Happy Hour @ Lola's

I have not written about eating out in a while now, and as of last night, I had a good one with a friend. We had talked about where to hang out and eat some good food from one of Hollywood's restaurants and bars. My friend had asked me what was my favorite restaurants which is really the question being asked every now and then for those that frequent the pubs. To be precise, I have no particular or favorite restaurant. It all depends on my mood and where I'm hanging out at a particular time of the day or night.

But in this case, I landed at Lola's located at 945 North Fairfax Avenue in West Hollywood. While driving on Fairfax and heading along the Wilshire Corridor on Miracle Mile, the atmosphere changed and the smell of Hollywood began to surface along Fairfax stretching to the home of the unholy and all that Hollywood is known for -- I mean, the night life, the stars and the wannabes -- you know what I'm talking about.

Anyways, at Lola, as we landed and as usual, we were offered a table with the gesture of the waitress telling us 'the table is yours for the evening,' making us feel indulged. That was a good gesture, isn't it?

My friend had requested a glass of French Martini, a signal Lola's was the original home of French and apple martinis. Now I know why there are too many martini freaks in Hollywood. I ordered some appetizers to make my body and soul one. I had a bowl of sauteed calamari with beans, corn and asparagus in a shell to start the evening of pub-crawling around town. While sipping that strong martini, my friend ordered cornmeal crusted fry oyster with lemon aioli and steamed rice on the side. I ordered my regular drink -- two shots of cognac.

The evening had just begun.

As we sat joyously eating and drinking, we talked about a whole lot of stuff. We mentioned the Jam in Atlanta on Saturday, November 1st, which will make Mt Zion Parkway look like the carnivals on Hollywood Boulevard. We talked about how death had taken away some of our finest musicians and songwriters -- Isaac Hayes, Levi Stubbs and Norman Whitfield.

In fact, we mentioned the days of Motown and how Berry Gordy Jr. built that great empire that produced The Jacksons, Temptations, Undisputed Truth, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and many others.

At Lola's, it was not a night of trick or treat. It was a night of hanging out and the earlier you go the better chances you would have to grab one of the Leopard print couches on the front.

I loved it and it was just fun!

Four Tops' Levi Stubbs Mourned By Motown

Abdul Fakir, right, known as Duke, the last surviving original member of the Four Tops, greeted guests at the funeral for Levi Stubbs at the Greater Grace Temple in Detroit on Monday. (Carlos Osorio/Associated Press)

If you grew up in the 70s and never heard of Motown, you must be living in some kind of woods. Motown, to me, is not a fairy tale. It's an empire founded by Berry Gordy which brought the best musical cast of all time. For Levi Stubbs who died October 17 and buried yesterday in Detroit his was a magic. Growing up in the 70s and listening to the Four Tops I have fond memories, though most of their hits were released in the mid to late 60s.

They had a string of soul hits beginning with "Baby I need Your Loving" which caught the eyes of the hippies and funksters of the day. "I Can't Help Myself" which vibrates with a follow up "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" made methink "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" was the real track.

Stubbs, Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Duke Fakir and Lawrence Payton formed the Four Aims in 1956 in Detroit and later on would change the band's name to the Four Tops after signing a contract with Chess Records. At Chess Records, nothing much happened in terms of producing a successful album which led the band to team up with Berry Gordy Jr, the founder of Motown. At Motown, everything the legendary baritone voice of Stubbs and the Four Tops touched was gold. Hits upon hits were made. Stubbs vocals made Four Tops a world famous group.

Adios Stubbs, your voice is still alive.