Three Cheers for Misfit Restaurant and Bar

Three Cheers for Misfit Restaurant and Bar

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

“misfit (noun) Meaning ‘person who does not fit his environment is attested from 1880.” (etymonline.com)

Misfit Restaurant and Bar is located on the bottom floor of the 1929 Clock Tower in Santa Monica, complete with early 20th Century architecture, dim lighting, classic bar, and two levels of seating.  A gem of a spot in a modern scene.  

Many of the menu items, such as the nicely seasoned fries or savory-sweet Brussels sprouts, are sharable and many main dishes can easily be eaten with an appetizer or side dish.


Also noticeable was the kind and accommodating servers and maître d’.  Our waitress was knowledgeable about the menu, brought items and drinks in a timely manner, and the maître d’ actively worked to get us a larger table when another friend arrived.  At the end of the meal our server brought around a basket of salty-sweet chocolate chip cookies.  Enjoyable!

“The Misfit Restaurant + Bar in Santa Monica reprises a ‘back to the bar’ ideal of casual destination dining serving signature cocktails and accessible comfort food intended to be enjoyed on a daily basis.  The restaurant is only steps away from one of the country’s leading farmers markets and a large percentage of the menu is dedicated to the offerings of twice weekly trips.”

Misfit’s sister restaurants include Ingo's Tasty Diner, LGO Grocery + Pizzeria, Chelsea's Kitchen, The Luggage Room, Grateful Spoon Gelato, and Buck and Rider.  Growing Restaurant Group is the parent company of Misfit and its sister restaurants, with a historic esthetic across establishments, a young vibe, and a nod to classic Americana.  Also key is the transformation of heavy, high caloric comfort foods into healthier versions. 

There are numerous dining options in Los Angeles, California.  Each of the neighborhoods, from Downtown to Hollywood, Santa Monica to Echo Park, and Beverly Hills has a multitude of restaurants for good eats.  Here is where my expert knowledge of cooking, restaurants, and trusted expertise comes in handy.  Many readers rely on Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven as a source for how-to and where-to regarding cookery, culture, and community.  Reserve a table at Misfit and enjoy.

Recommendations

1.  Misfit is is located at 225 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, California 90401 at The Third Street Promenade.  This location is within walking distance to the beach, shopping, hotels, apartments, bars, clubs, and much more.  Easily accessible by taxi or car service.  Street parking is available.

2.  Peak times occur on weekends and during special events in the city.  Arrive early to secure a table.  Reservations recommended.  

3.  Misfit is open for lunch, weekend brunch, and dinner.  Proper attire is required.  Children welcome before 5:00 P.M.

4.  Consider the following menu items.

Egg White Omelette: spinach, mozzarella, white cheddar, herbs (add pancetta or sautéed mushrooms) 

Crispy Brussels Sprouts: roasted apples, pomegranate, thyme, Meyer lemon lebni (Lebanese strained yogurt)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese: green chili, brown rice pasta (gluten free!) (house made chorizo or pancetta)

Ingo's Veggie Burger: vegan black bean burger, cashew cheese, tomato, pickle, red wheat sourdough

Bloody Mary served in a super hero or super villain glass

 

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Credits: Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web, facebook .com/pg/themisfitsantamonica, linkedin.ccom/company-beta/1054255/, themisfitbar .com, instagram. com/themisfitsamo/

Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies by Jesse Bluma

Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies by Jesse Bluma

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

Double chocolate rich with walnuts.  Baked with deep, intense chocolate, and no dairy or animal products.  Serve these at your next party; an indulgent way to treat yourself and your guests.  Order several dozen cookies to make a sophisticated tablescape for your next event.  Shop Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven for baked goods made with excellent ingredients and quality control.

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How do I purchase an item from you on Etsy?

How do I purchase an item from you on Etsy?

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

How do you liberate food and taste in your everyday?  Location…follow… Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven offers gourmet pastries made with high standards.  Quality, respect for local, fresh, and organic ingredients is the recipe for success.  Items are lightly sweetened, not overly sugared, using natural ingredients.  These baked goods are thoughtfully created.  I share a passion with clients for fresh, small-batches, and excellent taste.

Living among Southern California’s diversity and my own travels lend to treats for everyone.  These tastes of goodness represent seaside living, with a pinch of classic Americana, Central and South American flavors. The locale and clients inspire me to create simple, wholesome and dependably delicious baked goods.  Pointe Viven reflects my spirit and its clients.  It is a dynamic community of liberating food and taste. 

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Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

To all the mothers and supporters who help us reach our goals, Happy Mother’s Day!

Origins: The United States celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.  Ancient Roots: Ancient Greece and ancient India (3100 B.C. to 476 A.D.) held early events to honor mothers.  Middle Ages History: European cultures during the Middle Ages (476 A.D. to 1500 A.D.) honored mothers during Easter.

Mother's Day is important because it provides a day to celebrate and acknowledge the vital role mothers play in our lives and society.  It's a time to express gratitude, appreciation, and love for the selfless dedication mothers make in nurturing, guiding, and supporting their families.  Beyond the practical aspect of raising children, Mother's Day also serves as a reminder of the impact mothers have on a child's development, including their social, emotional, and academic success. 

Holidays can be a tricky thing though.  Do we wait to celebrate, honor, or show our appreciation until the actual day or should we celebrate every day?  The latter is best.  No, that does not mean you have to leave up your Christmas tree all year long.   

The story of Mother's Day is multilayered and essential throughout time.  Early America was deeply tied to the strength and active support of women.  From the first colonial shores to the creation of a cherished national holiday, these milestones trace a path of courage, legacy, and maternal grace.  

Jamestown (1607) marked the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in the New World, laying the early groundwork for a changing landscape.  

