#sunny lettuce-san

[ediblegardenspointloma]

In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen

Romanesco is the consummation of cauliflower season. It usually is the last of the varieties to be harvested. The plants are enormous and each of the four heads weighed 3-4 pounds this year. Read more about Romanesco in a previous post.

That’s me behind the Romanesco for perspective. Harvest generates quite a pile of leaves for the compost and a number of bunnies in the ‘hood. I’ve not been able to interest any humans in the leaves and I’m too overwhelmed with cauliflower to think about options for the foliage.

Despite my staggered planting, all seventeen plants were ready to harvest within a two week period. Some were shared with neighbors and foodie friends who know just what to do with a Romanesco or purple cauliflower.

Unlike navel oranges, tangerines do not “store” well on the tree. It was time to remove them all and begin the neighborhood distribution. No one turns down the Satsuma tangerines. We’ve stored a couple dozen of the ugly ones in the fridge for our continued enjoyment. The crop was the largest we’ve ever had though it’s a mystery why. They’re extra juicy this year, perhaps due to our regular and abundant rain.

It was also the week for a major harvest and distribution of lettuce. Most of this batch is Outredgeous with some Sea of Red and Dark Red Lollo Rossa. As the weather warms this week, some of the lettuce will think about bolting so there may be another substantial harvest.

Check my blog post In My Garden, Late January to see the garden in its winter glory.

Several batches of Sweetened Oven Dried Orange Slices utilized some of the abundant navel oranges. It’s a sweet-tart way to extend the season as they store well in glass jars.

About a dozen unseasonable strawberry guavas bring winter delight. These are about an inch in diameter and luscious. I pull a couple from the fridge every day and warm them in a sunny window to appreciate all the goodness.

February Gold daffodil cheers me on the way to the garden.

Check my What I’m Planting Now page. It’s been a busy week in the garden planting the place opened by the cauliflower harvest.

Harvest Monday, hosted by Dave at Happy Acres Blog returns this week. Join in and see what garden bloggers around the world harvested last week.

To leave a comment, click on “Leave a comment/Show comments,” enter the comment, then insert your name. Finally, click on “Comment as Guest” to post comment.

[taimio]

Grow Your Own Organic Vegetables Easily And Affordably

Gardening has been one of the most popular hobbies for many years, and for good reason - it can be immensely enjoyable while having beneficial results! Growing your own organic vegetables is a great way to enjoy gardening while also eating healthier and more conveniently. But, where do you even begin? The good news is that it can be easier and more affordable than you think! In this article, we’ll discuss a few simple tips and tricks to get you started on the path to gardening success. From budget-friendly budget must-haves to helpful hacks, you’ll be equipped to begin your organic GMO-free vegetable garden in no time. What’s more, you’ll soon be rewarded with delicious, healthful and home-grown produce! So, ready to get growing? Keep reading to find out more! Grow Your Own Organic Vegetables Easily And Affordably body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 20px; } h2 { font-size: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; } h3 { font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; } p { margin-bottom: 20px; } ul { margin-bottom: 20px; } li { margin-bottom: 10px; }

Grow Your Own Organic Vegetables Easily And Affordably

Welcome to the wonderful world of organic gardening! Whether you have a backyard, a balcony, or just a sunny windowsill, growing your own vegetables organically is not only a rewarding hobby but also a sustainable and cost-effective way to ensure a fresh supply of nutritious produce. In this article, we will take you through the essential steps and tips to help you become a successful organic gardener without breaking the bank.

1. Start Small, Dream Big

Before you dig up your entire backyard in a fit of enthusiasm, it's important to start small and gradually expand your garden. Begin with a few easy-to-grow vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, or herbs. This way, you can learn the basics of organic gardening without overwhelming yourself.

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and your flourishing vegetable garden won't be either. Gardening is a journey of trial and error, so embrace the process and enjoy the lessons it teaches you.

2. Choose Your Spot Wisely

When it comes to gardening, location is everything. Look for a spot in your yard or balcony that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Vegetables need sunlight to grow and thrive, so ensure your chosen area isn't blocked by tall buildings or trees.

Additionally, make sure the soil in your selected spot is well-draining and rich in organic matter. You can improve soil quality by adding compost, leaf mulch, or well-rotted manure. Remember, healthy soil equals healthy plants!

