Davanti Enoteca Del Mar

Our anniversary was way back in February, and Davanti Enoteca in Del Mar had just recently opened.  I looked at their menu on line and determined  we should try it for our anniversary dinner.  Unfortunately, they do not take reservations, we couldn't get it and so we ended up at their sister restaurant next door, Mia Francesca.  We said we'd try Davanti Enoteca another time.  Well, two or three times we tried and failed to get a table without a long wait.  We don't like to wait. 

It was Vivians's birthday recently, and Paula and I met her the Del Mar Highlands shopping center.  We decided to try Davanti for her birthday lunch, and I can tell you that lunch is the meal to try.  No wait, great hostess, waitstaff and food.  I am sorry I wasn't more persistant earlier when we couldn't get a table, as I missed some great meals.  This is a restaurant I will go back to again and again.  Everything is creative and delicious.

It's a rather small restaurant, serving predominently small plates, although they do have pasta dishes, chicken dishes and some fish entrees.  The star of their menu is the appetizers.  We decided on 2 salads, and a foccaccia that I liked so much I asked for the recipe.  We had a roasted corn salad with walnuts, goat cheese, arugula and wild mushrooms.  It was out of this world.  We also had a grilled romaine salad, with fresh anchovies, burrata cheese and tomato.  Excellent.  Other salads include escarole, gala apple, pecorino dolce, celery and hazelnuts.  They serve shaved brussel sprouts with pecorino parmesean vinaigrette.  The foccaccia we ordered is Ligurian style.  Here's what it is:  a thin layer of foccaccia dough filled with spoons of soft cow cheese (riccotta), then another layer of dough is added, and it's cooked.  The dough comes out soft and flaky, like phyllo dough, and they cut it in squares.  The whole thing is topped with a nice piece of honeycomb, for a little sweetness.  Oh, was this good.  I can't wait to go back and order it again.

Other popular appetizers are the saumi and cheese options.  You can mix and match various salumis and cheeses, add a nice glass of wine and bread, and who needs dinner?  Also included on their appetizer list are asparagus  with black pepper marscapone and pickled rubarb, truffle egg toast with fontina and asparagus, heirloom tomatoes with watermelon and avaocado+ vinaigrette, and white anchovies with celery, pecorino sardo and olives.  Did I say unusual?  Yes, all this and much more.  Those that love to try innovative combinations will realize that one visit to this establishment is not enough. 

I'm just looking at their menu as I write this and realize they also have Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10am-2pm.  Now that sounds interesting.  Our lunch for Vivian's birthday was wonderful, and I can't wait to go back again for an early dinner or a late lunch.  Anything to avoid waiting.  We don't do that, but we do like good food, and this has some of the best I've had in North County in a long time.

What To Do With Eggplant

Not everyone likes eggplant.  Ron, for one, won't eat it, so all the beautiful eggplant I picked at Suzie's Farm in September was either given away, or incorporated into a few recipes that only I ate.  I made two delicious recipes, one an eggplant/pepper/onion dip that was healthy and delicious, and the other, a ratatouille made from peppers, onions and eggplant that was delicious.  I just stumbled across this recipe, and wished I had had it when I had all that eggplant.  What a delicious, healthy sandwich, using the eggplant slices as bread.  It's a little messy to eat, as you must be sure to cook the eggplant all the way through, so I suggest a fork.  This recipe was on the Cabot website, hence their referral to using Cabot cheese.  Obviously you can substitute with anything you have available. Enjoy.

 

 

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Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds total)
4 ounces Cabot Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
1 cup diced vine-ripened tomatoes

Directions:
1. Chop garlic; sprinkle with salt and mash into puree with blade of knife held sideways. Scrape garlic-salt mixture into small bowl.

2. Add oil, oregano and pepper and stir until garlic-salt mixture is well blended.

3. Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium.

4. Cut off and discard thin lengthwise slice from each side of eggplant; cut remaining eggplant lengthwise into about six slices, each about 1/2-inch-thick. Brush both sides of slices with some of oil mixture, scooping up solids and using it all.

5. Grill until browned on both sides and very tender all the way to center, 5 to 8 minutes per side.

6. Sprinkle half of eggplant slices with some of cheese, then tomato; top each with another eggplant slice, pressing it into place.

7. Transfer to serving dish with metal spatula; cut each slice in half crosswise. Serve warm.

Grilled Eggplant is a great healthy meal.

