The Nightmare Scenario for South Florida's Coast

Coral Gables mayor Jim Cason first started worrying about sea-level rise when he asked his staff to count not just how much coastline the city had (47 miles)or value of the property along the coast ($3.5 billion), and he realized climate change would bring this affluent seaside community to an end.  He said the boats were the canary in the mine.  When the sea level rises so that boats can no longer clear the bottom of the bridges, the property values go down.

If property values start to fall, banks could stop writing 30-year mortgages for coastal homes, sending the prices lower still.  Those properties make up a quarter of the city's tax base, and if that revenue fell, the city would struggle to provide services that make Coral Gables such a desirable place to live.  All that could happen before the rising sea consumes a single home.

As President trump proposes dismantling federal programs aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions, officials and residents of South Florida are grappling with the risk that climate change could drag down housing markets.  Sea levels are already 4 inches higher now than in 1992.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts sea levels will rise as much as three feet in Miami by 2060, and by the end of the century, some 934,000 existing Florida properties, worth more than $400 billion, are at risk of being submerged.

In addition, studies find that dozens of other coastal cities throughout the country may be faced with similar problems.  Can climate change be denied?  Not by anyone who looks at the facts and figures.  The fact is we MUST face the issue and reduce greenhouse gases now.  Luckily we live in California, a state that is doing everything possible to reduce the effects of climate change.  Hopefully science will prevail and our nation will get with the program that most of the world is following, and save our planet.  Climate change is NOT FAKE NEWS!

What Happened In the World In 1945?

I recently wrote a blog about events that took place in 1923, the year my mother was born.  I decided to take a look at 1945, the year I was born, and see what happened that year.  Of course WW11 was still going on, so many of the events in the world related to the war.  Here are just a few of the interesting things that happened in 1945.

First, a few facts about the cost of living.  A new house cost $4,600, a new car cost $1,000, and a man's shirt was $2.50.  How times have changed.  Buchenwald concentration camp was liberated by the U.S.  The atomic bomb was developed by the Manhattan Project, and used to put an end to WW11.  The U.N. was created.  U.S. Navy flight 19 disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle.  In pop culture, the movie National Velvet was released.  Bette Midler, Mia Farrow, Henry Winkler, Rod Stewart and Goldie Hawn were born.  The most popular song of the year was the Andrew Sister, Rum and Cola.  Other popular artists were Les Brown and Perry Como.

Inventions and technology that were developed (besides the atomic bomb) included the assembly of the world's first general purpose electronic computer, the microwave was invented, and the first vaccine for influenza became available.  In 1945, only 5,000 homes had TV's.  The Detroit Tigers won the World Series, and Byron Nelson won the PGA.

Most of the events of 1945 revolved around WW11, but science, technology, sports and the arts still moved forward.  What I find so interesting is what things cost 72 years ago.  How times have changed!

Admiring Tweets For Donald Trump

How do you keep a president engaged in the intelligence briefings that are so important?  Make sure that the briefings have lots of photos, bullet points and "killer graphics."  According to an article in Business Insider, Donald Trump has a folder delivered to him twice a day.  The folder is full of positive headlines, tweets, interviews and sometimes photographs of him on TV "looking powerful."  The folder is dubbed "the Propaganda Document" by some in the White House.

The process of putting the folder together is long and tedious.  The staffers responsible must search for positive headlines about Trump on the internet.  (this is getting harder to do!)  When there isn't enough positive information to show the president, his communications office asks RNC staffers for photos that depict Trump favorably.  He prefers short reports that can be handled on one page, and as many paragraphs as possible mentioning Trump.

Is the president getting all the information he needs to make informed decisions, when his news briefings are one page, with photos and graphics?  I don't think so.  Unfortunately much of the information he receives is not impartial.  His staffers are giving him information that he wants to hear.  Is that any way to make critical decisions?   

Decadent Chocolate Cake Called Kladdkaka

Are you looking for a decadent chocolate that is easy and satisfying?  I have just the recipe for you.  This is a Swedish sticky chocolate cake that you can put together in just ten minutes.  Your guests will rave.  Here it is.

