Tin Fork
“Never start a restaurant on the moon,” says my friend John. “Why’s that?” “It’ll have no atmosphere, dude.” Man. Should have seen that coming. He’s just declined to take the trolley with me south to …
Sparkling waters! Blue, rippling, and fresh. You come across them suddenly, on this twisty road in the mountains, heading towards Valley View Casino. It’s Lake Wohlford. First time I’ve ever seen it. Two minutes later, …
“Listen, kid, people have been flinging their fangs around these little guys for generations. I think we can handle them once and live to tell the tale.” “I’m not touching them. Forget it.” ‘They’re salty. …
Cheery-looking chap’s taking a sip of beer. We’re in the Barrio, up from Northgate Market, in this little restaurant row beside Cesar E. Chavez Parkway. Sign says “Liberty Call,” and shows off big anchors and …
“Believe me!” says my new friend Timothy. “It’s like ‘When burrito met Philly.’ It’s just meat, Philly cheesesteak carne asada, onions, bell peppers, and Monterey Jack cheese, melted. But that’s all you need! Slices of …
“The whole ramen thing again?” says my friend Annie. We’re on the phone. “No. This is like the original, and IMHO the best,” I say. “Come on down! Sun’s got two fists to go!” Up …
Tom Wolfe! Too freakin’ much! Here? And the pump house gang? Where the heck are they? Tom, John, Nealy, Artie, Pam, Liz, Vicki, Jacki Haddad, Kit, and hey, Jack MacPherson, the crazy instigator of the …
It’s that super-chilly Monday last week. The sun has just set and temps have dropped with a clang. Knife-edge breeze. At the corner of Upas and 30th, I’m standing trying to decide where to chow …
Maggie’s regretting ever opening her mouth. She stands back from where this guy is throwing his into the mic. “You and I are just two leaves in the wind,” he croons. The crowd at his …
“Welcome to Caballero’s Homey Jammmm!” scribbles this gal on a piece of paper. Music’s too loud for talking. We’re sitting right in front of this group of jamming Latin jazz players, playing live to maybe …
“I’ve just signed a lease for another 10 years,” says Carmen. “I’m 71. We’re in the middle of a pandemic. People say I’m crazy.” This is 8:30 in the morning, in the Golden Hill Cafe, …
She looks down on you as you come in. Sophia. Sophia Loren, that is. Her portrait is on the wall here, lit up like a Mona Lisa. We’re in a very cool-looking building with a …
Teagan (“Think ‘Reagan’” she says) saws away at her violin right by the entrance. She’s playing Arianna Grande’s “34+35.” Sounds really cool. Actually, this whole scene is hard to beat. Saturday morning, sunshine, cool breeze …
I have this noodle idea in my noodle. Korean noodles. I was up here on Convoy looking for the kind of “glass noodles” that my friend Clive, who was stationed in Korea, says are i) …
Just been hearing about the baguettes of the Paris Bakery. (“Golden Dreams” 1/7/21) And when I coupled that with Reader reader Wink Sajack hauling me over the coals about the cost of some of the …
“Konnichiwa!” I love how all the crew in some Japanese eateries stop everything when customers arrive or leave and shout out “Konnichiwa!” Kind of “Hello!” “Good bye!” “Thank you!” “Good day!” I don’t know about …