I Found My Favorite Sandwich, Mid-Century Modern Furniture on York and DEVO!

UPDATE: The Natural History Museum is closed Saturday (today) during the day in preparation for the event tonight and the Grand Centennial Event happening tomorrow. Sunday's is a kid-friendly event and sounds like A LOT is going on (Garden Tours, kid-friendly activities, food trucks, etc.). There's a day portion and an evening portion. Click on the link below for more details and ticket information:

NHM CENTENNIAL INFO FOR JUNE 9 INFO 

Now back to our regular programming...

Oh my GOD I have to post about Devo. Listen, we're going to get to the best sandwich I've had in LA since moving here in a minute. But the initial purpose of this post was I had totally wanted to announce an important, potentially life-changing experience, happening at The Natural History Museum this Saturday night...

Look at them, all lined up there, ready to clean out your intergalactic apartment. Devo. The boys from Planet Thank You will be performing this Saturday night at The Natural History Museum.

Tickets for Devo (a 6pm show) are only $25 and will sell out. But give it a go and CLICK HERE.

It's all to celebrate NHM's 100 year anniversary and the opening of the new Otis Booth Pavillion. I haven't been there so I can't tell you much about the pavilion but the little I've learned it's on the north side, there's some cool-ass pedestrian bridge that I believe connects the whole deal to Exposition Boulevard and it's a 3 story glass building with a 63 foot, long fin whale poised as if it were taking a dive inside of it. I LOVE that!

There'll also be what they're calling The After Party. Sounds like quite an event with a sound and light show happening, cocktails and tasty sweets, and you'll be amongst the first to get a look at the new pavilion. Cocktail Attire Required. Sounds like glammed out fun.

Tickets are $125. Here's how you get those: THE AFTER PARTY TICKETS.

But this whole thing - this cultural suggestion - was really interrupted because right before I wrote this post I went out to get a sandwich at Whole Foods.

On my way I somehow took a wrong turn where I ended up at a mid-century modern store on York in Highland Park and then apparently at my new favorite sandwich place in Eagle Rock on Colorado Boulevard.

It's usually when you go the wrong way that you find the right things.

Here's the deal: I am shocked SHOCKED that I didn't know about this place before. I've lived in LA a long time and in this neighborhood for almost a year. How come I never saw it? Why God, why were my eyes closed?

Well, who cares since now I've found the promised land. Here's why the importance: I never find a sandwich that is a slamdunk, homerun, you-got-it-you-know-where-I'm-from-and-you-know-how-to make-me-happy out here on the west coast. Never. It's hard to top my sandwich of origin. When I was growing up we used to go to some deli in Dobbs Ferry, New York. I think this guy named Chrissy would make us this sandwiches. They were simple and perfect and I believe in touch with the Divine. My order was Turkey on a roll with oil, vinegar, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. I don't think anything else. It was perfect - and Chrissy was a guy and he was REALLY cute so the whole experience was nothing short of fantastic. And a Coke. Had to have a coke. Maybe I got a large pickle, too. Why lie? I know I got the pickle.

So those are my buds. You know when you go into a restaurant and you ask the waiter what he likes? He might have really different tastebuds than you so I think I like to know what the waiter likes to eat before I trust his recommendation. These are my buds. These are my roots. This is the kind of sammy I like. So this might not be your cup of tea. If so, I'm shocked SHOCKED. But okay.

And just so I can get it out there before I laud my new find I must give a major nod to Bay Cities in Santa Monica as being a total true contender for the type of sandwich that makes me happy. It's great. And it's so much fun to go there. What a scene. That being said, I can't lie, Dave's sammy supercedes Bay Cities. It just does. And it's 10 minutes from my house so YAY!

So if you happen to be out in Eagle Rock anyway, may I recommend Dave's Chillin & Grillin on Colorado Boulevard.

Dave the owner is from Brockton, Massachusetts. You kind of know it the second he says anything.

