Have You Ever Tried Mochi?

Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While eaten year round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. Mochi is also a popular snack in Hawaii and Taiwan.

I first discovered Mochi over 20 years ago. I'm always looking in supermarkets for new, unusual products. This was around the time that Whole Foods was becomming popular, and I think I first purchased it at Mrs. Goochs (now Whole Foods) in Sherman Oaks. It was a firm rectangele, about 1/2 inch thick. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. There were no directions, no recipes. So I cut off a piece, stuck it in the toaster oven, and lo and behold, in about 5 minutes, I had a puffed up piece of mochi, cooked through, that was much like toast, which I love. I slathered it in butter, and ate it. It became a staple in my house for many years. It was just delicious, but I knew there must be more that could be done with mochi.

Since then, I have discovered some of the many uses for mochi. It is used in many traditional Japanese sweets. Daifuku is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste or white bean paste. Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry inside.

A common, and delicious use for mochi is ice cream. Small balls of ice cream are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream. Mochi ice cream is very popular in many U.S. states. You can find mochi ice cream at Trader Joe's and many Japanese specialty markets. Pinkberry, Red Mango and Yogurtland(my favorite) offer mochi as one of their toppings.

New Year specialities which use mochi include Zoni soup, Chikara udon, which consists of udon noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi, and Oshiruko, which is a sweet azuki bean soup with pieces of mochi.

Try the mochi ice cream at Trader Joe's if you want, or if you see it as a topping at one of the yogurt shops, just taste it. It's fun to try new foods. In a few weeks I will be attending the Food Expo in Anaheim, the largest natural and organic food show in the country. My son, Phil, will have a booth there, and I will go and take care of Lennon and walk the show. I always look forward to sampling the new products that are out there, and are amazed at what creative people come up with. I will write at least two blogs on the Food Expo, which takes place March 12, 13 and 14. In the meantime, give mochi a try. In March I'll have lots of new items to tell you about.

Hollywood's Going Green

Always a trend setter, some Hollywood productions are setting high standards when it comes to the environment. The leader is Warner Bros, who designed a sustainable sound stage, and has just completed the first LEED certified sound stage in the industry. What is LEED? It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and get used to seeing that acronym because that is what buildings are now striving for.

Warner Bros has completed a 21,600 square foot stage that has received LEED certification. It incorporates numerous sustainable elements including use of sustainable, reused, and recycled construction materials and a solar electrical system now being installed. Other features that led to LEED certification included using fly ash in its concrete foundaton, energy efficient fluorescent house lighting, recycled steel and metals, and non-toxic paint and adhesives. There is a reflective roof, and solar panels are being installed. The panels will form a 100-kilowatt solar electrical system for generating clean energy. Kudos to Warner Bros for making this project a reality and and leading the way for others in the industry to do the same.

One of the other industry leaders in greening their productions is Fox's hit show "24". A year ago they boldly announced that they were going to reduce their carbon footprint-and wanted viewers to do the same. Now 365 days later, the show's producers say they've far exceeded their goals and will be the first show ever to achieve carbon neutrality.

So what exactly have they done? The long list includes replacing lighting with compact fluorescent lighting, introducing biodiesel-blended fuels to power generators and production vehicles, using hybrid vehicles, using all energy from renewable energy sources (mix of wind, hydro and solar), all scripts, schedules and other paperwork are now delivered electronically. They hope their efforts will inspire their viewers to do the same.

Keep your eyes and ears open to new buzz words like LEED certification and carbon neutrality. If the entertainment industry is doing it, the rest of us won't be far behind.

Look Into My Eyes

I just returned from the final day of the Jewish Film Festival. This is one of my favorite events of the year, and this year I almost missed the whole thing. When I first got the calendar of events, I circled those films that interested me, then proceeded to get busy and never got to see anything. Finally, on the last day of the event, I went to see Look Into My Eyes, a documentary by Israeli filmaker Naftaly Gliksberg.

Gliksberg travels from Poland to Paris, Germany and the U.S. to talk to ordinary people about Jews and whether anti-Semitism is on the rise. It is a startling personal journey of painful discoveries as he explores representations and impressions of Jews and Israelis around the world. As he visits individuals in various countries Gliksberg discovers that people's responses to his pointed questions are often a mixture of their own culture, some version of history, and a certain collective psychology.

Gliksberg is a former rabbi who gave it all up at age 29 (he looks like he's in his late 50's now) to become a filmmaker. Much of what he found is not new. One interesting fact I learned is that from studies of anti-Semitism in Europe they have found that most of the racism comes from the indigenous people, not from the immigrants. This is contrary to what I thought. Stereotypes of Jews were the same world wide. Rich, controlling the money, having horns,Gliksberg heard them all. There were also some who denied the Holocaust.

