Food, Wine & Hotels

A few years ago, I was lounging at the pool at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas reading “A Big Sip of Vegas Reality” in the Food Section of the Los Angeles Times. The article outlined a trend of Los Angeles sommeliers moving to Las Vegas to advance their careers, and it chronicled the progression of Darren Lutz, who ended up at Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand. I knew Darren from our wine days in Los Angeles (some of you may remember him from Bastide), and I didn’t know he had moved to Las Vegas. I already had plans for dinner, but I decided to wander over to Joël Robuchon for a surprise visit and a glass of wine. It was a wise decision; I discovered one of the most remarkable white wines I have ever tasted.

I had never been to a Joël Robuchon restaurant and this particular one is the only MICHELIN Guide three-star restaurant in Las Vegas. It is an elegant 60-seat gem with a small bar/lounge, where I sat down to say hello to Darren. He asked if there was something special I would like to try, and I said I was in the mood for an aged white Hermitage or something similar. He didn’t have an open bottle of white Hermitage, but he confidently revealed he had something that was as good, and perhaps better. He didn’t tell me its origin when he poured it, but what he served me was at that time, and quite possibly still is, one of the most sublime glasses of white wine I have ever experienced. The texture, complexity, layers of flavors, balance and finish were incredible. I couldn’t quite figure out its composition; in some ways, it reminded me of aged white Burgundy (chardonnay) and white Hermitage (roussanne/marsanne). It didn’t matter. I was sitting in one of the most famous restaurants in the world enjoying a beautifully complex wine, and at the same time had the opportunity to say hello to a friend in the wine business. Darren encouraged me to enjoy the wine while he looked after some patrons in the dining room. Eventually he returned to reveal that I was drinking a 14-year-old Chateau Musar Blanc from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, a blend of the indigenous grapes, obeideh and merwah (thought to be ancestors of semillion and chardonnay, respectively). Although I have studied the wines of Lebanon, and their reputation is well-known in the wine industry, it was amazingly my first taste of a Lebanese wine.

If you haven’t experienced the relatively inexpensive wines of Chateau Musar, I enthusiastically encourage you to do so. The Bordeaux-influenced reds, are from cabernet sauvignon, carignan and cinsault. Both whites and reds are aged for several years in barrel and bottle at the winery before release, so do not be surprised by the vintage of the bottles you find at a retailer or restaurant—they may be the current releases! They also produce a rosé and a second label called Cuvée Musar. The wines are readily available in the U.S., so if you do not find them in your wine shop, just ask your retailer to order some. The importer is Broadbent Selections. In my local area, I have enjoyed Chateau Musar Blanc at Palate Food & Wine in Glendale, CA. They have the 2000 vintage on their list for $53!

It’s no mystery that wine of such quality comes from Lebanon; after all, wine has been produced there for over 5,000 years and the Roman Temple of Bacchus (the Roman god of wine) is located in the Bekaa Valley. Several other wineries are producing good wine in Lebanon, but Musar has certainly garnered the reputation as the best.  www.chateaumusar.com

(Darren Lutz has since left Joël Robuchon and is now Manager of Wine and Spirits at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmville, Pennsylvania and Chef Sommelier for their restaurant, Lautrec. Also, I was amazed to find a variety of spellings of obeideh and merwah; I took mine directly from Chateau Musar’s website.)

Sorry, I’m not going to suggest the ultimate wine pairing for hot dogs; plenty of others have ably covered the topic, and I am not really a big fan of hot dogs. Instead, I want to discuss ”Hot Dog in the Ballpark Syndrome,” HDBS for short. You have certainly experienced this phenomenon; you just didn’t know it had a name. I intend to relate it to the enjoyment of wine, but it applies to many things, including fine art, food, and even relationships. I’ll elaborate on the others, but let’s begin with a discussion about wine and HDBS.

I was at a winery in Napa Valley many years ago and was fortunate to enjoy a private tour and tasting with the winemaker. We walked through the vineyards and production facilities on a beautiful summer day, and after tasting some samples from barrel, ended up in the private dining room to experience the current vintage and some library selections. I was blown away by the quality of the wines. I thought they were near perfect and I couldn’t imagine a better collection from Napa Valley or anywhere else. After returning home, I naturally sought out the same wines, and wanted my family and friends to enjoy the same experience I had in Napa. Although the wines still showed very well, I was stunned to experience something much short of the sensation at the winery. I was suffering from a bad case of HDBS. At home, I obviously didn’t have the passion of the winemaker, the beauty of the vineyards and the romance of the winery, to influence my experience.

