Today I Am A Medicine Chest

Ron has never written anything in his life (other than a few letters he's written while at Taft), yet last week I got something from him that I enjoyed, and he gave me permission to share it with all of you. It's just a fun little essay he wrote called "Today I Am A Medicine Chest".

When we were kids of 12-13 years of age, we experienced celebrations which, depending on our religion were either Bar Mitzvahs or First Communions. When these events took place, our friends brought gifts to the lavish parties which our parents put on either at the church, synagogue, or home. any of these gifts were Esterbrook fountain pens, the kind of pens that the snorkle came out of the end and was used to "suck-up" the ink from an ink bottle. More often than not, after refilling the pen I had to go to the bathroom to wash the ink out of my shirt, pants and off my fingers. I can still hear my mother's voice imploring me not to make a mess. So, back at the celebration, when the honoree spoke to the guests, he would almost always start his speech by saying, "Today I am a man". We changed the phrase to "Today I am a fountain pen", to make fun of the entire process.

So one week ago today, I was summoned over the crackly sounding loud speaker in the camp, "Ron Anson, report to medical immediately". I quickly complied. When I arrived at medical, Nurse Spandas, who knows me well from finger pricking blood tests, said to me, "Don't worry, you're just going to the doctor in Bakersfield to see the kidney specialist".

I was immediately relieved to know I was not in trouble, but at 1PM I got to go on a field trip! Officer McKay loaded me into one of the white SUV's, which have plexiglass between the drivers seat and the passenger bench in back, for our 45 minute ride. He turned on a western music station and we enjoyed the ride in silence. I was being sent to an outside nephrologist because when I arrived at Taft my kidney test showed 41% efficiency. 59% is normal for my age. The latest tests came back 56%,59%,and 58%, so I really was surprised that they sent me to a specialist, although I realize they are very concerned about inmate health.

After arriving at the clinic, I gave a urine sample and waited with the officer for the doctor to come into the room. When he arrived and introduced himself, he stated that my tests were now normal and I would not need to return to his office prior to my release next June. Darn, no more field trips to Bakersfield.

Relieved, I enjoyed the ride back to Taft. Yesterday I was told I had a doctor's appointment at 1PM. I appeared at the prescribed time and Dr. Rucker told me that he was cutting down on my diabetes medication.

To bring you up to date, I became a Type 2 diabetic in 2002 at age 60. My diabetes was well in check until November 16, 2009, when I was sentenced to 24 months in prison. My blood sugars then went from a normal of 100 for the last 7 years to 350. My doctor in San Diego sent me to an endocrinologist who I call Dr B because he has a 5 syllable Indian name that I can't pronounce. Dr. B gave me a choice of two avenues to follow to lower my blood sugar. He also told me my spike in blood sugar was due to stress and would probably repair itself. The choices he gave me were (1) the drug Januvia, taken orally for three weeks to begin to lower my blood sugar or (2) insulin injections which would work immediately. Had I chosen insulin I would have been prohibited from going to Taft. So my choice of the pills turned out to be a fortuitous one.

Anyway, when I arrived at Taft I was prescribed 2550 mg of Metformin (I had taken 1000 before incarceration). I am now taking 500mg, and look forward to the time when I will eliminate it all together. I currently take other drugs such as lipitor, aspirin, cozaar, prilosec, synthroid and three different kinds of vitamins daily.

Now you know why I feel "Today I am a medicine chest", in a good way. The doctor here told me that not taking anti-inflammatories such as Celebrex and Ibuprofen has helped improve my kidney disease.

I guess the reality is, all medicines have side-effects which eventually surface. So less is better.

Trolley Dances 2010 San Diego

I can't know everything, so luckily I have a great group of friends who tell me about restaurants and cultural events in the San Diego that I have missed. I was at lunch yesterday with 8 well informed women who let me know I had missed a great San Diego tradition. So here it is, and just in time. The trolley dances end on Sunday, October 3, so you still have plenty of time to enjoy the show.

The way it was explained to me is this. You buy a ticket a proceed to the historic County Administration Building to begin your tour. You board a trolley along with many others and are taken from place to place and see dance troupes at each stop. The tour goes from the Administration Building to the New Children's Museum and the new Hilton Bayfront with stops in between for site-specifice dance created by Jean Isaacs and Monica Bill Barnes. Led by volunteer guides, audience members get on and off the trolley at specific stations to view the pieces, which are set in unexpected locations. Call 619 225 1803 for further information. Prices range from $10-$30. It sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon. It's something quite different, that's for sure. Thank you Vivian and Paula for bringing this to my attention. If I wasn't going to be visiting with my kids from Colorado and grandson Lennon this weekend, I would definitely try to see this event.

Keeping Cool, Eating Well

Summer has finally arrived. A little late and with a vengence. Actually most of us don't like the current heat wave. As a boogie boarder you'd think I'd love this weather, but the water temperature is still 61 degrees, too cold for a wuss like me to venture into without a short wetsuit. Another negative of the intense heat is I need to use my air conditioner. I had gone all summer without air, but I turned it on yesterday. Just a few hours at the end of the day cools off the house beautifully. I was in Escondido on Monday where the temperature was 110 degrees. When I got home the temperature was only 89 degrees. What a difference being close to the coast makes.

Many people eat less in extreme heat. I'm not one of those people. I do, however, like lighter meals, especially cold soups. My mom reminded me yesterday of one of my favorite cold soups, low in calories and so easy you won't believe it. Here it is.