                                  Swedish sticky chocolate cake

2eggs

1/2 c. flour
1/4cocoa powder

pinch of salt
1/2 c. melted butter
1 T. vanilla

Mix 2 eggs and 1/2 c. flour until incorporated.  Add 1/4 c. cocoa powder and a pinch of salt.  Then, add 1/2 c. melted butter and 1 T. vanilla.  Blend by hand until all ingredients are incorporated.  The mixture will be thick.  Grease a round baking pan with butter, then sprinkle with cocoa powder, and shake pan to cover with cocoa powder.  Pour in batter and smooth in pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Center should be soft, and top should be hard.  Cool.  Then sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Top each slice with a strawberry, cut to fan out.  So pretty and delicious.

Wonders of Modern Medicine

I just took my mom for cataract surgery, something most Americans can look forward to at some time in their lives.  She is 94, and just now needs the surgery.  A cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally transparent lens of the eye.  When cells or proteins clump together, they cause a cloudy or opaque area in the transparent lens, which, as it thickens, obstructs entering light.  Blurred vision, sensitivity to light and glare, increased nearsightedness and distorted images  are symptoms of cataract.  The 10 minute surgery is performed by making tiny incisions on the eye through which the cataract is removed a new lens is inserted.  No pain, and in a few  short minutes, clear vision is restored.

In developing countries, 39 million people develop blindness each year.  More than half of these people could be cured by simple, inexpensive cataract surgery, yet most are not helped.  Fortunately for the Himalayan Cataract Project, an organization I learned about several years ago and have supported ever since, many people are now being helped.  The project was founded by two doctors, Sanduk Ruit and Geoffrey Tabin, who have made eradicating preventable and curable blindness their life mission.  The book Second Suns, by David Oliver Relin, tells their story.  These two doctors have performed thousands of surgeries (at a cost of about $25 per person), and saved the sight of thousands around the world.  More importantly, they have trained local doctors to perform these surgeries.

Most of us take our good vision for granted.  When cataracts do develop, most of have them removed and continue our lives with good eye sight.  In developing countries this is not true.  However, with the Himalayan Cataract Project, teaching doctors all over the world a quick and inexpensive way to remove cataracts, tens of thousands of people who would otherwise be plunged into darkness, have clear vision.  I love this organization!  No one should have to become blind from cataracts, with this quick, painless and inexpensive surgery.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

The Charlottesville tragedy last week has greater meaning to me, having just finished reading The Book of Joy, by the Dali Lama and Desmond Tutu.  Oh, if we could all have the love in our hearts, the ability to forgive, the ability to accept those that are different that these two spiritual leaders have, this world would be a better place.  I thought we had already fought the Civil War.  The North won, and as our constitution says, "All men are created equal."  We've been through the Civil Rights Movement, and again, according to the laws of our country, all citizens should have the same opportunity.  Unfortunately, in reality this does not happen.

What's a country to do?We need leadership to help unite us, not divide us.  If our president isn't going to lead, it is up to courageous Democrats and Republicans to step up.  This is someone's big moment.  Someone needs to act like a leader, denounce racism and divisiveness, and bring us together.

I don't usually get political on this blog, but I am so upset by what I am seeing in this country, I just can't help it.  The original  Americans are Native Americans who were here long before whites arrived from Europe.  What makes White Nationalists think that whites built this country?  What about the Chinese, the African slaves and the many immigrants that worked to build America?  Is it not their country too? I am disgusted with our leadership, and hope someone will step forward and lead.    

More New Restaurants in San Diego

I can't keep up with all the comings and goings in San Diego, but it's not for a lack of trying.  I"ve got some new places for you to think about and hopefully try.  Here goes.

Himalayan Kitchen in Encinitas, in the Sprouts shopping center, sounds very interesting.  I'm not sure how long it's been there, but I just recently noticed it, and hope to try it soon.  It serves food from Bengladesh, India and Nepal.  I have heard is delicious.

508 Tavern opened recently in Vista.  It's got lots of craft beer for those that love beer, and a pretty good food menu to go with it.  Their most popular item is Korean tacos, but they have many other delicious sounding appetizers, small plates and entrees that will entice you.  Another tavern in North County.

