What I Ate On My Summer Vacation...

 This past week I drove to LA to visit family...I had a marvelous time. I ate my way through this vacation... I ate at restaurants, went to farmer's markets, I cooked, I was cooked for and even did take-out one night.

My brother cooked me two great meals which I neglected to photograph, that is a travesty. I do love it when people cook for me !! On his birthday, we went out to breakfast at a local diner. Bob would love this place.

 I had French Toast, which was good but filling. I didn't eat the american flag ;-)

 My first meal in LA (actually in Santa Monica) was at Sushi Stop with Theo. Isn't he handsome !!

It's inexpensive but interesting sushi. I loved the lotus root on this roll.

That night we made the best pizza. We used dough from Whole Foods which we let rise for several hours while I gave Theo a massage. We sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, red bell pepper and caramelized onions. We used pesto, feta cheese, mozzarella, olives, prosciutto and anchovies, all in different combinations on four pizzas. I was so caught in the moment I failed again as a food photographer.

In the morning Genna and I roamed a local farmer's market, enjoying the beautiful product and sampling the fruit.

 No trip to LA is complete without an evening of make your own sushi. The great Japanese markets around here make this so easy. Sara provided us with an assortment of raw fish, roe, eel, veggies, rice and seaweed.

 LA has a farmer's market just about every day of the week somewhere. Genna brought us these pastries from one on Sunday morning before our trip to the Getty Villa. Those real concord grapes were some of the best. They taste like real grapes, not those super sugar and water Thompson seedless sold at most grocery stores.

 After a pastry feast we headed to the Getty Villa. What a delightful place to enjoy ancient art, stroll the gardens, AND have a great meal at their restaurant. Here are my three companions for the day.

Here are a few of our entrees: salad with garbanzo beans, artichoke hearts, queso fresco and pistachios.

 Baked Rigatoni with Oxtail Ragu.

 A classic melon with prosciutto, with the addition of sliced almonds and blue cheese !!

The surprise winner of the lunch competition was this burger and the garlic french fries that went with it.

 It had Candied Bacon Heirloom Tomatoes, Grafton Aged Cheddar, Caramelized-Onion Spread...wow.

After all that lunch we did enjoy our stroll around the gardens and reflecting pools.

I want to put in a plug for the Thai restaurant we ordered take out from that night. I enjoyed their panang curry and the eggplant dish.

And for the place I lunched at twice just off the Promenade in Santa Monica: Tender Greens. This place had such fresh, interesting and tasty food, served with care. Apparently it is a small chain with other restaurants in the LA area , Orange County and San Diego.

My last night happened to be Sara's birthday, we dined at The Misfit in Santa Monica. They are known for their cocktails and small plates, both of which were sampled by our table full of folks.

Yes, I am going to bore you with all the dishes we ordered or at least most of them. 

This is a food blog after all ;-)

 Caramelized bussel sprouts...

 Thin garlic fries with several dipping sauces.

A vegan caprese salad made with roasted tomatoes, a light tofu and purple basil.

Grilled peaches with cress, prosciutto and shaves of cheese.

Mussels in a spicy broth.

I am not usually a fan of fried chicken but this was good, moist and not at all greasy.

Baked mac and cheese with a kick of horseradish!

Last and certainly not least, my favorite dish: dates stuffed with goat cheese and smoked almonds, wrapped in bacon with a shave of salty cheese on top. It was a good thing there were five of us at dinner !

Funny story about the cocktails: I asked for something without alcohol but still fun. I named off some ingredients from the bar menu that I thought would go well. The waitress gave me a look and offered me a lemonade or an Arnold Palmer, claiming I would not like what I had asked for. She even intimated that the bartender would not make my request. I HATE Arnold Palmers and would not drink lemonade while everyone else enjoyed fun cocktails. She finally acquiesced. The drink she brought me was fresh and flavorful, she even admitted that the  bartender had fun with it. She asked my name and over the din of the table heard "Glory" instead of Laurie, they were naming the drink after me !! So if you ever go to The Misfit ask for a Glory and think of me. ( It has kaffir lime cordial, orange bitters, basil and seltzer water.)