A Visit by Julia

Julia Child used to come to The Spot, a small burger joint in Carpinteria. She always said it was her favorite cheeseburger.

I saw her there once having lunch, a very fun and outgoing person. But we heard of many other visits.

It’s still there, at Linden and Dorrance Way. It’s not as good since it changed hands.

I lived on Dorrance Way for five years, quite the surf scene back then. The Spot was our local hangout for lunch, along with Ralph’s Market. And The Palms for a great steak all-you-could-eat dinner: $3.50 all the salad, beans, bread you wanted. (You cooked your own steak!) Both long gone now.

Carpinteria was great then, cheap rents, and good music. My old house at 4840 Dorrance is actually the old Summerland train station. They loaded it on a flatcar and moved it to Carpinteria. I don’t believe anyone else knows or remembers that fact. But you can still see it in the architecture.

Things have sure changed.