Another Great Idea

My first day of boogie boarding at Moonlight Beach this summer was exhillarating. I caught wave after wave, and after about an hour, dragged myself from the water, tired and hungry. Luckily Fran mentioned that she had a coupon for $10 at Bull Taco. There were 5 of us that decided to go there for lunch. Bull Taco is in the Cardiff Campgrounds and in my opinion, a real find. With the coupon, lunch came to $5 per person, and we had plenty of food. As we sat outside overlooking the beautiful blue Pacific, watching surfers and boogie boarders alike, I commented that we could be on the Italian Riviera. It was that breathtaking.

As we were sitting there enjoying the view and the company, Sue looked around and said, "Wouldn't it be fun to rent a camper, go to a campground with a bunch of women, and have a girls overnight?" Initially it sounded like a great idea. The only problem is that I, and several others, don't like to camp. Staying in a big Winnebago isn't exactly camping, but it's not something I would enjoy. Yes, sitting around at night and singing songs, telling stories and roasting marshmallows did sound like fun, but I told everyone to keep thinking, maybe we could come up with an alternate plan. We talked about renting a condo in Southern California and having a 2 night adventure with the ladies, but we kept thinking. Then Sue mentioned that she has a condo in Vermont that sleeps 8. Now that sounded like fun. She talked about all the fun things we could do in the area like shop, enjoy the scenery and eat. Or, she says, we could fly to New York, spend a day in the city, then drive to Vermont. I don't know if the trip will ever get off the ground, but it sure was fun talking about it. As the conversation evolved from a night at the campground to a fall trip to Vermont, I thought about how good ideas come to be.

Brainstorming, either in business or in one's personal life, is one of the best ways to get ideas out on the table. One idea leads to another, and in no time we had come up with a really great trip. As I said before, who knows if we'll ever get the trip together, but brainstorming over a delicious Mexican meal was a great way to spend a summer afternoon. It would be great if the trip takes place, but even if it doesn't, we sure had fun planning an adventure that went from the campgrounds of Cardiff in a Winnebago, to a luxury condo in Vermont.

More Happy Hour News

I've been neglecting happy hour now for quite a while, but I recently went to a couple of places I thought I would pass on to you. Everyone seems to have a happy hour, or some form of reduced prices at off hours, so here are a few places you might like to check out.

Starbucks. Yes, Starbucks has a happy hour from 3-5pm everyday. At that time you can get a Frappuccino for 1/2 price. As if Starbucks wasn't busy enough without happy hour, now they're really humming during these off hours. I was recently at a newly remodeled Starbucks in Westwood (right near UCLA campus) at 4pm, and waited in line for 15 minutes. I couldn't believe it.

Pacific Coast Grill on Coast Highway in Solana Beach has had a happy hour for years, even before they became the rage. It takes place everyday between 4-7pm, and you must eat in the bar area or the outside patio. They have about 10 wonderful items, really small meals, for about $6.95. A burger and fries is one of my favorites.

In La Jolla, an old favorite restaurant of mine is The Spot, right on Prospect Ave, in the heart of the village. (it's just across from La Valencia Hotel). From 3-6pm they offer 1/2 off appetizers, $4 well drinks and drafts. The food is good and plentiful here.

In Encinitas, I love D Stree Bar. Monday must be their slow day, because they offer 1/2 off entrees on Monday only. Other days they offer $2 off appetizers. Check the website to see exactly what they offer. Oh, and on Tuesdays, they have "taco Tuesdays."

If you feel like a fancy dinner out but don't want to spend a fortune, try the happy hour at Mr. A's. From 2:30-6:00pm you can order from an extensive list of $7 happy hour items. Kobe beef sliders, truffle fries, swordfish steak sliders, and frito misto basket are among the offerings. Get 2 appetizers, a glass of wine, and for around $20 you have a wonderful (although rather early) fancy dinner.

Finally, I recently enjoyed a wonderful happy hour with a group of friends at Firefly in Encinitas. They have a varied array of items, all half off, including a huge wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese dressing, swordfish sliders with seaweed salad, flatbread with various toppings, mussels and clams in broth, and mushrooms stuffed with fennel and sausage. $5 martinis and wines for around $4. The food was delicious. Again, check the website to everything they have.

So these are a few of my latest finds. There's lots more out there, and I will be checking out as many local places as I can. Try some of these if they find interesting, and stay tuned for more.

Can A Simple Blood Test Determine How Long You Will Live?

I recently heard about a new blood test that may determine how long you will live. It will go on sale to the British public later this year. It measures the length of a person's telomeres, which are pieces of DNA at the end of chromosomes. As cells divide, the telomeres get shorter and shorter. By measuring telomeres, some scientists believe they can determine your biological age, which is not always equal to your chronological age.

Some of us may be younger than we appear, others older. The new test will tell you within a decade what your biological age is. The $700 test is only an indicator of biological age, and cannot definitively predict one's life span. There are so many other factors that determine your true biological age, like heredity, exercise, diet and stress.

Research on telomers (which I had never heard of until recently) is an expanding and important scientific area, as evidenced by the 2009 Nobel Prize awarded to three American geneticists who studied these small DNA segments.

As with everything in science, there is debate over the usefulness of the test. While proponents of the test say it can provide people with valuable information that can encourage them to adopt healthier lifestyles, others say it is little more than a waste of money.

I don't believe I would pay $700 for this test. I believe I'm already doing the best I can to live a healthy lifestyle, so what good is the test? It seems to me there are just too many other factors relevant to computing one's true biological age. I'm sure the test will be available in the US shortly, but at such a high cost, I doubt people will be taking it. And I doubt if insurance companies are going to contribute much, if anything, to those who want the test. For now I'll just do what I do and keep a youthful outlook on life. Isn't that what's it's really all about anyway?

Seventy Sixth Visit to Taft

It's time for mattress inspection. The latest edict from those in charge at Taft is that everyone of the 550 men must bring their mattress to the laundry room for inspection. Apparently, the four inch thick mattress they are issued is not comfortable for most, so many men try to alter the mattress. Some open the mattress and put towels in to make it more comfortable, then sew itback up. Taft management wants to make sure that no one has done this, so all mattresses must be inspected. Just picture 500+ men walking from their bunk to the laundry room with a mattress on their back. Pretty funny to think about. So far few have complied, but they have been given until July 1 to complete the mattress inspection. Something to keep the men busy on a hot summer day.

