One Day in Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum

I only had one day in Los Angeles so I asked friends on Facebook to give me some ideas. My first thought was a Dodger's game, but they were on the road. Many suggested the beach or Santa Monica, but since I have been there before, I decided to try something different. On Saturday I went to the J. Paul Getty Museum.

J. Paul Getty was an American industrialist and founded the Getty Oil Company. In 1957 Fortune Magazine named him the richest living American. At his death, he was worth more than $2 billion. Despite his wealth, Getty was known for being a miser. He was an avid collector of art and antiquities; his collection formed the basis for this museum and over $661 million of his estate was left to the museum after his death.

The museum at the Getty Center contains western art from the middle ages to the present and with an estimated 1.3 million visitors annually, it's one of the most visited museums in the United States.

I was most interested in seeing an exhibit on Herb Ritts who was a Los Angeles-based photographer who established an international reputation for his distinctive photographs of fashion models, nudes, and celebrities.  His retrospective was fabulous, well designed and included some of his music videos ("Cherish" by Madonna and "Love Will Never Do Without You" by Janet Jackson) along with his ads for Lancome and Levi Jeans.

The Getty Gardens, including the Robert Irwin Central Garden were unfortunately closed for spring maintenance. The 134,000-square-foot design features a natural ravine and tree-lined walkway that leads the visitor through an extraordinary experience of sights, sounds, and scents.  I Did enjoy the cactus gardens and the incredible views of Los Angeles through the fog (smog).

With the gardens closed, it gave me the opportunity to check out the impressionist collection including two beautiful Monet's.

In the muted palette of the emerging dawn, Claude Monet portrayed the industrial port of Le Havre on the northern coast of France. The brilliant orange of the rising sun glimmers amid the damp air and dances on the gentle rippling water, lighting up its iridescent blues and greens. Barely discernible through a cool haze, pack boats on the left billow smoke from their stacks. Painted during the spring of 1873 as the country struggled to rebuild following the Franco-Prussian war, this Sunrise might also metaphorically suggest a new day dawning in France.

The highlight of my Getty trip was a beautiful lunch at the Getty Restaurant...what spectacular views and a wonderful creative menu.  I opted for a truly amazing ($18) Chardonnay (it was Carnaros, after all) and the sea scallops on a bed of pea puree and risotto.  I can honestly say, it was one of the top three meals of my life.

Did I mention that the journey was taken by city metro bus (90 minutes) to and from the museum?  That's another blog post for another day! 

It was a remarkable adventure in L.A.

P.S. Thank you to the wonderful couple who took the lead photo.  You made my day with your kindness.  I hope you enjoy your picture as much as I enjoy mine.

Enjoy!

Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: April 23-27

Greetings and Happy Monday! Today I am waking up in Los Angeles and next week I will be in Maui! This is a strange short week, with not a lot of cooking. 

Oh....did I mention that it is my birthday on Tuesday!?

Enjoy!
Stacy

Monday: Home late evening from Los Angeles! Can I get a Pink's Hot Dog at LAX????
Tuesday: Happy Birthday! Coldplay in Concert at 7:30; drinks and appetizers before the show HERE
Wednesday: Packing for Hawaii and home alone (Chick at coast), getting a haircut and picking up a Subway!
Thursday: Fried Oysters, Uncle Roy Potatoes with Buttery Peas; Am I all packed?
Friday: Sirloin Steak with a Classic Wedge Salad and 1/2 baked Potato (Brian and I leave for Hawaii in the AM); Chick and I celebrate my birthday tonight with some CHAMPAGNE!!

Amtrak Coast Starlight : Portland to Los Angeles

It is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes and on Thursday I had the opportunity to take the Coast Starlight from Portland, OR to Los Angeles, CA.

The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed. The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provided a stunning backdrop for my journey.


Unlike our adventure last November, this trip was without Brian.  Thanks to one of my conductor friends, I was in a nice bedroom with a toilet and shower....more space than I needed, but nice. All meals in the dining car or Pacific Parlor Car are included for sleeping car passengers.

A bonus on this train, the Pacific Parlor Car. This "living room on rails" is a special place for sleeping car passengers to relax, celebrate or socialize. Amenities included a coffee bar, on-board theater and alternative dining venue.

I boarded in Portland, OR at 2PM and settle into my room before checking out the rest of the train.

