Walls have feelings too

When sensitive mod-rocker friends from Mexico visit you in LA, the Elliott Smith memorial wall along Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake is a perfect site to see and contemplate life and death and why people write what they write on walls.

Faux fall leaves forever

For as long as I've been frequenting Canter’s Deli on Fairfax, the back-lit plastic panels that tile the ceiling repeating the same photo of a fall leaved tree branch have never ceased to delight. The fake atrium casts a warm yellow glow on diners nestled into their booths, creating the illusion that LA has real seasons.

I daydream of raking the leaves into a heaping pile and then running through kicking up colors.

Staring up as I spoon in matzo ball soup, I feel warm and fuzzy all over.

Warm and fuzzy feelings await at Canter’s, 419 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036.

http://www.cantersdeli.com/

Clifton's Brookdale: Cafeteria Heaven on Earth

My sister definitely takes the prize for taking my mom and I on the most interesting Easter Sunday outing. Flanked by gold chain shops along Downtown LA's busy Broadway stretch hides a Disneyland-like cafeteria set in a woodland wonderland for all walks of life - even dudes dressed like flashy pimps (see feathery pink hat in photo below).

Clifton’s Brookdale Cafeteria opened in 1935 as the second Clifton's restaurant – the first being Clifton’s Pacific Seas. The interior is reminiscent of California Redwood groves with real waterfalls and brooks, and fake moose, bears, owls and deer.

A tiny tree trunk chapel served as our Sunday service as we crammed in to listen to a strange playback of “The Parable of the Redwoods." Huddled up and giggling, we gave thanks and praise for things like nature and forest animals, mashed potatoes and good health, and of course, each other.


But the coolest thing about Clifton’s is that founder Clifford E. Clinton treated customers as "guests" and none were ever turned away hungry, even though they had no money. During one 90-day period at the depths of the Great Depression, 10,000 ate free before Clinton could open an emergency "Penny Cafeteria" a few blocks away to feed, for pennies, the two million "guests" who came during the next two years.

Clifton’s Brookdale remains today the largest public cafeteria in the world.


Photo: My impression of the Great Depression.

For more info on Clifton's Brookdale, please visit http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com/