3. Embrace Nature's Pest Control

One of the main advantages of organic gardening is avoiding the use of harmful pesticides. Instead, encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, bees, and praying mantises, which naturally control pests in your garden. Consider planting flowers like marigolds and lavender that attract these insect allies.

If pests still become an issue, try making natural pest repellents from ingredients like garlic, neem oil, or hot pepper spray. Plus, don't forget the power of handpicking unwanted visitors!

4. Water Wisely, Not Wastefully

Water is crucial for the growth of your vegetables, but it's important to use it wisely. Instead of overhead watering, which can encourage diseases, opt for drip irrigation or a soaker hose to provide water directly to the plants' roots.

Another great way to conserve water is by collecting rainwater in barrels or using greywater from your home. Not only will this help the environment, but it will also save you money on your water bill.

5. Compost, Compost, Compost

Composting is the lifeblood of organic gardening. It not only reduces kitchen waste but also creates nutrient-rich soil for your plants. Start a compost bin or pile in your garden by adding fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, leaves, and yard trimmings. Avoid adding meat, dairy, or oily products, as they can attract pests.

Regularly turning and watering your compost will speed up the decomposition process. Before you know it, you'll have black gold – a nutrient-dense compost – to feed your hungry veggies!

6. Get Creative with Containers

If you lack garden space, don't fret! Container gardening is a fantastic alternative that allows you to grow vegetables in pots, buckets, or even old tires. Be sure to choose containers with drainage holes and fill them with a high-quality organic potting mix.

Experiment with vertical gardening by using trellises or hanging baskets to save space and maximize your harvest. You'll be amazed at the variety of vegetables that can thrive in containers, from cherry tomatoes to peppers and even small root crops like carrots.

7. Share the Gardening Love

Organic gardening is not just about growing food – it's also about building a community. Share your gardening knowledge, surplus produce, and seeds with friends, neighbors, or local gardening groups. Not only will you make new connections, but you'll also contribute to the collective effort of promoting sustainable, healthy living.

Additionally, don't forget to involve children in the process. Gardening is a fantastic way to educate kids about where food comes from and instill a love for nature and the environment.

8. Enjoy the Fruits (and Vegetables) of Your Labor

As your plants grow and flourish, be sure to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and satisfaction of organic gardening. Harvest your vegetables when they are ripe, and don't be afraid to experiment with new recipes using your homegrown produce.

Remember, organic gardening is a journey, and each season brings new challenges and discoveries. Keep learning, stay curious, and enjoy the endless benefits of growing your own organic vegetables – it's an adventure that will nourish both your body and soul!

The Final Seedling of Wisdom

So, dear aspiring organic gardener, it's time to grab your gardening gloves, put on your sun hat, and dig into the world of organic vegetable gardening. Starting small, choosing the right location, embracing nature, conserving water, composting, container gardening, sharing, and enjoying the fruits of your labor are all essential steps on this green journey.

Remember, growing your own organic vegetables is not only about saving money or having a bountiful harvest – it's also about connecting with nature, being mindful of what you consume, and promoting a healthier planet.

So go forth, sow the seeds of change, and watch your garden blossom – both literally and metaphorically!

Learn more about gardening with Taim.io!

[kaialone]

I have no excuse for this

[gastronomicaladventuresph]

Clean Beach Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union

This is now one of our favorite place to eat and chill in Urbiztondo, San Juan. We were on our way up north and was looking for a place to grab a bite, and found this on the map. We got here around lunch on a weekday  (September) and there wasn’t a big crowd that time, but there were still a handful of guests. The weather was sunny but they had huge umbrella trees to shade their outdoor dining area. The floor is pebbled with knickknacks of assorted tables and chairs including a few mini day beds faced the beach. They also have these ”banig” and low tables with bean bags and banana pillows in the beach front so you can laze around in the sun after dining. The north winds were also lightly blowing which kept us cool as well. 

They are a self service restaurant, but it’s quite easy and convenient for us. All you need to do is view their menu, which they have a wide range of dishes and drinks, by the way, then write your orders on a piece of paper and clipboard that’s provided on the side. Walk towards the cashier and pay for your order. They accept other payment methods besides cash. Then they present you a beeper, and beep you when your order is ready for pick up. Pick up of drinks is at the bar, and food is at their open kitchen. You may sit anywhere you like and return your used plates and glasses before leaving. 