Jellied Consomme With Sour Cream and Caviar

1 can consomme, well chilled
1 dollop of sour cream
1 tsp red or black caviar (I like black)

Open the soup can and spoon consomme into serving bowl. I can eat the whole can myself, but 3/4 of a can is probably a suitable portion. The soup will be gelatinous, not soupy. Add a dollop of sour cream and a spoon of caviar on top for a delicious, elegant, low calorie soup. It's so easy, and your guests will be so impressed. This is a great hot weather soup, but it's great anytime of year for the family or an elegant dinner party. Enjoy. (sorry this picture does not show how great the soup looks with sour cream and caviar on top)

Thirty Sixth Visit to Taft

One of the constant fears of any inmate is breaking a rule that might send them to the SHU. Security Housing Unit, it's official name is also known as isolation and the hole. You don't want to be there. You are locked up 23 hours a day, usually with no TV or radio privileges, little if anything to read, and are only out 1 hour per day for exercise and shower. Hardly a week goes by that Ron doesn't tell me a story about someone who went to the SHU. Some may never return, others may be held there for weeks or even months. The philosophy of those in charge is send them to the SHU, ask questions later.

What lands you in the SHU? It can be an infraction of inconsequential importance or it might be something quite serious. It might be a published rule or an unwritten rule. One man was sent to the SHU because contraband was found in his locker. How did someone know that he had an unauthorized item? Someone snitched on him. Yes, snitches are everywhere. They think if they give the guards information they will get special treatment. I don't know if they do or not. Another man was sent to the SHU for cutting in line at meal time. That is one of those unwritten rules that you do not break. Other ways to land in the SHU include illegal card games (gambling) and misbehaving in the visiting room. In other words, inmates have to be constantly on guard to prevent themselves from being accidentally caught in something that is not approved. A few weeks ago I wrote about a man whose daughter was killed in an auto accident leaving Taft after visiting. He was immediately sent to the SHU. Another man had a job driving a tractor and accidentally lost the key to the tractor. He also went to the SHU. As Ron always says, he wants to stay under the radar.

You could be sent to the SHU for being out of bounds. That means being where you're not supposed to be. I heard a story about a man who worked in the laundry room. He was asked by his superior to do a special job for him. He did, and ended up in the SHU for weeks. Why? He was out of bounds. In this case he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. If he didn't do what he was asked to do he'd be in trouble for disobeying a superior. If he did what was asked, which he did, he'd be out of bounds and in trouble for that. Another man decided to move to another bunk when his roomate left. He was considered out of bounds, and went to the SHU. Lying is another way to land in the SHU and get yourself more time there. The prison will add 50% more SHU time to your punishment if you lie.

The best way to avoid any disciplinary action is to keep to yourself, do what you're supposed to do, and not bother anyone. This is exactly what Ron has done and has found this attitude to serve him well. The troublemakers are always scrutinized more carefully.

What a change from the outside world where disputes are settled verbally between adults, and compromise is usually found. In prison no questions are asked, you are simply taken away and questions will be asked later. The democratic process is NOT alive and well in our prison system.

A Day Visiting Balboa Island With Friends: Priceless

Several of my boogie boarding friends planned a trip to Balboa Island today, and I was smart enough to join them. There were nine of us in all. We had a spectacular time and perfect weather. Our original plan was to go kyaking in the beautiful, calm waters, but decided to rent a motorized boat instead, due to the cool weather. We all hate to be cold! Here's how our day went.

We left Encinitas at 8:45 in two cars, and arrived in Balboa around 10:15. I hadn't been there in years and had forgotten what an utterly charming little town it is. The whole island is only one square mile, yet it is loaded with great shopping, souvenir shops, a few restaurants, and some spectacular homes. Every homeowner takes great pride in his property and all homes are in tip top shape. Gardens are important, one more beautiful than the next. Architecture runs the gamut. Most homes are at least two-story due to the small size of the lots. Everywhere you look you see painters, carpenters and gardners working to keep up the residential area.

We shopped on Marine Avenue, the main street in Balboa before lunch. Great gift shops, upscale clothing stores, children's clothes and toys and restaurants are in abundance. Yogurt, pizza, burgers, diners, candy shops and of course stands selling the famous Balboa Bar are present. Everyone claims that their shop sells the original Balboa Bar, but they all seem to be the same. A Balboa Bar is simply vanilla ice cream on a stick, covered in chocolate, and either finished with jimmies or nuts. We did not have one, but they did look delicious.

My favorite part of the day was still to come. We arranged to rent a motorized boat to putt putt around the bay, eat a picnic lunch on board, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Lucky for us, the sun finally broke through around noon and we had a magnificent afternoon. Captain Jill and Captain Marie kept the boat on an even course and we enjoyed our home prepared picnic lunch, lots of conversation and a tour around the bay. Thanks to Debbie for remembering to have the boat rental company put the life rafts on board. They were going to send us out to sea with no life jackets!!

Our entertainment came from the sea lions that were abundant and naughty. It's obvious the sea lions are not afraid of humans, as we got within a few feet of them relaxing in the water on their backs or sunbathing on someone's multi-million dollar yacht. The sea lions have decided that the boats and yachts in Balboa are their personal living room. There were four sea lions on one boat. When a little dinghy went by slapping an oar at them to try to get them off the boat, the sea lions swam around the boat until the dinghy left, then got right back on the boat. This is a terrible problem for the boat owners. Many owners have put fencing around the deck to keep the sea lions from ruining their property. The animals sure are cute to look at, though. Debbie took lots of pictures of the sea lions relaxing in the sun.

After a wonderful lunch and sailing around the bay, we returned to the Fun Zone area of Balboa and did a bit more shopping. I was hungry for something sweet, so while some went off for yogurt, Fran, Pam and I went to Wilma's Patio, a casual family restaurant. We had pound cake topped with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries. A sweet ending to a very sweet day.