There was some talk of the media and how it effects our perception of anti-Semitism. An Israeli on the discussion panel mentioned that the reason Israeli news talks about anti-Semitism is that it sells newspapers and films. People like to hear about it. Many, including the ADL feel that constantly discussing the topic only fuels the fire. The work of the ADL is evident on most major college campuses. Believe it or not, many American students do not have an opinion about Jews by the time they reach college. As surprising as this is, it's a good thing. It's very difficult (maybe impossible) to change perceptions that have been developed over years of reinforcement. The Israeli professor on the panel, who is teaching at San Diego State this year, says he has NOT encountered strong anti-Semitic feelings amongst his students, and feels he has a chance to give his students facts and let them draw their own conclusions.

However, there are many militant groups around the world that are teaching their children something very different. Anti-Semitism, and racism in general, is reality and we need to hope that schools, churches, synagogues and parents are teaching our youth the facts. Give kids the facts and let them draw their own conclusions. This movie was powerful and provocative, and if you have an opportunity to see it, please do.

Happy Hour at Flelming's

One of my favorite restaurants for a big splurge is Fleming's. Of all the great steakhouses we have here in San Diego, Fleming's is the one I keep coming back to. I've been to Ruth's Chris, The Palm and Donovan's, but Flelming's stands out. (I know I'm going to get some disagreement on this). The bill for two can be pretty steep. It's not hard to spend $125-150 for two, including tax and tip.

Well, check out 5 for $6 'til 7. This is the Fleming's happy hour promotion. Here's what you get, up until 7 pm. A choice of 5 cocktails, including a white cosmo, an appletini, and a margarita. Or try one of 5 wines, including a pinot grigio and a chardonnay. Make a meal of two appetizers, which include tenderloin carpaccio, sweet chili calamari, cajun barbequed shrimp, seared ahi tuna and jumbo lump crab cakes. All of these items are $6 each, in the bar area only. Sounds like a great deal to me.

The other deal to try is their Sunday three course prime rib dinner for $29.95. We went to the Woodland Hills location not long ago, and loved the dinner. It was quite a bargain. For the first course, you get a choice of the wedge salad or a caesar salad. This is followed by a 12 ounce prime rib and one side dish. Finally, a choice of several decadant dessert choices. This is a limited time offer, so check it out before it's gone.

So here's two great choices of moderate priced dining at Fleming's. No steak dinner, but great food and ambience at a price we can all afford.

FifithVisit to Taft

Friday was another wonderful day with Ron at Taft. Our son Brian, and one of Ron's friends, was also there for part of the morning. Time flies when you're having fun, and Brian, who had planned to stay about an hour, was there three hours before he even realized it. With only 300 minutes of phone time per month, most phone calls are very short, so when we're together, there's a lot of talking to do.

There's a lot of emotion to deal with, too. Here's what I mean. Many wives put on a happy face when they come to visit their husband or son, but are crying inside. A common sight in the women's bathroom at Taft is wives sobbing. Why? I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's because they realize that for the time being they must make a life without a man, they may have to work, budget, and sacrifice, possibly something they never did before. The women who seem to have the hardest time are those with young children. How do they explain to a small child why daddy doesn't live at home and they only get to visit occasionally? That must be very hard.

Ron often talks about two powerful emotions, depression and fear. I will give you his take on both. Before he entered Taft, he had seven years of investigation by the Federal Government. He never knew what might happen on a given day. He would often wake up depressed. He could have been one of those people that stayed in bed all day and felt sorry for himself. Not Ron. He would give himself 10 minutes a day to feel bad, then he would go on with his day and you would never know the pressing problems he had. He says that early morning depression he used to have is now gone. He feels it's because he knows his future. He knows what he's doing today, tomorrow and next year. He no longer has to worry about Feds knocking on his door or subpoenas, depositions or trials.

Fear. Ron was never a fearful man, but when you know that the government wants, you also know that they will get you. This fear of the unknown is powerful and debilitating. Many people just curl up and surrender, but not Ron. Once he knew what was in store for him, the fear was gone. It was the unknown that scared him. There is no fear at Taft, not only because you know what's in your future, but because Taft is a safe environment. You feel secure there, there are no fights and no stealing. The inmates are not in competition with each other as they might be in general society, they're all trying to help each other get through their time there. They're like a team.

Because of the lack of depression and fear, Ron is very peaceful. His friend who came to see him today commented how at peace he seemed, and he is right. He has accepted his situation, and faces everyday with a smile. I try to do the same. Next week I plan to write about how the first seven weeks of Ron's incarceration have been for me. Stay tuned.

Coffee Filters....Who Knew?

