Last  Friday night Paul and I had dinner with some clients (clients who are fast becoming friends) at a really cool restaurant in Santa Monica called Wilshire — a very cool, hip, happening L.A. eatery. It was kind of loud and rowdy when we first walked in, but we had a private room which was very special. There were six of us; three couples. We really enjoyed the intimate setting, the wonderful food, the eclectic decor and each other’s company. Paul had the seared scallops and I had the lemongrass risotto. Very, very good. We dined for hours. The service was attentive without being solicitous, which made for a relaxing and enjoyable evening.

I’m adding a new category to my blog called FOODIES REVIEW. As you may have guessed by now, I am a Foodie. In fact, I used to have a food repping business called, guess what? Foodies. These aren’t necessarily reviews per se, but plugs for products and restaurants that I absolutely LOVE. The first product line I want to present to you is from my friend Robert Lambert. He makes the most amazing marmalades, chocolate sauces and preserved fruit! When I repped his line every store I showed it to bought it. People who didn’t like marmalade loved his. He picks all the fruit himself and makes everything by hand. Inspiration for his products came from a family farm in northern Wisconsin, where his grandmother Florrie began cooking at 13 in the logging camps of the early 1900’s. Extensive preserving by mother and grandmother was a fond childhood memory. When these memories met the ingredients of his adopted California home–wine, grapes, citrus fruit and ginger-–-his product line was born. Robert is pictured here receiving his award from Jacques Pepin for his cherries in merlot syrup.