The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

Wait — So How Do YOU Choose a restaurant?

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I ask the question, because…. Most people choose a restaurant based on a preference for delicious, creative dishes, a cozy ambiance, great service, and a friendly vibe. But my needs are a little less foundational, and a bit more, well, whacked.

I cannot dine out at a restaurant with a LAME LOGO. I just can’t. Josh once chose a popular place in Sherman Oaks called “Café Bizou” for lunch one day, and I just couldn’t buy in. They displayed their establishment’s logo (above) for years on the wall outside and of course all over their menus. The graphic is so in-your-face and so literal (Bizou meaning “kiss” — represented by pressed red lips and flanked by a typeface I’d just call “dullard”) that I felt agitated and hurt. Josh ate there by himself that day.

God, I’m sounding crazy. Maybe a little obsessed. Okay, maybe not a little. But if you hang with any artists, you know that comes with the territory. Everything is visual, and we can even become indignant, insulted, or disappointed — if a graphic, particularly a logo, seems stupid.

By the way, the valley’s Cafe Bizou recently closed its doors. And a new Cafe Bizou opened in Agoura Hills — with a brand new logo at its door.

P.S. —I just asked Josh to fetch some chocolate chips (for my oatmeal) while he’s at the market. He said no, he couldn’t — and mumbled something about the uninspiring VONS sign.

2026: Kicking Fear to the Curb

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A New Year’s resolution long overdue: Sketch once a week.

We all struggle with insecurities and fear. Sometimes they become blocks to achieving our goals. But when they deprive you of expressing your joy, well, we’ve really got a problem. I’ve been an artist as long as I can remember, but make work inconsistently or periodically. NOTHING lights me up more than a session at the art table, or attacking a huge canvas with fat brushes loaded with paint. But with increasing frequency, I manage to make other tasks a priority — or convince myself I don’t deserve the creative experience — leaving the exhilarating, rewarding chunks of my day in the dust. WTF?

So as 2026 rolls in, I’m committing to making art EVERY WEEK — no excuses — hoping you guys can hold me accountable. It may be a small, incomplete sketch — or it may be a series of agitated scribbles — but it will be art, and it will be consistent. I’ll share in a post, and might even encourage you to draw along with me. I know that confronting fear is the only way to grow. And I want 2026 to be my year of EXPLOSIVE GROWTH.