Cucina Enoteca: New Hot Spot in Del Mar

Although Cucina Enoteca (old Chevy's building) in Del Mar has only been open a few weeks, they already have more business than they can possibly handle. Call 2-3 weeks in advance for a weekend reservation, and arrive by 5:30 to get a spot at one of several family tables in the bar area. Besides having great food, the décor at Cucina Enoteca is fun, eclectic and thoroughly original. Everywhere you look, your eye catches something wonderful. Along the railing that takes you to the yet unopened second floor, are dozens of plastic horse statues hanging from plastic strings. Also in the bar area and main dining area are groups of old wooden shoe forms hanging from above. The interior design was done by owner Tracy Borkoum and Monica Crawford. Even if you don't eat there, you should definitely go in and check out the décor. The ladies bathroom has a uniquee feature I have not seen before. On the washbasin counter is a pad of paper and some pencils. If you want, you can write down a wish and clip it on the board on the wall. Such a clever idea. They've only been open for a few weeks, and there are hundreds of wishes posted on the wall. Now, to the food. If you've ever eaten at Cucina Urbana in San Diego or Cucina Enoteca in Irvine Spectrum or Fashion Valley in Newport, you know just what to expect. Four of us ate there recently, which gave me a chance to sample many items. The short rib papparadelle is probably my favorite dish. Short ribs cooked for hours in wine and herbs, with carrots and other vegetables, mixed with wide noodle papparadelle. I love this dish. Another favorite of mine is the stuffed squash blossoms. Squash blossoms stuffed with a ricotta cheese and lemon, with an asparagus spear as the stem. It looked like a little flower. We also tried one of the "vasi," a little jar filled with deliciousness to be served on bread. We had the chicken liver spread, which I couldn't stop eating, even though I don't usually like pate. This was special. They also have a salmon tartare, and asparagus and tapenade mixture, and a burrata mixture in a jar. All are delicious. Pizzas are thin, crispy and unique. The toppings are not what you might expect. Figs and gorgonzola, brussel sprouts and pancetta, and smoked mozzarella, arrabiata and swiss chard are just some of their unusual pizzas. Great salads, lots of other entrees and a good dessert menu round out the menu. They are still working the kinks out in terms of service. I will return in a month or so and see if things are moving a little more smoothly. I'm sure they will be. My only negative right now is that the restaurant is loud at lunch and will be louder at dinner. Floors, walls and ceilings are bare, and you must shout to be heard. I will go early to avoid the noise. Cucina Enoteca is a great addition to the booming culinary scene in North County, but plan ahead. It's THE hot spot right now.

Why Did I Come Into The Kitchen?

We've all had this happen. You are looking for something (for example, your glasses), walk into the kitchen to find them, get there and can't remember what you came there looking for. This has been happening to me, and I suspect many of you, for years. You think you're losing your mind, but new research suggests that walking through doorways causes forgetting. This research comes to us from University of Notre Dame Psychology Professor Gabriel Radvansky. He says that "Entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an 'event boundary' in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away." Recalling the decision or activity that was made in a different room is difficult because it has been compartmentalized. Radvansky conducted three experiments in both real and virtual environments. The college students he studied performed memory tasks while crossing a room and while exiting a doorway. In the first experiment, subjects used a virtual environment and moved from one room to another, selecting an object on a table and exchanging it for an object at a different table. They did the same thing while moving across a room but not crossing a doorway. Radvansky found that the subjects forgot more after walking through a doorway compared to moving the same distance across a room. This suggests that the doorway or 'event boundary' impedes one's ability to retrieve thoughts or decisions made in a different room. The second experiment was in a real-world setting. It required subjects to conceal in boxes the objects choses from the table and move them either across a room or through a doorway. The results in the real world replicated those in the virtual world: walking through a doorway diminished subjects' memories. Finally, the subjects were tested to see whether doorways actually served as even boundaries or if one's ability to remember is linked to the environment in which a decision was created. The results of this experiment suggest that the act of passing through a doorway serves as a way the mind files away memories. We've always though that forgetting what you entered a room for was caused by age, but studies by Radvansky with college students show that age is not a factor. Doorways are event boundaries, and thus traveling from one room to another may cause you to be unable to retrieve thoughts made in a different room. I love the new science that is constantly being discovered. Studies like this explain our forgetfulness and let us know that we're still normal.

