Be Prepared!

The Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared." rang in my ears as I recently had to deal with Ron's health issues.  Assuming that everything will be all right after a medical procedure is just not a good idea.  I have first hand experience that many after surgery experiences are not good.  Without going into the details of exactly what happened (TMI), i will say that if I had been more prepared, things would have gone more smoothly.

First and foremost, I am making a list to tape on my refrigerator, with the following information: nearest fire department with phone number,  name of closest ER or Urgent Care and phone and address, name of primary care doctor and phone number, name of specialist doctors and phone number, name of the closest ALL NIGHT pharmacy (preferably with delivery) for prescriptions that might be called in after hours, names and numbers of others who may need to be notified in an emergency.  The latter would include parents or children that might need to be contacted, names and phone numbers of neighbors who will help out in an emergency (make sure they have a key or know where to find the key), name and phone number of DOG WALKER or health care person who may be needed.

Having  this information at hand will make your life easier.  Many of us do not think clearly in an emergency situation, and having this information on hand will decrease your stress.  If the patient has recently been hospitalized, have the name and number of who to call at the hospital in case of emergency.  This is important.  They have the patients information and can give you advice that may take hours to get otherwise.  In my case, Ron was hospitalized on Thanksgiving evening.  Try to get a doctor then!  I did.  I had the number of the on call doctor where he had been hospitalized.  She called me back in less than five minutes, gave me good advice, and I took him to Scripps ER.  Had she not been there to advise me, I'm not sure what I would have done.  She had Ron's records and recent medical history and could easily assess the situation.

So, know that emergencies are going to arise.  Not all are going to be life threatening, but when they do, you may panic and be stressed.  Having the above information at your fingertips will help.  We all think these things will not happen to us and hopefully they won't, but the Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" will serve you well.  Just do it and hope you never need it.

Bone Broth: The New Superfood

There's nothing new about bone broth, but what Phil served me when I visited he and his family in August was different, and better, than anything I'd had before.  Phil and his family are using diet to deal with many health issues, including digestion and arthritis.  Bone broth is becoming so popular you can find it on menus in fine dining establishments, and take out broth is available in health oriented fast food restaurants.

The health benefits are amazing.  One serving of broth has 18 grams of protein, almost as much as a steak!  The marrow from the broth contains vitamin A, K2, Omega 3's and Omega 6's.  The bone itself provides calcium, phosphorous, sodium, magnesium, potassium, sulfur and silicon.  The connective tissue from the bone provides glucosomine and chrondroitin.  Connective tissues is made up of collagen, which is good for skin.  The broth, when finished, can be frozen in ice cube trays in the freezer, then transferred to an airtight bag for individual use.  The bone broth drink will help those who have trouble with inflammation, weight loss, joint health, bone health and sleep and brain function.  In other words, it will help everyone.  The process of making it is time consuming, but I plan to make a large quantity at one time, maybe enough for 60 servings.  Here's the recipe, if you care to try it.  I will tell you it's delicious and VERY filling.

                           Bone Broth

Bones, including cartilege, from chicken, turkey, lamb, pig, beef (lots of them)
Big pot of water, seasoned with salt, bay leaves, and any seasonings you like.  I will add a chopped onion and some carrots to the broth.

The basic recipe says to cook the above ingredients in a huge pot for 4-24 hours!  The longer, the better.  Longer will make the broth more intense.  Strain out the veggies and and any little pieces of cartilege and bone.  Put in large ice cube trays and freeze.  Then transfer to plastic bags for individual use.  Phil's recipe was a little different.  He roasted the bones overnight at a low oven temp before transferring to the pot with water.  He thinks that makes the bones more flavorful.  I will do the shorter method.

To serve, put bone broth ice cube in cup with 1/2 cup of water.  Heat.  Add a grate of fresh ginger or any other flavor you want.  Experiment and have fun with this delicious new (to me) way to get a lot of vitamins and minerals and enjoy a great cup of broth while doing so.

What is Flaring?

We've all heard about fracking, but do you know about flaring?  I didn't until I read a few articles that mentioned flaring, and felt compelled to find out what it was.  Simply put, flaring is the burning of natural gas that cannot be processed or sold.  Flaring disposes of the gas while releasing emissions into the atmosphere.

When you drill for oil, you also get gas.  Ideally, this gas would be sold to consumers, but this requires costly investment into pipelines and power plants.  Therefore, in practice, some oil producers opt to sell the oil and burn the gas.  This is known as gas flaring.  According to environmental groups, this practice emits pollutants into the environment that are damaging our planet.