Our visit was great last Friday. Ron was in good spirits. He was Sandy Koufax for the day, number 32. Four more weeks is just around the corner. I never thought I'd get to the point where I'd be counting the weeks on one hand. I'm there now.

We talked a little this week about the prison experience, and the fact that some things were harder than Ron had expected, other things were easier. What was harder was the lack of mental stimulation and the endless boredom. From what he had been told he was expecting art and woodworking classes, toastmasters, and many other activities to keep him busy. This did not materialize. Except for a few weeks of Toastmasters and his horticultural classes, there was little to keep his mind occupied. What was easier was adjustment to prison life. Ron had been told there was little to fear at Taft, and this turned out to be true, which made everyday living so much easier.

One of the things Ron is grateful for is that he had the opportunity to live with his bunkie, Iffy, originally from Pakistan and a devout Muslim. Ron has always been a very open minded man, but having the chance to live with someone from a different country and culture was invaluable. Ron learned so much through this experience.

Ron talked with excitement about coming home. He plans to tell stories about the last 18 months over time, not try to share everything at once. He says he doesn't think he'll ever be able to truly express how he feels, but through the stories I hope I will get a good sense of it. With his passion and humor, he'll make it all come to life, and we'll try to write some of the stories and share them with you.

Perilous Journeys

We sometimes forget the great resources we have right in our own backyard. I live in Carlsbad, and the local library has a wonderful program of speakers. On a recent Saturday afternoon Marlene and I went to hear Karin Muller, a photojournalist, author and adventurer, talk about her travels.

Karin has experienced travels that I have only dreamed of. Starting with a stint in the Philippines for the Peace Corps, she has been all over the world, often to danger zones such as Chad, Sudan and Cuba. She as done specials for PBS and National Geographic. The experience that she talks about most fondly is her 1 year journey to Japan, completely alone. Prior to her going to Japan she studied martial arts, and planned to continue her studies in Japan. In addition, she wanted to learn all there was about sumo wrestlers. Karin has a firm belief that you must learn the culture of the people you are visiting, not look at a foreign culture from an American point of view and make judgements about them. She also feels strongly that you must learn the language. She often said during her talk that you must embed and shed. In other words, you must become embedded in the culture, then shed the preexisting notions you might have had about the people. Karin is one who jumps right in and becomes as much like a local as possible. She met strangers whose homes she stayed in, tried bullfighting at an impromptu bullfight in South America, and used her language skills to get her out of some pretty sticky situations in Cuba and Sudan.

The audience was mostly senior citizens, and I wondered why most of them were there. Surely they weren't planning on doing a trip like any of the ones she has done. Perhaps they were like me. Lovers of travel who will never do what she did, but might have when they were younger, if they'd had the opportunity. I don't think I ever would have gone away alone for a year or traveled to Chad or Sudan and visited refugee villages on my own. The closest trip I have taken to anything Karin talked about was a 10 day trip to Cuba in 2000 with my friend Elaine. We got a missionary visa, brought clothes from America to Havana and gave them to local churches. We had a wonderful time, met the locals, visited locals in their homes and really got a know the people in a different way than you would on a tour. Karin likes danger, and likes living on the edge. I am not a big risk taker, so I never would have done the things she's done. My fantasy trip is to spend a month in the south of France and northern Italy. I'd like to take a car, stop in a small village when I found a place I liked, stay for a few days, and then move on. I don't know if Ron would like this or not. He's a planner and likes to know where he's going, so this trip may never materialize. However, it sure is fun to hear about others adventures and plan your own.

A New Spin On Spinning

Recently I have had to change some of my physical activities to see if reducing the weight bearing exercises will reduce the pain in my left knee. I was told by one doctor that I need another scope of my left knee, but my second opinion was not convinced that I would be any better, and encouraged me to change my activities and see if this helped. No more walking, Zumba or any dance classes or any exercise that included impact on my leg. What a challenge. I turned my attention to yoga, swimming and spinning.

Spinning, for those of you who are not gym rats, is cycling on a stationary bicycle. The twist is you do it in a class, with about 30 other sweaty bodies, to music. With the help of an instuctor you work much harder and longer than you would on your own. The result is a great workout. Today I had more fun spinning than I ever have before.

Saturday morning at Y was my 4th spinning class since I started on the new exercise program. The instructor was Tom. I was a little surprised that right before the class he was drawing a map on the chalkboard at the front of the room. The reason? Every one of his classes is also a geography class. Today the 55 minute spinning class included a fantastic workout that took us through the rolling hills, forests, and prairies of Minnesota, but also taught me everything I ever wanted to know about Minnesota, and then some. I turned to the woman on the bike next to me after about 15 minutes and asked her if he did this every week. She said yes, that he was now doing the 48 states, and that then he would be teaching us about another continent. The time flew by and I worked harder than I thought possible. I learned so much about Minnesota, too. Did you know that they're the healthiest state in the country, less illness than any other state? They produce more sugar beets and iron ore than any other state. They are surrounded by 7 other states (actually 6 states and Canada), they have more bike paths than any other state, and the greatest range in temperature of any state. There are only about 5.5 million Minnesotans, but they are first in a lot of things. The most common ancestry of those from Minnesota is Norway, then Germany. Boy, I learned a lot.

I don't know what Tom does for his day job, but he should be a geography teacher. I can't wait until next Saturday. Another great workout and another geography lesson. Definitely a new spin on spinning.

Summer Evenings At The Bowl

If you live anywhere near the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, an evening at The Bowl is a must. When I lived in LA we always got tickets for a wonderful evening under the stars. Usually we got a box for 4 or 6 people, and each couple would bring part of the picnic dinner. Over the years the meals got fancier and fancier, always including wine, but sometimes we had tablecloths and candles. It's a real happening. You see everyone and anyone during the hour before the musical performance Over the years many restaurants and deli's started putting fancy picnic baskets together for those patrons that don't like to cook. They're expensive, and if you like to cook, you can put together a beautiful picnic basket with just a bit of work. Last summer a new website was introduced called www.hollywoodbowlpicnic.com. Each week of the summer season a different celebrity chef puts together a Hollywood Bowl picnic basket. Some of the items are easy, others are very complicated and far too much fuss, but if you like food, you'll certainly enjoy reading the recipes even if you don't make anything.

