Enlightened: Dinner at "The Galley"

I went to one of my favorite Restaurants this weekend and finally managed to remember the name although I have been there a few times over the past years. My friend and I used to called it “the restaurant with the weird lights” but there is more to The Galley experience then the very curious interior design what is, I must admit,  the part that “sticks”, that makes it one of its own and different. While I was waiting for my friend inside and let my eyes wander over and dive into the sea of colorful christmas lights ( first mental note to myself: you cannot have too many Christmas lights – and second: It is okay to put lights into blowfishes ) I felt reminded of the exhibition of Yayoi Kusama in the Kunsthalle Vienna in 2002 which  I enjoyed so much. “The gleaming lights of the souls” installation has been the most remarkable one for me.

The Galley claims to be Santa Monica’s oldest restaurant and I am not doubting it. I bet over the last 71 years every inch has been covered with lights. And even pieces of the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” found their way to The Galley and have been given a new purpose, the steering wheel, for example, found a new life as ceiling decoration. I sometimes think I could satisfy my hunger with visual impression but I would recommend to actually eat and order one of their steak or fish dishes. This spot is an experience for more then one sense. Enjoy.