Price discrimination by gender is persistent and pervasive. Radio Flyer sells a red scooter for boys and a pink scooter for girls. The only key difference is the price. The boys' scooter was listed at $24.99 and the girls' scooter was listed for $49.99. This is not an anomaly. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs compared nearly 800 products with female and male versions. Here are some of the results:
The Raskullz shark helmet for boys at $14.99 and the Raskullz unicorn helmet for girls at $27.99. Other areas where there was a wide discrepency between the prices of items for men and women was in the hair care category. Women, on average, paid 49% more for goods like shampoo, conditioner and gel. Razor cartridges came in second, costing females 11% more. This is a double whammy for women. Not only do women pay more for their necessary products, but they make less. On average, women make 79 cents for every $1.00 made by a man.
If they could, insurance companies would charge women more for insurance, but gender can no longer be a factored into the cost of health insurance. Since 1998, New York City law has banned gender discrimination in the pricing of services, like hair cuts and dry cleaning. Even though the law says they must offer gender neutral rates by labor intensity, the department continues to issue hundresds of violations for gender pricing of services. Even though there are laws in place to protect women, blatant price disparities persist. We need to fight back by letting companies know we are aware of their illegal and immoral practices and will not tolerate it. If enough women complain, maybe these practices will change.
Friday, January 29, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Bronislaw Huberman: Founder of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
I recently saw the movie Orchestra of Exiles at one of my Brandeis study groups. I learned about the Polish violinist, Bronislaw Huberman, a man I had never heard of but one that had a profound effect on thousands of Jews before and during WW11, and left an indelible mark on music in Israel. Here is some of what I learned from this wonderful and informative film.
Bronislaw Huberman's talent as a violinist was recognized early. His family had fallen on hard times, so at the young age of 12 Huberman was touring Europe as a solo violinist, supporting his family. After WW1 Huberman became political, getting involved in the Pan European movement. Huberman performed all over Europe. He even performed in Palestine in 1929. It was around this time that he began to fear the future for Jews, with the rise of Hitler. He decided to form a symphony orchestra in Palestine, getting the best Jewish talent from Poland, Germany, Austria and several other countries. Toscanini, the greatest conductor of his time, had refused to perform in Germany, even at the direct request of Hitler. He was supportive of Huberman's political and cultural desire to both save the lives of talented Jewish musicians, and give to Palestine a world class orchestra.
It took years for Huberman to complete his mission. In all, he is credited with saving the lives of over 1,000 Jewish men, women and children. Some of them were musicians, but the others were family members. He got documents to allow them to get out of Germany and Poland, and travel to Palestine. No one knows exactly how he was able to do this. The result was that by 1936 he had a 73 piece orchestra assembled in Palestine, including some of the finest musicians in the world. Toscanini was there to conduct on opening night, and the orchestra was an instant success. They toured for the next 10 years throughout the Middle East, and Huberman, one of the finest violinists of his day, rarely performed. During this time Huberman travelled to America, to perform at Carnegie Hall. During his time at Carnegie Hall, a thief snuck into his dressing room and stole his Strativarius violin. This was a devasting blow to Huberman, but he recovered. His orchestra was a success, and had saved so many lives. One condition of each musician that came to Palestine was that they must teach music to the next generation. They all did, and to this day the Israeli Symphony Orchestra has many children and students of the original orchestra.
In 1948, when Israel was becoming an independent country, the name of the orchestra was changed to Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. It's first conductor, in 1948, was Leonard Bernstein, and he conducted them for 20 years. Zuben Mehta also conducted there. Huberman wanted to fight Nazism through music. He achieved this goal. 50 years after his beloved violin was stolen from Carnegie Hall, is was recovered. Today it is played brilliantly by Joshua Bell.
Bronislaw Huberman's talent as a violinist was recognized early. His family had fallen on hard times, so at the young age of 12 Huberman was touring Europe as a solo violinist, supporting his family. After WW1 Huberman became political, getting involved in the Pan European movement. Huberman performed all over Europe. He even performed in Palestine in 1929. It was around this time that he began to fear the future for Jews, with the rise of Hitler. He decided to form a symphony orchestra in Palestine, getting the best Jewish talent from Poland, Germany, Austria and several other countries. Toscanini, the greatest conductor of his time, had refused to perform in Germany, even at the direct request of Hitler. He was supportive of Huberman's political and cultural desire to both save the lives of talented Jewish musicians, and give to Palestine a world class orchestra.
