Play the Game, A New Film for Young and Old

I try to blog about things I have experienced first hand, but that's not always possible. My friend Paula is a huge movie fan. I respect her opinion, and if she says it's a good movie, I listen. She recently told me about the yet to be released independent film by writer/director Marc Fienberg, Play the Game. I have not seen it yet, but upon her recommendation, will tell you something about it, so when it opens soon at the Landmark Theatres, you'll make time to see it.

This original comedy is filled with surprising and clever twists. It's about a young ladies' man, David, who teaches his dating techniques to his 84 year old widowed grandfather, Joe, all the while playing his best mind games to meet Julie, the woman of his dreams. Slowly the teacher becomes the student, and it's up to Grandpa to teach David the best way to win the game is not to play games at all.

Play the Game finally confirms what many of us have known all along, but never wanted to confront. Old people still "do it". And they enjoy it. Audiences love following the journey of 84 year old Joe as he looks for love with the same fear, insecurity and excitement as any schoolboy. It adroitly balances gently comedy with refreshing frankness, a la movies like Cocoon, Harold and Maude, and Harry and Tonto.

The cast consists of beloved television stars Andy Griffith, Doris Roberts and Liz Sheridan, in addition to Paul Campbell and Marla Sokoloff. I can't wait to see it.

This movie was inspired by a true story. Years after the death of his wife, writer/director Marc Fienberg's real-life Granpa Joe confided a secret he just couldn't hold back. "I kissed a girl last week," he said. Marc found the act of a grandfather soliciting his grandson for advice on how to approach a woman, what to say, and when to call her, surprisingly touching. He included it as a second major storyline, using the real life discussions with his own grandfather as a foundation for David and Grandpa's bonding over dating mysteries and rituals as men have had for time immemorial.

I can't wait until it opens. I hope I have sparked your interest in this new movie which should appeal to old and young alike, and thank you Paula, for your recommendation.

What is Quinoa?

Do you know what quinoa (keen-wah) is? I didn't either until I discovered the most wonderful Peruvian restaurant in Encinitas. The restaurant is Qero, and their food is some of the best you will find in San Diego. Quinoa is a staple on their menu, as it is in Peru. It grows mainly in the Andes, although some American farmers in Colorado are now growing it. The fact that it grows in extremely poor soil together with its great nutritional value makes it a true super grain to feed the world.

Quinoa is a 100% grain and is close to being a perfect food source in the balance of nutrition it provides. Technically it is not a grain, but the seed of a leafy plant related to spinach. The World Health Organization has rated the quality of protein in quinoa to be equivalent or superior to that found in milk products. So next time you see it on the menu, don't ask to substitute it for something else, give it a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised. It a nutty flavor that when mixed with other foods, is a delightful change. It can be served hot or cold, but here is a favorite cold salad of mine.

Greek Style Cold Quinoa Salad

FOR QUINOA: put 1 cup quinoa, rinsed into a saucepan with a dash of salt and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook 18-20 minutes, until water is gone and quinoa is tender. (like rice)

FOR VINEGRETTE: 2 tsp grainy mustard, 4 T. olive oil, 4 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1tsp honey, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together in a small bowl.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped, handful of flatleaf parsley, chopped, 1/3 c. pine nuts, lightly toasted, 1/3 c. fet cheese crumbled, salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together. Enjoy.

Think Ahead: Cruise Deals for 2010

I know it seems early to be thinking about vacation next year, but many deals are out there for you to take advantage of. The travel industry is hurting badly, from airlines to hotels to tours and cruises. No change is expected, according to my recent edition of Travel Age West, a well respected industry magazine. Prices should remain low for the next two years, they say. This means great bargains. One particular cruise line that is offering remarkable discounts is Oceania Cruises.( http://www.oceaniacruises.com) for their European cruises are less than 50% off the brochure price, and include airfare. Oceania prides itself in 5 star food and service, smaller ships with less passengers, and excellent shore excursions.