Craft Burger has been open for a while, and I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been there.  It is owned by a friend of Ron's, Alex Morrison.  Alex owned a fine dining restaurant prior to Craft Burger, but the Carlsbad crowd was more into casual dining, so he opened Craft Burger.  It's in old Carlsbad, and from those I know who have eaten there, delicious.  1/2 pound burgers with just about anything you want on them:  avocado, blue cheese, onions, barbeque sauce.  They also make in house frozen custard, which is reason enough for me to try it.  If I'd know that earlier, I would have already eaten there, but I will try it soon.

Oscars has recently opened in Encinitas, at the corner of Coast Highway and Encinitas Blvd.  (Leucadia Pizza center).  It replaces another Mexican restaurant.  I know nothing about it, except I have heard from several people that the food is good.  I think they have several other locations.

I also want to mention that Lazy Acres in Encinitas has a wonderful take out section.  My favorite station is the make your own poke bowl station.  They have all the ingredients displayed, and all you do is tell the server what you want in your bowl.  If you like poke, try it.  They sell it by the pound, so it can get expensive, but very good.

That's all for now.  Keep me updated if you have anything new to tell me about.  I'd love to hear from those of you that live in other parts of San Diego.  I can't get to everything, so you need to help by letting me know of new places I should check out.  Thanks.

Small Tasks Become A Big Deal

With technology taking over our lives, come some unintended consequences.  Every computer, printer ,IPad, Smart Phone and other device, breaks down.  This means you will spend hours of your valuable time on a help line.  My mom calls me almost weekly to tell me about another frustrating morning on the phone.  It's often a computer malfunction, but it could also be her cable TV service, her new TV (which she couldn't operate), her phone system, which failed because she changed cable service, or something as simple as a question about her water bill. I have had many of these experiences too, and the bottom line is that most phone calls lead to endless frustration.

I was driving to lunch with Regina not long ago, and she told me a story so similar to mine and my mom's, that I had to laugh.  Her story involved a printer which broke down, and the purchase of a new printer, which came without all the parts.  That led to phone calls to the store where the printer was purchased, where she was told that SHE should repack the printer and return it to the store.  Their mistake, but she was faced with getting the printer back in the box, back to the store and wasting a lot of time!  Regina wondered, is it just her age that makes all these events so difficult to deal with, or is it that  customer service and quality of product is not what it used to be?  My answer was, it's a little bit of both.

Hardly a week goes by that I don't face one of these phone calls.  I dread them.  They always last longer than anticipated, and rarely have a positive outcome on the first call.  Take my call to Sirius radio last week.  I  was cancelling service on one car, and getting six months of free service on our new car.  I wanted to make sure I was getting the credit I was entitled to.   I finally got it sorted out, but it took two phone calls, several transfers to various departments, and 45 minutes on the phone.

Stress is a killer, so next time you have a difficult phone call, try to take it in stride.  I think about my kids.  If they had a problem with their cable company, they would simply pay the bill and not worry about it.  They don't have time to have long phone conversations with these companies.  They just pay the bill and move on.  I wish I could do that, but I can't, so I, and probably you, face weekly phone calls to various vendors that make you crazy.  Isn't the 21st century great?

Great Coffee at Philz

A few months ago I discovered a new coffee bar in Encinitas, Philz Coffee.  I was shocked when I walked in a saw the prices.  $3.50 for a small coffee, $4.50 for a large coffee.  Specialty drinks run even higher.  I must say I was impressed with Philz, and even though the cost is dear, it's a treat I will indulge in often.

Philz 20+ customized blends of coffee are roasted in Oakland, California, and ground to order for each customer.  Their mission at Philz is to better people's days, and I believe with their coffee, sweets and open face sandwiches, they achieve their mission.

Every time I walk by Philz with Fran, on our Saturday walks, there's a line out the door.  We finally made a plan to go there and wait, regardless of the length of the line.  The menu of various coffee and tea blends is overwhelming.  They have named each blend, and told you the flavors you might  taste in each blend, much like is done with wine.  For example, Jacobs Wonderbar is a dark blend with a taste of dark chocolate, smoke and nuts.  Ether is another dark blend with the flavor of toffee, cherry and cinnamon.  If you prefer a medium blend, you might try Tesora.  It tastes of carmel, nuts and butter.  Or, try Philharmonic, a taste of cardomom, maple and earth.  On the lighter side, Canopy of Heaven tastes of citrus, herbs and strawberry.  In addition to hot coffee and tea, Philz offers a variety of cold drinks, and some very nice sweets and open faced sandwiches.  Fran and I tried the avocado toast, for $5.50.  It was delicious.  Smashed avocado on toast, topped with herbs and spices, and a sliced hard boiled egg.