Beautiful Dragon Fruit

On my recent cruise, food was a highlight. Fruit of every sort was in abundance, and I even discovered a new fruit I had never seen before. It's the dragon fruit. It is absolutely beautiful to look at. It comes in pink or white and looks gorgeous on a buffet table. Taste, well that's another story.

The dragon fruit, or pitahay fruit is found mainly in Thailand. It has a spiny exterior and a fleshy interior with little black seeds. The inside, the edible portion, is either white or bright pink. It's beautiful to look at, and cut in half it's a wonderful addition to a buffet table. You want to make sure it is not hard, but more the softness of a ripe avocado. It is very juicy but not very flavorful, in fact it doesn't have much taste. It can be eaten chilled or at room temperature, I don't think it matters much. It's so pretty to look at that it showed up at breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the cruise. I don't know if it's hard to find in the U.S. or not, but it's the prettiest fruit I've ever seen.

We were sitting one day by the pool during lunch when a young couple from Temecula sat down and joined us. They had just gone through the buffet and came to our table with the white dragon fruit. Neither of us had ever seen the fruit before and couldn't wait to try it. What a disappointment. Wet and juicy but completely lacking in flavor. Look for it on the next fancy buffet you go to, or maybe on your next cruise.

Two Big Winners From Mississippi

What are the odds of two people from small towns in Mississippi winning two different contests on TV, both on the same night? That's a longshot for sure. Well, it happened on September 15 when Michael Grimm won top honors on America's Got Talent and Whitney Miller won the first ever MasterChef. I don't usually watch much TV, but for some reason I got hooked on these two programs a few weeks ago. Wednesday night was the finale of both programs, both at the same time, and both with a contestant from Mississippi in the the top two. I thought that was amazing, so I flicked back and forth and saw them both win top honors.

I must confess Michael Grimm was not my top choice for the number one spot on America's Got Talent. I was rooting for the 10 year old from Pittsburgh, Jackie. She sings like an angel, with the voice of an adult. Wednesday night she sang a duet with Sarah Brightman and you would have thought you were listening to two seasoned stars, not just one.

The winner, Michael Grimm is also an amazing talent. With a raspy, soulful sound and very cute to look at, he was my second choice. I predict he'll be a big star. He will be getting $1 million and will star in a Las Vegas show. He's got a voice you're going to enjoy hearing for years to come. Jackie, the 10 year old opera singer will be a major star too. She's got it all. But Michael, young man from Mississippi was the big winner.

MasterChef is another creation of Gordon Ramsey. Wednesday night they crowned their first masterchef, an amateur cook who won $250,000 plus a cookbook contract. The winner was 22 year old Whitney Miller from Mississippi. She was one of the most inexperienced cooks in the competition but ended up winning it all. Another contestant from Mississippi.

I'm a bit of a gambler, but would I have bet on two shows on the same night having winners from Mississippi? Not even with your money would I have made that bet.

My Own Private Temple

Since this is still National Yoga Month, I want to take this opportunity to expand on one aspect of yoga which I have found so beneficial. I call it the spiritual aspect of yoga. Last week was Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews, and I was at a yoga class in the morning while most of the Jews I know were in temple. Did I feel that was wrong? Not at all. I was immersed in personal meditation, something I try to do daily that gives me a feeling of peace and well being.

The yogi who led our practice talked about making a monthly committment, something like a New Year's Resolution, but only for a month. She said it could be something as simple as flossing your teeth every day, or something extremely difficult. I thought about what I could commit to do for one month, throughout the practice. I also thought how similar the various religions and spiritual practices are in what they ask us to do. Catholics have Lent, where they commit to give up something, we all talk about New Year's Resolutions every year, and many Jews at this time of year also talk about commitments for the next year. I like the idea of making a one month commitment, as it's alot more realistic. Most resolutions are short lived. They are just too daunting.

Practicing yoga instead of sitting in temple also made me realize that love and inner peace come from within us all, not some external sermon. I'm not disputing the important place religion plays in many of our lives, but for me meditation has taken me to the place I want to be. It has also given me strength. That's a great feeling.

So what did I decide to commit to? I thought about commiting to writing for 30 minutes a day, but said no, as I will probably do that anyway. I settled on making a commitment to call a friend every day. That is something I don't often do anymore. Communicating by e-mail, text, and voice mail has taken the place of real conversations. I think person to person communication is disappearing. So, I will call someone every day for the next month, and I'll try to call people that I don't call very often. That is my commitment for the next month, one that I made on Yom Kippur. I may even call you!!

Thirty Fifth Visit to Taft

Last week was Labor Day and the administrative staff at Taft decided Monday would be a free visiting day, meaning no points would be charged against the inmates. Ron has 20 points per month, so I decided to visit both Sunday (6 points) and Monday (free). Carole, whom I have been driving with all summer and getting to know well and quickly, suggested we drive together from LA on Sunday morning, visit all day, then overnight with her friends Linda and Rod in Bakersfield. I had just met Linda the prior week, and was anxious to get to know her better, so I said "Yes". Although Carole is back in school, she decided to make one more trip to Taft to see her husband Michael before she was completely consumed with her nursing program.

Two days together! I was very excited at the prospect of this, as we have not had more than 1 visiting day per week since Ron arrived. It was a wonderful day. As the phone service had been spotty the week before we had much to talk about and catch up on. Family news, what I've been doing, what Ron's been doing and of course, talk about the future. The latter creeps into every visit we have. Will we rent another house or will we be able to buy? Will Ron's business be as successful as we think it will? Will we be able to travel to Los Angeles and Colorado while Ron is on probation to visit children, mom and grandchildren? So many questions, no answers. We had a wonderful visit and were not pressured to squeeze everything into one day, knowing I would be back the following morning. Carole and I left around 2:45 and headed to Bakersfield.

