HLR Media
FEBRUARY 25, 2013 - MARCH 3, 2013 | 5
Topanga Canyon and Inn of the Seventh Ray By Greg Aragon Most established restaurants have a taste of good food, ambiance and location. And some, like the Inn of the Seventh Ray, have large portions of all three, and a memorable name to boot. Let’s start with the location. The Seventh Ray is located in Topanga Canyon, about 8 miles south of the 101 Freeway near Woodland Hills. To get there from the Valley, a friend and I drove up and down winding and rustic Topanga Canyon Blvd through rolling hills and past large hidden homes. Along the way, we were rewarded with great city views and a look inside the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains. The 20-minute scenic trek from the freeway to the restaurant ended when we turned onto tiny Topanga Canyon Rd and parked beneath a bunch of shade trees. The trip was well worth it. For some reason it put us in the mood for creative, eclectic food, with a tribute to nature. And that is just what we
found - and more. The sprawling restaurant property sits beside a flowing stream, on a site that was once a mountain retreat in the 1930’s, and then a Four Square Gospel church, a garage, a gas station and auto junk yard. But then something wonderful happened: the property was purchased by its present owners and restored to its original natural beauty. Chef Bradley Miller was then hired to create a sacred place for sustainable food practices and delicious farm-to-table California cuisine. “We believe in giving you the purest of nature’s foods, energized as a gift from the sun with a dash of esoteric food knowledge and ancient mystery school wisdom tossed in for your seasoning and pleasure,” says the Inn’s website. I read this quote before my recent visit to Seventh Ray and I found it a bit flowery for me. But after the incredible meal we had, the words somehow came to life, in a spiritually scrumptious, filling kind of way. Our dinner began in a romantic outside setting, beside a large white foun-
tain and the aforementioned flowing stream. We then met Kat our server and culinary guide, who gave us menu suggestions throughout, and who made a great evening even better. Next we ordered a glass of red wine and a few unique and tasty appetizers, including Potato & Egg Jar dish, with local Topanga egg, truffle potato foam and toasted bread crumbs. Served in an old-fashioned glass jar, this dish was as surprising as it was tasty. We followed this with an awesome smoked yellowtail spread served in a charming old-fashioned fish can, with a mix of radish, red onion, celery, crostini and a tiny Tabasco pipette. Our last appetizer was Ahi tuna ribbons with avocado yuzu, ponzu gel, nori and pickled leeks. While the fountain trickled and frogs and birds sang in the distance, we moved on to a wonderful sweet pea risotto, with smoked corn, chantrelles, mushrooms, goat cheese and truffles. And then came one of my new favorite appetizers: Niman Ranch Pork Belly and Curi Squash Puree, with smoked scallop mousse, anise cracker and
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expensive and illogical procedure that costs millions in taxpayer dollars. The archaic law also creates months of undue stress on teachers since most layoff notices issued by school districts are rescinded. “We have to put an end to the practice of causing teachers to think they are going to lose their job, then turning around and telling them ‘never mind,’” said Senator Huff. “It’s cruel. Everyone thinks their job is in jeopardy, which creates anxiety for the teachers’
families, students and communities.” In one year at Elk Grove Unified, one of California’s larger school districts, 445 teachers received pink slips, crushing morale among the teaching staff. But by July, 100% of the layoff notices were repealed after the district was able to properly assess the state budget. The last minute decision created a mass scramble to place teachers back in the classroom, disrupting valuable learning time for students.
According to Ed Trust West, in 2010, of the three largest California districts, 78% of the layoff notices were ultimately rescinded by July. The LAO estimates the notices cost $706 per teacher, costing schools millions annually. This is money that could have gone to the classroom. SB 559 will move preliminary layoff notices from March 15 to June 1, which is closer to the state budget deadline. Final notices would be moved from May 15 to August 1.
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company’s Southern California career fairs to meet and interview with over 125 industry leading companies. These companies included: UPS, Hershey’s, Verizon Wireless, Aramark, CarMax, Interline Brands, State Farm, Altria Group, Armstrong Garden Centers, Enterprise Rent-ACar, Wyndham Vacation Ownership and many more. “Our previous events in Southern California went so well that we are seeing an
increase in demand for companies to be involved” Dan Sparks, VP of Sales, says. “The trend for 2013 is looking very positive as more companies are hiring.” The hiring events are scheduled for March 5th-7th from 9:00a.m.–12:30p.m. in six markets throughout Southern California including San Diego, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, Pasadena and Orange County.
Due to continued growth and interest, HireLive expects to have 150 companies and over 2,000 professional candidates attend the events. The career fairs are free to job seekers dressed professionally and prepared with resumes to interview with hiring managers on site. More information is available to job-seekers at http://hirelive.com/js_career_ fair.html.
Vermont maple syrup. This creation was beautifully plated and sinfully delectable. For a main course I devoured a tender and juicy prime hanger steak, with huitlacoche potato, mushrooms, duck bacon, Napa cabbage slaw and Dijon yogurt. This steak was crazy good and is worth driving back for. My friend went with the charcoal crusted filet mignon, with wa-
-Photo by Greg Aragon
tercress, baby leeks, carrots and black garlic potato foam. While enjoying our steaks, I smiled and waved to Larry King from CNN fame, who was sitting a few tables away from us. I even posed for a picture with him and his friends, although they didn’t know it because I was about 10 ft behind. We concluded our dinner with milk chocolate
pudding with cinnamon caramel, chocolate soil, brulee banana, meringue and espresso ice cream. The Inn of the Seventh Ray is located at 128 Old Topanga Canyon Rd, Topanga, CA 90290. For more information, call 310.455.1311 or visit: www.innoftheseventhray.com.