Yesterday ~ Picture of the Day ~ California Iconic Restaurant ~ Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken ~ National Hawaii Day

Good 47º clear sunny morning. 

Be safe out there with this full moon!!! 

Yesterday we stayed clear and sunny and breezy. We topped at 88º. 

Picture of the Day ... perfect timing

Interesting about one of Californa's iconic restaurants....

Norm’s Restaurants, West Hollywood

Although it may boast only 18 locations throughout L.A., the Inland Empire, and Orange County (and one coming to the Carson/Inglewood area), is there any chain more southern Californian than Norm’s? Founder Norm Roybark, a used car salesman, opened his first California coffee shop on Sunset near Vine in 1949 — the year that also brought us the first muscle car and that led us into the decade of car culture. Although Norm’s wasn’t known for its carhop service like Bob’s was, several of the restaurants were built to resemble automobile showrooms. You could even enjoy your steak and eggs in a bucket-seated booth.

The Sunset location is long gone, but you can still experience the heyday of Norm’s at its oldest operating location at 470 N. La Cienega Boulevard near Melrose, just a couple of steps outside the West Hollywood city boundary. The 1957 Googie design by Armet & Davis is a quintessential beacon and haven for motorists, still drawn to its pennant-style neon sign, geometric roofline, and huge window walls that allow drivers to peek inside as much as the diners can watch the cars go by. Many of the interior details are still intact, including flagstone-accented walls (which thankfully haven’t been dry-walled over) and mosaic tile with the initial “n” for Norm’s. Depending on when you go, you might encounter a weekday power lunch, a Saturday hangover brunch, an after school snack or an early dinner for those dressed in their Sunday best. All the locations in the chain are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – and that sawtooth pennant sign marks 13 of them (though the Pico Rivera location has gone digital). And for another Armet & Davis-designed Googie experience, you can also visit the second-oldest operating Norm’s — in Huntington Park.

Norm's sold.....

https://la.eater.com/2015/1/9/7521617/norms-restaurants-sold-roybark-family-outside-investor

Bonus: Let your taste buds continue to do the walking! For a more completionist experience of SoCal’s savory history, you must also visit original locations of The Cheesecake Factory in Beverly Hills, Ruby’s Diner in Newport Beach, El Cholo (a.k.a. the Sonora Café) in K-Town on Western Avenue, Wienerschnitzel in Wilmington, Hot Dog on a Stick under the Santa Monica Pier, Famous Amos in Hollywood on Sunset/Formosa (now Bossa Nova), El Pollo Loco in Westlake… the list goes on and on.

We’ve lost so many others — Johnny Rockets on Melrose, IHOP in Toluca Lake, Denny’s in Lakewood, Taco Bell in Downey (relocated to company headquarters in Irvine) — and many of the extant ones are under constant threat of demolition. Go now while you can, before we lose any more.

From Mr. Food

We found a "buttery crispy" way to make fried chicken and it doesn't involve any frying! Our Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken is super juicy, flavorful, and extra crispy. Your family is going to devour this oven-fried chicken!

 

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted (see Note)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into eighths

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper; mix well. In another shallow dish, combine butter and garlic.
3. Dip chicken into garlic butter, then into bread crumb mixture, coating evenly on all sides. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with remaining garlic butter.
4. Bake 1 hour, or until crispy and no longer pink in center.

Historically this date.....

1937 – Spam, the luncheon meat, is introduced into the market by the Hormel Foods Corporation.

1945 – World War II: Liberation of the Philippines declared.

1971 – Right to vote: the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years, is formally certified by President Richard Nixon.

1973 – Catastrophic BLEVE (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) in Kingman, Arizona, following a fire that broke out as propane is being transferred from a railroad car to a storage tank, kills 11 firefighters.

 2012 – The Shard in London is inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a height of 310 meters (1,020 ft).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shard

And births this date include...

1928 – Katherine Helmond, American actress (d.2019)

1950 – Huey Lewis, American singer (Huey Lewis and the News)

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Sunday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

On July 5th, National Hawaii Day recognizes the 50th state to be granted statehood.

Eight islands make up The Aloha State, the largest of which is named Hawaii. The islands of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai are the next in size followed by Molokai, Lanai, Nihau, and Kahoolawe.

Nearly 2,000 years ago, Polynesians navigated the Pacific ocean in double-hulled vessels from the west. Captain James Cook sailed to the islands in 1778 and would later meet his death on the big island.

For generations, Hawaii ruled by the hand of the Kamehameha dynasty. King Kamehameha is still honored in Hawaii today.

In 1874, a new king was elected to the throne. King Kalākaua was known as the Merrie Monarch. Kalākaua also developed a reputation as a diplomat as he set out to tour the globe in 1881. As a result, Kalakaua would become the first monarch to travel around the world. It would take the Hawaiin leader an entire year to complete the voyage.

While Hawaii is the 50th state to join the Union, it has long been a strategic military installation. Its location in the Pacific has been vital to U.S. Naval operations for decades. On December 7, 1941, the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shocked the nation and propelled the United States into World War II.

The islands’ beauty and traditions consistently draw visitors for rest and relaxation. Hawaii’s pristine beaches, majestic volcanoes, and exotic atmosphere speak to a richly diverse heritage that is welcoming and fascinating. Dance, music, and song taught from one generation to the next keep traditions alive in a lush environment surrounded by ancient history.

In October 2016 a bunch of us family members went to Hawaii....

ALOHA !!6 days at the Aulani  Disney Resort on Oahu with my son Brian, his wife Jen, and their Tucker and Sami, along with  Jen's mom Jean, and Jen's cousin Marie and her boyfriend Brad.