If you haven’t already figured it out, I will elaborate on the origins of this syndrome. For various reasons some people, including me, will rarely eat a hot dog. However, many of us, again including me, will still order and invariably enjoy a hot dog at a baseball game. Why the gosh darn heck does it taste so good at a baseball game? Hot dog and bun producers will argue that the product is different, and of higher quality, at the ballpark. To me, it’s something else: you’re sitting in a beautiful, relaxed setting, engrossed in a classic American tradition of baseball, beer, peanuts AND hot dog consumption, and thousands of other people are doing exactly the  same thing. It’s what people do at the ballpark and it is a great experience when you’re there, and even better if you team is winning. Do we go home and suddenly become connoisseurs of hot dogs? No, but we are frequently emboldened to try one at the next backyard barbecue, and inevitably remember why we rarely eat hot dogs. They never taste the same.

Our environment obviously has a huge impact on our senses and judgement. Remember the wonderful date you had at that romantic restaurant overlooking the ocean, and then for some reason the second encounter at the bowling alley ended up being a disaster? Don’t blame it on yourself; it was HDBS. How about the beautiful, expensive painting you purchased at that charming gallery when the artist himself handed you a glass of chardonnay, draped his arm over your shoulder and passionately explained his inspiration for that particular piece? Every time you pass the painting, perched in its place of honor above the fireplace, you are haunted by the purchase. HDBS strikes again!

As far as wine is concerned, HDBS has its biggest impact when one is traveling abroad. When you’re sitting in a Venice cafe drinking a glass of the Veneto’s finest, it’s hard not to return to the States and shout from the mountaintops that Amarone, Soave, and Valpolicella are absolutely the best wines in the world!

Finally, another version of HDBS exists that is exacerbated by over consumption of wine. We have all attended a dinner party where the food was excellent, the conversation was lively, the guests were charming and, after several glasses, the wine became the finest ever poured. Paradoxically, the hangover the next day usually cures any lingering HDBS.

So is a hangover the ultimate antidote for HDBS as it relates to wine, or anything else for that matter? I do not necessarily recommend it. I simply contend that awareness of its existence is the first step to overcoming its embarrassing, and sometimes expensive, pitfalls. “Hot Dog in the Ballpark Syndrome” is real, it has consequences, and now it has a name.

If you haven’t heard about Eisch Glaskultur, the wine glassware that has a unique “breathable quality,” I encourage you to check it out. Eisch applies a special “oxygenizing” treatment at the end of the manufacturing process that opens the nose of wine and softens the hard edges, particularly tannin and acidity. Amazingly, all of this happens within a few minutes after pouring, and can potentially have the same effect as an hour or two in a decanter. I know it sounds a little far fetched, but I have conducted numerous taste tests against comparable wine glasses and have experienced consistent results. I recently was involved in a tasting with both reds and whites and Eisch excelled again.

Eisch produces a wide line of glassware and decanters, but the three “breathable” wine glass lines regularly sold in the U.S. are Superior, Vino Nobile, and Vintec. I use the Vino Nobile and Vintec at home, and regularly put them in the dishwasher without any problems.

Admittedly (and amazingly), Eisch still sometimes does not show up on the radar of some wine industry veterans. Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher reviewed wine glasses in their Wall Street Journal column yesterday, “Glasses, the Background Music of Wine,” and Eisch did not even garner a mention, even though they analyzed 25 different glasses. I’m not sure how their “broad search” could generate an article—which I thought was good in all other aspects—that did not include some sort of a nod to Eisch.