One example of what you can expect to pay and what you get for that is a 10 day cruise from Barcelona to Rome. An outside cabin with ocean view starts at $3199 per person. What do you get for that? A beautiful stateroom of course, and wonderful food. The food at the four restaurants is supervised by chef Jacques Pepin, one of the finest chefs in the world, and former personal chef to Charles DeGaulle. Yes, it's true. The 684 passengers have a choice of open seating in the main dining room, or reservations at one of the several other restaurant choices.



This cruise line has activities such as martini tasting at night, wine tasting in the afternoon, afternoon tea, computer and digital photography classes, a casino at night, and lots of music and dancing. The shore excursions offered are many and varied. I urge you to check their website and see if any of their itineraries appeal to you. The price of Oceania Cruises next year cannot be beat.

What's a Cherimoya?

Mark Twain called it the most delicious fruit on earth, and you probably haven't heard of it, much less tasted it. It's hard to find, and when you do, it's very expensive.



Cherimoya is a mouth wateringly delicious, sweet, creamy subtropical fruit, combining the exotic flavors of pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, banana, mango and lemon into one delicious delight. It's more common name is "custard apple" as it is the color of an apple with a very creamy texture. This delicious fruit is native to Ecudor, Colombia and Peru. It was brought to Mexico, then on the California in 1871. It was first grown in the Carpinteria area. It is now grown all over Southern California coastal areas. It is found in farmers' markets, specialty grocery stores or natural food stores. The cherimoya season for us is generally January-April, but it can vary. I saw it recently in a specialty food store but it came from Mexico, so I didn't buy it. I try to purchase fruits and vegetables that are locally grown.



How do you know when it's ripe? It should be a nice green color, but can have a bit of brown on the skin. If the skin is black at all, don't buy it. Similar to an avocado, it should yield gently to pressure when ripe. Then, eat it within 1-2 days, otherwise it starts to lose its flavor. Cut the fruit in half and eat with a spoon. It's also good sprinkled with a little lime juice. It's great either at room temperature or chilled.

When I lived in Los Angeles, I was a big walker. I used to walk by a house everyday and see these beautiful fruits hanging, just waiting to be picked. Actually, what was happening was that the birds and squirrels were eating them, as no one picked the fruit. I had a terrible urge to just pick the fruit and move on, but being the good citizen that I am, I didn't. Instead, one day I decided to ring the doorbell and talk to the owner. She was a lovely older woman, and when I asked her about the cherimoya tree in her front yard, she didn't even know what I was talking about. When I told her I wanted to pick the fruit, she was delighted, and she became my Los Angeles connection for cherimoya. I don't eat the fruit too much these days, as it is hard to find, but when I do go to LA I always take a walk by Naomi's house to pick up this delicious fruit

One of My Faves: The Cheesecake Factory

For 10 years before I moved here, I was a weekly visitor to The Cheesecake Factory (http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/). It's hard to have a bad meal there. It's almost harder to decide what to eat. When we lived in Los Angeles, our local Cheesecake Factory was a quick 15 minute walk. We woud often walk there for dinner, eat way too much, and walk home. I would also meet my son David there for lunch on occasion, as he worked nearby. I certainly have my favorites, but I try to give new items a try, and that is what I recently did.

Unfortunately for us, we have no Cheesecake Factory nearby, the closest location being Mission Valley in San Diego. I played in a bridge tournament at the Town and Country Hotel not long ago, and went to the Cheesecake Factory three times that week for dinner, between bridge sessions. Things have changed, and as if the menu didn't have enough items, they have enhanced it even further.

The biggest change is an extensive selection of Small Plates and Snacks. When I was there these were only served until 6pm, sort of a happy hour selection of appetizers. I tried a number of their offerings, including beets with goat cheese, stuffed mushrooms, fried zucchini, cheddar cheese dip with chips, wild mushroom crostini and crispy artichoke hearts. Each dish was between $5-$7. I especially enjoyed the beet salad, mushroom crostini, and stuffed mushrooms.

