Anne's Land

Church & State

A GREAT FIND!

The LA Times food section wrote a fantastic review a few weeks ago for Church & State, the latest  co-creation of restaurant owner Steven Arroyo (Cobra & Matadors) and chef Walter Manzke (Bastide & Patina).  A VERY interesting combination for a new venture.

Friday night my friend and I found ourselves downtown for a show at Disney Hall and decided to try a late french dinner Church & State, located a few minutes away on Industrial Street at the Biscuit Company Lofts.  As expected after such a favorable review, the place was humming at 10:30pm.  To avoid a wait we sat at the bar for a late dinner and a glass of wine.  We shared tarte flambee (thin pizza like tart with caramelized onions, bacon & Gruyere cheese).  He had a steak with Bearnaise sauce and french fries and I had the vegetable cassoulet and we finished with a warm berry crisp.  Everything was delicious and the suggested wine pairings were perfect!

The friendly staff made us feel at home instantly and we learned that the grand opening was last September.  Great eclectic crowd of various ages and styles...similar to what you might find at Fraiche in Culver City, but a little more urban.

In some respects we felt like we were in Chicago's West Loop or NYC for dinner.  Definitely a fun adventure and worth a repeat!

Ample street parking or neighboring parking lot for $5.

Church & State
1850 Industrial St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 405-1434

www.churchandstatebistro.com/

Looking for a Weekend Escape?

Feeling fatigued and in need of a change of scenery?  Consider driving North for a day or two!

Paso Robles is a quaint little wine country exactly half way between LA and San Francisco where highways 101 and 46 come together, just north of Cambria.  Last weekend some friends and I packed a picnic, a small overnight back and departed at 8am on Saturday.  We were in Paso tasting wine and having a picnic before noon!  

Apparently palm trees are a local favorite....is it just me or does it seem strange to have palm trees at a vineyard??? 

This region, like many others in California, started its growth spurt in the early to mid-1990s and now boasts nearly 200 wineries.  Most are Rhone varietals which offer a different perspective from those found in Santa Ynez & Los Olivos.

Wineries visited:

• L'Aventure Winery - my favorite.....joined the club. 
• Eberle Winery - great place for a picnic and spotting a pair of standard poodles
• Fratelli Perata
• Denner Vineyards
  
• Linne Calodo Cellars

For a special dinner and a fantastic selection of regional wines, try Artisian.  Here find some treasures less accessible to the general public at the tasting rooms.  Saxum was our favorite followed closely by Jacob Toft, a young up & comer!

The locals are warm and engaging without pretense.  Easy to get to, interesting wines, moderate prices....I'm going back soon!

See www.pasowine.com for more details and a calendar of events.

Recessing-fighting machines

The Crock-Pot.  Seriously?

Last Wednesday the LA Times food section featured a fun article entitled "Slow Revolution". Vaguely remember these from the 1970s?  Fast forward to the early 1990s and I recall receiving one from a professional mentor who swore by hers. The results were good but truthfully staying home to cook was not a priority then.

Cuisinart's 3.5 Qt Slow cooker is LA Times favorite.
About  $60 @ Bed, Bath & Beyond, Macy's & Crate & Barrel

Times are different.  Many of us adore good food and would rather have a home cooked meal any day.  The new and improved crock pot is sleeker looking on the counter top and offers a convenient way to prepare dinner, especially on weeknights.  The recipes covered in Times covered include: Cuban-style pork shoulder, Lamb tangine with dried fruit and While chocolate bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce.  Yummy! 

Courtney uses hers often with great results. You might enjoy this recipe:

Braised Beef Brisket

Ingredients:
•    4-5 Brisket, Flank Steak or Boneless Chuck Roast (trimmed of as much fat as possible & blotted dry)
     (Courtney uses Flank)
•    3 medium Onions, sliced in thin half moons
•    1 cup prepared Chili Sauce
•    12 oz. bottle Beer (not dark, use Amstel Light)
•    ½ cup water
•    1 package Dried Onion Soup mix
•    1 teaspoon Salt
•    ¼ teaspoon Pepper

Directions:
1.    Put Roast in Slow Cooker.  If the meat is too big to lie flat in your cooker, cut in half & stack the      pieces on top of one other. 
2.    Add sliced Onions.
3.    In a bowl, combine: Chili Sauce, Beer, Water, Onion Soup Mix, Salt & Pepper.
4.    Pour over Meat & Onions.
5.    Cover & cook on LOW for 6-9 hours
6.    Skim off as much fat as possible from sauce, remove & shred meat & serve with sauce.

Great with yukon potatoes and a salad!

MARCHing on...

Many buyers and agents have been waiting to see the "rescue package".  Well, now it is here and there are some very good incentives, especially for first time buyers.  Not only is there more inventory to choose from, but prices are lower, conforming loan limits have been raised to $729,000 while 30% fixed rates are near historic lows and there is a tax credit of $8,000 for first time buyers.

Buying a property is also a great hedge against inflation.  Interest rates are sure to rise in the near future as government spending continues.

The window of opportunity is here!

If you are interested in the specifics of the tax credits, see the attached FAQs.
Download First time home buyer tax credit FAQ