Dave

A total character with a gap in between his teeth, he's got lots of stories. He dreamt of this sandwich place for a long, long time and worked his ass off to make it happen. And I admit it, something about talking to him, I sort of felt like if I was Mark Cuban I'd say Dave, I want to give you a million dollars. But instead I gave him 8 something for my sandwich. I just love how into it he is. It's not just the inspiring tale of writing the business plan in '94 and opening the business in 2005 - never giving up. I think it was his passion for healthy, fresh, simple ingredients. It all seemed the more prescient the moment I got home and bit into my sandwich:

Hello, Sammy

Deliciousness. It was called a Turkulese which is supposed to come with Feta but they were out so it came with Avocado. It was made up of turkey, tomato, lettuce, hummus (next time I'll skip that), oil, vinegar -- and no cheese because of the feta shortage. If there was anything else in there, I don't remember it. It was supposed to come with pepperocinis but I skipped it because I was scared of them. I think I made the right choice. In fact, I know I made the right choice. This baby was heaven.

Here's what he what he said about his food beforehand:

•Dave's is what he called 3rd Trimester Friendly. Is that something? I didn't know that was something. But then he explained this part of the equation...

•Their feta's made from sheepsmilk. And it also happens to be imported from Israel but I think the sheepsmilk makes it safe for expecting moms.

•They use no processed meats.

•That was real turkey on my sandwich.

•They use fresh baked bread. No bread is older than 14 hours.

•He even tries to get healthier salami. The salami has only 1 nitrate.

There was more! He told me more! I can't remember it all. This was all I was able to write down. Dave was going for a ride on his bike and I was starving. Time was of the essence.

This man, right here, right above this sentence, this is the man that conceived of and built my sandwich and was the one to sign off on my avocado. Let us all say Thanks.

Dave's Chillin & Grillin is at 2152 Colorado Boulevard. Nearest cross-street is Eagle Rock Blvd. Their website is currently under construction but I will post it when it's back up.

Lunch has meaning again!

That's why you shouldn't panic when you get lost or take a wrong turn. Something might just catch your eye and you'll find your new favorite sandwich or best friend or mid-century modern furniture store.

I truly want to do a bigger piece on Shopclass that's located right here in Highland Park on York and Avenue 52. So this mention of it, happening now, is just a little taste - a blog amuse-bouche, of what hopefully will be a bigger blog feast some day.

(is "feast" bouche in French? Somebody look that up)

Regardless, we're here right now and the most important thing for you to know is if you're in Highland Park, you should go to Shopclass! It's worth the visit! It's only been open since February but was already mentioned in Martha Stewart's Living (this month's) and it's no wonder. They have some really wonderful pieces in the store.

I just LOVED Lucy & Ethel up there. Truly I'm no mid-century furniture expert but maybe you are (Nancy, Brian, Mark & Adco) and I would not steer you wrong. I kinda think this spot is the real deal.

One of the owners, Ellen LeComte is founder of Amsterdam Modern and one of the visionaries behind Mohawk in Silverlake (I did a post on Mohawk here back in May). 

She's since left Mohawk and paired up with Sally Breer and Jeff Garbs.

Sally, from Paris, is an up and coming interior designer and Jeff, a recent transplant from Texas, is a furniture bloodhound - searching near and far for all the right pieces.

Get your tuchus over here! This place is chockfull of good stuff. And listen, sorry for the salty language and crass, non-artsy photo display. I might be in need of a nap (this was a lot of writing!) and when I was at Shopclass, I was very VERY hungry and couldn't dedicate the time to getting really the great photos this store cries out for!

And like I said I promise a bigger post in the future. In the meantime, if you want to see what these cats are doing Saturday night in Highland Park, they're participating in the NELA Art Walk that happens every 2nd Saturday, from 7-10 pm in the neighborhood. I know what you're thinking: an art walk, too?

THERE IS TOO MUCH GOING ON IN THIS WORLD!

Click HERE for more information about the HP Art Walk.

Man, I'm exhausted. This was way more than I ever intended. But the sandwich -- it just, it drove me. Anyway, have a great weekend and ENJOY!