While I peruse my extensive library of photos, I've discovered my affinity for up-close shots of food. I can think of a few times my camera lens got embarrassingly close to a sauce or ice cream product (mmm, hungry). Maybe it's because I believe subconsciously the more detail I capture, the more I'll remember the taste.
For example, the fresh fish/cilantro/zing of pepper fish taco, wrapped in a flour tortilla, devoured from a simple paper carton on the Pacific Coast Hwy in Malibu. I can still taste it. My best friend Liv took me there after a somewhat harrowing drive to her grandparents' condo, just up the PCH a bit (harrowing, you ask? Well, as we pulled into the secured gate, Liv asked for the keys for the condo... my only job was to hold the keys... said keys had fallen between seats... my heart stopped and I had visions of Liv tossing me out to be devoured by beach bums and sea animals and kids with plastic shovels. BUT we found them. Wow, heart palpitations come back just at the memory, but I digress). Obviously a near-fatal failure of responsibility drums up the hunger, so we decided to quit with the driving already and have a nice stroll down the PCH to the legendary biker restaurant, Neptune's Net. Our "nice stroll" turned out to be a balancing act between a ledge above the rocky hill to the beach and the line of cars/surf vans parked along the highway. Upon meeting some leathery middle aged men who drank from beer cans while lounging in their open surf van, beach stretched to the sky from below, I realized my reincarnation wish: come back as surfer dude with skin the texture of 40-year old tanned leather. Surf, drink, sit in sun, surf, maybe eat, talk to strangers, sit in sun, drink... what a life.
Upon entering the buzzing, sun-bleached biker haven, we grabbed a table near a hanging net with beach/Malibu-related memorabilia. Sweaty, sticky, and smelling of sea salt, we collapsed in the booth after ordering from boisterous, hair-dreaded employees. When the little paper plate of heaven appeared in front of me, it was all I could do to resist jumping in face-first.
June can't come soon enough!
YES~~~!!!
ReplyDelete