Padres Stadium Is State Of The Art

Barb and Pam recently organized a tour of Petco Park for a group of Newcomers. There were 19 interested women, and we learned a lot. Five minutes into the tour I was sorry I hadn't brought paper and pencil to take notes, but I used the NOTES feature on my IPhone to write as much as I could. We were lucky to be there on a day when they were allowing season ticket holders to come enjoy some batting practice and a catered lunch, all in the hopes of enticing them to upgrade their Padres tickets. Our tour guide, Timothy, was informative and so enthusiastic about the Padres and baseball in general. He was a wealth of information. Here is some of the interesting stuff I learned in our 1 1/2 hour tour. Petco Park is a modern retro ballpark. It has features of retro stadiums (older stadiums) and some features of newer, more modern stadiums. It's the best of both worlds. The stadium is open on the sides, as opposed to stadiums that are entirely enclosed. Seats are all slightly angled toward home plate, to give you a better view of the park. This is something most people would never notice unless it was pointed out to them. The ballpark opened in 2004. Did you know there are precisely 19 sprinkler heads in the outfield to water the beautiful lawn? That's a tribute to Tony Gwynn, number 19 for the Padres, and one of their most popular players ever. Around the outside of the actual playing field is a warning track. The idea of the warning track came from 1926 Yankee Stadium. At that time Yankee Stadium doubled as a track and field stadium, and the warning track area was for track. Although the warning track is never used for events anymore, the idea of the warning track stuck. At this time 70% of Petco Park is owned by the city of San Diego, and the rest is privately owned. Within the next decade the entire park will be owned by the city. (I'm referring to the property and building, not the team). We were lucky enough to see the luxury boxes and corporate boxes. The corporate boxes, all 53 of them are sold to corporations who use them for entertainment. They cost $150,000 per year. There are other luxury boxes that individuals can rent on a game by game basis, for around $2,000 per game. If you get a group of 20 together and rent one for a game, it's only $100 per person, which includes your food and drink. Not so bad for an amazing experience. Do the numbers 6, 19, 31, 51, and 42 mean anything to you? They are posted out in center field on a big sign as a tribute to the greatest Padres ever. Figure out who they are. All in all it was a great day, with a wonderful group of friends. Thanks, Barb and Pam for planning this wonderful event. Petco Park is an architectural delight and a culinary delight (thanks to some wonderful new restaurants). Now if they'd only get a team worthy of playing there. TODAY IS MY SON DAVID'S BIRTHDAY! HAPPY, HEALTHY BIRTHDAY, I LOVE YOU.

Cream of Mushroom Soup: Crystal Style

When I filled out a questionnaire after my recent Crystal Cruise, I raved about the soups. On the first night of the cruise I ordered the butternut squash soup. It was so delicious, I knew I would be ordering soup as often as possible on the cruise. I ordered it four times: butternut squash, cream of zucchini, cream of asparagus, and cream of mushroom. They were all extraordinary, and if you take the time to make this recipe, you will be rewarded with a delicious soup. Here is my favorite cream soup from Crystal. When I commented on food (on the questionnaire) I told them not to change a thing. The food overall was as good as I've ever had, consistently. It's hard to serve quality food round the clock to 1,000 passengers, but they did. That is a daunting task, and considering the various individual requests they need to fill, everything is outstanding, and the soup was something I always looked forward to. I hope you enjoy this. Cream of Mushroom Soup 1 ounce dried morels, or 2 ounces of fresh morels 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup portabello mushroom, thin sliced 2 ounces white mushrooms 3 ounces fresh porcini mushrooms, finely sliced 3 shallots, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced Salt & freshly ground white pepper Garnish Fresh rosemary sprigs 1/2 cup dry white wine 4 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley Leaves from 1 fresh thyme sprig, minced Leaves from 1 fresh oregano sprig, minced 2 large fresh basil leaves, chopped Four 6-inch round bread loaves Serves 4 CHEF’S NOTES Crystal Cruises serves this soup in oregano bread cups. Any plain or flavored bread loaf may be substituted, but this soup is also delicious simply served in shallow soup bowls. PREPARATION If using dried morels, wash the caps and soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. Remove the stems and discard them. Cut small morels in half and large ones in 3 or 4 pieces. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté all the mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the wine, and cook to reduce the liquid by half. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer the soup for about 25 minutes. In a blender or food processor. purée half the soup until very smooth. Return the purée to the pan. Stir in the parsley, thyme, oregano, and basil and cook for about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Keep warm. TO SERVE Preheat the oven to 200° F. Cut off the top of each bread loaf. With a large spoon, remove the soft inner part of the bread. Place the loaves on a baking pan and warm in the oven for about 5 minutes. remove the warm bread loaves from the oven and pour the hot soup into the bread cups. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs and serve.

