radio arcadia

we finally have a little bit of word on what is going to be the next incarnation of la grande orange at 40th street and campbell - construction is well underway, the building has a series of stucco arches and the republic says the new place will be updated italian classics. the new name: Radio Milano.

i unfortunately haven't been back to see my favorite bartender Sander at postino's since the place has suddenly gone hip and inaccessible. we always used to go in monday nights for the pizza/wine deal there but we stopped at the beginning of football season.

Sander is the quintissential 'tender, who, only the second time we visited, would see us come in and before i could even set my bag on the back of a barchair, he had out two wine glasses and my favorite russian river pinot and without a word waits for my smile and nod. that's a bartender.

please drive through

phoenix is now about to find out how well their air conditioners in their cars work. or don't work. these drive-past coffee houses are such gems up in the pacific northwest, basic little sheds you could probably buy at lowes with lanes to drive up, grab your joe and go. no frills, the only challenge is to keep track of which punch card to use at which hut.