Linda and Rod are living near Taft to support their son, who has about 4 more years of a long sentence left to go. They are amazing parents, giving up their own retirement and life in Washington to be there for their son. Sometime I will tell you more about their story, but I must check with them first. They have a beautiful home in Bakersfield, and I immediately felt at home. They were so warm and welcoming. We had a delicious, healthy dinner (they're on the Atkins diet), then sat around until bed time telling stories and sharing experiences. No one understands what a prison wife is going through like another prison wife. Others can sit and listen, fascinated, but only someone who has walked the walk can truly understand what it's like. We had a great time laughing, crying and venting.

Monday morning we were up early and at Taft by 8:15. We planned to stay until noon, hoping to miss the homebound traffic. I felt like an oldtimer, even though I've only been coming there for 35 weeks. The room was jam packed with visitors, and I knew many of them. I visited with Ron as well as socialized with new friends and met more new friends of Rons. It was a fun, light hearted day. We laughed a lot, talked even more and thoroughly enjoyed the morning. Before I turned around, it was noon, and Carole and I needed to get going. Ron and I said a quick goodbye, a hug and a kiss, knowing I would be back to visit in just 5 days. Carole and Michael, however, lingered. They know they will not see each other for more than a month.

We took off, but due to the fact that I was starving, we stopped at the local Subway in Maricopa for lunch. All I can say is this is nowhere you EVER want to go. I will tell you more about it another time, but for now I will just say it looks like a deserted ghost town. We got our footlong, headed down route 166 towards the 5 freeway, and I was home before 4pm. A great weekend. I can't wait until another free holiday visit and another chance for back to back visits.

My Kinda Place: Bite Bar and Bakery

A few weeks ago my mom and I went out for a quick Friday night dinner before I drove back to San Diego. She's an adventurous eater like me, so we're always looking for something new and interesting. She had heard about a new restaurant on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles, right off the 405 freeway. Their website is www.bitebar.com and you can see all their menus here. The restaurant is about three doors down from Valentino's one of the most famous Italian eateries in the city.

What can I say about Bite except that I will definitely be back. The restaurant is brand new and is working the kinks out, establishing menus, and already thinking of expanding to include Happy Hour and Late Night Dessert. Right now they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a Sunday Brunch.

Bite Bar and Bakery is the dream of Chef Elizabeth Goel, who has long desired to run her own local bakery and wine bar. She is a highly skilled baker who prides herself in running a restaurant that is chef-driven. That is, the chef changes the menu as he sees fit and with the seasons, using local ingredients from farmers markets, trying to include options for vegetarians and those on a gluten free diet. In other words, it wants to be all things to all people, a tall order, but from what I experienced they are on their way.

My mom and I both love grazing menus, and that's exactly what the dinner menu is, so far. I suspect they'll make some changes. The restaurant itself is very contemporary, with concrete floors and no wall coverings to absorb sound, so I imagine when the restaurant is full it can be very noisy. It was not full when we were there so noise was not a problem.

Our friendly waiter brought us a plate of delicious olives to munch on while we perused the menus. Artichoke beignets with remoulade, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with chorizo and manchego cheese and truffle fries with garlic butter, at $5 each were listed under "Just a Bite". We did not get any of these. Then come charcuterie plates (all kinds of salami and other cured meats) with a fresh baguette, or cheese plates, with many selections to choose from.

We went for items listed under "small plates". My mom had the grilled flatbread with market vegetables which was fantastic, I had a trio of crostini (toasted bread) topped with wonderful things like baby beets, greens and goat cheese, and whipped brie and mango chutney. Yum. Other possibilities were Creole crab cakes, edanmane and sugar snap salad, grilled asparagus and havarti cheese panini, fish tacos and steak tartare with a quail egg (at only $10).

Desserts are their speciality. How about a vanilla bean yogurt panna cotta, or pavlova, creme brulee or molten chocolate cake? All types of coffee drinks and a great wine menu round out the meal.

Lunch may be even better than dinner, and I will try lunch next time. Toasted crab sandwich, steak sandwich, market salad with every imaginable vegetable, and home made soup.

This is a great spot to go to with several people, as you can order a variety of little bites and taste everything. I can't wait to go there again. The prices are reasonable, even the wines are well priced, and I have a feeling when they get their Happy Hour up and running this will be a popular spot for an early lite dinner and a good glass of wine. Good luck to the owners. I hope they make it.

Websites I Like

The best restaurants don't necessarily have the best websites. The converse is also true. I have several great websites to share with you. Most are from restaurants I like, but don't necessarily love. Yet their websites are interesting, with recipes, food information and some great pictures. I do love most of the chain restaurant websites, if only for the nutritional information they provide. Here are some favorites.

Roy's Restaurant in La Jolla (and worldwide) is a place I know I will always get a good meal. www.roysrestaurant.com is a great site to see local special events, menu changes and recipes. It's got more than the typical restaurant website which gives you just the menu, hours and a few pictures.

Sea Rocket in North Park is a very good restaurant but has the best website of any restaurant I have checked. My favorite part of the website is the map which shows every food item on the menu and what local farm it came from. Talk about knowing where you food comes from! Check out www.searocketbistro.com.

I have to mention the websites of both Whole Foods and Henry's. Whole Foods is my favorite, and although these are markets, they also serve prepared food to eat on site, so I guess you could also call them restaurants. The Whole Foods website has a blog, recipes, articles about food trends and general health articles. Henry's also has a good website, including weekly specials at the market.

Prep Kitchen, a new restaurant in Del Mar has an interesting blog on their website. One of their owners just came back from a trip to Italy which he chronicled in a blog. He travelled the Amalfi Coast and other areas in the region to learn about wine, cheese making and cured meats. It's a very nice travel journal.