Their regular menu has also changed, but most of my favorite items remain. I love their Chinese chicken salad. It is huge, and be sure and get the luncheon size if available. It is piled hight with lettuce, cabbage, chicken, and puffed rice noodles. It is served with a basket of warm bread, both brown and white, as are all their entrees. Other great salads include the barbeque ranch chicken salad, santa fe salad, and cobb salad.

One of my favorite non salad entrees is chicken cashew. This is a combination of chicken and vegetables in a slightly spicy Asian sauce, served over rice. Delicious.

Of course the portions are so large one rarely has room for dessert, but on the off chance that you want to split something with your group, try the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, or the apple turnover. Both are served with whipped cream on top and both are to die for.

So next time you go shopping in Mission Valley, stay a little longer and enjoy an early dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. You'll have a delicious meal and avoid the traffic coming home.

Fond Memories of 2000 in Japan

This week we're going to see our old friends, Jose and Renee Valdivia and their kids. When I think about Jose and Renee, I can't help but reminise about our memorable trip to Japan in 2000. We were in the horseracing business then, and we were lucky enough to have our horse, Lord Sterling, invited to Japan for the first Japan Cup Dirt Race. It was an honor and a great opportunity for a cheap claimer to prove himself against the bluebloods. Our favorite jockey was Jose Valdivia, and he agreed to come to Japan to ride the horse. He brought his wife Renee with him, so it was a wonderful time for all. In fact, we had our entire family with us. All three sons, and my mother and father.



Of course, the race was the highlight of the trip. The Jockey Club in Tokyo entertained us royally, with parties, dinners, sightseeing, gifts and wonderful accomodations. But the day of the race was like nothing I have experienced anywhere. There were 120,000 people in attendance that day, which is not unusual. As the horses paraded onto the track, the fans all started waving white hankerchiefs. It was a dramatic sight, but I was afraid it might spook Lord Sterling. Instead, he ran his little heart out. He had the lead at the head of the stretch, and finished third. We were so proud of his performance. He competed against horses from all over the world and showed he belonged there.



One morning during our stay in Tokyo, Jose, Renee, Ron and I decided to go to the local health spa for a workout. I have such fond memories of that morning. It was a cultural experience. Here's how it went. We arrived, and were immediately given white shirts, blue shorts and white socks and tennis shoes. Everyone in the gym must have on the proper uniform. We entered the gym and found it filled with locals, old, young and thin. No one was fat. There were men in their 80's doing push ups, lifting weights, and doing yoga. I never saw such flexibility from a group of average people at a gym.



After working out, we went separately to the men and women's locker area. We got such a laugh out of these very little women, most under five feet tall, sitting naked on buckets fixing their hair. I was expecting the women to be very modest, but this was not the case. Everyone was running around nude. Another stereotype changed forever. That was our morning at the gym, and hardly a time goes by when we're all together that we don't mention that event.



The trip to Japan with most of my favorite people in the world will remain with me forever. I remember my father saying that after the birth of his children and his marriage to my mother, this was the greatest event in his life. I agree.

Pelly's Fish Market for the freshest seafood

To me, summertime is all about being outdoors. That means eating outdoors, too. One of my favorite local places is Pelly's Fish Market. (http://www.pellysfish.com/ ) Besides being the freshest fish market around, it's a wonderful choice for lunch or dinner. It is very casual. The restaurant has a few booths inside, the rest of the seating is on the patio or should I say the public space in the shopping center. One of the great things about Pelly's is that you can bring your own wine and drink it on the patio area.

So what would I recommend for lunch? Fabulous sandwices, served on sour dough bread are stuffed with your choice of fish, shredded lettuce and tomato. You can choose from shark, red snapper, halibut, Atlantic salmon and others fish that is nicely seasoned and grilled. Taco plates are great for lunch or dinner. Try the fish taco or lobster taco. Each taco is served with a side of delicous Mexican cole slaw.

