Fifty Eighth Visit to Taft

After last week's fiasco with Phil and Ellen being turned away from visitation for speeding in the Taft parking loft, I crawled into the lot on Friday at less than 20MPH. I know the sargent at Taft means business. Friday was the coldest day of the year, in the low 30's and rain and snow were expected. I wasn't sure how long our visit would last, as I had to be concerned about the CHP closing the Grapevine. Fortunately the weather cooperated and we got our visit in, and back to San Diego before sundown.

Ron rarely talks about the staff at Taft, but he does have a new counselor who seems to really take an interest in the inmates. Here's what she did. Ron had a legal call scheduled for 1pm one day, and the counselor went to make the phone call and the lawyer didn't answer. Often if there is no answer, that's the end of it, and the inmate will have to reschedule the call for another day. This young woman, however, tried again about 15 minutes later, and then again until she got through. She realized that this was important to Ron and went out of her way to make sure he got his phone call. Events like that are few and far between, but so appreciated when someone goes out of their way to help.

Ron has said numerous times that everything is difficult at Taft. Here's just a little example of what he means. Shopping in the commissary takes place once a week, and the day of the week you shop depends on your unit's inspection performance. Ron's unit was last this week. I guess they're not very neat. Anyway, that means they shop on Friday. Friday Ron always has visitation, so he had to shop in the morning from 6:30-8:00am, before his visitors arrived. Unfortunately the generator was out and there was no shopping until later in the day. Bottom line, he now has to wait until next week to shop because he would have missed visitation in order to shop. Luckily he has enough phone minutes left, and the rest of the stuff he'll just have to wait until next week to get. As he says, nothing is easy.

As of now Ron has a release date of July 27, 2011. That is about 6 weeks later than he was expecting, and this has put us both on edge. We are trying to find out why things have changed and see if there's anything that can be done. You get your mind set on a particular date, you count the days, weeks and months until that date, then they change it on you. It's hard not to react to these changes, but we're trying hard to stay calm. Hopefully we will know more in a few weeks. As Ron always says, hope for the best, but expect the worst.

You Don't Have To Be Jewish To Enjoy the Jewish Film Festival

The San Diego Jewish Film Festival is in it's 21st year. It runs for 10 days in various venues around town. This year I decided to volunteer at the event. That was a great decision. I met many of the people involved in this who work hard all year to make it a great success. When I say you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy the Jewish Film Festival, I mean the films they show have universal appeal. The movies they show all have a Jewish theme, from romance to war and everything in between. The filmmakers are also Jewish, but that's nothing new. Many of the Hollywood films you see are made by Jewish filmmakers.

I decided to concentrate on documentaries this year. My favorite film in this category was "In Search of Memory." It was about the life of neuro scientist Eric Kandel, Nobel prize winning scientist from 2000. It was fascinating to learn of his early life in Nazi occupied Vienna, and how he and his younger brother (age 9 and 4) went to America by boat in 1939. He took his family back to Vienna to see his home and his father's habadashery store. He even met some people who knew his family 70 years ago. I got goose bumps just thinking about it. I highly recommend this film.

Other films that I saw included "Canvas Man," the life of Robbie Ellis, 64 year old wrestler and art dealer. Yes, you read that correctly. He is a fascinating man, and is well respected in both arenas.

I also saw a documentary about the life of boxer Max Baer, and a film about Jews in baseball.

The most disturbing movie I saw was called Habermann. It was the story of what happened when the Nazis invaded the area called Sudetenland, on the German-Czech border, a very mountainous, yet strategicically important area. Here Germans and Czechs had lived in relative harmony for over 700 years, until the Nazis arrived. I found the movie very disturbing to watch, as this was an historical event I was unaware of.

The festival also showed romantic comedies, an Arab comedy that is very popular in Israel, and lots of short subjects by emerging filmmakers. Unfortunately I missed the latter. I always like the short subjects.

We have an Asian Festival in San Diego each year, and I will look for it when it opens. These films are of interest to everyone. They're not intended just for the identified group. Unfortunately most of them never make it to general release, so you have to catch them at the festival when they're here. Someone last night told me that some of the Jewish films can be seen on line, but when I looked at the site he gave me, I found nothing. If anyone does know how to see these films on line, please let me know and I will post it. There are many I could not see for lack of time. I don't need much of an excuse to go to the movies. I love them, and this was a worthwhile way to spend a few hours.

Thai One On

Ron and I love to eat out, to try new places with good friends. One couple we love to go out with is Cookie and Jeff. Now that Ron is not around, the three of us have continued to get together occasionally for a night out, always trying something new. I feel lucky to have good friends like them. They always want me to pick the restaurant, but I was having difficulty coming up with something we could all agree on, so Cookie chose one of her favorite Thai restaurants in Vista, Thai One On. Cute name I said to myself. I hope the food is as good as the name. It was.

