Great Weekend ...

Went up to LA this weekend; had a birthday party and the Neopolitan art show to attend. The party was fun and the show was great. But my favorite part of the evening came totally unexpected, as we’re always told they do … right? After sitting in major traffic to get up there that evening we were hardly anxious to get back in it so we decided to have dessert somewhere. We were in the West LA/design district area when we happened upon Lucques. It was super crowded and even though it was Saturday night we decided to go for it. After what felt like a hectic day, this cozy spot by the fireplace (pictured above) seemed like it was just waiting for us. When our tea arrived in what looked like small medieval teapots I couldn’t help but capture the moment. And dessert was amazing! We shared the bittersweet chocolate tart with mascarpone and pistachio ice cream. I’m still dreaming about it. What added to our evening was the service. Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, once said that one of the cornerstones of Starbucks’ success is “creating an experience.” That’s why your Starbucks baristas quite often know your name and your drink. By the time we left even though we just had dessert, Matt Duggan, general manager of Lucques, knew our names and what we were up to that evening. The ambiance and our experience were absolutely pleasant. Guaranteed we will be back for dinner.