A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from my friend Renee, who's always looking for something I might blog about. Well, this caught my eye, and I read what can be done with coffee filters, I was pleasantly surprised. I never really thought about what else could be done with a coffee filter other than make coffee, but my oh my, someone sure came up with a lot of uses. Many of these you'd probably never do, but there are a few good tips on the list. Since this blog is about saving money, these tips will definitely do that. Thanks, Renee.

COFFEE FILTERS

Coffee filters .... Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing even the large ones.
1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome... Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale..
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters...
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.
14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews..

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book..

25.. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

OH YEAH THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS TOO.

More New Restaurants

Every time I see a new restaurant open in this economy I say to myself, "What are they thinking"? I guess they're thinking they'll be the one to find success in this poor economy. How are they getting financing? This is another mystery. Anyway, despite my questions, several more new restaurants have opened in our area, or will soon open.





Souplantation (http://www.souplantation.com/) has long been a restaurant that I have stayed away from. Not because I didn't like the food, but because I liked it too much. Salads, soups, potatoes, pasta, pizza, muffins, yogurt, what's not to like? I didn't go there because I always overate, after all I wanted to get my money's worth. Well, lately Souplantation is offering lots of specials, coupons and such, which have brought the price of lunch and dinner down considerably. Check out their website. It's great. They have lots of good nutritional choices, and a varying menu. They are opening in Encinitas, in the center where Trader Joe's is located, on the site of a closed furniture store. I am looking forward to eating there, reminding myself that the price is the price, whether I eat 500 calories or 2000 calories.





Another new addition to Encinitas is the Naked Cafe. They are on El Camino Real in the same center as Home Goods. The Naked Cafe serves good, nutritious food, and lots of it. This is a great restaurant for splitting. They serve breakfast and lunch only, several Asian stirfrys, sandwiches on hearty multigrain bread, burritos, eggs of all kinds, and huge pancakes. They are also located in Solana Beach and Carlsbad.

North County continues to grow, and that means more restaurant choices. Here are two more healthy choices to add to a growing list.







Not open yet, but under construction, is East Village Asian, also in Encinitas. It is on Coast Highway, right near the Lumberyard. I don't have any information on when it will open, but I will be sure to check it out. I'm not sure if it's Chinese or Japanese (or neither) or Asian fusion. I'll let you know.





If you have new restaurants to tell me about, please leave a comment on the blog and I will try to check them out. I'm always looking for new and interesting spots to dine.

Do You Know About Rice Paddy Art?

I didn't, until I learned about it's existence purely by accident. It's pretty old news, but new to me. Apparently a village in Japan called Inakadate has a ridiculously awesome festival where hundres of people help out and plant different varieties of rice that grow up to be different colors, thus creating the images like the ones above. They started doing this to reinvigorate the town, and it's done quite well. In 2006 there were 200,000 visitors alone. That's got to be good for their economy. There are many other cities that plant rice paddy art, but Inakadate is the best. Some of their murals are huge, taking up the whole field.

What you see here is just a sampling of the art they create. Other interest crop art designs include a huge picture of Napoleon on horseback and a 16th century samurai. If you find this interesting, as I did, go to http://www.nowpublic.com/ to see more images of this amazing art form.

Goodbye to Tavern on the Green

If you've been to New York, you've most likely been to Tavern on the Green, the touristy restaurant in Central Park, that is gone. They served their final meals on New Year's Eve, and will become a new restaurant in the spring of 2010. Tavern on the Green opened 75 years ago, and has been a destination for both tourists and locals for many years. Three years ago the restaurant grossed more than $38 million and served over 700,000 meals. Now they are broke and selling off crystal chandelliers and anything else that can be sold.

They're even trying to sell the name. Here's what happened. Their lease ran out this year and the city put the property up for bid. Someone with deep pockets came along and outbid them, so they lost the lease. After all, Tavern on the Green had over 400 employees, all earning union wages, and couldn't make a profit in this recession. They will soon have a sale to pay debts, and possibly even sell the name of the restaurant. If the name is not sold, it cannot be used again for a very long time.

New owners plan to modernize the restaurant both inside and out, and design a menu more in tune with today's health concerns and contemporary tastes. They plan to remodel the restaurant with the environment in mind, using reusable products and those from sustainable sources.

I know many will miss this landmark restaurant. I will not. I have only eaten there twice, and found the food average at best, and very overpriced. Then again, I've never been one for tourist traps. The new owners sound like they have a good concept. New Yorkers appreciate good food, and it sounds like the new restaurant will deliver.

Fourth Visit to Taft

Books on tape are wonderful for helping a long drive pass quickly. Every week I visit the library and select an audio book for my Friday drive. This week I listened to the medical legal drama, Crisis, by Robin Cook. It held my attention, and I arrived at Taft in no time flat (actually it was three hours and fifteen minutes.