The restaurant is in a shopping center (what's new) on Melrose Drive, near College. The decor is warm with a very Thai feeling. Lots of umbrellas on the ceiling and walls painted bright colors, lanterns on the wall and a Buddha in the entry. I was comfortable right away. The food was outstanding, and I'm just sorry I couldn't sample more dishes. I will have to go back another time, as they have lots of fish dishes done many different different ways which I would love to try. Here's what I ate (or sampled).

Fresh spring rolls is one of my favorite Asian food items. It's a mixture of fresh veggies and either tofu, chicken or shrimp, rolled in a rice paper, served with a peanut dipping sauce. This is usually served as an appetizer, but I eat it as a meal. Their version was delcious. I loved their peanut sauce. I also had Tom Yum soup, which was a clear broth with mushrooms, tomato, lemon grass, lime lives, kafir and glangal. A little spicy (you can tell them how much spice you want on every dish from 1-10), but I just loved it. Jeff ordered Pad Woon Sen, a wide noodle dish with sprouts, brown sauce, a variety of seafood, and crushed peanuts. It was great. Cookie ordered the honey roasted duck, beautifully presented all sliced up on a plate of lettuce with broccoli florets around the plate. Although that's all I actually tasted, everything else I saw come out of the kitchen looked delicious. I have to go back and try Krabi Town Beach Fish, which is sole, stir fried with lemon grass, red onion, lemon juice, Kaffir lime leaves and cashew nuts. That sounds good to me.

I especially like the fact that you can order the food to suit your palate, from no spice to extra hot. If you lke curry, they offer red, green and yellow curry dishes. The Siam Beef Salad is another dish I will definitely want to try in the future. When we lived in LA there was a hole in the wall Thai restaurant a few blocks from our house where my son Phil and I used to go for lunch. It was the best beef salad I have ever had, and in fact I stopped ordering that dish years ago because nothing ever lived up to the beef salad at this little restaurant years ago. But I have a feeling, from the description of the salad, that this will be one I will like. So, as soon as I get the extra baggage I'm carrying from too much holiday eating off, I will be back to Thai One On.

Our Number One Export to China: Waste

As I was driving to the airport a few weeks ago after my visit to Colorado, my son Phil asked me if I knew what our largest export to China was. I couldn't possibly imagine, and after a few feeble guesses, he says "It's trash." Trash? I couldn't believe it, but as I thought more about it, it made perfect sense. We no longer produce many goods or services. Electronics, garments, autos and customer service are all made or performed somewhere else. We are the biggest consumers of all of these products, so what we are left with is a lot of trash.

Historians tell us that by the very end of the Roman Empire, goods were pouring into Rome from all over the known world, but about the only thing being sent out of Rome was human waste and garbage. We're not there yet, but we're well on our way. The number one thing that China buys from us is our garbage. China's number one export to us is computer equipments ($50 billion), while our number one export to them is waste paper and scrap metal (approximately $8billion).

The trade deficit with China has exploded over the past 10 years, in fact it has skyrocketed 300%. Wealth, factories and jobs are leaving the U.S. at an alarming pace. According to a disturbing new study by the Economic Policy Institute, if the trade deficit with China continues to increase at its current rate, the U.S. economy will lose over half a million jobs this year.

I know very little about economics, but was just shocked by the fact that we export $8billion worth of trash to China. We used to be a productive nation, everyone wanted our goods. Now, very little is made here, thus very little is exported. I don't know what the answer is, I don't even know the questions to ask. I do know that we better start manufacturing something or we're in jeopardy of losing our status as a superpower.

The Health Benefits of Acai Berries

Unless you've been under a rock for the past few years, you've seen acai berry juice in markets, acai berries served in restaurants, and many other food products containing this new superfood. So what are acai (pronounced ah SIGH e) berries and what are their health benefits?

The acai berry is an inch-long reddish, purple fruit. It comes from the local acai palm tree, which is native to Central and South America. It is a relative of the blueberry, cranberry and other dark purple fruits. Research on the acai berry has focused on its possible antioxidant activity. Theoretically, that activity may help prevernt diseases caused by oxidative stress such as heart disease and cancer.

Some studies show that acai fruit pulp has a very high antioxidant capacity with even more antioxidant content than cranberry, raspberry, blackberry or blueberry. Studies are ongoing, though, and the jury is still out. People eat the berries to address various health conditions. So far, acai berries have no known health benefit that's any different than that of other similar fruits.

You might see acai touted in some weight loss products. Few studies have tested the benefit of acai in promotion weight loss. For now, plenty of research supports eating a diet rich in antioxidants, and there's no doubt that the acai, along with most other berries are something to include as part of a healthy diet. Whether they do anything more than other berries is still debatable.

