Swarthmore's Sunny Sidewalk Cafes

Can you believe it? Despite the powerful winds, Southern California is still blessed with bright blue skies and moderate temperatures on Dec. 1.

When the wind dies down, there's no doubt local patrons will flock to Perry's Cafe and Back on the Beach to relax and enjoy the vast expanse of sand and sky, as their relatives in the midwest and east coast prepare for a long, cold winter. 

Even though I am a native Californian, I'm still amazed that the day after Thanksgiving, I can sit outside, read the newspaper, sip a cup of coffee and enjoy the relaxing quiet of the beach.

Last Saturday, my wife and I wanted a break from eating left-over turkey, so we tried the newest restaurant on Swarthmore, . And we had a lot of company. The outdoor patio was packed, as was the dining room.  

For lunch we ordered fish. My wife had the salmon on a bed of fingerling potatoes with a red onion sauce. My dish was the salad nicoise, constructed like a beautiful green hill topped with flakes of freshly cooked salmon.

The dining room may have been busy with wait staff finding their way in a barely one-week-old restaurant, but each dish came from the kitchen beautifully composed with a quiet thoughtfulness.

Palisadians also filled the sidewalk cafes and dining rooms at , , and . So, clearly we weren't the only ones who wanted something other than turkey.

Outside, shaded by umbrellas, the tables were covered with plates of hamburgers, salads, scrambles, wraps, pancakes, pastrami sandwiches, BLTs, coffee, iced tea, sodas, fruit drinks, cookies, brownies and slices of pie.

As we walked down Swarthmore, the sun was bright, the sky was clear and the air felt fresh and clean.

Hopefully Palisadians will continue to enjoy good food and great weather for the holidays.

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