Of course you don't have to go to the Hollywood Bowl to enjoy this website. This week the celebrity chef was Rick Bayliss. You could make some of these recipes for a night out at the Summer Pops in San Diego or any of several other evening concerts our community offers. Every town seems to have an outdoor summer music program. Get a few people together, makae a gourmet picnic using some of the celebrity chef recipes, and your group will be really impressed. What I did was make a folder on my desktop called "hollywood bowl picnic". Then each week when my e-mail gives me the new menus, I just pop them into the folder and look at them later when I have time. If you go to the site you can sign up for weekly e-mails of all the recipes. You can also get all the recipes from last year. For those of you who like to cook, this website is a must.

Another website that I love is www.blueribbonpizzeria.com. This is the pizzeria in the Lumberyard in Encinitas that makes fantastic pizza, and fantastic everything. What I like about their website is the recipes. Right now they have the pizza dough recipe, a butterscotch pudding recipe and mac and cheese. Yum.

Summer is all about outdoors, and what better way to enjoy a meal than an outdoor picnic? I've got my barbeque cranked up and ready to go. Even if it's just a picnic in your own backyard, check out what some of these famous chefs are serving and it might inspire you.

The Perils of Botox

I recently caught a segment of Dr. Oz that shocked me. It concerned the use of fake Botox that has caused illness and even death. Dr. Oz had a panel of doctors and patients talking about the subject, and what I heard convinced me that Botox is NOT something I want to try.

Botox was approved for cosmetic purposes many years ago, and millions of men and women have used it successfully. However, as it's popularity has increased, more doctors, other health professionals and spas have tried to get into this lucrative business. Even more frightening is the fake Botox that is being sold unbeknownst to some consumers, at great risk. The slightest amount of Botox, over the prescribed amount can be lethal, so it is imperative that the person doing the injection know what they are doing.

There is a medical oversight board that was created several years ago to oversee the industry. There has been a 20% increase in the use of fake Botox. That doesn't meant that 20% of the Botox is fake. It means more than 20% is fake. The real stuff has a hologram on the bottle, and anyone being injected should check the bottle and be sure that they are receiving the real stuff.

Who should be injecting you? According to the Dr. Oz Show, dermatologists, opthalomogists and plastic surgeons have the most experience and training in how to inject Botox. But you will find other doctors, like family practice doctors, dentists, and many others offering Botox service. Why? Money! All a health care professional needs to do is take a one day ON LINE course to become certified to inject Botox. Would you want a podiatrist doing open heart surgery on you? Today any medical professional can take the one day on line course and become certified. As a consumer, you should always ask about the experience level of the person injecting Botox.

Finally, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If Botox injections are typically $1,000 and you find someone who will do it for $399, you are probably not getting the real thing. Beware.

Several years ago a friend of mine wanted to get a group of friends together and have a Botox party. That's not for me, and I'm happy I said no to that. Procedures such as Botox should be done in a doctor's office by trained professionals. I don't care how vain we are, it's not worth your health, or possibly your life, to have such procedures done by anyone other than very best. I'm much too chicken to do anything like Botox, chemical peels or facelifts. I've earned every line on my face, and I'll stick with the hand I've been dealt.

Seventy Fifth Visit to Taft

Our Friday visit was special, as always. I found Ron to be tired of it all, and having a hard time getting through the last few weeks. I think, however, he has started a new tradition at Taft anyway. When he got down to 50 days left, he started thinking of his favorite baseball, basketball or football players who wore the number corresponding to the number of days left. It's fun for him to think of his favorite players who wore number 38,for example, and then be that person for the day when he calls me. I always look forward to seeing who's next. I can't wait until I hear him say Babe Ruth, Lou Gerig or Warren Moon.

He looks good. I look at him though, and think he has a lot to tell me. He does, but he won't start talking until he gets home, and even then, I think I'll get the story in bits and pieces. What he says is that there are no words to really make one understand the experience he's been through. He will tell all he wants to tell, in his own time.

I decided to do the math again and figure out what the true cost of incarceration has been. This is just an estimate. I included the cost of gas, the purchase of food from the vending machines at Taft, Ron's loss of Social Security and the additional payment of Medicare which I had to pay quarterly. I did not include Ron's loss of wages, which is undertermined. Total cost of his incarceration has been $36,500+. As I said, this does not include lost wages. This has forced me to budget and save in ways I didn't think I could. It's amazing what you can do if you have to. Hopefully by the end of the year our life will be back on an even keel and the worries of the past few years will be behind us. Ron is excited to get back to work.

I told Ron that I am trying to keep very busy these next few weeks, as I'm finding it harder and harder to sleep at night. I wake up at 2am, thinking. Counting is what I seem to do most. How many more Fridays, how many more times will I have to pay the monthly bills, how many more Thursday night dinners with my mom, always counting, counting. I hate it. I don't seem to be thinking about us as a couple, but more about Ron being home. One thing that I missed desperately when he was first gone was the knowledge that he was in the other room, even if we weren't together. Of course the fact that I lost Barney, my beloved dog, at the same time, did not help matters. But over time, and I'd say after about 6 months, I became accustomed to being alone, and can honestly say that I enjoy the peace and quiet of my home. I rarely turn on the radio or TV. I have learned to enjoy myself more than I ever thought I could.

Ron spends alot of time on his bunk. It's pretty hot at Taft right now, and the hours of outside exercise are limited. The management is afraid of people getting Valley Fever, an illness that is common in the central valley and one that they do everything to avoid. So after his horticulture class and garden work, Ron will lie in his bunk, listen to his radio (he loves Dr. Drew) and think about our future. That's ok. Whatever it takes to get through this is all right with me. We both are handling these last few weeks differently. Very soon I will get a call from Warren Moon (number 1) and know that we'll be dining at Denny's together, the next day.

Thinking Back

Last Saturday the Belmont Stakes was run, racing's third leg of the triple crown. In the not too distant past I would have been glued to my TV set to watch the race, would have known many of the owners, trainers and riders in the race, and more than likely would have actually been at the race. This Saturday, however, I barely knew the race was on, and it was only by accident that I turned on the TV about 5 minutes before post. I didn't know a single horse in the race. That's a far cry from 10 years ago when I could talk horses and handicapping with the best of them.

I watched the race, and as the winner came across the wire, the announcer said the rider was Jose Valdivia, Jr. I was shocked and surprised. Jose was our number one jockey for many of the years we were in racing. He rode dozens of winners for us over the years, including his first Grade 1 winner, Talisluckybusride, and his 400th win. He and his wife Renee became dear friends of ours, we were business friends first, but so much more, and here it is 10 years since we've been involved in racing, and we keep in touch regularly.

