As we were finishing up, Ken and Lisa arrived,
stopping to visit various tables, then graciously came over to see us. They truly are lovely people whose success did not come by luck, but by focused hard work and open hearts. Lisa is as staggeringly gor- geous in person as she is on television and Ken is a true gentleman. Even their dog, Giggy, shared a little love too. We finished the evening by indulging in an immor-
al piece of cheesecake that was right up there with the best that I have had. We wanted to stay all night and hang out in the secret garden, which is rapidly becoming part of “the scene,” but I knew that another couple would quickly occupy our exceptional table.
PUMP Restaurant and Lounge is located at 8948 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. For more information or to make reservations call 310.657.7867.
VANDERPUMP LISA
Lisa, before we talk about PUMP, how have you adjusted to being perceived as everything from a villainess to a saint on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Bravo may not always show your best suit, but
ahi tuna tartare
they will certainly show your worst. It doesn’t matter what storyline that Bravo puts out or what the ladies say about me. The audience has sort of invested in and supported me and really that is what got me through it after five episodes of bashing me, it was horrible to watch. Maybe it’s because I have done 120 episodes and people feel they know me pretty well. They actually do, after seeing me in so many situations; my daughter’s wedding, my husband’s surgery, many, many situations. What inspired you to create PUMP? PUMP is my latest labor of love and when I walked
filet mignon tagliata
into the building, I was inspired by what the space needed and what I could give to this particular cor- ner that it didn’t have. Getting permission to change a really ugly parking lot with a chain link fence, the homeless (I am a big advocate for the homeless and have fed them every week for the last six years because I sympathize with their situations) and the drug problems were not easy. It was shocking to see the shape that space was in, considering it was in an affluent area. The first thing I did was to put in a perimeter of
olive trees to make it into a garden. I went to the city to add an outside bar and that was not an easy accomplishment when you’ve got building, safety and health departments to deal with. I had endless battles, but thankfully at the end of the day, they had confidence in me that I would make it the sexiest corner in West Hollywood. I also wanted antiques, the old antique fountain
and hundred year old trees, so when you walk in, you feel like it is an established garden. How did you determine what the cuisine would be when you designed the menu with your Executive Chef Penny Davidi? I am very focused and I knew exactly what I
wanted. I said, “This is what I want and I want your interpretation” and then she added to it with a few of her own recipes. She understood about the healthy and fresh, farm-to-table concept I was envisioning and we created incredible food. Tell us about LVP Sangria, I saw it on the menu at PUMP. LVP Sangria takes up a huge amount of time; it’s
my daughter Pandora and son-in-law Jason’s new business and they have done very well with it. The launch has been a very exciting time for us; it’s in Gelson’s and various stores and is going to be distrib- uted all over the country. In life, what are you most passionate about? My immediate family.
JULY 2014 | RAGE monthly 73
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64