Restaurant Openings, Mostly in Carlsbad

There are so many new restaurants in North County San Diego, it is tough to keep up.  One new place I can't wait to try is Harumama.  It's ramen, sushi and dim sum.  It's owned and operated by the people from Love Boat Sushi.  Harumama opened last year in Little Italy and has been a big hit, so luckily they've come north to Carlsbad.  Steamed buns decorated like animals is one of the most popular items.  I hope to try them soon.

Jeune and Jolie (Young and Pretty), a Nouvelle French bistro opened just before Christmas on State Street.  It is owned by the people from Campfire which opened several years ago, and has been a a big hit.  It's on State Street in Old Carlsbad, looks fresh and inviting and contemporary. It is open for dinner only, except on the weekends it is open for lunch.

Clara opened in November.  It's upstairs in the shopping center on Carlsbad Village Dr. and Coast Highway.  It's 2,000 square feet, with a bar area and dining area.  The menu is interesting with contemporary items and tradition food too.  I would call it California Contemporary.

Wholly Crepe is a small restaurant in San Marcos serving, you guessed it, crepes.  I don't know why crepes have never caught on in the U.S. as I thought they would, but I'm so happy to see this restaurant open in a strip mall at San Marcos Blvd and Rancho Santa Fe Rd, just across San Marcos High School.  I will try it and report back to you.

Finally, a new WinCo just opened in Oceanside, next to Target at El Camino Real just north of Vista.  I do love that store, especially their prices and their bulk food.  A new donut shop will be opening soon in that shopping center.  It's called Donut Bar, and it looks like something above just ordinary donuts.  I will tell you more when it opens.

So, lots of new eateries for you North County people to come and try.  I guess it's just a matter of time before more and more good restaurants open in Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos and Vista.  Soon the new extension of Bressi Ranch will open, and that will probably have some more great new places to try.

Cruising With A Person With A Disability

I'm beginning to consider myself an expert on traveling with a person with a disability.  Ron is in a wheel chair most of the time, but that doesn't mean he wants to give up on having a good time and doing the things he's always done.

We took a wonderful cruise on Crystal in December, and with a little help, he could do just about everything he wanted.  First, we brought our own wheelchair on board.  Wheelchairs ship free on all airlines, so there was no added expense.  Second, we found the service on Crystal superior.  A bell man was available any time of day or night, to push Ron wherever he wanted to go.  This freed me up to relax and give my body a rest.  In less than 5 minutes Ronald, Joel or Chris was there to take Ron to the Spa, Poker, Bridge, restaurants, or the room.  How wonderful.  So, for those cruising with someone who is unable to walk, be sure the cruise has people available to help.  Most don't, but Crystal does, and will be the only line we travel on in the future.

Here are a  few observations I made about the ship.  Handicapped staterooms are at the far end of the ship.  This means the walk to anywhere is very long.  For someone on a walker or cane this might make the distance too much for them.  Why they have handicapped rooms so far away is beyond me.  Also, public bathrooms (and staterooms for that matter) have extremely heavy doors.  No automatic door openers.  It is impossible for someone in a wheelchair to open the door alone, let alone maneuver into the handicapped stall.  These matters are not well thought out and make it impossible for someone in a wheelchair to go to the restroom without help.  Finally, bars in the handicapped staterooms are put in unreachable places.  I wonder if disabled persons are consulted when designing staterooms and bathrooms.

The service on Crystal shined above all else, and made our trip super enjoyable.  Disabled or not, anyone can enjoy a cruise today.

What Is The Jones Act?

I just  returned from an 8 day cruise with Ron and my mom.  What a wonderful time we had!  Great food, service, wonderful entertainment and interesting lecturers, made this trip all I expected, and more.  The cruise sailed from Los Angeles to San Francisco, then down to Puerto Vallarta, and back again to Los Angeles.  One of the cruise stops was San Diego, and many passengers wanted to disembark there.  They couldn't.  Why?  Because of the Jones Act.  We didn't know what the Jones Act was, but here is Wikepedia's information on the Jones Act:


The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 is a United States federal statute that provides for the promotion and maintenance of the American merchant marine.^[1] Among other purposes, the law regulates maritime commerce in U.S. waters and between U.S. ports. Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act is known as the Jones Act and deals with cabotage (coastwise trade) and requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried on U.S.-flag ships, constructed in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed by U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.^[2] The act was introduced by Senator Wesley Jones. The law also defines certain seaman's rights.
Laws similar to the Jones Act date to the early days of the nation. In the First Congress, on September 1, 1789, Congress enacted Chapter XI, "An Act for Registering and Clearing Vessels, Regulating the Coasting Trade, and for other purposes", which limited domestic trades to American ships meeting certain requirements.^[3] Such laws served the same purpose as – and were loosely based on – England's Navigation Acts, which were finally repealed in 1849.

