This edition of Full Belly Files was originally emailed to subscribers on October 27, 2023. To receive Matt Kettmann’s food newsletter in your inbox each Friday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.
We rode all sorts of rails during a recent family adventure into the daytime diversions and evening excitements of Los Angeles.
There was the metaphorical version of riding the rail, a k a getting front row tickets right up against the guardrails of the stage. That was the four of us at Sofi Stadium on October 5, when we watched our Santa Ynez Valley neighbor P!nk reach rock-supernova status, belting out her endless string of chart-topping hits while flying like Superwoman through the arena affixed to an aerial rig.
I’ve gotten to know P!nk over the years through my wine work, primarily through this 2018 cover story on her Two Wolves brand, again in this interview for Wine Enthusiast, and by seeing each other a few more times over the years at events, including the one time up in Atascadero where I actually got her a last-minute ticket to attend. (As you could guess, it was the easiest free ticket I’ve ever requested.)
So when she invited my family to her L.A. show, we all jumped. The offer only grew sweeter the night before when I found out we had backstage passes and those front row seats. It was my first time at Sofi, which is instantly impressive on the architecture front though oddly difficult to navigate, at least when trying to find a hidden door to the backstage. While the free eats and drinks provided there were perfectly adequate — I managed to find the last Sriracha packets, which amplified the fried bites — the post-show bacon-wrapped hot dog from a cart topped with everything (including what seemed to be an entire cilantro plant) was the evening’s culinary highlight. I snapped a photo with my family in the background and called it a family portrait.
Kettmann family portraits outside Sofi: before and after. | Credit: Matt Kettmann
Then there were our more literal rides on rails: strapped into the zippy, multimedia-mastering roller coasters of Universal Studios the following day. The compact but mighty amusement park continues to conquer an incredibly hilly, rather constrained square footage by employing all levels of technology to make even rides with short physical movements hit big. Though almost double the price of the usual $109 ticket, the $199 Universal Express Pass essentially eliminates all the lines, making it a wise choice if you want to click off more than a handful of rides on a busy day. Food & drink isn’t why you go to Universal, but I found ample refreshment in the Harry Potter-themed cold brews at the Hog’s Head Pub and crushed some post-Super Nintendo World hanger with liquid cheese carnitas nachos from Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck.
Given this 24-hour rocket ride of thrills, I assumed that whatever hotel we found would simply play background canvas to our more colorful exploits, especially when the best option tucked away in a mostly residential corner of Burbank. But the Hotel Amarano somehow challenged both front row seats and heart-racing rides as the third highlight of our quick trip, providing an oasis of friendly faces, a magically peaceful swimming pool, and restaurant-bar that served a modern menu of satisfying sips and eats for both dinner and breakfast.
The 132-room hotel — located east of 101, just north of 134, and about 10 surface-street minutes from Universal — is popular for film industry professionals working in the nearby studios, including, on occasion, famous actors and directors. Developed by Robert Zarnegin of Peninsula Beverly Hills fame and opened in 2002 as the Graciela Burbank, the property underwent a top-to-bottom renovation three years ago. That included launching FYC Bar + Kitchen, which spreads from the lounges and tight bar top of the lobby onto a leafy outdoor patio, near where Ferraris and Lamborghinis jostle for position in the driveway.
We piled into FYC following our exhausting Universal visit — did I mention the 100-degree heat? — and began rattling off menu items to the server: Spicy passionfruit paloma! Blood orange spritz! “In the Clouds” gin drink! Korean barbecue wings! Quinoa & kale salad! When my friend Jared, who lives nearby, showed up, he added his own demands: Potato bravas with jalapeno honey! Tuna tartare with soy-ginger dressing! Another drink!
We held court at FYC for much longer than expected, eventually wandering the neighborhood for fresh air and returning for some goodnight ales. I discovered the pool the next morning and, as my daughter had the afternoon before, found it rather relaxing, quiet, and tranquil despite just being a wall away from a busy street. Again, I stayed longer than expected, before rejoining my family for the eggwich, avocado toast, and more off of FYC’s breakfast menu.
By the time the valet arrived with the car, our less-than-48-hour romp through L.A. was feeling like a full-circle, clicked-many-buttons escape. We went from in-our-face rock ‘n’ roll to techno-enhanced roller coasters to decompressing relaxation, tallying up a family trip that we’ll be reliving for years to come.
From Our Table
Here are some stories you may have missed:
- Sean Magruder dove into the world of uni at Finck & Fork.
- I helped my son, Mason Kettmann, write this report on the new Crumbl Cookies in Goleta.
- In case you somehow didn’t see last week’s Best of Santa Barbara extravaganza, here are the chapters on Best of SB Eating and Best of SB Drinking.
- I loved reading the encyclopedia when I was a kid, but I never guessed that I’d be writing entries for the wine version as an adult. But that’s what I did for the latest edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine. Buy your copy here.
- My recent features for Wine Enthusiast include: “Hey Everybody, Syrah Doesn’t Suck,” an explanatory piece about how the grape is finally finding its way in the marketplace; “In San Benito County, Historical Roots Continue to Shape the Future of California Wine,” about the winemakers and grapegrowers making that region exciting; and “Can Lowering Mile-High Tasting Room Fees Lure the Next Generation of Wine Drinkers?,” a look at how one Paso Robles winemaker lowered his tasting fees. (That one triggered a lot of discussion up north.)
- Headed south from their Santa Maria Valley home, the family behind Presqu’ile Winery just bought an 1,100-acre ranch in the Sta. Rita Hills. I caught some immediate flack from the folks behind Iron Angel Ranch for saying that the ranch’s former owner was a cannabis grower “embroiled in lawsuits.” My statement was true, but the son wanted his mom’s legacy better represented, and I felt a bit for his pain (plus, just wanted to get him off the phone). So I changed that line to: “a cannabis operation run by longtime farmer Frannie Shulman, who became involved in a lawsuit.” It does sound like she’d be an interesting story if anyone is looking for work.