Check out the website of your favorite restaurants and let me and the readers of this blog know if you find anything really interesting. I'd love to know. It's amazing to me that restaurants can use their website to educate and inform the public, besides promote their own product. Ah, the wonders of the internet.

Fresh and Simple in North County: Tin Leaf Kitchen

While driving to the library today, a new sign caught my eye at the corner of Alga and El Camino Real. It read Tin Leaf. I decided to check it out on my way home. I parked my car to take a closer look at this new restaurant, and immediately knew it was my kind of place. The decor is simple, contemporary and bright, with both inside and outside seating. I met the owner and told him I would be back soon, as the menu enticed me. I came back that very night with my friend Marlene, and we enjoyed a delicious meal together.

Tin Leaf is not a dining experience, although the atmosphere is pleasant and comfortable. It is, however, an eating experience you will return to again and again. The mission of Tin Leaf is to provide a gathering place that serves affordably priced chef quality fresh food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The food is hand-crafted from scratch, using natural, fresh and regionally sourced fruits and vegetables. They are also interested in serving the community through charitable work and through a kids chef program, which teaches kids to eat healthy. This is all I've been looking for both philosophically and gastronomically. Here's what we had for dinner.

Marlene and I started with an order of fresh cut belgian-style fries. They were crisp, slightly spicy, and served with a choice of several different sauces. We loved the garlic aioli sauce. Next, we enjoyed the tri tip steak salad. Grilled red onion, blue cheese, rare tri tip and baby spinach tossed in a delicious vinegrette. Just wonderful. Other salads include the Mediterranean, Asian, Chopped, and a make your own salad, where you can pick out your own ingredients, exactly as you choose. Sandwiches included hand carved tri tip, turkey breast, pork loin and meatloaf. Specialty sandwiches like Thanksgiving on a bun, the twisted blt, and California cubano intrigued me enough that I will be back again. Several homemade soups complete the menu.

Family style meals on the go will be offered soon. Each night of the week a different family meal, like turkey pot pie, Italian meatballs, or beef bourguignon will be available to take home. No prices are yet posted for these meals, but everything else is reasonable priced, so I imagine the family meals will be too.

I hope there are others in North County that like me, are looking for restaurants that are fresh, healthy and affordable. This is a great choice for the entire family, as there are vegetarian, vegan and meat choices available, and the customer can have salads and sandwiches prepared exactly the way they want. I was there for dinner. Next time, it'll be lunch on the patio on a sunny California day. Go to www.tinleafkitchen.com for the complete menu.

It's National Yoga Month

One of my favorite activites in life is my yoga practice. It's something we can all enjoy at any stage of life and at any fitness level. I first discoverd yoga in 1993. My son Phil and I started going to the local YogaWorks in Santa Monica regularly while he was in high school. He went off to college, but I continued practicing yoga at some level, from that time on. One motivation for starting yoga were the words of an orthoepedic surgeon I had seen regarding pain in my foot. He told me that surgery was the only way to solve the problem. I told him I would try yoga first and see what happened. He told me I'd be back. I haven't been back.

It's national yoga month, and I thought I would share with you some of the benefits of yoga, both physically and mentally, and urge you to give your body a treat this month. Many yoga studios are offering a free week of yoga to introduce newbies to one of the oldest forms of exercise. The great thing about yoga is that you don't need any equipment, you can do it anytime, anyplace. It does help to have a skilled yogi leading you through your practice, especially as a beginner. You are not in competition with anyone, yet in a few short weeks you will begin to experience awesome results. Here are some of the health benefits for body, mind and spirit that you can experience.

Yoga can lower blood pressure, decrease stress, give you greater flexibility, enhance your brain function, lower cholesterol, create better skeletal alignment, strengthen your bones, improve respiration, help with weight loss, enhance circulation, and GIVE YOU DEEPER PEACE OF MIND. Those that haven't experienced the benefits of yoga find it hard to imagine it can do all this, but it can. It doesn't happen in a week or a month, but through time. Often the reason one started practicing yoga is superceded by the inner peace that yogis find so satisfying. Go to www.yogamonth.org to find a studio near you and give it a try.

I recently read a book called "Orange is the New Black" about a young woman who served 13 months in Danbury women's prison. Early in her incarceration she met an inmate who was teaching a yoga class to a group of inmates. Piper Kerman, the author of the book, felt that her development of the practice of yoga saved her life. Mentally she was peaceful and focused through her yoga practice, which made her 13 months a difficult, but tolerable journey.

Do your body and mind a favor. Just try a yoga class this month. It may, as it has done for me, lift your mind as it strengthens your body.

Thirty Fourth Visit to Taft

I usually write my Monday blogs after my visit to Taft on Friday. This week, however, is Labor Day. The warden has decided to make the holiday a free visiting day, which means that none of Ron's 20 points will be used if I visit on Monday. So, I'm planning to visit on Sunday (a 6 point day) and Monday (free), a real treat. This will be the first time I have seen Ron on consecutive days in almost 9 months. Last week Carole and I drove to Taft together and decided we would visit on both days. She introduced me to a friend of hers who has a son at Taft. Her friend lives in Bakersfield, so we will visit Sunday, stay overnight in Bakersfield, and visit again Monday. I can't wait. I am writing this blog before my visit, as I may not be able to write on Sunday night.

Last week I wrote about Ron being at the bottom of the U. What this means is that his focus is on the future. He is working hard to develop a business that he can be successful at after release. As I've said before, Ron has been successful at every endeavor he has attempted, and there's no reason for me to think this will be any different.