I'm not sure what any of this has to do with passengers on a cruise ship, but I guess it does.  In any event, we got off in Puerto Vallerta (foreign port), but others had to stay on another 6 days and get off in Los Angeles.

Try Din Tai Fung For A Unique Experience

I'm always on the search for unique and interesting restaurants for my once a month lunch bunch.  In December we dined at the new Din Tai Fung, a dumpling restaurant that is famous around the world.  We all left after a wonderful meal, praising this restaurant as one of our favorites.  It's not for anyone that is looking for a traditional Chinese meal.  This restaurant is mostly dim sum, noodle dishes and soups, and everything is meant to share.  The wait staff is expertly trained to help you order and show you how to eat dumplings, and how much to order.  We ordered lots of food, and the meal, with tax and tip, was about $19 per person..

Din Tai Fung began in Taipei, Taiwan in 1958 as a cooking oil retail shop.  In 1972 it was transformed into a full fledged restaurant, specializing in soup, dumplings and noodles.  Today, the restaurant is found in many cities in California and Washington, in addition to many Asian locations, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia and Indonesia.

Our wait person was Phoebe, who gave us some excellent suggestions, and staggered the delivery of our food so we always had some hot food on the table.  Some of the items we ordered were pan fried green beans with garlic, pork dumplings (world famous), pork bao, chicken fried rice, and my favorite, noodles with pork sauce.  For dessert, we had some chocolate filled dumplings which were absolutely delicious, and taro root and mung bean baos.  I love these sweet baos, but I was probably the only one that did.

The restaurant is so popular you must plan in advance and make reservations on Yelp.  Otherwise, you will stand in a long line.  They do take walk ins, but be prepared to wait.  It is in the newly renovated UTC shopping center, and is a real standout.  I highly recommend it.

The History Of Tabasco Sauce

I was waiting for my car to be serviced, trying to read a book while the three men in the waiting room were laughing hysterically  at an episode of America's Funniest Videos.  I did not find it funny.  The next show that came on was interesting to me.  It was a short documentary about the history of Tabasco Sauce.  I came and did a little more research, and here's what I found out.

Edmond McIlhenny, a Maryland born banker, who moved to Avery Island in Louisiana in 1840, is credited with creating Tabasco Sauce.  His creation finally hit the market in 1868.  Research by food historians creates doubt about McIlhenny actually creating the hot sauce, though.  It may have been developed by a plantation owner years before McIlhenny created it.

"The story actually begins in the pre-Civil War era with a New Orleans plantation owner named Maunsel White, who was famous for the food served at his sumptuous dinner parties. Mr. White's table no doubt groaned with the region's varied fare — drawing inspiration from European, Caribbean and Cajun sources — but one of his favorite sauces was of his own devising, made from a pepper named for its origins in the Mexican state of Tabasco. White added the sauce to various dishes and bottled it for his guests. Although the McIlhennys have tried to dismiss the possibility,^[2] it seems clear now that in 1849, a full two decades before Edmund McIlhenny professed to discover the Tabasco pepper, White was already growing Tabasco chilies on his plantation."<sup>[3]

Regardless of who actually created it, Tabasco Sauce continues to be one of the most popular hot sauces.  The tabasco peppers were originally grown on Avery Island.  Today, the peppers grown there are used to produce seed stock, and the peppers are produced around the world.  The peppers are still picked by hand, a company tradition.  The peppers are ripe and ready to pick when their color matches a red stick.  Then, the peppers are aged up to three years, in wooden barrels that were once used to produce whiskey.  After aging the peppers, they are mixed with vinegar and bottled one month later.  Through the years, other sauces have been created by the McIlhenny company, using a longer aging process and different types of vinegars.

