Wednesday, March 26, 2008

the ghosts of Santa Monica

as i was driving thru downtown Santa Monica, i started reflecting back to the time when it was like a small town by the ocean... 

I was sitting behind a Big Blue Bus - but you know what was missing? those old corny pun filled ads for Santa Monica Bank (yes Monica, there is a Santa)... 

and the breezy beachy atmosphere is now all corporate... once upon a time, you could have maybe run into someone like Jack Tripper or Janet Wood on the way to the Regal Beagle... but now you're more apt to find some yuppie moms with their tricked out baby strollers talking about their new granite kitchen countertops...

I bought my first pair of Doc Martens at Na*na - yesteryear's non-corporate independent prototype for Hot Topic... sigh...

Why so wistful?  i suppose it was that low overcast misty sky that allowed me to look up to the buildings and check out the architecture... lots of chigguriguesque (sp? - it's that baroque/roccoco type ornamentation you'll see on the spanish mission revival buildings).  some great deco buildings too... i love looking at these ghosts of the past...

as for the Farmer's Market... I found some grass fed beef from Atascadero... don't know how to cook it... but i'll find something (cooksillustrated.com).  I also got eggs - but you know - I liked the ones i got from the Larchmont Farmer's market better.  What i did find here that was great:  a very dazzling spring mix of salad!  it had flowers and herbs mixed in the blend, and lots of delicate baby greens... yum!  I also got a leek and (almost got peas) but got an onion instead... gonna do something with the ground beef i got from yesterday's co-op - and a saute of leeks and asparagus (with pancetta maybe?)... 

I've all this great food to cook with but who's gonna try these foods with me?  I need to compare and critique the flavors and textures... meh - i'll just have leftovers for another night.

And when in Santa Monica... I stopped at SM Seafood to check out the fish... i was so uninspired... but i got half a pound of black cod that i'll marinate with my miso sauce. that will be for Friday's dinner... But I must cook the chard soon! dude... bad planning... my eyes are bigger than my stomach.

You know - I haven't been to Ralph's or Trader Joe's for several weeks now.  

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