Pumpkin Smoothie

You know that fall has arrived by the number of pumpkins you see everywhere. Our neighborhood is ready for Halloween, with a large percentage of homes decorated with pumpkins, ghosts, bats, cats and witches. I got the Fearless Flyer from Trader Joe's in the mail a few days ago, and it was filled with everything pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin goat cheese, pumpkin pie, pumpkin chai tea and pumpkin crisps, and pumpkin soup, just to name a few. Go to Starbucks or The Coffee Bean and you'll see that they too, are offering pumpkin drinks, both hot and cold. Here's a healthy cold pumpkin drink that is great for the fall season. Give it a try. It's easy to make and so good for you. Pumpkin Smoothie Ingredients for Smoothie: ½ cup pumpkin (canned, but unsweetened) 1 cup unsweetened almond milk(or regular non fat milk) ½ frozen banana ½ tablespoons maple syrup (or Raw honey) (I'm using equal to reduce the calories) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (+ a bit extra more to sprinkle on top) 1/8 teaspoon ginger 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon allspice 1/2 cup (or more…depending on how smoothie-like you like your drink) of ice Steps for Smoothie: Plug in your blender and blend all ingredients together until you get a smooth smoothie If you don't mind the calories, squirt a little whipped cream on top and sprinkle with cinnamon. The whole drink, which could be a morning breakfast drink, is only 200 calories, and it will really fill you up. I hope you enjoy. (this is a 2 point Weight Watcher food)

230 Forest: Great Food In Laguna

Every summer we go to Laguna at least once. Our friends Mark and Lisa stay at the Montage for a week, and we always come up to visit. This summer we went to a restaurant that was new to me, but upon checking I found out it's alive and well for the past ten years. It's 230 Forest, and if you spend any time in Laguna, you will definitely want to try it. It's very casual, yet the food is exquisite. I sat down and looked at the menu and had great difficulty deciding what to get. I liked everything. We had a reservation, but if you don't, spend some time walking on Forest Street while waiting for your name to be called. It's a great street, with art stores, clothes, specialty food stores, and home furnishings. Here's a little more about 230 Forest and its delicious food. Chef/owner Marc Cohen is an imaginative and artistic chef. Each plate is a work of art, and his culinary style can be described as Contemporary, with Pacific and Mexican influences. His menu is long on fish and shellfish, and fresh fruits and vegetables from Southern California. From his roots in Baltimore he came west to establish this fine restaurant. He also has another restaurant in Irvine, Opah Bar and Grill, and he is soon to open a third restaurant, Westmark, in Laguna, a grazing restaurant. The appetizer section of the menu was my favorite. Prosciutto wrapped shrimp, homemade burratta with marcona almonds, raisins and honey (I had this), wagu beef carpaccio with kale and pecorino, Maryland crab cakes with lemon poppy slaw and remoulade (I also had this), roasted baby artichokes, cracklin' shrimp with sweet and sour chile plum sauce, and fried calamari. Next, came the soup and salad section, with maui onion soup, a deconstructed blt salad with blue cheese buttermilk dressing, halibut fishermans chowder, flat iron steak salad, and candied salmon salad with dried cranberries, walnuts and goat cheese. (almost forgot Caesar salad, kale salad and chopped seafood salad). Who needs a main course after all this deliciousness? Certainly not me. I had the burratta and the Maryland crab cakes and loved it all. Others at our table had the cracklin' shrimp and fried calamari which both looked fantastic. They do, however, have a wonderful entrée menu. Ron had a simply prepared trout with fresh vegetables. Lisa and Mark shared the artichoke chicken pasta, which they loved. Other entrees include pork chops, ahi, halibut, scallops, jadori chicken pot roast, steak, and linguine carbonara. I wonder how a restaurant that offers so much can do it all so well, but they do. They also have a beautiful bar and very busy happy hour. Next time you're in Laguna, check out 230 Forest. If you're like me, you're going have trouble deciding what to order. Everything sounds so good. Another wonderful evening with Mark and Lisa. I'm sorry we don't get to see more of them. They live in Henderson, Nevada and Freeport, Bahamas and when they're not in one of those two places, they're probably traveling the world. I hope we can see more of them in the future.

