Rise n shine people..uppy wake uppy wake!!! I had an epiphany to write this latest blog, truly inspired by one Delonte West formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers, currently suiting up for the Boston Celtics. If you hadn't seen this YouTube clip of him schooling young JJ Hickson on the fine art of rookie hazing. Peep it out below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZukVN_djZds
Sure I love a wholesome breakfast of eggs, grits, pancakes, sausage or bacon..but sometimes when you're a man on the go like I am you need a quick fix. A quick fix of enriched flour and sugar. That sweet pastry behind the glass counter, the aroma percolating from the outside as you bask in the afterglow of heavenly bliss. That's right I'm talkin about donuts, doughnuts..not danishes, or bagels, nor English muffins...DONUTS Fool!!
See now this is where the donut aficionado comes out...I'm not talking about Krispy Kreme, Winchell's, Dunkin Donuts or Yum Yums...those are traditional donut powerhouses. I'm talking about the corner donut shops, you know there's one in every town, every community. In my 8 years of living in Riverside Co. I have yet to find one. Man I miss those days in high school walking...yes I had to walk to school. I'd meet up with my boys on the corner of 97th St & Normandie Ave..Eric, Chopper, Fat Tyrone we'd make that daily morning trek to the Washington H.S.(Prep Still Don't Like Nobody). We always stop at good ol Kindle's Donuts 10003 S. Normandie Ave Los Angeles, CA right on the corner of Century and Normandie...for my bus riders you know where the 117 and the 206 meet...anyway. Kindle's "the big donut in the sky" has been a hood landmark since 1953, so I was told. Serving up fresh donuts all day long...there's been times where I've snuck out after midnight and got me a proper cinnamon roll and its always fresh..Siempre!!!
Back in the day $1 dollar could get you plenty, you could get one of the following:
A Baker's dozen of Donut Holes, little small donut balls they came in either plain, glazed, cake or sprinkles.
2 buttermilk donut bars..Maple was the shiznit
2 Old Fashion glazed donuts, 2 glazed twists, etc
Bear Claw, Apple Fritter, Texas Donut, Cinnamon Roll, etc.
I know there's a ton of other donuts I'm missing eclairs, crullers and all that other crap..but I'm talking about DONUTS Fool. What made Kindle's stand out was the fact that the donuts were nice size, soft and fresh. Kindle understood that the key to making great donuts was in the presentation and preservation of the donuts. Some places the donuts look all dried out or over glazed to hide the staleness, no sir not at Kindle's what you saw was what you got...delicious all the time. I don't know all the ins and outs of the donut art, but Kindle had it down. I've yet to have a bad Kindle's donut. I believe you will say the some once you savor the flavor of one of these hood treats.
Sometimes there use to be this guy we all called "Fred" he'd always hit us up everyone morning for some change to buy a donut, "What's up young buck, help a trigga get his mo'nin fix"? What I couldn't understand was, you had money to smoke that J dangling from your mouth, but you didn't have $0.45 cent to buy a jelly donut? Also, Fred please dont blow your smoke in my direction, I'm 14, I don't need the smell of ganja on me before 1st period Algebra...thankfully the aroma of those tasty donuts baking overpowered even the stickiest of the mean green. Not to mention the trail of empty bottles of Hennessey that lined Normandie Ave, an early indication of gangbangin activities from the night before...classic memories :)
This is definitely my slice of heaven on Earth when it comes to Donuts. There are a few other spots listed below that are on that list and if you are ever in the L.A. area and you want a bomb donut experience stop by and holla at Kindle's there's only one location so its nearest you!!!
Honorable Mention
Randy's Donut's - Inglewood, CA
Granny's Donuts - Long Beach, CA (The on on PCH near LBCC)
24-Seven Donuts - Long Beach, CA
Fresh Donuts - Lynwood, CA
Donut Master - Gardena, CA
Of course I could go on for days, but you catch my drift...See you on the warpath to donut greatness :)