Autumn, San Diego Style

While much of the country is readying itself for winter, San Diego is enjoying warm weather, cool nights, warm sea temperatures, and a bit of rain. No wonder our weather is the envy of everyone. Yes, fall is a beautiful season in general, with cool crisp air, the trees turning colors, and even snow. My friend Judy, who lives in Big Bear, California told me they had their first snow in early October. But San Diego weather can't be beat. My boogie board group decided that we might not all want to boogie board when the water temperature cools, so we'd make a trip down to Coronado, as a farewell to summer. 12 of us carpooled to Coronado, parked on the street just north of the Del Coronado Hotel, grabbed our gear (boards, wetsuits for some, chair, and lunch) and set up close to the beach. We had a ball. Talking, laughing, boogie boarding, wiping out, getting up, all with a smile on our faces. Our resident photographer Jan, took many pictures of us, but without permission I don't dare publish pictures of this group in bathing suits. That could be the end of a lovely friendship. Anyway, the water was a bit cold for me. I hate wearing a wetsuit, so I usually only boogie board when the weather is warm. 67 degrees is about as cold as I can stand it. However, the water had quickly cooled off. On Thursday the water was 69 degrees, but on Friday, when we went to Coronado, the water had dropped to 64 degrees. I was ready to stay on the beach, but Christa convinced me that I could do it, and she was right. I got in, and although I froze my butt off, I had a ball. After boogie boarding, we all sat around and had a picnic lunch. Most brought extra food, so we all shared cookies, fruit and crackers. Lots of talking, telling stories, and planning our next adventure. Brandi has an idea for something exciting, and everyone sounded interested. There were lots of tourists on the beach. One group of Japanese people caught our attention. A young man in the group must have taken hundreds of pictures of us. We couldn't figure out why we were so interesting. We figured we will either show up on u tube or in some Japanese magazine. We never knew that anyone would find a group of 50's, 60's and 70's women so interesting. It's almost the end of October, and with just a bit of drizzle for the past few days, we're now headed for some more hot weather. The next few days are scheduled to be close to 90 degrees. I'm going with a few friends to Long Beach, to take a Segway tour. Can't wait. With fall weather in San Diego, you always plan to do something fun outside. Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?

Suzie's Farm

On a warm September morning Fran and I took a group of about 15 women to Suzie's Farm.  It's an organic farm near the border of Mexico, that provides delicious fruit, herbs and produce to farmers' markets, restaurants and some local organic markets in Southern California.  They also provide tours to the public, for the purpose of introducing newbies to organic farming,  teaching them why organic farming is important, and hopefully to develop some new customers.  Suzie was the dog of one of the women who started the farm, hence the name Suzie's Farm.  Each plot is named for a different dog, however no dogs were present on the day we visited.

It was the end of tomato and eggplant season, and peppers of all varieties were also in abundance.  We brought our own canvas bags and were allowed to pick and take home as much as we wanted.  I brought home a huge bag full, then had to figure out what to do with it all.  I hate to waste stuff.  I always quote the statistic that Americans waste 28% of their food, and that may actually be a conservative estimate.

I started by taking three bags of produce to my friends at the dog park.  I know they love to cook and would figure out something to do with the food.  Then I made an eggplant and pepper dip, a large pot of ratatouille, and a pot of marinara sauce.  All came out well.  I had to strain the marinara sauce to get the seeds out, as many of the tomatoes were cherry tomatoes.  The best thing I made was the eggplant dip, and here's my simple recipe.

                                Eggplant, peppers and onion dip

1 medium eggplant (I used a few small ones that we picked at the farm, and several different varieties:
2 red peppers (again, I used a variety of red and yellow)
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic

Cube eggplant, peppers (remove seeds), chop onions, and mince garlic.  Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and arrange on a large cookie sheet in one layer.  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, until all vegetables are fully cooked and soft.

Cool, then transfer to the blender, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (I keep a tube on hand for uses like this), and season to taste.  I left the mixture a little chunky, but you can make it smoothe if you like.  Store in plastic container, serve with pita chips, pita bread or any veggie or cracker. 

It's a delicious dip.  However, I think the produce we picked was towards the end of the growing season and thus a little bitter.  I had to add a small amount of sugar to the dip to offset the bitterness.  I also had to do that with the marinara sauce I made.  In any event, it's a great, healthy and low calorie dip, good for any occasion.  Enjoy.

Spirit Airlines New Rules

I know many of you out there are travellers, and this is news you must know before booking your next flight. Spirit Airlines, which touts itself as a low cost carrier, is now charging up to $100 for a carry on bag! They have a tiered scale, which boils down to this. The longer you wait to declare and pay for a carry on bag, the more you pay. I know I will certainly think twice before I book them. Let's just hope that other airlines don't follow suit. Here's the report I got from my travel agency today regarding Spirit Airlines. Effective November 6, 2012: MIRAMAR, Fla. (AP) - Spirit Airlines Inc. will begin charging passengers $100 for carry-on bags unless they pay a smaller fee before getting to the airport. The higher fee starts Nov. 6 and applies to customers who pay the carry-on fee at the boarding gate. Spirit touts low fares but makes up some of the difference with fees that account for 40 percent of its revenue. The average customer pays more than $100 per round trip in fees. For baggage — whether checked or carried on board — Spirit has an unusual tiered system that charges passengers more the longer they wait. Passengers who are members of Spirit's $9 Fare Club will be charged $25 for a carry-on bag. Other passengers who pay the fee online will be charged $35 online, $40 over the phone, $50 at the airport ticket counter, and $100 if they get all the way to the gate before declaring their carry-on. The Miramar, Fla.-based airline lets customers bring one free personal item on board if it fits under the seat. · For additional information, please go to Spirit’s website: www.spiritairlines.com ·

