My Personal Journal

It's been more than 19 months since Ron was released from Taft, but the hurt he feels from those that contributed to his incarceration doesn't end. It's easy for people (me included) to say, "just let it go." It's just not that easy. Everyday there are cruel reminders of what Ron's been through. Once we were at a party that one of our son's was at. During the party, and loud enough that a large group of people could hear, one of the men asked Ron if he liked the food at the party better than where he'd been, at Taft. This was a clear attempt to embarass Ron, and it did, even though many people at the party knew where he'd been. The man thought he was being funny with his comment about Taft, but it wasn't received that way. Comments like this make it difficult for Ron to just "let it go." How hard it is to move forward after incarceration depends on your personality. Some people are less confrontational and have an easier time letting things go. Others want to confront those that have wronged them. Some even want to get back at these people. Moving forward is hard when you're still stuck on what someone did 10-15 years ago. How often do you hear about a daughter who can't move forward because she's still blaming her mom for what she did years ago? Ron has moved forward in so many ways. He has a new circle of friends, and probably a better relationship with his children than he's had in years. Yet, he still thinks about a few people from the past that he hasn't been able to make peace with. I don't think he ever will, as he will most likely not speak to them again. Over time the hurt will lessen, and it will become less important for him to know why things happened as they did. Some things in life just don't have any answers.

More Openings And Closings Around San Diego

There's lots of remodeling and new construction of restaurants around San Diego. That's a good sign for the economy. I have also noticed that many of the new restaurants are of a more upscale quality. Food is definitely improving in San Diego. In Del Mar Highlands Town Center, Snooze will soon be opening. They are taking over the space formeraly occupied by IHOP. Snooze, from Colorado, is one of my all time favorite breakfast spots, good for lunch too. I was first introduced to Snooze a few years ago in Boulder, having enjoyed the Hillcrest location, and am so happy that they're moving nearby. An opening date has not yet been announced. Also in Del Mar Highlands is a new Mexican restaurant from Diane Powers. She owns Casa Bandini in Carlsbad, and the new restaurant, close to completion, (they took over Red Robin and are improving it) should be another winner. Pizzeria Mozza (a Nancy Silverton and Mario Battali creation) should be open in six months. It will be in the old Police Building near Seaport Village. I LOVE Mozza, and can't wait until they open. Best pizza I have ever had. The crust is incredible. In fact, all their food is a notch above great. Appetizers, pizzas, salads, desserts. Moderate price (expensive for pizza) but worth it for a treat. If you can't wait until they open, go to Newport Beach and eat there. In Encinitas, Boston's closed quite a while ago, and will soon be replaced by Boudin Bakery. Construction is still underway, but they're getting close. Also in Encinitas, right next to Whole Foods, will be an upscale tavern. They will have 24 local beers on tap, plus many food items. Fish tacos and burgers for sure, and I don't know what else. I talked to the owner who was there watching the renovation, and he told me the food would be good. Finally, Sabor de Vida, a Brazilian grill opened a few months ago. It's the 99cent shopping center. We had dinner there last week and liked it very much. I'll review it another time. The newly remodeled Flower Hill Mall will soon have Burger Lounge. Grass fed beef and other organic and local produce make this one of my favorite burger spots. Also in Flower Hill Mall, but far from opening, is Cucina Enoteca, a sister restaurant to Cucina Urbana, a great Italian eatery on Laurel, near Balboa Park. They are taking over Chevy's, haven't started the new construction yet, so they're quite a ways from opening. The space previously occupied by Paradise Grill will soon house a new venture from Matt Gordon, owner of Solace in Encinitas and Urban Solace in North Park. What's closing? Well, IHOP is closed in Del Mar Highlands. Junior Seau's restaurant is also closed. In Encinitas, Boston's is gone, and so is Barracuda. In North Park, the Kensington Grill on Adams Avenue will serve it's last meal on March 30. One door closes, another opens. Hopefully these new restaurants will give San Diego more of what we love and have come to expect: good food and good service in a beautiful setting.

