Pride By The Beach

On any weekend, in any town, you will find street fairs.  The one I went to on Mission Avenue in Oceanside was different than any one I had been to before.  It was called Pride By the Beach, and was sponsored by the North County LGBTQ.   The mission statement of the orginization is to foster and empower North County LGBTQ community and provide a safe space to sustain equalityand inclusiveness.

I have not seen such a diverse group of presenters in quite a while.   The US Army, several churches of all faiths, political booths for individuals or propositions on the ballot, Community Resource Center, and dozens of LGBTQ organizations to protect gay and lesbian citizens from inequality in housing, work and society.  People of all types were walking around the fair, gathering information and having a good time.  So many services are available for people in need, not just in the gay community, but everywhere.  It's a matter of knowing where to go to access assistance.

Fairs such as Pride By The Beach get the word out that there is a lot of help available for those in the LGBTQ community.  They face unique problems, and luckily we are living in an era where they can get counseling and meet with others like themselves, to discuss their unique issues.  I was so happy to see a broad cross section of the community supporting the fair.  It gives me hope that there are lots of people that want equality and inclusiveness for all.

One More Chance For The Carnegie Deli

About two years ago, one of the most iconic delicatessens in the country closed for good.  Or so we thought.  But wait, thanks to Amazon Prime Video (who else?) the deli is returning for one week only as a pop up restaurant at 201 LaFayette Street in New York City.  The reason is that Amazon Prime is using the Carnegie in the promotion of its new season of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.  The Carnegie Deli will be serving sandwiches at the La Fayette St. location from December 1-8.  The price of a sandwich ?  Just $1!!! Yes, $1 will get you a good, greasy, overstuffed corned beef sandwich, the kind you probably love.  So, if you're going to New York during this time, or know people who are, tell them about this one week only bargain.  Not only will they get a great sandwich, but they might even get to see the crew filming.

Environmentalist GD Agarwal dies in Rishikesh

GD Agarwal, an environmentalist on a mission to save Ganga, died recently, the result of a 111 day fast, demanding a clean Ganga.  He died of a heart attack.  The 86 year old former professor had been on a hunger strike for 111 days, for a pollution free and uninterrupted flowin the Ganga.

Agarwal had demanded that steps be taken to make the river free-flowing for natural cleansing, and also wanted a ban on construction of all hydroelectric projects along the tributaries of the Ganga.  Letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had pledged four years ago that immediate steps would be taken to ensure cleaning of the holy river.  Nothing was ever done.

Activists and politicians criticized the government for not listening to Agarwal.  There are so many ways to protest.  How far would you go to protest an injustice?  I certainly admire his passion, but death by starvation to get the government to clean up a holy river, would be a bridge too far, for me.

An Almost Two Week Driving Trip Continued

If it's Saturday morning in late September, it must be soccer time.  All three grandchildren had soccer games.  Because of the thick grass, it was difficult for Ron to watch the games, so he stayed home (at Phil's) and relaxed.  We returned to Phil's house in Boulder in early afternoon, and had a delicious lunch, using mostly veggies he grew in his garden.  He has so much fruit and produce he doesn't know what to do with it, so he is busy canning applesauce and apple cider, canning tomatoes and beets, and pickling just about everything.  We had pickled cabbage (sauerkraut), pickles, pickled carrots and sliced yellow and heirloom tomatoes for lunch, along with grilled bratwurst.  Wonderful!  The afternoon was spent relaxing and watching the children play.  Dinner was thick a ribeye steak grilled to perfection, with more veggies from Phil's garden in the form of ratatouille.  Ron, who usually hates veggies, ate tomatoes, eggplant and peppers!

The following day David, Tracy and Calvin came to Phil's for an afternoon of fun, climbing trees, chasing each other around the yard, and dining on a delicious paella.  What a wonderful time we had in Colorado.  Nothing is better than seeing your children and grandchildren happy and thriving.

The only glitch in our road trip took place when we went to check in to our hotel in Albuequerque.  They did not have a handicapped accessible room as they had promised, and we had prepaid.  We ended up going to a nearby Hampton Inn, which has fantastic facilities for handicapped travelers.  We will deal with Wyndham, who did not have the proper room for us, at another time.  We left early the next day for Phoenix, having gotten a heads up on rain, wind and possible flash floods that may be in our path.  We made it to Phil and Ellen's house in Paradise Valley around 3pm.  I was exhausted.

Because of the torrential rains that had taken place, half of the shale mountain above their house had slipped, and was in the driveway and side of the house.  They had to hire tractors to come in the following day, and it two days to remove all the rock and mud.  It's not over yet, as they will now have to hire a civil engineer to access the situation and decide if a retaining wall is necessary.

