The History of Bartering

Bartering is a 6000 year old method of exchange.  It was used long before money was invented.  People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return.  Today, bartering has made a comeback, using more sophisticated methods, like the internet to exchange goods and services.  In ancient times the system involved people in the same area, but today bartering is global.

Bartering was introduced by Mesopotamia tribes, adopted by the Phoenicians.  Babylonians's also developed an improved bartering system.  Goods were exchanged for food, tea, weapons and spices.  Salt was another popular item exchanged.  Salt was a valuable commodity, so valuable that Roman soldiers' salaries were paid with it.  In the Middle Ages, Europeans traveled around the globe to barter crafts and furs in exchange for silks and perfumes.

Due to the lack of money in the 1930's because of the Great Depression, bartering became popular.  It was used to obtain food and various other services.  It was done through groups or between people who acted similar to banks.

Kids barter all the time.  They trade toys, clothes, and other items that they no longer want, but their friend might.  Adults barter too.  I might offer my friend a sweater I no longer want (or doesn't fit anymore) for a purse she doesn't use.  It happens all the time.  In current political times, we might call this a quid pro quo.  You give me something of value and I will give you something of value in exchange.  Such an old concept, updated for the modern world.

Spreading Kindness By Feeding The Meter

Kindness Meters is the visionary idea of Carlton Lund, who years ago wanted to do something to bring kindness to the community, and make Carlsbad America's Kindest City.  So far, Carlsbad does not have parking meters, but they now have several kindness meters.  The purpose is for people who stroll around Carlsbad Village, to put extra coins in the kindness meters in order to raise money for local charities.  With the help of Taylor Made Golf's $225,000 and IPS Group, Inc. who donated the meters, Carlsbad is working toward becoming America's kindest city.

In this age of bullying that has reached an extreme level, it is refreshing to see that some people are trying to reverse the trend.  Movements like Pay it Forward and Kindness Meters do this.  I've been told that many high schools and colleges now have kindness clubs.  One of the most meaningful characteristics you can help develop in your children is kindness.  Children learn by example, so if parents show kindness toward others, children will too.

Ron and I were out for dinner not long ago.  We were in the parking lot, and I was putting him in the car, folding up the wheelchair, and putting it in the trunk.  Along comes a little boy, maybe 11 years old, who had been eating in the restaurant and was sent out to his parents car to get something for them.  The boy could see I was having a difficult time, so he politely came over to me and asked if he could help me.  That was so unexpected, and I was so impressed.  I didn't need his help, but I thanked him and told him how proud I was of his kindess, and that his parents must be very proud of him.

Look for the Kindness Meter next time you're in Carlsbad.  The one I saw is at the corner of Carlsbad Village Drive and Highway 101.  Donations made to the meter will be used to help local charities.

By the way, hardly a day goes by when I am out with Ron that someone, often a young man or woman 18-30, don't ask if they can help me.  When people first started asking to help I thought it was just an isolated situation, but now I know how truly kind the people in the San Diego are.  I get offers for help all the time, and I so appreciate it.  Keep your kindness coming.

EAT: Equine Assisted Therapy

Since the ancient Greeks, horses have been utilized as a therapeutic aid for people with all kinds of ailments.  Hippocrates discussed the therapeutic value of riding in his writings.  More currently, Hippotherapy was developed in the 1960's, when it began in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  It was used as an adjunct to traditional physical therapy.  Therapeutic riding began with Liz Hartel from Denmark.  Her legs were paralyzed from polio, but with therapy was able to win  the silver medal for dressage in the 1952 Olympics.  Therapeutic riding has been used in the U.S since the 1960's, when it was used to address orthopaedic dysfunctions like sciolosis.  Today it is used for all kinds of disabilities, from blindness to mental illness.

Horses are trained and selected specifically for therapy before being integrated into a program.  Any breed of horse can be used, but the horse must be calm, even-tempered, gentle and serviceably sound.

Today, equine-assisted therapy is used by medical professionals such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, social workers and recreational therapists.  It has been shown, along with more traditional methods of treatment, to improve the quality of life for those receiving it.

Do You Know What Medical Benefits You Are Entitled To?

I thought I knew about the benefits of my health care plan, but I really only knew the basics, like deductibles, co-pays and prescription costs.  There is much more to know, as I am quickly finding out.  I feel that every patient with a terminal disease needs an advocate.  The advocate may be a spouse, friend or other relative, or a professional.