Happy 60th Anniversary, Peeps

I love marshmallow, so it should be no surprise to you that Peeps is one of my favorite candies. (the other favorite being scotch kisses from See's). My birthday is usually about a month before Easter, so those that know me well always include a package of Peeps as part of my birthday present. They don't last long once they get in my hands. I've tried to ration them, say one or two per day, but I just can't do it. Sometimes I'll put them in the freezer where they'll last a bit longer. Out of sight, out of mind. Just Born candy company was started by Russian immigrant Sam Born, out of a Brooklyn storefront, more than 90 years ago. The burgeoning business moved to Pennsylvania and acquired the Peeps brand in 1953 with it's purchase of Rodda Candy Co. (included in this purchase was Hot Tamales, my favorite candy to eat in the movies). Modernization occured, and a version of the extruding machine used to produce the chicks was invented by Bob Born, father of the CEO, and is still used today. Growth of the company was slow and steady, but several years ago a new management team was brought in, and the company spent heavily in marketing. The result is that their sales were off the charts in 2012. They did their first advertising in a decade, and posted double digit growth across all brands. Amazing. A company that hardly advertises their products can do such a business. Peeps are part of pop culture in a way unlike any other. You either love them or you hate them, but one thing is for sure, when you start to see them in the stores, you know Easter can't be far behind. A few years ago I was visiting friends in Arizona, we stopped in a market, and I saw sugar free Peeps. I had to try them. I'm sorry to say they were no good, I'd never buy them again. I've actually never seen them again. I know many Peeps lovers that stockpile Peeps for the rest of the year when they're not available. I don't do that. It's a treat to eat those sweet little chicks around Easter. It gives me something to look forward to when my birthday rolls around every year. So don't think they're just for kids. Adults like candy too, and Peeps are one of my favorites. Favorite color, the original yellow, of course.

Natural Food Show: Part 3

In this final blog on the recent Natural Food Show in Anaheim, I will tell you about some random products that I loved and hope you will try. All are not yet in the market, but most should be very soon. Whole Foods is the most likely place to find these items. Palm oil is very popular. It's supposed to be good for you. Use it for dipping or cooking. French's mustard has several new varieties. The one I liked the best was the mustard and horseradish combo. Just a bit of spice, but I'd love it on a sausage, bratwurst, hotdog, or corned beef sandwich. Ricks Picks is a pickle company. They have everything from mild to sweet to very spicy. I liked the mild ones. They were very dill, and had a good crunch. Pita Pal is a hummus company. You can find them at Costco. They make hummus, beets and jicama salad, Texas caviar, tabouli and 3 bean salad. All are excellent. Look for Dave's Bread. A variety of breads, all healthy, dark, and dense. I loved Mrs. Renfro's sauces. Nacho cheese sauce, habanero sauce, black bean sauce, and many others. I especially liked the nacho cheese sauce. Boulder Soup Works makes wonderful, homemade tasting soup. It's a young company with a very good product. The tomato basil soup was outstanding. Lotus Foods is a company that works with fair trade farmers. All their farms use a system of planting called SRI, which maximizes production and uses less water. They carry the most delicious rice I ever tasted. Forbidden rice, black rice, and red rice. (and many others) Very nutty and dry, you've got to try them. Bruce Cost makes ginger ale in 4 flavors, all with REAL ginger. You won't believe how different this tastes from what we're used to. Tang's is a frozen food company, selling frozen potstickers made from whole wheat. Very good. Nocciolata is a Nutella like product, great for spreading on bread. Excellent. Geraldines is a cookie company, making a variety of cookies, like Italian wedding cookies, key lime cookies, and cheese straws. They are sold in a small bag, and you will love them. Finally, Sticky Fingers Bakery makes delicious scone mixes, and they're gluten free. I was surprised at how moist they were, and will get a box to keep in my pantry. The Healing Tree is a company that sells theraputic wraps for arms and legs. The wraps are made from a bamboo charcoal. The owner explained the process to me. It has something to do with burning bamboo, turning it into charcoal (not quite sure how that works), and something about positive and negative ions is involved. Anyway, Debbie bought one, and swears her knee feels better. You can look them up online. I mentioned before that Honest Tea makes a 0 calorie sparkling drink. I haven't found it yet, but it was one of my favorite products from the show. I also plan to hunt down Yasso frozen yogurt bars, Good Karma (flax milk), Suzie's quinoa milk, and Lotus Foods rice. Gotta have these products. I hope you read this and try something new. Now, you'll have to wait until next year for more new products.

Men Are Affected by Hearing Loss More than Women

We went to dinner a few weeks ago with some friends, and Ron commented on how noisy the restaurant was. He said it was hard for him to keep track of our conversation with all the background noise. Sound familiar? Hearing loss is common in men and women over 60, but more common in men. I wondered if it was true, do men have hearing loss more often than women, or did women just not talk about it? I told Ron I had noticed that so many men wore hearing aids, but fewer women did. Maybe it's just that women can hide the hearing aid with their hair. I decided to do a little research. More that 28 million Americans have some type of hearing impairment and apprpoximately 60% of them are men. It is believed that environmental factors may be the major reason why, mostly due to noisy, male-dominated occupations such as construction and factory work. The articles I read did not talk about the use of earphones to listen to music or cell phones, or concerts, but I think these are huge contributors to hearing loss. Why do boys and young men play their car stereos so much louder than women? Another factor may be the use of aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, accoring to a study by the American Journal of Medicine in 2010. It was found that regular use of these common pain relievers increased the risk of hearing loss in adult men younger than 60. How can men change these statistics? The solution lies in prevention, especially while on the job. Men must wear the protective gear that is required in the work environment. Men and women, should turn down the volume on the car radio, head sets and cell phones. Even when men and women do experience hearing loss at equal levels, typically after age 80, there are still differences. Women seem to lose hearing in the lower frequencies first; men lose hearing in the higher frequencies. This means that men have more problems understanding consonansts and women have more trouble understanding vowels. Untreated hearing loss can cause a multitude of emotional and psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, frustration, and isolation. Encourge your loved ones who have experienced hearing loss to get it checked out. It will improve their quality of life, and everyone else around them.