It took years for Huberman to complete his mission. In all, he is credited with saving the lives of over 1,000 Jewish men, women and children. Some of them were musicians, but the others were family members. He got documents to allow them to get out of Germany and Poland, and travel to Palestine. No one knows exactly how he was able to do this. The result was that by 1936 he had a 73 piece orchestra assembled in Palestine, including some of the finest musicians in the world. Toscanini was there to conduct on opening night, and the orchestra was an instant success. They toured for the next 10 years throughout the Middle East, and Huberman, one of the finest violinists of his day, rarely performed. During this time Huberman travelled to America, to perform at Carnegie Hall. During his time at Carnegie Hall, a thief snuck into his dressing room and stole his Strativarius violin. This was a devasting blow to Huberman, but he recovered. His orchestra was a success, and had saved so many lives. One condition of each musician that came to Palestine was that they must teach music to the next generation. They all did, and to this day the Israeli Symphony Orchestra has many children and students of the original orchestra.
In 1948, when Israel was becoming an independent country, the name of the orchestra was changed to Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. It's first conductor, in 1948, was Leonard Bernstein, and he conducted them for 20 years. Zuben Mehta also conducted there. Huberman wanted to fight Nazism through music. He achieved this goal. 50 years after his beloved violin was stolen from Carnegie Hall, is was recovered. Today it is played brilliantly by Joshua Bell.
Monday, January 25, 2016
American Breweries Hit All Time High
It shocked me to find out that we now have more breweries or brew pubs in America than at any time since 1873. My surprise wasn't that we have 4,144 brewers now, but that we had 4,131 American breweries in 1873. How could that be possible with a population of around 38,000,000? Our population now is almost ten times what it was after the Civil War, yet we have just about the same amount of breweries as we did then. There must have been one on every corner!
From 1873 -1930, the number of breweries decreased rapidly, to the point that there were none during the years of prohibition. The number of breweries stayed very low for the next 50 years. In fact, in 1978 there were only 89 breweries or brew pubs in America. Since then, the numbers have increased at a staggering rate. From 2005-2015 breweries have increased 186.4%. The number continues to increase. North County San Diego is one of the hubs of breweries making craft beers. Go to Vista and walk on Main Street, just a two block area, and see all the new local breweries. America is in love with local breweries, brewing craft beers, but this is not just an American phenomenon. It is world wide. Not being a beer drinker (I've tried and just don't like it) I can't appreciate what all the fuss is about. I do know that it creates jobs and businesses, and makes the big boys (Coors, Bud, etc.) up their game. They can no longer see cheap tasteless beer. The public is smart and they will go elsewhere for their beer if national brands are not up to par.
This is not dissimilar to what happened in the wine industry. Over the past 50 years, the public became more knowledgeable about wine, and found that they could drink a good local wine or wine from a small winery for a modest price. That forced the big wineries to compete, and now you see Gallo and other wineries that used to be producing low end tasteless wines, now making good inexpensive wines. Competition is always good, and in the beer and wine business there is definitely a lot of completion. That makes for more choice, more jobs, more businesses. It's a good thing for our economy.
From 1873 -1930, the number of breweries decreased rapidly, to the point that there were none during the years of prohibition. The number of breweries stayed very low for the next 50 years. In fact, in 1978 there were only 89 breweries or brew pubs in America. Since then, the numbers have increased at a staggering rate. From 2005-2015 breweries have increased 186.4%. The number continues to increase. North County San Diego is one of the hubs of breweries making craft beers. Go to Vista and walk on Main Street, just a two block area, and see all the new local breweries. America is in love with local breweries, brewing craft beers, but this is not just an American phenomenon. It is world wide. Not being a beer drinker (I've tried and just don't like it) I can't appreciate what all the fuss is about. I do know that it creates jobs and businesses, and makes the big boys (Coors, Bud, etc.) up their game. They can no longer see cheap tasteless beer. The public is smart and they will go elsewhere for their beer if national brands are not up to par.
