Poke Chop Will Be Your New Favorite For Poke

If you know me at all, you know sushi is one of my favorite meals to dine out on.  I just love it, so when the poke craze hit California several years ago, I was excited.  At first there were very few places to get good poke, but today it is such a hit that you find it in almost every shopping center.

Melanie is one of my friends who also loves poke.  Between the two of us we have probably tried a dozen or so different restaurants.  Most are pretty good, but she introduced me to one that really stands out.  

Poke Chop began in 2016 in Pacific, and expanded over the next few years to include to locations in Hillcrest.  Now, they have come to North County.  They are in Encinitas, right off the 5 freeway, near The Crack Shack.  Melanie and I met there for lunch in November, and I couldn't stop raving about the food.

How can you rave about rice, raw fish and a few toppings?  Well, if you like poke, try it and you will see why I am raving.  The fish is as fresh as can be.  The tuna is a beautiful red, with no streaks of gristle in it which you often find in places that don't purchase the best fish.  The vegetables are so fresh.  They all have a great crunch.  The edemame are bright green and crisp.  The sauces, mild, spicy, sweet, savory are also delicious.

You can build your own bowl or sushi burrito, or order one of the dozen or so combinations they have listed on the menu, all a different variety of fish, veggies and sauce, with names like The Chopper, Lucky Charm, and Dyno-Sea Bomb.

Small (2 scoops of fish, and plenty for me), or if you're really hungry medium (3scoops), and if you want enough for dinner and probably lunch the next day, order a large (5 scoops).  The Encinitas location has a nice outdoor patio which is sunny at lunchtime, so you won't be cold.

If you're crazy for poke, please try Poke Chop.  You'll be happy you did.

 

Are You Getting The Covid-19 Vaccine?

 Now that the Pfizer vaccine is available, seniors will be among the first to receive it.  The question is, will they take it?  I will!!!  I was having coffee with a friend recently who said she would not take the vaccine until she saw more long term evidence of its efficacy and effects.  The problem with that is TIME.  If you wait another year to get the vaccine, that means you will stay in for the next year, because without the vaccine, the virus will still be around.

Her argument is that the polio vaccine took 4 years to develop and distribute.  The difference is that this time around, we put all hands, worldwide, into developing a vaccine.  I don't think that was done with polio.  I certainly don't believe everything I read or hear, but I do believe that the epidemiologists and virologists who are studying the results are giving us the straight story.  At some point you have to put your trust in someone, and I trust science.  I believe that the vaccine is safe.

The Stolen Generations

 I watched the Netflix movie The Sapphires the other night and was aghast at the racism against indigenous peoples and some of the horrific practices carried out for decades.  Actually, the movie was excellent and I do recommend it, but it sure got me thinking, about the sins of Australia, and of course, the sins of America.

Between 1910 and the 1970's, many First Nations children were forcibly removed from their families as a result of various government policies in Australia.  The generations of children removed under these policies became known as the Stolen Generations.  The removal of these children left a legacy of trauma and loss that continues to affect Indigenous communities to this day.  Policies focused on assimilating children into white society.  Children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and white parentage were particularly vulnerable to removal.  The government though because of their light skin they could be assimilated more easily into white society.  Children taken from their parents were taught to reject their heritage and forced to adopt white culture.  Their names were often changed, and they were often forbidden from speaking their native language.  

You can only imagine the affects of this practice on the children, the parents and the community.  Many were psychologically, physically and sexually abused while living in state care.  The effort to make stolen children reject their culture often created as sense of shame, and an inability to pass culture on to the next generation.  The children generally received a very low level of education, which had lifelong economic implications.  Grieving parents often turned to alcohol.  Most never recovered from the trauma of having their children removed.

A report issued by the Australian Government in 1995 estimated that between 10-33% of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were separated from their families between 1910-1970 and that this was a breach of fundamental human rights.  

I have been reading a lot about racism recently, and the utter racism of this practice really got to me.  Sometimes we think we are the only ones with racist thoughts and practices, but then we learn of the Stolen Generations. At another time I will examine some of our racist practices over the years.  There are many, and it's a complicated topic, but I will show you some of the things we have done in the past that we should be ashamed of.

Gift Exchange Covid-19 Style

 My poker group has a holiday party every December.  In days gone by it has taken place at someone's home.  A delicious potluck is served, followed by the gift exchange.  Each person brings a gift of no more than $20.  Each person gets a number, and in order, presents are opened.  When your number is called, you may either open a new gift or steal a gift from someone else.  It is such fun.  How could we do that during the pandemic?  Well, Fran, Melanie, Carol and Susan figured it out.