I arrived this week at 8:30, and already the visiting room was filling up. I like to get there early for a good seat. Otherwise you may end up in a corner without a table, or on a bench on the outside patio if the weather is nice. The visiting room at Taft is such a happy place. I watched delighted children run into the arms of their daddys. I saw fathers on the floor playing games with their little boys, giving their infants a bottle, or just having their little girl sit in their lap, content to be held by dad. Each inmate can have up to five visitors at a time, and often a whole family comes to visit. Children, parents, grandparents and friends, most inmates have a very supportive network. Ron tells me constantly how much he looks forward to my visits and what they mean to him. For now, I will be there every week. Even though we talk on the phone every day, there's nothing like being with the one you love.

I won't usually write by name about the men Ron has met at Taft, but one particular inmate is well known in the prison community and is someone you would want to know. His name is Michael Santos. Prior to Ron's self surrendering, he read and talked to everyone he could about what to expect at Taft. Michael was one of those people. He has been incarcerated for over 20 years, and will be released in 2013. As he said, he made some very bad choices as a young man, and has spent most of his adult life in various prisons. He will be at Taft until his release. He, with the help of his wife Carol, write a blog where you can read more about Michael and his journey. He has spent his time in prison educating himself, writing about the prison system so that others can know what to expect, and has become an advocate for prison reform. I would expect him to be a motivational speaker or something like that when he gets out. I had the pleasure of meeting him Friday. He has a big smile,a warm handshake, and a great attitude. Read more about him at michaelsantos.net. He wrote about Ron on his blog on January 26. I think you'll be impressed with his story.

For every Michael Santos, there are dozens of con men and grifters who meet you and immediately try to figure out if you're someone they can scam. Ron has learned quickly how to identify these men and stay away. They come on strong, but you know they want something. You've got to be selective in the friendships you make. There is always someone looking to take advantage.

With Valentine's Day yesterday, I thought I might be down, but not at all. I was with Ron Friday, got a cute card from him Saturday, and beautiful flowers from my children the same day. I'm very happy. More from Taft next Monday

Lightening Up Old Favorites

You may have noticed that lately I have had less food related blogs. This is because I am eating less food! I am determined to make this the last time I lose those extra 20 pounds and keep it off for good. This will be a year and a half of personal growth for me, which includes getting myself in good physical and mental shape. So, with that in mind, I have a lightened version of a hamburger and sour cream casserole which I made a few weeks ago, and just loved. I have recently discovered bulgar (wheat). I made a light vegetarian chil with it (I'll share that at another time), then the hamburger casserole. I hope you enjoy it.

Hamburger and Sour Cream Casserole

2 scallions, trimmed
1/2 pound ground beef (or ground turkey), lean cut
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
1/2 cup bulgar
2 cloves minced garlic
2-8oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
6ounces no yolk egg noodles (I substituted whole wheat penne pasta)
1 cup 1 percent cottage cheese
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/4 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil or spray with nonstick spray, a 2-quart baking dish. Cook ground meat in a large skillet, drain liquid and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Wipe out skillet, add oil to the pan, then bulgur, garlic and white part of scallions, chopped. Cook, stirring, until the veggies soften. Add tomato sauce, water and meat, simmer for 15 minutes, until the bulgur is tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook noodles until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Puree cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; fold in sour cream and the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Layer half the noodles in the bottom of the baking dish, top with half the cheese mixture and half the meat sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles, cottage cheese and sauce. Sprinkle Cheddar on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Serves 6. Calories per serving 377, Total fat 14. It's a great, filling, stick to your ribs kind of dinner. Just add a salad. I hope you enjoy.

Wandering Around San Diego

Every month I take a group of men and women on a walking tour around an area of San Diego. Many of the participants are new to the area, so they appreciate learning about the varied communities in our area. In January we toured part of Bankers Hill, a beautiful area of the city adjacent to Balboa Park.

Our guide was Patty from Urban Safaris (www.walkingtourssandiego.com). She has been leading tours around the city for over 10 years, and boy, does she know her stuff. History, architecture, human interest stories relating to the area, she knows it all. We walked over suspension bridges and through neighborhoods with beautiful old home, many with historic designation. Patty has 15 different tours of San Diego which she has listed on her website, or she will arrange a special tour for your group. That's what we did. Check her website for further information.


At 11:45 we returned to Carpe Diem Cafe (our starting point), got in our cars, and headed for Hob Nob Hill Cafe (www.hobnobhill.com), the oldest diner in San Diego. It's a comfortable diner, great menu, big portions, and friendly service. They have everything you'd imagine a diner to have; breakfast all day, huge sandwiches, salads, meat loaf, swiss steak, stuffed peppers, etc. You get the idea. Diner food. When you sit down and order, regardless of what you have ordered, a basket of warm muffins and butter appear at you're table. They're hard to resist.

