There’s a great exhibit at the Central Library in Downtown LA right now called “To Live and Dine in LA”, which is a sample of the library’s huge collection of historic hotel, bar and restaurant menus and other ephemera.
Everywhere in the green exhibit room there are pictures (again from the library’s archive) and a smorgasbord of menus from before the turn of the 20th century onwards.
There’s also a prison canteen recipe book – all handwritten, with food and (non-alcoholic) drink recipes by cons – and some gorgeous special event menus and souvenirs from hotels like The Ambassador.
There are some menus of places we will still have with us today – e.g. Clifton’s – and some of those older menus? What works of art they were! Stunning! (This one was actually by artist David Hockney for Ma Maison).
There are some menus from places in Gourmet Ghosts too, (though not The Hangman’s Tree – if only!)
and it’s worth a visit – especially since right now there’s also an exhibit on Bunker Hill and on http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/exhibits/bunker-hill-rear-view-mirror and Aggie Underwood, crime reporter for the LA Herald http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/exhibits/first-latest-aggie-underwood-los-angeles-herald-and-sordid-crimes-city
Well worth a day out!
Gourmet Ghosts 