Always an Event at Lawry's

We waited over 30 minutes for a table, even with a reso. Had I not been with a group, I would have left and gone to a number of other places. It was two days before Christmas, one of the busiest nights of the year. There were over 100 people waiting for their tables, really.

I made the best of it and took to the sport of people watching. Most people were coming and going in large groups. I observed a family with 3 small children have their photo taken in front of the Christmas tree. Nearly every person leaving the restaurant left with a doggie bag, for good reason: individual portions look like they are meant for cave men.

When we finally were seated, we were 6 around a large table, my least favorite type of seating arrangement because you can hardly hear what the people are saying on the other side. The noise level was so loud anyway. The huge dining room was packed to the brim and 2 groups of carolers moved from table to table singing songs of all denominations including Hanukkah carols.

For all of my dismay with the crowd and noise level, I still enjoyed the evening. This is such a ole' fashioned place; not much has changed since 1938 including the menu, decor and servers' funky costumes. Even the"Famous Original Spinning Salad" show is the same. The server brings the big salad bowl, takes a container of French dressing in her hand, then raises her arm as high as it will go and pours it into the bowl like a waterfall.

Everyone at the table had prime rib. Each Prime Rib Dinner comes with a salad, Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes and whipped creamy horseradish. A man with a mobile carving station served up the dinners, one by one. The salad, sides and hot bread were tastier than the meat. For dessert we had apple pie and pumpkin cheese cake, both a little too sweet for my taste.

Overall, dining at Lawry's was an event. The tradition is better than the food.

Lawry's The Prime Rib
100 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 91101
(310) 652-2827



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Tourist Tuesday: Classic Los Angeles Drives

It's Tourist Tuesday today. Instead of dreading the drive from Hollywood to the beach, if I put on my tourist cap, the long drive becomes an adventure.

Sunset Strip to Beach – Starting at the Directors Guild on the corner of Fairfax Blvd., drive West on Sunset Blvd. from Hollywood to the beach. The Sunset Strip features famous nightclubs I used to go to years ago (The Whisky a Go Go, The Viper Room, House of Blues), hotels and outdoor cafes. Next go through the beautifully manicured lawns and huge houses of Beverly Hills. You'll see major Halloween decorations on lawns. Drive through the curves of Holmby Hills (see the people selling maps to the stars homes). Be careful of ‘Deadman’s Curve’ (made famous by Jan & Dean, the popular rock duo of the late 1950s). Driving through Bel Air you will see UCLA and its beautiful campus on the left. Feel free to pull in and walk around. From there, drive through Brentwood (note the Archer School on the right, made famous in the film ‘Chinatown’) to the Pacific Palisades (passing Will Rogers State Park). Head to the beach in Santa Monica or if you have time, Malibu.

Santa Monica to Malibu along PCH – Take a leisurely drive north from Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. On the way you will see where you can rent a kayak, surfboard or bike. In the summer, the beaches are full of surfers and sunbathers. In October the beaches are quiet and serene. On the drive you pass the Getty Villa (famous for Roman art), Temescal Canyon (a great hiking spot) and the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine. Just past the center of Malibu is the spectacular campus of Pepperdine University. North of Pepperdine, PCH becomes less crowded and more scenic. You will find Zuma Beach and then further north Matador Beach. You could end the drive at Malibu Seafood and have some fresh fish for lunch.