Hob Nob Hill was recently visited by Guy Fieri (th Food Network star) for his show, Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. He loved it, as did we. It's the kind of place you don't find anymore, but people still love.

Well, this was another great outing, enjoyed by all. We will take another trip next month, to another location,and I'll let you know how it goes. We have fun no matter what we do, but learning about our city is just an added bonus.

2117

You know me. Always on the lookout for something new in food or entertainment. Well, last week I visited my mom in L.A. She wanted to take me to a new restaurant on Sawtelle Ave in Santa Monica. If you know L.A. at all, you know that Sawtelle has long been an Asian area. Nurseries abound on this street. In addition, there are several Japanese markets and general stores, always fun to browse. If you need anything in the way of Asian specialty foods, this is the place to go.

Over the past few years the area has changed. It still has all of the above, but in addition, there are brand new apartment lofts, starting at $549,000, so you can guess that they're pretty nice. I have not seen them, but they're beautiful from the outside. The whole neighborhood is changing, younger families are coming in, buying up the small houses around Sawtelle, and improving the property. In addition, several strip malls, loaded with restaurants, can be found between Santa Monica Blvd and Olympic Blvd.

We went to a new Euro Asian fusion restaurant, called 2117 (http://www.restaurant2117.com)(that the address). It was exceptional. Check out their website to see what they offer and how beautifully it is presented. They have a whole section of small plates, and ordering two small plates is what we did. I ordered a seaweed salad with scallops to start. The seaweed was mixed with a Caesar dressing and topped with parmesean cheese, and the two scallops were perfectly cooked. That was followed by a salmon crabcake with a mango salsa. Just delicious. My mom ordered braised short ribs to start. They were sliced thin, in a light broth, and covered with a variety of vegetables, including sliced cucumber and carrots. Next she had a composed salad, layered, with crab, tomato, avocado and organic baby greens. It was almost too pretty to eat. The small plates range from $8.95-$12.95. The main courses, which were equally enticing, all ranged around $20. If you're ever in the area and want something a bit different but exceptional, try 2117.

Right next door was a tiny crepe shop serving crepes of every variety, sweet and savory. Crepes range from $3.25 for butter and sugar crepe, to $8.50 for some savory crepes with chicken and cheese. I can't wait to try it. Also on Sawtelle in this area are many noodle shops. They serve mostly noodle soups, delicious broth, veggies and some meat or tofu. The line is out the door at several shops.

So, if you get to the Sawtelle area of Los Angeles, try one of my recommendations. I think you will be more than satisfied.

More New Restaurants in Carlsbad

I hear the economy is bad, yet all I do is see new contruction everywhere I turn. One such place is in Carlsbad, just parallel to the 5 Freeway, across from the Carlsbad Outlet Mall. They recently completed two very expensive restaurants BJ's and P.F. Chang's. Both are chains owned by large corporations, and both are very successful. In fact, they are two of the restaurant chains that are doing well in this economy. I don't know what the cost of construction was for these establishments, but it was a lot. From the crowds I see waiting to get in, they made a good business decision to open in Carlsbad.

I have been to both restaurants. I've been to BJ's twice. I would rate the food average, service below average, and overall experience average. They do take reservations, sort of. You call there, tell them what time you want to dine, and when you come in you go to the top of the list, so your actual wait time can be no more that 15 minutes. That's a good thing. The bad thing is the noise. It is so noisy, with high ceilings and no floor or wall coverings, that you are practically yelling across the table. Home brewed beer and home made rootbeer and orange soda (with free refills) is delicious. The food itself is just so so. They've got everything from pizza to salads, to chicken wings, to pasta. They serve big portions. The desserts looked delicious (Ididn't try them) and are big enough for several to share. It's a fun night if you don't mind the noise. An added feature is that they have flat screen tvs everywhere, so men that don't want to miss a ball game will still go to dinner.

P.F. Chang's used to be one of our favorite restaurants. That was until we ate at the Irvine location a few times. The food there was not very good. So it was with some reluctance that we went to the new P.F. Chang's with Cookie and Jeff a few weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised. First, they take reservations. Real reservations. Second, it was not noisy. Third, the service was excellent, and fourth, the food was delicious. We had a variety of items which we shared. A shrimp dish, garlic noodles (I could eat the whole bowl), egg roll, a flatbread appetizer, and a wonderful chicken dish. Everything was hot and out of this world. I would go back there again anytime.