We ordered the 

Kaya Toast solo (₱170) which is basically grilled bread with their homemade coconut gata and pandan, a coat of sugar and cinammon that you dip in sunny side egg.

A Good Salad (₱165) which is a mix of cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and your choice of garlic mayo or viniagarette dressing. This serving can be for two to share. We love this! 

Iced Beachpresso (₱180) a house special fizzy drink made of a shot of espresso and tonic water, with a slice of dried orange. It’s like a cross between an iced tea and espresso, if that makes sense. Not what I am used to, but it’s alright.

Fresh Mango Fruit Shake (₱170)This was a bit bland for my taste, but mango is mango. Pobrably too much ice?

The price range is reasonable for the quantity and taste. One thing to note is that their entrance is a bit steep and narrow from the road, so you may have a hard time driving into their parking space. 

Will definitely save this as our favourite spot every time we revisit San Juan. They also have band nights and alcoholic beverages, just for those party people out here. 

[tsuki-sennin]

Welcome back to "Tsuki acts like a dumbass while watching a television show intended for young Japanese children!"

Yeah, this is particularly late, but y'know, I was busy as hell, very tiring, had a lot of things to sort out, but I'm here now! Today, I had a plate of lombardi and potato chips for dinner and a bowl of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Only the healthiest eating here.

Spoilers, I guess...

-Ah yeah, Black Pepper! He's very obviously not Takumicchi!

-Pic-a-nic!

-...so, do we not eat lunch together at the schooool?

-Aaaaaah, Kokoneechan! Aren't you popular? This picnic is serious business for you, spicy sandwich lady!

-...and yes, before you ask, I have silly nicknames for everybody.

-Ahhhh, Kokone's DILF butler. Todoroki-san. I've not seen ya in a while. ...are you in the market for a boyfriend?

-So cool!

-Takumicchi!

-Sorry man, you aren't quite as cool as you'd like to be.

-...Idk if I've ever mentioned this, but like... this violin piece of background music, it's very Xenoblade-y. Like, it's got the vibe of something that'd play in Gormott. The score in general's very nice. I kinda miss all the steel drums and bright and sunny melodies from Tropical-Rouge, especially considering how damn hot it is around where I live rn, but this brings a pretty nice flavor. ...pun intended?

-Solomogu...? What kinda name is that.

-C'mon bitches, let's get our potato salad made!

-Ahhhhhh, memories.

-What kinda silly stuff we talkin', Your Princeliness?

-Kuropep?

-What the dog doin'?

-Ah, yep, her parents are out and about.

-Oh god, Pamu ate the everything.

-Bundoru, Bundoru?

-Narcistoru would absolutely be a Tumblr funnyman.

-Yeah, work on that, Secretoru. The phrase is catchy, but the

-Ranchi, ranchi~!

-...speaking of Ranchi, here we have Ranchi~! ...I thought of something else, but it had a very unfortunate origin, so now Ran-Ran is alternatively known as Ranchi.

-Hop step jump!

-Yuin, some things simply defy explanation.

-Kokoneechan's spreading the holy word of potato salad.

-My favorite TV show rn is this one tokusatsu program with a funny red mailman and his friends: a dog, a monkey, a bird, an oni, and Goku.

-My man's got a whole pizza!

-Treat yourself, king.

-No dance.

-Awww... that sucks.

-She's trying to make you feel better, don't correct her like that!

-Making a detour!

-A whole hot dog stand.

-Solomogu-san! He was with us all along!

-...hold on, is he not questioning the magical Fitbit his charge has? ...though then again, it does seem like the sort of thing she'd just have on standby, so.

-...come to think of it, can she access anything over then the Recipeppis and Curesta on that thing?

-Ah, never mind, Todoroki-san's very passionate about his hotdogs. Lots of really nicely rounded characters this season, goddamn.

-Aaah, free bowtie!

-Mmmm... lettuce...

-Yeah, that's a fuckin' hot dog right there.

-Pamu Pamu~!

-Giga Chad Behavior.

-Oh my god, Narcistoru's got heels.

-That motherfucker.