Jose and Renee were just kids when we met them in the late 1990's. We travelled the world with them, from New York to Vancouver to Tokyo, watching our horses run. It was one thrill after another. The biggest thrill for Jose and Renee was in 2000, before they were married, when Ron told them that if Jose won a big race in Northern California, Ron would send them to Siena, Italy to get married. Jose won the race on Lord Sterling, our champion horse who ran 3rd in the Japan Cup Dirt, Ron bought them a ticket to Siena, and Jose and Renee were married in Italy. It's a beautiful love story.

I have to tell you one very funny story about the four of us on our trip to Tokyo. We were lucky enough to be invited to race Lord Sterling in the first ever Japan Cup Dirt race by the Japanese Racing Board. It was an all expense paid trip for us, our trainer and his wife and our racing manager. We brought our children and my parents too, so it was the trip of a lifetime. Anyway, one day Ron and I, along with Renee and Jose, decided to go to a health club and work out with the locals. What a kick. When we arrived we all had to put on the uniform of the club, which was white shorts and shirt and white tennis shoes. (I was much heavier then, and they had trouble finding clothes to fit me). We walked in and saw Japanese men and women of all ages working out. After the workout, we went to our respective dressing rooms, Renee and I took a sauna, then a shower, and enjoyed watching the Japanese enjoy a health club their way. All the women were sitting on little metal buckets, doing their hair and make up. They were all staring at us because we didn't fit in. Renee is quite tall, and most of the women in the gym were very short. An interesting ritual that they had was taking an ice cold plunge before the shower. We passed on that one, but the Japanese all found it very refreshing. They thought we were strange and we thought they were strange. Remember this, Renee?

So here it is, 11 years since we have had much involvement in horse racing, yet when I turned on the tube and watched the Belmont last week, that old thrill came back. I was so happy for Jose. He won his first Belmont on his first try, and at 24-1. I was all alone when I watched the race, yet there I was clapping and cheering like a lunatic.

Our racing days are behind us. Yet from time to time I get out the hundreds of pictures of winners that we raced over the years. I look at those pictures and remind myself of that period of my life. There was much to like about it, the excitement, the notariaty, and I guess the risk. Yesterday Ron asked me to send one of our old winning pictures to him at Taft. It was a race at Hollywood Park. The race was named after him, we had two horses in the race, and they finished in a deadheat for first. That was the first time that had happened in the history of the racetrack. It was very exciting standing in the winners circle with not one, but two of our horses, and receiving a tropy. But I'm enjoying where I am now in life, and am happy to let others take the limelight, enjoy the risk and sometimes the reward. Some of my best memories of those years are the times we spent with Renee and Jose and the bond we formed, and the knowledge that they are lifelong friends. Congratulations, Jose.

The Challenges of Aging

I often quote my mom, a shining example of how to age gracefully. For many years one of her projects has been a program through Jewish Family Services. She has mentored seniors, men and women who are living alone and need help in managing their lives. In addition to having two seniors to work with, she is also on an advisory board of a group at Jewish Family Services who are working to develop ways for senior citizens to stay independent and active as long as possible. She loves working with this group, and they are coming up with ways to get information to seniors as well as develop ways to keep seniors independent.

Driving a car seems to be one of the most important things for seniors to hang on to. It's the hardest thing for them to give up, as it makes them dependent on someone else to get around. At the very time that my mom joined the advisory group, she also received a letter from the DMV. The letter, in a very threatening and intimidating tone told her she had been reported for poor driving and would have to go through a battery of tests, including forms to be filled out by her family doctor, eye doctor, and possibly come take a driving test. Since her license was renewed about 6 months ago, this caught her by surprise. If I felt she was not competent to drive I would have told her, but instead I did everything I could to help her retain her license.

First, she had to go to her internist and have her fill out forms, describing her physical and mental abilities. She is in perfect health, no falls, no strokes, no tickets or accidents, so we were baffled as to why she even got this notification. Then she went to the opthamologist, who filled out forms describing her vision. Again, perfect. Finally, she was given a date to report to the DMV for evaluation. This was several weeks out, so she had anxiety regarding the outcome of this whole mess for several weeks. She didn't know if she'd be called upon to take a driving test or what.

When the notification first arrived in the mail, we were sure someone had reported her. It is usually a child or other relative or a doctor who reports an incompetent older driver. This was not the case. To this day we can't figure out why she got the notification in the first place.

The final result was that my mom will retain her license. The examiner at the DMV could not figure out why she had been contacted in the first place, and found her to be perfectly competent to drive.

Another challenge of aging. It's hard enough to deal with all the issues of aging, but with the added stress of events like this, seniors have a really hard time. Many seniors would just give up driving after receiving a letter like this, as they wouldn't want to deal with the evaluation process.

Many seniors should not be driving, yet it seems there must be a better way of evaluating them. Scaring them and sending intimating letters is not the answer. My friend's 93 year old father just got a 5 year license. That should not happen. After a certain age licenses should be only 1 year in length, and driving tests should be required. The ability of a senior to drive can change rapidly, and most seniors either don't recognize their inability to operate a vehicle or want to drive anyway. I understand how important driving is to one's independence. But it is also not fair to jeopardize the lives of others and let someone who is not fit to drive continue to do so. It's a difficult situation for a child to tell his aging parent that he is no longer fit to drive. That is why many choose to tell a doctor or the DMV and take it out of their hands. The committee that my mom is working with is trying to find ways to keep non drivers engaged in life and community and active and independent as long as possible. It's a just another challenge for her as she gets ready to celebrate her 88th birthday in a few weeks, still going strong.

New Restaurants in North County

I wonder all the time how new restaurants get the capital to open these days, but two new restaurants are opening in La Costa and Encinitas. Already open is Union Bar and Grill on Highway 101, in the old When in Rome location. It's a big restaurant, and I will review it next week after I eat there for the second time. The inside has been completely redone, and it's very appealing. They were smart in keeping one small room (on the north end of the property) separate, with upholstered chairs rather than the sports bar look of the rest of the restaurant. I loved my first meal there and will go into detail after my next visit.