Ronn Wiegand (www.restaurantwine.com/), Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, has conducted extensive tests and has noted that Eisch enhances the taste of a wide variety of wines. Recommendations do not come with much higher authority than that. I would encourage you, however, to conduct your own taste test and/or ask for an opinion from your favorite wine shop or restaurant. Even if you do not buy into the “breathable” aspect, the glasses are beautifully made and durable enough for even restaurant use. (www.eisch.de)

(Disclosure: The wine distributor I work for also sells Eisch Glaskultur. I write about food, wine, hotels and ancillary products that I sincerely enjoy and use. Inevitably I will, from time to time, have some sort of connection to the subject matter of my posts. I would like to think that this does not disqualify me from writing about subjects I appreciate. When the associations are substantial, such as Eisch, I will disclose them. I welcome your comments.)

I have decided to stray, from time to time, from my usual drivel of reviews and commentary about food, wine and hotels, and share what I call “Favorite Wine Anecdotes.” These posts will chronicle some of my more amusing, curious, and sometimes embarrassing, personal experiences with wine over the years. I’m sure some of you have had similar encounters; they tend to repeat themselves in the world of vino. I hope you find these stories entertaining and perhaps educational. They will all be true, but the names will occasionally have to be changed (or avoided altogether) to protect the unsuspecting and innocent. So here we go.

Several years ago I was seeing a woman who loved food and wine. We were obviously a good match. She taught me a lot about cooking and I enthusiastically shared my wine knowledge. One evening we were in her kitchen enjoying a glass of wine while she prepared some hors d’oeuvres. I was asked to grab an ingredient out of the refrigerator and I happily discovered a bottle of Champagne resting on one of the shelves. I commented that it was a great bottle and an excellent vintage. She revealed that someone from work had given it to her, and she was saving this “Special Bottle” for the appropriate occasion. I said something like, “oh, that’s nice” and thought to myself that I had a very good chance of sharing it with her sometime in the future. Every time I visited her home for dinner or to pick her up for a date, I anxiously anticipated the pop of that special cork. The relationship had progressed in almost all other aspects (insert imagination here), but for some reason I was never able to rise to the level of being “Special Bottle” worthy. Eventually, I became vexed about that bottle of Champagne, and we stopped seeing each other for one reason or another. Unfortunately, I had never felt comfortable enough to broach the “Special Bottle” mystery with her (or our common friends). I still do not know if anyone was ever lucky enough to share that bottle with her or whether it remains perched up there in the refrigerator, waiting for the right guy.

In retrospect, I can honestly say that I never took it personally. OK, I took it personally. We all save that “Special Bottle” for a unique moment, occasion and/or person, and oftentimes never pull the cork until it’s too late. Eventually, all of us end up on both sides of the “Special Bottle” equation. I have done it, you have done it, SHE DID IT, and unfortunately, it will continue to perplex wine lovers around the world. So, what do you think? Are YOU “Special Bottle” worthy?

Glenn Collins wrote about wireless wine lists in The New York Times this past week: “A New Best Friend for the Sommelier.” Specifically, he was talking about the touch-screen device that will be used at Tony May’s new restaurant, SD26, on East 26th Street in New York. It sounds like a great system and a practical tool for a 1,000-bottle list with prices from $34 to $3,400. Collins’ article reads as if this is the first attempt to use technology to replace hefty wine list books. Aureole Las Vegas actually debuted its eWinebook eight years ago. I used it there in 2007 and it is now employed at other Charlie Palmer restaurants. Collins’ article motivated me to research other systems and I discovered an interactive tabletop projection technology developed by Potion Design. It is currently being used by two wine bars in New York City–Adour (at The St. Regis) and Clo. Andrew Bradbury is the creator and founder of Clo and it’s no surprise that he was also the driving force behind eWinebook when he worked at Aureole. Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Clo yet, but it will certainly be on my list the next time I visit Manhattan. It is located on the same floor as Thomas Keller’s Per Se in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. Clo calls its system a “revolutionary multi-user, multi-touch projection menu, which allows customers to explore and easily find information on all of our available wines.” Some people may find these systems intimidating or gimmicky, and I admittedly still enjoy paging through an old fashioned wine list. There are, however, undeniable benefits from this technology. It is useful and fun to instantly sort by category or region, and access vintage and tasting notes, blends, and food pairings  Sommeliers are obviously still available at all of the above-mentioned establishments, but wine drinkers who still do not feel comfortable peppering a server or sommelier with wine questions, will welcome a friend such as eWinebook. Thanks to Mr. Collins, I was encouraged to dig for more information about electronic wine lists. It would be great to see him take the ball and run with a more comprehensive review of this important and functional technology. www.nytimes.com/2009/09/02/dining/02tside.html

I was at Church & State in Downtown Los Angeles for the first time this past Thursday, and enjoyed one of the finest meals I have had in a long, long time. Food, wine, service and ambience were all clicking at this bustling French bistro. The neighborhood felt like Manhattan, particularly TriBeCa or the Meatpacking District. This isn’t the downtown framed by skyscrapers; it’s what I would, for the lack of a better name, call the southeast portion of Downtown LA. (Does anyone have a label for this interesting area?)