Eat Summer Fruit All Year Long

It's actually possible to get summer fruit all year long, as well as winter fruit in the summertime. This is possible because much of our fruit comes from other countries, or is grown domestically in hot houses. However, if you're like me and like to buy local, or at least domestically, freezing is a great alternative. I first started freezing grapes about 30 years ago. Not because I wanted grapes so much in the off season, but they were a healthy snack. Frozen grapes are just delicious. Later on, when my neighbor had more persimmons than she knew what to do with and started giving them to me, I froze persimmons. I halved them, removed the core, and placed each half in a separate freezer bag. I love persimmons, so this was the perfect snack for me. I would have dozens of persimmons in my freezer by the time the season was over (november), and eat them for months. Now I freeze a variety of other fruits, which I use for snacks or for cooking. The easiest to freeze are blueberries. Wash, dry and place on a cookie sheet. Place in freezer until frozen, then pour them into a freezer bag, date, and you've got blueberries as you need them, for months. I recently talked to a friend that loves frozen cherries, and here's what she does. She pits them, puts them on a cookie sheet, the same way I did the blueberries, and when they're frozen, pops them in a freezer bag. A great snack, or use in smoothies. Strawberries, boysenberries and raspberries require the addition of a little sugar. (I don't know why, but they just hold up better). Wash and hull the berries, dry them, then add a bit of sugar and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Then place on cookie tray, freeze, and transfer to a freezer bag. Fruits like pears and apples, which I really see a reason to freeze as they're available locally almost all year, require the addition of ascorbic acid to the cut fruit. Either dissolve some lemon juice in water to make a dipping mixture, or take ascorbic acid pills, crush and add to water. Or buy FreshFruit, a commercial mixture to prevent browning. Dip cut fruit in the liquid, dry, freeze on cookie sheets and transfer to bags. Finally, bananas. The only reason to freeze bananas is this. You buy a big bunch at the 99cent store and can't possibly use them. You buy them because they're cheaper than the regular markets, but you can't use them up before they go brown. Place the unpeeled bananas in the freezer. They're great for smoothies. Nothing needs to go to waste these days. So enjoy our summer fruit all year long. And, if you're lucky enough to know someone with a persimmon tree, freeze them too. They're delicious.

A Trip To Laguna

During the last week in August, Ron and I drove to Laguna Beach to meet some old friends.  Mark and Lisa live in Nevada so we don't see them that much, but it's always a pleasure to be with them.  They were staying the Montage Hotel, so we drove there, spent a few hours meeting on business matters, then off to dinner.  They had made a reservation at a Mexican restaurant, Lisa told us.  She said it was the best Mexican food in the area, and she wasn't kidding.

Javier's opened in 1995.  They have 3 locations right now, Irvine Specrum, Los Cabos, and the one we went to, Crystal Cove.  (just about 10 minutes north of Laguna Beach).  I had forgotten how beautiful Laguna Beach was, and made a mental note to go there soon for a full day.  Lots of wonderful shops, art galleries and restaurants, with drop dead view of the Pacific make it someplace I want to spend the day.  We drove to Javier's, and I was impressed from the moment I stepped in the door.  First, the customers were all well dressed.  Lots of men were there for drinks and Happy Hour, coming directly from work in suits and ties.  I was surprised, because beach city dress is typically very casual.  The restaurant itself sits atop a bluff with  sweeping views of the ocean, so going there for a drink around sunset affords you a birds eye view of the sunset.  They'll start you off with some fresh, hot chips and a pretty spicy salsa.  We ordered guacamole, a smooth, mild version, that suited me just fine.  Their drink menu is extensive (for you drinkers).  I had a blended margheritta, which was cool and refreshing on a warm, muggy evening.

The best thing about the food was that it was atypical.  Yes, they had tacos and enchilladas, but everything was with a twist.  This was the kind of Mexican food you might get in a fine restaurant in Mexico City.  No huge plates of food like you typically get, but moderate portions,  artistically presented, on a medium sized plate.  All their beef is prime, their prawns are #1 (the biggest), and they use fresh local ingredients and change the menu depending on what's in season. 

I had delicious crab enchilladas.  They were stuffed with local crab, topped with a green tomatillo sauce and served with a small amount of rice and beans.  I ate the whole thing.  Lisa had grilled prawns in a lemon garlic butter.  Also, all gone.  Salads were beautiful to look at (I didn't have one), but they too, were unique and used locally sourced fish and produce.  The price for all this is high (for Mexican food), but well worth it with the ambience that's included.  Crab enchillada dinner was $22, shrimp dinner was $23, and salads ran around $17.  Many dishes included local lobster, and sounded wonderful too.

If you're ever in that area for the day, make a reservation at Javier's for dinner.  You won't be disappointed.  If you're going to Las Vegas, Javier's is opening soon in the Aria Hotel.  They were scheduled for a late August opening, but you know what that means.

The menu reflects various regions of Mexico. It's like all the cooks brought their favorite family recipes from Mexico and incorporated them into a unique, gourmet experience.  I definitely plan to try them again, perhaps at the Irvine Spectrum, on my way back from LA someday.

