The original #79 Gate. exists in the Santa Barbara area.

Delivered by Charles himself, years ago, in a meandering slow-poke route down Highway 1 that resulted in a late arrival for dinner.

Our patrons were well into their second cocktails, and as the evening played out over pasta and more cocktails and more cocktails for some 3+ hours of hilarity and comical insanity, it seemed at one juncture they might be threatened by the consigoire with a request to behave themselves.

Staggering out, finally, well after midnight . . .it was weeks later that Charles, in his inimitable unawareness, was informed that his dinner companions were the widow and daughter of Robert Mitchum.