MhZh...a Taste of Israel in Silver Lake

Menus are scrawled on paper bags, the seating is mainly outside, no alcohol is served, and yes, it is worth it.  On a hot summer back to school night, my husband, our good friend and I strolled over to MhZh, which is housed in the former Madame Matisse locale on Sunset.  We took a cue from our dining neighbors and started with a bountiful frisee salad and piled on the dishes from there.  Beet lovers are in for a treat, as every inch of this root is used in wonderful ways.  Bread is sourced from Bub and Grandmas...need I say more?  The potatoes, while delicious on their own, can be utilized to soak up labneh and hummus and lamb ragout in addition the bread.  I've heard there are long lines.  We went around 6pm and were happily seated right away.  

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

As we debated over whether or not to allow the kids to skip school for the eclipse, I waxed on about my memories of the 1979 total eclipse in Springfield, Illinois.  Why was LAUSD issuing such scary warnings about going blind if you dared look at the sun?  Why wasn't this being grasped as an educational experience for all?  Why can't I get the '70's back?  I recall standing alone on the side of my house as the world turned gray and I looked up into the sky at the blotted out sun.  A memory I would not forget nearly 40 years later.  I tried dismissing the LA experience as perhaps not worth it since we were not in the path of totality.  But my 9 year old self kept tugging at my shirtsleeve.  Ok, I'll see what I can find at the Silver Lake Meadow.  Maybe someone will let me borrow their glasses.  What I found was everyone I knew, including my kid, basking in a communal experience of awe.  I think I might remember this too when I'm 85.

Shakespeare in the Park...yes!

To be honest, I wasn't thrilled about going.  I doth not profess to be a Shakespeare aficionado.  I had seen my dad perform in a couple of the comedies, but I was a kid.  I didn't really get it.  To my surprise, not only did I absolutely love the Independent Shakespeare Company's production of Two Gentlemen of Verona, but so did my three kids!  These performers are so talented...they act, they dance, they play music, they do voices, they make audiences laugh...uproariously.  The setting could not be more perfect...located in the Old Zoo within Griffith Park.  The stage is set in one corner of the amphitheater like park, but the actors utilize a wide portion of the grounds, often running through the lounging picnic going audience.  I highly recommend this production.  We will definitely be back next summer!  Oh, and did I mention that it is FREE?  Donate generously to keep them going. 

AMARA KITCHEN

This gem is truly a neighborhood spot.   Located in Highland Park, but not on York or Fig.  Around the corner from Garvanza Park, with a colorful banner as demarcation, this no-sign establishment is surprisingly more sweet than hipster chic.  Don't get me wrong, the styling is of the moment, as is the menu.  However, it is comfortable, airy and beyond scruptious.  They bill themselves at the "organic, local choice," and I have to agree.  If you are feeling paleo, gluten free, vegan, dairy free, or full on glutton, there is something delicious for everyone.  I enjoyed the fresh corn humitas off the lunch menu and can't wait to go back for breakfast.  The pastries look divine.  I sneaked a bite of a lunch mate's cookie, and as my friend Stan likes to say, "It was to live for!"

LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

Over my 16 years in real estate, I've depended on relationships.  Relationships are the backbone of my business.  I prefer to work with people I know or friends and colleagues of people I know.  There is a built in sense of trust and a responsibility on my part to service, not only the client, but the person who referred the new client as well.  Over the years, I've been through marriages and divorces, births and deaths with my clients.  I want to support the changes and be a constant in their lives.  This is a photo of my dear friend and client, Rosa Beltran.  This is the fifth transaction I've been fortunate enough in which to have aided the Beltran family.  I've seen Rosa's handiwork before.  She's a brilliant interior designer.  I cannot wait to see what she does with her latest purchase!