1963

1963 was the year I took my first trip to Europe. I was 18 years old, had just finished my first year at Berkeley and had been working part time to save the money needed for 10 weeks abroad. I was ready. My high school and college friend Linda Reiss was my travelling companion, and we had been planning our adventure for about six months. Her parents were both European, her father was Dutch, her mother was Swiss. They were both lucky enough to escape the Nazis during world war 11 and made their way to America. This would not be Linda's first trip to Europe, but it would be her first trip without her parents. We bought a Eurorail Pass. You remember the train passes that take you all over the continent for next to nothing? We had mapped out a route that began with about five days in London, then crossed the channel on a Ferry (OMG it was the worst experience ever. Everyone was sick.) to France. Then we travelled from France all the way to Greece. We stopped when we wanted, changed plans as we wanted, and in general had a hell of a good time. Our only set plans were to meet Linda's cousins in Amsterdam and stay with them for a few days, then meet Linda's grandma in St. Moritz (actually Sils Maria, just outside of St. Moritz) and stay with her for a few days. As I'm writing this, the experiences come flooding back. Things I haven't thought about in almost 50 years. The strange man on the train that we called Boris, who tried to cuddle up to Linda and pretend he was sleeping, the huge hike we took in the Swiss Alps with Linda's grandmother, who walked up the mountain like a mountain goat, leaving us breathless, the two wonderful girls from New York that we met in Paris and travelled with for about a week, the date I had with David Ansen in Paris (the film reviewer for Newsweek), then found out when I married Ron that he was actually a cousin of Ron's, and the coup de grace, crossing from the tip of Italy to Pireaus, Greece on a huge ferry. We had not paid for a sleeper, so we were up all night, being entertained by a new British music sensation, Donovan. Before I left, my mother had suggested that I keep a journal of my trip. Every night before bed, she said to spend 10 minutes writing what we saw, my impressions, where we ate and slept and how much we spent. I did this, and though it got a bit tedious for the ten week trip, I did complete it. I'm so happy I did. I have reread that journal probably a dozen times over the course of the last 50 years, and I get the biggest kick out of it each and every time. Going to the American Express office in major cities to check for mail and see if we had any messages from fellow travellers that we'd met, staying in a $5 a night hotel on the Left Bank of Paris, buying meat and cheese at the local market and taking it with us for a long train ride, talking to everyone we met, and having no fear at all. Oh, those were the days. I write this all because my future daughter-in-Law Tracy, is leaving shortly on a 12 day cruise from Normandy to Paris, with her mom. This is something they've had planned for a long time, and although Tracy is reluctant to leave David for that length of time, I assured her that she and her mom will have a fabulous time together, and she'll have many memories to last a lifetime. I even bought her a journal, and encouraged her to keep track of her experiences. At the time, you think you will never forget something, but you do. And it's so much fun to go back and read how you thought about things years ago. I've never kept a journal at home, but for travelling, they're indispensible. Keep that journal, Tracy, you'll look back years from now and thank me.

Everybody Loves The Zoo

I have been listening to a book called "Small Wonders", by Barbara Kingsolver for the past week, as I enjoy the last days of summer, driving around San Diego.  She is one of my favorite authors, her Poisonwood Bible being one of my all time favorites.  Small Wonders is a series of essays, read by the author.  I love her philosophy of life, her simple way of explaining complicated thoughts, and her passion.  One of her essays had to do with zoos, or more specifically capturing wild animals and selling them (birds, specifically) for domestic enjoyment or sending them to zoos.  What is this doing to the gene pool in the wild?  She argues that although the animal is alive and well in captivity, he is for all intents and purposes dead, in terms of his being able to procreate in the wild.  I had never thought of it quite like that.

Although I loved the zoo as a child and young adult, I soured on zoos as I got older, much the same way I did with circuses.  I thought zoos were cruel, and that animals should be kept in the wild.  I have evolved to the point where I now see the benefits of zoos, and there are many.  Zoos serve three main purposes:  conservation, environmental education and entertainment. 

Zoos have become the last refuge for many species.  Their captive breeding programs, such as the Species Survival Plans, are for many species, their last hope.  Cheetahs, tigers, rhinos, pandsas, gorillas, jaguars and Masai giraffes are among the 161 individual species that are involved in breeding programs. 

AZA(American Zoolological Association) accredited zoos also meet the conservation test, providing support to more than 1,700 wildlife conservation programs across the globe.  These zoos work together to conserve, protect and study endangered and threatened species, along with the wild places they inhabit.

Zoos and aquariums also play a vital role in environmental education.  For many children, a zoo is the only place they may ever see a lion, monkey, or coyote.  As stewards of conservation it is our responsibility to reach out to the next generation that will become the conservators of the wild.  Did you know that the attendance at zoos throughout the country far exceeds all the football, baseball and basketball attendance?  I guess people like the zoo!

