Detroit, San Gabriel, Guadalupe

Detroit, San Gabriel, Guadalupe

Weather: Cool, hot, hazy and breezy

Pics: Two men in Detroit, Ohira art, Far Western in Guadalupe

Final Final on Detroit:

Pic of the only two men on the tour. THB has been mulling about Detroit, and has concluded the best (only?) answer is that Detroit should start planting trees as soon and as many as possible, building America's first truly urban (very urban, say within 500 yards of Tiger Stadium) forest. Trees should not need (much) soil remediation nor long-term care, and a great replacement for the millions of dead pines in the Rockies. Detroitians: start planting NOW!

San Gabriel: Lunch at Green Zone, one of an amazing number and variety of Asian cuisine spots in this area of LA. Sauteed mushroom salad, variety of spring rolls (salmon best), chive and chicken/pork gyoza (more dumpling like), tofu with sweet topping for dessert, unlimited specialty passion fruit iced tea, all organic, $45.

THB and DB then visited Minoru and Echiko Ohira at their joint studio in San Gabriel, close to Green Zone. Minoru-san is the "curator" at Mori Sushi, THB's recommendation for best meal in LA. Mori always has art up on the wall, ever-changing, and in the display case is dishware by Masamichi Yoshikawa, a very well known ceramicist (DB and THB made a special visit to see his huge installaton in the Nagoya airport). Minoru-san is also an artist, as is Echiko (see pics). He makes large sculptural work (out of our range) and works on paper, and Echiko works in paper and metal. We decide to buy an early drawing by Minoru.

Minoru does not have work for sale by Masamichi-san, just pieces given to him by Masamichi (we gave tea in Masamichi cups!). Minoru will get a CD from Masamichi of available work.

Guadalupe: On the drive from LA to Monterey Dunes, THB and DB stop at our favorite steak place, Far Western Tavern (see pics) in Guadalupe. They keep threatening to move to Nipomo (a step up? at least closer to 101). Steak sandwich (the best), prime rib sandwich, terrific fries, piquito beans with fresh salsa, ice tea, $48.