-He stole the Giga Chad Memory!

-Alright lassies, time for the ass-whoopin'! Smash that... fuckin'... coffee pot.

-These Ubau-zo designs are getting increasingly desperate.

-Oh, it do a succ.

-Hell yeah, Kokoneechan!

-Black Pepper Tuxedo Mask Man appears!

-Spiced out.

-Blue, spicy, and baked~! Just like that horrifying flavor of Takis!

-Well maybe if you didn't use your fuckin' coffee maker as a weapon.

-Ijit.

-Mmmm... that's some good dog.

-Ah, a plane!

-How nice!

-Bizza!

-What the dog doin'?

-That was nice :)

-Shit's like comfort food for me, man.

-Ahhhh, Ranchi. Focus for our good friend. ...she sad though, idk if I'm happy with that.

-I feel like I'm not being critical enough, but like... there's nothing I find really wrong with this show at all tbh. Uh...

-I guess maybe the plot about Takumi's feelings for Yui are kinda tacked on and will inevitably feel underdeveloped no matter what direction they take it in. Uh...

-Sometimes the humor's a bit too simple for my overdeveloped galaxy brain to find funny, the restaurant names are super generic to the point of being kinda distracting, and to my eternal disappointment none of the Cures hot moms or dads are single.

-There, I complained about things I don't like, now I have permission to enjoy this piece of media uncritically for the rest of my life. That's how this works, right? Anyways, can't wait until Saturday, when I put the whole series off until September of 3008, where they summon my spirit through a medium to ramble about a cartoon where a bunch of girls eat and subsequently fight and eat again like they're Einherjar in Valhalla.

-Ok bye

[kirbyfanclub]

tag people you want to catch up with/get to know better!

ty @treeborgs!! it’s been forever since i saw tag games going around i missed them 🥺

favorite color: ochre yellow my ABSOLUTE beloved. also very fond of blush and navy blue

last song: ……boy division my chemical romance </3

last movie: oh god ok i’m not really a movie person i THINK it was saint maud? very good love and peace to insane women. it also may have been solo. very bad. it was one of those two

last show: i’ve been speedrunning my way through always sunny right now and am thoroughly enjoying it. danny devito calling people whores can be so personal. after i’m done w this it’s back to clone wars (i stopped after the first season to watch nge oops)

sweet/savory/sour: savory always yumma yumma

craving: wendy’s number 4 combo chicken sandwich plain sans lettuce 🤤

tea/coffee: gonna be real w u, neither. but i’d rather have tea if i had to pick

currently working on: like 7 different breakdowns. and i am planning a 2-3 part comic rewrite of a scene from the last jedi which i swear to god i’m gonna finish someday

i want to get to know like ALL my mutuals better but i genuinely am so bad with urls so uhm. if we are mutuals i am psychically tagging u if u want to do it :)

[bigoltrashpile]

Y'know, I have this personal headcanon that HT!Sans has a pet tortoise. I like to think that he has a soft spot for tortoises and turtles because they're docile and sweet animals and I love the idea of him being so careful and gentle with it. Like I have this mental image of him taking his pet tortoise to a sunny, grassy spot that's quiet save for birdsong and the wind and they both relax together, nibbling on food and soaking up the sunshine. I dunno, I just think it's cute. :)

*Single tear* This....is pure.

I love the idea of HT Sans with a cute turtle that he carries around with him everywhere, making sure it's well fed and cared for. I don't know why, but the image of him happily watching his pet turtle sloooooowly eat a head of lettuce is the cutest thing in the world

[reeganvs35-blog]

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[electrasev5nwrites]

Bondman and the Princess 1/9

CHAPTER 1

YOR

October 29

Yor hummed to herself as she finished pinning up her hair. She blinked into the mirror. “You’re going to make a great breakfast,” she told her reflection authoritatively. The reflection looked unsure.

She smiled at herself to make the doubt go away and tripped out into the hallway. It was so quiet in the morning with Lloyd-san gone already! She flipped on the radio for some ambient noise and pulled out her favorite mug. There was plenty of hot water waiting in the heater. Lloyd was so thoughtful and organized like that. He always refilled it after pouring a cup. 

She made herself a cup of chamomile and breathed it in deeply. “Today is going to be a good day,” Yor decided. She put the cup down on the counter and went to wake up Anya.

