August 10th. Hair Cut. Bay Cities. God-mother. Burrata. Salami Roast Peppers. The Standards

John, the hairdresser had called yesterday with a cancellation spot for me at 2:50.  As I am always en route to the East Coast, or even living in New Jersey, in an alternative life of the imagination, I have stopped making appointments six weeks in the future--a must if I want to guarantee a timely hair cut.  Two weeks ago, catching a mirror glimpse of my dreadfully overgrown and scraggly do, I called John, who, due to the signing up in advance policy, always has a cancellation or two.  This time, alas, he was about to leave town for two weeks in pursuit of a desert real estate dream.  He'd promised to call as soon as he returned.  He kept his word.  There was no way I could endure my unkempt locks another minute, so it was incumbent upon me to re-arrange my day accordingly.

John is around the corner from my always surprisingly situated yoga studio at Fred Segal. I'm done with yoga around noon, so rather than rush home and back, I seized the moment to visit old Santa Monica haunts.  First stop, the re-furbished library (oh it has been years since it was re-built, but despite the hundreds of hours in the children's library with Sarah, and then Sam, it long ago fell out of my trajectory).  I've been a devotee of the    Los Angeles Public Library  since it instituted its computer hold system--not many books in the Venice Branch, but with the books of the entire city available to be sent there, why go anywhere else? Fifteen years ago, when this policy just started, I rode on a library van delivering computer ordered books in the early Los Angeles dawn.  Here's my long ago la times article, from  the days when it was still amazing to think books--in their corporeal form--for in those days that was all we had--could flit so easily from one branch to the next.
But one short-coming of the LAPL is that you can only keep DVD's for two nights.   I'm not even going to begin to explain the complications of ordering DVD's as opposed to books, from other branches.   Santa Monica, on the other hand, permits borrowers to keep DVD's for a full weeks.  Why not resume my old relationship?My lack of loyalty had been noted and I was nowhere in their spruced up system, but it was easy enough to re-apply and receive a new card.

I'd thought I might eat at the library, but the courtyard was hot, the menu not-so-appealing, so card in hand and a selection of DVDs in bike, I made a return visit to Bay Cities.  I'd thought I might brave the deli line for a small Godmother sandwich, but spotting a pre-made regular size at the front counter, and assured it had been made just seconds before, I picked it up and with a zero coke made my way through the cash line.  I had wanted a sandwich, but I also knew that Tuesdays and Fridays were the days that Gioa Burrata was delivered.  I'd been so happy with my last burrata purchase, I thought it would be the perfect centerpiece for the dinner I'd promised Linda.  Although I was told the truck usually arrives by 1pm, it was late, so I ate half my sandwich on the patio, hoping that it would be there by the time I'd finished.  And indeed it was.

Bay Cities, unlike Surfas, gets their burrata in four ounce packages which they sell either by two or fours.  They weren't quite ready for sale, but by the time I found a fresh (still warm) baguette, my half pound was ready.  Couldn't resist adding a chunk of smoked mozzarella and a small hard salami to my order as well.

Still a bit early for my hair-cut, I stashed my purchases in John's refrigerator and made another quick visit to the library.Biked home after that long over-due haircut and inspired by cheese and bread purchases, I roasted two red peppers and set to work making an eggplant caponata and preparing my three types of green beans for a salad.

Two peppers--one red, one yellow--showing off their roasted shriveled skins

The peppers were the only dish that was ready at Linda's arrival.  I put the caponata and beans on hold and using the last bits of the Flor de Cana rum  to which I added a blended mix of  mango,  peach and ice, and topped with fresh mint leaves from the garden.  Very delicious indeed.

Mango and  Peach Rum Cocktails 

The drinks were a perfect accompaniment to the antipasto spread of burrata, smoked mozzarella, salami,  the roasted red peppers, sweet cherry peppers and avocado on that still very fresh bread.

Then off for a sunset walk to see The Standards at the Venice Bistro.   A fine evening all around.