Ron's high school friend Earl, flew in from Chicago, to visit.  They were best buddies for much of their teen age years, have both faced significant health challenges in the past few years, so the two days they spent together was very special.  There were many stories told and lots of laughs.  Our time in Phoenix ended on a very somber note, as Phil and Ellen's beloved Homer, a 16 wonder dog, who had withstood heart surgery and much more, died.  I felt so sad for them, remembering the end of Barney's life after many surgeries and 19 wonderful years.

Not once during the trip did Ron say he wanted to go home.  Visiting with family and dear friends from high school, is good medicine.  We both had wonderful time and are already planning our next adventure.

An Almost Two Week Driving Trip For Susie and Ron

Ron and I have traveled the world, from London and Paris, to Turkey, Japan, Cuba and West Africa, and dozens of places in between.  Every trip we have ever taken always seems a few days too long for Ron.  He is longing for home, his own bed, his dog, several days before the trips end.  Not so on this last trip.  We started our driving trip on a Monday, and 13 days later returned home.  Ron says that he never longed for home on this driving trip.  Why?

This was really our first long driving trip, ever.  Once, about 40 years ago, we drove to the Grand Canyon, but that was quick and easy.  This time we drove to Basalt, Denver, Boulder, Phoenix and back to Los Angeles.  I figure we drove about 2,200 miles in all, and we both had a wonderful time.  Of course knowing that our dog Pepper was well cared for by Grandma and Chayo, eased our minds.  We began our driving on a Tuesday morning, had lunch at Steak and Shake in the Southpoint Hotel in Las Vegas, then Ron played two hours of poker while I relaxed at the pool.  At 3pm we were off for Cedar City, Utah, our first overnight.

Traveling with a disabled person is new to me, and quite a challenge.  Ron was a bit nervous, as he knows things might go wrong, and he doesn't like that.  Fortunately our first hotel was perfect, with a roll in shower, bars in the bathroom, and wide spaces in the room.  We had a nice barbeque dinner at Charlies, really delicious, and got to bed early, as we had a long drive the following day.

The drive through Utah into Colorado was spectacular.  Pictures would not show the true beauty, so we just enjoyed the drive.  We arrived around 4pm in Basalt, a small town near Aspen, to spend the evening with Ian and Carol.  They made a delicious dinner and we sat around and watched some political TV.  The supreme court hearings were in full swing, and there was much to talk about.  We loved our visit with them, and hope to see them in the spring in Phoenix, where they spend half the year.

Another long day of driving and we ended up in Denver.  David, Tracy and Calvin live in Centennial now, having just bought a beautiful home there.  We spent the afternoon with them, then freshened up before dinner at a Littleton sports bar.  It was Monday night, and the men didn't want to miss any football action.  Calvin is growing up so fast!  He's talking up a storm, and is in constant motion.  Just an adorable little child.

The next day was spent with David and his family.  Around 5pm Phil and his wife and children came from Boulder, for a big family dinner.  Chicken, corn on the cob, and a big caesar salad were devoured, followed by cookies and cake.  It was great to see the kids enjoying each other.  I'm sorry that they don't get to spend more time together.

I'm a little long winded, so I will finish our adventures in my next post.  Bye for now.

The Rights of Saudi Women

Although the right of women in Saudi Arabia to drive was granted last year, very little in a woman's world has changed there.  When women first received the right to drive, licenses were slow to be given out.  Things are better now, but much of how women are treated in Saudi Arabia has not changed.

Women are still unable to interact with men, unless they are related.  In public, they must have a male relative with them at all times.  Also, Saudi women are not allowed to swim in public.  How could they?  They would surely not be allowed to wear a bathing suit.  Women in this highly restrictive society cannot wear clothes or make up that show off their beauty.  They are unable to try on clothes in a shopping center, because the idea of them undressing in a dressing room is unthinkable. I have heard that in private, wealthy Saudi women wear very expensive designer clothes and makeup.  Only other women see how beautiful they really are.

Until the last Olympics, Saudi women were unable to compete in international sports.  As it turned out, the few women that did compete in the last Olympics were called prostitutes by the religious clerics.

Giving women the right to drive has helped improve the economy of Saudi Arabia.  Now women are more likely to work and shop, even if they need a male relative with them for shopping.  Saudi Arabia operates under Sharia Law, with strict punishment for those that break the rules.  With the #me too movement taking off worldwide, Saudi Arabia will be forced to rethink their treatment of women, and loosen men's dominance.  I hope this happens soon.  These women have suffered long enough.