Flaring is done most in three countries:  Russia, Nigeria and the U.S.  Gas flaring has decreased in the last two decades in both Russia and Nigeria, but has increased in the U.S.  The increase in this country (it's doubled since 2000) is due primarily to flaring volumes in Wyoming and North Dakota.  Together, these two states account for more than half of the gas flared in the U.S.  Much like Russia, long and expensive pipelines would be required to transport associated gas to the primary domestic consumption market.  It's easier and cheaper to simply burn the gas.  Environmental groups claim the oil industry gets millions in hidden subsidies for releasing greenhouse gases.  Oil companies dispute this fact.  Keep your eyes and ears open regarding flaring.  Will it be increased under the Trump administration, or will it decline?  I think I know the answer.

Birdseye Kitchen in Encinitas

After a morning of boogie boarding in 70 degree water in October, Fran and I headed for lunch.  We decided to drive north from Moonlight Beach, and found Birdseye Kitchen, a wonderful find.  It's Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese food that you will love.  It's on Coast Highway, bright and open, with some good beer choices to accompany your meal.  Here's what we had.

Fran ordered the chicken pho, a rich broth filled with chicken, bamboo sprouts, basil leaves and lots of noodles.  It was delicious, and way too much.  She took the leftovers home to freeze for a later meal.  I ordered the bun bowl.  There was no bun, but there was a bowl filled with lettuce, noodles, beef, chopped nuts, mint and basil leaves.  The bowl was served with a light dressing, and I finished the whole thing.  It was delicious.  Other menu items include lots of appetizers, like crispy sesame wild shrimp, spring rolls, chicken wings, salt and pepper crispy calamari.  Other menu choices include rice plates, noodle bowls, salads and curries.  I hope you try it and like it as much as we did.

IFly Oceanside: Skydiving Without The Risk

For Fran's 71st birthday, nine of us went to IFly Oceanside for an indoor skydiving experience.  The sky diving is done in a 4 story tube like structure, with wind speed over 110mph.  We all had a great time, would do it again, and feel proud that we are able to check another item off our bucket list.

Prior to flying, we go to "flight school"  Dan, our instructor, taught us hand signs to communicate (since it's windy and noisy and you can't hear anything), correct body position, and how to get in and out of the flying position.  Then, we donned our flight suits, goggles, helmets and earplugs, and lined up to fly.  Our instructor was with us every inch of the way, letting go and letting us fly when he felt we were ready.  Many women from my group chose to circle up in the tube with instructor, but I decided not to.  Most of them came back dizzy, describing it as similar to a roller coaster.  I'm so glad I passed on that part of the experience.

Our instructor did a short demonstration of the various moves an experienced flyer can perform.  Many outdoor skydivers go to IFly to practice their moves, sommersaults, twists, and turns.  It's entertaining to watch, and I now have a great appreciation for the athletic ability of skydivers.  For me at 72, this was just enough.  I got to experience the sensation of flying without the risk.  I recommend it for those who want a good thrill.

How Stress Affects Your Health

I've had more than the normal amount of stress in the past 18 years.  Legal problems for Ron created extreme, chronic stress for over 10 years.  When that subsided, Ron was diagnosed with ALS, a most stressful disease to deal with.  Now, Ron has been diagnosed with bladder cancer.  I was feeling extreme stress the day before his surgery, so much so that my stomach hurt, and my heart was beating a million miles a minute.  As soon as I talked to the doctor, my heart slowed down.  He reassured me that Ron was in good hands.  He was right, and surgery went well and I am relieved.  All of this got me thinking about stress, and how damaging it is to our health.

I have often thought that chronic stress is a killer, or at least leads to a less healthy life.  Studies show this to be true.  Short, minor stress, might give you a stomach-ache.  (nerves before giving a speech).  Acute stress may cause a bigger impact.  Sudden emotional stresses can trigger heart attacks, arrhythmias and even sudden death.  Chronic stress interferes with your ability to live a normal life.  You might feel fatigued, unable to concentrate or irritable for not good reason.  Chronic stress makes you more prone to frequent and sudden viral infections.  Your immune system, digestive, and sleep and reproductive systems may not work normally.