As terminal diseases progress, the patient needs more care, more equipment, more of everything, especially nursing or some kind of home health care.  How do you find out what you're entitled to?  I started by asking the home care social worker, who led me to the ALS Clinic, who led me to the social worker who dealt only with ALS issues.  If you have Parkinson's or MS or Alzheimers, there are specific people that can help you.  The social worker will tell you what you are entitled to with the insurance you have, and help you get exactly what you need.

I thought I knew a lot, but I didn't.  Did you know that each city (San Diego for us) has grant money that can be given to help patients with specific diseases?  If you have Alzheimers, there is a lot of money available.  If you have ALS, there is no grant money available.

Pallitive care is something that most people can take advantage of.  You just have to know who to ask and what to ask.  There is help out there for everyone.  It's a matter of getting to the right person who can guide you.  I talked to neighbor of mine last month.  His wife has both Alzheimer's and MS.  He and his daughter have been doing all the caregiving for his wife, when he could be taking advantage of grants and home health care to assist.  We have to advocate for ourselves and our loved ones.  There is a lot of help out there, if you know where to find it.

Dim Sum in Vista at Kung Fu Noodles

My friend Charlene told me about a Chinese restaurant in Vista that she thought I might like.  She was right.  What she didn't tell me was that it served traditional dim sum items and very little else.  That was fine with me.  I love dim sum, and going all the way to Convoy Street for dim sum is not always feasible.

Kung Fu Noodles is on E. Vista Way, just across from the new Sprouts in Vista.  It's in a shopping center.  There are lots of comfortable tables and it is modern and clean.  It is not a traditional dim sum restaurant in that you order at the counter, then they bring out the dishes as they are ready.  It does not have the full array of dishes you might find at a more traditional dim sum restaurant, where waiters and waitresses come around with carts loaded with delicious buns, baos, meats and vegetable dishes.

At Kung Fu Noodles you can count on fresh, handmade noodles, which makes their noodle soups delicious.  They also offer Dan Dan noodles, and chicken chow mein.  The rest of the menu is devoted to a variety of small buns, filled with pork, shrimp, chicken or vegetables, or larger baos that are steamed or boiled.  My favorite was the bean bao.  Pot stickers are pan fried and are delicious.  Ron's favorite dish was the fried chicken wings.  I don't usually eat them, but they looked so inviting, I tried one.  It was crispy on the outside, with the chicken tender and juicy inside.  We also tried a scallion and sesame seed pancake which was good, but a little heavy.

This is not a restaurant for those seeking a traditional Chinese restaurant.  It is strictly noodles and soups, buns and baos and potstickers.  It's really good, and I can't wait to go again and try some other menu items.

An Evening With Ruth Reichel

I've been reading Ruth Reichel for as long as I can remember.   Chef, food critic, magazine editor, author and lecturer has been involved in the American food scene since the 1960's.  She was born in 1948 in New York City, the daughter of German immigrants, who became one of the most influential people in food and culture in our country.

She is on tour now, plugging her latest book, Save Me The Plums.  I saw her interviewed, followed by a Q and A, in La Jolla last week.  It was an interesting evening for a foodie like me.

Ruth married in the 1960's and moved to Berkeley with her husband.  The culinary revolution of the 1970's was just about to take off, and Ruth was there and became part of it.  Alice Waters was there, and as Ruth told us, her favorite restaurant in all the world is still Chez Panisse. 

Ruth spent most of her career as food critic for the LA Times and the New York Times.  She talks in many of her books about the great lengths she would go to eat at a restaurant undetected.  She would use disguises, as she felt this was the way to get a sample of what the restaurant was really like, not what they would do special for a food critic. 

She was also the editor of Gourmet Magazine for many years, until the closing of Conde Nast (parent company) in 2009.  She had never managed a large group of people before, but Gourmet was desperate to land her as their new editor, and she took the job.  She knew nothing about magazine editing, but with the help of supportive staff, she learned and lead.  Unfortunately the magazine could not survive the technology of the 21st century.  The owner of Conde Nast, Si Newhouse, did not change with the times, and could never fully commit to a digital presence. 

Ruth lives in the Berkshires today and continues to write and lecture.  She is a delight to listen to.  What a treat to hear from one of the leaders of the culinary revolution!  Now I may have to buy her new book and read it.

It's Time For Persimmons

I'm surprised at how many people I know have never tried a persimmon, in fact, when shown one, don't even know what it is.  I had a prolific persimmon (American type) in my backyard in Los Angeles, so I was busy eating and cooking with them every fall for many years.  I also had a neighbor who had several trees, and graciously shared them with neighbors.  I couldn't possibly eat them all, so I waited for them to ripen, then cut them in half, took the stem off, and froze them in baggies for eating during the rest of the year.  Frozen persimmons are the perfect sweet treat.  Just let them defrost a bit, then eat.  They are soft and ever so sweet.  It wasn't until I moved to San Diego that I discovered the more popular persimmon, the Japanese variety called Fuya.  

