Pat & Lorraine's Revisited

Back in February, I posted on a fantastic breakfast burrito at Pat & Lorraine's in Eagle Rock. It's New Year's Eve, and I have another opportunity to meet a friend for breakfast. P&L was convenient, and I had a hunch they'll serve me pancakes with a face.

Voila!! This is a pecan pancake, to boot. Delish!! I'm happy to share that the intermingling of the chocolate sauce and syrup made me super happy. What a great way to launch 2013!

Pat & Lorraine's does not have a Web site. Their street address is 4720 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90041 and phone (323) 257-7926.

Colonial Kitchen

It's Christmas Eve, and I want breakfast. Inspired by Charles Phoenix's show last week, I want pancakes with faces!

Thanks to a recommendation, Colonial Kitchen was the destination. This place is a hoot from the first step into the door. The lobby houses a gift shoppe to get your Colonial English going (too bad it wasn't "Ye Olde Gift Shoppe), plus a nice display of beer steins and Elvis collector plates. The restrooms are marked Mr. and Mrs., so I was totally out of luck if I needed a visit.

Then comes the menu - classically old (olde?) school diner! I went with the huge Titan breakfast: pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage links, O'Brien potatoes, toast and juice. You're only seeing the highlight here. And, the waitress's face when I asked for pancakes with a face was priceless! I read it to say "Grown woman asking for a face on her pancakes..." Try it yourself and let me know how it goes!

Colonial Kitchen does not have a Web site. Their address is 1110 Huntington Drive, San Marino 91108. Phone is (626) 289-2449.

Charles Phoenix Retro Holiday Slide Show

Charles Phoenix is at it again! He has revamped his hysterical Retro Holiday Slide Show once again, this time offered in a Mammal Hall at the Natural History Museum.

As I've gushed previously, I've been a Charles fan since 2005 when I saw his slide show at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. In the intervening years, I've seen Charles' Retro Holiday Slide Show three or four times, including at the Egyptian Theater, Moonlight Rollerway and Petersen Automotive Museum. And, Charles is blog post #2 when he was Master of Ceremonies at the 2009 Doo Dah Parade. In case you don't know what I'm talking about with the slide shows, Charles has tens of thousands of vintage slides that he's collected over the years. Think wacky, awkward, crazy slides of random families shot in blazing Kodachrome colors flashed on the big screen. He focuses on the choice holiday ones for the shows and provides a wonderful running commentary to connect it all together.

Tonight began with some new-fangled slide images of Charles' life. We got an insight into his youth, love of vintage cars and clothes, his first score on slides, the slide shows, then into his current food crafting phase, like the Astro-Weenie tree seen above. (I've made my version on multiple occasions!) We also heard about the genesis of cherpumple cake/pie, requesting "faces" on his pancakes, and his adventures making a Jello tree out of a parking cone. As Charles likes to say, "I know!"

Then came the show, and all the laughs! It is just as much fun the fifth (or so) time as it was the first. If you miss the Christmas season, keep an eye out for other shows. I guarantee it will be a hoot!!

Click here to go to Charles' Web site.

Akasha Restaurant

It is the seventh night of Hanukkah, and I'm invited to have "the best" latkes in Los Angeles! What a treat in store!!

As you probably know, I work at the Skirball Cultural Center, and I enjoy interacting with Jewish staff, volunteers and guests on a daily basis. That's how I heard about Akasha Restaurant in Culver City and their awesome latkes offered as part of a special Hanukkah menu.

I followed the lead of my hostesses and ordered my latkes "extra crispy." Here you see how my potato patties arrived. DELISH! Hot and crunchy, then swirled through the cool sour cream and applesauce, they were fabulous. The bar is now set for any subsequent latkes!

Click here to go to Akasha's Restaurant.

Kentro Greek Kitchen and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

I'm back in Fullerton to see Santa Claus Conquers the Martians at the Maverick Theater (see November's post about Plan 9 from Outer Space, also at the Maverick), and I'm needing some dinner before getting my laughs on again.

On the other side of the tracks–the Maverick Theater sits by the Fullerton Metrolink station–is the delicious Kentro Greek Restaurant. Above you see their Beet Salad (with figs, manouri cheese and walnut vinaigrette), and the Braised Lamb Pita with fries. Wow! The flavors were amazing. I quickly scarfed it all down before heading back to see SCCTM.

If you don't know this flick (hooray for Santy Claus!), it is the arguably the worst Christmas movie ever made about Martians kidnapping Santa to bring joy to the green kiddies. The Maverick crew did another hilarious spin on a bad movie with this live production. Improvisations and audience participation had us all laughing from the get-go. The show has created quite the cult following, and people see it over and over again. The guy seated beside me shared that this is his sixth season of seeing the production, and he was coming back next week to catch it again. Here you see the cast with some audience members posing for Christmas pictures. Who wants to go with me next year?!

Click here to go to Kentro's Web site.

Click here for Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (the movie) to see for yourself!