In La Costa, on the site of the now defunct La Costa Bar and Grill, we will soon have Ignite. There is no web site yet, but the sign says they will open in June. (better get busy). They mention Neopolitan pizza, with the flour and tomatoes coming from Italy! We'll see what that is.

5 Guys opened a few weeks ago. I have only been there once. It was very busy and noisy at 5pm when I stopped by on a Tuesday afternoon. The workers are friendly and try hard to make sure you are satisfied. It's clean, the food is pretty good, but if you don't like loud music you will be disappointed. Music was blaring. I had to sit outside to even hear myself think.

There is also a new burger place opening in Bressi Ranch, serving grass fed beef. I haven't been up to see when they'll be open, but hopefully it will be as good as one of my favorite burgers, Burger Lounge.

That's all I have to report on new restaurants right now. If you know of anything new that you think the readers of this blog might find of interest, please let me know. I can't try them all, unfortunately, so I need your help in finding and reporting on new establishments. Happy eating.

Eating Lower On The Food Chain

A few weeks ago my friend Wootsie handed me a book called "Low Carbon Diet". A 30 day program to lose 5000 pounds, by David Gershon. She knows I'm interested in reducing my carbon footprint, so she brought it to bridge one night, thinking I might use something from the book for my blog. She was right.

It's a guide to reducing your imprint inside the house, ouside of the house, at your workplace, everywhere, and in addition it shows you how to get your community involved, your kids involved and your co workers involved. His theme is "Psst...save the planet, pass it on."

One of the most important actions an individual can take to reduce CO2 emissions is to broaden your diet and become less dependent on meat. Livestock produced by factory and rainforest farming are inefficient at converting grains and other resources to useable food. Did you know that beef requires 16 pounds of grain just to produce a pound of meat? Add to that the resources used for producing grain, transporting the meat to market, and packaging. It's hard to figure what the real cost of that pound of meat is, in terms of its impact on the planet. A person with a red meat diet emits the global warming equivalent of approximately 5,000 pounds of CO2 a year more than a person with a vegetarian diet. Reducing your intaake of beef and other farm animals will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

What to do. Review your diet, and look for opportunities to subsitute a meat meal for a vegetarian meal. Read cookbooks or watch cooking shows to discover that there really are many tasty vegetarian meals to be made. Commit to eating at least one less meat meal a week. If you do eat meat and chicken, consider choosing "free range" or "organic" varieties that will contribute to a healthy environment and greater health for you and your family.

Yesterday I went to Sprouts to buy buffalo meat, which was on sale. It is produced from free range buffalo, grass fed, and absolutely delicious. It has a very low fat content, and is only 190 calories for a 1/3 pound patty. This is a great alternative to the standard ground beef we all buy packaged in the supermarket. You actually know where this meat is coming from. The name of the ranch is on the label. My favorite way to eat the buffalo burger is to mix it with 1/2 beef. That way you get a little fat in the meat, still keep the calories low, and have delicious flavor.

Knowing where your food comes from helps consumers know exactly what they are getting. Many markets can now tell you exactly where the food (vegetables mostly) come from, especially if they're local. With meat, it's a little more difficult, but it's a trend that's developing. This is one of the reasons I love the farmers markets. You can actually meet the farmer or rancher that produced the food. It doesn't sound very important until you hear about things like e coli spreading through Europe.

Thanks, Wootise, for loaning me "The Low Carbon Diet." It has lots of ways to save energy around the home and in your community, so if you have a chance to browse through it, please do. In the meantime, replace one of your meat meals every week with a vegetarian meal. They're delicious and nutritious.

A Perfect Day In Coronado

Coronado is always a great place to spend the day, but on an 80+degree day in May, with warm tropical breezes, it was exceptional. Fran and I planned a trip for 24 women and 1 man, to tour the island (it's not really an island) and have lunch. Our guide was Geri, co owner of Coronado Walking Tours, and an expert on the area. She's lived there for over 40 years and knows everything there is to know, past and present. (www.coronadowalkingtours.com).

We began our tour at the Glorietta Bay Hotel, a beautiful old historic home, formerly the home of John Spreckles, who built the Del Coronado. He loved Coronado, and lived in this home for many years. He also built another home in the area. Geri's informative tour was so interesting to all of us, but 2 stories caught my attention. Did you know that there was a tent city built adjacent to the Del that operated only during the summer months, from the turn of the century until 1939? The Del was for the rich and famous. The tents were for the common people, who wanted to have a wonderful resort experience. 500 tents dotted the area, and restaurants, pool halls, carousels and other entertainment was everywhere. Families could come for very little cost and have a great vacation. By 1939, the automobile was commonplace, and Americans wanted to move about, so the popularity of the tent city waned. Pictures of the Del at this time are fascinating. The other interesting story Geri told us involved Wallis Spencer, who ultimately married the future king of England, who gave up his right to be king, to marry Ms. Spencer. They met for the first time at the Del. She was on husband #1 at the time, later married husband #2, and later became reacquainted with the future king while living in New York and later London. We all know what happened. Edward V111 gave up his right to be king by marrying Wallis Spencer. And it all started at the Del Coronado.

After our tour, we went to Rhinoceros Cafe for a wonderful lunch. We celebrated the "39th" birthday of Carole again, with delicious chocolate cake. All in all a great tour of the town, one that leaves me wanting to return for more walking, bike riding, beach going, and eating. The big problem with Coronado is parking. There are really no parking lots there, and limited street parking. This keeps the crowds away, which may be the objective of the locals. This is not just a place to take out of towners. It's a spectacular town to visit again and again. Try Christmas in Coronado for a real treat, with lights and parades. But don't wait until then to go. It's just 35 minutes from Carlsbad and such a treat.

Seventy Fourth Visit to Taft

As I was driving home from Taft today to get to my neighbor Ashelee's graduation party, I was thinking how old all this driving has become. To keep myself occupied on the almost 4 hour ride home, I started doing the math in my head. (hard, because I'm not very good at math). How many miles have I driven, how many hours have I spent in the car, how much time have I spent away from home? So far I have driven 33,300 miles, and I have 7 more trips to make. That's another 3,150 miles for a grand total of 36,480 miles. Wow, that's 9 times across the continent! The average round trip driving time is about 7 1/2 hours, depending on traffic. That's a total of about 555 hours of driving. I've got another 52 1/2 hours to drive, for a grand total of 607 hours. Actually, I usually break up the driving by going to LA on Thursday to visit my mom, kids and grandkids, which I love. My actual time away from home has been 2,220 hours so far, and about 210 more to go, for a total of 2430 hours. Does it sound like I'm complaining? I'm really not. I'm just getting tired of the driving and figured this would be a good mathematical exercise to keep me occupied on the way home Friday. Truly, I wouldn't have missed any of it. A chance to really get to know my mother has meant the world to me. A chance to see Ron every week brightens my day and has me excited for more of him the following week. It sounds corny, but when I leave on Friday, I'm happy about the visit that has just taken place, but I'm already looking forward to the next one. Ron says that most of the men feel down when their visit is over and come back to their bed and go to sleep. He feels calm and content when I leave because we always have such a good visit together.