“Anya-chan,” Yor sang out, fingers curled over the door frame.

There was no response from the huddle of blankets. 

She flipped the light on. “Anya-chan, it’s time to wake up!” A pause. Hmm. “Bondman,” Yor said quietly.

Anya sat up immediately in a cloud of frizzy pink hair and began looking around. “What?” She blinked and rubbed at her face.

“I’m about to make breakfast,” Yor explained cheerfully. She felt her eyes curve along with her smile. “What would you like? I’ll make it while you get ready!”

“Anya wants soft poached eggs and fresh bread again!” she declared. “With the herbs in the bread! And the cheese! And the cream soup in the blue bowl!”

…Lloyd usually made breakfast.

Yor’s smile faltered. “I can make eggs and toast!” Yor blinked rapidly. “Do you want your eggs scrambled? Sunny side up?” 

“Oh.” Anya’s shoulders fell. She gave Yor a look. “Well… Sunny eggs! And can I have a salad?”

‘I can do this! I can get Anya ready for school even without Lloyd’s help.’

“Of course!” Yor chirped. “Go wash your face.”

It was a little… lonely, though, with him out of the house so early. He had left before she got up at 6, on his way to meet someone who was delivering his old university textbooks. He was so studious and responsible! She didn’t own any of her old textbooks. 

Yor turned on the gas and set a cast iron pan on it with a clunk. She fished butter and eggs out of the fridge and put the bread in the toaster. She pulled the lever and grinned at the bread disappearing. Then she waited for the pan to get hot. After a while, she touched it experimentally. Not hot.

Oh! The burner wasn’t on. She fixed that, and then she put the butter in the cold pan because she was a little worried about time. She cracked two eggs in a bowl, checked for shell, and slid them next to the pat of butter. Then she went to set the table. By the time that was done, it was time to scrape the eggs off of the pan and put them on plates. She put the toast out, too and then remembered the salad. She opened the fridge and leaned down to investigate.

“I don’t know what these are,” she said quietly to herself. There was something purple and oblong. She didn’t trust it. She took out lettuce and found a tomato on the counter. That was a salad! She plated it all up and beamed. That was fast! Anya was still in the bathroom. She had enough time to wash Lloyd’s favorite cast iron pan, humming as she rubbed soapy bubbles over it with love. When the dishes were clean, Yor took her tea and sat down at her chair to wait.

Anya came trudging out with her hair half-brushed. She looked at the table. She looked depressed.

“Is something wrong?” Yor asked, concern swelling. She clasped her fingers together anxiously. “I can help you with your hair after you eat!”

“...Thank you,” Anya said. She climbed up onto her seat and then blinked. “Where’s Anya’s juice?”

Yor leapt up and nearly spilled her tea. “I’ll get it!”

After breakfast, she walked Anya to the bus stop. Then it was time to rush off to city hall for work. She made coffee and she fetched files. At 9:05, the main phone rang. 

‘A special assignment?’

No matter what happened, Yor was in the office at 9:05 every single day. That was when her boss would call her if there was an assassination.

She looked up at the sound, but it was Camilla’s job to answer the phone today. Yor was hyper aware as her coworker cheerfully greeted the caller, made acknowledging sounds, and then said, “Just one moment, please!”

Camilla made eye contact with Yor. Her smile was strained. “It’s for you, Yor-senpai,” she said sweetly. Everyone else turned to look at Yor as she crossed the office, thanked Camilla, and took the phone.

“Yes?”

“I have a job for you, this evening. Can you accept it?”

“Of course,” Yor said cheerfully. She wound the cord around her finger.

“Excellent. Goodbye,” her boss said, and hung up.

“Goodbye,” Yor said to the dial tone, and then hung the phone back up. She nodded at Camilla and went back to her desk.

No one asked her who it had been, and they all went back to work without any interesting gossip.

‘I can get the information drop during my lunch break,’ Yor decided. ‘But… I won’t be able to get Anya from school! I need to call Lloyd-san. Can I do them both during lunch? I have to.’

When noon came, she shrugged on her coat and went to the phone booth nearby. Yor stuck her tongue out in concentration as she fished out the paper with Lloyd’s new office number on it. 