The farming of the acai berry has been a boon to Brazilian farmers. Many of the farms also process the fruit into pulp or liquid form and then export it to the US. This has created great opportunities for Brazilian businessmen and farmers. The planting of these palm trees along the river protects against harmful slash and burn farming. Now a large part of the rainforest is certified as meeting Forest Stewardship Council standars, a complex set of social and enviornmental and social conditions.

The acai berry is a great antioxident, may be helpful in weightloss, and is helping improve business for Brazilian farmers. That's three good reasons to at least give acai berries a try.

Fifty Seventh Visit to Taft

Friday started out as day full of excitement. Ron's high school friends, Philip and Ellen, were coming to visit, all the way from Phoenix. Philip and Ellen have visited twice before, a testament to what they think of Ron. Not many people will drive 500 miles to visit a friend.

I arrived early, just after 8am. I had heard it was snowing and I wanted to get to Taft before they closed the Grapevine. I got there so early that Ron was still in bed. He wasn't expecting me until 9am, but when he heard his name called to the visitors room, he was up and dressed in about 2 minutes.

Thursday morning, the day before he was scheduled to visit Ron, I got a call from Philip saying he had left his wallet in Phoenix and he did not have his drivers license. Did I think he could call Taft and tell them he was coming to visit without a license? I said, "Absolutely Not." No way would they let him in without a license. Just last week, a young woman who visits her boyfriend regularly came to Taft with a drivers license that had expired the day before. Although they knew her, she had to go to the DMV in Taft and get her license renewed. Three hours later, she finally returned to visit her boyfriend. So after that experience, I knew Philip was not getting in without a license. So he called his son in Phoenix, who Fed Exed his wallet to Kinkos in Los Angeles, where Philip was able to pick it up at 9am Friday morning. I thought surely we would have a great visit on Friday.

On Friday, about 11am I looked out the window to the area where visitors check in and I saw Philip and Ellen waiting to be checked in. Philip waved his license in the air showing us that he had picked up his wallet. The next thing I knew, Philip and Ellen were talking to guard in charge and he was escorted out the door, back to his car.

His visit was rejected. Why? He was speeding in the parking lot of the camp. There are lots of speed bumps and a speed limit of 20mph, but in his zeal to see Ron, he drove over the speed limit. There was no discussion, no warning, just rejection. We were both so upset by this, so I went out to talk to the guard. He explained the situation, saying the rules are the rules, and there are no exceptions. I felt especially badly for Philip and Ellen who had made the long trip for only this purpose. I guess it was never meant to be, from the time Philip left home without his wallet. I told them later when we talked, that the next time they would see Ron would be in San Diego, when he returns.

Overall it was a disappointing day, but it did give us time to talk, something we never tire of. He shared with me some Taft stories, not about himself, but about others, who have had a difficult time. Ron says it's all about attitude. The way to survive without problems is to keep a low profile and have a good attitude. No arguing, back talking or disagreeing with your superiors. Just blend in. This makes the prison experience easier and without incident. We're in the homestretch and Ron has had no incidents, so he just needs to hang in there with his great attitude a little while longer.

New CPR Guidelines Can Save More Lives

Revised CPR guidelines issued in October, 2010 intruct bystanders attempting to revive someone in a state of cardiac arrest to skip mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and go straight to performing rapid chest compressions after calling 9-1-1. Previously, guidelines had called for the A-B-C (airway, breathing, chest compression) approach-checking the airway and then performing the breathing technique. The revised guidleine highlights C-A-B (chest compression, airway, breathing). The exceptions involve children and victims whose breathing is obstructed, whether because of choking or following a drowning rescue: in such cases, the conventional approach still applies.

Why have they changed the guidelines? In part, the change reflects a concern that most victims of cardiac arrest fail to receive any CPR from bystanders in the critical minutes after their heart stops. Many people don't want to do mouth-to-mouth, so they do nothing. The new guidelines simplify the process and get straight to the compressions before valuable time is wasted.

The other reason for the change in guidelines is that studies have shown that so-called hands-only CPR increases the likelihood of survival in comparison to the A-B-C approach.

Only about 8% of those who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital survive with their brain function intact, notes Dr. Ghurabi from UCLA Medical Center. When proper techniques are performed the rate is substantilally higher. The battle is won and lost in the field, so immediate action is necessary. By shifting the focus to circulating blood as long as possible in that critical time, many lives will be saved. Let's hope none of us need CPR or have to administer it, but it's good to know if the need arises.

Fine Dining in Boulder

On my recent trip to Boulder, Colorado, Phil and I had lunch one day at a beautiful French restaurant, L'atelier. When we walked in wearing sweatshirts and jeans I told him I thought we were underdressed, as the restaurant had white tablecloths and napkins and fresh flowers on the table. He told me there is no dress code in Boulder, and as I looked around the restaurant we were definitely NOT underdressed. The restaurant is located on Pearl Street, a few blocks past the Pearl Street Mall. So what's a fancy restaurant like L'atelier doing in student oriented Boulder? Apparently there are enough people who enjoy fine dining to keep the restaurant in business.

