What I’m not seeing
Thursday night I was in Burbank.
Friday night I was in Palm Springs.
Tonight I’m in San Diego.
Here’s what I haven’t seen in any of those cities: signs of a recession, at least with restaurants. In fact, the restaurants are packed. In Palm Springs I dined at a Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and stayed at a Waldorf Astoria. Both were busy. Tonight I met friends for drinks at the Gossip Grill in Hillcrest, then two of us ate at The Fish Market on Harbor Drive. Both of them buzzing. (The Fish Market must have been busy, because my waiter forgot first the extra horse radish I wanted for my oysters, and then the second drink I wanted. My dinner companion nicknamed him “Goober.”) Then we went to a dessert place and it was so mobbed we couldn’t get in. Instead, we went to a gelato shop; they just opened a second cafe and are looking to launch a third.
So I do think the economy is improving. Unfortunately, it’s a jobless recovery. We need more people employed. But in the meantime, I’m glad to see so many restaurants thriving.