Highlights of the 35 hour trip included:

Eugene/Springfield: My Pop drove down to the station to wave to me and give me a hug! It was only a 5 minute visit, but it was special.

Known as the “World’s Greatest City of the Arts and Outdoors,” Eugene is also the westernmost city on the Amtrak system. From Springfield, home of the fictional television family the Simpsons, we start our climb into the Cascades, which feature spectacular mountain scenery and the Willamette Pass. While crossing this region our train traverses 22 tunnels.

I enjoyed my first meal in the Parlor Car; Asian glazed short ribs (very good), but dessert was the star....a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting.

CHEMULT: As we arrive at the Chemult station (an unincorporated community of 300), Diamond Peak, at 8,750 ft., is visible on the right. As we leave Chemult, on the right is Mt. Thielson (9,182 ft.), Mt. Scott (8,929 ft.) and Diamond Lake. Between Chemult and Klamath Falls...darkness decends.

Friday, April 20th:

On the start of my first full day; I awoke just outside of Sacramento, California.  I quickly showered and had a yummy breakfast of fresh fruit and a fresh bacon egg sandwich.

 Sacramento River @ Martinez

MARTINEZ: From a trading post in 1849 to a flourishing town in 1876, Martinez became a hub for the gold and shipping industries. After the gold rush, Martinez boasted much of the lucrative grain trade between California’s Central Valley and international ports-of-call. The town is also the likely site of the martini’s invention; a plaque commemorating the event is on a prominent downtown corner. Growing up in Martinez, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio was a local legend with the Pacific Coast League San Francisco Seals before becoming a New York Yankee.

OAKLAND: The eighth largest city in California, the Port of Oakland is among the largest in the West. Jack London Square is just north of the station, we cross Jack London Square, located next to the Port of Oakland and named after American writer of the same name and author of The Call of the Wild, White Fang and other stories of frontier days.

Lunch service began just outside of Salinas, California

SALINAS: Known as the “Country’s Salad Bowl” because of the many varieties of vegetables
grown here. As we leave Salinas, we pass by the Diablo Range. San Benito Mountain (5,258 ft.) on the left is the highest point on the range. To the right is the Santa Lucia Range. We follow the Salinas River for the next 100 miles.

My Crew - "hog" from San Jose to San Luis Obispo and my "TA", Dana.

Our second wine tasting as we glide into San Luis Obispo.

SAN LUIS OBISPO: Founded as a mission named San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in 1772. After experiencing several fires in the thatched roofs of their missions, Spanish missionaries here developed the technique to manufacture the distinctive red tiles that define mission architecture. The town was the last in the U.S. to have a gas lamp lighter on its payroll after electricity became the standard for street lighting.

Dinner service began as we arrive in Santa Barbara.

SANTA BARBARA: This town was discovered in 1602 and is home to three of the 21 missions established in the state between 1769 and 1823. Mission Santa Barbara, called “The Queen of the Missions,” was established in 1786. A popular international tourism destination,
Santa Barbara is referred to as “The American Rivera” due to its Mediterranean-like climate, spectacular beaches, culinary delights and 130 nearby wineries.

After dinner, I went back to my room to pack.  We arrive in Simi Valley, just before dark.

SIMI VALLEY: Turning east, we leave the coastal plain and climb the narrow Simi Valley. The Santa Susanna Mountains are on the right and the Simi Hills are on our left.

LOS ANGELES: El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de la Reina de Los Angeles, now known simply as Los Angeles, was founded in 1781. The station is a fitting blend of Spanish and Art Deco styles, reflecting both the city’s early heritage and its great film tradition. Opened in 1939, it was the last of the great “union stations” serving multiple railroads. Across from the station is Olvera Street, a colorful historic district that marks the site of the original village.

Historic Union Station

I have a full day planned in Los Angeles today (Saturday) before our conference begins on Sunday.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Los Angeles of Bust!

While the cuisines of many cultures have taken root in Los Angeles, it is known to be home of the Cobb Salad, invented at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood.  The French Dip Sandwich also originated early in the 20th Century by either Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet or Phillippe's--both of which still exist downtown.

The strength of the city's scene is in "ethnic" dining and it is considered to be one of the most dynamic scenes in the world in terms of range and depth.  Los Angeles has an enormous variety of restaurants. and given its close proximity to Asia and the constant flow of Asian immigrants, Asian food has the largest foothold in the city second only to Mexican cuisine.