Today was our twin grandsons first birthday, and I remember so clearly their birth last year. Ron was not there for the birth and has seen them just once, but he was he was happy that their first birthday meant only 46 more days for him at Taft.

He is so anxious to get home. He is telling me more and more how difficult the last few months are. He can almost taste it. Of course he can't complain to the other inmates about how slowly the time is going, for most of them are going to be there for years! He doesn't want to complain to me either, so as he says, he puts on his happy face and comes to visitation. I know I've said this before, but it's sad that there are not more activities for the inmates to get involved in. The reason there aren't is that this camp is a "for profit" facility and they don't want to spend any money. The camps that are run by the BOP have far more classes available.

I arrived at 8am this morning. I was the first one to check in, and my entrance was delayed because the warden had just changed the dress code for female visitors the night before, and the guard had to read the new rules. No open toed shoes of any kind, no leggings, and no hooded sweatshirts are new rules that have just been added. But no one visiting knew the new rules, and several women had to go to K Mart, the closest store, to buy new shoes. I couldn't believe it. Luckily I wore tennins shoes! I've found it best to wear basically one outfit that I know is acceptable everyweek. That way there can be no mistakes.

All the driving, all the hours in the car, all the overnights in LA and a few in Bakersfield with Linda and Rod, have definitely been worth it. I wouldn't change a thing. I see the difference in the attitude of people like Ron who have weekly visits, and those inmates that never see a visitor for months on end. There are men there that haven't had a visitor in 7 years. Imagine how they must feel. Forgotten and abandoned.

I came home to a party for my neighbor's daughter Ashlee who just graduated from Carlsbad High School. There were a few friends from our block at the party and I told them that the next big party on our street would be for Ron, and I can't wait.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Nothing is better for lunch or a light dinner in the warm weather than Vietnamese Spring Rolls. There is no right way to make them, so the recipe below will give you my recipe, with lots of possible variations. I've been making these rolls for years and I never make them the same. Here's what I came up with last time.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Baked tofu (substitute chicken or shrimp)
Radishes, sliced
bean sprouts
julienned carrots
chopped lettuce
cilantro
slice scallions
Rice papers-do not get the extra thin, they break too easily. Get the regular rice papers.

Prepare all the ingredients, then set up an assembly line, putting each ingredient in a little pile. You can buy the prepared baked tofu (packed in water and soy). Slice into 1/4 inch strips).

Fill a bowl with hot water. Dip rice paper cylinder in hot water to soften, about 10 seconds. Place on cutting board, then fill paper with ingredients from above. I like tofu, raddish, beansprouts and carrot. Fold like a burrito, folding in sides, then rolling to keep ingredients in the rice paper.

Dipping Sauce

Soyaki sauce (from Trader Joe's)
Peanut butter

Blend about 3 tablespoons of soyaki with 1 tablespoon peanut butter. Dip rolls in sauce and enjoy. This is a light, healthy lunch. Be sure to use the regular rice papers, as the extra thin ones are hard to roll and they tear easily. I hope you enjoy these rolls.

Kitchen 4140 is Delicious

Wow! is all I can say after my first visit to Kitchen 4140. The restaurant is inspired by chef Kurt Metzger. Kurt has given us a restaurant one longs to return to. As I finished my lunch, I couldn't wait to figure out when I could return. Not soon enough.

Kitchen 4140 serves breakfast and lunch only. With each plate, Metzger tells a story about San Diego. It's incredible diversity of agriculture and artisan farmers, its diverse heritage of French, Mexican and Italian and it's consistent focus on organic and sustainably farmed fruits and vegetables, make this restaurant a great place to dine. The restaurant grows many of its own herbs and vegetables. You can't get any fresher than that.

Now, for the star, the food. Using the freshest and finest ingredients, Kurt Metzger has created a menu that will cause you to change your mind several times before finally ordering. Some of their popular breakfast items include blue jumbo lump crab meat benedict, wild mushrooms, red onion, peppers, 2 poached eggs, chive-chervil creme fraiche, bing cherry and chocolate granola, lavender honey. Home fries and toast and jams accompany most egg dishes. Lunch, which is the meal we ate on our first visit has daily specials and daily soups. I had a gnocchi dish with leeks and bacon, which was not quite what I expected but which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was done in an Asian style, with several types of mushrooms, squash and tomatoes in an Asian broth. Wow, was it great. Probably the best item was Regina's short rib sandwich with fries. The beef is beer braised, served with pickled onion and mango chutney and asian slaw. It was truly delicious. Regina said it was one of the best sandwiches she ever ate. I agree. Jean ordered the bistro burger which was unusual with carmelized onions, haverti cheese and aioli. Other lunch items that will have to await my next visit include mussels and frites, fish and chips, salad nicoise, and several other sandwiches and pastas that sound great. We just had to try the bread pudding with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Great.

The restaurant is located on Moreno Blvd in an area of decorator and design shops. It's an unlikely place for a restaurant, but they seem to be doing well. I hope so anyway, as it's a place I want to return to again and again. They do lots of take out and they also have a catering business. Next time you want to try something new, give Kitchen 4140 a try. It's fresh, innovative, organic and down right delicious.

Homer, Roxanne and Leo: Three Lucky Dogs

During my recent visit to Phoenix to see Phil and Ellen, I received an added bonus. Three days with Homer, Roxanne and Leo, three rescue dogs that are an important part of their lives. Phil and Ellen are lovers of all animals, as evidenced by the the organizations they are members of, and the work they do for them. Ellen left early on the morning of my departure to work at the raptor center, where she helps care for injured birds. Over the years they have acquired the three current dogs, all through some sort of rescue.