Stand Up Paddleboarding With Friends

Our boogie boarding group is evolving. We now do several other water related activities together, like rent little putt putt boats in Balboa, kayak, and most recently, stand up paddleboard. I was reluctant at first, thinking my bad knee would be a problem, but after I saw that everyone else was going, I decided to join in. Worst case would be that I wouldn't be able to get up and I would spend an hour paddling on the board sitting down. About 15 of us went to Mission Bay on the most perfect day you can imagine. Warm temperatures, clear skies, and a light wind. Debbie served as our photographer, in addition to putting the trip together for us. She's got a bad knee and decided to pass. She captured many images I would not want anyone to see, like the one of me going from my knees on the paddleboard to a standup position. Not pretty, but it worked. There are several ways to get up on the paddleboard, the most recommended one being to stand in calf high water and just step on. I could see that wouldn't work for me, so I got on my knees, and from there went to a downward facing dog position (sort of), and then stood up. I was shaky for a few minutes, but if you keep moving and look at the horizon you're pretty safe. We were out on the bay for an hour, and was it ever fun! After about 45 minutes the bottoms of my feet started to tire, as did my knee. I have new found respect for the paddleboarders I see, especially those in the ocean. How they keep their balance is beyond me. Athletes have added a new twist to stand up paddleboarding. It's yoga on the paddleboard. I watched 5 women perform sun salutations, downward facing dog, cobra, tree pose, planks, and much more on the water. I was amazed. What great balance they had, and great concentration. I don't think I could ever do that. All in all it was a great day, except for one thing. As we were getting ready to leave and go to lunch, we realized that Sue was not with the group, and nobody remembered seeing her out on the water. After searching everywhere, she finally came into shore. She had gotten too far out in the bay and couldn't get back! Luckily a young man saw her struggling and helped her. It's a good reminder that we need to watch one another. It all turned out ok, we went off to Olive Café in Mission Bay for lunch (great lunch but so many flies), and returned home with great stories to tell, and some good pictures, thanks to our friend Debbie. (the picture above is not of anyone in our group, although we'd all like to look those gals)

