easy to tip her head and insert the syringe into her mouth. Now a smarter animal might be able to figure the routine and instead of going to her cushion, hie out like a car thief for a new , less visible spot, but so far not and I am grateful.
So in answer to the many pet owners who contacted me re this pressing question, feed as normal during this new time and your pet will gradually accustom it's self to a new feeding time. Over-the-top owners: you don't have to change feeding time by five minute increments. Both you and the pet will wind up confused as hell. Moderation in all things …
T/U Richie for asking me about this this morning. I hope you find this information useful.
As is true of too many scientific tests to be measured, both cats and dogs and many others of our animal friends are driven by greed. I.e. for owners who feed their cats/dogs at a specific time. While these animals can't read a clock per se their stomachs serve as their time-telling aids.
An oddity in this matter is that pets who are given a medication at a specific time of day, never seem to await that as they do their normal food. Our 17 year old calico cat gets a liquid medicine at 7 a.m. every other day and so far, she still tears into her breakfast and then curls up for a digestive nap, making it very easy to tip her head and insert the syringe into her mouth. Now a smarter animal might be able to figure the routine and instead of going to her cushion, hie out like a car thief for a new , less visible spot, but so far not and I am grateful.
So in answer to the many pet owners who contacted me re this pressing question, feed as normal during this new time and your pet will gradually accustom it's self to a new feeding time. Over-the-top owners: you don't have to change feeding time by five minute increments. Both you and the pet will wind up confused as hell. Moderation in all things …
T/U Richie for asking me about this this morning. I hope you find this information useful.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
The Trick or Treat Head Count - 2018
We had a 700% increase over last year's numbers.
Last year's number was zero and we ate leftover candy until Easter.
What're your numbers? Take advantage of the Comments below and tell us. Thanks!
Last year's number was zero and we ate leftover candy until Easter.
What're your numbers? Take advantage of the Comments below and tell us. Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
