Best – by Gary Smolker

Dinner Party

I went to a dinner party in Beverly Hills Friday night, July 28, 2017.

Seven of us sat around a table in the kitchen, eating dinner and talking to each other.

Dinner was Buffet style – serve yourself.

Shiny Shoes

The hostess wore the shiny shoes shown above.

Painted Ceiling

While going from the driveway to the front door one passes under a painted alcove.

See photos above.

Guests

One of the husband-host’s and wife-hostess’ daughters and the daughter’s husband were guests.

Myself and two other people who are not members of the host and hostess’ family were also guests.

Technology

During a discussion about how the use smart phones to instantly exchange information has changed everybody’s life one of the guests, Kevin, who is an Internationally Famous South Korean florist, told of about a recent experience Kevin had.

While in Manhattan (which is on the East Coast of the United States),  Kevin was invited by the head/chief chef at “Per Se” to come into the kitchen.

Kevin told us about his experience in the kitchen at Per Se.

• The kitchen at Per Se is immaculately clean, orderly, and organized.
• All the people working in the kitchen are also immaculately clean, orderly and organized.
• The work flow is totally organized.
• A screen on a wall in the Per Se kitchen in Manhattan in real time shows what is going on in the kitchen at the French Laundry.
• The French Laundry is located on the other side of the United States, on West Coast in Napa Valley.
• Both Per Se and The French Kitchen restaurants are owned/operated by 5 Michelin Star winner Chef Tom Keller.
• Kevin was told the kitchen in the French Laundry (located on the West Coast) has a screen which has a continuous feed showing what is going on in the Per Se kitchen in Manhattan.

The Palate and Its Pleasures

    

   

Various dishes (pictured above) were set out on a counter in the kitchen.

Each guest served themselves, buffet style.

It was a delicious meal.

Persian Culture

The host and hostess come from a culture where it is not unusual for an entire day to be spent preparing one dish that will be served at dinner.

Dessert

After everyone finished eating their dinner, dessert was served by placing different dishes on the kitchen table.

Each guest served themselves — buffet style — whatever they wanted to eat for dessert.

   

The Best

The best is achieved by attention to detail.

The dinner described above is a Persian style “home cooked meal.”

The meal I enjoyed for dinner Friday night was cooked with love, craftsmanship, skill and quality control by the hostess.

Her husband is a very lucky man.

It is am grateful to be his friend and her friend and to be their frequent dinner guest.

Luxury

Mere luxury quickly becomes boring.

 

Copyright © 2017 by Gary Smolker, All Rights Reserved

 

Gary S. Smolker, Publisher, Adventurer, Poet, Writer, 
Social Commentator, Movie Reviewer, Book Reviewer
Gary S. Smolker Idea Exchange Blog
www.garysmolker.wordpress.com

Gary Smolker, Fashion Blogger
Dude's Guide to Women's Shoes
www.dudesguidetowomensshoes.com

Follow me on Instagram @garyspassion

 

 

Real Beauty – by Gary Smolker

Sunday Morning, March 12, 2017

Sunday morning I went to Noah’s Bagel (on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks, California)  to get a cup of coffee.

After getting my cup of coffee I sat at a big table.

Soon after I sat down a little girl and her young brother sat down at the same table with their grandmother.

The little girl ran away, disappeared for a moment.

Then she came back a few minutes later with a bottle of chocolate milk for herself and a bottle of chocolate milk for her little brother.

She was so cute I couldn’t resist taking a picture of her.  See picture below.

I recommend Noah’s Bagel on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks as a delightful place to meet families with children.

What Does It Mean To Be Beautiful?

The little girl in the photo above is self-confident and comfortable with herself.

I think that is what real beauty is.

Sunday afternoon, March 12, 2017

Sunday afternoon I went to Fina Estampa (on Winnetka Avenue in Chatsworth, California) to get a bowl of soup.

The soup smelled so good and looked so delicious I took a picture of it and asked a waitress to take a picture of me eating it.  See collage below.

The name of the soup is Parihuela.

Parihuela consists of an array of seafood simmered in a flavorful soup including fish, shrimp, squid, & crab legs.

Smell the cilantro.

I recommend Fina Estampa as a perfect place to sample a variety of authentic Peruvian cuisine.

Not only is the food good, the service staff is friendly, helpful and pleasantly outgoing.

Beauty Everywhere

I am surrounded by beauty everywhere I go.

I discovered Fina Estampa on Wednesday (March 8, 2017) when I met my daughter Leah at a restaurant next door to Fina Estampa.

The next day (Thursday, March 9, 2017), I enjoyed eating and drinking the most wonderful milkshake I have ever eaten or seen.

When I stopped at Le Mervetty (on Cannon Drive in Beverly Hills, California) to meet my lady friend Alanna,  Alanna insisted that I try an Oreo Milkshake.

The master-pastry-chef-owner insisted that it be her treat.

See photos below.

First photo is a collage of three photos showing the milkshake before I ate it, me eating the meringue that came with the milkshake, and showing the frosted glass the milkshake came in after I finished eating and drinking the milkshake.

That is chocolate you see on the edge of the frosted mug the milkshake is served in.

When you are done eating/drinking the milkshake you can eat the chocolate that remains on the outside of the frosted mug is is served in.

Below is a close-up photo of the milkshake.

This milkshake is called an Oreo milkshake.

You are looking at Oreo cookies on the outside of the mug and Oreo crumbles on top of the whipped cream.

“Inside” the milkshake mug is ice cream and chocolate covered coffee beans.

I recommend Le Mervetty as a place to give your sweet tooth the perfect gastronomical treat.

Everything at Le Mervetty is high quality but not stuffy.

The staff is not stuffy.  You can practice your French with them, if you care to do so.

The confections at Le Mervetty are lavish and creative.

Thank Heavens for Little Girls

Life is about being comfortable in your own skin.

Little girls remind me of that.

Thank heavens for little girls.

Every girl, woman and lady in my life is beautiful.

Thank heavens for that blessing.

Gary

Copyright © 2017 by Gary Smolker, All Rights Reserved