For dinner I love their fish plates. For around $12.95 you get your choice of fish, served with a green salad and spanish rice. Fish could be whatever is fresh that day. I love their sea scallops and halibut. They also have wonderful seafood cocktails for around $7.50. Shrimp, oysters, mussels or clams served in a tangy sauce is just delicious. The other great item on the menu is clam chowder, both Boston and Manhattan. I love the Boston clam chowder. To finish the meal, Pelly's makes a homemade key lime pie. I highly recommend it.

So next time you're looking for a casual night out where you can BYOB for free, sit outside in this beautiful weather, consider Pelly's. It'll be a night of delicious freshness from the sea.

Flo's Good Lemon Bars

For as long as I can remember, my mom has been making Flo's good lemon bars. Today you see them everywhere, but 40 years ago this was a unique dessert. The recipe came from my mom's friend Florence, and they were the hit of many Los Angeles parties in the 50's and 60's. There are many recipes out there for these bars, but here is my original recipe. I hope you enjoy them.

Flo's Good Lemon Bar

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• pinch of salt

Mix butter, flour, sugar and salt and make a crust. Put in 9 X 13 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 T lemon juice + 1 T. lemon rind
• 2 T. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Beat together and pour into curst. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

Have you checked out Groupon?

I recently discovered a fantastic way to save money on food, dining out, entertainment, travel and services. I joined Groupon.com (http://www.groupon.com/). Groupon is an organization that provides subscribers with daily deals, usually 50% off, on everything from fine restaurants, to spas, to green fees, to hotels. You name it, they have it. To subscribe, simply go to their web site and fill out the brief form. It is free, and will save you lots of money. It provides collective buying power. Groupon guarantees the restaurant a minimum number of sales. Thus, we, the consumer, get a reduced rate.

Groupon started in 2008 in Chicago, and is now in numerous cities throughout the country. I just got my first deal this morning in my e-mail. It was an offer to buy a coupon at Sea Rocket Bistro in San Diego for $35, with a retail value of $70. I had not heard of this restaurant, so I checked it ou and can't wait to try it. It's in North Park, so I'll have to get Mapquest out to find it. It features locally grown meat, fish from local fisheries and fruit and produce from environmentally sustainable producers. My favorite part of their website was the "food map". It shows you where all the ingredients on the menu come from. Everything is local . I found the map very unique and interesting. Groupon is very new to California, so I can't give you a lot of local examples of what you might save, but I noticed in Chicago they offered 50%off membership at the Art Institute.

So check out this new savings opportunity. I can't wait to try Sea Rocket, and it's just my first day of receiving their special offers. The question is, will I be saving money or spending money? I'll let you know.

Very Special Restaurant Specials

I was listening to a story on the radio this morning about how the restaurant business has been WAY down for the past two years, and owners have tried everything they can to increase traffic. Happy Hour, Two for Ones, Early Bird, and coupons. Now, here's a new one that I think you will love. It's only until August 31, so take advantage of it before it's gone.

Champagne Bakery (http://www.champagnebakery.com/) has an Afternoon Tea special from now until the end of the month. Go to any of their locations Monday-Friday from 2pm until 5pm and for $5.99 you get the following.: Cream cheese and raspberry finger sandwich, chicken salad and watercress finger sandwich, 1 madeleine cookie, 1 mini fruit tart, 1 mini cream puff, 1 dipped strawberry and hot or cold tea or lemonade. I think this is one great bargain. So grab someone and get down there before this special expires. For me, this could be a late lunch some afternoon. I hope you'll give it a try.

One other restaurant special that I just heard about is at IHOP (http://www.ihop.com/). This is for those of you who have kids or grandkids that you take out to eat. For a limited time, they don't tell you how long, IHOP has a kids eat free special from 4-10 daily. This is for kids under 12, and they must order from a special menu. A great way to take the whole family to dinner and not stretch your pocket book. I'll keep looking for specials like these. Please let me know if you hear of any great restaurant specials. I try to keep on top of this, but I need your help.

Station Sushi is our Fave

This afternoon I spent two hours with 10 sushi lovers. We go every few months to Station Sushi in Solana Beach (858-481- 9800) for what is always a memorable lunch together. Don't bother to call there, they almost never answer their phone and there's no web site. If you go there for dinner, go early, otherwise the wait is impossible. But it's worth it. They have the freshest fish, the most creative rolls, and nicest servers you could ask for.