Some zoos are better than others.  Our San Diego Zoo is perhaps the finest zoo in the world.  It is constantly changing, improving the living conditions for its residents, and making it easier for visitors to see the animals close up.  The problem with breeding programs in zoos is that the animals cannot be returned to the wild, thus the gene pool in the wild is not as rich as it once was.  Kingsolver was talking specifically about a Minah bird from India, that she saw for sale in a pet shop.  She asked the shopkeeper where it came from, and when he told her India, she was shocked.  The shopkeeper tried to convince Kingsolver that the bird was better off in captivity than he was in the wild.  He would be in a loving home, etc, etc.  Yes, but as far as the gene pool in the wild, that bird was dead.  It would never breed.  This is the big problem.  As the number of animals of a specific breed gets smaller, they have to breed amongst each other, which reduces the strength of the breed. 

Let's teach our children and grandchildren that protection of animals is important for our planet. Visiting the zoo should be both educational and entertaining.  The San Diego Zoo is certainly both.

  There are many issues that contribute to reduction of a species in the wild.  Poaching is part of the problem.  Another huge problem is that many cultures still cling to ancient superstitions that think various body parts or horns of particular animals have medicinal value.  Many rhinos are killed for their horns.  These practices have to stop, but that's a subject for another time.  Let's support our zoos and the good work they are doing to both entertain and inform.

I've Got A Cramp!

As Ron and I were lying in bed watching the news one night recently, I hear a sudden yelp.  "Oooh, I've got a cramp!"  he yells. " Well stand up and stretch your calf," I responded, and within seconds the cramp had subsided.  That incident got us thinking about what are cramps, why do we get them, and what can we do about them?  So I did a little investigation, and here are my findings. 

Skeletal cramps, which is what we're talking about, the one you get in your calf, or arch of your foot, or in your hand, as I do, happen to everyone young and old, but more commonly to older people.  There are many causes.  Dehydration from various medication can cause cramping.  One commonly used drug that can cause dehydration and cramping are the statin drugs to lower cholesterol.  Exessive exercise and muscle fatigue can also cause cramping.  Deficiency of certain vitamins might cause cramping, but this is not commonplace in the Western World.  Night cramping is common in men and women as they age, but the  cause is really unknown.  I often get cramping in my hand from holding cards (playing bridge).  Man, is it painful.  I try stretching out my fingers and massaging the palm of my hand, but that usually doesn't do much.  What works the best is to run my hand under hot water for about a minute.  This seems to relax the muscle and reduce the pain.  Ron, on the other hand, gets cramps in his calf.  Usually at night, and seemingly out of nowhere, a cramp appears.  Stretching the muscle seems to aleviate the pain.  My mom gets her cramp at night, usually in the arch of her foot.  Again, standing on it and stretching the muscle seems to work. 

So the answer is that we don't really know why we get the cramp, but in most cases it is a very easy thing to relieve.  Dehydration and a variety of meds are probably the two most common reason for cramps.  Read below for more information on how to relieve cramps.

What is the treatment of skeletal muscle cramps?

Most cramps can be stopped if the muscle can be stretched. For many cramps of the feet and legs, this stretching can often be accomplished by standing up and walking around. For a calf muscle cramp, the person can stand about 2 to 2.5 feet from a wall (possibly farther for a tall person) and lean into the wall to place the forearms against the wall with the knees and back straight and the heels in contact with the floor. (It is best to learn this maneuver at a time when you don't have the cramp.) Another technique involves flexing the ankle by pulling the toes up toward the head while still lying in bed with the leg as straight as possible. For writer's cramp (contractures in the hand), pressing the hand on a wall with the fingers facing down will stretch the cramping finger flexor muscles.
Gently massaging the muscle will often help it to relax, as will applying warmth from a heating pad or hot soak. If the cramp is associated with fluid loss, as is often the case with vigorous physical activity, fluid and electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) replacement is essential. Medicines generally are not needed to treat an ordinary cramp that is active since most cramps subside spontaneously before enough medicine would be absorbed to even have an effect.
Muscle relaxant medications may be used over the short-term in certain situations to relax muscle cramps due to an injury or other temporary event. These medications include cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), orphenadrine (Norflex), and baclofen (Lioresal).
In recent years, injections of therapeutic doses of botulism toxin (Botox) have been used successfully for some dystonic muscle disorders that are localized to a limited group of muscles. A good response may last several months or more, and the injection may then be repeated.

So women, you thought your days of cramps were gone once you hit menopause.  Well, the body had something else in store for you, cramps in your extremedies.  Thank goodness the skeletal cramps are much easier to relieve than the menstrual cramps we all suffered with for so many years.  As I always say, you get rid of one problem and a new one pops up.  Luckily, this is a pretty easy one to take care of.

 

           

 

Suggested Reading on Muscle Cramps by Our Doctors

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Summer Fuel, Winter Fuel, What's The Difference?