Las Quatro Milpas

On a beautiful fall day that felt more like summer, I went with five other women to see Trolley Dances in San Diego. More about that on another blog. At the end of the morning we headed over to Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan for lunch at the iconic Mexican restaurant, Las Quatro Milpas. It has been around since 1935, and pictures on the walls show the original brothers who started it. It is still a family run restaurant almost 80 years later. Fans of this restaurant start lining up at 11am, and regardless of what time you arrive, you will wait. We arrived on a Saturday at 12:15pm, and waited almost a half hour. I usually don't like to wait, but I figured I would not be back to Barrio Logan anytime soon, and with all these people waiting for food, it must be good. We were enticed by the aroma of fresh hot tortillas. My mouth is watering just remembering the smell. The menu is very limited. Chicken or pork tacos, burritos, tamales, rice, beans and chorizo, and rolled taquitos. That's it. When you finally enter the restaurant, you place your order with a woman at the counter, as several other women cook in the background. Huge vats of lard (I think it was lard) boil on the stove, readying chips for your enjoyment. I ordered a pork taco with everything on it, lettuce, tomato, cheese and salsa. Delcious. The rolled taquitos looked amazing, and I would get them next time. They place three taquitos on a plate, then smother them with shredded lettuce, queso fresca cheese, sour cream and salasa. What a great meal. The tamales were equally delicious, very moist and full of meat. I bought a few to bring home for dinner. Don't forget the handmade flour tortillas, made by two ladies all day long right there in front of you. Order a bowl of beans and get two tortillas with your beans, to sop up the juices from the beans. These are the best flour tortillas I've had since we used to go to Puerto Nueva for lobster and take home fresh homemade tortillas. The restaurant is NOT long on ambience. Just plain rooms, with plain tables and card chairs, that's it. But you won't care. The food is delicious and the whole experience is one to savor and enjoy, just like the food. If you ever go to Barrio Logan, which I recommend you do (go to Chicano Park and Northgate Mercado)

, go to Las Quatro Milpas for lunch. You'll then know why it's been around for 80 years.

Rose Hip Jelly

For months Lynda has been telling me about fields of rose hips, just ripe for the picking, right near our house. Rose hips are the cherry sized red fruits of the rose bush, left behind after the bloom has died. The ones Lynda knows about are wild white roses from the Rosa rugosa variety. These are the tastiest rose hips. The flavor is described as fruity and spicy, much like the cranberry. You cannot eat the whole berry, as they contain very hairy seeds that are rough on digestion. The best part of rose hips is that they're loaded with vitamin C, so do not use any metal pans or utensils other than stainless steel or risk discoloration of the fruit and loss of the precious vitamin stores. Thanks, Lynda, for encouraging me to harvest the rose hips and make the jelly. Thanks for your help, too. You provided the buckets, clippers, gloves, and most of the labor, and of course, you knew the secret place where the rose hips were hiding. I wanted to go through the process of making rose hip jelly, which I did, but would not do again. It's very labor intensive, and although the end result is delicious, it's not worth the effort. I have a recipe here for you, just so you know what's involved. As you can see, just getting the rose hips ready to use is a big process. Before you begin the recipe you must harvest the rose hips, wash thoroughly, and trim them. You must remove the stem (cut it off) and the little bit of brown stuff (looks like a dead leaf) at the other end. Pick the red or orange rose hips, as the green ones are not ripe. Rose Hip Jelly INGREDIENTS Rosehip Jelly Ingredients 2 quarts rose hips 1 1/2 quarts water 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice(I used orange juice) 1 package SureJell pectin(I used a different brand 1/4 teaspoon butter 3 1/2 cups sugar 6 8-ounce canning jars and fresh lids METHOD Rosehip Jelly Method 1 Rinse the rose hips thoroughly. Cut off the scraggly ends and discard. 2 Place rose hips in a large pot. Add 1 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour (or longer), until rose hips are soft and mashable. rosehip-jelly-smashing.jpg rosehip-jelly-straining.jpg 3 Use a potato masher to mash up the rose hips into a rough purée. (I used a blender to puree). Set up a jelly bag, or a large very fine mesh strainer over a bowl or large pot. Transfer the rose hip mixture into the jelly bag/strainer/cheesecloth. Let strain into the bowl for at least an hour. Squeeze the jelly bag or cheesecloth to get more remaining juice out. I actually used a spoon to push through the pureed mixture through a fine strainer. 4 Measure the juice. You will need 3 cups of juice for this recipe, so if you have less than 3 cups, add more water to the mixture (you can also add some boiling water to the jelly bag if you still have it set up, allowing more liquid to drain out). 5 Prepare canning jars. You'll need 5 to 6 half-pint canning jars and lids. Sterilize the jars by either running them through the dishwasher, right before canning, or placing them on a rack in a large pot of water that you bring to a boil for 10 minutes, or by placing them in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes. To sterilize the lids, bring a kettle of a couple cups of water to a boil. Place lids in a shallow bowl and pour the boiling water over them. 6 Place 3 cups of the rose hip juice in a large, wide pot. Add the lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil, dissolving all of the pectin. Add the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the butter. Bring to a hard boil (one that you can not reduce by stirring). The mixture will bubble up considerably. Boil for exactly one minute. Then remove from heat and pour off into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace from the rim. 7 If any jelly falls on the rim as your pour it into the jars, wipe the rim with a damp paper towel. Place sterilized lids on jars and rings to secure. To ensure a good seal, and to guard against mold, you can process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes (bacteria is already killed by the sugar). To process, place the jars on a rack in a large, tall stock pot. Cover with an inch of water and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat, remove the jars from the water, and let cool. As the jars cool you should hear a popping sound as the lids seal. The lids should seal; if not, store in the refrigerator. Makes 5 8-ounce jars.