Much can be done to relieve stress.  Diet, exercise, yoga, talking about your problems with friends and family, are just some stress relievers.  Medication is a last resort.  Life is a roller coaster, filled with ups and downs, highs and lows.  Trying to keep emotions and stress on an even keel is a challenge for everyone.  I know I work hard to not let stress get the better of me.  For me, writing blogs like this and talking about my issues, helps.  It's different for everyone, but find what works for you and keep your stress to a minimum.  It will lead to a longer, healthier life.

Who Was Nikola Tesla?

One of the greatest electrical inventors who ever lived, Nicola Tesla, is unknown to many Americans.  His technological achievements transformed America from a nation of isolated communities to one connected by power grids where information was readily available.  It was the technology developed by Tesla that united the U.S and eventually the world.

Tesla's life was like a movie.  A brilliant and charismatic immigrant who was a true visionary.  He received 700 patents for his many inventions.  In the end, Tesla was regarded as an eccentric scientist.  He was ridiculed by is contemporaries.  When he died, most of Tesla's technical papers mysteriously disappeared, and many have never been found.  In the end, he would up a penniless and forgotten man.

Today, however, Tesla is mentioned in the same breath as Thomas Edison, Guglielmo Marconi, and George Westinghouse.  He anticipated the development of radio and television broadcasting, robotics, computers, faxes and even the Strategic Defense Initiative.  He developed the polyphase AC system of power transmission, which drives every home and industry in the country.  He invented the Tesla coil to create high-frequency electricity, and with it neon and florescent lighting, radio transmission, remote control and hundred of other devices that are essential parts of our daily life.

Oh, there's one more thing.  He was a Serb by origin, an immigrant to America that transformed the world then, and continues to do so today.   Elon Musk, who appropriately used Nicola  Tesla's name for his company, is also an immigrant, a visionary, and a modern day thinker who will make a difference in America and the world, for decades to come.  What a contribution immigrants have made to our country.

IFly Indoor Skydiving In Oceanside

For the past few months I've driven by a huge structure just off the 78 freeway in Oceanside and wondered what it was, until the sign finally went up.  It's an indoor skydiving center.  There are dozens of them around the country, in fact around the world.  Anyone can do it, if they dare.  It's the kind of thing I'd love to try, and I hope to get a group of my dare devil friends together for an outing soon.  In the meantime, you can look at it online and see what you will experience.  With the use of intense wind (I think the wind speed is around 165 mph, just like a category 5 hurricane), you are kept airborne.  You are in something that looks like a huge cylinder, and the experience definitely simulates skydiving.  Check it out if you're so inclined.  If not, stay tuned.  I plan to give it a try within the next few months.

The New Century City

If you grew up on the Westside of Los Angeles as I did, when you go back to visit you will notice massive changes.  The most recent is Century City and the surrounding area.  I spent a few days in LA visiting children, grandchildren and my mom recently, and wanted to check out the changes on Santa Monica Blvd.

First, there's a new luxury hotel in town, the Waldorf Astoria.  It's next to the Beverly Hilton.  We parked on Santa Monica Blvd, right in front of Starbucks, and walked a few steps to the Waldorf Astoria.  It is a lovely hotel, but I can't say I was wowed.  It's elegant, sleek, not overdone at all.  I hear the rooms run around $1,000 per night!  They expect to draw a foreign crowd to this hotel, people that are in town to shop in Beverly Hills and Century City.  Because of this, the entire Century City Mall has been expanded and redone, and it is a real show stopper.

Macy's is gorgeous.  It's spacious, with lots of employees to help, all friendly and knowledgeable.  Bloomingdale's has been updated, and it's very classy.  There will ultimately be over 100 stores and boutiques, all very upscale.  And restaurants.  Big, beautiful restaurants like Javier's have not opened yet, but will soon.  Eatly is almost ready to open.  This is the brain child of Mario Batalli et al, with food to go and high end restaurants, gelato stand and lots of Italian imported items.  I can't wait to go back after it's open.  Then there are lots of smaller restaurants, and a food court.  The Shake Shack is wildly popular.  We ate lunch at Obica, and Italian restaurant right next to the Shake Shack.  I had one of the best lunches I've had in a long time.  It's part mozzarella bar, part pizza restaurant, part tapas.  Mom and I ordered a most delicious burrata plate, with arugula, olives and tomatoes and delicious burrata.  Then we had an eggplant casserole, my favorite, mixed with marcona almonds, pine nuts and raisins.  Finally, we ordered prosciutto and melon.  A simple, delicious meal, that I'm still thinking about.

