You're Never Too Old To..........

Have you ever wanted to do something you've never done before, learned something you've always wanted to learn?  A new language?  Piano or guitar?  Ballroom dancing?  Painting or sculpture? We've all done this, and often the answer we give ourselves is "I'm just too old."  That is just not so.

Some Friday mornings I teach bridge at the Solana Beach Library.  Most of the students are in their 50's, 60's, and 70's.  I was teaching one Friday morning and was introduced to a 100 year old woman named Mimi, who has just started learning bridge!  Imagine that.  I was surprised, not only because she looked to be in her mid 80's, but her attitude in general was so youthful.  She has been coming every Friday for several months, and although she'll never be Charles Goren, she is learning, progressing, keeping her mind active, and above all, having fun.

So when you think you're too old to try something new, think of Mimi, and get out and give whatever it is, a try.  You may surprise yourself.

How Farmers Markets Have Changed

I love spending time browsing farmers markets.  They're no longer just a place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.  Fran and I spent a Sunday morning walking to the Encinitas Farmers Market on Vulcan, and when we finished our time there, I realized just how much farmers markets have changed.

It must have been about 30 years ago that farmers markets started popping up everywhere.  We lived in Los Angeles at that time, and my favorite markets were the Westwood market and the Santa Monica market.  They both encompassed several blocks of fruits  and vegetables, some bakery items, often some fresh caught fish, and maybe a booth or two of freshly prepared food  if you were really hungry.  Fast forward 30 years and you will find farmers markets every day of the week within a 15 mile radius of where you live.  We all have our favorites.

Since we moved to the San Diego area in 2003 I have been to many markets, but my favorites still remain.  Encinitas on Sunday morning and Little Italy on Saturday.  The Little Italy market is vast.  Blocks and blocks of fruits, vegetables, spices, drinks, dried meats, fresh fish, crafts like jewelry, paintings, and wood work items.  Fresh food and prepared food are in abundance.  So many new products, new foods, that were not available (actually no one even had heard of them) years ago.  A booth called Salt Farm, with dozens of varieties of salt.  Who heard of that years ago?  It was kosher salt or plain salt, that was it.  Microgreens are everywhere.  I never heard of them years ago.  Kombucha?  Still not sure what that is.  Companies like Brodino Broth Company make bone broth, an item never in existence until a few years ago.  Pour over coffee?  Another new creation.  Lots of coconut products from companies like Aloha Spreads, from yogurt to peanut butter spread.

The very best part of farmers markets is the prepared foods.  Booth upon booth of every ethnic food imaginable.  Last week we saw a booth selling Kenyan food, Egyptian food, crepes, paella, grilled sausages, great Mediterranean platters, and so much more.  Next time you have a few hours and want to enjoy a great lunch and do some shopping, visit your local farmers market.  It's so much fun!

Why Are So Many Libraries Burned Down?

I'm reading a book called The Library Book by Susan Orlean.  It's specifically about the 1986 Los Angeles Downtown Library fire, most likely set by arson.  In the book she gives readers a wonderful history of Los Angeles, and a history of libraries.  What I learned upon further research, is that because of vandalism, arson, war and religion, libraries have been burning for centuries.

There are too many libraries that have burned to go into detail, but dissidents were burning libraries 2000 years ago.  More recently, during WW1 and WW11, libraries were destroyed during war.  In some cases the destruction was collateral damage, but in many cases, like in the case of the Germans in WW11, libraries were targeted.  Often throughout history libraries were destroyed because the government did not want their people exposed to ideas that differed from what they were being told.  Get rid of the books so people cannot learn about other points of view was their philosophy.  Below are just a sampling of more current library disasters, and how and why they occurred.  Tragic, really.  At least in modern times documents and rare information is saved digitally, but originals can still be lost.  As a library lover and lifelong library user I find this so sad.

Who Was Jeannette Rankin?

When you look at Congress today, especially the House of Representatives, you see a sea of female faces, old, young, black, brown, white, Native American and Asian.  It seems like it's taken forever to get strong female representation in Congress.  In fact, it has been just about 100 years since Jeannette Ranking became the first woman to hold federal office.

Ranking lived from 1880-1973, and was known as both a politician and women's rights advocate.  She became the first woman in the House of Representatives in 1916.  She served in the same capacity in 1940, representing Montana.  She is still the only woman elected to congress from Monatana.

Jeannette Rankin was a lifelong pacifist and supporter of non interventionism.  She opposed the U.S. declaration of war in 1916, and she was the only member of congress to vote against declaring war on Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  She was a member of the Republican party during the Progressive  Era, and was instrumental in initiating legislation that eventually became the 19th Amendment.   Where did that Republican Party go?  Truly a woman who did much for women's rights, yet somehow I just recently learned about her, and I thought you'd like to know  of her too.

Birch Bayh: Champion For Equal Rights

Former Senator from Indiana, Birch Bayh, passed away in March, at the age of 91.  He was instrumental in writing and helping get passed some of the most important legislation in the past 50 years.  A farmers son, Bayh came from a simple background.  He became a giant in the senate, where he served from 1963-1980.

