So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

We pick up Leon’s sister Isabel at school, and we all go up to Bulgarini in Altadena for gelato. I get the gloriously bitter granita de caffé. Leon seems extra-excited about his scoop of banana. The four of us drive up to the end of Cheney Trail and scramble over the rocks to Millard Falls, where Isabel skips rocks and Leon pokes at centipedes as evening falls over the canyon.

Later, we all go out with friends for Sichuan fried chicken, water-boiled fish and stir-fried bacon with leeks at Chung King, followed by a quick nightcap of Lagrein at Louon Vine. Back at home, Laurie and I hold hands and wait for the dawn.

WEISENBERGER MILL: www.weisenberger.com.

L.A. OPERA: www.laopera.com.

KENDOR FARMS: www.kendorfarms.com.

HOLLYWOOD FARMERS’ MARKET: Ivar Ave. between Hollywood and Sunset blvds., Hlywd., Sundays 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

EMERSON STRING QUARTET: ?www.­emersonquartet.com.

SCHREINER’S FINE SAUSAGES: 3417 Ocean View Blvd., Glendale, (818) 244-4735.

ALEXANDER’S PRIME MEATS: in Howie’s Ranch Market, 6580 N. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel, (626) 286-8871.

MONKEY AND SON COFFEE: www.monkey?andson.com.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: www.latimes.com.

FLAWLESS FITNESS: www.flawlessfitness.com.

EUROPANE: 950 E. Colorado Blvd., No. 107, Pasadena, (626) 577-1828.

CHOCOLATE CITY: KCRW 89.9 FM, Saturdays 6-9 p.m. www.kcrw.com/music/programs/cc.

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM: 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 449-6840 or ?www.nortonsimon.org.

EL ATACOR #11: 2622 N. Figueroa Ave., L.A., (323) 441-8477.

SPAGO: 176 N. Cañon Dr., Beverly Hills, ?(310) 385-0880.

MICHAEL’S: 1147 Third St., Santa Monica, ?(310) 451-0843.

SAPP COFFEE SHOP: 5183 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd., (323) 665-1035.

LOS ANGELES ZOO: 5333 Zoo Dr., L.A., ?(323) 644-4200.

TRAVEL TOWN MUSEUM: 5200 Zoo Dr., L.A., (323) 662-5874.

BULGARINI GELATO: 749 E. Altadena Dr., ?Altadena, (626) 791-6174.

CHUNG KING: 1000 S. San Gabriel Blvd., ?San Gabriel, (626) 286-0298.

LOU ON VINE: 724 N. Vine St., Hlywd., (323) 962-6369.