BEST Audiences EVER!

When we were children, we went for a taping of the game show "Let's Make a Deal" with my parents. My mom got chosen for the 'trading floor'. She wore an olive green sheath dress that she had sewn herself, and held a big empty foil-wrapped box with a sign that said "ZONK for Monty".

She didn't get chosen to make a deal, but she did look really beautiful sitting in one of the front rows.

At the end of the taping, Monty Hall the host, came out to say goodnight to the studio audience. He sang our praises as "the BEST audience they EVER had!" I was so excited to learn this! I think it was my dad that crushed my spirit a little when he said, laughing, "He says that every night!"

Here's what I say. What if every audience night after night, was really the best? What if, he loved what he did so much, each night, he was filled with joy that was hard to contain, so that's just what came out when he said thank you? What if he really meant that?

I say this because, it's pretty much the way I feel after I lead each and every one of our tours. Today we had an awesome group of four people that I just adore by now. Last Saturday I hosted 10 people then Lisa hosted 8 more that I got to meet after my tour ended, and all 18 were THE most fun people!

Each group has qualities that bring such unique fun to every single tour. By the end, we are actually sad to have to say goodbye! We are very much inclined to say, "this has been our best group ever!" It does not discount the fun we had with the last tour or those before, it very much means that we just really love our work.

Ah! I know! I think what might be equally true, is that hosting/entertaining our guests brings out the best in us.

Please believe me when I say that!

OK, quick celebrity watch note - today, Weird Al Yankovic spotted on 3rd Street at one of our tour stops. He chooses his restaurants well.

Now. I was going to include a flash-in-the-pan pasta recipe in this post but guess what. I am starving and am making that very recipe for dinner just now. Let me just perfect it and, I'll write about it later.

I'll leave you with this Weird Al note: A thousand years ago, Weird Al and his girlfriend at the time, sat next to me and my boyfriend at the time, at a concert of the band They Might Be Giants. Weird Al's girlfriend was very interested in taking my cooking classes and, neither of us had a paper or pen. No business cards. We had nothin'. So could I offer her a way contact me later? I could not. Do I regret this? A little but really, not so much.

Enjoy a delicious weekend please and, let us hear from you!

Your favorite Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

More Allure: Celebrity Watch

Really, Lisa is the one who could write more about the celebrity watch that occurs on our tours, since she watches TV and sees more movies than I do.

I love telling our guests, "I watch sports and, SpongeBob. SpongeBob is easy to spot..."

When sighting a more authentic Hollywood celebrity, Lisa is the one to say "Oh! That's ___!!" The deal is, even when she tells me, I still don't know who the person is. I just don't resonate that much with this genre, although once a spotting has occured, it is pretty exciting!

I do find myself thinking that it'd be nice if David and Posh Beckham return from Milan to LA soon, just so I can say she shops at the Beverly Center.

We intend to have this topic be a recurring one, so we'll update you on who we spot, from now on, at least at the Farmers Market and along West 3rd Street. Lisa will just explain to me who these noteworthy people are, and I will report to you!

Take a couple weeks ago, for instance. We were leaving Mishima late on Sunday afternoon at the end of a private tour for a great group, and there, taking the window table were Sasha Baren Cohen and Isla Fisher, with daughter Charlotte in tow. Did I recognize these people? I did not, but Lisa did, so there you are.

Here are some other spottings we've noticed, if you and yours tend to stargaze.

On weekday mornings especially, there is an East Patio table at the Farmers Market filled with Hollywood writers; sometimes actors from The Office join them. At Charlie's on the West Patio, Hollywood is said to have breakfast there often, especially on weekday mornings.

On 3rd Street, Joan's is favorite haunt of actor James Franco (also spotted by guests last summer, with me saying "Who?"), and Mindy Kaling from The Office. Across the street at Toast, Entourage and other shows use the dining room for filming. So, we understand the beautiful people are there often, and if you've ever noticed the swarm of people around the place at most any hour, you have to guess it's definitely a see-and-be-seen haunt. (I recommend the multi-grain toast, by the way.)

OK so, our sightings appear a little light for now I know, but give us some time. We won't disappoint, and intend to keep you posted on...well, probably better stories than this one.

Until then, I remain your faithful tour maestra,
Diane Scalia

Nachos with a Euro Twist!

