LOU you little devil

Wednesday. 9 pm. 

I have a terrible habit of falling for men at first glance. I lust and call it love. If I don’t “feel” something right away, immediately I think it’s forced and I’m not interested. Most men I date have a shelf life of a month.  Eventually the buzz dissipates and there is nothing left in the bottle.  

My mother has always said the man I am going to marry will be the one that sneaks up on me.  A friend that one day leans in to kiss me, or, it’s someone I have known for a while but has never been on my radar. That is, until one day…

I’ve noticed LOU out of the corner of my eye for a long time. I’ve driven by him for years.  He is not flashy. Actually, he is very unassuming. On Vine Street, close to the corner of Melrose, the sign only reads LOU and the windows are completely covered in drapery. Parked somewhere between a laundromat and an Irish pawn shop, I have secretly always thought it was a brothel.

Never, in a million years, did I think LOU was a potential date. That was until a local on Larchmont asked if I had ever met LOU. My eyes widened, ears perked. You mean the LOU?

Not my typical date. Nothing about his exterior appealed to me. Actually it gave me a bit of an eerie feeling.  But my track record with dating told me I needed to be a bit more open- minded so I went through the doors and pulled the curtains back.

I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t believe it. On the inside, LOU was so unbelievably sexy. LOU is like the short guy with tiny hands who has discovered a cure for cancer and has his own plane.  

The place was the size of my foot, but so visually engaging. Everything from the modern light fixtures, to the wallpaper, to the patterned communal table that sits smack in the center.  The food is organic, local and the menu changes constantly. Hmmm, environmentally conscious and constantly wanting to try new things. LOU where have you been my whole life?

I sat at the tiny bar with my friend, M, for appetizers and wine.  The wines are divided into sections that read “Slutty Sweet” and “Luscious whites.” Oh LOU, stop! You’re turning me on!

You won’t find your typical chicken dish here. Expect wild boar sausage or grilled antelope chop. I devoured my farmers market green salad and pig candy appetizer.  You should know, I come from a family that believes all problems can be solved with bacon.

The crowd read intelligent and tasteful. Minimal makeup and wardrobes that spoke vintage Vogue. I imagined they were all writers and filmmakers that wanted to talk about raising the debt ceiling.

The intimate setting called for honest conversation where my friend M and I talked about career and all the nonsense in between.  M is about to be a doctor and has been in a relationship for 4 years. She now lives with the guy and couldn't picture her life without him. When she first met him, she was hesitant to go out with him, and it took some convincing to go on a second date. He is quiet, understated but his words are deliberate. He means and does what he says.  He is solid, adoring and kind.  As I listened to her stories, I felt a subtle pang in my heart. She had her very own LOU.

I glanced around the room, admiring the intricacies of the décor while savoring every last drop of my “gnarly red” cabernet.

LOU, this is the beginning of a beautiful love affair.

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LOU

724 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Neighborhood: Mid Wilshire

(323) 962-6369

www.louonvine.com