House of Blues, Anaheim

House of Blues

Downtown Disney

Anaheim, CA

Does the world really need more writing on the House of Blues? I dunno, but I guess I'll add in my two bits.

The House of Blues was founded by Isaac Tigrett, (who had previously founded the Hard Rock Cafe), with Blues Brother Dan Akroyd and Blues Brother's Brother, Jim Belushi, among others in 1992 outside of Harvard University. It came to West Hollywood in 1994. I think I went to the West Hollywood branch for the first time in '94 or '95 to see Bare Naked Ladies. I know I saw an incredible Johnny Cash show there in '96, X in '97 and a gospel brunch at about the same time.

The West Hollywood branch was my favorite place to see a show. The sound is great, the sight lines are good, and I love looking at the folk art that adorns the place.

I remember the food at the gospel brunch being good-that was the only time I ate at a House of Blues, and when my family decided we were going to California Adventure, I decided that we were going to eat at the Downtown Disney House of Blues-which (opening in 2001) wasn't there when I still lived in the LA area.

The food-well, it was pretty good. Chef Aaron Sanchez is namechecked all over the menu, which features Cajun and American cuisine. I had the Applewood Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf and Garlic Mashed Potatoes ($18). The Meatloaf was good, but the potatoes lacked a bit in flavor. My kids had the Smoked Bacon Burger ($14), and that was pretty good, too, a huge burger with caramelized onion and bacon on a brioche bun. My youngest had kids' menu chicken tenders ($7), and they looked okay but I didn't try one. The real disappointment was the Mahi Mahi Street Tacos that my wife ordered. The Mahi Mahi was okay, but it seemed like they didn't warm the tortillas, so they didn't fold around the meat properly. At $11 for three tacos-twice the cost of most good street tacos, I was bummed that they didn't prepare the tortillas properly.

Overpriced, but typical for a touristy chain restaurant, and much better than a meal at Bubba Gump. The food, though, is only part of the reason one comes to the House of Blues. Concerts are generally the main draw, by I was there to check out the ambiance.

To that end, I walked the entire restaurant and checked out all the folk art   that was on the walls. The thing I like about folk art is that is seems accessible. I feel like I might be able to do something that would match the art work on the walls.

When I do try, I'm not even close, of course. The kids and I have been painting rocks, which we then place throughout my yard, and I've tried to do things that resemble the folk art I see, and I don't have that ability. The best folk art, and that's pretty much all you see in the House of Blues, can convey rich feelings and emotions once you get past the bright colors and child-like drawings.

One of the things I did notice was that many of the work of art had dates from when HoB opened.  I'm curious to know if they change the art around or sell it. How often do I want to look at Martin Luther King Jr. being free with his dove? Wouldn't it be nice to have a change?

And then there's another aspect that I can't decide about. For instance, the people pictured in the door-that's an interesting piece of art. But I wonder-certainly those people didn't have their pictures taken to show up on a door in some restaurant 50 or 60 years later. They took those pictures for loved ones, and probably spent what to them was a significant amount of money to have it done. Or Dr. King, he didn't die to be my dinner ambiance.

I'm not sure if the House of Blues is actually exploitive. I'd like to think the artists whose work appears in the restaurant were compensated well, and they are credited so that others might be able to buy their art. But again, as I'm chowing down on overpriced meatloaf, it seems like much of the art work is trying to raise my social consciousness, and I'm not sure that dropping the amount of money I spent on dinner does that. Sitting in the House of Blues is sitting in the Disney version of an old southern roadhouse-appropriate when you are walking distance to all things mouse.

The House of Blues, according to their website, does try to be socially responsible, with various fundraisers and support to aging and heavily exploited Blues Musicians. If some of the corporate profits are in fact being used to support the community, then all is good.

I know, I know. Shut up and enjoy the restaurant. Sometimes I over think things way too much.

Foster's Freeze, Ventura

Foster's Freeze

4121 Telegraph Rd

Ventura, CA 93003

Last winter I noticed a leak in my garage, and knew that this summer I'd have to re-roof. Since there is only two layers of roofing paper, I cleaned off the debris and me and my boy, with some help from my older daughter, rolled on a new layer of roofing on the old. 

It wasn't a complicated job, but it did take the whole day, and at the end of it all, after being on the roof in the sun, I wanted a banana split. And I wanted it from Fosters.

Foster's Freeze has been in the Los Angeles area since the 40's, and when I was young, I'd go either there or Tastee Freeze to have soft serve vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate, a treat that I still buy my kids.

(Foster's also plays an important part of LA surf music history, the Hawthorne branch being the spot where Dennis Wilson saw a pretty girl in a Thunderbird, which he then went home and told his big brother Brian about. Brian wrote "Fun, Fun, Fun" using Dennis's observation as the basis.)

But I felt like my day in the sun (I had taken a 4 mile run in the morning, too) rated a banana split. And I wanted it with soft serve, and so that's what I got. I could even argue that the Foster's Banana Split has less calories then one from Baskin-Robbins or the other ice cream chains in town, making it a healthy choice! Let's hear it for rationalizations!