Pound Away

Every now and then I get tired of my regular workout routine and look for something new to get me reinvigorated. I've been feeling lately that I need something new. I know when I'm watching the clock during a 50 minute workout that I'm bored. That's been happening a lot lately, even in my spin class which I dearly love. A few months ago I discovered Flywheel (a new spin on spin), but they're not in San Diego yet. Now I've discovered Pound, another new exercise routine, not in San Diego yet, but I think it will be soon. Right now they're in LA, Orange County, San Francisco, Miami and New York. Here's what it is. Pound is a 30, 45, or 60 minute workout (they have classes of various lengths), that uses 1/4 pound drum sticks (Ripstix) as the centerfold of the class. If you've ever had a desire to be a drummer, or if you're one of those drivers who drums to the music on your steering wheel, this class might be for you. It's intense. I watched a video, and it's 30 minutes of aerobic, pilates and strength moves, with loud music, that you drum to. Your sticks are in constant motion, and although 1/4 pound drum sticks doesn't sound like much, add your aerobic and isometric moves and you've got one tough workout. You'll realize that the next day. Personally, I have never desired to be a drummer, but after watching a video of a Pound class, I can't wait to try it. I was so excited when the Barre classes began at my local Y last year, and although I do enjoy them and they are a diversion from standard aerobics classes, I don't love them. Each class is different, each teacher does different things, which at least makes it interesting. I'm looking forward to Pound, and hope they will be at my local Y sometime soon.

My Personal Journal

Another month has rolled by, and Ron is that much closer to living life without looking over his shoulder. (366 days to be precise). I should say that at this point he doesn't feel he has much restriction because he has settled into a comfortable life in San Diego that doesn't require going anywhere else. However, I know he will be so much happier when he doesn't have to account to anyone for a trip to LA or Newport Beach. Having to do that is a minor inconvenience, but it's a constant reminder of his limitations. Won't it be grand to go to Colorado to see Phil and family, LA to see David and Tracy, Brian and family, and mom, on the spur of the moment? How about a trip for the two of us? I can't wait to go somewhere together. Our first trip may be in the fall or winter of 2014. Ron wants to go to Chicago to see the Bears play, and spend a few days in his hometown. That sounds fantastic to me. I'm ready. From time to time I get phone calls from people Ron met at Taft. I got a phone call from Ron's closest friend at Taft around the Jewish Holidays, and when I repeated the conversation to Ron, he wasn't terribly interested. He was happy to hear that this man is doing well, but he just wasn't interested in reconnecting, even if he could. (he can reconnect with anyone after probation is over) Prison friends are just that. They fill a need while you are incarcerated, and after that most inmates move on. Ron enjoys telling stories to new friends about his experiences at Taft, yet he has moved on. Thank goodness. He and I both feel that rehashing the past is not healthy. I may be over generalizing, but I think the men who want to keep in touch with "prison friends" have not put the past behind them. They may not have a strong support system, may not have a job, may be stuck in a stagnant life that's not going anywhere, so they want to stay connected with people from prison that accepted them and helped them stay sane. There are very few men Ron met at Taft that he would ever have befriended on the outside, so he feels, as I do, it is best to move forward and remember them as friends at a time when they needed each other.