The chef is Walter Manzke, formerly of Bastide and Patina. If it’s not his day off, you will surely see him in the open kitchen and he frequently wanders out into the dining room. I was fortunate to shake his hand when he dropped by our table. He’s a charming,  unpretentious guy who easily transitions between orchestrating the magic in the kitchen and schmoozing customers at their tables.

The menu contains a delicious offering of Hors D’Oeuvres, Pots de Macon, Salades, Tartes, Charcuterie, Plats Principaux, Fromage, and Desserts. It’s a menu built for sharing, and you will certainly want to experience as much as possible. The entrees are available in both regular and small (petite assiette) portions, which makes the entire collection even more conducive to exploration. Some of my favorite dishes were the Gambas à la Grenobloise (Santa Barbara spot prawns, brown butter, lemon, capers) the Tarte de Saumon Fumé (smoked salmon, leeks, lemon crème fraiche), and the Loup de Mer (Sea bass, chanterelle mushrooms, red flame, and Thompson seedless grapes). The salmon tart, done Alsatian style, was particularly good and was a generous portion. We didn’t order them, but I hear the Oreilles de Cochon (Crispy pig’s ears, sauce bearnaise) are also tasty.

Sommelier, Josh Goldman, has built a wine list comprised of all French gems at reasonable prices for both glass pours and bottles. We enjoyed a glass of Huber & Bléger NV Brut Rosé, a delicious sparkler made in Alsace from Pinot Noir. They also pour sparklers from the Loire Valley (chenin blanc, cabernet franc) and Beaujolais (gamay). 21 other white, rosé and red wines are poured, and 35 additional wines are available by the bottle (only five selections are over $100 and most are in the $30 to $70 range). It’s  obviously not a huge bottle list, but there is an excellent pairing for every item on the menu and something for all palates. The selections are admittedly quite geeky, but varietals are listed for each wine, and there are plenty of Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots to keep everyone happy. I appreciated the more esoteric appellations that use grapes like tannat, gros manseng, picpoul blanc, and poulsard. Additionally, I am always a fan of any list that contains three food-friendly chenin blancs from the Loire Valley: Montlouis, Vouvray, and Savennieres, for $40, $42 and $45, respectively.

The service is smart, engaging and efficient. Our server was prepared to expertly describe everything on the menu and his suggestions were greatly appreciated.

I’m already looking forward to my next trip to Church & State. I highly recommend it. www.churchandstatebistro.com (213) 405-1434

My favorite dessert after a big meal is a cheese course, but I also enjoy making a complete meal of a cheese plate with the proper wine, fruit, nuts, and bread.

I recently had a craving for a cheese plate, and already had some great cheeses in my refrigerator from Bristol Farms including Parmesano Reggiano, Saint Agur, P’tit Basque, Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog, and Explorateur.

As far as wine is concerned, I like to stick to one selection and enjoy the variety of the cheeses. After much meticulous research, my brother Dave and I have determined that Champagne and sauvignon blanc are the most versatile wines to have with a cheese plate. There are certainly other wines, including red and dessert wines, that are perfect pairings for individual cheeses (the Sauternes/Stilton combo is a great example), but it’s difficult to pair one specific wine with a cheese plate, unless you reach for Champagne or sauvignon blanc. I didn’t have any chilled Champagne, so I reached for a bottle of Long Boat Sauvignon Blanc, a delicious wine from high-altitude vineyards in New Zealand’s Marlborough region.