American persimmons are called Hacyiya, and were native to this country, eaten by Native Americans.  They become available in the fall.  They are a deep orange, and must be extremely ripe and soft before eating.  If you happen to eat an unripe Hicyiva, you will regret it.  It is tannic, and the taste left in your mouth is horrible, but hard to describe.  On the other hand, Fuya persimmons, are smaller and should be eaten when hard, like an apple.  Fuya persimmons were brought to this country by the Japanese.  I remove the top stem and quarter them.  They are so delicious.  

Many recipes use persimmons.  A holiday favorite is persimmon pudding, dark brown in color, very sweet, and topped with whipped cream.  Fuya persimmons are often cut and added to salads.  Hachiya are used more in baking, like persimmon cookies, puddings, jams and butters.  

If you have never tasted one, I suggest you do.  Just remember, if you get the Hacyiva type, be sure it is very soft, almost mushy, before eating.  The Fuya you can eat right away.  Persimmons are one of the fruits that I look forward to every fall.

What is Voice Banking

On our most recent visit to the ALS Clinic, Dr. Ravits asked us if either one of us had ever heard about "voice banking."  Neither one of us had.  He explained that many people with ALS or other neurological diseases where they may lose some or part of their auditory ability to communicate, are voice banking. 

Voice banking is a process that allows a person to record a set list of phrases with their own voice, while they still have the ability to do so. This recording is then converted to create a personal synthetic voice.

When the person is no longer able to use their own voice, they can use the synthetic voice in speech-generating communication devices to generate an infinite number of words and sentences. The voice created will be synthetic and not be a perfect replica of the person’s natural speech, but it will bear some resemblance.

The purpose of this is to save phrases, laughs, jokes, favorite sayings, etc. in the voice of the person before he or she can no longer speak.  It sounds like a great idea, although it is not something we plan to do yet.

In fact, Dr. Ravits said that Ron may never have ALS affect his speech, as it is almost six years since his first symptoms appeared and he has not developed any respiratory or speech problems.  If and when the time comes, voice banking seems like a great idea.

I checked it out on line and there is an app for that.  There's an app for everything these days.  You can load the app on your phone, then record whatever you want to say.  "I love you, give me a kiss, please get my phone for me, where is the remote, how's your mom?  Pepper I love you, how are the grandkids? and how are Brian, David and Phil? and what's for dinner?" are phrases that come to mind.

As I'm sitting here writing this, I'm thinking this is a great way to preserve an elderly family member's voice.  There is nothing that brings a person to life more than hearing their voice.  Many people have family members record their life story, or parts of their life, for future generations to enjoy.  This is similar, but for ALS patients or others who lose the ability to speak, voice banking helps preserve this.

Why Do So Many Restaurants Serve Bad Coffee?

It's not a problem finding a good cup of coffee in San Diego.  The problem is, most of the good coffee is served in cafes or coffee houses, not in restaurants.  Starbucks, Peets, Coffee Bean, Bird Rock, Better Buzz and Philz are just some of the many coffee houses serving great coffee.  Now, go to a coffee shop, a place where they serve breakfast and lunch, and try to find a good cup of coffee.  That's a challenge.

Several years ago I decided that if I ordered a cup of coffee in a restaurant and it wasn't good, I would send it back and have it removed from the bill.  Now when I order coffee I always ask, "Is it good, because if it's not, don't bring it."  I usually get one of two answers:  1.  Well, it's really not very good, or 2.  It's pretty good, and I'll bring you a cup and if you don't like it, I'll take it back.  Almost never does a server unequivocally tell me the coffee is good.  Two exceptions:  Shorehouse Kitchen in Carlsbad  and Breakfast Republic in Encinitas both have great coffee. 

Other favorites that I frequent for breakfast do not have good coffee, so I stop at Starbucks first and bring my Starbucks to breakfast.  The Broken Yolk,  The Tamarack Pie Shop, 101 Diner in Encinitas (one of my favorite breakfast places, but the coffee is no good).  I could go on and on.  Why can't they make a good cup of coffee?  Restaurants could add 25cents to the cost of the coffee and buy good coffee.  I just don't get it.  I also don't get why anyone drinks bad coffee when good coffee is just a few steps away.

No restaurant has ever asked me not to bring my Starbucks into their restaurant.  I don't think they will, but if they do, I will have a lot to say.

