Latest example: a Carl's Jr. Restaurant on DeSoto & Lassen in the Chatsworth. All parking places are marked "20 minutes only".

Perhaps a new standard in fast food. Wait in line 10 minutes, attempt to swallow entire meal whole, call 911 for a Heimlich maneuver, and pay your parking ticket because the paramedics were too slow, or, if more likely, let your heirs pay it because you died.

Maybe not where to eat.

OK, I know. The parking places are marked so that under some obscure local regulation (enacted by the same reality-challenged people who go into politics everywhere), they can toss people out when they want to. But who wants to go someplace where that's on their agenda?

Cafe Crepe on the Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, was a delightful place for dinner.

It had a nice menu: not only sweet and savory crepes (savory: those filled with cheeses, meats, vegetables), but conventional dishes for those whose diets don't include crepes. Reasonably priced: ($30.43 for two with tip), details as follows (on a scale of 1-5, five being best):

Food: 5
Atmosphere: 3 (you're in the Promenade: there's bad and good here)
Cost: 5
Service: 3

Check out the link for other reviews: for us, it's a place we will return to.

Today's exotic locale: Thousand Oaks, California. First attraction: a new shopping center called "The Lakes", near city hall (less than a stone's throw, folks). First impression: as a venue to meet people, and have a cup of coffee, wander around with children: excellent. It has a place for children to play in the sand, and a nice ambience. Sadly, two of the restaurants, PF Chang's and California Pizza Kitchen, don't serve "Atkins friendly" food, so I'll leave them to someone else to review. At the time of visiting, the "Claim Jumper" restaurant was just opening, so I didn't get to see that either. However, across Conejo School Road from the shopping center is an EXCELLENT french cafe, Cafe Provencal. It is one of the most french places outside of France itself that I know of, but in a good way: the resentment and envy that otherwise taint visits to Paris isn't evident, but the cooking is. Just for reference, and other geographically displaced places, the best Mexican restaurant outside Mexico is called "AGAVE" in Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada, with a close second at "ABUELO'S" in Scottsdale, near the 101 and Scottsdale Boulevard (though actually off Mayo, but you needed the first intersection to find it).

Meanwhile, back to the shops. It is a classic "look but don't buy" collection for people on a limited budget, but as noted above, a good place to get a cup of coffee, meet people, and take a walk by the water to talk. A limited repertoire, but well done.

My editor insists that the question of the best restaurant representing the best of the culture of another country should be a question opened up more widely, so please use the feedback to present your own suggestions. Just as a side note: places serving fast food aren't included.