Through the years, the company is still controlled by descendents of Edmund McIlhenny, and dispite who actually created the hot sauce originally, it remains one of the most popular sauces on supermarket shelves today.</sup>

1917 Logan Camp Mutiny, Houston Texas

In 1917, 118 black soldiers were charged with murder, mutiny, aggravated assault and disobeying orders, after a race riot in Houston.  Nineteen of the soldiers wer eventually hanged.

Here's what happened.  The all-black 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry, (a unit of the famed Buffalo Soldiers) was posted in Houston to guard the construction of the $2million project, Camp Logan.  Houston was fully under Jim Crow, many of the soldiers had come from New Mexico where Jim Crow laws were not enforced, and thus expected equal treatment in the army, with white soldiers.  However, the population of Houston insisted that segregation be upheld.  The black soldiers were treated to racial abuse from construction workers on the site, and police harassement.

On August 23, 1917, the soldiers heard a rumor that Corporal Charles Baltimore had been killed by police.  This turned out to be untrue, although he had been arrested and beaten for inquiring about another soldier.  On hearing this, 156 soldiers appropriated rifles from stores and marched into town.  Local whites armed themselves.  Eventually there were four casualties among the black soldiers, with fifteen white locals killed.

This was the only race riot in the US to result in more whites being killed than blacks.  The aftermath of this mutiny was brutal.  14 black soldiers were hung on December 11, 1917.  63 others were given life sentences, then the following year six more soldiers were hung.  No material evidence was presented for most of the hangings and prison sentences.

Now, 100 years later, Priscilla Graham, a Houston author and historian is among those seeking to the soldiers pardoned on the basis that their arrests and trials were unjust.  So far, Graham has written to Presidents Obama and Trump, but has received no reply.

The Fascinating Art of Fred Tomaselli

Fred Tomaselli is an American artist who grew up and started his career in the late 1970's.  He was born in Santa Monica in 1956, and studied his craft at Cal State Fullerton.  Drug culture interested him, and much of his early work centers around the drugs.  As he expanded his horizons, he became interested in nature, the human body and birds.  His work is exquisite, so intricate, so precise. He depicts abstract patterns, human figures, and forms from the natural world into psychedelic visions and mesmerizing patterns. Regarding the use of over-the-counter and controlled pharmaceuticals, street drugs, and hallucinogenic drugs, Tomaselli explains, “these chemical cocktails embedded in the paintings can no longer reach the brain through the bloodstream and must take a different route to altering perception. In my work, they travel to the brain through the eyes.”
Tomaselli describes his work as a “search for transcendence.” The artist states, “art is really about perception and mine have been changed through visiting other realities.” Tomaselli’s work is highly influenced by personal life experiences and the AIDS crisis.

On a cool Saturday morning, Fran and I visited the Oceanside Museum of Art, where we visited an outstanding exhibit of the works of Fred Tomaselli.  I found it so interesting to see how he has evolved, gone from collages depicting drugs and surreal scenes, to collages dealing with nature, the human body and birds.  He loves birds, and has done some beautiful works of birds.  If you have an opportunity to visit this exhibit in Oceanside, you will be delighted.  Enjoy a nice day out at the museum, then lunch at one of the wonderful lunch spots nearby.

Saving Time

Whether you're retired, as I am, or working full time, people are always looking for ways to save time.  Just because you're retired doesn't mean you want to spend that hard earned free time doing unwanted errands, like grocery shopping, banking, or getting gas.

The key to saving time is organization and preparation.  Here are some tips that I use to save time.  If I used them all, I would probably save several hours a week.  That's a lot!

1.  Do all your errands on one day of the week.  Map out what needs to be done (cleaners, drug store, gas, etc.) and save them all for one day.  Then map out your route so you do your errands in the most efficient way.  This is a huge time saver, if you can PLAN.  A two hour trip to complete weekly errands may take four hours or more if done individually.

2.  Send out birthday cards once a month.  First of all, you'll never again forget a birthday, and second, if you send e-cards they will still be delivered on the day of the person's birthday.  If you prefer to send cards in the mail, some people will just receive them early.