The chef and owner is Czech born Radek Cerny, whose love of bluegrass music led him to Nashville, then found his way to Vail and finally Boulder. He has owned numerous restaurants in the Denver. L'atelier is considered one of the best restaurants in Boulder today.

The lunch menu is so reasonable you'll wonder why you'd eat anywhere else when you can get fantastic gourmet food at such a reasonable price. Our lunch was $25 before the tip. (we had no drinks). Phil had a perfectly prepared steak with a brown reduction on top, homemade french fries, and steamed spinach. At $15 it was a bargain. I had a salmon BLT on delicious thin, toasted bread with a wonderful mayonnaise sauce. It was served with a salad of fresh greens and veggies. My entree was $10. Other lunch items that looked delicious were a fettuccine dish with sauteed veggies on top. Salad entrees, like the salade nicoise were beautifully presented and very plentiful.

Prices for dinner are quite a bit more. Dinner for two runs around $60, depending on what you get. They have many typical French items, like escargot and coq au vin on the menu, but many creative contemporary items are also there. Everything is fresh and prepared to order. You won't be disappointed.

So next time you're in Boulder and you want to go fancy, I mean fancy food, try L'atelier. Be sure to make a reservation for dinner, as the restaurant only seats 50 people. A great meal in an elegant setting, but you can still dress any way you want. Now that's what I like.

It Was a Segway Kind of Day

February 7, 2011 was definitely a Segway kind of day. 10 of us drove down to the Gaslamp in San Diego for a Segway tour from Another Side of San Diego Tours. Fran had bought this special deal online a few weeks prior. $25 for a one hour guided tour of downtown San Diego, and worth every penny. Some of us had ridden Segways before, for others it was the first time. The training video, if it didn't scare you from ever trying a Segway, was very amusing and informative. By 3:30 we had completed training and practice, and were off. Our guides Steven and Mike were fantastic. Part tour guide, part protector, they were there to guide us safely through San Diego. A sunny, 72 degree day made it a perfect afternoon. We saw the still incomplete suspension bridge, the embarcadero, Martin Luther King, Jr. promenade, convention center, Petco Park, and lots of eateries. Steve and Mike were a wealth of information. What a sight! 10 women, age 55+, racing through the streets of San Diego on Segways. We had a ball.

The tour was over, the sun was setting, and it was time for a little refreshment. We headed over to Fleming's for their 5 for 6 till 7. We had drinks and a little nosh. Delicious calamari, ravioli, burgers, or shrimp. I had the 99 calorie martini, which although quite sweet, I really enjoyed.

This was a special day. What fun we all had doing something absolutely frivolous, absolutely unexpected. We looked like 10 little ducks crossing Market Street. When you get to a certain age, though, you stop caring so much about how you look and more about how you feel. I can tell you that on February 7, 2011, we all felt 16 again.

Agave: An Alternative to Sugar

Agave (ah GAV ay) was first discovered by the German botanist Franz Weber in 1902. He determined that the sap of the blue agave yields a great amount of distilled spirits and a great, largely unheralded sweetner. There are actually 208 species of agave, but only the blue agave produces a sap that can be used in distilling or sweetening. Yes, agave is used in the production of tequilla, but I'm going to tell you a little about its use as a sugar substitute.

Why would I be telling you about a sugar substitute that actually has more calories in it than sugar? Because sugar is BAD for you. There is nothing good about refined sugar, other than the taste. Sugar is only 16 calories per teaspoon, agave nectar is 20 calories. The difference is in the glycemic index, or GI. For diabetics and other diet conscious people who count carbs, the GI is very important. Often a food may have a higher calorie count, but when the GI is determined, it may be much better for you. Agave nectar is one such food.

Agave nectar is 100% natural, so those who don't want to consume refined foods or chemically treated food substitutes (like artificial sweetners) hav a go to product. Agave nectar is half the glycemic index of sugar, honey and maple syrup, and it's so much better for you. The GI of agave is 32. Honey has a GI of 58, due to its ration of glucose to fructose. Agave is about 90% fructose. Table sugar has a GI value of 60-65. A lower GI number is better for diabetics and those watching their carb intake. Agave is also 1.4-1.5 times sweeter than sugar, so you don't need as much.

Next time you're in a natural food store, look for agave nectar. It is only in liquid form, but is great as a sweetner for fruit shakes, coffee and tea, cereal, or just about anything that you would put maple syrup on. It can also be used in baking. Start the new year right by replacing refined sugar with the natural sweet tasting agave nectar wherever possible. All the little changes really do add up.