Two new options to add to the growing list of Carlsbad restaurants. I hope you get a chance to try them. I learned one thing. Even if a restaurant is part of chain, the quality of their food and service can differ significantly. As much as I loved P.F. Chang's, the drawback was I was up all night drinking water. Too much sodium, but so, so good.

My Third Visit to Taft

I'm still trying to find the easiest way to visit Ron on a weekly basis. The 400 mile round trip needs to be broken up, so this week I drove to LA on Thursday night, overnighted at my mom's house, and left at 6:30am for Taft. It was drizzling when I left, and I was worried that if the temperature dropped too much over the Grapevine there might be snow or ice. Luckily, the temperature only got down to 40 degrees, and I arrived there at 8:45.

Ron came out smiling as usualy, ready for our 4-5 hours of nonstop talking. Someone asked me, "What can you possibly talk about for that length of time?" Since we only talk 5-6 minutes per day, there seems to be a lot to say.

Today is the end of the Ron's first month at Taft, and he is settled in. During the first few weeks there is a lot of excitement and anticipation, everything is new, and time seems to fly by. After you know the routine, know what's expected of you, learn all the rules, the trick is to continue to make the time go quickly. Ron has chosen to do that the same way I have, stay busy. So far he has joined Toastmasters, walking group and horticulture group. He is going to check out the arts and crafts program soon. He is umpiring softball on the weekends (when it isn't raining), reading and writing. Soon he will get some sort of a job, which will take up two hours a day. He's so busy during the day that he falls asleep at 9:00and sleeps soundly. He's sleeping better lately since he got a better mattress.

The sleeping quarters at Taft are very comfortable, and somewhat private. It's like a big airport hanger, with small areas partitioned off into groups of three. They are separated by 8 foot high blocks. So his small area for he and his two bunkies has one bunkbed, one single bed, three lockers, three sets of two drawers (for clothes), and a large desk with three stacking chairs. Simple, but it's home. They can decorate their lockers any way they choose. I think Ron has family photos inside and out. When you arrive, you are placed wherever there is a vacancy, but through seniority, you can move up to the more preferred locations. Right now Ron is in the section called Sleepy Hollow. Other areas are called Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Flushing Meadows. You can guess which one is near the bathroom.

Settling in means that you have accepted where you are and will make the best of it. Not until you do this will you be able to make the experience the best it can be. As Ron says, "You have to give it up", and by this he means you have to understand that they (the institution) are in charge, you do not question why things are a certain way, they just are and you must accept it. If you do this, things will go smoothly for you. If not, and you have a bad attitude (and some do), life can be very difficult. For many of the men at Taft, most Type A personalities, this is the first time in their life they haven't been in charge. Quite an adustment. (I will talk more about how these captains of industry adjust to working menial jobs and monotonous routines another time.)

At this point Ron has much to tell me about new people he's met, extraordinary changes in himself personally and what his days are like. One immediate change I have seen in Ron is that he is much quieter than he was just a month ago. One thing you don't want to do at Taft, is stand out. You want to blend in, be part of the group, so wise cracks and jokes are not a part of his persona. I don't know if that is temporary or permanent. Only time will tell. But for now he is doing what he must to make this experience the best it can be. I'm lucky enough to get to see the weekly changes, and watch Ron transform from good man to great man.

You Deserve It: Dry Aged Beef

In September I went to visit my kids in Colorado and their newborn baby boy. With all that was going on taking care of a his first child, Phil still found time to cook some amazing meals. One in particular stands out. As a baby gift, one of their friends had given them some dry aged beef steaks from Whole Foods. This is a baby gift for a real foodie. You can see the meat hanging in the drying room at most Whole Foods. I'm not sure how long it is aged, but it sure is good. You don't need more than about 6 ounces per person, so the $20+ per pound price tag, comes to less than $8 per person. Quite a bit less than Ruth's Chris or Donovans, and you're going to love it. Phil cooked the steak and sauce and served it with his Endive Radicchio Salad, which I gave you the recipe for several months. (look under recipes on the left hand side of the blog to find all recipes).

Dry Aged Beef With Peppercorn Sauce

1 dry aged steak (ours was from Whole Foods) about 6 ounces per person

1pat butter

wine or brandy to deglaze the pan

2 shallots chopped

2 T. demiglaze (available at Whole Foods)

3 T. peppercorns

whipping cream, as needed

Add a small amount of olive oil to a saute pan, season steak and cook on top of the stove, until desired doneness. Set aside and make the sauce.

Pour off fat from the pan, and add 1 pat butter. Add shallots and cook and deglaze the pan with wine or brandy (red is better, but any wine will work). Add 2 T. demiglaze, and a little water, then reduce the sauce. Add peppercorns, thin with water and add a little whipping cream at the end. Pour over cooked steak and serve with endive radicchio salad, and a great red wine for an unforgettable dinner.