Station Sushi is housed in the former residence and real estate office of George B. White. It was built in 1926, and is a historical landmark. The restaurant is funky, old, cluttered, but oh so good. We started our meal with several bowls of heated, salted edemane. It was only noon but we were starved. Next, we ordered a delicious seaweed salad, with a sesame dressing, slightly spicy. We then order a dozen or so different rolls, and ate until we could eat no more. Protein roll, monkey roll, psychedelic roll, crunchy shrimp roll, california roll, salmon skin roll and rainbow roll were just some of what we ate. Food, drinks and tip, and the bill came to $20 per person. Everything was delicious, but Barbie, new to our sushi group, was raving about everything she ate. With eyes rolling, oohing and ahhing with every bite, she most definitely enjoyed the food. Kim, sitting next to her and seeing how she enjoyed it said, "I'll have what she's having". Remember that line from When Harry Met Sally? We all laughed hysterically.

It was a memorable meal for all. Not only did we enjoy the always fantastic food from Station Sushi, but we enjoyed catching up with friends who we hadn't seen in a while.It's always a pleasure to get together with these women and I will try to plan another sushi outing very, very soon. Tonight I'm off to my monthly poker game, promising myself not to eat ANYTHING!!!

We Can All Be JetSetters With Jet Blue

Jet Blue(http://www.jetblue.com/ has been around for enough years now that you've probably heard their praises sung. Leather seats, Direct TV, good on time performance, and low prices. Now, they have a unique offer, one that I have never seen in America in the 19 years I have been in the travel business. They are offering a one month pass called All You can Jet Pass, for $599 plus approximately $100 in taxes. The pass must be purchased by August 21, and travel is good between September 8 and October 8, with no blackout dates. This is a good business move, as this time period is usually one of the slowest of the year. JetBlue flies to 57 cities and has over 600 flights per day.

So if you have the time and want to do a lot of traveling, this is a fantastic opportunity. JetBlue flies to most major cities in the US. This is your chance to be a jetsetter for a month at coach class prices. Hope some of you can get out there and fly.

It's a Party: A Julia Party

Who doesn't love a party? I just went to a Julie and Julia party last night. The party consisted of eight wonderful women, one great movie and lots of fantastic food. Which was better, the movie or the party? I can't really say. It was the whole experience, with a group of great women, that made it a memorable event. This was truly an example of life imitating art. Here's how the evening went.

We met at Kim's house at 4:30. The movie started at 5:00, but we had all made recipes from Julia Child's cookbooks, and we wanted to drop off our creations before the movie. We carpooled to the theatre, where we all thoroughly enjoyed the performances of Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. I swear you would think it was Julia herself up on the big screen. The voice, the manerisms, the size, it was all Julia. Amy Adams plays Julie Powell, an aspiring writer, who has a government day job that she hates. She, with a very supportive husband, decides to write a one year blog about the recipes of Julia Child, and make all 524 recipes in her cookbook. This is a huge undertaking, as Julie never seems to finish anything.

Writing a blog is a committment. There are days when you just don't feel like writing, or in Julie's case cooking and writing, but it's great discipline. I totally related to the movie, not just because of the blog she wrote, but because I love to cook, and I too, loved Julia Child.

After the movie we drove back to Kim's, and put out our table of food fit for a king. Our dishes included stuffed mushrooms, chicken salad, eggplant and pita, antipasto salad with olives, tomatoes, tuna and mushrooms, herb biscuits filled with ham and cheese, potato salad, yogurt blueberry tart, chocolate truffles and lots of wine. We talked, laughed, reminisced about the days when we used to watch Julia on TV, and how lucky we were to be together, watching the movie and enjoying life. To me, food is about love. We cook for those we love, we want to please those we cook for. Food is also about memories. Many of our most memorable occasions are centered around food, and our thoughts of those food make memories come rushing back.

