Los Angeles Observations

If I had to live anywhere in the US right now, it would probably be LA. Unabashedly and proudly American, it's got my vote over its "cosmopolitan" neighbor up North.  I didn't even begin to do justice, but here are a couple of reminders for what they are worth.

• Fountain Coffee Room: an unpretentious little diner that seems out of place in the basement of the Beverly Hills Hotel; it turns out that this diner churns out some pretty high quality breakfasts and burgers, club sandwiches and the like. Apparently regular people are democratically elbow-to-elbow with celebrities here, so quite unique.
• Chateau Marmont: a hidden-away neo-neo-gothic hotel that exudes Hollywood; no time to eat here, but my Americano was pretty good, once I clarified to the young waiter that I had not ordered a coffee.
• The Hungry Cat: was on my list, but couldn't go; fresh fish in an industrial-cool kind of place.
• Best Fish Taco in Ensenada: darn I didn't go but on the top of my list next time.