Energy Drinks Health Concerns

Walk down any supermarket drink aisle and you'll see a huge section filled with a variety of energy drinks. These drinks didn't exist a few years ago, but because of their advertising campaigns featuring various sports icons, the youth of this country have decided these drinks are something they must have. A few years ago it was water and flavored water that flooded the drink section of the market. Then it was tea of every imaginable type. Now it is energy drinks. Here's a bit of information on what they really are, so you can decide for yourself if they're something you want to drink or want your children to consume.

Energy drinks are a type of soft drinks that are enhanced using certain substances that help the person retain their energy level. Energy drinks actually enhance the physical performance and energy level of a person as it directly affects mental alertness. Initially the energy drinks were consumed by athletes in order to perform better when their bodies were tired. But today there is a huge craze of various energy drinks amongst school kids as young as 12 years of age.

Energy drinks generally contain caffein (methylxanthine), vitamin B and several other herbs mixed with carbonated water and sugar. Caffeine is obtained by adding several substances like guarana, ginkgo, biloba, ginseng, carnitine, and acai. These ingredients create several psychological as well as physical effects on the human body. Energy drinks can increase the cognitive activities of a person and also create a moderate amount of euphoria. Danger of energy drinks are observed when there is a large intake.

Excessive intake of energy drinks cause many problems, some of which are quite severe. They are primarily manufactured for extreme sports.

Energy drinks bear a higher percentage of caffeine than other cafeine sources like coffee and tea. They even contain more caffein than other soft drinks. Some of the side effects of energy drinks due to caffeine are insomnia, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, infertility, heart disease and ulsers.

Mixing energy drinks and alcohol is not recommended. Along with all the effects of alcohol in the human body, such as dehydration, fatigue, feeling of impairment, vomiting and respiratory depression are observed as side effects of energy drinks mixed with alcohol.

As with any other drink, moderation is the key. These drinks are not meant to replace a good night's sleep and proper training for athletes. You are the one who must decide whether these drinks are right for you. As an occasional pick me up, they're probably fine, but as a regular addition to your diet, please think again.

Pay it Forward

I hadn't heard of the phrase "pay it forward" until a few years ago, and I guess it didn't sink in at the time what a special idea it was. Simply put, it means that you do a favor for someone and all you ask in return is that they pass it on and do a favor for someone else. It's so simple and what a difference you might be making.

Here are a few simple ideas of how this works. You're in Starbucks getting your morning fix, and decide it would be nice to buy a latte for the young man just behind you in line. So you get yours, and pay for his at the same time. When it's his turn, he is told his drink has already been paid for, by a perfect stranger who wanted nothing in return except for him to do a nice deed for someone else. If that ever happened to me I would be shocked, but in a good way. Hopefully he will go off to work and do something nice for someone else, and so on. Or how about buying some gas for a perfect stranger? Can you imagine how you'd feel if someone did that for you? It would make me want to go out and do something for someone else.

Tyra Banks had a great idea on her show. She wanted to get people involved in doing good for others. She started the Tyra Pays it Forward Initiative. You do a good deed for someone, then take the card that indicates how many good deeds have been done, punch it, and pass it on to the next person. That continues until the card is filled up. Great idea, Tyra, and a great way to get people involved.

Help a mother with a stroller cross the street, or help her put her groceries in her car. She in turn will pass on this favor and do something nice for someone else. There are lots of nice people out there that do kind things everyday, but the idea of passing it on means that everyone who gets helped will in turn, help someone else.

The nice things we can do for strangers do not have include giving them money. Helping an old lady across the street, helping a boy find a lost dog, buying a sandwich for a homeless man are all paying it forward. Hopefully they will each go find another stranger to help. What a wonderful world this would be if we could all pay it forward. There are movies, foundations and websites about this concept, so many people must think it has value. I have always felt that doing something, without expecting anything in return was what giving of yourself was all about. But if the recipient of your gift gives something to another, and it continues to get passed forward, thousands and maybe millions of people would benefit from one act of kindness. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

A Dessert from Paula Dean

I love the Food Network. Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, The Iron Chef, Ina Garten and many others entertain me for hours. One program I don't usually watch is Paula Dean. I love her upbeat attitude and her rags to riches story, but frankly, her food is just too rich for me. However, I was channel surfing the other day and a dessert she was making caught my eye. It is so easy and so delicious you will definitely want to try it. Here it is.

Lady Finger Cake

1 large package of lady fingers (split lady fingers down the middle)

1 pint whipping cream

1 pint marscapone cheese

1 can blueberry pie filling

1 can lemon-lime frozen concentrate

Lay split lady fingers side by side in a large pyrex dish and cover the whole bottom. Paint the lemon lime mixture on the lady fingers.

