This morning Judy and I drove to Griffith Park for a walk along her dusty yellow trails. Fortunately we did this before the Observatory opened, because when we re-emerged an hour later, the parking lot, all but empty when we arrived, was a mass of orange school buses, each of which had disgorged a hundred screaming kids. From there, a calming drive to Atwater Village, where we purchased books at Alias East (Ed Dorn’s By the Sound, 1971!) and had yet another remarkable meal, this time at Viet Noodle.

Besides the increasing redefinition of Los Angeles’ neighbourhoods, many of which have returned to the self-contained towns they began as, it is the restaurants I am most impressed with. Though by no means a foodie, I enjoy healthy, creative meals made with locally-sourced ingredients, all of which we have had in abundance during our first 72 hours in L.A. Cheebo, around the corner from us at 7533 West Sunset, is one such place; Elf, at 2135 West Sunset, is another.

Tonight being our final night, Judy and I have arranged to meet some friends for dinner and drinks at what might be the opposite of Cheebo, Elf and Viet Noodle, a throwback to the high-cholesterol, tallow-friendly surf and turf days of Frank, Dino, Sammy and Peter -- Musso and Frank of Hollywood. Not sure why we are doing this, apart from it being Aram and Vish’s idea, both of whom eat cleaner than we do. But whatever. Part of eating well is getting to eat at places that might kill you if you were to eat there more often.

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