Fifty Sixth Visit to Taft

Before I visited Ron this week I talked with an old friend of his, a man who had been imprisoned in the 1990's. He told me a story about a study of recidivism that was done at his federal camp which got me interested in researching more about prison studies. Most prison studies focus on how to prevent recidivism. There are so many opinions on this, it's amazing. Some studies show that faith based programs in prison reduce recidivism. Other studies show that it does nothing. Some studies show that educational programs in prison reduce recidivism, others show that education does very little. Another popular program in prisons today is the drug program, but statistics do not show that they reduce recidivism either. So what's the answer? As usual, there's lots of questions but no answers.

My common sense tells me that treating inmates with respect and trying to improve their self esteem would be a good start, but unfortunately that is not the case. I have been talking to a rabbi whose life work is helping Jewish inmates (and Jews in the military) stay connected with their Jewish roots, their families, and to fight off anti-semitism. So many men lose their way while in prison, succumbing to gangs for protection. They leave prison unprepared for the world that awaits them, thus end up back in jail in a short time. The enormous cost of incarceration means that our society must look at other answers for those that break the law. Let's see what those in charge come up with.

One thing that does seem to decrease recividism is an inmate knowing his release date. A study shows that the chance for reoffending is greater in those who are uncertain the amount of time they will spend in prison. Those that knew specifically how long they would be incarcerated did better in prison and after release. The study does not tell why this is so.

I reconfirmed this with Ron today. Those men that know when they are going to be released have a much easier time. Their days are spent planning the future and figuring out how to make a new life for themselves. Those that don't have a release day are anxious, working with lawyers on how to get a definite date, in short they are uncertain of their future. Although Ron still doesn't have an exact date, he has a worst case scenario date. He knows his exact date will probably be earlier. Thus, he's busy making plans for his release. Today he made a list of the foods he has missed and wants to eat right away.

The list included steak (barbequed at home), rare hamburger, barbequed beef ribs and french fries. He says the list is beef oriented because he hasn't had beef in such a long time. I'm cranking up the barbeque and getting ready to cook a beautiful rare ribeye, french fries and a wedge salad with blue cheese dressing. That will be a nice homecoming dinner.

You've Got Egg On Your Face!

I recently started watching Dr. Oz when I've got nothing better to do. He has lots of good medical, health and beauty tips. The last time I watched him he was giving the audience inexpensive beauty tips. For example, instead of buying expensive masks to exfoliate your face, he recommended a product by St. Ives that is less than $5. I haven't tried it, but I did try the following inexpensive concoction for a cleaner, smoother face.

The recommedation was to make a home made brew of egg whites and carrot juice. His recipe was 3 egg whites + 3 Tablespoons of carrot juice. That sounded like alot to me, so I used just 1 egg white and 1 Tablespoon of carrot juice. First, beat the eggwhite with a fork until a little frothy. Then, add the carrot juice and mix. Apply the mixture to your clean face with a cotton ball, covering the entire face including eyes and chin. Don't worry about getting it in your eyes. It can't hurt you. Then, wait about 30 minutes for the magic to happen. The mixture will dry on your face and you will feel it tighten like a mask. Amazing! Then, after 30 minutes, brush off the mask as much as possible. I used a tissue and lightly rubbed to exfoliate. Finally, wash off the rest of the mask with warm soap and water. I did this, not really expecting much to happen, but was delighted with the results. My face felt clean and tight. No, the wrinkles aren't gone, but I did think my face looked fresh and rested.

When I told my mother what I had done, she said, "You've got a souffle on your face!" I used the carrot juice you buy at the market (be sure to get plain carrot juice, not the carrot-orange mixture). If you have a juicer, you can just juice a few carrots.

This was a fun, inexpensive way to get a clean glow to my face. Try it and see what you think.

What is Tule Fog

About a month ago I was having dinner with Fran and Jim, when Jim asked me if I had experienced tule fog on my way to Taft yet. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I came home and looked it up. Tule fog (pronounced too-lee) is a very thick fog that collects in parts of California during the rainy season of the late fall and winter. It is a type of radiation fog, caused by the combination of increased humidity due to the rain and rapid cooling due to the longer nights. Tule fog makes for very low visibility and is the cause of many accidents every year.

Tule fog gathers in the Central Valley, from Bakersfield in the south to Chico in the north. Tule fog is created because warm air rises. Visibility in tule fog ranges from a high of 600 feet to under a foot.

Ron called me this afternoon and told me he finally found out what tule fog was. He said it was so foggy at Taft that they closed the exercise yard. That means the visibility was so poor they couldn't even walk the track without bumping into each other. I've been traveling to Taft every week for a year now, and have not yet experienced tule fog. I have a feeling this year will be different. Every week around Tuesday I start to think about what the weather will be like on Friday when I drive the Grapevine. In the past I've just had snow, ice and wind to worry about. Now I can add fog to the list.