A clear female voice answered on the second ring. “Good afternoon, Forger Mental Health Clinic, how may I help you?”

Yor cleared her throat. “Ah, Ilina-san, right?” She tapped the side of her purse. “It’s Yor, Yor Forger. Is Lloyd there?”

“Just one moment, Mrs. Forger. I’ll get him on the line.” There was a click. 

After a few seconds, Lloyd picked up. “Hello, Yor,” he greeted. The sound of his voice relaxed her. Yor slumped a little and toyed with the telephone cord around her fingers. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, it’s fine,” she reassured. There was a big black bird on the sidewalk. She watched it hop between pedestrians. “I have to work late today. Do you think you could be home for Anya?”

He let out a surprised “Oh.” Only a moment passed before his voice shifted to reassuring and dropped a few notes. “Of course, Yor-san. You won’t work too hard, right?”

She beamed at how thoughtful he was. “I won’t,” she confirmed. “But I need to go, I have one more errand to do during lunchtime.”

“Oh, you are busy. I won’t keep you. Have a good day.” The sound of his voice was like a hug. She reveled in it as she left the phone booth to retrieve the information drop.

Yor read the file at her desk, eating onigiri with the other hand. The target was a male, 76 years old. He was a retired politician who had opposed the wall that separated them from the dissidents in Westalis. And he had been passing information to former co-workers. 

She frowned. 

'That's worse than if he was selling it. He's such a traitor he wants us to fail and he doesn't even care to profit.'

Yor felt anger burning in her stomach. She pushed it down and plastered on a smile for her office. She was going to make it right. She put her head down and tapped on her typewriter until it was time to leave. She picked up her purse and then went back to the apartment to change into her other work outfit. She put a coat on over it and then selected her favorite weapons. The three-tipped blades went under her sleeves. Yor hummed as she picked back up her purse and went out the door again, quietly locking it.

She took a train. Then she walked to another train station and went the other way for a few stations. She got out and walked around at a businesslike clip, smiling beautifically at other pedestrians. No one made eye contact with her. She made her way several kilometers to a residential neighborhood with wide lawns and the occasional fountain. She started humming again as she went up the correct sidewalk. The door was locked. She put all her might into her arm and forced it open.

Metal fell to the ground as she quietly walked in. She closed the door behind her. Yor scanned the area, face tilted to look at the upper level. “Wow,” she marveled quietly. “It’s very pretty.” She shed her coat and laid it on the banister on her way upstairs. She peered in doors as she went. Empty, empty, empty- ah. She beamed at the old man. He was seated in a burnt orange chair, reading a book. A glass of amber alcohol was on the side table at his left elbow.

“Good evening,” Yor called.

The man jumped and stood to face her, surprisingly spry for his age. The book hit the floor with a soft thud. 

She tilted her face again, comparing his face to the photo. Yes. It was the same man. “What are you doing here?” her target demanded. His face went red in anger. He gave her outfit a disbelieving look, eyes lingering on her low cut neckline. “Who are you- did my degenerate son invite a whore?” 

“I’m sorry to intrude,” Yor said apologetically. She let her hands come out from behind her back, showing her blades. “I’m here to kill you.”

His face went white. He stumbled back. “What- no, please don’t!” He hit the chair behind him and accidentally sat down in it. He struggled to get up and hide behind it. She just watched. “I have money!” he cried out desperately.

“I’ll get paid for working,” Yor pointed out cheerfully. And then she let her face go hard. “And I can’t let a traitor live.”

“A traitor,” he breathed. His expression turned to a sneer, and his chin went up. “Kill me, then,” he spat.

“Okay,” Yor said. She took a step forward.

“I’ll haunt you!” he screamed at her, spit flying. His wrinkled hands curled into fists that wouldn’t protect him. “You bitch, I’ll come back and I’ll-” He choked wetly as her three blades went into his throat. His hands came up. She forced the blade to the side, batting his hand away.

He hit his knees. He fell to his side, hands twitching around his ruined throat. 

“Thank you for your time,” Yor said politely. She gave him a little bow. “I’ll be on my way, then.”

Hmm. It was very easy. No bodyguards, no witnesses. She wiped her blades on his clothes, headed back downstairs, and put her coat back on the way out. She left through the front door.