Here in Ventura, we still have a Foster's "Old Fashion" Freeze, in what appears to be an original building, and not sharing a space with El Pollo Loco (which for some reason doesn't seem to taste as good). The building has cool  "Foster's Man" tiles and sponsor's a "Cruise Night" the third Friday of the month, which I once brought my '63 Valiant convertible to.

And it was the perfect spot for a Friday evening banana split with my kids. I ordered my banana split, while two of my kids ordered Twisters and the third a root beer float. 

Nothing fancy about it. It tasted just like it looks-cold and refreshing, made the way I remember. Three servings of soft serve ice cream, topped with chocolate, pineapple and strawberry, with whip cream, nuts and a cherry. Add a fresh banana, split down the middle, which makes it "healthy." Hard to go wrong, and highly recommended for a once in a while treat.

As the summer draws to a close, for a few happy moments all was right with the world.

Django's/El Sitio

Django's Coffee House

El Sitio

2271 North Ventura Ave

Ventura, CA 93001

Though there are several places I like to eat on the Avenues, (or the West End as the businesses now like to say), I don't often get out to the far end of the West End. But I had to drop my son off at Foster Park for cross country practice Saturday, and as I was wandering back home I stopped at Django's Coffee House.

Items for sale

I've been by Django's several times, but they are strictly a morning place, so I usually continue on to Ojai and Full o' Beans (see 6/9/13). But they were open and there appeared to be a small crowd, so I gave it a whirl.

The coffee had a nice, smooth taste, which I found much better than Santa Barbara Roast, the favored brew of most local coffeehouses, or Beacon Coffee, which I found at a few others. The shop is filled with gifts and bric a brac (I liked the Andy Warhol philosophy pencils), and most customers were greeted by order. A large picture of Django Reinhardt graces one wall, and the coffee bar is named in memoriam of a former patron. I talked for a few minutes with a barista, complimenting the coffee, which she then told me was from Moore Coffee, roasted around the corner

Dining area

More bric a brac

Sitting outside, I gazed out over the hillside, and marveled at how good the coffee actually was.

A picture of a breakfast burrito at El Sitio next door was tempting, but I resisted and instead got pan dulce from Panaderia Herrera, which I found to be a bit stale, and then went to the Boys and Girls Club thrift store and several yard sales. At 11 it was time to pick up my son.

After his cross country practice he was hungry, so now it was time for El Sitio. We parked by Pedals Tubes and Tires, where we leaned into the shop and checked out the new and used bicycles for sale. The proprietor chatted with us for a few minutes, and mentioned that he felt like he put on ten pounds since he started eating at El Sitio, an endorsement if I've ever heard one. On a side note, I think I'll be taking my ancient Trek hybrid in for a tune-up. He seemed like a pretty good guy, and the tune-up price is much better than Trek's in town.

Lunch

El Sitio looked neat and clean, and smelled good, a good sign for any eating establishment. I ordered the Carnitas tacos special, while my son ordered a quesadilla filled with mushrooms, onions and tomato. Both orders were good and filling, and though they are a bit skimpy with their chips, I'll certainly be back. Cuernavaca is still my go-to, default Mexican restaurant here in Ventura, but El Sitio is a solid back up.

Caffrodite/Jim & Rob's Fresh Grill

Caffrodite

Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill

1876 E. Main St.

Ventura, CA 93001

In an effort to:

A) Save a little money

B) Be more green

C) Lose a bit of weight

I've been trying not to drive my car more than once a day. In keeping with this goal, my children and I end up walking or riding our bikes more-not necessarily a bad thing, of course.

So as a treat for riding to the beach and running during my daughter's Junior Lifeguard Comp Team practices, my daughter and I stopped for some coffee (steamed hot carmel for her) at Caffrodite, and to split a breakfast burrito from Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill.

When we first moved to Ventura 15 years ago, it seemed like we ate at Fresh Grill all the time. They had a very good tri-tip burrito, (not very Mexican, though) and it was an easy walk from the house. Then when the kids came along, we didn't go as much. The kids didn't really want to eat anything Fresh Grill served, so we drifted off to other places.

Caffrodite moved onto the Jim and Rob patio 12 years ago, and I went in a few times and didn't find anything that I really liked. As I've mentioned a few times, I don't really care for Santa Barbara Roast coffee, and every time I went in, I felt like I walked into a small gathering I wasn't invited to. The woman at the counter would serve my coffee, and then carry on talking to everyone else in the place. It didn't seem to matter that they came in before me or after me. I just didn't seem to rate conversation.

And to top it off, the coffee never seemed hot. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot coffee, and I like hot coffee.

So it's probably been four or five years since I've been in. But being on bicycle really limits your choices. 

With some reluctance, (It's when we discovered La Petit Reve was closed) my daughter and I went in a few weeks back. And it was great! The coffee was hot ($2 for a medium), the barista carried on a conversation with both my daughter and I, suggesting some sort of steamed caramel drink instead of hot chocolate, which my daughter was totally happy with, and I finally understood why people rave about this place. 

