[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 48 (Thursday, March 17, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF LEMON POPPY KITCHEN

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                            HON. JIMMY GOMEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2022

  Mr. GOMEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Lemon Poppy 
Kitchen restaurant in the community of Glassell Park on its ten-year 
anniversary.
  Lemon Poppy Kitchen opened for business in March 2012 with hardly any 
money, a couple of handmade tables, and a counter crafted by a friend 
on the promise of free ice coffee and biscuits. The three owners Katie 
Kildow, Anca Caliman, and Jack Wilson were the cooks, waiters, and 
cashiers.
  From your first interaction with Lemon Poppy Kitchen, you know you 
are in for a treat. ``We make food from scratch with love,'' says Anca. 
The team is a compassionate group that is engaged with the Glassell 
Park community and beyond. During the pandemic, Lemon Poppy Kitchen 
worked with the Glassell Park Improvement Association to provide 50 
cooked meals a day, six days a week, for seniors. They have also helped 
raise funds for the homeless community of Skid Row in Los Angeles.
  Once you make your first order at the restaurant you feel the sense 
of community. ``We wanted to make a spot where everyone wants to be,'' 
says Katie. Ten years later the Glassell Park community has shown that 
Lemon Poppy Kitchen is the go-to spot for good coffee, pastries, and 
meals. ``We are happy we made it [to ten years]. There have been some 
rough patches, but the people that come here feel like family after a 
while,'' says Jack.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
Katie, Anca, Jack and Lemon Poppy Kitchen on their ten-year 
anniversary. I also extend to all of them my best wishes for many more 
years of success. I invite my colleagues to stop by Lemon Poppy Kitchen 
the next time they are in Los Angeles.

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