We talk about loneliness alot when we're together, and how we get through the difficult times. Ron talks often about lying on his bunk and thinking about the day he is released. I'm sure he's played it over in his head hundreds of times. He thinks about walking out the prison doors, into our car and heading home. I can't imagine what that will feel like for him, but I hope he can hang on to that feeling and remember it. Some men walk out of prison and leave everything behind: clothes, experiences, friends and lessons learned. Ron has no intention of doing that. He feels it's important to remember the experience and the lessons learned in order to make one a better human being going forward. There's a lot of alone time in prison. There's only so many books you can read, sudokus you can do, conversations you can have. Then you're on your own, with your own thoughts and fears. These lonely times are filled by rereading old letters, looking at family pictures and thinking about the future.

I, on the other hand, fill my lonely times by writing. I never wrote a word before Ron left for Taft, but since he has been incarcerated I have found writing about the experience extremely cathartic. When I'm not writing, I may be lying on my bed thinking about the future. I count the weeks until his return and focus on our life after Taft. My other method of dealing with loneliness is to keep very busy. I have a wide variety of interests, and by keeping myself occupied I keep away the loneliness. There's only so much you can do, it creeps in late at night when the lights are out and you're all alone.

We're both becomming better at dealing with our separation. Ron no longer feels the saddness that used to come over him on Friday afternoon when he knew I would be leaving the visiting room. We both look forward to our visits with great excitement and when it's over, we are comfortable going back to our own lives for the next 6 days. I think that means we're both at peace. (this blog will actually be posted on September 13, the week after Labor Day. I'm writing so much that I more articles than I know what to do with.)

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is offering a complimentary 12 ounce drink on September 14, from 4-7pm. Take an afternoon break and go get a classic pumpkin or cinnamon french toast latte or ice blended. It's free at all Coffee Bean locations, except those in Ralphs or airports. They invented the ice blended in 1963 and still do it better than anyone else. Enjoy.

Back to School

Tuesday morning I arrived at the YMCA about 15 minutes early for my 9am body rhythms class. Little did I know that this was the first day of school for the preschoolers attending the Y program. I sat down with a cup of coffee, and here's what I saw.

I watched perhaps 50 children between the age of 2 1/2 and 5 years old arriving at the Y with mom or dad, many for the very first time. As an outsider it was interesting to observe the behavior of both parent and child. In most cases, mom brought the child to school. The kids looked adorable, most in fresh fall outfits with a fancy lunch box in tow. The majority of kids were holding tight to mom's hand. Many carried a stuffed animal with them. Some brought pillows and blankets for nap time, and a few even had pacifiers in their mouths. Many children had to be coaxed into school. They were fine as they walked into the Y, but when they got to the double doors that took them outside and to their classroom, many began to cry. One little red headed boy, around 3 years of age, was hysterical. Mom picked him up and took him to his class. Others were reticent, but with a little coaxing made it to school on their own steam. One mother stooped down to talk to her child, and then they raced to the classroom. Another boy was crying uncontrolably and had to be picked up. He wrapped his legs around his mothers legs so she could not walk.

Some dads brought their child to school. Same story. Some went hesitatingly into class, others held tight to dads hand and had to be coaxed, others still had to picked up and carried into school.

It was interesting to watch, both as a former teacher, a mother and grandmother who will soon have grandchildren facing their first day at school. Some children were confident and ready to separate from their parent, others were scared to death. I smiled as I watched how the parent dealt with a child who did not want to be there. So many of them tried to reason with them. Others I'm sure tried to bribe them, promising them something at the end of the day. In the end, all the children got to school and all the parents left. Many moms walked back to their cars teary eyed, realizing that their children had successfully separated from them, many for the first time. For many they were feeling as most of us have, that even though we want our children to separate easily and adjust to school, we realized they don't need us as much as we thought they did.

In the blink of any eye these children will be in elementary school, then high school and before you know it they'll be off to college. It goes so fast, I hope they enjoy it because they're gone before you know it.

Isn't The Internet Great?

Yes, it is. I am constantly amazed at the variety of ways the internet can be of use to me. Forget the cute jokes, sappy letters and facebook postings that you're bombarded with, and concentrate on how the internet can be used to communicate and inform. I decided I wanted to blog about the many environmental events taking place in the San Diego area, and saved myself hours of research by discovering one web site.

If you're at all interested in environmental issues and organizations that are working on behalf of our planet, you need to check out this site. You might come across an organization that is doing something you're interested in. Gardening, planting, cleaning up beaches, protecting marshes, recycling electronics, constructing new, efficient homes and buildings, they're all happening in our town. Go to www.sdeln.org and you'll find it all. The web site is San Diego Area non-profit environmental events and organizations directory. Most importantly the site has a calendar of events for the current month. Click on something that interests you and all the information is right there. For example, the Tijuana Estuary Bird Walk takes place every month, so I clicked on it to find the details. Time and place were revealed and the difficulty of the walk was also addressed. No, it's not in Tijuana, but in Imperial Beach, almost as far away.

The site opened with a great quote from Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), which I will share with you. "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." That's as relevant today as when it was written, 250 years ago.

Other interesting organizations mentioned on the calendar include, San Diego Coastkeep Beach Cleanup, South Bay Green Scene, and lots of gardening and planting groups. Another great organization that was not mentioned on this web site is Solana Center. On September 25 and October 23 they will have an electronic waste recycling event. If you have any electronic equipment to recycle, this is the place to unload it. Check out www.solanacenter.org for more information. The internet saved the day again. It only took me 15 minutes to write this!

Eye-Opening Changes in Book Publishing

My mystery book club recently met to discuss the many crime novels of Don Winslow. Thanks to our hostess Gloria, we able to have a live telephone question and answer session with Don. He was gracious and informative, and spent over 30 minutes on the phone with us. It was a great chance to get some real insight into the trials and tribulations of a mystery writer. Thank you Gloria for arranging it, and thank you Don, for spending the time to talk to our group.