Philz has about 5 locations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and 2 locations in Washington, D.C.  Now they're in Encinitas, and I predict you will see many more location in the months to come.  Friendly, knowledgeable baristas make a visit to Philz an enjoyable, yet pricey experience.

The Other Einstein

I just finished reading "The Other Einstein,"  a book about Albert Einstein's first wife, Mileva.  I couldn't put it down.  Even though it was a fictionalized version the Einsteins, from about 1900- 1920, it is based on exhaustive research by Marie Benedict of letters between the two of them, lab notes and other written documentation.  Bottom line, Albert Einstein was not a very nice man.

The old saying, "Behind every great man is a great woman."  Albert's first wife was quite a woman.  She overcame her gender and physical deformity (she walked with a limp) to be accepted at the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich and to outshine her male peers.  It was there that she met Albert.  They collaborated in 1905 on the theory of relativity.  In the paper they submitted for publication, they were co-authors.  In the paper that was published, her name was left off.  You'll have to read the book  to find out why.  Years later, when he received the Nobel Prize for the theory of relativity that he clearly developed with his wife, a brilliant mathematician and physicist, her name was never mentioned.  Even if this book is not completely true, enough is true to give one a picture of Albert Einstein that you had not heard before.  I highly recommend you read this fascinating book.  I'm looking forward to Marie Benedict's next book, about Andrew Carnegie.

Mesa Grill Is Full Of Flavor

Ron and I drove to Las Vegas in June.  He loves to go during the World Series of Poker.  No, he doesn't play in the actual event, but he plays in some of the hundreds of side games that take place during June and July.  I went along, as I discovered there was a big bridge tournament there, and had some bridge friends who were planning to go, and invited me to be part of their team.  The bridge went well, and we came in 2nd in a two day knockout tournament.  We survived a tie and a playoff on the second day, only to be beaten at the final table after a tie and then lost in a playoff.  We had great fun, as did Ron.  On the day we arrived we had lunch at Mesa Grill in Caesars, a restaurant inspired by the great chef, Bobby Flay.

Bobby Flay opened Mesa Grill in 2004.  He married his love of Southwest flavors and his love of grilling, to create some amazing food.  His dishes have a range of textures, flavors and colors, and without being overly spicy, every dish has lots of flavor.  Ron ordered the tiger shrimp and roasted corn tamale, listed on the menu as an appetizer, but plenty of food for a meal.  The dish was topped with a spectacular cilantro sauce.  I ordered a pork tenderloin sandwich, topped with grilled onions, and served with wonderful french fries.  It was loaded with flavor and I enjoyed every bite.  Other interesting items on the lunch menu include a sweet potato tamale, chipotle glazed rib eye with red and green chili sauce, and smoked chicken and black bean quesadilla.

Served in a beautiful setting, the restaurant is one I'd love to visit again.  I'd like to try it for dinner.  Bobby puts his own twist on standards, and he doesn't disappoint.  What I can honestly say is that all his food is full of flavor, which doesn't mean his food is spicy.  It's not, but you will enjoy the tastes and textures of his food, and if you're like me, you'll look forward to your next visit.

California's Pay to Stay Prisons

Cities have found a new source of revenue.  Take an old city jail that is empty or near empty, and turn it into a luxury prison.  That's exactly what's being done in several cities in California, including Seal Beach.  The existence of these jails was discovered by the Marshall Project, a non-profit focused on criminal justice.

Here's how it works.  You are suspected of a crime, and your defense attorney advises you to plead.  You go to the district attorney and the judge and say you plead, but you want to go to a "pay to stay" prison.  If the judge agrees, you serve your time in a prison that is far more desirable than a county jail.  It most likely will house you in a small room with two bunk beds, with a phone nearby to be used whenever you want.  You will have your own TV, cable stations and a big library.  You will also have a small grocery store for your use, whenever you want.  All this for about $150 per day!  The most important thing you get is peace of mind.  You will not be in jail with the general population, and most likely won't face any danger from gangs.  Sounds like a sweet deal, but is this fair?