The first and most famous of the Brown Derby restaurants in LA was shaped like a man's derby hat, an iconic image that became synonymous with the Golden Age of Hollywood.  The chain was started by Robert H. Cobb and Herbert Somborn (a former husband of film star Gloria Swanson) in 1926.

Various stories of how the salad was invented exist. One says that it came about in the 1930s at the Hollywood Brown Derby location.  Stories vary as to whether the salad was invented by Cobb or by his chef, Chuck Wilson. The legend is that Cobb had not eaten until near midnight, and so he mixed together leftovers he found in the kitchen, along with some bacon cooked by the line cook, and tossed it with their French dressing.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Brown Derby Cobb Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 heads iceberg lettuce
• 1 small bunch endive
• 1/2 head romaine
• 2 Tbsp. minced chives
• 1 chicken breast cooked, diced into small cubes
• 6 strips bacon, cooked and diced (Thick good stuff!)
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 2 medium peeled tomatoes , chopped and seeded
• 3 hard cooked eggs, peeled and diced
• 1/2 C. Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Brown Derby Dressing:

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup full-flavored olive oil
• 3/4 cup salad oil

Directions:

Chop lettuce, endive, and Romaine in very fine pieces. Mix together in large wide bowl. Arrange chives, tomatoes, chicken, bacon, avocado, eggs, and cheese in rows over lettuce.

At the table pour Special Cobb Salad Dressing over salad, toss and serve.

A note from the Brown Derby: "The water is optional, depending upon the degree of oiliness desired in the dressing."
Blend all ingredients together, except oils. Add olive and salad oils. Mix well.

Recipe courtesy of The Brown Derby
Image courtesy of Google Images (I probably won't have time to check out Hollywood location while in Los Angeles

West Seattle Weekend Wrap Up: Making Manicotti

A bit of this and a bit of that this weekend.  This is my last weekend in West Seattle until after we get back from Hawaii.  I spent part of the weekend, organizing, cleaning and preparing our home while I am away.

Goodbye to the Easter bunnies and eggs and an Hawaiian inspired motif to take us into May (I'll probably keep this theme until Memorial Day).  We spent Saturday listening to a wonderful mix of Hawaiian music to get us in the mood for our trip.

I had a lovely afternoon with friend, Sonja and her daughter...getting toes done is such a girly thing to do on a Saturday.  We gathered for drinks, appetizers and dinner Saturday evening and a pre-pre-celebration of my birthday (month).

Brian spent a bit of time in the kitchen Saturday afternoon preparing baked manicotti (the America's Test Kitchen version) which was fabulous.  I got quite a kick out of him....our kitchen resembled some type of Italian farmhouse.  His creation was wonderful.

How was your weekend?

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: April 16-18, 2012

Welcome Monday!

Brian is in town this week so I picked a hearty Weight Watchers spaghetti, especially for Mr. Spaghetti himself! The rest of the "short" week is filled with a yummy "classic" twist on a traditional burger and a simple crockpot meal just perfect for the night before my big trip.

On Thursday, I hop aboard the Coast Starlight to head down to Los Angeles. I am looking forward to the journey!

Enjoy your week!
Stacy

Sunday: Bacon Cheddar Turkey Burgers :
Monday: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Tuesday:  Taco Tuesday!  Taco bar (probably shredded chicken)
Wednesday: Chicken Thighs with Olives and Tomato Sauce in CrockPot)

Thursday: Train pulls out at 2:25PM and I arrive in Los Angeles on Friday evening at 9PM

Old Photo Friday: Brian at Lake Twenty-two

WHO: Brian
WHAT: Hiking in the Pacific Northwest

WHERE: Lake Twenty-two
WHEN: 5/1/99

I love this hike.  Brian and I have been up here together, but this picture was taken a few years before we started dating.

Perched in a spectacular basin at the base of Mount Pilchuck's sheer northern face, sparkling Lake Twenty-two is a stunning sight. For much of the way the well-constructed trail follows cascading Twenty-two Creek through an exemplary ancient forest of gargantuan cedars.

As delightful a destination as Lake Twenty-two may be, the real treat on this hike is the forest. Nearly 800 acres of pristine forest surrounding the lake and its outlet were set aside in 1947 as a Research Natural Area (RNA) to study the effects on water, wildlife, and timber of an area left in its virgin state compared to a similar area that has been intensively managed.