Now that I think of it I remember 1963 when I went to Berkeley. I was driving back to school after Christmas break with a friend , the fog on the grapevine was so thick that we got behind a big truck with lots of lights and just followed him. We couldn't see anything. In retrospect it was terribly dangerous, and knowing what I know now, we should have pulled off and waited for the fog to clear.

I'm just hoping to get through the next few months without tule fog inhibiting my visits to Taft. The drive is bad enough without having to worry about mother nature.

Correction on yesterday's blog. Relate, the pop up restaurant in Encinitas, will only be there until February 24, 2011. Also the wine pairings are $20 or $25, depending on what you order. Sorry for the misinformation.

Il Moro...As Good As Ever

When we lived in Los Angeles a favorite Italian restaurant of ours was Il Moro. It's on the ground floor of a high rise office building in West Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Bloulevard. It's right off the 405 freeway, so it's conveniently located. Christmas night is a difficult time to find any good restaurants open. It's mostly deli's and Chinese restaurants. Mom and I wanted something a little bit more, but not the traditional Christmas dinner. Would you believe I found a web site that listed many of the restaurants in LA that were open on Christmas? So we decided to go to Il Moro. I hadn't been there in several years and I was anxious to see if it had changed.

It had. First, a bar was added to the front of the restaurant where a deli case used to be. It wasn't busy on Christmas night, but I can imagine that during the week workers from the building come by for a drink and appetizer after work. It's a nice looking restaurant, with a private room in the back and big, beautiful patio for al fresco dining when weather permits.

The menu has changed drastically since I was last there. A few standards remain but the menu is far more interesting, innovative and appealing. I started with an old favorite of mine which is hard to find anywhere. It's a raw artichoke salad, with lettuce and parmesean cheese, dressed in a lemony vinegrette. It's one of my all time favorite salads. My mom started with a tuna tartare topped with a layer of avocado mousse. It was delicious too. Other starters included several seasonal soups, grilled vegetables, calamari, and Italian white sardines, baked tomato and mozzarella cubes with toasted bread.. My entree was a saffron risotto topped with fresh tuna tartare. I absolutely loved it. My mom had something unique that I would recommend to anyone who dines there. It was a little cheese souffle, creamy and rich, with culatell "king of prosciuto" on the side. I highly recommend this dish. Lots of pizzas, thin crusts, pastas are all home made, and meats and fish.

Prices are reasonable, most starters being around $10, most entrees around $21. (pasta dishes and pizzas are less). This is another great choice for those of you go make the journey to LA frequently, as I do. It's a nice place to stop for dinner before tackling the 405. This is NOT your standard old fashioned Italian restaurant. There is no eggplant parmesean or veal scaloppine on the menu. This is for those that want new, modern Northern Italian cuisine. I sure enjoyed it and I think you will too.

Pop Up Dining Comes to Encinitas

The two hottest trends in dining are food trucks and pop up dining. I've written about food trucks and how they are sweeping the nation. I was in Venice, California on a recent Friday night and there were no less than 30 trucks on Abbott Kinney to choose from. It's a real happening.

Pop up dining, so they say, started in Los Angeles several years ago with chef Ludo Lefebvre. He opened in a dinghy little restaurant that was not usually used for fine dining. He would open for six weeks, then close and pop up somewhere else. The concept has caught on around the country, particularly San Francisco and Boston, and now we have our very own pop up restaurant in Encinitas.

Thanks to Marie, who asked me several weeks if I had heard of Relate, the pop up restaurant in Encinatas, and getting me interested in researching the concept, and to Marcia, who ate there last week and told me all about it. It is Marcia's experience that I will tell you about.

Relate will be open for about a month, until early March. The chef is Dan Moody, a Del Mar chef, who recently worked as a sous chef with Ludo Lefebvre, who started it all. Relate is open at St. Germain Bistro on Coast Highway. The dinner is a fixe-prix meal at $55, plus $15 for wine pairings, if desired. The menu changes nightly. It is composed of six tiny entrees, some just a few bites. Marcia's meal began with French Onion soup in a "one bite" croquette, which she loved. The next course was a baby beet salad with golden beet vinegrette, again small but excellent.
Next she was served a butter poached lobster, warm egg and caviar salad, fennel jam, and onion froth on top. Beautiful presentation, but not exceptional. Next came a rabbit cassoulet, which she didn't care for, followed by a spiced beef over spinach avocado puree, which was only fair. Dessert was a s'more with home made graham crackers, agave marshmallows,chipotle ganache and tequilla creme Anglaise. Absolute heaven.

It sounds to me like a mini French Laundry (Napa Valley) at about 1/3 the cost. I think it's an experience every foodie wants to try at least once. If you try Relate, which you must book through Open Table, go for the early seating. Marcia had a 7pm reservation and waited until 8pm to be seated. Look for more pop up restaurants in the future. I see lots of reasons they should be popping up.

