A little background ~ My parents, who lived through the Great Depression, lived frugally. They budgeted their resources for our family to live a comfortable, debt-free life with simple pleasures, home cooking, few vacations; and an emphasis on church life and higher education. But when we did go out to eat, we enjoyed ourselves. If it’s a treat, after all, make it special!

So when we visited the first-born son on his first job on Wall Street in NYC and went out for suppers, we walked through some gorgeous doors into the wonderful world of fine dining. As a teenager who had seen more trout streams with cabins than upscale dining rooms with celebrities, I was dazzled.

Many of those storied restaurants are long gone, as they are across the country, but their reputations and recipes live on in their cookbooks, and it’s super fun to create a home experience from their legacy. 

This isn’t new here. “Making do” and making fun started when my son was very little. We created grand, elaborate arm-chair vacations, special meals, all sorts of economical experiences to make our modest land-locked home feel special and encourage delightful discovery on very little money. He has gone on to big, great adventures, but I still love spending time in my efficient little kitchen (complete with antique GE Range), reading the stories of those historic restaurants, and recreating their food.

This new series invites you into these iconic restaurants, celebrity hot spots, favorites with the locals, specialty foods, and more. Welcome to Fine and Fun Fare. First up in the next post, Clifton’s Brookdale, 1935, Los Angeles, and the best zucchini cake I’ve ever had ~ and made!