Natural Food Show: Part 2

There are numerous new products this year, the most interesting being MILK. You've heard of soy, almond and rice milk, now you can try quinoa milk and flax milk. The flax milk I tried was made by Good Karma. It has 25-60 calories per serving, depending on whether you get original, vanilla or unsweetened. It has no cholesterol, no carbs and no fat. It's full of omega-3's. Especially for those that are lactose intolerant, this product is a winner. I do not have the fact sheet on the quinoa milk, but it too was delicious and made by Suzie's. Other drinks of note include Mamma Chia, Honest Tea, and bucha. Mamma Chia is a fruit juice drink filled with chia seeds. Remember the chia pet, where you wet the pet and spread chia seeds all over him and watched them sprout? Well these are chia seeds, unsprouted. They are high in omega 3's and are available in several fruit and vegetable flavors. Both Mayans and Aztecs held the ancient grain in high esteem for increasing vitality and strength. Honest Tea, which has been on the market for several years, has a new product called Honest Fizz. It is 0 calorie sodas in orange, cherry and lemon-lime. Absolutely delicious. I can't wait to go buy them. Bucha is another sparkling drink with kombucha in it, plus various fruit juices. If you've tried Kombucha and haven't liked it, like me, try Bucha. It is refreshing, and not too sweet. Chips and crackers made from various vegetables are too numerous to mention. Zucchini, lentil, bean, sweet potato, and kale are just some of the veggies used to make a variety of chips and crackers. Dehydrated veggies are also popular, especially kale. Brad's makes dehydrated onions and kale, but I'm not quite sure how you would use them. Dehydrated fruits are also something new to look for. They are sold in bulk and used in cooking. The flavor is very intense. Another chip that I loved is Tyrell's chips, plain old potato chips, in several flavors, including cheddar cheese and salt and vinegar. Greek yogurt is still the rage. Fage, Liberte, Stonyhill, and Chobani have all come out with new twists on greek yogurt. New flavors, some mixed in rather than fruit at the bottom, and some with other toppings, like graham cracker crumbs. I loved sampling all these yummy yogurts. Yasso now makes a frozen greek yogurt bar in several fruit flavors. They are very creamy, and only 80 calories per bar. They can be found at Whole Foods and other natural food stores. Well, that's it for now. I will write one more blog about the food show this year, and tell you about a few random items that I really loved. Until then, look for some of these new items in a store near you soon.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I went to Costco today to pick up some blueberries, and I also bought a package of great looking asparagus. There are just two of us in the family, and everything at Costco is packaged for a family of eight, but I bought the asparagus anyway. For dinner I made roasted asparagus, drizzled some olive oil on them, added salt and pepper, then topped with Panko bread crumbs to which I had added olive oil. Excellent. Then, I decided to make a large pot of cream of asparagus soup. It is delicious, and I kept half out to eat tomorrow night and froze the rest. I think it will freeze ok, but I will let you know. (It froze very nicely). Here's my simple recipe for asparagus soup. Cream of Asparagus Soup 2 lbs asparagus, trimmed, then cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut off a few of the tips and set aside for decoration later. 5 cups chicken broth 2 tablespoons butter, + 2 more tablespoons for the very end 1 onion, diced 1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream (I used Greek yogurt, as I had neither) salt and pepper to taste Melt 2T. butter in a large pot, add diced onion, cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the asparagus (not the tips that you set aside), cook about 5 more minutes. Then, add the chicken stock and simmer the vegetables for about 20-30 minutes, until asparagus are soft. Let the soup cool Add 1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream. Then, puree in the blender in batches. Add back to the pot, heat, and 2 more tablespoons of butter. Squeeze a little lemon juice on it just before serving. The asparagus tips should be cooked, then set aside for decoration, a few spears on top of each bowl of soup. I did not add the final 2 tablespoons of butter, and I used greek yogurt in place of the heavy cream or creme fraiche. It was delicious. It's healthy and low in fat, and can be served either hot or cold. Enjoy.