For a chef to open his own restaurant, he must be very wealthy or have lots of big investors. Here's a way for a chef to show off his skills and not have to make the big investment. Many restaurants are not open for dinner, like St. Germain Bistro, and are perfect venues for pop up restaurants. It's also an opportunity for we consumers to get to know some young new chefs. Pop ups seem like a great idea.

Thanks Marie and Marcia for introducing me to the concept. I have no plans to eat at Relate, as it will only be here a few weeks, but I will look for future pop ups and give one a try. If you go to Relate, please let me know how you liked it.

Fifty Fifth Visit to Taft

Before I came to visit Ron this week I was thinking about the friendships he has made at Taft. His best buddies are just the kind of men he knew and befriended on the outside. An accountant, a lawyer, a CEO of a public company, a businessman and a doctor. While they are at Taft they are very close, like family. They support each other through crisis, cry with each other when someone has a relative that dies, and even pray together. They promise each other that they will stay in touch after they are released (there are rules about this, but assuming they can see each other)and then they leave, one by one. At first the released inmate stays in touch by calling me, to see how I'm doing, how is Ron doing, how is such and such doing. Then, as the weeks turn into months, the calls are further apart, until they are no more. This is just what happens. Men that were as close as two men can be are no longer in touch. Once men are back in society they lose touch with where they were. Many of them want to forget. It's not that the men they were once so dependent on are no longer important, it's just that they have moved on. They're out, living normal lives, and the others are still in. I wonder how many of Ron's Taft friends will be in his life in three years. My guess is 3-4. They all have great plans for life after Taft, but it just doesn't always work out the way they plan. As the saying goes, life gets in the way.

During visitation on Friday we were talking about this subject and Ron said I had it exactly right. Everyone says they're going to stay in touch, then they go home and get busy with their lives, and try to forget about Taft. One man Ron met early on at Taft, made promises to some men that he would write and keep in touch. Ron had a feeling he didn't mean it, and when asked, the man said he had no intention of ever seeing or talking to anyone from Taft again. He just said what he said to be nice.

About six months ago a close friend of Ron's went home. He was going to stay in contact. He did call about a month after he left to see how everything was, but since then the phone calls have stopped and my e-mails are unanswered.

Friendships, like everything else at Taft, are temporary. For the most part men are friends out of necessity. Luckily for Ron he has met a small group of men that he has a lot in common with and will probably have future contact with. Of course that all depends on what probation allows. Felons are not always allowed to socialize after release. Ron has always had a lot of men friends, so whether he's at Taft or home in Carlsbad, he'll have plenty people to be with.

Eton Mess is Delicious

I don't know where the name of this dessert comes from, but you can just call it delicious. On Christmas Eve I overnighted in Bakersfield with Linda and Rod. Linda made a spectacular meal. Roast pork with gravy, fruit compote, mashed potatoes, seasonal roasted root vegetables and salad. Linda couldn't decide what to make for dessert, so she made 2 desserts. Eton Mess was my favorite. It's so simple yet elegant. Linda made her own homemade meringues, but for those of us who don't have that kind of time, just buy them at a local bakery. Your guests will rave about this dessert, and you will make it again and again because it's so easy. (I guess if you're really in a bind you could substitute Cool Whip for the whipping cream. It won't be quite as good)

Eton Mess From Ina Garten


"Eton Mess incorporates several of my favorite things all smooshed together. If you make it with raspberries and serve it in beautiful glasses, it's also very elegant. I cook the raspberries in advance and then assemble the glasses before the party."



Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) packages fresh raspberries

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon framboise liqueur

1 2/3 cups cold heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 (3-inch) bakery meringue shells, broken in pieces



Directions

1. Pour two packages of the raspberries, 1 cup of sugar, and the lemon juice into a 10-inch sauté pan. Crush the berries lightly with a fork and bring the mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy. Fold the remaining two packages of raspberries and the framboise into the hot mixture and refrigerate until very cold.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, and the vanilla together on medium-high speed until it forms firm peaks.

2. In decorative glasses, layer a spoonful of the whipped cream, a spoonful of the raspberry mixture, and then a few meringue pieces.

3. Repeat once or twice, depending on the size of the glasses, until the glasses are full, ending with berries and a dollop of cream.

What Are Dandelion Greens?

One of my favorite stands at the farmers' markets is the one that sells all the little toppings I put on my salads. Alfafa sprouts, corn sprouts, broccoli sprouts, raddish sprouts, watercress, bean sprouts, pumpkin sprouts, mung bean sprouts, wheat sprouts and sunflower sprouts are all there. It's wonderful how raddish sprouts can spice up a salad, or wheat sprouts, cooked, can replace a wheat grain. I am always on the lookout for something new. My latest find is dandelion greens. They're not just a yellow flower that you thought was a weed. They're edible, stems, flower and roots. Here's a little more about dandelion greens and their possible uses.