When gas prices hit $4.69 for unleaded, I decided it was time to find out the difference between summer and winter fuel. Why did gas prices rise so quickly? We keep hearing reasons for the rise in price, and some of them do make sense. I had not heard about summer blend gas and winter blend gas, but here's what it means. Twice every year in the U.S., the fuel supply changes. It's known as the seasonal gasoline transition. This change is the biggest reason for the price hike in summer gasoline. Depending on the time of year, gas stations switch between providing summer -grade fuel and winter-grade fuel. The switch started in 1995 as part of the Reformulated Gasoline Program (RFG), which was established through the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. The EPA started the RFG program in order to reduce pollution and smog during the summer ozone season, which occurs from June 1 to Sept. 15. In order to reduce pollution, summer-blend fuels use different oxygenates, or fuel additives. These blends, burn cleaner and also help compensate for a limited oil supply. The EPA says that this practice of using seasonal blends also encourages the development of alternative fuels. Summer-grade fuel is more expensive for two reasons-because of the ingredients it contains and because refineries have to briefly shut down to convert for the next season. All this being said, why is gas so high in October? The summer months are gone, the conversion to winter-blend fuel has been made, yet prices have skyrocketed in the past few weeks? They tell us things like refineries closing for short periods of time, which causes prices to rise. Who knows what to believe? I heard that Govenor Brown was going to pass some emergency legislation to reduce gas prices. I didn't know that could be done, and so far, I haven't seen any significant change at the pump. I talk often about getting an electric car, and I will think seriously about that for my new automobile. David's friend Lance bought a Chevy Volt a few months ago, and just loves it. He has about a 30 mile commute to work each day, plugs the car in when he gets to work, and it's all charged for his drive home. He hardly ever puts gas in the car. Until such time as we all drive cars using alternative energy, we'll have to deal with the price of gas. It would be nice, as a consumer, to actually understand what drives the price up and down. I don't think we have any idea.

Is Bigger Really Better?

I have some of the most interesting discussions with my new friends at the dog park.  Thank you, Pepper, for introducing me to a whole new group of men and women, all dog lovers like me.  Our discussions cover everything from politics to food, to culture, movies and books.

One of our recents conversations had to do with homes, neighborhoods, and the size of our dwellings.  Our point was, that the houses they're building today are so big.  Do we really need such big houses?   Charlene was telling me about an old PBS show that traced the history of man in terms of how he lived, and what worked best.  The program determined that a neighborhood of homes, with a plaza or park in the middle seemed to work best.  Some communities are trying that out today, even though it's a very old idea, at least as old as Pompei.

I began talking about how I would love to develop housing for seniors, giving them very little living space, but lots of community and open space.  My idea would be to have homes of 1000 square feet (I know it sounds small but it is very doable), with central areas  for recreation, computers, art, and sport.  My concept wouldn't work today, because most people feel that bigger is better. 

How much do we really need in the way of material possessions and space? Much less than most of have.  I think of my own upsizing and  downsizing.   First we went up the size ladder, then down.  We started in a 900 square foot apartment, moved to a 1300 square foot house, then a 2400 square foot house, then a 5800 square foot house.  Did we need all that space?  Absolutely not.  Then we started the descent.  We moved to a 3000 square foot house in Westwood, then built at 2600 square foot house in Del Mar, and from there we moved to a 1600 square foot rental in Carlsbad, and are now in a 1250 square foot house in Carlsbad.  I never thought I could be happy in such a small space again, but after doing some major housecleaning, I am.  This house is a perfect size.  So why do they continue to build huge homes?  Arithmetic.  Obviously it's more economical to build a big 2 story home than a small one level home.  I guess it's what people still want.  Some communities do build homes with very small bedrooms for the kids, and lots of open space for the children to play.  This makes sense. 

I saw on the news the other day about a couple who were downsizing.  They sold their home and built a 300 square foot home that could be moved around on a trailer.  They could just put down the house wherever they wanted.  (what about utilities)?  They have everything they need, and no clutter.  Personally, that does not appeal to me, but I could see a senior community of very small homes, and lots of community areas.  That's a project I'll pursue in my next life!  For now, I'll enjoy our 1250 square foot home, and hope that our next move, probably in 18 months, will be to an equally small and efficient home.  Is bigger better?  Not for me. (check out smallhomeoregon.net to see what one community is doing to create smaller, more efficient homes)

Since writing this blog, I have done further research and found that there are other people who feel the need to scale down our homes.  If you're interested to see what others are thinking and doing, check out www.tinyhouseblog.com.  You'll be amazed.  Also, I found small communities in Portland, Oregon, Washington State, and Geneva, Illinois that are creating homes and small communities of this type.  There's even a website that will give you architectural plans for building a small house, anywhere from 75-875 square feet.  Now that's what I call small.

New Information On Autism and Schizophrenia

We've always been told that the age of the mother affects the unborn child.  Specifically, that older mothers have a greater chance of random mutations, thus a greater chance for a variety abnormalities.  Well, a new study finds that older men are more likely to father a child who develops autism or schizophrenia.  The age of the mother has no bearing on the risk for these disorders.  The overall risk to a man in his 40's or older is in the range of 2% at most, so it is hardly a reason to forgo fatherhood in older men.  This study supports the argument that the surging rate of autism diagnoses over recent decades is attributable in part to the increasing average age of fathers.  This could account for as much as 20-30% of the cases. 

The findings also negate the  long held assumption that the age of the mother is the most important factor in determining the odds of a child having developmental problems.  The risk of chromosomal abnormalitites, like Down syndrome, increase for older mothers, but when it comes to the more complex psychiatric and developmental issues, the bulk of the genetic risk originates in the sperm, not the egg.