This is not dissimilar to what happened in the wine industry. Over the past 50 years, the public became more knowledgeable about wine, and found that they could drink a good local wine or wine from a small winery for a modest price. That forced the big wineries to compete, and now you see Gallo and other wineries that used to be producing low end tasteless wines, now making good inexpensive wines. Competition is always good, and in the beer and wine business there is definitely a lot of completion. That makes for more choice, more jobs, more businesses. It's a good thing for our economy.
Friday, January 22, 2016
The 4th Amendment: Are We Still Protected?
The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and requires any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause. Specifically, it says "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrant shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized."
Fear of terrorism has eroded our privacy. Our phone conversations and our internet activities are both in jeopardy. Should the government have the right to, without our knowledge, track our phone activity, our computer activity, and even our personal activity? The 4th amendment says that the right to privacy shall not be violated without probable cause. If you look at Supreme Court cases over the past century, you will see that what is and is not probable cause, has changed. As early as 1923 and continuing through its recent decisions, the court has broadly read the "liberty" guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment to guarantee a fairly broad right of privacy that has come to encompass decisions about child rearing, procreation, marriage, and termination of medical treatment. Polls show most Americans support this broad reading of the Constitution. I just read that the new park in Carlsbad, Alga Norte, open just two years ago, has turned off their 30 surveillance cameras because of legal concerns. The cameras remain mounted in key areas, but they are no longer used for surveillance or storing digital data. This is a perfect example of the balance between privacy and safety. Are we ready to have big brother watching and recording our every move?
Recently it appears government agencies have been more and more invasive in our private lives. How far should they be allowed to invade our privacy to find terrorists? It's a tricky balance. On the one hand, we don't want our homes searched, or phone conversations recorded, cameras watching us, and GPS tracking us. On the other hand, we do want to remain safe, and if these methods will keep us safe, how much of our privacy are we willing to give up? I think court decisions in the next year or two will tell us where we're going with this. I hope that level heads prevail, and that we don't give up everything that the 4th Amendment allows. To me, that would be the beginning of the end of our Democracy.
Fear of terrorism has eroded our privacy. Our phone conversations and our internet activities are both in jeopardy. Should the government have the right to, without our knowledge, track our phone activity, our computer activity, and even our personal activity? The 4th amendment says that the right to privacy shall not be violated without probable cause. If you look at Supreme Court cases over the past century, you will see that what is and is not probable cause, has changed. As early as 1923 and continuing through its recent decisions, the court has broadly read the "liberty" guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment to guarantee a fairly broad right of privacy that has come to encompass decisions about child rearing, procreation, marriage, and termination of medical treatment. Polls show most Americans support this broad reading of the Constitution. I just read that the new park in Carlsbad, Alga Norte, open just two years ago, has turned off their 30 surveillance cameras because of legal concerns. The cameras remain mounted in key areas, but they are no longer used for surveillance or storing digital data. This is a perfect example of the balance between privacy and safety. Are we ready to have big brother watching and recording our every move?
Recently it appears government agencies have been more and more invasive in our private lives. How far should they be allowed to invade our privacy to find terrorists? It's a tricky balance. On the one hand, we don't want our homes searched, or phone conversations recorded, cameras watching us, and GPS tracking us. On the other hand, we do want to remain safe, and if these methods will keep us safe, how much of our privacy are we willing to give up? I think court decisions in the next year or two will tell us where we're going with this. I hope that level heads prevail, and that we don't give up everything that the 4th Amendment allows. To me, that would be the beginning of the end of our Democracy.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
How Lucky We Are To Be American Women
For the first time in history, women were allowed to vote and stand in municipal elections last month. When I heard this, I thought to myself "How great this is for the women of Saudi Arabia." When I thought further, I realized that if they couldn't vote, they couldn't do a lot of other things. We've all heard about the restrictive lives of Saudi women, but when you enumerate them and see them in black and white, it makes you appreciate what the women's movement has done for American women. Below are some of the things that Saudi women cannot do:
1. Go anywhere without a chaperone. Women must be accompanied by a male guardian, known as a mahram whenever they leave their house. The guardian is usually a male relative.
