The Aware In
The Aware Inn, located at 8828 Sunset Blvd, opened in 1957 by Jim & Elaine Baker. They were dedicated to providing meals using fruits, vegetables, and meats produced without pesticides, artificial fertilizers or hormones. It quickly became the hippest spot to eat on the Sunset Strip. It opened at a time when it was not high style to eat healthy.
The cozy table clothed eatery was a first-rate restaurant by anyone's standards. It was small, but very well designed by Jim and Elaine. The hosts took great pride making certain that the customer was always right.
Located in on the trendy stretch of Sunset Strip, it wasn’t fair from the original Hamburger Hamlet location a few blocks away. Both restaurants at the time stayed upon until midnight.
At first, The Aware Inn was a favorite of business men working on the Strip, but it soon became increasingly popular with the Up-and-Coming young film folk and youth culture. They didn’t dine here occasionally, but every night. On any given day you might see Jack LaLanne, Barbara Feldon, Greta Garbo or Marlon Brando. Plus upcoming Hollywood sensations such as James Coburn, Ed Ruscha, Ed “Kooky Byrnes, Nancy Sinatra, Mia Farrow, Dennis Hopper and Steve McQueen.
Jim Baker, (later known as Father Yod) was a decorated WWII marine who trained soldiers in jujitsu during the war, came to Southern California in 1951 to audition for Tarzan movies. When his film career failed to materialize, he joined the Nature Boys, a small cult of body-building health devotees who ate organic foods. Over the next two decades, he transferred his knowledge of organic food and cooking to a number of Los Angeles restaurants that he and Elaine started, including the Aware Inn, The Old World, and The Source Restaurant.
The Aware Inn was known for the “Swinger Burger” - ground steak, with fertile egg yolk, wheat germ, green pepper, cheese, tomato and onion all served together. "I put those things on the menu to give people something different.” explained Jim Baker, "The big selling point is the organic food.'
Other famous dishes: The Aware Inn Salad which cost 5:50. It included seven vegetables with tomatoes, Romaine, avocado, sunflower seeds and Pignolia nuts. Most likely ordered with alfalfa tea or dandelion root coffee. They also served one of the biggest and most delicious souffles in town. Another highly requested dessert was the Aware Inn's famous Banana-Manana ($3.50) - vanilla ice cream with sliced bananas, banana wine, whipped cream and roasted almonds. And for the healthier diet they specialize in bean sprout jello or yogurt espresso.
Alison Martino is a writer, television producer and on-air host on Spectrum News 1. She founded the FACEBOOK PAGE Vintage Los Angeles in 2010. In addition to writing for Los Angeles Magazine and VLA, Martino muses on L.A’s. past and present on Twitter and Instagram
this is wonderful...Hope L A Metro maintains Hollywood while they expand the rail lines .
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