This study was was led by the Icelandic firm Decode Genetics, and it analyzed genetic material taken from blood samples of 78 parent-child trios, focusing on families in which parents with no signs of mental disorder gave birth to a child who developed autism or schizophrenia.  The research team found that the average child born to a 20-year-old father had 25 random mutations that could be traced to paternal genetic material.  That number increased steadily by two mutations a year, reaching 65 mutations by the time men reached 40. 

This information by itself hardly explains the overall increase in autism diagnoses.  The birthrate of fathers age 40 or older has increased by more that 30% since 1980, but the diagnosis rate of autism has increased  tenfold, to 1 in 88 8-year-olds.

If these findings hold up and extend to other brain disorders, we may soon be collecting the sperm of young adult men and cold storing it for later use, just as we already do with the eggs of young women.

Scamming The Elderly

Scam artists have been around for as long as there have been people to scam, and even though we've all been warned, they're out in abundance these days and we must stay alert.  Scam artists go after people from all walks of life, but the elderly seem to be especially vulnerable.  Annual losses from elder financial fraud jumped 12% to $2.9 billion in 2010 from $2.6 billion in 2008.  One in 20 people over age 60 says they have been the victim of some kind of financial abuse in the prior year, yet very few crimes are reported.

Grandparent scams.  This happened to my mom, and about six months later, to me.  A young man calls on the phone, in a low, whispery voice.  "Grandma, it's your grandson."  At this point the man on the phone expects grandma to say the name of the grandson, but my mom didn't fall for it.  She kept saying, "Which grandson?"  and questioning him about when his birthday was, etc.  He told her he was in Canada, had been arrested, and needed $1,000 right away to get out of jail.  Of course my mom didn't fall for it, nor did I.  In fact, I simply hung up on the guy.  But lonely grandmas who are just happy to hear from their grandson might be sucked in. 

Free lunch investment seminar.  I'm not talking about the ones put on by legitimate financial institutions, but ones which involve selling people  worthless real estate, rare coins, or variable-rate annuities.  These are usually investments that have high fees to the person selling the investment, and little value to the buyer.

Bogus sweepstakes.  In most of theses scams, the winner is promised big money, but in order to collect you have to wire some of your own money to claim the prize.  This has fraud written all over it.

Credit card fraud.  Often made in the early morning or late at night, is the fake credit card call.  The receiver of this call is told that his credit card has been stolen.  The caller then tries to confirm sensitive financial information, including address, credit card and social security number.

Sweetheart swindles.  Typically a younger person or alleged suitor feigns romantic interest in an older person long enough to establish trust.  He may get access to credit cards, bank accounts, and social security number.  The suitor disappears along with the property. 

Other scams perpetrated on seniors include knock-knock thefts, medicare fraud, home loan scams and unsolicited home improvement scams.  There is a scam du jour, and it's up to us to stay alert to what's real and what's a fraud.  Scam artists prey on the weakest and most vulnerable in our society.  Some of these scammers are so slick it's hard not to get caught up in their scheme.  Think before you act.  Check and double check to make sure that when you're giving money to a person or organization it's the real deal.  I hate to sound like a sceptic, but how often have you had a kid show up at your door selling magazines, trying to get money for camp or school tuition?  Is it real or not?  The sceptic in me says no, although my heart wants to help.  In the end, I always say no.

Sausage Soup

The trouble with my son Phil is that he never writes down a recipe.  He's a fantastic cook, but unless he's baking, his measurements are all estimates.  I go to Boulder a few times a year to visit, and he always makes some wonderful meals.  The problem is that he can't tell me how he made something so I have a problem coming home and duplicating something he made.  However, when I was there in August, Phil made a most wonderful hearty soup that I knew I could duplicate, without too much trouble.  I made my version of Phil's sausage soup, and here it is for you.  By the way, it was good.

                                          Phil's Sausage Soup

1 carton (32 ounces) chicken broth (could use beef)
1 Kelbasa sausage, cut into bite size pieces (I used mild, but you could spice it up)
2 carrots, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 bay leaves
1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz. can)
1 can northern white beans (or any beans of your choice)
1/2 bunch lacinato kale (flat kale, not curly), finely chopped (actually, I cut it in thin strips)

Take kelbasa sausage, carrots, onion, galic and bay leaves and cook in a little olive oil until tender.  Add everything else, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Discard bay leaves. 

I served this with a wonderful homemade (yes, I made it from scratch) foccaccia, with a nice glass of wine.  It was flavorful and delicious, very filling, and healthy.  We ate this on a warm night in September, but I will make it again during the winter.  Perfect for a cold winter night's meal.  Enjoy.

David Finds His Match

It took a long time for David to finally find the woman for him, but he finally did.  He met Tracy Sampson several years ago, but it wasn't until spring that they began dating seriously.  As they often say, friends can turn into lovers, and that's what happened to them.  Within weeks of dating, they were "in love."  How quickly things change.  I am so thrilled for both of them.  A June 1 wedding is planned.