One question that was on many of our minds was how book publishing has changed over the years. There are so many new ways to publish and market. How has this effected the industry? Well, Don couldn't stop talking about this topic. When I got home I did a little more on line research and here are some of my findings.

The hottest thing going right now for books, especially self-published books, are low-priced Kindle editions. Those are out-selling printed books by 500%. Apple will probably follow suit.

Self published books are relatively new in the industry. For a relatively small price, anyone can self publish their book. Then the challenge becomes how to get your product to the public. 48% of consumers today purchase a product because it has social media recommendations and a smartphone app that is simple and convenient. Every author needs a branded app.It looks like the best way to market self published books is to keep up with technology and make the best use of it.

Oprah doesn't work anymore. Her overall viewership is down and she doesn't get the results from author interviews that she used to. Being booked on her show doesn't mean what it used to.

If an author is lucky enough to find a publisher to take his work, he may have to give up a lot of artistic control. Publishers are all about the bottom line, and authors are asked to edit their work the way the publisher sees fit. Most are willing to do this to get their work published.

There is so much writing talent out there and so many different avenues they can take to get their work published. Many are going to self publishing. By using the social media like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube unknown writers and muscial artists have been discovered. I just saw a story about an African singer/musician who was discovered on YouTube and is now an international star. Those stories are few and far between, but then so is writing any novel, getting it published and having it become a best seller. That's a longshot today and it always has been. It's not just about talent. You've got to be lucky.

Zel's: A Pleasant Surprise

Funny how things happen sometimes. I had plans to go to lunch with a group of friends a few weeks ago, only to discover that the restaurant we planned to eat in was not open for lunch. It's new, and the restaurant was working on getting their dinner service perfect before adding lunch. I was very disappointed, but Linda suggested we try another new restaurant in Del Mar. Always up for something new, I said yes, and Linda, Cindy, Pam and I went to Zel's in Del Mar. (www.zelsdelmar.cm).

Located on Camino del Mar in the middle of Del Mar, it is recognizable for the beautiful tree in front. This restaurant has been many things in the past, but Zel's may be here to stay. The restaurant has been tastefully redocorated. It was a warm summer afternoon, so we sat on the shaded patio and enjoyed some wonderful food.

You must go to the website to check their hours, their happy hour, brunch, lunch and dinner menu. So many things and times I could not write it all here. Let me tell you about the food at Zel's.

We decided to try several dishes and split them. We had a caprese sandwich, which was just delicious. In their version, the sandwich was heated and the mozzarella slightly melted. It was a wonderful surprise. It was served with homemade fries, which I did not try, but my tasters told me they could have been crispier. We had a veggie flatbread, with eggplant, pesto, red onions, red pepper, feta cheese, mint and mozzarella. I loved it. Also on the menu is a smoke salmon flatbread and a ham, cheese and veggie flatbread. Great dishes for sharing. Our third dish was the warm chicken salad with feta cheese and a great vinegrette dressing.

Other lunch items that I saw but did not eat were the quiche of the day served with a nice simple green salad. The old school burger looked very tempting, as did the pan grilled tomato and fontina cheese sandwich with balsamic reduction. I loved the presentation of the nicoise salad. It was served on a white rectangular plate. The greens were piled on one side, and all the protein and veggies were piled artistically on the other side of the plate: seared ahi tuna, green beans, kalmata olives, hard boiled eggs and fingerling potatoes. I will get that next time.

At dinner they have more appetizers, or small plates, like calamari, slow braised artichoke, steamed mussels and hummus done three ways. Entrees include steak, 1/2 chicken and several pasta dishes.

Prices are reasonable, portions are generous, service is friendly and the ambience is delightful. I'll be back.

Thirty Third Visit to Taft

I felt funny all week, kind of excited like a little kid before a birthday party, and I couldn't figure out why. I had a great week of activities planned, boogie boarding, movie night with friends, beach walks and a happy hour party with a great group of women. But I think what excited me was that I would be spending the entire day with Ron on Friday.

Carole came back to LA from her first week of the new semester of her nursing program, and we decided to visit for entire day on Friday. Almost eight hours of conversation, vending machine food, jokes, introductions to new friends and lots of stories. Ron is a great story teller and one of my favorite parts of the day is the stories he tells me about the new people he's met and what he's been up to.

I walked in, got a big hug and a few kisses, and then we sat and talked. He told me that yesterday (Thursday) he felt he had turned the corner. What did he mean by this? He wanted to know if he seemed different to me. Af first he did not, but as the day went on, I changed my mind. Ron's friend Michael has described the prison experience like a big U. You start on your journey, going down one side of the U. It's rocky, you're scared, you don't know what the future holds for you. Somewhere near the bottom of the U things seem to come together. You are peaceful, comfortable with who you are and where you are, and you are planning for the future. Ron is now at the bottom of the U, where you can see the top of the U, you have plans for the future and work hard everyday to assure yourself that the future you want is attainable.

Ron couldn't put his finger on exactly what was different, but he did say that PEACE is what he felt. There was a softness in his face that wasn't there before. He had let the stress go. I also felt for the first time that visiting with Ron every week was within my reach, if I wanted it. I'm NOT committing to visiting every week but I know now that it's doable. I want to be there and I will be there for most of the remaining 38 or so weeks. I get excited around Tuesday knowing that Friday is just a few days off. Coming soon are holidays that will allow us to visit on two consecutive days, something I haven't done thus far. I can hardly wait.

Soka University...Ever Hear of It?