The surroundings are lush. Water appears to seep and bubble from the ground everywhere. Moss carpets boulders and rotting logs. Maidenhair, deer, and lady ferns form showy bouquets beneath the behemoth trees. Although western hemlock and silver fir are the predominant species, it's the western red cedars that will garner most of your attention. Colonnades of the giants, some with trunks measuring almost 12 feet in diameter, hold up the sky.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Island Favorites

We are leaving for Hawaii at the end of the month so I wanted to share with you some historical Hawaiian foods in today's post, plus a yummy and easy recipe at the bottom.  I can't wait to try a little of each of these!

Modern Hawaiian cuisine is a fusion of many cuisines brought by multi-ethnic immigrants to the Islands, particularly of American, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese origins, including plant and animal food sources imported from around the world for agricultural use in Hawaii.

 Loco Moco

Many local restaurants serve the ubiquitous plate lunch, featuring the Asian staple, two scoops of white rice, a simplified version of American macaroni salad and a variety of different toppings ranging from a hamburger patty smothered in gravy with a fried egg.  Japanese noodles or the traditional lu'au favorite, kalua pig is also popular.

The Portuguese immigrants came to Hawaii from the Azores in the late 19th century, introducing their foods with an emphasis on pork, tomatoes and chili peppers.  One of my favorite Hawaiian staples is linguica or Portuguese sausage.  Outside of Portugal, Azores and Brazil, linguiça is also popular in Massachusetts, California, Seattle (really), Rhode Island and Hawaii. It is typically sliced before being braised or grilled.  Like many other sausages, it is generally served as part of a heavy meal, typically accompanied by rice and beans.  I like mine for breakfast with eggs.

Portuguese Sausage and Eggs

Whalers brought in salted fish, which ultimately became lomi-lomi salmon.  The Japanese brought bento and sashimi.  The homes of Japanese immigrants lacked ovens, so their cooking relied on frying, steaming and boiling leading to the popularization of tempura and noodle soups in Hawaii. By the early 20th century, the Japanese were the largest ethnic group and rice became the third largest crop in the islands.

Lomi Lomi Salmon

The popular salmon luau dish called "lomi lomi" is named for the Hawaiian words rub, massage, or knead. Traditionally, the salt is rubbed onto the salmon, and the salmon, onions, and tomato are then massaged together with your hands. This version is easier and cleaner to prepare.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coarse sea salt
• 8 ounces salmon fillet
• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow (sweet) onion
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 avocado, diced
• 16 iceberg lettuce leaves

 Preparation

Place salt and fish in a large zip-top plastic bag; shake bag to coat fish evenly. Chill 8 hours or overnight.

Remove fish from bag; rinse well. Soak fish in ice water 2 hours, changing water every 30 minutes.

Drain well. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Dice fish; place in a large bowl. Set aside.

Mix yellow onion, green onions, diced tomato and avocado to fish; toss gently to combine. Spoon about 3 tablespoons fish mixture into lettuce leaf (or avocado shell for presentation).

Enjoy!
Stacy

West Seattle Weekend Wrap Up: Easter with Glowing Yellow Thing in the Sky

Is there anything like the start of Spring?  We've had glimpses of nice weather for a few weeks now, but this past weekend it actually felt warmer and much more like Spring.

My favorite Fridays are my early arrivals from Portland.  I took these amazing shots just outside of Tacoma Friday afternoon.

We enjoyed some time outside on Saturday.  Brian spent 3 hours working in the yard...mowing, edging and putting down a bag of bark.  On Sunday, we hit 70, just perfect for a neighborhood walk.

For Easter Sunday dinner, I finally cooked something on our new stove.....glazed ham, potatoes au gratin, grilled asparagus and an amazing lemon poppyseed bundt cake.   

Enjoy!

Stacy

WICKED!

For Chick's birthday (January 5th) I bought us tickets to go see the hit Broadway Musical, Wicked.

First stop....Happy Hour at  Morton's Steakhouse.  They are located across the street from Keller Auditorium and have a wonderful happy hour menu.  We enjoyed a glass of wine and the following:

Iceberg Wedge Bites $6:  Bite-Sized Wedge Salads served with Tomato, Egg, Bacon Bits and Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue Cheese Steak Fries $6:  Melted Blue Cheese, Red Pepper Flakes and Chives


Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches $7: Served with Mustard Mayonnaise

 Then, it was just a short walk for the curtain at 7:30 PM













Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and is based on a novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995), a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900).