David knew he wanted to marry Tracy shortly after their romance began.  He bought her a beautiful ring, and was making plans for a romantic proposal one weekend.  However, and for those of you who know David will understand this, he couldn't wait.  He had just picked up the ring, they were in a restaurant, Tracy went to use the restroom, and when she returned, David popped the question.  While she was in the bathroom David started talking to others in the restaurant, and they all encouraged him to propose right away.  He did.  He just couldn't wait. 

So big plans are being made.  For now, they have moved in together (she's moved into his 2-bedroom apartment), cat and all.  They're so happy.  There is nothing better in life than seeing your children happy.  My other two are happily married, and now David has found Tracy, and he too, is happier than I've ever seen him.  I wish them a long and happy life together.  They've waited a long time, love has finally come their way.  Grab it and hold on tight. 

Proposition 37 On November Ballot

I try to stay away from politics in my blog, although I am very interested in politics and am up to date on most issues.  However, I have started seeing ads against Prop 37, so after doing some research, feel compelled to give you the information so that you can make an informed decision.  If you know me at all, you know which side of this issue I am on, but just in case you haven't figured me out yet, I will vote "YES" on Proposition 37.  Here is the information on the issue.  You decide.

The question is, should labeling be required on foods containing genetically modified ingredients (whether raw or processed, plant or animal) in California?

The situation is as follows.  Between 40% and 70% of the foods currently for sale in California contain some genetically modified (GM) ingredients.  Genetic modification changes the organism's genome, or hereditary information, in order to produce some desired change in characteristics, like resistance to to pesticides.  No existing law regulates genetically engineered foods or requires food producers to identify foods produced through genetic engineering.

Prop 37 would change state law to require specific kinds of disclosure regarding GM foods.  It would require the labeling to raw or processed food offered for sale to consumers if it is made wholly or partially from plants or animals with altered genetic material.  Foods sold in restaurants, and foods from which animals have been fed GM food would be exempt. 

The fiscal effect is unknown, but those against the proposal say it would raise administrative costs.  A yes vote means you want your food labeled, a no vote means GM foods would continue to be sold without specific labeling. 

So who's for it and who's against it?  You can probably guess.  The small business owners, the organic farmers, the manufacturers who produce "natural" food items are all for it.  Close to $4million in advertising money has come from small companies like Annies, Amy's, Udi's and E Cliff.  On the NO side of the issue is the corporate agribusinesses.  They have donated over $32 million to defeat the proposition.  Monsanto, Kellogg, and Conagra all want to defeat this, even though they own companies like Kashi (Kellogg) and Silk (Dean Food), that we think of as organic and healthy.

Most people feel that whatever California does on this issue will set the standard for the nation.  If this law is defeated, it will have difficulty getting traction anywhere else.  If it passes, it will soon become a national standard.  When I was at the Natural Food Show several months ago, GMO was the buzzword of the convention.  Many organic products are already labeled "No GMO", but  a law requiring this would inform consumers of exactly what they were getting.

Remember how long it took for labels to include fat, carbs, fiber and calories?  That debate went on for years, and I think most of us are happy to have it.  My feeling is that Prop 37 will give consumers more information about what they are buying so that they know what they're getting.

My Personal Journal

On October 8 it will be one year since Ron began his three years of probation.  He was released from Taft on July 27, but spent close to six weeks in a half way house in San Diego, before officially starting probation.  One year down, two to go.  Actually, when we think about it, the time has gone quickly.  It takes a while for a probation officer to "trust."  Most of the people probation deals with are likely to reoffend.  Even with someone like Ron, it takes time to build trust.  I would say Ron has earned that trust, and on the other hand, his probation officer has earned his respect, as she has always treated him fairly. 

Still, when Friday evening rolls around Ron will say, "Well, I made it through another week."  What he means by that is that he hasn't had a phone call or a visit from his probation officer.  Although he knows he is doing everything right, there is still that bit of anxiety, especially on Fridays (her visiting day), that keep him on edge. 

One of the most difficult aspects of probation is the inability to travel.  Even traveling up to Newport Beach for a few hours is not allowed without prior permission.  I'm not sure why this is so, but it's just one of those things we have to accept and follow.  Ron has recently had a few business meetings that have been out of San Diego County, so he had to apply for permission several weeks in advance.  Just a pain in the neck, but the travel has always been approved.  We also go to Los Angeles on occasion to visit my mom.  That's the only travel we do.  As much as we'd like to go to Colorado to see the kids and grandkids, that will have to wait until the end of probation. 

We're starting year two with optimism.  Ron is working hard at the many different jobs he has, and hopes that something good will develop during year two.  Right now he continues to work for an air conditioning company, umpire baseball, and do some accounting.  I continue to book some travel, write my blog, and look for some writing jobs that actually pay something.  Very hard to find.  It's amazing how we've been able to adjust our way of life, cut back in so many areas, yet still thoroughly enjoy each day.  Over the past ten years I have learned that it's not material wealth and possessions that lead to a happy life, but learning to be happy with yourself that leads to true happiness.  Many of the "things" I used to have may be gone, but years of memories, and the love of a good man cannot be taken from me.