La Vie Est Belle at La Poubelle

There's an old saying that goes something like "Life is what happens when you're making other plans."

I suppose that's a propos enough, but in my case, it's more like "Life gets in the way of my plans."

For example, I've been planning to post this review for some time now, but certain boring and mundane details of my life have intruded on those plans.

But there's no use in lamenting the past -- the most beautiful life, I've found, is one where excuses are washed away in waves of fine food and drink, in seas of friendship, and clouds of fragrant, delicious smoke.
Such was the case this summer, when Francoise and Jinnie hosted the HappyHourLA crew at La Poubelle, which is, without question, one of my favorite eating and drinking establishment in the Hollywood area.

Why should an unassuming French bistro, open these past forty years, hold such an esteemed place in the heart of this seeker of the good time value? In a word: hospitality.

From the moment you walk through La Poubelle, which looks out on a bustling stretch of Franklin Avenue, you are welcomed as a friend, a family member, a guest, a lover or a co-conspirator -- you can be many things at La Poubelle, but you are never simply a patron.



It's this sort of continental feeling at La Poubelle that makes you want to spend an entire evening there. Sidle, swagger, or swish up to the bar and order that first drink -- no worries, there'll soon be some food to accompany that libation. Have another, or maybe go out onto the patio to let the gloaming envelop you while a comrade and a cigarette keep you company. In a short time, you'll likely be surrounded by your dearest friends (some of whom you may have just met), and it's not outside of the realm of possibility that one of those will be the owner.

Try feeling that vibe at another place around town. I'll be on the patio at La Poubelle, waiting for you to come back and admit that such a place, except the one at which you just arrived, simply does not exist in Los Angeles.

Unique, remarkable, perfect -- that's what we look for in a Five Ring Friday, and that's why we'll be having another at La Poubelle, just as soon as they ask us back. We'll be there.

And I could wax poetic all day about this wonderful place, and the wonderful staff that makes you feel like so much more than a customer, and the owners, Francoise and Jacqueline, whose continental sensibilities imbue the entire operation with a certain je ne sais quois -- it's easy enough to go on and on about. But I think I'll leave it at "thank you" -- thanks to Francoise and Jacqueline, to Jinnie, to Johnny, to Tess, to Janean, to Blue Moon and Peroni, and finally, to everyone who attended. I appreciate your support for our venture. But, like when they say, "Instead of flowers, please give to...," I would say instead of supporting me, support wonderful local establishments like La Poubelle. It's what HappyHourLA is all about -- good food, good drinks, good friends, and great deals.