Fran and Melanie were the moderators.  Each person sent by mail or delivered their $20 gift to Fran or Melanie.  That was the easy part.  On the night of the zoom party, here's what happened.  Carol drew numbers from a hat and assigned each person a number.  Fran and Melanie had pre numbered all the gifts.  Person number 1 opened gift number one, then person number two either opened gift number two or stole the number one gift.  And so it went until all 17 gifts were opened.

Gifts were great this year.  My final gift was a set of four super soft tie dyed face masks.  I was so excited about receiving them, as my orange scarfs are looking shabby.  My original gift was a cute cuddly sloth, but he was stolen, so I stole the masks from someone else.

At the end of the evening, Carol and Susan who acted as elves, took the list of everyone's final gift and made plans to distribute them to all the party goers.  It was such fun to see everyone in the holiday spirit, many drinking champagne or wine and eating popcorn.  So creative.

On New Year's Eve I have been invited to a zoom party, and knowing the people involved, figures to be just as much fun.  I can hardly wait.

We've Always Been Interested in Deep Sea Exploration

 Oceans cover 70% of the earth's surface, yet their depths remain largely unexplored.  It is estimated that 90-95% of the deep sea remains a mystery.  It is truly the planet's final frontier.

Exploration of the deep sea actually began with the Vikings in the 8th century.  They would lower a weighted string down to see how deep the ocean was.  In 1521 Ferdinand Magellan attempted to measure the depth of the Pacific Ocean.  He also used a weighted line but did not touch the bottom.  Numerous explorers and scientists explored the depth of the sea over the centuries, but it wasn't until 2012 that James Cameron, with the vessel Deepsea Challenger, completed the first solo dive to the bottom.

Robotic exploration is how we explore today, using ROV's (Remotely operated vehicles) tethered vehicles that are controlled by researchers on the ship.  TheROV's carry cameras, manipulator arms, sonar equipment and sample containers.  AUV''s (autonomous underwater vehicles) operate without human control.  They generate maps, measure temperature and chemicals and take photographs.  This is the future of deep sea exploration.  The deepest part of the earth's oceans is in the Mariana Trench, nearly 7 miles below sea level.  

What this all means is that man has always wanted the challenge of exploring unknown lands, planets, and oceans, and with 7 miles of water beneath us, there's lots to explore.

Do You Need A Pulse Oximeter?

Fran has a doctor friend who works with seniors who have Covid-19.  He keeps track of seniors who have tested positive and are at home recovering.  He feels a pulse oximeter is an important piece of equipment for these people.

What is a pulse oximeter?  It's a tiny gadget that you put on your finger that measures the oxygen saturation in your red blood cells.  It tells you how well your heart is pumping oxygen.  It reads out a percentage to tell you what your oxygen saturation level is.  One of the symptoms of Covid-19, shortness of breath may be difficult to self access.  Some covid patients develop "silent hypoxia."  They feel well but they have dangerously low levels of oxygen, which may lead to pneumonia or respiratory trouble, which could quickly turn deadly.

The pulse oximeter is not expensive, and may be a worthy investment for anyone, particularly seniors living alone, at this time.  It is best to check with your primary care physician to hear what he/she has to say, but for a $20 investment, what can it hurt?  Since I live alone, I am going to get one.  Amazon will be making another delivery to me next week.  Hardly a week goes by that I don't order something, mostly frivolous items, but this is something I think I need. 

Food Insecurity and Homelessness During The Pandemic

 Look at the lines of cars waiting to pick up food from food banks throughout this nation.  Some waiting up to five hours to get a box of food.  This is not fake news, folks, regardless of what some may say.  This is real.  Can you imagine in America that 1/3 of the people are food insecure?  In California alone, 6 million people are food insecure, and in the country as a whole, 54 million people don't know if their family will have food on the table next week.  Food is a basic need.  Does this remind you of food lines during the Depression?  It does.  I wasn't around, but I've seen enough pictures and heard enough stories to know how bad it was.

My mom, who was a teenager during the depression and remembers it well, says that things are much worse now.  The depression was an economic crisis.  This pandemic is both an economic crisis and a health catastrophe.