Do You Have A Hair Coloring Horror Story?

I never seem to be happy with my hair color.  It's too dark when I leave the salon, it's too light several weeks later.  What's a girl to do?  Well, I put the question out to some friends of mine recently, and discovered that many of them did their own hair, and honestly, most of them looked better than those spending $100 at a salon.  So, I decided to listen to them, and try to color my own hair.

Actually, for my first effort, it looks pretty good.  It's not quite the color I wanted, and I didn't get all the grey covered as well as it should be, but it looks pretty good.  In four weeks I'll try again, and this time hopefully get the color right.

Back in college many of us got the urge to color our hair, usually with disastrous results.  One friend of mine ended up with a color so bad she had to frantically search for an open salon to "fix" her mistake.  Other people I have talked to overprocessed their hair, and had much of their hair fall out. 

Today, the products are kinder and gentler, and mistakes can easily be corrected.  I remember when our son David came home from a bus trip around the U.S. when he was in 11th grade, with orange hair and SD carved into his hair.  (he was a big Chargers fan).  Ron just about had a fit, but I told he NOT to overreact, and he listened.  In three weeks the hair had grown out, and that was the end of it. 

You can go on the internet today, hire a colorist to evaluate the best color for your hair, then buy the product from them.  One of my friends did that, and her hair looks gorgeous.  I'm going to stick with the product I just used, but try to get the color a little darker.  It's going to save me time and money, commodities that I don't seem to have enough of these days.

Barbeque Comes To Bressi Ranch

While everyone else was out shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, Ron and I went to WR Kitchen and Bar in Bressi Ranch for lunch.  What attracted us was the brisket sandwich, which you don't see everywhere.  Ron loves barbeque, so we had to try it.  So glad we did.

It's a comfortable restaurant, with tables for two, four, or long tables for a big crowd.  It's easy and fast to eat here, but you don't feel rushed.  Enter the restaurant, and order your food at the counter in front of you.  Then, find a table, and your food will be brought to you when it's ready.  The food was delicious, and everything I didn't get to try on my first visit looked delicious, so we will definitely go back soon to try something.  Ron ordered the brisket sandwich, with cole slaw, pickles and swiss cheese.  For $12, or for any price, it was a winner.  I ordered a barbeque chopped salad, with black beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, in a nice barbeque dressing.  The french fries were delicious too.  On another visit we want to try the tri tip sandwich with carmelized onions, crispy fried onions, baby back ribs, and several side dishes that sound amazing.

Everything is a la carte, so when you start to add extras, the price rises.  Our lunch for two was $30, which really isn't bad.  WR Kitchen and Bar is a great addition to the excellent restaurant choices in Bressi Ranch.  We've got Mediterranean, gourmet tacos, gourmet salads and sandwiches, and now barbeque.  Coming soon is an Italian restaurant, which I can't wait to try.  If you live in the area near Bressi Ranch there's no reason to go far to have a great meal.  WR Kitchen and Bar is just another great restaurant in the new section of Bressi Ranch.

Partial Cliff Collapse in Del Mar

This wasn't the first and it won't be the last cliff to collapse in the North San Diego.  Just a few months ago, part of a cliff collapsed in Encinitas, killing several people.  The collapse in Del Mar occurred after 48 hours of heavy rain washed away part of the cliff near the Del Mar train station..  The station has not been used in years, but the rain washed away part of the train tracks, so service between Del Mar and San Diego was closed temporarily.

I have recently read a great deal about climate change, and one thing is for sure.  The cliffs along La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas will someday be gone.  We don't know when, it could be 10 years or 50 years, but erosion will eventually take them down. 

I watch little children play on the beach below Fletcher Cove, and even with signs that say "Unstable Cliffs," parents still allow their kids to play close to them.  It's just a matter of time.  Perhaps some of these areas should be closed.  The area in Del Mar where the partial cliff collapse occurred is frequented by children and adults.  There's a park nearby, and walking paths below the cliffs that are in constant use.  I know.  I lived there for seven years and used to walk that area all the time.  I hope another tragedy doesn't have to take place like what happened in Encinitas to get people's attention.  In my opinion, areas with unstable cliffs above should be closed to the public.  It's just tempting fate to have people walking and playing where a cliff could collapse.

On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, my mom was taking the train home from Oceanside to Los Angeles.(the Del Mar train closure took place on Saturday so she was not affected).  As we're driving to the train station my mom says, "I hope the rain didn't wash out any of the train track."  The next day, part of the train tracks in Del Mar  WERE washed out.  Smart lady.