Blintze Casserole=Brunch Favorite

I was having David's family and some friends for brunch, and I wanted to serve something that was quick and easy.  I wanted to spend my time with my guests, not in the kitchen.  I made a long time favorite, blintz casserole, and everyone raved.  Here was the menu:  Frozen blintz egg casserole served with sour cream and jam, vanilla flavored Greek yogurt with granola and fresh fruit, Cherry and cheese danish, coffee and juice.  I had some leftovers, which I enjoyed the following day for lunch and froze the rest of the extra blintzes for a later meal.  Here's the quick and easy recipe of the blintze casserole.

                                       Blintze Casserole

2 packages of Golden cheese filled blintzes, frozen
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice + orange rind
4 eggs
2 T. melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 T real vanilla extract
cinnamon sugar mixture to sprinkle on top

Place 12 frozen blintzes side by side in a pyrex dish.  Blend all ingredients except the cinnamon sugar mixture, and pour over blintzes.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.  Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until dish is puffed up and golden brown.  Let dish rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve with sour cream and jam.  If you like, you could use flavored Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.  It is always a crowd pleaser, and so easy to make.  Serves 6-8 people.

Hurricanes and Climate Change

No one can deny that the number of hurricanes and the intensity of these storms has increased dramatically over the past several decades.  Most scientists say that global warming has much to do with this.  As the earth has warmed (that's a fact), the sea levels have risen and precipitation from storms has increased.  Those that live in the Carolinas, Florida, Bahamas, and to a lesser extent other coastal areas in the Carribbean and Atlantic, should get used to a minimum of one storm per year.  Just as soon as they finish cleaning up from one storm, along comes another.

Satellite technology has made it easier to predict when and how hard hurricanes will hit, but nothing can be done about the fact that they will hit, and devastate homes, communities, and lives.  Accurate prediction makes it easier to prepare for evacuation, and there is less chance of loss of life.

For anyone who denies climate change and thinks that what's happening to our earth is just cyclical, please wake up.  Here is a chart showing the amount and frequency of hurricanes over the past 150 years.  It doesn't look good.   If we don't take care of our planet, the earth will continue to heat, sea levels will continue to rise, hurricanes will continue to increase in strength and frequency.  Look no further than the cliffs in Southern California, along Torrey Pines, La Jolla and Solana Beach.  Find a picture of what the cliffs looked like back in the 1970's, and you'll know what's in store for beachfront property.  We love where we live.  Let's all protect it.

What To Do With Red Snapper

My neighbor Max is quite the fisherman.  Every few months he goes out with a group, and usually comes back with quite a catch.  Last time he went, he returned with lots of red snapper and dorado.  Since I help (with another neighbor) take care of his 14 year old dog Sausage while he is gone, he rewards me with fish.  This time it was several nice pieces of red snapper.  One night I marinated the fish in some Italian dressing, then grilled it on the barbeque.  It was delicious.  Ron is not a real fish lover, so I decided to try something else with the rest of the red snapper.  Here's what I did.

Jewish deli's always have a whitefish spread on the menu.  I decided to try a red snapper spread.  It was fantastic.  I spread it on bagels or crackers.  Great as an appetizer or even as a sandwich.

One nice piece of red snapper
Mayonnaise
Sour cream
Horse radish or hot sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Season the fish, then grill in a pan until cooked.  Let it cool, then shred it.  In another bowl, add all the other ingredients, then mix in the fish.  Sorry I can't give you the amounts, but it should look similar to tuna salad.  Not too much mayonnaise, you can always add more.  I used horse radish, just enough to give it a little kick, but you could also use tabasco or other hot sauce.

The red snapper spread was a big hit!  I kept the spread in the refrigerator for about 5 days.  Then I got rid of what was left.  (not very much).  I didn't want to take any chances.  I assume you could use any mild fish, so next time you have fish ready to cook and you don't feel like having it as a main course, make it into a sandwich spread.  Delicious.

Queso Fundido or Queso Flameado Are Both Delicious

Is there anything better than melted cheese?  The Mexican version of Swiss fondue is called queso fundido.  It's delicious, and you'll find it in most Mexican restaurants, usually as an appetizer.  In Mexico, home cooks use  it as an appetizer too, while grilling meats and chilis on the barbeque.  There are many variations to the traditional, so here's the basic recipe that you can spice up any way you choose.

