It was a typical sunny Sunday afternoon in Santa Monica, with scores of people enjoying the beach, having brunch and walking their dogs.

Ongoing egg shortages in California due to the spread of bird flu among livestock are bringing another early 2025 challenge to local restaurants, especially brunch spots that rely heavily on eggs for menu items.

They bring interest to both your run-of-the-mill, everyday breakfast as well as your grand brunch, but it is their diminutive size that makes them so irresistible.

A dozen chewy, classic bagels paired with Nova Scotia smoked salmon and whipped cream cheese makes for an unforgettable brunch spread.

So it was a mild shock, one morning in mid November, to find Martindale — just back from Toronto, where she is shooting a Richard LaGravenese series — tucked away at a tasteful Manhattan brunch spot.