The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz: Elphaba, the misunderstood girl with emerald-green skin, and Galinda, later Glinda, the beautiful, ambitious and popular blonde. Wicked tells the story in which these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North, while struggling through opposing personalities and viewpoints, rivalry over the same love-interest, reactions to the Wizard's corrupt government, and, ultimately, Elphaba's public fall from grace.

The plot begins before and continues after Dorothy's arrival from Kansas and includes references to locations, events, characters and situations from both the 1939 film and Baum's novel.


The costumes, music, and stage settings were remarkable.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: April 9-12, 2012

Welcome Monday!

Hopefully the weather will cooperate so that we can get a few recipes on the grill this week. Our days are getting longer and baseball season has started. A great time for grilling something special.

What do you like to grill?

Enjoy!
Stacy

Monday: Grilled Sausage, Onion and Pepper Hero Sandwiches with a few Pop Chips
Tuesday: Penne with Bacon and Asparagus
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken Kebabs with Herb Orzo
Thursday: Tandoori Salmon with Jasmine Rice and Mango Salsa

Old Photo Friday: Dodger Girl!

WHO: Stacy Dare Brady
WHERE: E Street in Springfield
WHEN: I think I am about 7 or 8 so 1976-77

This is an oldie but a goodie!  Since it's opening day of baseball season, here is some Dodgers history along with Old Photo Friday!

On April 18, 1958, the Los Angeles Dodgers played their first game in Los Angeles before 78,672 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. 

Construction on Dodger Stadium was completed in time for Opening Day 1962. With its clean, simple lines and its picturesque setting amid hills and palm trees, the ballpark quickly became an icon of the Dodgers and their new California lifestyle, and it remains one of the most highly-regarded stadiums in baseball even today. 

This year we celebrate 50 years of Dodgers Stadium!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Potatoes Au Gratin

I've made dozens of batches of potatoes au gratin (scalloped potatoes) over the years. I've followed recipes made famous by Paula Dean, Emeril and Betty Crocker, but a few weeks ago, I tried a weight watchers recipe and it blew my mind.

One usually doesn't think "diet" or "low-fat" when it comes to scalloped potatoes, so this recipe is more about the cooking technique. If you have ever struggled with getting your potatoes done, having the cheese curdle, or having your potatoes served "soupy" then this is the recipe for you.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Potatoes Au Gratin
Slightly Adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients:

cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter (we use "I can't believe it's not butter")
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups skim milk (yes skim!); you may need to add up to an additional 1/2 cup
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes sliced thinly
1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 2 qt casserole dish with cooking spray.

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned. Add flour and stir; cooking flour about 1-2 minutes. Slowly add milk; whisking in, then add potatoes and stir to coat. Bring mixture to a slow boil until thickened (you may need to add just a bit more milk if it gets too thick). Stir in 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar, then season with salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour uncovered. Cover, then bake until potatoes are fork tender, about another 15-20 minutes.

Top with remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheese, and set oven to broil. Cook until cheese bubbles and browns, about 1-2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

West Seattle Weekend Wrap-Up: Meet Our New Stove

 

A big THANK YOU to our good friends, Rob and Kelly who gave us (let me repeat that....THEY GAVE US) an almost brand new stove. Thanks to their kitchen remodel, the offered us their existing stove for FREE.

 On Saturday afternoon they drove over to West Seattle and Rob and Brian removed our old stove and brought in the new one.  The installation went smoothly!

Out with the old.....in with the new!

It's awesome and so much nicer than our old stove. Makes me want to bake and cook all day!

As a treat for the Final Four, Brian made some yummy vegetarian Italian sausage sandwiches for dinner (on our new stove, thank you very much). To me....they were the best ever!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: Welcome April!

Welcome April! My favorite month and quite a busy one this year. Later this week, Chick and I see the Broadway smash, Wicked. We've had the tickets since January and we can't wait!! Our menu is low-fat and mostly weight watchers this week with one dinner out.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Monday: Fish Sammy's with French Fries (NCAA National Championship @ 6PM)
Tuesday: Meatloaf with Chive Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
Wednesday: Grilled Pork Chops with Fennel Relish and a Garden Salad
Thursday: WICKED! Happy Hour at Morton's Steak House