Julie Powell's Julia Project changed her life forever. I can't say the movie changed my life, but having a wonderful group of friends to enjoy movies, food and conversation with, has changed me too. It has created memories that I will forever associate with certain foods. I will never again eat an herb biscuit with ham and cheese without remembering our evening watching Julie and Julia and the dinner that followed. Thank you Vivian. And thanks to all of you who make life so much fun and help create such memories!!!

Great Travel Ideas

I know we're just getting started on summer weather in Southern California, and here I am ready to tell you about travel ideas for the fall. It's hard to think about going anywhere when the weather here is so gorgeous. But plan you must, if you want to travel this fall. There are some great values out there, and here are a few of the best.

Vietnam. This destination has been on my list for many years, and I've just never gotten around to it. Gate 1 (http://www.gate1.com/), one of my favorite tour operators, has a wonderful introductory tour to Vietnam for you to consider. It's nine days, at $1099, which includes breakfast each day, guides everywhere, and airfare from the westcoast. They also have a 12 day tour for $1659. These prices do not include tax or visa fees. Over the past few years I have come to know many Vietnamese immigrants, and their enthusiasm for their country really makes me want to go. There are cultural, historical, and places of natural beauty to see. You can cruise the Mekong Delta, visit Phong Nha National Park and see the underground caves, or visit Ho Chi Minh City. The price is so affordable you can hardly afford to stay home.

Tucson, Arizona, is very hot right now, but come October the weather will be fantastic. For under $100 per night you can stay at Starr Pass Golf Suites. This is a beautiful resort that affords the visitor every luxury, at an affordable price. Golf, health club, pool, tennis, and offsite horseback riding are all available. This is a great golf or tennis getaway when the weather cools off.

Florence, Italy. Try the Hotel La Gioconda for $95 a night. It's centrally located near the Cathedreal of Santa Maria dei Fiori, with satellite and cable tv, minibar, internet access, and the price includes breakfast. Save your money for a great Italian meal or a beautiful handbag. I hope that even though the weather is beautiful here in paradise right now, fall is just around the corner, and that's a great time to get away.

Summer Traffic

Every year, around the middle of July, the weather, and traffic, heat up in San Diego. Since the horses got to town traffic on the 5 and Highway 101 have really increased. I used to drive to the Encinitas Y in about eight minutes. It now takes 15 minutes. Why? Well, when the Del Mar racing season starts, several thousand more people call this area "home" for about eight weeks. The jockeys, trainers, hot walkers, veterinarians, feed men, excercise riders and horse owners all come here with families. It's great for our economy, bad for those of us who want to get around town without a lot of stress.

All these visitors eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, visit our landmarks, go to the movies, casinos and all the other things we offer. So let's just deal with a little extra traffic for a few weeks. Keep a good book on tape in your car or some great music to listen to. Our economy needs all the help it can get. Just remember, races start at 2pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday nights start anywhere from 4-5pm. Stay away from Via de la Valle an hour before starting time and again, around 6:30pm. And stay away from the Del Mar restaurants until after Labor Day. After that, Del Mar will again be the sleepy little town we all love.

When I first moved to Del Mar nine years ago, there was very little traffic. Then, somewhere around 2003 everything changed. Traffic really did increase, so much so that everyone I talked to said they had to leave early to avoid traffic. Are they kidding? Didn't most of these people move from Los Angeles or San Francisco or Boston or New York? Talk about traffic. This is a picnic. What do you expect, living in paradise. Everyone wants to be here.

Friday Night With Special Friends

Tonight we had our long awaited dinner with good friends Jeff and Cookie. Everyone's so busy we had to wait three weeks to get together with them. It was worth the wait, as the restaurant, and the company was first class.

We went to the new Pizza Nova in San Marcos (http://www.pizzanova.net/). It is unlike either the Hillcrest or Solana Beach location in look, but the food is the same. The San Marcos location is very contemporary, soft lighting and comfortable booths inside, and a big patio outside. During the summer they show Betty Boop cartoons when the sun goes down, which makes it a big attraction for families. I don't usually write about chain restaurants, but Pizza Nova is a very small chain, the food is very good and I think worth writing about.