I still needed the accompaniments, though, and headed over to Gelson’s, which is close by in my neighborhood. I picked up a La Brea Bakery sourdough baguette and some roasted almonds, and just needed the fruit to complete the plate. Admittedly, I typically put most of my time and effort into selecting the cheeses, and always tend to be a creature of habit with the fruit choices. Apples are my favorites, and I usually reach for the old standard: Golden Delicious. I remembered, however, that a friend of mine had recently mentioned a relatively new apple on the market called JAZZ Apples and I was happy to learn that Gelson’s carried them. I figured this was a great way to explore something new, and see if I could take my love for cheese plates to the next level with a component other than the cheese or the wine.

I was pleased to discover that JAZZ Apples are firm and tangy-sweet. I have since enjoyed them alone as a snack, but they were perfect with this meal because the crisp acidity helps cut through the richness of the cheeses, particularly triple crèmes such as Explorateur. There is much more going on with this apple than with your typical Red or Golden Delicious varieties. If JAZZ Apples were a wine, I would certainly call them complex and sophisticated. The ones I bought were from New Zealand, but they are also grown in Washington; check out the JAZZ website for availability and some great recipes and nutrition information. I also just started following them on Twitter; their username is jazzapple. In addition to Gelson’s, you can find them at Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Albertson’s, Vons and Safeway. What a great way to “jazz” up a cheese plate. I always felt confident that I was using the best cheese, wine and bread, but now I am convinced that I have found the perfect fruit to bring it all together. www.jazzapple.com

I typically enjoy Eric Asimov’s wine articles in the New York Times, but I have to respectfully disagree with his comments this week regarding rosé wine, “Basking With Rosés.” Asimov says: “With few exceptions, rosés are simple wines…” and “Most rosés are like beach reading…” and “Rosé is the quintessential daytime wine, perfect for outdoors, wonderful in the summer.” I believe that rosé can be a much more serious wine than he suggests, its versatility is the main reason it is now enjoyed year-round, and serious wine drinkers consume much more rosé than Asimov cares to admit.

I also found it interesting that an article about rosé could be written without mentioning Lirac, or Tavel, the AOC in France’s Rhone Valley dedicated exclusively to rosé production. For those who would agree that Tavel is serious wine, but argue that it is an anomaly in the world of rosé production, I would remind them that about 400,000 cases of Tavel are produced every year, and plenty can be found for under $20 a bottle (Asimov’s benchmark for his article). Lirac is another Rhone AOC that consistently produces superb, complex rosés.

Other rosés that are a bit more pricey, but worth every penny are Bruno Clair’s Marsannay Rosé (he also makes red and white Marsannay), Robert Sinskey’s Vin Gris, Tablas Creek’s rosé from Paso Robles, and Provence’s Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé, quite possibly the finest rosé in the world.

Some of my other favorites for under $15, include Yangarra from Australia’s McClaren Vale region (from Rhone varietals grenache and syrah) and the many, many fine examples from Spain, including Bodegas Castano (from Yecla) and Artazu (from Navarra).

Those who only tend to enjoy rosé on the porch, the beach or during the summer, are missing out on year-round delicious food pairings. Rosé is easily the most versatile food wine, is available in many different styles from many diverse grapes, and is produced in just about all serious wine regions of the world.

How do you feel when you dine at a great restaurant? How do the top restaurants generate that sensation and how do they consistently replicate it? In a recent attempt to describe the enduring allure of Lucques to a friend, I was motivated to mention another one of my favorite restaurants, Union Square Cafe in New York. I distinctly remember the “feel” of dining at Union Square in the late 90s, when I lived in Manhattan, and I have subsequently enjoyed the same experience many, many times at Lucques. The cuisine, wine program, ambience, and service at both establishments are superb, and amazingly the whole is much, much greater than the sum of its parts. This puts them on a different level from other restaurants and it is what generates the special sensation that motivates one to return time and time again. At this level of dining, one should always expect more. Lucques consistently delivers and that it why is has remained a gem in the Los Angeles restaurant scene for over 10 years.

Sommelier Caroline Styne and Chef Suzanne Goin are the two brilliant owners behind Lucques and its sister restaurants, AOC in Los Angeles, and the recently-opened Tavern in Brentwood. I have been fortunate to know them for many years and have always admired their expertise, composure, and charm in the middle of bustling restaurants, with employees, customers, pesky suppliers and the media, vying for their attention. There are a lot of brains, creativity, and grace in the room when these two are around, but I also have never met anyone at this level who has remained as humble.

