After living in Los Angeles for 18 years (did I just say 18?) I finally made it. I met my friend Evelyn there, who lived in the Hollywood Hills for more than four decades in a beautiful English Tudor built by Bette Davis. She knows Hollywood better than anyone I know (not the movie version but the real one!) and she was the perfect person to go with to Musso & Frank Grill!
Musso & Frank Grill was opened in 1919 on Hollywood Boulevard by Joseph Musso and Frank Toulet and is apparently Hollywood's oldest eatery. They are known for their great history, fabulous martinis and a great "crab Louie." I had to go directly to class after lunch, via three freeways, so I opted out of the martini.
I don't know the last time they changed anything in there, if ever (which I love!) and it's the kind of magical nostalgia I love about Hollywood. Sometimes it cracks me up that I live here. You may have heard of some of the past patrons of the establishment ... Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Greta Garbo, Orson Wells, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, William Falkner, Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper, Ginger Rogers ...
Driving on the way there, up Highland, I just barely avoided a crazy accident at Melrose and arriving at the restaurant felt like I was going to pass out. Fortunately, I recovered in time to enjoy my crab Louie and lunch with Evelyn. Phew.
Oh yeah, did I mention the amazing sourdough that I have been eating on for 3 days? (see above) Apparently, it's flown in from San Francisco and the next time I go there (to Musso and Frank, not San Francisco) I might just order a martini and a loaf of bread!
Oh, and this is kind of a crack up ... check out Hollywood in the 1940s!
Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend!
(I will be studying for midterms!)
&
Thank you Evelyn!!!
14 comments:
The place looks really neat! Too bad they weren't a little more generous with the bread. :)
I've never been to California at all. I'm an East Coast girl. :-) But I'm fascinated by the scenery, traffic, and weather. I look forward to seeing California through your eyes...And please come and see the East Coast through my eyes any time! :-))
http://poetesswug-thewugsbackyardblogspot.blogspot.com/
Oops - the "r" was missing. I love your Californian stories, pictures and impressions. Have a wonderful weekend, too. Greetings Inge
Love these kind of places...reminds me of some of the spots on Route 66 in Arizona. Sadly they are disappearing. Would love to see that bette davis bungalow! Cheers!
hi lucinda, that restaurant sounds great and all the history there!! if those walls could talk, eh? o.k...martini + sourdough = nappy time. a GOOD nappy time, for sure. sorry i haven't been around much lately.....this is garden season right now and miss erin has been busy digging in the dirt. hard on the body, but good for the spirit and soul.
happy weekend to you,
erin
xxoo
Please, pass the Martini (for now, er, until June 25th), but I'd love to have a "crab Louie"! ;-)
What a lovely break, I enjoyed getting to know a little piece of Hollywood with you, thank you!
Warm greetings from V. and bonne chance with your exams,
Merisi
(another student chained to her desk)
Hi, Lucinda! You're welcome! (You're not crazy:))
I enjoyed this post. I'm adding this restaurant to the list of places we're going to visit.
It's so cool that your friend lives in a house built by Bette Davis. How fun for you to be able to hang out with someone who knows so much about Hollywood.
Hi Lucinda,
its such a fun reading your posts, especially with the taint of retro making it so nostalgic.....
i love the energy that you carry within you!
hugs
col.
Sounds like fun--I can just picture all of those folks eating there, from how you described it. Love this video--you do living in a fascinating place, don't you!
Wow, you live in Hollywood!
Looks like fun, and great bread:))
Thank you for your earlier comment with kind thoughts and wishes for us and for Japan.
xo
I hope your weekend was a golden one! I love driving up the coast of California. I haven't made a visit in a long time. xo
PS- For now I think I'm going to put the cabinet in the basement. We have a finished basement so it will work down there. When my friend heard I was going to paint over the combed on paint he almost had a heart attack!! Smile... I got the cabinet from his shop.
thank you for the tour
i can almost taste that bread... almost.
so glad that you did not get in the accident!
Wow, seems like this place has a sweet vibe. I adore sourdough too!
Post a Comment