The Royal Gorge

Opulence by the slice.

It was on the eastside of Los Angeles 1959. Approaching the establishment from behind on the side street, you will quickly notice a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud parked under its own car port just behind the business rear entrance. Then Entering the main front entrance of the unique establishment, one would be caught in total awe viewing the massive and most impressive hanging crystal chandelier. Hundreds and hundreds of reflective cut glass pieces with dozens and dozens of tiny clear glass pin lights. The entire fixture must weigh several hundred pounds. I wouldn’t want to take Windex to that. Not me.
Then you will notice wall covering of velvety red and gold flocking on the periphery. Elegant and most impressive. Makes the inside seem like a king’s regal court. Posh and possibly where the King himself indulges in his required kingly repast. Maybe brick oven baked stuffed quail and aged vino from his own vineyards. Not really sure.
Then there are the hand carved and gold leaf wooden picture frames with oil portraits of the establishment’s family. First, a handsome manly patriarch with graying temples and with a “I can do it alone” look on his visage. Perhaps looking like the Godfather, himself wearing a light gray tweed smoking jacket with patterned vest and his hands folded in his lap on black trousers. Across the room on the opposite wall is the family’s matriarch in long gown with a decorative Spanish comb in her hair. Then on the north and south walls are the couple’s two 20-something daughters in long satin dresses with expressions something like why are we doing this or can we just get this done and over with.
Then scurrying about in this over decorated dining room are waiters taking orders and delivering rectangular pepperoni and sausage pizzas along with salads and Italian breads. No finer location for our town’s first pizza joint. It was called DeLucas Pizza. Here in this town long before Pizza Hut and Shakey’s came along. However, not sure if it is still in business. I doubt it but who would really know. None the less, here’s to you my Italian Pisano.