We talk about equal justice for all.  We already know that the rich have a far less chance of doing jail time than the poor or men and women of color,  and if they do, it is usually less time.  Now, the time they do serve is also unequal.  Those that have money, pay to stay in more luxurious quarters with few rules.  Cities are doing this to increase revenue.  They have buildings sitting empty, and they turn them into jails.  This doesn't seem fair to me.  What do you think?

RoVino Rotisserie and Wine: Great Italian Food in Little Italy

I just returned from one our monthly lunch bunch outings.  This month we went to RoVino Rotisserie and Wine in Little Italy.  What a delicious meal.  There were six of us, we shared everything, in order to taste lots of different things, and we loved everything.  Rovino is on Kettner.  It's very small.  If you go for dinner, reservations are required.  Parking is the biggest problem in Little Italy.  My suggestion is to take the Coaster, and walk the 2-3 blocks from the train station.  One of the owners was most friendly, helped us order, and made sure that we helped celebrate Carol's birthday in style.  Here's a sampling of what we ate.

We began with a flatbread, smothered in veggies and olives and basil.  Just delicious, and a nice way to start the meal.  We followed that with a caesar salad with  homemade croutons.  Next,  Involtine de melanzane, a rolled eggplant dish stuffed with bread crumbs and topped with a magnificant red sauce.  Pasta con crema di piselli was probably our favorite dish.  Pureed peas mixed with cream, white wine, parmesean cheese and shallots  were the ingredients in the sauce which sat on top of fresh made pasta and fresh peas.  What a great dish.  Finally, we had the dish they are famous for, rotisserie chicken.  It was crispy and moist, served on a plank with roasted potatoes, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, sliced carmelized onions, squash and carrots completed the plank.

It was Carol's birthday, so the restaurant brought out a piece of homemade tiramisu, along with three other desserts that we had also ordered.  The other desserts were a nutella tart, lemon ricotta cake, and cannoli with cherries.  We stumbled out, completely satisfied with our two hour meal.  I want to go again.  Sharing is the best way to sample the many delicious dishes that RoVino has to offer.  

Fun Facts About The Hummingbird

In early June I was walking through the clubhouse of Ocean Hills, when I noticed a group of people gathered at the window, looking at something outside.  It was a hummingbird nest, about three inches in diameter, built on a strong leaf of a bush.  Mom was in the nest, guarding her little eggs.  I was fascinated at this tiny bird building a beautiful nest, and had to read more about this amazing bird.  Here are a few interesting facts I found out about the hummingbird.

1.  There are more than 325 hummingbird species in the world.  Only eight species regularly breed in the U.S., though up to two dozen species may visit the country or be reported as regular vagrants.  The rest of the hummingbirds are primarily tropical species and do not regularly migrate.

The hummingbird's brilliant throat color is not caused by feather pigmentation, but rather by iridescence in the arrangement of the feathers.

3.  The smallest species in North America is the Calliope Hummingbird, just three inches in size.

4.  Hummingbirds have 1,000-1,500 feathers, the fewest feathers of any bird species.  This keeps them light weight.

5.  The average ruby throated hummingbird weighs 3 grams.  A nickel weighs 4.5 grams.

6.  25%-30% of a hummingbirds weight is in its pectoral muscles.  This creates a broad chest which is responsible for flight.  Flight speeds on average are 30 mph, but in a dive, can reach 60mph.

7.  The hummingbird has the smallest eggs of any bird, 1/2 inch long.  That's the size of a jelly bean.

8.  A hummingbirds' wings beat 50-200 flaps per second.  Their heart rate is 1,200 beats per minute.  They take 250 breaths per minute.

9.  The Rufus Hummingbird has the longest migration, 3,000 miles, from Alaska and Canada, to Mexico.  The Ruby Throated Hummingbird flies 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico, in both spring and fall.

10.  Many species of hummingbird breed together and create hybrid species.

11.  Hummingbirds are extremely aggressive, despite their size.

Hummingbirds truly are a fascinating bird.  They're a perfect example that "Size isn't everything.."