Roxanne is a female Rotweiller who thinks she should be a lap dog. She is so friendly you can't but help but love her right away. They acquired her many years ago from a family with four young children and a father that travelled alot. The family simply couldn't give the dog the attention and exercise she needed, so Phil and Ellen adopted her. She is 11 years old now, and has slowed down considerably, but she is wonderful to have around.

Homer is the most expensive dog they owned. I say that because of his heart condition and all the specialists and treatments he has received. Their son found him at a park. The owner was going to release the dog there because he had just found out that the dog had a heart condition and he couldn't pay to take care of him. Phil and Ellen stepped in, and he has been with them for about 7 years. He has a serious heart condition which required them to go to a specialist in Texas, but in the end the doctors were afraid to perfom the surgery. He is on medication for his condition, and has lived years beyond what was expected. He's a clown. When we came home from a long walk Homer would be hot and would walk into the pool and submerge himself on the top step to cool off. When the TV was on and there were animals or birds on screen, Homer would jump like a show dog trying to get the animals. He would intently watch TV waiting to see animals.

The saddest story is Leo. He was chained to a post in someone's yard 24/7 for several years. Phil and Ellen's son was visiting the neighbor, and could not stand to see the neglect, so asked if he could have the dog, since apparently they weren't very interested in him. He brought him home from Florida, and he's been part of the family for many years. He had a prong chain around his neck and an electric shock collar to keep him quiet, but he has recovered from sores on his neck and is the most loveable dog you can imagine. I think he is making up for all the years he was neglected. I just adored him. one brown eye, one blue eye, and the look of a hound, make Leo, a Katahoola Leopardhound, someone to love.

Each day during my visit we would take either the 2 males (younger) or all 3 and walk or hike in the neighborhood. It was wonderful. It made me remember all the dogs I've rescued over the years, and how much they added to my life. I can see how these 3 dogs have enhanced Phil and Ellen's life, and being with them made me look forward to the day I will rescue another dog.

The Joys of Getting Older

As I sat at the beach today with 15 friends, eating Subway sandwiches and cupcakes to celebrate Jan's birthday, Vivian asked the group a very poignant question. What did each of us like best about getting older? We were a group of women in our 50's and 60's, so you might think we'd be complaining about wrinkles, sagging skin, bulging waistlines and all our aches and pains, but we were not. We were talking about our next workout, the latest book we were reading and a new skill we planned to learn. At a certain age most of us finally begin to accept who we are. Here are some of the good things that were mentioned from the discussion that followed Vivian's question. Some of the good things about aging are just my thoughts.

1. All the things you wanted when you were young you no longer want.
2. Every year you become a little richer in friends.
3. You are smarter and more talented than when you were younger. Think about how many skills you have developed and how much knowledge you have accumulated over the years.
4. You are more at peace with yourself. Drama gives way to a peaceful happy.
5. More people turn to you for advice.
6. You have more stories to share with the world.
7. You don't care so much what other people think of you. You do what feels right for you, rather than acquiesing to peer pressure.
8. You get lots of freebies and reduced price items.
9. You can say what you like and get away with it.
10. If you have a senior moment, everyone understands.

For most of us there is reduced stress as we age, more simplicity to our lives, and more time to pursue hobbies that we never had time for. Over the past 5 years I have taken up golf and renewed my passion for bridge and reading, things I never had time for while raising a family. There is so much that is good about getting old. Forget the wrinkles, the bulge around the waist, the gray hair. We're all going to get it if we live long enough. Life is not about how you look, but how you feel. The group of 15 at the beach today are all growing old with enthusiasm and a positive outlook toward life. That's what's gotten us this far, and that's what will help keep us around for many years to come.

Seventy Third Visit to Taft

We're in countdown mode now, so everyday when Ron calls and says who the call is from, he says a person representing how many days he has left. On day 56, he was Joe DiMaggio, on day 54 he was Brian Erlacher, and on Friday, day 53 he was Bill Romanowski. Sunday morning he was Dick Butkus. I can't wait to see who he is next. It's a game he can play with himself, coming up with a clever name or person for each of the next 50 or so days. He's extremely bored now. Basketball is over, TV is essentially over for the season, so he spends the evenings listening to the radio, either music or Dr. Drew.

Last week I touched on the topic of FEAR. For any man or woman entering the prison system that is their biggest concern. Not loneliness, finances or anything else. Fear is at the top of the list. Will I be safe? Will there be fights? Is there racial tension? These are the things Ron was most concerned about before he went to Taft. Luckily he had someone to talk to who had been incarcerated prior to arrival, because he had a million questions. Although he had not met Michael Santos (www.michaelsantos.org) prior to arriving at Taft, he read his articles over and over again, to really understand what he was getting into. Michael's articles about his prison experience should be required reading for anyone going to prison. Only someone who has walked the walk can really help you. Michael also turned out to be one of the first men Ron really connected with at Taft, and I, over these many months have spent many hours with his wife Carole. When Ron is released, one of the things he wants to do is counsel men heading for Taft on what to expect. It takes the fear out of the process.

There is nothing to fear at Taft. There is no violence of any kind. There are basically 2 types of people there, white collar and drug dealers(many of who were also users). If you misbehave in any way at a camp, you are sent to another prison and can never come back to a camp. No one wants to have that happen, so everyone, even those that in other circumstances might be aggressive, are not. There is a lot to be frustrated about in prison, but you have to bite your tongue and often, swallow your pride. Many of the systems are inefficient, and the high intellect of most of the white collar campers means they are always thinking of better ways to run the operation. Remember, most of these men are doctors, lawyers, CEO's, accountants, or involved in stocks or Wall Street. It's hard for these type A personalities who have been in charge most of their life, to have no control over anything. Until they give up the need control, they are unhappy. There are many men there that never come to terms with this and go through their sentence angry or heavily medicated.

So, as Ron gets close to just 7 more weeks, he is well adjusted, accepting of life at Taft for what it is, yet he hasn't lost his sense of humor, his ability to tell great stories and plan for the future. He has a mind like a steel trap, and although he hasn't written down the many stories he has to tell, he assures me he remembers everything, much of which I hope to share with you in the future.

No hot water again. It's been almost 3 weeks, and all they have is luke warm water from time to time. I can't remember what is wrong with the water heater, but it appears that it won't be fixed until after Ron leaves. In the meantime, he'll have to try for midday showers to have any chance of warm water.

