Sherman
Gardens – An Oasis of Tranquility
Written
by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
When you feel like taking a break from your everyday
activities and want to slow down the pace a little there’s a special place in
Corona del Mar that’s just steps from the beach…but a world away – the Sherman Library & Gardens.
An oasis of tranquility that was first opened to the
public in 1966, the Sherman Library & Gardens (2647 E. Coast Highway) has
colorful flower beds…
a tropical conservatory, water fountains, cacti and
succulents, and a tea garden perfect for lingering over tea or indulging in a
Sunday brunch.
SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel opted for
the latter – a relaxing brunch in the Gardens’ Café Jardin and the chance to sample award-winning chef Pascal
Olhat’s French “coastal cuisine.”
With Patti’s husband Greg Kishel on board for the culinary
adventure, part of the fun was picking out the different menu items we wanted
to try.
A seasonal 4-course brunch ($35 per person), served
from 10:30 am – 2 pm, includes an assortment of appetizers, a starter course,
main dish, and dessert.
To get the total Café Jardin experience, our game plan
called for ordering a variety of dishes – and promising to share.
The appetizers were like miniature artworks – tomato and
onion tarts, mini-quiches and a mix of olives, arranged beautifully on the
plate.
For the second course, Greg opted for the Vichyssoise
cold potato soup, while Sunny went for the smoked salmon mousse and Patti the
country paté.
With the main course, Greg ordered eggs Benedict, cooked
in the French style with ratatouille and asparagus.
The roasted chicken breast and herb risotto got Sunny’s
attention.
And Patti couldn’t resist the grilled salmon.
Then, when we were all still talking about how good
everything was, the dessert tray appeared with an assortment of mini-pastries,
berries, and individual chocolate mousse cups.
By the time we finished eating we were ready to explore
the gardens, named after early California business pioneer Moses Hazeltine Sherman, who achieved success in mining, cattle,
and real estate…selling Henry Huntington the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad
electric railway system in 1904.
Wandering the gardens, immersed in the bygone California
landscape, the 21st century was easily forgotten…except for the occasional
intrusion of a car horn from the Coast Highway.
To make your own garden brunch get-away from the
everyday, contact the Sherman Library & Gardens for reservations. Sunday, October 12, is the last day for
brunch service until spring 2015.
Or stop by to browse in the library’s extensive Pacific
Southwest California history collection, check out the unique items in the gift
store or enjoy handmade crepes in the Tea Garden Creperie.
Whatever you choose, like a character in a Thomas Hardy
Victorian novel, you’ll be “far from the madding crowd.”
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Comments will appear the next day.
Sunny
Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted
material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com
Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites
as long as credit is given.
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