Miriam

What a pleasant afternoon Miriam and I spent together, catching up on news and gossip about the LA Times and all the people we know in common, as well as her book progress, my health, Michelle's online journalism rock-star status. Miriam's training for a half-marathon while working on her book. She looks good, and it was great to see her.

We ate at a cool little restaurant called Mike & Anne's in South Pasadena. The outdoor seating was perfect for today's gorgeous weather, sunny and clear and 85. Although they had a fancier name for it, I had what was quite possibly the world's best grilled cheese sandwich: ricotta, Parmesan and swiss cheeses, grilled with very thinly sliced red onion and green apple. Really. And very yum. Served with a nice little salad. And I ordered a cup of butternut soup, without the "lemon fizz" topping that even the waitress seemed to discourage. Miriam had a Cobb salad, I believe, with salmon that also looked pretty tasty.


I drove our rental car up the 110, the Pasadena Freeway, to meet her. A portion of that highway is dubbed the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway, and was the country's first freeway. With is narrow lanes and gently bending curves through the hills, this stretch of road always made me think of a Disney version of a freeway. And I think I remember reading one time that Disneyland's Autopia ride was inspired in part by the Arroyo Seco, but I can't find that reference right now.