L.A. Is My Beat

Breaking the Fast

Dining Room at Hillcrest Country Club, Los Angeles

Last Saturday was Yom Kippur. This is the holiest of high holy days EVER in the Jewish religion. You are supposed to fast and reflect on your life, atone for your sins and pledge to do better in the coming year.
My maternal grandfather was very religious. He always celebrated his birthday at the end of Yom Kippur, no matter what the date was. The dinner to break the fast was also Grandpa Sam's birthday party. We have always celebrated this day together. Our family has dwindled over the years, but we still convene to break the fast at the end of Yom Kippur.

My Auntie Mae is a member of Hillcrest Country Club and, for the past few years, has invited us to dinner at the Club. There were only eleven of us at the table this year, but we had a wonderful time. The buffet at Hillcrest is legendary. There are so many choices....salads, smoked fish, roast beef, brisket, chicken, fish, vegetables, latkes, blintzes and more! The desert table groans with sumptuous sweets! Oy!

ONE of the buffet tables at HCC

The interior of the Club is beautiful, in addition to the rolling hills of the golf course, the tennis courts, outdoor patios, pool and more. It's very laa-dee-dah.

Bottom Row: Hal, Roz, Mae, John, Carolyn

Top Row: Marilyn, Janet, Phil, Lauren, Ellen

I love my family!

When we were little:
Grandma Freda, Ellen, Janet, Grandpa Sam, Kenny

Labels: family, Food, Los Angeles, Memories

Breaking the Fast

The Golf Course at Hillcrest Country Club

Oh Boy! Did we ever break the fast in a big way! My Auntie Mae invited the family to Hillcrest Country Club at the end of Yom Kippur. Hillcrest just completed a remodel and the interior and grounds look beautiful. We took a quick scroll near the first tee before dinner.

Phil and Larry

The Dining Room is Ready for Guests

The Feast is About to Be Served

Traditionally, my Grandfather, Sam Katz, would celebrate his birthday during our break the fast dinner. We've always had a family party commemorating these two events. The tradition continues!

Hal, Roz, Mae and Julia

John, Larry, Phil, Mike and Lauren

Julia, Karen and Doug

Roz, Mae and Julia

Marilyn, Ellen and Carolyn. Photo by Cousin Janet

We had a wonderful time, talking, eating, laughing.

Front Row: Roz, Mae, Phil, Marilyn. Back Row: Hal, Julia, Doug, Ellen, Larry, Carolyn, John, Karen, Janet, Lauren, Mike

Labels: Architecture, family, Fashion, Food, Los Angeles

Breaking the Fast

Main Dining Room @ Hillcrest Country Club. New chairs!

It's always nice getting together with my Aunt, Cousins and Mom on the holidays. We traditionally break the fast together after Yom Kippur. In the old days, my Grandfather would also celebrate his birthday on this day with our family. Grandpa and Grandma were very active members of Temple Beth Am. Grandpa made sure that we all attended services at least part of the Day of Atonement. When I was very young, I would go to youth services down the block from the main Temple at the Ionic Lodge Building. Most synagogues are jammed during the High Holidays. It's the one time of year that many Jews attend services.

My Aunt Mae invited us to Hillcrest Country Club for their legendary Yom Kippur buffet. The selection of food is staggering. We started out with various salads and smoked fish, roasted vegetables, soup, etc. Later, we moved on to the main event, including roast beef, turkey, chicken, fish, potato pancakes, kugel, blintzes, various vegetables, quiches and more.

Ellen, Carolyn. Photo by Janet

Vegies, Chicken, Kugel and Latke

The desserts are amazing at Hillcrest. There is always a wide array of traditional Jewish deserts as well as other delicacies. This year, there was even a Blum's Coffiesta Cake!

A Portion of the Dessert Table

The traditional desserts are very popular!

Since the end of the High Holidays fell on a Wednesday this year, our group was small...just our relatives living in Los Angeles. This is the core family, my first cousins, Mom and Aunt. It was nice having a small group. We really had a chance to visit with each other.

Roz, Mae, Phil

John, Carolyn

Lauren, Mike, Janet

Ellen, Marilyn

Mae, Carolyn, John

Thank you, Auntie Mae for hosting another wonderful family gathering!

Labels: Architecture, Art, family, Los Angeles

Vintage Photo Friday - Yom Kippur

Today at sundown is the start of Yom Kippur. This is the holiest of high holy days EVER in the Jewish religion. It is customary to fast and reflect on your life, atone for your sins and pledge to do better in the coming year.
My maternal grandfather was very religious. He always celebrated his birthday at the end of Yom Kippur, no matter what the date was. The dinner to break the fast was also Grandpa Sam's birthday party. We have always celebrated this day together. Our family has changed over the years, many have left us and new generations have joined, but we still convene to break the fast at the end of Yom Kippur.

Here are a few family gatherings of years gone by:

1943. Los Angeles, L-R: Celia, Mae, Jack, George, Roz, Freda and Sam. This looks like some FANCY restaurant with those silver domes on everyone's plate!

1959. Granada Hills. Top Row, L-R: Carolyn, Sam, Janet, Freda. Bottom Row, L-R: Ellen, Marilyn, Kenny

1959. Granada Hills. L-R: Sam, Marvin, Kenny, George, Bob

This year's break-the-fast will, once again, be held at Hillcrest Country Club. This is a most sumptuous feast, enjoyed with family and friends.

2012. Hillcrest Country Club Dining Room


October 2013. Our family dinner. Back Row, L-R: Hal, Julia, Doug, Ellen, Larry, Carolyn, John, Karen, Janet, Laurie, Mike. Front Row, L-R: Roz, Mae, Phil, Marilyn

I look forward to seeing all of my cousins, their spouses, Mom and Auntie tomorrow night.

Labels: Food, Los Angeles, Vintage Photos

Happy 99th Birthday Uncle Mort!

We're lucky to have longevity in our family! My Dad's older brother, Mort is 99 years old today. On the other side of our family, my Mom's older sister, Mae will be 99 in December. My brother and I hope to be around for a few more decades!

Sunday was the last day of my brother, Ken's visit to L.A. We started out the day with brunch at Hillcrest Country Club, courtesy of Auntie Mae. It was just the five of us. We really had a chance to visit. I like small groups!

Larry, Ken, Mae, Roz (clockwise)

After brunch, Ken, Larry and I visited the Hammer Museum in Westwood. I'll save those photos for tomorrow's post.

In the evening we drove to Uncle Mort's house in Playa del Rey. This was a pre-birthday celebration. Since Ken was leaving town Sunday night, my cousins decided to have two small parties for the celebration...one on Sunday and one today.

It was a wonderful gathering. We enjoyed a Chinese feast, cake and ice-cream and PRESENTS!