2. Drive a car.
3. Wear clothes or make-up that show off their beauty. The dress code for women is governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law and is enforced to varying degrees across the country.
4. Interact with men. Women are required to limit the amount of time spent with men they are not related to. The majority of public buildings including offices, banks and universities have separate entrances for men and women.
5. Go for a swim.
6. Compete freely in sports. When Saudi Arabia sent its female athletes to the London games for the first time, hardline clerics denounced the women as prostitutes. While they were allowed to compete, they had to be accompanied by a male guardian and wear a "Sharia-compliant" sports kit that covered their hair.
7. Try on clothes when shopping. The mere thought of a disrobed woman behind a dressing room door is apparently too much for men to handle.
8. Entering a cemetery.
9. Reading an uncensored fashion magazine
10. Buying a Barbie.
Depending on where one lives in Saudi Arabia, some restrictions have been loosened. In big cities women can drive on a restrictive basis, and may also go certain places without a chaperone. Things are still very restrictive for women, and even though women can now vote, it doesn't look like much will change soon. Americans have freedoms that have been earned through years of hard work. Change is slow, and it will likely be decades before Saudi women have the freedoms we enjoy.
1. Go anywhere without a chaperone. Women must be accompanied by a male guardian, known as a mahram whenever they leave their house. The guardian is usually a male relative.
2. Drive a car.
3. Wear clothes or make-up that show off their beauty. The dress code for women is governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law and is enforced to varying degrees across the country.
4. Interact with men. Women are required to limit the amount of time spent with men they are not related to. The majority of public buildings including offices, banks and universities have separate entrances for men and women.
5. Go for a swim.
6. Compete freely in sports. When Saudi Arabia sent its female athletes to the London games for the first time, hardline clerics denounced the women as prostitutes. While they were allowed to compete, they had to be accompanied by a male guardian and wear a "Sharia-compliant" sports kit that covered their hair.
7. Try on clothes when shopping. The mere thought of a disrobed woman behind a dressing room door is apparently too much for men to handle.
8. Entering a cemetery.
9. Reading an uncensored fashion magazine
10. Buying a Barbie.
Depending on where one lives in Saudi Arabia, some restrictions have been loosened. In big cities women can drive on a restrictive basis, and may also go certain places without a chaperone. Things are still very restrictive for women, and even though women can now vote, it doesn't look like much will change soon. Americans have freedoms that have been earned through years of hard work. Change is slow, and it will likely be decades before Saudi women have the freedoms we enjoy.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Revisiting Beach Grass Cafe
I hadn't been to Beach Grass Café in years, probably since we left Del Mar nine years ago. It was off my list of restaurants, as I thought the prices were high and the food was just ordinary. They were also serving dinner at that time, which was not going well.
Fast forward nine years. Fran suggested we go to Beach Grass Café for breakfast one morning in conjunction with our Saturday morning walk. She had a taste for their lemon ricotta and blueberry pancakes. That sounded good to me, so we walked there from her house and had a fabulous breakfast. I felt I had to write about the restaurant because the breakfast was so good, the menu so varied, with lots of healthy choices, that I was sorry I had been missing out for the past nine year. As I said, we went for the lemon ricotta and blueberry pancakes. I was not disappointed. They offer either a full order (two large pancakes) or a half order (one large pancake). The pancake was light and fluffy, filled with blueberries, with just a hint of lemon. It was delicious. In addition to these pancakes, they also offer buttermilk, blue corn with banana, gluten free, upside down pineapple, maple, bacon and cheddar, and oatmeal with roasted pears and marshmallow cream pancakes. There are lots of scrambles on the menu, and lots of hash, like turkey, veggie andchorizo hash. Four different variations on eggs benedict, eggs any way you want them, and omelettes. How about an order of lox and cream cheese with bagels, onions, tomatoes and capers for $9.95? Since there are no delicatessens in our area, I may try this next time.
Breakfast is served all day, and the lunch menu sounds appealing to me as well. She crab soup, which I remember was one of their specialties years ago and was delicious, is still on the menu, along with several other hearty soups. Several salads (eight in all), tacos and burritos, wraps, sandwiches and burgers round out the menu. French fries are hand cut and looked delicious.