The Mayflower Arrival (1620) brought 102 settlers to the shores of Massachusetts at Plymouth, creating a second vital anchor for English life in North America.

Susanna White Winslow (1620) sailed aboard the Mayflower as one of three expectant mothers.  She welcomed her new baby in the New World, living on as a powerful symbol of early colonial motherhood and domestic fortitude.

The Pilgrim Mothers Statue (1920) was commissioned in Plymouth by the Daughters of the American Revolution for the 300th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage.  Sculpted to honor the women who made the journey, it proudly bears the names of those pioneering females on its reverse side.  

Mother's Day (1908–1914) blossomed from the vision of Anna Jarvis, who sought to honor her own mother’s dream of celebrating maternal love.  The first official service took place in Grafton, West Virginia, and the movement grew so swiftly that President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national holiday just six years later.  

Visit Amazon to purchase your copy of The Trouble with Poetry, including "The Lanyard" and other poems by Billy Collins.

In "The Lanyard", Billy Collins captured the spirit of childhood, time with mom, and the significance of the relationship and bonds between mothers and children.

"The other day I was ricocheting slowly

off the blue walls of this room,

moving as if underwater from typewriter to piano,

from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,

when I found myself in the L section of the dictionary

where my eyes fell upon the word lanyard...

...I had never seen anyone use a lanyard

or wear one, if that’s what you did with them,

but that did not keep me from crossing

strand over strand again and again

until I had made a boxy

red and white lanyard for my mother..."

Included in his book The Trouble with Poetry.

Mom, You're Fired! by Nancy K. Robinson and other great books are available on Amazon.

Author Nancy Robinson also famously captured the relationship of mothers and children, the changes, and adaptations each makes over time.  Robinson wrote more than 20 books before dying of cancer at age 51.  Mom, You're Fired! is a dynamic book to read at any age.  One to read with your child of any age.  

Purchase your copy of Bad Childhood---Good Life: : How to Blossom and Thrive in Spite of an Unhappy Childhood by Dr. Laura Schlessinger on Amazon.

Nature, nurture, environment, and circumstances.  Each is a factor in the development of individuals and relationships.  In Bad Childhood---Good Life, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, explained the challenge of some mother-child relationships, "Unfortunately, a lot of people are made to suffer as children: beatings, rapes, torture, abandonment, neglect, parental divorce and subsequent remarriage with new or stepchildren to compete with, alcoholic or drug-addicted parent(s), erratic and even dangerous consequences of parental mental illness, browbeatings, parental insensitivity, psychological and emotional assaults, parental affairs, constant family turmoil, molestations, familial violence, single parent by choice or irresponsibility, and so forth.  They are definitely victims of self-centered, evil, ignorant, and/or weak adults; and, for me, weakness or ignorance do not excuse the resultant harm."

The recipe to nurturing healthy, successful, confident kids might just come down to two powerful ingredients: active family engagement and the environment we build at home.  Findings highlight just how much a parent’s background and daily involvement shape a child's future.  Researchers at University College London Medical School found that a father’s educational background and career path have a major ripple effect on their children.  It turns out that a parent's resources directly enrich the "intellectual home environment."  When parents have the right tools, they can interact more deeply and invest more high-quality time into their children's growth.

Yet it doesn't stop at the front door.  Data compiled by Youth.gov reinforces that when families of all backgrounds actively show up for their kids, the outcomes are transformative.  Strong family engagement acts as a superpower for child development, leading to:

Higher academic achievement, better school performance, and life-long learning.

Stronger, healthier relationships between parents, teachers, and students.

Fewer disciplinary issues and a more positive overall school climate.

Even in challenging situations, like navigating the juvenile justice system, most families can become incredible partners in steering youth toward better futures when they are given the right support.  Ultimately, creating a supportive, resource-rich home and staying deeply connected to our kids' lives are some of the greatest we can make for their self-actualization (happiness), growth, and development.

Overall, building a strong family foundation through active engagement and an enriched home environment is the key.  A supportive home environment builds stronger skills, thinking, and learning for children.  Partnering with teachers and schools improves student progress, achievement, and citizenship.  Working together creates a positive community that guides youth through every stage of growth.  Small daily actions by moms creates wonderful memories, lasting bonds, and lots of love.  We appreciate the moms that show up, stay involved, invest in themselves, their children, and our communities.

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Bibliography

Amazon.com

Britannica Editors.  "Lent". Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lent.

Google LM 

How Did Mother’s Day Start? | Britannica, www.britannica.com/question/How-did-Mothers-Day-start.

“Impact of Family Engagement.”  Impact of Family Engagement | Youth.Gov, youth.gov/youth-topics/family-engagement/impact.

"In Search of Mayflower Pilgrim: Susanna White-Winslow"

“Jamestown and Plymouth: Compare and Contrast.”  National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/jamestown-and-plymouth-compare-and-contrast.htm. 

Noah Webster 250th | Archives Exhibitions and Blog | Noah Webster 250th | Amherst College, www.amherst.edu/library/archives/exhibitions/webster. 

Parenting Practices and Intergenerational Associations in Cognitive Ability | International Journal of Epidemiology | Oxford Academic, academic.oup.com/ije/article/41/1/263/648453.

SMDPA - Pilgrim Mothers, sail1620.org/Pilgrim_Mothers.

Candy Cake Bites by Jesse Bluma

Candy Cake Bites by Jesse Bluma

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

Surprise your mom with these candy cake bites. A fun way
to transform your party table and events. Made with high quality ingredients, white cake from scratch, dipped in a white coating, with soft pink pearl dust, in a silver liner. Topped with an artisanal candy of passionfruit, strawberry, raspberry, and cherry.

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