I recently stopped by Lucques to have dinner at the bar, and enjoyed a glass of Domaine Michel Ray Macon-Vergisson La Roche 2006 and Domaine de Fontsainte Corbieres Gris de Gris 2007. Caroline’s wine list is thoughtful and deep, but thankfully not encylopediac. Her selections will challenge you to enjoy fun, esoteric producers and appellations that both please the palate, and expertly complement the food. The less adventurous will still be comfortable with some relatively recognizable choices. I have had the good fortune of tasting wine with Caroline many times over the years and her sharp palate and expert, unpretentious evaluation are unsurpassed in the industry. She is also making her own wine, Jules Harrison Pinot Noir and J&H Chardonnay. I have enjoyed both–they are delicious, true to the varietals, and reasonably priced.

The cuisine at Lucques has been called Pan-Mediterranean, Mediterranean-influenced Californian, and Franco-Mediterranean. Call it what you like–it is absolutely delicious. I have enjoyed many, many starters and entrees at Lucques over the years, but the starter I enjoyed on this occasion, Fried Squash Blossoms with Manchego, Marcona almonds and green romesco, was quite possibly the finest dish I have ever had there, or anywhere else (The Fontsainte Corbieres Gris de Gris was a great pairing). Other current standouts are Tasmanian Salmon with potato cake, cucumber salad, yogurt and pistachio aillade, and Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with turnip purée, citrus-glazed carrots, tamarind and dates. The Braised Beef Short Ribs with sautéed greens, cippolinis and horseradish cream are a legendary fixture on the menu and will make you think twice about ever exploring another entree, although you must. Incredibly, the majority of the main courses are still under $30, and the portions continue to be generous. I have also enjoyed the $45 three-course prix-fixe Sunday Supper. The popularity of this meal inspired Suzanne Goin’s book “Sunday Suppers at Lucques.”

The Bar Menu offers amazing fare and is available Monday thru Thursday after 9:30pm, and Friday and Saturday after 10:00pm. Among others, check out the Prosciutto and Butter Sandwich ($10), the Omelette with soft herbs and cantal ($14), the Grilled Cheese Sandwich with roasted shallots ($14), Spaghetti Carbonara ($16), and Steak Frites Béarnaise ($19). If you enjoy a cocktail before dinner, try the house creations: the Lucques Gimlet, The Green Hound, and the Marseilles #7. Some creative and tasty seasonal drinks are also currently available: Fragola Balsamico (Miller’s Gin with strawberries, Cointreau and balsamic reduction) and the Black on Black (Leblon Cachaça with blackberry compote, thyme and a black salt rim).

I typically order cheese for dessert and Lucques offers a delicious three-cheese plate with currant and walnut toast. If you enjoy something sweet at the end of your meal, Pastry Chef Breanne Varela has created a sinful collection, including Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Cake with coffee and salted caramel, Meyer Lemon and Ricotta Tart with Pudwill Farm’s blueberries, and Apple & Date Tarte Tatin with creme fraiche and vanilla ice cream. Seasonal sorbets, and chocolates & confections are also served.

One of the most special aspects of Lucques is the service. This hallmark–which has remained consistent over the years, even as they have opened more restaurants–was initially inspired and nurtured by Suzanne and Caroline. They have, however, hired talented associates, namely Director of Operations, Cynthia Mendoza, and General Manager, Matt Duggan, who have maintained the original charm and feel of Lucques. Matt exhibits the same engaging management style I have experienced with the founders, and Cynthia makes you feel like a million bucks and a honored guest in her home, all the while maintaining a keen eye on the floor and the smooth operation of her restaurants.

An equally important component of a great restaurant is obviously the ambience, and it is certainly a substantial part of what makes Lucques so special. The building was originally a carriage house and was expertly redesigned by Barbara Barry. The lighting, colors, brick walls, fireplace, the building’s now famous facade, and the charming patio are perfectly balanced with a warm and comforting sophistication. Having a rough day? Simply walking through the door at Lucques can be a transforming experience.

Have you ever thought about exactly what makes a restaurant special for you? I hope I have effectively conveyed why Lucques generates that amazing feeling for me. 8474 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069 (323) 655-6277