I look forward to eating again soon at Beach Grass Café. Prices are reasonable, portions are large, and the coffee is great. Give it a try. It's at 159 South Coast Highway 101 in Solana Beach.
Fast forward nine years. Fran suggested we go to Beach Grass Café for breakfast one morning in conjunction with our Saturday morning walk. She had a taste for their lemon ricotta and blueberry pancakes. That sounded good to me, so we walked there from her house and had a fabulous breakfast. I felt I had to write about the restaurant because the breakfast was so good, the menu so varied, with lots of healthy choices, that I was sorry I had been missing out for the past nine year. As I said, we went for the lemon ricotta and blueberry pancakes. I was not disappointed. They offer either a full order (two large pancakes) or a half order (one large pancake). The pancake was light and fluffy, filled with blueberries, with just a hint of lemon. It was delicious. In addition to these pancakes, they also offer buttermilk, blue corn with banana, gluten free, upside down pineapple, maple, bacon and cheddar, and oatmeal with roasted pears and marshmallow cream pancakes. There are lots of scrambles on the menu, and lots of hash, like turkey, veggie andchorizo hash. Four different variations on eggs benedict, eggs any way you want them, and omelettes. How about an order of lox and cream cheese with bagels, onions, tomatoes and capers for $9.95? Since there are no delicatessens in our area, I may try this next time.
Breakfast is served all day, and the lunch menu sounds appealing to me as well. She crab soup, which I remember was one of their specialties years ago and was delicious, is still on the menu, along with several other hearty soups. Several salads (eight in all), tacos and burritos, wraps, sandwiches and burgers round out the menu. French fries are hand cut and looked delicious.
I look forward to eating again soon at Beach Grass Café. Prices are reasonable, portions are large, and the coffee is great. Give it a try. It's at 159 South Coast Highway 101 in Solana Beach.
Friday, January 15, 2016
New Outlets in SanClemente
As I watched the new San Clemente Outlets develop, I thought about what a beautiful setting in which to shop. Beautiful ocean views as you wander from Sketchers to Nike to Hanes to Starbucks couldn't be bad. It wasn't. The center is beautiful, with a gorgeous Spanish style that fits right into San Clemente. It's the same outlets that you see in Carlsbad and pretty much everywhere else, but the setting is stunning. On a crisp, clear winter day Regina, Debbie, Marilyn and I set out to explore. Everyone but me came home with their pockets a little bit lighter, but happy. There are only a few eateries there right now, but I expect more will come. Yogurt, chocolate, Panera, Ruby's Diner and of course Starbucks are there right now. There was some talk of an upscale restaurant in the center, but there is nothing like that right now.
After a little shopping we took a 7 minute drive to downtown San Clemente for lunch. We ate at Nicks, a very upscale restaurant that was packed at noon on a Friday afternoon. Nicks has several locations, including Laguna Beach, where I had dinner about two years ago. Lunch at Nicks was spectacular. I had blackened mahi mahi tacos, with cabbage, pico de gallo and sliced avocado. The rest of my group had the prime rib sandwich for $19. Slices of medium rare prime rib enclosed in a buttered, toasted bun. The meat was topped with carmelized onions. It was delicious. As a side dish, my friends all opted for the corn, rather than skinny fries. I tasted the corn, and would go back again, just for that. Fresh corn off the cob, roasted, mixed with lots of butter and garlic. Fantastic. Nicks also serves their famous individual chicken pot pie, which looked delicious. Several salads looked good, including a sesame chicken salad and a steak salad. The bar was busy, with many singles to eat there. Just a warning about drinks at Nicks. I ordered a diet coke, which came in a small glass bottle. No refills, so it's $2.50 for each drink, another $2.50 for another diet coke. I haven't seen restaurants doing that, but maybe there's a trend back to paying for each drink, rather than free refills.
Service was great, and I would definitely go there again. The only negative is that the restaurant is very loud, and anyone with a hearing problem will have trouble. There are so many choices of restaurants of Camino Del Mar in San Clemente that you would probably want to try something else next time. It's a cute, beachy street of about four blocks, with lots of interesting shops to peruse. I loved our girls day and can't wait to plan another day again soon.