On Friday we were busy planning our first lunch together when I pick him up on July 27. I think he's settled on Brett's Barbeque in Encinitas, as he hasn't had anything like that in 18 months. I can't wait.

Umami Burgers: Good But Not Great

Three people had mentioned Umami burgers to me recently. They wanted to know if I'd been there and if so, what I thought of it. I had heard of it, knew it had been voted the best burger in the country, so I knew I had to try it. On a recent Thursday night my mom and I went down to the Santa Monica location to check it out.

First, you have to be a detective to find the place. There is no sign or number on the door, just a big pair of red lips, which if you're in the know, identifies the restaurant. The Santa Monica location is inside Fred Segal, at the corner of Broadway and 5th. It can be entered from inside Fred Segal or outside, on 5th Street. It's a cozy little place, maybe 10 tables in all, a little bar that seats about 8, and a big patio with heaters out front. We sat inside.

The menu has only about 6 burgers and a few salads, plus numerous side dishes. All meat is ground in house, and the quality is very good. The pickles and other vegetables are prepared and marinated in house too. We were sitting next to a young man who had eaten at Umami many times, and had lots of advice for us. He recommended the Umami burger, a 6 oz burger on a fluffy bun, served with a parmesean crisp, carmelized onions, and slow roasted tomatoes. My mom had this, and enjoyed it very much. I went for the Hatch burger, again a 6 oz burger with lots of chopped chiles and cheese on top. I liked it a lot, but I certainly couldn't say it was the best burger I have ever eaten, or even close to the best. We ordered a side of smushed potatoes. Yukon golds are cooked, smashed to about the size of silver dollars, then fried and topped with salt and pepper. They were excellent. They also offer regular fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings and pickles. Burgers cost about $9-$12, just for the burger. Sides are around $4. They have a special that includes burger, fries and a beer for $16.

The crowd was mostly young. We were the oldest people by about 30 years. I'm not kidding. It's a very nice atmosphere, good food, but I wouldn't rush back. Several other gourmet burgers have avocado, bacon and truffle oil. They've got several locations in LA and several more on the drawing board, so I guess other people like the place more than I did. All I can say is "Beef is definitely back."

Chikalicious: A Food Trend From New York City

Where else would you expect to find the latest and greatest food trends but New York City? My friends Renee and Jose moved to Brooklyn from Monrovia, California almost a year ago, and she has been sending me her latest finds on a regular basis. The latest report from Renee is on Chikalicious, a dessert only restaurant in New York. It may have been the first dessert only restaurant, but it certainly won't be the last. I look for this trend to hit Los Angeles in a few months, and maybe San Diego by next year. It takes a while for trends to get established and really take off. Here's a peek at Chikalicious.

It really is dessert only. Their web site, www.chikalicious.com, shows a sample menu. They offer a prix fixe menu for $14, not bad for New York. You get a choice of dessert and petits fours, and for an additional $8, you get wine! Choices include fromage blanc island "cheese cake", white chocolate mousse profiterole with concord grape sorbet and frosted pistachio, steamed fig pudding cake with vanilla anglaise and fresh fig, and warm chocolate tart. I'm not a huge fan of dessert, so I probably wouldn't go to this restaurant, but for sweet and chocolate lovers, this is probably close to heaven.

The owner of Chikalicious is a Chika Tillman, a classically trained chef, born in Japan and trained at the French Cullinary Institute. He has worked in such reknown restaurants as Gramercy Tavern and Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, so he's had plenty of fine dining experience before turning to dessert.

New York has numerous other "dessert" restaurants, but they all serve food. Chikalicious is the only one I could find that serves dessert only. How about Sweet Revenge, a restaurant that serves cupcakes, beer and wine, and food? Quite a combination. Spot Dessert Bar looked interesting. In addition to all their desserts, they offer a brunch on Saturday and Sunday, which includes items like crispy vanilla waffles and buttermilk pancakes. This was pretty close to a dessert only restaurant. Finally, while searching the web I must mention a site that intrigued me. It's called Rice to Riches. Go to www.ricetoriches.com. They do have a location in New York, but most of their business is done via the internet. For $55 you can have shipped to your door the sumo size portion (serves 5) of about 20 different, exotic puddings. You've got to check them out and read the names of some of their creations. What will they think of next?

We Can All Learn From Each Other

I was sitting around the Y one Sunday morning, eating my oatmeal and having a cup of coffee. You might think that's a strange place to have breakfast, but I'll tell you why I do that. Sunday morning I take a strength training class from 8:15-9:15. At 10am I like to take the water aerobics class. What to do for 45 minutes? Eat breakfast sounds good to me. So I bring my plastic container and my individual packet of Mom's Oatmeal (chai flavor), available at Henry's. It's delicious. I make my oatmeal with instant hot water offered by the Y, pour a cup of coffee, and sit down to breakfast. It's delicious, and it always seems to start a conversation.

A few weeks ago I got to talking to a 35 year old mom of 2 small children, and it brought back so many memories of myself at that age. Balancing work and children, hardly having time for myself, maybe having a few hours a week to exercise, never having time to read a book. She was telling me about a book called The Blue Zone which she has been trying to read for months. I'm going to check it out at the library, because the topic of the book is near and dear to my heart. It describes various cultures where the people live to be very old, and tries to determine the common thread that makes all these people from diverse cultures live so long. I will report on it after I read it, but I was telling her about the Greeks, one of the longest living people on earth. Oh, she was so excited that I knew that. She said she had just read about the Greeks. I told her about my blog and that I just written about why Greeks live so long.

She then started to tell me about her children, and how both of them had been biters. I told her my 19 month old grandson liked to bite, but his was always playful. Her children, however, were biting out of anger and frustration. She had taken them to a specialist in Encinitas who did some type of extreme therapy that stopped the biting immediately. (I didn't want to ask what it was). I said that did not sound like anything my grandson needed, as I thought his was simply testing.

What's the point of all this? The point is that we can all learn from each other. You never know where or when you will meet someone who will change your life. Did she change my life? No, but she did recommend an interesting book to me, and I offered her a few tidbits that she might not have thought of. We both enjoyed our 15 minute chat. Recently my son David was standing on the corner waiting for the light to change, started talking to an attractive woman standing next to him, and 45 minutes later, they were exchanging phone numbers. So I say, you never know where or when you will meet someone that might change your life. It's so important to keep your mind open to new people and new ideas. You might just be sitting at Starbucks having coffee next to someone who could become your new best friend.