The homeless are hit harder than probably any other group during the pandemic.  Covenant House, a national organization that works to eliminate homelessness among children, is hard at work to do what they can.  One of their fund raising tools is a concept called Sleep Out.  I was listening to Stephanie Ruhl, an MSNBC journalist one morning, and she talked about the program.  She had just done Sleep Out with her two school age children.  She and her children spent a night sleeping outside, and raising money at the same time.  Although they were not sleeping on the ground with a thin blanket as a covering, they got a feel for what sleeping outside night after night, might be like.  Her kids got an appreciation for what they have, and hopefully help them become citizens that work for improving the welfare of all.

So, at this holiday time, if you're in the mood for giving, Covenant House is a great charity.  Or, as I plan to do, consider a Food Bank in your own community.  We need to help each other at this time.  We will get through this.

Can New Businesses Open During a Pandemic? You Betcha

 Fran and I walk in Encinitas most Saturday mornings, and for the past month or so, we have noticed that a new business was "coming soon."  We wondered how The Broad Street Dough Company could make it at a time when 60% of small businesses are closing.  After stopping in for a doughnut (actually two) after a 10,000 step walk today, we know why.

Broad Street Dough Co. is from New Jersey!  It is owned by a sister and brother, the sister already having opened several shops in New Jersey.  Her brother lives here in Encinitas, so it seemed perfect for them to bring their delicious baked goods to our neighborhood.

Being a fan of V.G.'s raised donuts, I was a little skeptical about a place that only served cake donuts.  All my skepticism was gone at first bite.  The donuts are definitely cake, but not so dense and heavy as you might expect.  They are made right in front of you, so they couldn't be any fresher and they're nice and warm.

I ordered a cinnamon and sugar donut, probably their plainest donut.  I also ordered a donut topped with maple glaze and walnuts.  Fran ordered a pumpkin donut.  Delicious is all I can say.

The batter for the donuts is in a large mixer, just waiting for customers.  When customers arrive, batter is formed into donuts and cooked.  Then the donut goes to the finishing station, where the customer chooses toppings for the warm donut.  

We were there on their fourth day of business, waited about 15 minutes for our donuts (including standing in line), and didn't mind the wait at all.  Eventually there will be tables and chairs inside the restaurant, but for now, your donuts are boxed up and if you want to eat them on the spot, which you will want to do, there is lots of seating in the lumberyard.

The owners are friendly, helpful and hard working, a combination that should mean success.  In fact, they are already looking for another location.  Next time you're in the mood for something sweet and decadent, give Broad Street Dough Co. a try.  View fullsize

Nantucket (caramel, sea salt)

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Route 35 (chocolate, M&M's)

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Belmar Bliss (blueberry, powdered sugah)

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S'mores Galore

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Is It The Flu Or Covid-19?

With flu season upon us, what should you do if you get sick?  How will you know the difference between seasonal flu and Covid-19?  There are many similar symptoms, but some that are unique to Covid-19.

Because of the lack of travel from the Southern Hemisphere to North America, and because of the diligent use of masks and social distancing by the people in Australia and New Zealand, it is likely that the flu season will be less extreme for us than in the past.  Use of masks and social distancing will automatically make the spread of both Covid-19 and seasonal flu less.

Both flu and Covid can present itself with similar symptoms.  Fever, chill, runny nose, cough are all symptoms of both illnesses.  Covid-19 may have other symptoms, including loss of smell, serious breathing difficulty, pain or pressure in the chest, blue lips or blue face, confusion and incoherent answers to simple questions and loss of consciousness, are all symptoms that may possibly be Covid-19.  If you have any of these  symptoms, it's time to get tested, immediately.

The likelihood is that this will be a very light flu season because of the efforts we are all taking to keep ourselves safe from Covid-19.  If you have any unusual symptoms, like those listed above, get yourself to a doctor right away.  Let's all stay safe, get through the winter, and hope that spring will bring control over the virus and return to a more normal life.

 

Supermarkets and Food Trends During Covid-19

 It's been 7 months since Covid-19 changed our lives.  Even those who didn't go to the supermarket pre covid seem to want to go now.  It's something to do.  I know many families that go together.  It's an outing!

Prices have gone up, that's for sure.  Our shopping trips are also more expensive because we are eating almost all our meals at home.  We are cooking more complicated meals, and baking too.  Many shoppers have built or stocked bomb shelter pantries.  Did you try to buy toilet paper in March or April?  For months, most grocery stores were void of pasta, flour, yeast, soup and much, much more.