After a little shopping we took a 7 minute drive to downtown San Clemente for lunch. We ate at Nicks, a very upscale restaurant that was packed at noon on a Friday afternoon. Nicks has several locations, including Laguna Beach, where I had dinner about two years ago. Lunch at Nicks was spectacular. I had blackened mahi mahi tacos, with cabbage, pico de gallo and sliced avocado. The rest of my group had the prime rib sandwich for $19. Slices of medium rare prime rib enclosed in a buttered, toasted bun. The meat was topped with carmelized onions. It was delicious. As a side dish, my friends all opted for the corn, rather than skinny fries. I tasted the corn, and would go back again, just for that. Fresh corn off the cob, roasted, mixed with lots of butter and garlic. Fantastic. Nicks also serves their famous individual chicken pot pie, which looked delicious. Several salads looked good, including a sesame chicken salad and a steak salad. The bar was busy, with many singles to eat there. Just a warning about drinks at Nicks. I ordered a diet coke, which came in a small glass bottle. No refills, so it's $2.50 for each drink, another $2.50 for another diet coke. I haven't seen restaurants doing that, but maybe there's a trend back to paying for each drink, rather than free refills.
Service was great, and I would definitely go there again. The only negative is that the restaurant is very loud, and anyone with a hearing problem will have trouble. There are so many choices of restaurants of Camino Del Mar in San Clemente that you would probably want to try something else next time. It's a cute, beachy street of about four blocks, with lots of interesting shops to peruse. I loved our girls day and can't wait to plan another day again soon.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
The Road Less Traveled
Remember having to memorize poetry in high school? One of my favorite poems was "The Road Less Traveled" by Robert Frost. It immediately came to mind as I watch the production of If/Then at the Civic last week. The female lead has a decision to make as she meets a friend in the park, and very cleverly, the choices she had and what might have occurred had she chosen one path or another, are unveiled. All of us have had choices to make that have effected our lives profoundly.
Ron had to choose between Tulane and USC when he was ready for college, and he chose USC. His life would have been entirely different had he gone to Tulane. I had a choice of social work or teaching after college, and I'm sure my life would have been different had I chosen social work. I hear all the time about a woman choosing one man over another, and influencing her life in ways she could not even imagine. When my son Phil went to work at Roy's in Denver rather than staying at the restaurant he had been at, he had no idea that would lead to him finding Deborah, his wife.
We make choices all the time. I have had many occasions while hiking when I've had two roads to choose from. Why one chooses one over the other, I don't really know. And, who knows what might have happened had one chosen the other road?
If/Then starred many stars from the Broadway cast, including Idina Menzel. She is a spectacular singer, and the production was well worth seeing. Although I didn't leave the theatre singing any of the many songs in the show, I will not soon forget the story. When faced with choices, we make what we think is the best choice at the time. You never know what might have been, had you chosen the other path.
Ron had to choose between Tulane and USC when he was ready for college, and he chose USC. His life would have been entirely different had he gone to Tulane. I had a choice of social work or teaching after college, and I'm sure my life would have been different had I chosen social work. I hear all the time about a woman choosing one man over another, and influencing her life in ways she could not even imagine. When my son Phil went to work at Roy's in Denver rather than staying at the restaurant he had been at, he had no idea that would lead to him finding Deborah, his wife.
We make choices all the time. I have had many occasions while hiking when I've had two roads to choose from. Why one chooses one over the other, I don't really know. And, who knows what might have happened had one chosen the other road?
If/Then starred many stars from the Broadway cast, including Idina Menzel. She is a spectacular singer, and the production was well worth seeing. Although I didn't leave the theatre singing any of the many songs in the show, I will not soon forget the story. When faced with choices, we make what we think is the best choice at the time. You never know what might have been, had you chosen the other path.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Putting Cheap Wine To Good Use
How often has someone brought you a cheap bottle of wine that you really don't want to drink? It doesn't happen to me much, because I can't really tell the difference between cheap and expensive wine, but if I open a bottle and don't like the taste, I don't want to throw it out. There are a couple of things you can do with cheap wine, other than drink it. One is to turn it into sangria. Add fruit juice and fruit and you've got a wonderful, refreshing cocktail. There are many sangria recipes on the internet, so I won't give you one here. You can also turn it into a past dish, which I will share here with you. It is adapted from a recipe by Michael Chiarello, a wonderful chef. Try this one with your next bottle of cheap wine.