The negatives?  Parking!  You don't know where you are or where to park.  I guess it's just a matter of getting to know the mall.  Validations.  Right now, Gelson's validates with any purchase, and Bloomingdale's validates with a $100 purchase.  They've got to change this, or they will lose customers.  There is no central place for food, other than the upstairs food court, which is being redone.  Restaurants are scattered throughout, so you have to use the map and do a lot of walking.  There will soon be several poke restaurants, several ramen restaurants, among other casual restaurants like Chipotle and Shake Shack.

We had a great  day, but it will take multiple visits to Century City to figure out where everything that you want is located.  If you are a past visitor to Century City or a first timer, you won't want to miss the new Century City shopping center.  It is beautiful.

 

First Brewery in Del Mar: Viewpoint Brewing

Thanks to Linda, who keeps an eye out for me for new restaurants in the Del Mar area, for steering me to Viewpoint Brewing.  It's the first brewery to open in Del Mar, and they couldn't have picked a more picturesque location.  They have a 7,000 square foot warehouse in on the San Dieguito Lagoon, with pristine views of facing north, east, and west.  Park of the space is the brewery  and tasting room, the other part is the restaurant, where a light lunch can be had Tuesday through Sunday, and dinner is served every day, 5-10pm.

The restaurant has an industrial look to it, with old lockers placed against the wall near the entrance.  Lots of large wood tables and chairs  are everywhere.  Heaters (the hot stone type) are at many of the tables that face the lagoon.  The restaurant has a such an open feeling and I found it very relaxing.  There are really no small tables for two or four people, but long tables (family tables) for 10-12 people, which encourages people to sit with strangers and make new friends.  Lunch consists of a limited menu, but the food is good.  We had mahi mahi grilled tacos, with fresh homemade chips and salsa.  Very good.  They have a salmon salad, pork belly bites, burger, chicken wings and french fries.  They always have a daily special.  They have numerous in house made beers, alongside a selection from less distributed breweries.

I hear dinner is mobbed.  It's a great place to meet people and enjoy the scenic view of the lagoon.  Dinner offers a more extensive menu, and I will go back and try the beef tartare, one of my favorite dishes, which is not found on many menus.  Other items include a half chicken, smoked gouda mac and cheese, steak and frites, burger, mussels, some small plates and a few salads, including the popular watermelon and feta salad.  For dessert they offer a sorbet banana split.  Boy, does that sound good.

I wish I were a beer drinker so I could comment on the quality of their brews, but I'll have to rely on Fran.  She said her beer was delicious!  Next time you're in Del Mar, try Viewpoint Brewery, the first, but I'm quite sure not the last, brewery in Del Mar.

Can't Sleep? Join The Crowd

I have no problem falling asleep.  I can usually fall asleep during the 10pm show that we're watching, wake up to watch some of the 11pm news, then fall right back to sleep.  The problem occurs when I wake up around 3pm (usually to use the bathroom), and can't go back to sleep, sometimes for hours.  It's called middle insomnia.  If this happens more than three times per week and you lie awake for more than 30 minutes, you've got middle insomnia too.

As we age, it is normal to awake at night.  Most seniors need to use the bathroom at least once in the middle of the night, but most of us get right back to sleep.  Not me.  I look at the clock.  It's 3:10.  I toss and turn a bit, trying to get comfortable.  I do all the recommended things.  I try to clear my mind.  I never get up and read, watch TV or turn on my phone.  The light from these electronics has been found to negatively impact one's ability to sleep.  I sometimes count backwards, count sheep, or simply try to clear my mind.  Nothing works.  I think a lot of time has elapsed, so I look at the clock, which creates more anxiety.  It's only 3:20, and I thought I'd been lying there for an hour!  Finally, I do fall back to sleep, for the next thing I know it's 6:30 and Pepper is nudging me.  How long I actually lie there awake is unknown.  I figure it's between 30-60 minutes.

A doctor friend of mind who is now into natural healing gave me some information to read.  The information he gave me, and I have read elsewhere, says that adrenal gland exhaustion is one of the leading culprits of a poor night's sleep.  Cortisol levels stay high.  If they're high in the middle of the night, you'll be too wide awake to sleep.  He also mentions that asparagus stems contain an enzyme named ETAS.  This enzyme may change the face of sleep management forever.   I won't get into it anymore than to say that natural healing methods should be approved by your doctor before trying.

