Toast and Jam
Well, we made it – the Camry is in LA and now has California license plates. But first, here is a report on our final travel day:
We departed our hotel in Tempe early Wednesday morning. Our friend Claude from Toronto had kindly suggested that if there was any way we could fit it in we should try a place called Matt’s Big Breakfast in Phoenix. We headed over there and arrived not long after they opened. If you ever travel to Phoenix make a note about this place: they are open for breakfast and lunch only. This spot is fabulous! It’s small – two rooms and it probably only seats about 25 people so there is often a line outside. Cage free eggs, locally sourced greens, fresh squeezed OJ, etc. I know I should have ordered their steel cut oatmeal and I’m sure it’s delicious but I saw the egg dishes going by with the big chunks of whole wheat bread and homemade jam. And lovely bacon! I caved…
Breakfast at Matt's
And sure enough by the time we left the line had formed. This is all I need in an American Classic.
Outside Matt's Big Breakfast
On the road again we knew we were in the final stretch. We put the pedal to the metal, got up to 80 and headed out across the Arizona desert and were amazed at how far the city of Phoenix extends! Many miles. You can understand that there was a lot of construction happening far from the city. We headed over the line into California and through the large Coachella Valley – home of Palms Springs and Palm Desert and bordered by the Santa Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains and the Little San Bernadino Mountains . Over half a million people live in this valley – many of them snowbirds. And as we came around and into the valley it just appeared, windmills and people – not sure which there were more of.
Windmills as far as the eye can see
Shortly after passing through the valley the traffic began to thicken and we were into the craziness of driving in LA. The map looked pretty red and Rick deftly navigated as I drove through to Mike’s house. A total of 3,392 miles and lots of great food and music and we were here.
Mike’s lovely girlfriend, Amani, made us a wonderful home cooked dinner, which we ate out on the deck – a nicely seasoned pork tenderloin with rosemary, beets with fennel, fantastic mac and cheese and a salad. A perfect end for our big drive. Though we aren’t quite done yet! There will be at least one more post from tonight’s dinner at yet another 2012 James Beard Award Winner.
Playlist Wednesday
Beethoven piano concerto #4
Joni Mitchell California
Lucinda Williams West
After the Goldrush – Linda Rondstad/Emmylou Harris/Dolly Parton version followed by Neil Young original
Linda/Emmylou/Dolly High Sierra
Etta James singing At Last
Natalie Merchant San Andreas Fault
Counting Crows Long December (one more day up in the canyon, one more night in Hollywood)
Bruce Hornsby End of the Innocence ( written with Don Henley of the Eagles who had a hit with it as a single)
Vince Gill with Del McCrory Give me the Highway
Melissa Etheridge Miss California
Allison Krauss Missing You
Vienna Teng Mission Street
Jackson Browne Sky Blue and Black
Frank Sinatra Someone to Watch Over Me
We pretty much exhausted the relevant music from our devices! The only thing left is Leaving on a Jet Plane…
Replying to Paul’s comment in the Birmingham post. It was Robert Duval as the reclusive Bo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. I had waited to answer so as to allow someone else to do so, but, since no one did, I didn’t want the blog to end with that cliff hanger unaddressed.
We’ve all been on the edge of our seats, glad you cleared that up.
No photos from Amani’s dinner??
I am pretty sure that I gained weight from this trip. Let’s have a bread and water party when you get home.
nice work, rick. glad that someone is reading the comments on this way fun food/travel blog. sure you don’t want to rent a car and drive home?
Fantastic trip! The blogging made me feel like I was there with you.