H O L I D A Y . O N . T H E . F A R M
I never would have imagined I'd spend some of my holidays on an organic lavender and produce farm in the heart of the Central Valley. I've mentioned PAGEO FARMS further down below, but George and Patty Kapor (its dedicated owners) have put the finishing touches on a beautiful holiday boutique. They have everything from homemade yarrow and lavender wreaths made by their daughter Anne--to rustic wrought iron light fixtures and locally made candles. I helped them with the design of their Holiday mailer. If you're headed to San Francisco from Los Angeles or vice versa, it is definitely worth a nostalgic pit stop off the 99 freeway.
F O U N D
I usually reserve this area for new things that I find. But when I stumbled on these in a desk drawer, I decided to bend the rules. These are just two of a many photographs of my brother and I at Disneyland--the happiest place on earth. I love Disneyland, but I love the expressions on our faces in these photos even more. In the first one, my brother is too young to appreciate what a magical place he's been chauffeured through. On the other hand, I am fierce, determined, and ready to make the most of a day at the park--dressed for convenience in a lacey, pink jumpsuit. Thanks Mom.
In the second photo the tables have turned. I am past the age where sitting on Main Street for the parade is amusing. Even with the ice cream in my hands, one that was surely scooped by a Gibson girl (my favorite cast member costume), I am bored. I guess I was a tween. But tweens weren't called tweens then. Patrick, however, is thrilled. In a gecko t-shirt and mismatched socks, he is toothless and on the edge of his seat (literally).
M A R T H A , E A T Y O U R H E A R T O U T.
In the heart of the San Joaquin valley, just outside Eric's home town of Turlock, Pageo Farms combines the authenticity of a working organic lavender farm with all charm and designer ambiance of a Martha Stewart photo shoot. Owned and operated by the Kapor family (Patty + George = PAGEO), the farm and gift shop sport more than 10 varieties of lavender, golden yarrow, exotic peppers, and a multitude of handmade items ranging from lavender linen water to furniture George creates from retired agricultural objects.
The farm has been working for some time, but Pageo just celebrated its grand opening on Mother's Day weekend. The beautifully restored farm buildings have been repurposed as the gift shop and offices for the farm, and the carpet of green grass and pine trees surrounding them makes for the perfect outdoor party space. Let me put it this way, if you've ever wondered where the grown up version of Fern Arable from Charlotte's Web would get married to her high school sweetheart, this is it. In the evening, the big sky over the valley's flat floor makes you feel like you can see for miles. You can almost feel the curve of the earth when you stare at the horizon long enough. And with smell of freshly harvested lavender from an Adirondack chair beside an outdoor fireplace you get to thinking you don't mind that there isn't a Whole Food's for 50 miles, or an Apple store for 100.
If you find yourself on the 99 freeway, or simply want to find yourself on an organic lavender farm, this is the place to stop. *Logo by Eric Nyquist.
T H A I S P I C E N I C E P R I C E
Daisymint is Eric's find, but I'm going to blog about it. We've been going there for quite some time and last night reminded me of how deserving it is of some praise. We order the Chicken Tom Yum soup, which is a spicy clear-broth concoction sure to clear your sinuses and make you warm from the inside out. It's perfect for dinner or to split as an appetizer before some of their wonderful curry or noodle dishes. The service is friendly and the ambiance has all the style you expect when you want a nice dinner out, but the price is refreshingly affordable. Flavorful and beautifully presented, Daisymint is as good as it sounds, well, better.
D E E P D I S H , D E E P L Y G O O D.
The great thing about Yelp is that you can 'discover' places twice as fast. Or months after everyone else has is usually the case with me. But Yelp, for this, I owe you one. Masa Bakery & Cafe of Echo Park has transplanted two of the best things about Chicago to LA. Authentic deep-dish pizza and the warmth and friendliness of the Midwest. I haven't been to Chicago enough, but pizza has always stood out in my memory. Raised on the crackery, thin-crust pizzas of Italian trattorias, Masa's version is a completely different experience. The added thickness doesn't come from too many greasy toppings as you might expect--instead it comes from a cakey homemade cornmeal crust and fresh toppings like whole pear tomatoes. Second only to the pizza itself is the atmosphere, which feels like you're eating in a cozy living room. And you want to stay there forever because it smells heavenly and the people are truly friendly and proud to be of service. In short, this deep crust pizza will fight against Casa Bianca, Village Pizzeria and dare I say Mozza for your favor.
C H E G O
Whenever my friend Natasha tells me something about food, I believe her. Ever since we've been in high school it's been her passion. So when she told me she'd helped Kogi's Chef Roy to open Chego in Palms I switched my evening plans and gathered a group to go for dinner. I've never known enough about rice bowls to love them, but Chego changed this for me. The quality of ingredients and the flavor profiles were astounding. Even more astounding was the 10 dollar price range and approachable ambiance. Don't leave without trying the meatballs, the asparagus, the prime-rib bowl, and the rocky-road dessert.
* P S :
Chego means "THE BEST! NUMBA JUAN! So friggin good you’re too happy eating it to describe how dericious it is."