A few weeks ago Kay and I went up to Irvine to play in a bridge tournament. We were on the campus of Concordia University, a beautiful little college in the middle of a residental neighborhood in Irvine. I told Kay I had never heard of Concordia.I also mentioned that I frequently passed a sign on the freeway showing the location of Soka University and that I had never heard of it either. Kay told me she had recently gone on a tour of the campus and learned a great deal about the university. I was intrigued, she sent me some information and I did a little research to learn more about it.

Soka University of Japan has been around a long time. I don't know when, but those running the Japanese university decided they wanted to offer their education and philosophy of life to students from around the world and base their university in America. It is located on over 100 acres in Aliso Viejo, Orange County. They offer a 9:1 student/faculty ratio. The average class size is 13, and their program includes a study abroad program for undergraduates. It is a liberal arts undergraduate and graduate school. The university is founded on Buddhist principles of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life. SUA offers a non-sectarian curriculum that is open to top students of all nationalities and beliefs. About half of the students come from the US and the rest are from more than 40 countries.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the university to me was they they offer generous financial aid to both US and International students, with free tuition available to eligible admitted students whose earned family income is $60,000 or below. The mission of Soka University is to "foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life". They have huge endowments which enable them to offer so much financial aid.

In a world that is getting smaller everyday and where understanding and cooperation between people of all nations is imperative for our survival, Soka seems to be on the right track. They stress love of humankind, character development and inspire contribution to society.

In a business class, twelve students traveled to New Orleans to learn about micro-finance and micro-credit and the extent to which these community uplift strategies were being employed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. What a great, hands on way to learn first hand about economics and interact with the people from that community.

I for one would like to hear more about Soka University and make take one of the free campus tours that they offer. Education is near and dear to my heart and it's wonderful to see there are universities that are offering students alternative ways of learning, which they hope in the end will make them more productive members of the global community.

More Savings Tips From AARP

Last week I gave you some tips from the AARP magazine's article called "99 Great Ways to Save". Many of them don't apply to us, but I found a dozen or so that really made sense. Here are a few more for you to think about.

1. Book airline flights on line to save booking fees. Almost all airlines charge a booking fee if you book by phone or at a ticket counter. Once you get the hang of it, booking on line will also save you time.
2. Just 10 seconds of idling your car's engine uses as much gas as restarting it. Two minutes uses enough fuel to drive a mile. I never knew this. So turn off your engine when waiting more then a few seconds.
3. Are you owed money? You may be and not even know it. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators is holding almost $33 billion of unclaimed stocks, bank accounts and other assets. Go to missingmoney.com or unclaimed.org to see if there's anything with your name on it.
4. Pay annually, rather than in installments and you could save as much as 8% by avoiding fees. This refers to things like auto insurance and home insurance that is typically paid quarterly. Check with your carrier.

The following tips were sent in by readers. Although some of them seemed silly to me, a few of them are worth mentioning.

1. Wait 24 hours before you buy anything that costs more than $100. If you still want it the next day, buy it. Chances are it was an impulse item and you will no longer want it. I remember when my son David was a teenager, he worked at a retirement home in Los Angeles. This was before he drove, so when I would pick him up we would walk past Bullocks Department Store and he would typically want to spend his earning on something he saw at Bullocks. I would always tell him to wait until the end of the week, and if he still wanted it, he should buy it. He rarely even remembered what it was by the end of the week.
2. Don't buy canned goods from the grocery store until your cupboards are half empty. With full cupboards you can't even see what's in the back, so use up the stuff in front and then you'll have lots of new products you didn't even know were there. A while ago I wrote a blog about not buying any canned goods for a month and using up what you have. If your kitchen is anything like mine, I don't need to buy anything for several months.
3. Turn off call waiting. This will save you $5 per month, or $60 a year. I figure anyone who wants to get in touch with me will leave a message or call back.

I hope these tips will be of value to you. Maybe you have never thought about some of these. I hope so. None of these tips will affect your quality of life at all. They will just put more money in your pocket for you to spend on yourself.

Canapes in San Marcos-Little Bites, Big Flavor

You must think I eat out all the time, what with all the restaurant reviews I do. I really don't eat out alot, but when I do, I want to try new and interesting restaurants that I think others may not know about. My friend Regina recently told me about a great evening of food and wine she had with a few friends at Canapes in San Marcos. I suggested we try it again. We did and Regina, Molly and I had a real feast, plus a delicious bottle of wine for $20 per person.

Canapes is on Restaurant Row in San Marcos. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and a small bar area. The menu is extensive and varied, and most everything on the menu is little plates. The three of us shared about 6 little plates, which was plenty of food. We had a wedge salad with bacon, tomato and blue cheese dressing, rounds of sourdough bread topped with steak, grilled onions and a delicious horseradish sauce, rounds of bread topped with brie cheese and drunken raisins (raisins soaked in rum) and broiled, Mediterranean pizza on flatbread (lots of veggies, including eggplant, onions and peppers, broiled), and for dessert we had figs stuffed with goat cheese. With all this food we had a delicious bottle of Pinot Grigio for only $18. I found so many other menu items that I wanted to try, but I will just have to wait until next time. Prawns, pollenta topped with creamed mushrooms,mussels, Thai chicken in peanut dipping sauce,wonderful sounding soups, more salads and many more small appetizers. They also offer some delicious sounding desserts, including tiramisu.

On Wednesdays during the summer they also show old movies, starting at 7:30. The night we were there it was W.C. Fields. If you want to watch the movie it's best to get there around 7:15, order, then watch the movie and eat till you're hearts content.

The best features of Canapes are its freshness and variety. The owner will not serve anything that isn't fresh from the kitchen. The great variety means there is something for everyone, and everyone has an opportunity to try something new. Foodies are going to love it as the three of us did and will go back again and again for its good value and quality. Take a group there. It's more fun that way. They say that variety is the spice of life, and you'll get plently of variety at Canapes.