is there such a thing as too much seafood risotto?
"You had to see a shrink because of the mother you had."
-- Carmela to Tony with the understatement of the century, on The Sopranos
Running news:
Today: 8.3 miles.
Yesterday: 5.3 miles.
Friday: nothing.
Darin and I went to Delmonico's for brunch this morning. Well, actually, it was this afternoon by the time we got there.
I got up at 8 this morning and went on my 8.3 mile run--I was glad to do a long run again, although I seem to have pulled a muscle in my right thigh. Sunday morning is the best time to do a long run--there aren't that many cars out, not that many people out, and it's quiet. The air smells nicer, the ground feels springier (this may be purely subjective, but I'm not sure).
I dawdled after getting in and we finally rolled out of the house around noon to get something to eat.
Darin wanted to go to Delmonico's because he'd liked it so much when we went to dinner. Every dish at the buffet had a label that read the dish's name and had a logo "The best buffet in Los Angeles." And it is. Seafood risotto and eggplant with chicken and gnocchi and salmon--and oh yes, bacon and waffles and things.
It was so wonderful I forgot to go to the dessert table, if you can believe that (and I couldn't, so I snagged a truffle on the way out).
I wouldn't like to go there too often--for one thing, it's way too expensive for frequent visits--but it sure is nice to find a really great brunch in the area.
I've been told under pain of death that it's the "Guys," and not the "Boys." That is all.
After dropping Darin off at the Guys', I drove by Thrifty in Studio City to get some nail polish remover. A large, older black man approached me as I got out of my car, holding a bucket and some rags. He asked if he could clean my windows. I got so disconcerted, I said, "No, thank you," and walked away. I felt badly about it when I was in the store.
I gave him five dollars when I came out. He thanked me. I know five dollars isn't very much.
I realize this is not a huge gesture. But I don't do it terribly often; I usually ignore panhandlers. As I stood there in the parking lot, I was reminded of Jon Carroll's call to join the Untied Way. Five dollars isn't really the point, I suppose.
I was also reminded of a story my Dad told me about a guy who came up to him on Fillmore Street in San Francisco and asked to borrow a quarter. "Borrow a quarter?" my dad said. "You want me to loan you a quarter?" Leave it to my father to start a debate about choice of words at a moment like that.
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Copyright 1999 Diane Patterson
Send comments and questions to diane@spies.com