Eating nostalgia

Going home to LA has its comforts and charms. As much as I am convinced that I’d never move back to the smoggy San Gabriel Valley or any part of the vast expanse of land that can be referred to as Los Angeles, there are things that just feel like home: seeing the mountains crisp and purple on a smog-free day, driving along the freeways that lead to the Pacific, eating fries outside underneath the warm winter sun.

And, I couldn’t leave LA without going to In-N-Out. For the sake of my tight dress, I skipped the airplane-to-In-N-Out-to-home ritual, and saved the #2 animal style with extra pickles and a Lemon-Up for my last day in LA. After waking up hung over and trying to remember the events of the previous night, Karen, Jeanne, and I got ourselves looking decent enough to venture over to the In-N-Out across the street from the high school just a little after 10:30 in the morning for a burger and fries breakfast. It was nice to eat outside under the red plastic umbrella, watching the marquee of the high school where we each spent four years of our teenage lives scroll “Happy Holidays” by, and contemplate how the Measure Y money was used for new bleachers.

Continuing my yearning for greasy reminiscence, Jeanne and I went to Jim’s later that afternoon for more fries and fried zucchini. Jim’s physical appearance had changed. It used to be an outside diner that invoked a different era, one when Kevin Arnold and his Wonder Years friends readily rode their bicycles to the neighborhood hangout. Jim’s was a reminder of American wholesomeness amongst the neon lights of Mr. Baguette and boba tea cafes. But, it was now becoming frighteningly similar to the other restaurants that lined Valley Boulevard--something completely housed within walls and minus the order window and arcade games. I was afraid that the physical changes to the restaurant’s façade would change the food and people within, but, nope, that wasn’t the case. The man behind the counter was the same man who called me “Smiley” during previous visits and the fried food was still some of the best fried vegetables I’ve ever had.