Cheap Wine Pasta Dish
2. Add the wine and sugar to the pasta pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced by half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the pasta and shake to prevent the pasta from sticking. Gently stir with tongs until coated and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. While the pasta cooks in the wine, heat a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the garlic until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the rapini, red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, or more if desired, and stir to combine.
4. Add the rapini mixture to the pasta pot, toss gently and transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.
Cheap Wine Pasta Dish
Ingredients
1½ pounds rapini (broccoli rabe)
1 pound spaghetti
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine, preferably Zinfandel
1 tablespoon sugar
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic (about 4 cloves)
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Directions
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rapini and cook for 3 minutes or until just tender. Transfer the rapini to a baking sheet and let cool. In the same boiling water, cook the spaghetti, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. (The pasta will finish cooking in the Zinfandel.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta and set it aside. Return the empty pasta pot to the stove.2. Add the wine and sugar to the pasta pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced by half, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the pasta and shake to prevent the pasta from sticking. Gently stir with tongs until coated and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. While the pasta cooks in the wine, heat a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the garlic until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the rapini, red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, or more if desired, and stir to combine.
4. Add the rapini mixture to the pasta pot, toss gently and transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve.
Friday, January 8, 2016
We've All Got Our Problems
I think of the man without any shoes who felt sorry for himself until he heard about the man with no legs. We all have a tendency to focus on ourselves, our problems, our illnesses, our family. We plan for the future, then out of nowhere, an illness or a death that we weren't expecting, comes along. How do we deal with it? It's so individual, and there is no right way to deal with unexpected disaster. "Why me?" is one approach. That doesn't work for me. There is no answer to the question "Why me," so I'd rather take the approach that this is the hand I've been dealt, and I'll play it the best I can. (bridge analogy, for my bridge friends.)
When you are dealt a blow in life, be it financial or medical (I've been dealt both), you pick yourself up and dust yourself off. It's just as easy to feel positive about the future as to be negative. I truly believe that a positive attitude helps lead to a positive outcome. No, a positive attitude will not cure cancer, but it can make each day more enjoyable. When you are faced with a devastating prognosis or financial ruin, all you can do is enjoy each day to its fullest. None of us really know how long we will be here, so this attitude applies to everyone, regardless of how long they think they'll be around.
Back to the analysis on playing the hand you've been dealt. All you can do is work with what you've got, and squeeze every bit of life out each day. Take that hand you've been dealt, and go for all the overtricks you can. We've all got problems. Yours may seem overwhelming, but look around. You probably wouldn't want to change your problems for someone else's.
When you are dealt a blow in life, be it financial or medical (I've been dealt both), you pick yourself up and dust yourself off. It's just as easy to feel positive about the future as to be negative. I truly believe that a positive attitude helps lead to a positive outcome. No, a positive attitude will not cure cancer, but it can make each day more enjoyable. When you are faced with a devastating prognosis or financial ruin, all you can do is enjoy each day to its fullest. None of us really know how long we will be here, so this attitude applies to everyone, regardless of how long they think they'll be around.
Back to the analysis on playing the hand you've been dealt. All you can do is work with what you've got, and squeeze every bit of life out each day. Take that hand you've been dealt, and go for all the overtricks you can. We've all got problems. Yours may seem overwhelming, but look around. You probably wouldn't want to change your problems for someone else's.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Why Worry?
I recently saw a movie I can highly recommend. Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks, was one of the best pictures I've seen in a long time. 2 hours and 20 minutes long, and I never looked at my watch. There was a line in the movie that I can't get out of my head. Tom Hanks, a lawyer, was defending a Soviet spy. Hanks turns to the spy after telling him that he is most likely going to be convicted and executed and asks him why he doesn't seem worried. The spy answers, "Will it help?" (meaning, will worrying about the conviction help anything?) Ron and I both looked at each other, and realized how meaningful the answer was. Worrying about something doesn't help anything. It doesn't make you feel better and it certainly doesn't change the situation. In fact, worrying can do a lot of damage to your health.