                                Queso Fundido or Queso Flameado

Cheese, either mozzarella, Monterrey jack, muenster or Oaxaca (found in Mexican markets), or a combination of any of these.  Place grated cheese, or cheese cut into small pieces in a skillet, place in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling.  Do not overcook, or the cheese will become tough and rubbery.  Remove from oven, and serve with  home made corn chips, or flour tortillas, cut into triangles.  What could be easier and more delicious?  Or, take some chorizio, brown in a pan for 6-7 minutes, then pat it with a paper towel, and sprinkle on top of the bubbling cheese.  Finally, for queso flameado (flaming cheese), pour a little brandy on top of the cheese, and light on fire.  Any way you choose to make queso fundido, you'll love it.  Gooey, bubbly cheese with tortilla chips.  What could be better?

Great Smog of London

Since the 13th century, London has been known for its poor air quality.  The worst episode took place in December 1952, which led to many deaths and changes in the law.  Here's what happened.

From December 5-9, 1952, a great smog covered all of London.  Cold weather combined with an anticyclone and windless condition, collected airbourne pollutants (mostly from coal), to create this condition.  The entire city was blanketed with smog, so thick, that you could not see even 5 feet in front of you.  4,000 died as a result of the great smog, although the number has recently been revised upwards to 6,000.  Over 100,000 people were made ill by the effects on the respiratory tract.

The good news is that the great smog led to changes in environmental research, government regulation and public awareness of the relationship between air quality and health, and finally, to the Clean Air Act of 1956.

Interestingly, as soon as the weather changed, the smog disappeared.  It was a perfect storm.  All the conditions were right for smog, and as soon as those conditions ceased to exist, the smog was gone.  Four years to get a Clean Air Act passed.  The British Parliament works about as slowly as our Congress!

Personal Responsibility

It's just days before one of the most important elections of our life.  The results will shape the future of our democracy for years to come.  If you like our president, like his lies, his disparaging remarks about the character of anyone who doesn't agree with him, his lack of respect for women, his put downs of any immigrant group that isn't white as rapists, murderers or terrorists, his lack of curiousity about the world and the issues he's supposed to be dealing with, and his lack of personal responsibility for his part in any serious action that takes place in our country that his language and actions may have contributed to, then vote like minded men and women that are running for office.  If, on the other hand, you are as distressed as I am over the direction our country is taking, the effort to silence the press,  remove controls that help the environment, rile up crowds and put fear into the hearts of Americans and ignore advice from his generals as to how to handle foreign affairs, then you should think about voting for NEW men and women, who want to get America back on course.

I saw this quote by Ronald Reagan and thought it was most appropriate.  Not only should our  president be accountable for his actions, but we too, are responsible for what we do, say, and think.  As Willie Nelson  says, our biggest gun is the ballot box.  Go out and vote.  If you don't like what's going on, VOTE!

Bar Bodega For Great Tapas

In September our lunch bunch went back to Little Italy.  There are so many good restaurants, and new ones popping up all the time.  We enjoyed a feast at Bar Bodega, on Kettner.  It's a new dining spot, great for lunch, happy hour, or a light dinner.  Drinks are plentiful.  We had a pitcher of red Sangria, made with Spanish wine.  Delicious and not too sweet.  We had a number of tapas, maybe six or seven, which we shared, plus, since it was Tuesday taco day and tacos were half price, we all had a taco.  I had the lamb taco with cilantro and avocado on a corn tortilla, which was excellent, others had the shrimp taco, which looked good, but I'm allergic to shrimp, so I just took their word that it was good.

We enjoyed deviled eggs, roasted and fried potatoes, white anchovies, stuffed dates, caesar salad, beet salad, and brussels sprouts.  Everything was delicious, but the potatoes, served with  slightly spicy red sauce, the caesar salad, stuffed dates and the brussels sprouts, stood out.  The brussels sprouts were loaded with cheese and panchetta.  We couldn't stop eating them, and had to order a second bowl.  The dates were out of this world.  Stuffed with a mild blue cheese and wrapped in a thin layer of serrano ham, I could have eaten them all.

Bar Bodega is best for a light snack or grazing meal.  There are no real entrees.  It's a great place to stop in at the end of a shopping day in Little Italy.  The tables are not too comfortable.  That's my only negative comment.  High top tables or bar stools, and just a few low tables with hard chairs.

FYI, a friend of mine told me a bit about the history of tapas.  During the time of the Inquisition, tapas were popular, and pork tapas were often served.  Seeing who ate the pork tapas was one way Spaniards identified Jews.  Of course Jews did not eat pork.  Pork is still popular in tapas dishes, but thankfully they are no longer using them to identify Jews.