Dandelion greens are the leaves of the common dandelion plant, which many people think of as a weed. In fact, dandelions are edible and highly nutritious, in addition to be ubiquitous. The leaves are the most frequently eaten section of the plant, and they are edible in both raw and cooked form. The flowers and roots may also be eaten, however, typically cooked to mitigate their more bitter flavor.

Dandelion greens can often be purchased in health food stores or farmers' markets, but they can be more readily harvested wild. In addition to being cheaper, wild harvesting is a great way to learn more about nature and the edible plants in your neighborhood.

The uses of dandelion greens as a food dates back for centuries. First in France, they finally made their way to America. As a general rule, dandelion greens are best when they have just emerged. The longer they are allowed to mature, the more bitter they become. When used raw, dandelion greens may be lightly steamed or sauteed with other vegetables. Light cooking is generally the way to go with dandelion greens.

The flowers can be fried, steamed or used to brew wines. Some people particularly enjoy the flowers pickled as a condiment. The edible roots can be roasted, boiled and stir fried, and they go well with naturally sweet root vegetables like carrots and yams.

People who are hesitant about foraging can harvest dandelion greens in confidence, since the plants are very distinctive and easy to identify. Dandelion greens are rich in iron, calcium and vitamins B,C, and E. This little known vegetable can be easily incorporated into your diet, so next time you're at the farmers' market, get a bag and experiment.

What Are The Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water?

While visiting Linda and Rod in Bakersfield a few weeks ago, I was introduced to the benefits of drinking warm water with lemon upon rising. There it was, 6:30am on Christmas morning, and Linda came into my bedroom with a glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon. Pucker up, is all I can say. She used an entire lemon plus pulp, and was it ever tart. So what are the benefits of drinking lemon water each morning?

Apart from being an amazing body alkalizer, lemon water also gives the following benefits:
lemons are antiseptic
lemon water has excellent digestive properties and can ease heartburn, bloating and other digestive problems
lemon water cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys
lemon juice contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
lemon juice has been known to rlieve asthma
lemon water (hot) offers relief from cold and flu symptoms, while providing vitamin C
Lemon juice is a great skin cleanser.

Those are alot of great reasons to drink warm lemon water every morning. I'm going to add it to my daily routine for the next month and see if I feel or look any different.

One word of advice. It is best to brush your teeth after drinking the lemon water. Toothpaste is highly alkaline so neutralises any acids in your mouth. Some people are concerned about tooth enamel and lemon water, but if you follow the above advice you should not have a problem.

It'll take some getting used to the very tart taste of lemon in the morning, but I believe it may have some positive benefits, as noted above. Like anything else new, it'll take some getting used to.

The Nook-Hard to Find, Hard to Forget

I recently had the priviledge of dining at The Nook, a hard to find restaurant in Santa Monica, but also hard to forget after you've eaten there. It is tucked away in a strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd near Barrington Avenue in Santa Monica. Decor wise, it is minimal. Concrete floors, nothing on the walls, and simple furniture and lighting. Still, it's a friendly place with a family style table in the center of the room. A single can go in and sit at the table with other singles or with small parties that enjoy talking and dining with new people.

I went there with my mom and her friend Heinz, and we had a nice booth on the side. We ordered the Nook Burger, topped with gruyere cheese, red wine onion jam and baby arugula on grilled rustic bread. The plate was loaded with delicious fries (or greens if you want), and at $12 it's a real bargain. Heinz ordered the spicy Gulf shrimp and grits. It was wonderful. My mom ordered the slow roasted steelhead salmon with sweet potato puree, winter greens, persimmon and balsamic soy reduction. She rated it the best salmon she's ever had. That's saying alot. She's eaten a lot of salmon in her life. Other entrees include a flat iron steak with fries, braised pot roast with red onions, bacon sweet pea pesto and potato puree, and herb roasted pork chops. Main courses are generally $18-$21. I did not eat dessert, but word has it that the chocolate banana bread pudding is to die for. Also on the menu is key lime pie and chocolate pot de creme.

One of the best features of the restaurant is that on Monday and Tuesday you can bring your own wine and are NOT charged a corkage fee. That's a great deal, as many restaurants are now charging up to $15 per bottle for corkage.

Check their website at www.nookbistro.com, and next time you're in Santa Monica, give them a try. Be sure to make a reservation, as the restaurant is quite small and very popular. The Nook is also open for lunch, and you can check their lunch menu on the website. I will definitely go back, but beware. The chef likes his menu just the way it is and isn't willing to substitute on many of his dishes. I guess that's his perogative. It's his restaurant.