In a bowl, mix whipping cream until thick, but not completely thick. Keep it a little bit runny. Mix in marscapone cheese. Pour 1/2 of the mixture over the lady fingers. Then top with 1/2 of the blueberry pie mixture. Repeat this process with another layer of lady fingers, lemon lime concentrate, whipping cream mixture and finally blueberry mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours before eating. This is spectacular.

Second Visit to Taft

I was up bright and early Saturday morning, excited about my visit to Taft. It's a 3 1/2 drive from Carlsbad and I like to be there when visiting hours begin. I set the clock for 4:30am, but my excitement woke me up earlier. I left at 4:40, and pulled into the camp at 7:50. I wizzed through downtown L.A. and Hollywood without ever hitting the brakes. It's the best time to travel. It was also the night of the brightest moon in 2010. What a wonderful sight. As I drove through the Grapevine, scattered clouds above, and a big old brilliant moon shining down,I was in awe of the beauty of our world. It was really something. I thought of my friend Jan, and wished she was there with her camera.

Earlier in the week Ron had told me about a book he was reading, a book everyone at Taft reads. It's called Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. He wanted me to read it too, so we could discuss it, so I went to the library last week and got the audio version to listen to on my long drive to Taft. I have to say this is pretty heavy reading for early in the morning, but I finished most of the book before I arrived. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist before he was imprisoned in four different concentration camps over a period of four years, from 1941-1945. His entire family was lost in the Holocaust. He writes about how victims of this horrific event found hope and a meaning to keep fighting, to live. It's a very enlightening book. The latter part of the book describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding a reason to live. His theory is logotherapy. It is on a list of the ten most influential books in the U.S.

Ron came out to greet me around 8:10, a big smile on his face, and looking even better than he looked the first time I saw him. Physically, he continues to lose weight, exercise and eat right. He walks the 1/3 mile track every morning, increasing his distance one lap per day. He is up to six laps , on his way to 15 laps. Walking is great. It takes up time and it keeps him in top shape. His diabetes is under control, and they are weaning him off his drugs. Mentally, he could not be doing any better. He has joined every group you can imagine, made many new friends, started reading, and in general making himself a better person. He gave his first Toastmasters speech last week, thoroughly enjoyed the group and is planning another speech for next week. He also joined the horticulture group, and will be planting and growing spring and summer veggies in a few weeks. Next week he plans to go to the arts and crafts room and find out what he can get involved in there. Also, he'll be getting a job in another week, probably something that takes no more than an hour a day, but it's another something to do. So he will be busy.

It reminds me a bit of the Army. Everyone watches out for everyone else. When someone new arrives, someone is there to show him the ropes, to warn him what to do and what not to do. One thing he learned from the beginning is that respect is most important. When you walk into the dining hall and want to sit with someone, always ask if you can join them. When you go into the T.V. room, always ask if the spot you want is taken (seniority rules in the tv room and you better not sit in anyone else's chair). In the shower rooms, which are completely private and as nice as anything you can imagine, mind your own business and don't bother anyone. These are unwritten rules, but everyone follows them.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet one of Ron's bunkies, a 28 year old man from California. What a wonderful young man. He has looked out for Ron since he arrived, has a wonderful attitude toward life, and a beautiful smile on his face at all times. He's the cook in their little group. He has spices in his locker, so if they don't like the dinner or are having a party, this young man is the cook. He makes guacamole, tuna sandwiches and other concoctions out of the food they buy from the commissary and his spices. He's also the guy to go to if you need something. The first week Ron was there he had no pillow or laundrybag. His bunkie knew who was leaving and was able to acquire a pillow and laundrybag for Ron. I think it's wonderful how these men, old and young, black, brown and white are all in it together and help each other get through it. Although their experience in no way mirrors Viktor Frankl's concentration camp experience, I know why they read the book. There is so much in there that they can apply to their own lives.

Our visit ended around 12:30. A big family had just arrived, we were sitting at a big table and had to move to a less comfortable area. Saturday is a big visiting day. Lots of wives, children, mothers, fathers and friends visiting their loved ones. A large percent of the population there is under 30, so you have many men with families with small children. They have a playroom for the kids and lots of games for the families to play. From now on my visits will always be on Fridays. Each inmate gets 20 points worth of visits per month. Fridays are 4 points, Saturday and Sunday are 8 points, so if you want to go every week, you have to go on Friday. I think it will be less crowded, but getting through L.A. might be more difficult. Whatever it takes, I'll try to be there most Fridays. It's something I look forward to all week. Hope for the best, but expect the worst.