While perusing the menu and making our decision on what to eat, we were served delicious little pizza dough rolls, baked and topped with garlic and butter. We started our meal with the chopped salad, a mixture of chicken, cheese, salami, tomatoes and lettuce in a vinegrette dressing. Plenty of salad for the four of us to share. Then we had a huge plate of bruschetta (chopped tomatoes and basil in a vinegrette) with toasted bread. Delicious. Next, we had a dish of cheesy, creamy macaroni and cheese and a large pizza called pizza nova. It was topped with nova lox, red onion and capers in addition to cheese. The crust was delicious and the pizza was an excellent combination of ingredients.

Other items that I can recommend are the Chinese chicken salad, fettuccine alfredo, lasagna, and an excellent house salad. This was the perfect restaurant to dine in with Cookie and Jeff. They're so much fun to be with, but finding a restaurant they'll be happy with is a challenge. She doesn't like one thing, he doesn't like another. We've got to go someplace with lots of choices. Pizza Nova was the right place to go. We all left happy, our stomachs satisfied, laughing at Ron's silly jokes all the way home.

What is Living Lettuce?

Last week I was at the 99cent store in Encinitas when I saw a produce item I had not seen before. It was a plastic bag filled with a head of lettuce, somewhat like butter lettuce, with the roots attached and floating in water. You take the leaves off as you need them, presumably to keep the lettuce fresher and last longer. I was skeptical, but bought it anyway (it was only 99 cents) and was surprised at how crisp and fresh the lettuce was, and how long it lasted. Often a head of romaine will wilt in a few days. Not so with living lettuce. So let me tell you a bit more about this unique lettuce

The growers of Living Lettuce claim that the elimination of soil results in higher growth rates, yields and even crop quality than organic methods can achieve. The fertilizer for the lettuce, including minerals, is added directly to the water. Hydroponic technologies are more efficient than soil methods, thus more people can be fed with less area and ecological impact. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. This lettuce is grown hydroponically. That means it is grown without soil and with a complete nutrient solution. That's so simple. We're all hung up on "organic" today, and this is definitely organic, but goes further because it doesn't even use soil.

Look for living lettuce in your health food store or supermarket. It's just another alternative to tradionally grown produce, and from the research I have done a great way to save farmland and water.

Cash for Clunkers? It's Not New

The success of the Cash for Clunkers program is not surprising, and the concept is really not new. It's what the restaurant business has been doing for years. It used to be you'd see an occasional restaurant offering reduced prices at happy hour, or a coupon for a reduction on your bill. Now you see it everywhere. Is this much different than cash for clunkers? Not really. The auto business has gone south, so let's give everyone an extra $2,500-$4,500 for their old clunker when they buy a new car. What they're really doing is giving the consumer a 20-30% discount on a $20,000 car. It's a great deal.

The restaurant industry is WAY ahead of the auto industry in giving discounts to get customers into their restaurants. Happy Hour, Early Bird, coupons and special fixe prix menus are what they've done. These specials can save the consumer anywhere from 10-50% on the price of a meal. Ten years ago I had two cards in my wallet that gave me a discount. The Coffee Bean, my favorite coffee house, used to give you a card that you had stamped every time you bought a drink, and after 10 stamps, you got one free drink, any drink. Also, my favorite yogurt store gave me a card which offered the same free yogurt after 10 stamps. Today I have dozens of cards from various restaurants, some offering a free appetizer, others offering as much as 25% off the total bill. Unfortuntately for the consumer, the Coffee Bean has been so successful that they no longer offer the buy 10 get one free promotion. They knew 35 years ago what it took the auto industry all this time to figure out.

If these big auto executives got out a little more, especially to average Joe kind of restaurants, they might have figured this out years ago. Give the consumer a bargain and they will come.

