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Must be tough to be stuck on location covering the Michael Jackson child molestation trial in Santa Maria, Calif. Not only do you have to report on the tawdry court proceedings, but there’s also the local cuisine, or lack thereof, to document. In case you missed it elsewhere, EatMJ.com: The Gastronomic Guide to the Michael Jackson Trial, was created F.J.B.J.M.J. (for journalists, by journalists of the Michael Jackson trial). The culinary database was started by a Santa Barbara-based photojournalist who has made many trips to Santa Maria to cover the Michael Jackson case since December 2003. He has encouraged fellow members of the so-called “MJ Purgatory Media Corps” to post their reviews and findings of the local grub.

It’s good reading since a sampling of EatMJ.com entries provides some insight into the local eats as well as the mind-set of the reporters stuck on alleged pedophile news watch:

Reviewing the Hitching Post, one CNN crew member gamely notes:
…if you are married to your cell or Blackberry be warned that none of the three in my party was able to get cell reception on our Cingular/AT&T devices. Other devices or cell services may fare better. Of course we didn’t let the lack of vibrating Blackberries get in the way of a terrific evening.

Another CNN journo writes of Boonie Thai Cuisine:
…just a few blocks from the courthouse and worth trying, not great but good and in Santa Maria that’s exceptional.

Lest anyone worry that the media hounds are only writing extracurricularly about the local cuisine, one journo, covering The Breakfast Buzz, exhibits an interest in the local wildlife:
Great place to stop on your way to see the elephant seals on a court recess day.

Who knew the refined minds and palates at Court TV were so big into seafood?
Chef Ricks is the best place we here at Court TV have found here in Santa Maria! We loved their seafood and mushroom bisque, their inventive salads (both steak and halibut) and mostly we love it because Chef Rick delivers our lunch to the court house parking lot!

I like the visual of the AP reporter, taking a load off, and sitting down to really study the floor-to-ceiling menu at Taco Loco:
…the wall menu is easier to read and thankfully there are chairs in front of it so you can sit down and take 10 minutes to gander at the choices.

If you like reading about food, EatMJ.com carries the most breaking and wholesome news datelined out of Santa Maria right now.

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