So what should we seniors do to improve our chances of getting a good night's sleep?  Be  sure that a large dinner late at night is not causing acid reflux and waking you up.  That's a possibility.  Be sure to eat a healthy diet, get some exercise, and get out in the sunshine each day.  Make sure your bedroom is conducive to good sleep.  Not too hot, not too cold, dark and quiet.  Oh, and don't take a nap.  Experts say you want to be good and tired when you go to sleep.  The last resort for me would be a sleeping pill.  I don't think I'll ever get that desperate.  I've heard too many horror stories about what could happen on Ambien and other sleeping pills.  I may try a Tylenol PM one of these days.  Maybe that will help.

More Hot New Restaurants in San Diego

I can't keep up with the openings and closings in San Diego.  I'll give you a few more restaurants that have recently opened, most of them in the Gaslamp district.  I have not tried any of them, as I don't get downtown too often, but I hope to visit some of them this fall.

Curadero is a Mexican restaurant on 5th Avenue.  It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and offers the standard Mexican favorites, plus some more modern California inspired creations, and they have a busy bar scene.

Hachi Ramen is also in the Gaslamp district, and a place I'd love to try.  They blend California tastes with Japanese technique and ingredients.  They offer poke bowls, sushi, ramen, salads and rolls.  Beautiful looking restaurant and something for everyone.

Provisional and Lion Fish are two restaurants in the Pendry San Diego on 5th Avenue.  Provisional is open all day and night, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hour.  It's a California ingredient inspired restaurant, with items like sunchoke bisque and seasonal crab on the lunch menu.  The dinner menu includes flanksteak and fries, sea bass with tomato jam, and wagu steak with mushrooms and local greens.  Lion Fish, also in the Pendry San Diego is a modern cutting edge restaurant occupying a two level space.  They serve fish and seasonal ingredients in a spectacular setting.

One of my favorite new restaurants, in concept anyway, is Tacos Libertad.  This restaurant is from the Cohn Group, and ALL proceeds go to charity.  It's a gourmet taqueria.  Next door, they plan to open another Bo Beau restaurant.  What a great way for the Cohn's to give back, after all their success.

Menya Ultra Ramen is in the Clairemont Mesa area.  It is the 12th restaurant from a group from Japan that have been making delicious ramen in Japan only, since 1994.  Finally, they have opened their first restaurant in the U.S., in San Diego.  Everything is fresh.  Noodles are homemade, using no MSG.  I can't wait to try this one.

Well, that's it for now.  I wish I could find some new openings in North County, but I can't.  Hopefully, we'll get some new choices in Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside in the next few months.  I'll keep you posted.

Stone Fruit Almond Upside-Down Cake

Back in the days when there was no Food Network, I got my cooking fix watching Julia Child and Sara Moulton.  Watching those shows was my son Philip's introduction to gourmet cooking, and sparked an interest in cooking that has led him to an interesting career.  But I digress.  I enjoyed Sara because she actually taught you HOW to cook, techniques that a home cook could use everyday.  Sara can still be seen on PBS, and she writes for the AP.  Here's a recipe I recently saw in the UT.  I was having my son David, wife Tracy and grandson Calvin here for a barbeque, and wanted to make a great summer dessert.  Here it is.  It was so simple, even though it looks like a lot of steps.  The hardest part was finding the almond paste at my local market.  The fruit you use is your choice.  I had peaches and plums in the house, so I used a combination of the two.

                 Stone Fruit Almond Upside-Down Cake

10 T unsalted butter, softened
3 T brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (I used the pure vanilla that I purchased on my last trip)
1 pound stone fruit, pitted and cut into wedges.
4 ounces almond paste
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. apricot jam
whipped cream or ice cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then combine 2 T. of the butter, brown sugar and 1 tsp of the vanilla extract.  Lightly grease the sides of an 8X8 square pan, and spread the brown sugar mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Arrange the fruit wedges in a single layer on top of the sugar mixture.

In a food processor combine the almond paste and sugar.  Process until finely ground, then transfer to a large bowl, add the butter and beat with electric mixture until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  In a small bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt, and add to the almond mixture until just combined.  Spoon batter over fruit, spreading evenly.  Bake for 40 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes on a rack.  Heat apricot jam and 1 T. water until jam is melted and smooth.  Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert on a serving platter.  Brush the fruit with jam.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  Enjoy.