Alternatives to Styrofoam

For as long as I can remember, take home food has come in a styrofoam box, take out coffee has been served in a styrofoam cup, and packaging peanuts have been made from styrofoam. All this is about to change, and for good reason. There are no redeeming qualities to styrofoam. To be blunt, is is bad for the environment and human health.

Toxic chemicals leach out of these styrofoam products and into the food that they contain. These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems.

Polystyrene foam (styrofoam) is made with petroleum, a non-sustainable, heavily polluting and disappearing commodity.

The product does not biodegrade. A certain percentage of the product will be dumped in the environment, persisting on land indefinitely.

What's the alternative? Unbleached paper products. They biodegrade and their use avoids all of the above problems. Besides unbleached paper, which is probably the best alternative to styrofoam, there are a number of new products on the market that are waiting to replace styrofoam. Bioplastics, made from plant oils, is another option. The problem so far is resistance by restaurants and food producers who do not want to go to a more expensive product. It is important that we, as consumers, let our voices be heard. If we complain loud and hard about not wanting to be served coffee in a styrofoam cup, things will change. Some companies are environmentally friendly and will make these changes on their own. Others need a little push from consumers. So I will continue to push. A number of cities have already banned the use of styrofoam, including Oakland, California, Freeport, Maine, and Portland, Oregon. There are many other cities in California that are close to banning styrofoam. San Diego is NOT one of them, but if we spread the word we can be styrofoam free.

More Great Websites

Thank you all, for sending me your favorite websites. I have so many new sites to look at, I've been reading all morning and still haven't gotten to many. I will mention a few new sites that you may not know about, or may want to revisit.

Wootsie was kind enough to tell me about the wonderful website for Solana Center for Environmental Innovation (http://www.solanacenter.org/). They will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about composting, and more. The site had great tips for reducing our carbon footprint and greening our homes, plus links to many other sites that may be of interest if you really want to delve into the subject. They also tell you where to obtain reduced price composting bins, and step by step, how to proceed.

Thanks to Barbara, I have several sites you might like to try. My favorite was Delicious Living Magazine(http://www.deliciouslivingmag.com/). This is a GREAT website. Recipes, health articles, on line coupons that I haven't seen anywhere else, and shopping tips. This site has everything, and I think you'll enjoy browsing it's contents.

Barbara also reminded me about The Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/) website, which is filled with valuable information on diseases, drugs and tips for healthy living. It is very comprehensive. WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/) will also provide you with great information on disease and drugs, plus some more integrative ideas on how to deal with disease.

Finally, for those looking for a homeopathic solution to pain and disease, check out the following site: Healing healthy (http://www.healinghealthy.blogspot.com/). This will be especially helpful to those of you looking for alternative treatments to everyday ailments. Much research has been done on the positives of homeopathic medicine, and this site will help you decide if you want to explore this area of medicine further.

There's alot out there. Keep your suggestions coming. I hope these sites are useful, and I will publish more as I get new ideas from all of you. Happy browsing.

Angel Fruit Pie

Several weeks ago I blogged about old recipes, and how great some of them are. One that I especially like is Angel Fruit Pie, from a 1958 cookbook, Thoughts for Buffets. I have made this recipe dozens of times, usually in the summer, as fresh fruit is the star of the dessert. My personal favorite is peaches, but berries, plums or apricots work too. Don't use nectarines, as they have too much liquid in them and they'll make the pie runny.

Angel Fruit Pie

Meringue

4 egg whites, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar. Beat until stiff. Gradually beat in the sugar until glossy. Add the vanilla. Pile into a large Pyrex pie plate which has been well greased. Make sure you pile it so there is more meringue around the sides and lots of room for fruit and cream in the middle. Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees. Cool.

Custard

4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 T. water
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add the sugar and water. Cook in a double boiler to a custard consistency. Cool. Add vanilla.

Topping

1 c. heavy cream, whipped
1T. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups fresh fruit ( I like peaches best)

Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar to the whipped cream. Spread one half of the whipped cream over the bottom of the pie shell, then the custard. Cover with fruit, then with the remaining cream. Chill for several hours before serving. Enjoy.