To make sure it wasn't a fluke, we came in again two days ago, and though it was a different woman behind the counter, she was just as friendly, even recommending a burrito from next door. Again, the coffee was hot, and my daughter was happy with her drink. 

Bacon, egg and potato burrito and coffee

The downside, such as it is, is that they serve Santa Barbara roast, which I find a bit acidic. Still, it was nice to sit beside Main Street, watching the cars go by and chatting with my daughter, fresh coffee and a breakfast burrito in hand.

Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill has three locations, but it seems like the two out in Ojai are no longer affiliated with the one in Ventura. They serve white Mexican food, which means that there are tortillas and corn chips, but it isn't the same as the Mexican food you'd find on the Avenues or in Oxnard. It's not bad, but not the same. My daughter and I split the bacon, egg, and potato burrito, and I smothered my half in their salsa. Fresh Grill prides itself in not using lard, and so everything tasted, well, a bit bland. Eggs were scrambled and tasted like eggs. The potatoes tasted like potatoes, and the bacon was extra crisp. My salsa tasted like tomatoes with onion, but no peppers. I've been trying to refrain from salting my food, and now I think I'm more sensitive to when little or no salt is used in cooking, and this seemed pretty salt free. Throwing food in a tortilla does not Mexican food make. It wasn't bad, service was neither fast nor slow, friendly nor unfriendly. It's not as bland as Taco Bell-to think in chain restaurant terms, Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill is closer to Baja Fresh than Chipotle.

I'll definitely come to Caffrodite more often. And I may start coming back to Jim and Rob's, but won't go out of my way.

Ukulele Repair S.S. Maxwell

Ukulele Repair

S. S. Maxwell

Back when you could take summer school for "fun," my parents would insist that I attend. During my middle school years('74, '75, '76), that meant heading to Nimitz Junior High School in Huntington Park, away from the nuns that taught me normally at St. Rose of Lima in Maywood. The interesting part is that a dozen years later, I would begin my teaching career back at Nimitz, and many of the teachers were still around.

Pried off bridge to attempt to reglue.

I signed up for Woodshop one of those summers, thinking that would be interesting and quickly discovering that I had no aptitude for wood working. In hindsight, I think it reflected my incredible lack of patience, and though the lessons I learned sunk in, I was unable to use them at the time that I learned them. (On a side note, the Shop teacher was still at Nimitz when I started teaching there, but of course did not remember me in the slightest. Word was that Alzheimer's was kicking in, and he would occasionally be seen wandering the campus during his final year. I don't remember his name, meaning that perhaps my age is finally getting to me).

As some kids raced through projects, making cutting boards and bowls and stools and such, I think I was able to make a shark and a crooked skateboard. I think there was something else, too, but I don't remember what it was. 

Residue

With Elmer's

But I did remember many of the things we were                                                                                                                                                                                                                             supposed to learn, and have used them for various projects here in the house, including a bench that I'm very proud of and shelves in the closets. When I accidentally left my vintage  S.S. Maxwell outside after a barbecue, which was then followed by a light rain, the bridge popped off and I figured that I had enough skill to glue it back on again.

Popped Again!

Not a lot of information is available for the S.S. Maxwell. It was made in Chicago by Regal, and I'm guessing this one to date from the mid '50's. It appears to be solid wood, but I don't know what kind of wood. Basically, it's like the zillion other ukuleles produced in Chicago by Regal, Harmony and others. Initially, I used some Elmer's Wood Glue that I had laying around. My first attempt had the bridge slide a bit when I clamped it, bring the A string too close to the edge of the fretboard, and making the uke a bit of a challenge to play. I took the bridge off to try again, but this time the bridge popped right back off when I was tuning it up. I'm sure that I've had the Elmer's for at least five years, and apparently, glue has a shelf life. Surfing the internet and looking at ukulele repair, I learned that hide glue is what is supposed to be used.

Pencil Marks

Titebond Hide Glue

The hide glue that most luthiers use comes in pellets and has to be melted down in a special burner-far more than my limited patience and ability was ready to handle. Then I found a few websites that refer to Titebond Liquid Hide Glue in their repairs, saying it was much easier to work with and seemed to work about as well.

I just won an auction for an old Silvertone guitar with a broken bridge, and also picked up a Richter Ukulele that lost it's bridge when I was changing it's strings. So since I have a few more instruments that need bridges glued on, I figured that buying the Titebound was a "sound" investment.

Clamped Again!

Another View

I remeasured the bridge placement on the S.S. Maxwell, and after I sanded away all the previous residue, I marked the bridge placement with a pencil and glued the bridge back on.

Leaving the bridge clamped for almost 30 hours seemed to work. I strung it up yesterday, and everything was still attached today, and even staying pretty close to in tune.

If I were a really conscientious ukulele repairman, I'd figure out a way to remove the excess glue. Initially, I had the ukulele clamped up straight, but that caused glue to run down the face and on to my workbench. Using a paper towel, I quickly wiped that up, and put the ukulele on it's back. I used a wet paper towel to clean the excess.

Glued on and ready to play!

Here it is after the repair.

Here's what it sounds like.