3.  Grocery shop on line.  I know this service has been around for several years now, but it's so easy, efficient and reasonable, I don't know why I have resisted.  A trip to the market will take more than an hour, whereas ordering the same products on line will take only 15 minutes, and be delivered in less than 2 hours.  Think of the aggravation you will eliminate.

4.  On line banking.  Yes, about the only thing you can't do online is get cash.  Deposits and transfers are easy.  This will save you another 30-60 minutes, depending on how long you have to wait in line.

5.  Keep lists.  Keep an ongoing shopping list for groceries, plus lists of of errands that need to be done, phone calls that must be made, gifts you need to buy will save you time.

What are you going to do with all the time you save?  Go to the gym, get a massage, sit on the beach and read a book, go to Starbuck's for coffee and people watching. 

Time is the only thing you can never get back.  Once it's gone, it's gone.  Cherish it, don't waste it.

Successful Vs. Unsuccessful People

Check out this chart.  Are you more green or yellow?  These are general characteristics exhibited by successful and unsuccessful people.  Of course a lot depends on your definition of success.  Do you judge success by how much money you make, how many people you step on getting to the top, or do you judge success by one's relationships with others and how they treat others?  I looked at this chart and thought of many famous people that most people would consider successful.  I might call them rich and famous, but  not successful in marriage and friendship.  Read through the chart and see where you fall.  Some of our wealthiest and most famous citizens have many characteristics in the yellow column.  I want to be with people in the green column!

Interesting Facts About Ben Franklin

When we think of Ben Franklin, most of us think of him as one of our founding fathers, or for his discovery of electricity.  Actually, there was so much more to Ben Franklin.  Here are just a few of interesting discoveries.

1.  Practiced "air bathing."  The common thought of the time was that cold air causes colds.  Franklin thought, and rightly so, that being in a confined space where germs can breathe, actually caused colds.  He would sit on his balcony naked and take in the cool air.

2.  Practiced the "thirteen virtues," which he developed at the age of 20.

3.  Created a drinking club called Junto, which means together.  The club would meet over drinks and discuss issues of the day.  It was at these inform get togethers that he came up with many of his inventions.

4.  Bodies were found in the basement of his home, which historians think were used to study anatomy.  The study of the human body was in its infancy, but what he was doing was illegal.

5.  Ben Franklin was a great swimmer.  He once swam 3.5 miles up the Thames.

Just thought you might enjoy a little useless information about one of our great citizens, Benjamin Franklin.

We Can Eliminate Plastic Water Bottles

I was out for lunch with some friends recently, and the server at the restaurant announced that they no longer used plastic straws, but had converted to a thinner bamboo like straw, for ecological reasons.  Plastic straws take hundreds of years to decompose, and hurt fish and other sea life when thrown into the ocean.  We talked at lunch that day about getting rid of plastic bottles, one of our biggest problems.

Two days later I saw an article about a design student at the Iceland Academy of Arts, Ari Jonasson, who had created a biodegradable bottle out of agar, a substance made from algae.  If the agar powder is mixed with water, it creates a jelly like substance that can easily be molded into bottles.  As long as the bottle is full of water it keeps it shape.  When the water is removed from the bottle, it collapses.  It is edible (but probably not very tasty), but also biodegradable.  It will decompose rapidly.

Right now, 50% of plastic bottles are used once, then thrown away.  They end up in landfills, where they take centuries to decompose.  Algae is abundant, and once the technology is perfected, I suspect we will see our water sold in something other than plastic bottles.  Algae and seaweed have so many uses.  They are being used as fuel and are also used in many kinds of furniture, like lamps.  Now we can add water bottles to the list of important uses for algae.  I guess it takes an innovative young student to come up with a unique solution that will solve a serious problem.

Rogers Gardens For The Holidays: Nothing Better

Every time I've visited Rogers Gardens I have come away fulfilled.  It's the nursery in Corona del Mar that is so popular people come from miles away.  It was Fran's birthday, and we knew that Rogers Gardens was decorated for the holidays, so we made a visit there, and included lunch at their fabulous restaurant, The Farmhouse.

Whatever you're looking for in the garden, Rogers Gardens has it.  Succulents, shade plants, indoor plants, decorated wreaths, centerpieces, and big pots and other hanging plants.  It is truly fabulous.  At Christmas time they have room upon room filled with holiday items, from snow globes, to holiday books, to expensive nutcrackers, to tree decorations and trees!