One of my favorite things to offer on our tours is how to cook - if you are so inclined - with some of the ingredients we introduce and chat up, when visiting our merchants. Having wished for years that we could grocery shop there regularly, Lisa and I now love doing some of our weekly grocery shopping at the Farmers Market. After our tour(s) end, you might just find us still there milling around, trying to make decisions with that combined creative genius of ours!

In my fridge yesterday, I had these treasures:

Grape tomatoes (purchased at Farm Boy for $1.29) - I had roasted these, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil; 400 oven, 20 mins, and they keep about 1 week refrigerated
Leftover pinto beans
French Cantalet cheese (purchased at Monsieur Marcel, $10.28/lb) - we sample this on tour

I had tri-color tortilla chips on the counter.

Hmmm. This collection sounded kind of-sort of sounded like it could become nachos.

With half Euro ingredients?

Oh why not. I was starving!

Have no real ingredients for nachos on hand? No problem! You too, can make these! Place tortilla chips on bottom of oven-proof dish, top with some roasted tomatoes and pinto beans, dice or thinly slice the cheese and place evenly - or, haphazardly - on top.

I baked this in a 400 oven for about 8-10 minutes - you may do as you please in the microwave (I don't own a microwave) and it will yield similar results!

Ripe Avocado* (purchased at Farm Boy for $.99) - was also in the fridge!

I mashed 1/4 of it and topped the warm nachos with that. You MUST have avocado with your Euro Nachos. Of course.

I ate it with a fork but, fingers are also effective utensils.

You know, this was delicous! Or at least I thought so, which is why I'm sharing this ingenious recipe with you. I invite you to try them and enjoy!

Got a question or comment? I would love to hear from you!

Until next time, Buon appetito! from
your faithful Tour Maestra,
Diane Scalia

*When choosing avocados, they are ripe when slightly soft. Choose those which have an 'outie' stem at the top; these will yield fresher, cleaner flesh. If you purchase unripe avocados, they will ripen faster placed in a paper bag with a red apple. Seal loosely and check daily; usually in 1-2 days they'll be ready to eat!

The Lure of LA's Melting Pot

Welcome everyone!

This is the new blog for Melting Pot Tours, and I am Diane Scalia, its esteemed blogmaster. On behalf of my brilliant sister Lisa Scalia, I'd like to thank you for visiting our website and reading our blog often!

I will do my best to keep these posts relatively short...if any of you have met me you know how much I have to say! There is the hope that if I keep them short I will post more often!

In this first post, it is my joy and pleasure to share just a little about why I am so excited to be the primary Tour Maestra for our walking tours. I love my city, Los Angeles. I love meeting new people. I love our tour stop merchants with a passion. I love the incredibly delicious food our tour guests get to enjoy. Above all, I love that my work is about meeting the angels in LA, then introducing them to each other. There was once a pop song that wondered, "If this is Los Angeles, then where are the angels?" How sad for that artist who didn't meet them on a daily basis like I do.

Our website mentions that at least 140 diverse ethnicities call LA home. I say, how fabulous is that?! Millions of immigrants came here with hope in their hearts for a better life, and how lucky for us, that they brought their food with them! At least their recipes! They didn't just arrive and say, "Yeah, we're good! We're OK with PB&J from now on!" Granted, I love PB&J myself and, I adore ethnic foods, sometimes the more exotic the better. The intention of Melting Pot Tours includes inviting you to join us, as we explore the rich collection of ethnic neighborhoods that contribute to our tremendous culinary landscape. We will love sharing with you, those foods that define each diverse culture; usually the foods these lovely people grew up with a passion for.

I also invite you to post comments here when you can, so we can perhaps extend the fun of the walking tours you have experienced. Maybe it will entice you to experience tours in the future!

For now, let me just close by saying that in the attendance of our tours alone, we have a spectacular Melting Pot to celebrate each and every week. One of my favorite parts of leading the tour is getting to know you, and here is a list of where our guests have hailed from, many of whom live right here - naturally - in the city of Angels:

Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Korea, Japan, Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Holland, Italy, Greece, Sweden, England, Scotland, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, East Africa, Dominican Republic, Cuba, India.

If you were our guest and I missed your country, you must let me know!

Until next time, thank you for enjoying our tours and for reading our new blog.

Ciao for now!
Diane Scalia
Tour Maestra