Worrying can lead to feelings of high anxiety and even cause you to be physically ill. It can raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate and cause stomach problems. Excessive worrying causes anxiety, a normal reaction to stress. However, chronic worrying leads to high levels of anxiety which can cause real health problems. The answer given by the spy in Bridge of Spies was so perfect. Hanks asked why he didn't look worried and the spy answered "Will it help?" I will think of that often, as I go through some very stressful times.
Worrying can lead to feelings of high anxiety and even cause you to be physically ill. It can raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate and cause stomach problems. Excessive worrying causes anxiety, a normal reaction to stress. However, chronic worrying leads to high levels of anxiety which can cause real health problems. The answer given by the spy in Bridge of Spies was so perfect. Hanks asked why he didn't look worried and the spy answered "Will it help?" I will think of that often, as I go through some very stressful times.
Monday, January 4, 2016
A New Year's Resolution
I've never been one for making New Year's resolutions. It's a good thing, because I wouldn't get past day one without breaking one. Well, my friend Renee Valdivia has a great idea, which she shared on Facebook, so I don't think she'd mind if I shared it with you. I'm giving her all the credit for this wonderful idea.
Get a jelly jar and keep it in the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Every time something good happens this year, take a little piece of paper and write it and put it in the jar. At the end of the year you will have a jar filled with great things that happened to you in 2016. I already have my jar, and have written my first great thing today, on January 1. I walked for 45 minutes with Mirme, played pickleball for over an hour, and went in the pool with Ron, to help him exercise. That to me is a GREAT way to start the year.
I did something similar with a jelly jar when Ron was at Taft. I filled a jar with jelly beans, the exact number representing the number of days he would be gone. Every morning I removed one jelly bean (of course I ate the jelly bean), and as the weeks rolled by, it was a wonderful reminder of how fast or slow time goes. The only problem was that my son David came down to visit one day, and dug into the jelly bean jar. I asked him how many jelly beans he'd eaten and of course he didn't know, but it screwed up my count. I put a few jelly beans back in the jar, and when jar was empty, Ron was home.
Putting a message in a jar when something great happens in your life will be a constant reminder to me of how many great things really do happen. Even though I have a lot of difficult things to deal with right now, there's still a lot I appreciate, and I'm grateful for that. Happy New Year everyone.
Get a jelly jar and keep it in the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom. Every time something good happens this year, take a little piece of paper and write it and put it in the jar. At the end of the year you will have a jar filled with great things that happened to you in 2016. I already have my jar, and have written my first great thing today, on January 1. I walked for 45 minutes with Mirme, played pickleball for over an hour, and went in the pool with Ron, to help him exercise. That to me is a GREAT way to start the year.
I did something similar with a jelly jar when Ron was at Taft. I filled a jar with jelly beans, the exact number representing the number of days he would be gone. Every morning I removed one jelly bean (of course I ate the jelly bean), and as the weeks rolled by, it was a wonderful reminder of how fast or slow time goes. The only problem was that my son David came down to visit one day, and dug into the jelly bean jar. I asked him how many jelly beans he'd eaten and of course he didn't know, but it screwed up my count. I put a few jelly beans back in the jar, and when jar was empty, Ron was home.
Putting a message in a jar when something great happens in your life will be a constant reminder to me of how many great things really do happen. Even though I have a lot of difficult things to deal with right now, there's still a lot I appreciate, and I'm grateful for that. Happy New Year everyone.
Friday, January 1, 2016
Michael Faraday: One Of The World's Great Physicists
By day Faraday worked for Davy, but by night he experiment with electromagnetic rotation (the principle behind the electric motor). In 183 Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction, the principle behind the electric transformer and generator. Faraday also founded the Christmas Lectures, which continue to this day. Each year at Christmas time a famous physicist gives science lectures at the Royal Institution in London.
In the early 1850's Faraday's health began to deteriorate, but he continued his work in his chosen field until his death. He is truly one of the great physicists in history. Next time you drive around Carlsbad and pass Faraday, think of Michael Faraday, chemist and physicist, for whom the street is named.
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