When You’re in Love’s…

“…the whole world’s delicious.”  

If you just sang that jinglein your head, then you have probably been around town for a while. Love’s Wood Pit BBQ restaurant was one of the first places that I went on dates with my then-boyfriend Jeff, now husband of 36 years. It was located at the north end of where Albertsons in Tujunga stands today, nestled in a shopping center with Lucky market and Straw Hat Pizza. Sadly, Love’s was torn down in the 1980s, along with the other restaurants and stores, paving the way for the brand-new grocery store repositioned to be perpendicular to Foothill Boulevard. The huge commercial lot that held Love’s had a large grove of eucalyptus trees on its outer edge. Some of those trees still remain.

Love’s menu had the barbecue basics – steak, chicken, baked beans and corn cobette – but our favorite items were the ribs slathered in barbecue sauce. The food was not only tasty but messy, intended to be eaten with the hands. After our meal, we were provided warm bowls of water with lemon slices and towels to cleanse our fingers. So classy.  Even back then, most people wouldn’t have chosen barbecue for their first dates but we were young and already comfortable with each other inside the poorly lit, dark red interior restaurant whose name suggested romance … or rather delicious barbecue.

Jeff and I met in a statistics class at LA Valley College and by the time we started dating, we were already friends. As he tells it, he came into the class on the first day and looked for a seat in the crowded room. Two were available; one was in the front next to a nerdy guy and the other was in the back next to a “beautiful blonde girl.” Normally on the shy side, Jeff almost sat down in the front seat but decided to take a chance that day and headed to the back row. I was that girl. We spent the entire semester chatting rather than completing our coursework and turned our workbooks in at the last minute but somehow we both passed the class with “A”s. During our talks, we found we had so much in common but I didn’t realize that Jeff had an interest in me. I just saw him as a smart, friendly guy who was easy to talk to. After the semester ended, I was surprised when he asked me to go hiking with him at Hidden Springs in Big Tujunga Canyon but I agreed to go because it sounded like fun. We spent the rest of the summer together and had many more adventures in the 10 years before we got married.

When I think about it now, I realize how organic that was to meet a stranger by happenstance, then get to know him in the safe comfortable environment of a college class. Call me old-fashioned but I think meeting someone in the traditional way through friends, family, work, school or church works out well and gives the couple the best opportunity to take it slow and steady. Good face to face conversations about shared interests are the key.

People today have a much different experience than Jeff and I did while dating. Many modern singles rely on social media to engage with others or use dating apps, which can be risky. There is a lot of deception out there. It really comes down to trusting your instincts on whether a person is going to be a good partner and taking a chance (on messy barbecue.) If it doesn’t feel right, the person probably is not for you.  

I trusted my inner voice and was rewarded with a lifetime partner who shares my values, is interesting to talk to and is a good father to our children. Add to that, Jeff is supportive of my “little hobbies,”which finds him cooking dinner while I attend community meetings and editing all of my CV Weekly articles.

Whether you are in a relationship or not, Jeff and I wish you a wonderful Valentine’s Day. May you share love by giving your heart to others, receive love by spending time with those who care about you or witness love through the kind acts of strangers. We are all connected so let’s be present for each other and hold on tight.

Susan Bolan
susanbolan710@gmail.com