We have been in a nostalgia phase.  Little Debbies, Lucky Charms, and Twinkies were big sellers in the beginning of the pandemic.  Sourdough starter and flour, OMG.  There has been a 600% rise in the sale of yeast.  People are making homemade bread, rolls and pastries.  Kombucha clubs have been organized.  I'm not sure what you do in a Kombucha club.  Maybe try different Kombuchas and drink them on a Zoom meeting, like a wine club.  

The sale of pasta, beer, wine, and baking supplies have increased enormously.  Pasta is still in short supply on market shelves.  Kroeger announced that 8 years of projected growth took place in one month!  People are moving into more complex cooking , a trend that might continue.  If you can't go to a Michelin starred restaurant, why not make great food at home?  

With all the increase in supermarket spending, it hasn't seemed to hurt the industry that delivers ingredients to you for a meal you make at home.  I'm talking about Blue Apron and Hello Fresh.  Of course Uber Eats and GrubHub are still very popular.  I guess you could say we're a food obsessed society right now.  As restaurants and bars open up (I hope not too soon), it will be interesting to see if supermarket sales rise or fall.  Time will tell.

Hottest Gifts For The Holidays

If you're like me, you're always looking for gifts that are unusual, or at least something other than a gift card or check.  Gift cards are an easy way to go, but often I am looking for something unique.  Here are a few of the hottest selling holiday gifts this season.

1.  Nano Sparkle.  It's a cloth, that if it does what they say it does, is amazing.  It is supposed to clean scuffs and scratches with just a rub of the cloth.

2.  QGrips.  This is a corkscrew looking product used to remove earwax.  Everyone always tells you not to use QTips (I do anyway), and this is a gentler way of removing much more wax.

3.  Odyssey Blanket.  This is a weighted blanket for your bed.  A weighted blanket is supposed to lead to relaxation, and who doesn't need to relax?  When we owned race horses, we used a weighted blanket on skittish horses, especially on July 4.

4.  Ecopower Plate.  This is a snap on product that you put on electric outlet plates to light up halls or anywhere.  It will keep you from using night lights.

5.  XWatch.  This is a smart watch made by a European company to compete with Apple Watch, although about 1/3 the price.  Sounds interesting.

6.  Nokia Fit.  This flexible device fits on your finger to count your steps, and is also a phone.  It is waterproof and alerts you to notifications like texts.  I don't know anything more about.

I'm giving many family members a donation to a local food bank this year, since the need is so great and we have so much.  That won't be appreciated by all, so here are just a few other options I have.  Happy shopping everyone. 

Choosing Our President

Do you remember when you were back in school, having class votes for president of the U.S.?  I sure do.  I remember as early as elementary school having class votes on who we wanted for president.  Of course everyone just parroted what their parents were saying, so the vote always went the way the parents voted.

I don't think they do that so much anymore, but the kids sure seem to talk politics more today, and at a very young age.  Here's an example.  David and Tracy (my son and daughter-in-law) asked their son Calvin, who just turned six, who he would vote for.  He liked Trump.  Why?  He likes the way Trump looks, big and strong, and he likes the big airplane in the background at his rallies.  This is from a six year old!  That's very much what many of his followers like about him.

 Although our country is  politically divided today, at least more people are engaged, and will continue to stay engaged.  Maybe we'll even go back to teaching civics in high school so that young people getting ready to vote can know how the system works.

Michelin Starred (Well Almost) Restaurants in San Diego

 Because of the pandemic, Michelin decided not to review restaurants in San Diego this year with the goal of getting a star.  Instead, they found "hidden gems" in San Diego, relatively new restaurants that are highly rated.  Here they are.

1.  Dija Mara in Oceanside.  I have not been there, but have always wanted to try it.  It is Balinese fusion food, similar to Indonesian food.  It's on Coast Highway.

2.  Morning Glory in Little Italy.  I'm not sure why this restaurant is on the menu.  It's a breakfast place, but it must be good.

3.  Tuetano Taqueria in San Ysidro.  It's a little hole in the wall taqueria.  If it wasn't so far away, I'd try it right away.  Tuetano means bone marrow, and bone marrow taco is one of their specialty.  It's owned by a young woman who's family is in the restaurant business on both sides of the border, but Tuetano Taqueria is owned and operated by their young daughter.

4.  Soichi Suchi is on Adams in North Park.  It looks fantastic, and I may just have to give it a try.

5.  Sushi Tadakoro is another sushi restaurant near Old Town.  

I've got a list of places to try.  Dija Mara, because of its location, will probably be the first one I try.  I can't wait.