After spending over an hour checking out the gardens and of course buying a few items, we headed to The Farmhouse for lunch.  If you go, be sure to reserve a table several weeks in advance.  It's a warm, inviting room with no walls, so you're looking out at beautiful landscaping.  We enjoyed a truly wonderful meal.  I had a sunchoke soup, garnished with goat cheese and microgreens.  Then I enjoyed a harvest salad, with raisins, persimmons, tomatoes, cucumber and pistachios in a light vineagrette.  Fran had an absolutely delicious burger with fries.  Judy had a rare tuna sandwich, with Asian coleslaw, and Janie ordered a grilled vegetable salad, with just about every vegetable from the garden included.  Of the three desserts we ordered, carrot cake in a mason jar was our favorite.

Next time you're looking for a fun filled day, just an hour from San Diego, take a ride to Rogers Gardens.  There is so much of interest to inspire you.  I took several pictures of items they charge hundreds of dollars for, that crafty people could make at home.  I'm not very crafty, but I have some crafty friends that can help me out.  We had a wonderful day celebrating Fran's birthday on a warm November day.

Quotes For The New Year

I've never been one for New Year's resolutions.  Instead, I look to inspirational quotes to help me become a better person.  Here are just a few inspirational quotes that I will try to incorporate into my life this next year.

1. " Resolve to keep happy , and your joy and you shall form an invisible host against difficulties."  Helen Keller

2.  "Cheers for a new year and another chance for us to get it right."  Oprah Winfrey

3.  Life is a journey and only you hold the map.

4.  "Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man."  Benjamin Franklin  (If he wrote that quote today he would probably say "man or woman."

5.  There are no limits to what I can accomplish, except the limits I place on myself.

This looks to be an exciting 2019.  I hope we can find an end to war and acceptance for people who do not look like us, talk like us, or think like us.  We must all be respectful of others.  The world will be a better, safer place for all of us.

What Advice Would You Give Your Teenage Children?

Years ago, when I was given advice, wanted or not, to my teenage children, it was different than what I would give them today.  Back then, I told them to be practical, study something in school that would get them a good job, save money from each paycheck, never live beyond their means, etc.  Most of my advice and advice they got from Ron was based on making a good living and saving for the future.  These things are very important, but after almost 73 years of living, I'm not sure they're the most important.

If I had to give just one piece of advice to teens today it would be to find your passion and make it the focus of your work, and follow your heart.  Very simple, yet so many people get hung up trying to earn money that they don't do what they truly love.  I'm so happy that each of my boys found work they truly love.  As much as Brian enjoys his work as an accountant, I think he'd tell you that he could do without the heavy workload and pressure of his busy time, audits and taxes.  David loves his work with J.P. Morgan.  He's always been one for facts and figures.  Ask him about a company and he'll tell you everything.  What a memory he's got, and he loves what he does.  Phil has always been interested in food, and from the time he was 4 years old, standing on a stool at the kitchen counter, making scrambled eggs with chocolate chips, to now, where he's growing his own food and cooking delicious meals.  He was fortunate to start a food business that people liked, sold it, and moved on to other food related endeavors, that keep him busy pursuing his passion, food.

Most people are not so lucky.  More often than not, life gets in the way of pursuing your dreams.  A boy meets a girl, gets married and has kids, and his dream of being a photographer, a chef, a small business owner, never gets done.  He may be stuck in a boring job with a decent salary, and see no way out.

If one is not happy at what they're doing 8 hours everyday, it's hard to enjoy the rest of your life.  If you're loving what you do, no matter how hard you're working, you are going to feel fulfilled.  I remember when Phil was working 60 hour weeks at Evol.  I told him then to enjoy the ride because getting there was the most fun, and I think he did.  Today, even though I am not working, I try to have a passion for all I do.

I've got a lot on my plate right now, but each night I think about the following day and how much I'm going to enjoy it.  I no longer spend time doing things that don't make me happy.  Time is precious, and I'm not going to waste time having lunch with someone who's company I don't enjoy, or reading a book that I don't like.   So, as 2019 begins, bring your own passion to everything you do.  It will make everything you do more fulfilling.  Happy New Year.