Birch Bayh is responsible for two Constitutional amendments and one very important amendment to the Equal Rights Amendment.  Bayh played a large part in both the 25th amendment, and 26th amendment, which have had an enduring impact on American life.  The 25th amendment dealt with presidential disability and vice presidential vacancies.  If the president is unable to serve, this amendment can be used to remove him from office.  Also, if the Vice President takes over for the president, the new president can pick his vice president.  The 26th amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote, in both state and federal elections.

Bayh is probably best remembered for Title 1X.  Title 1X was drafted by Bayh, and was the landmark federal legislation which barred sexual discrimination in schools and colleges.  It greatly expanded sports programs for women.  It was passed in the 1960's as part of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society Program.  Title 1X was developed while Congress was considering the Equal Rights Amendment.

Bayh was also responsible for pushing through another amendment that would have abolished the electoral college, but failed to get it ratified.  He was a principled man who got so much done.  Getting an amendment to the constitution passed is difficult enough, but Bayh got two amendments passed, and women today are still aware that the efforts of Birch Bayh to make Title 1X a reality, have given them opportunity like never before.

Remember John McCord?

John McCord was one of the five burglars that were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in June of 1972.  He died of pancreatic cancer in 2017, but his death was not widely reported until now, almost two years later.  Can't  figure out why.

James McCord was born in Oklahoma, worked for the FBI, then the CIA, where he was described as one of the finest men they had.  He also  served as a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force Reserve.  In 1972 he resigned from the CIA.  Shortly thereafter he was hired by Jack Caulfield for "strict, solely defensive security work for the Republican National Committee and the Committee to Re-elect the President.  He was arrested for the Watergate break-in, which set off a chain of events that led to the resignation of Richard Nixon.

James McCord was one of the first men convicted in the Watergate trial.  He was charged with eight counts of conspiracy, burglary and wiretapping.  He received a sentence of 25 years.  Later on, McCord wrote to US District Judge John Sirica, stating that some of his plea and testimony was perjured.  He said he was compelled by pressure from White House counsel John Dean and former AG John Mitchell, to testify as he did.  The letter to Sirica implicated senior individuals in the Nixon administration of covering up a conspiracy that led to the burglary.  As a result of the letter, McCord flipped and became a cooperating witness, and was released from his sentence for time served.

Why did his death go unreported for nearly two years?  I find this unusual, but could find no information as to the reason.  I remember the shock and sadness  during the Watergate scandal often as we live through the current scandals in the Trump White House.  No longer am I shocked, just saddened as I think how our leaders' ethics have sunk, and how long, if ever, it will take for our our democracy to recover.

Welcome To The Neighborhood, Richard Walker

Finally, we're getting some good breakfast places in the Carlsbad/Oceanside area.  First Toast, and now Richard Walker.  The new Square at Bressi Ranch is now home to the sixth Richard Walker's Original Pancake House.  Here's how this family owned business began.

In 1948, Victor and Everett (brothers) Walker opened snack shops in Evanston, Illinois.  In 1960 they opened Walker Brothers Original Pancakes in Wilmette.  In 1981 Ray and Richard, sons of Victor, opened Walker Brothers Original in Glenview.  Finally, in 2006, Richard Senior relocated to San Diego and opened another location in Downtown San Diego.  I guess Richard Junior decided life in San Diego sounded good, so he moved to the west coast too, and opened two more restaurants (same name) in La Jolla and Carlsbad.

Ron and I stopped by for a late breakfast on a Thursday morning, thinking the big crowd would be gone.  We waited about 10 minutes for a table, so expect a wait, no matter when you go there.  The food is delicious.  Their specialty is pancakes and waffles, but everything is big, good, and beautifully presented.  Spinach crepes, blueberry and sour cream crepes and cherry crepes looked delicious.  We split the apple pancake, and still couldn't finish.  They also have the German pancake and a cinnamon pancake.  Belgian waffles are light and fluffy, and topped with fruit and whipped cream.  Omelettes are huge, bacon is thick and crisp.  They serve corned beef hash and eggs benedict too.  My only criticism is the coffee.

Richard Walker serves Boyds coffee, which they say is excellent, dark and smooth.  At best it was average, and at $3.50 a cup, I thought it was way too pricey.  I can accept higher prices for the food, but not for a less than good cup of coffee.  I guess I'm a coffee snob.  I've said this before.  I usually ask the wait person how the coffee is before I order.  I tell them that if it's not good, I'm going to send it back.  I didn't do that this time, so I drank the coffee.  Next time I go I will not order a drink, and if I really want coffee I will bring it from Peet's just a few doors away.  I don't know how they'll like that, but really, how hard is it to make a good cup of coffee, especially at $3.50 per cup?

Richard Walker is a wonderful restaurant.  The food is outstanding, and most things are big enough to split.  They even have a children's menu (grandchildren?), which consists of chocolate chip pancakes, silver dollar pancakes, and and egg and pancake dish.  Try it, you'll like it.