Great Sushi In San Diego

Over the years, the Asian population of San Diego has increased, and so have the number of Asian restaurants. Six of us recently went to Sushi Ota, which has been around for years, and is called by many "the best sushi in San Diego." I wouldn't disagree. We are a group that loves to laugh, have fun and eat! Our last outing to Cucina Urbana in the Irvine Spectrum was so delicious, we decided to try Sushi Ota. The restaurant was recommended by a Japanese man from Seattle, who touted it as the best in San Diego. It just may be. Karen, one of the women who joined us for lunch, had lived in Japan many years ago (twice) and said that the restaurant felt like a typical Japanese sushi bar that you'd find in Japan. We were there on a Thursday afternoon, from 12 noon until about 1:30. The restaurant and bar was packed the entire time. At least half the patrons were Japanese, always a good sign. They know authentic. The rest were mostly locals who've probably been coming there for years. We ordered a variety of food. We began with a bowl of warm edemame and seaweed salad. The salad was delicious, with a great sesame taste. We followed with a variety of cut rolls, including crunchy salmon, California roll with real crab, caterpillar roll and soft shell crab roll. The fish was as fresh as can be, and of course presentation was exquisite. Two women in our group were not sushi lovers, so they ordered the vegetable tempura and teriyaki beef. Both were perfectly prepared. What I liked best about the restaurant was the vibe. The place felt alive. Although the décor was nothing special, you knew you were in for a great meal as soon as you stepped into the restaurant. The bar was packed, and six sushi chefs were busy preparing handrolls, nigiri and sashimi. What a beautiful sight. One of the most interesting dishes that I did not try, but might get up the nerve to try next time, was sea urchin sashimi. It was a beautiful sea urchin with it's spiny exterior, but the inside was the sea urchin sashimi. I think I'm brave enough to try that next time. Every plate was a masterpiece, and the restaurant, in addition to the traditional items we all know and love, had some specialties, written in Japanese, so I'm sorry I can't tell you what they were. Next time you want to wander out of your comfort zone, out of your neighborhood, try Sushi Ota. Make a reservation. It's on Mission Bay Drive, and it's delicious!

Remembering A Happy Time

Some Sunday mornings I go to the Y and take a water aerobics class. This past Sunday was a particularly hot, humid day, so I figured it was a perfect time to go to the pool. Too bad they had the water temperature at 88 degrees! Anyway, I arrived early and watched the last 15 minutes of the Water Yoga class. This class has grown in popularity over the past several years I have known of it, from an early group of only 5-6 participants, to about 30 yogis and yoginis last week. The teacher was ending the class with a meditation, where she had everyone try to go back to a happy childhood memory. They shared their memories with the group, and I enjoyed listening, and of course thinking of my own happy childhood memories. The water yoga group remembered things like picking blueberries at grandma's farm, having a family cook out, not having any homework in the summer, and going to the Coney Island in New York. I started thinking, and a few special happy moments came to mind. My first happy memory, and something that I still think of frequently, is eating green apples under a grove of apple trees in the afternoon at Camp Trinity. I attended this camp for three years, ages 10-12, and I have many fond memories (like riding in the local rodeo), but the afternoons, around 4pm, was the time I loved the most. I would sit and eat green apples, and talk, and that made me very happy. Another happy childhood memory is visiting my Grandparents farm in upstate New York. I must have been about 8 years old and we went for a summer visit. Grandma's farm had a big mud hole, and I remember clearly diving into mucky goo and loving it. I can still remember that feeling of complete freedom from jumping around in a mud hole. My third happy childhood moment involves summers at the beach. We were lucky enough to belong to a beach club, and we spent most summer days swimming, sunning and playing volleyball. I remember this time as being carefree, where my greatest worry was whether the waves would be good for body surfing or not, or whether my partner and I would win our volleyball match. Happy childhood memories last a lifetime. Many elderly people go back in time, to a happier time. It's great that we have those memories, but I try to think of each day as a new day to make a new happy memory. I recently spent a few hours at the beach, boogie boarding, then having a picnic lunch with friends. I didn't know it would become a happy memory at the time, but it has. I think of that day often, and smile. We've all got many happy memories yet to be created.