[teemates-blog]

Forty Percent Off! Besides golf, this course has more to offer. I am all about the food!

The pleasure of playing golf not only lies in the swinging of clubs, but also greatly lies in the conquering of a golf course.

The golf course we introduced today is named Wente Vineyards Golf Course in California, U.S.A.

Livermore Valley, an area well-known for its wine industry, is one of California’s oldest wine regions. The founder, Robert Livermore, planted the first commercial vines in 1840s, followed by C. H. Wente and James Concannon, who planted the grapes and founded their wineries in 1880s, which became and still are famous wineries today. In California , 80% of Chardonnays are from here.

Livermore is about one hour east of San Francisco. It gives you the pleasure of entering a secret garden. Visiting wine country is nothing much special, but in Livermore, a wine country of privacy, it is such a great pleasure to play golf with a couple of old friends, and enjoy the picturesque view of grape vines budding to fruit under the changing of four seasons.

Designed by golfing great Greg Norman, the 18-hole championship course is a picturesque 7,181-yard, par-72, upscale, daily-fee golf course. With three distinct topographies, native woodlands, mature vineyards and rolling hills of natural grasslands, Wente Golf Course gives you extraordinary visual enjoyment that can match Peder Mork Monsted, the Danish realist painter offered in his landscape paintings.

The interesting part is, besides the picturesque course, it is the food here that attracts golfers come here over and over.  

I tasted the best burger I ever here in The Grill, a restaurant in Wente. One sunny - side up egg on top of crisp and refreshing tomato slices, with tempting CAB beef covered with fresh lettuce. Bon ape-tit! Hole in one！1883 burger, a burger that makes you hungry even you just had it.

Surprisingly,most of the good the comments on yelp from golfers mentioned about the delicious food here. For more delicacies, it’s worth coming here and find out yourself.

Of course, Wente never fails its fame for wines. With 135 years of wine making history, Wente had cultivated five generations of wine makers. The well-chosen  viticulture areas, Arroyo Seco and Monterey, have optimal water, good drainage and cool climates and are best for growing of grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noirs and Riesling.

The extraction of every drip in wine making is like writing a poem where numbers of stories lie behind words and lines, just like the sweetness in a sip.

Wente offers speical tasting room for members who love wine culture. After the end of one golf game, you can take a cup of fine wine, taste it in peace, and enjoy a moment of your own. THE NTH DEGREE is recommended as the best choice for wine lovers.

Different wines have different stories, like in golf game different holes offer their unique views .

Life is like going to a new golf course. You never know. When you thought this hole is the most beautiful one, the one next could be even more beautiful.

There are views and food, and of course also a surprise.

Forty percent off, a discount in Wente golf course that even the most frequent customer might not know.

  Regular price:

 For non-members

Mon.-Thur. 69$-119$ (price varies upon time selected)

Fri.-Sun. 79$-149$ (price varies upon time selected)

 ★★★★★

For now

 $599.00 for 10 ROUNDS, WEEKDAY, M-TH  (59$ for one round）

 $600.00 for 5 ROUNDS, ANYTIME(weekends included) (120$ for one round）

The discount packages are offered til 30th Dec., 2018, and one year valid from the purchasing date. The package can only be used under the name of member who purchased and may not be used for other people..

[ediblegardenspointloma]

In My San Diego Garden and Kitchen

We recently returned from three weeks in England and Wales visiting historic sites, gardens, cathedrals and London. We extended our time after the Rick Steves tour to visit Christopher Lloyd’s Great Dixter and the gardens of Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst, both south of London. It was memorable and my husband and I chat about our experiences every day. (The Purple Garden at Sissinghurst below).

My vegetable and flower gardens are not really set up for three week vacations, though we do have watering systems for all but the veggies. My usual garden tender was away as well so three friends each took a week and kept the vegetable garden going while enjoying beets, onions, lettuce and carrots.

Today’s post will be a compilation of some harvests just before we left in early May on through this past week. Potatoes, rhubarb and beets will garner a separate blog post. The carrots in the thumbnail are mostly Bolero pelleted seed from San Diego Seed Company. I always grow Bolero but this was my first time with pelleted seed. It was easy, with good germination and the harvest was bountiful..

Before we left on vacation I pulled out all the Black Magic kale as it neared the end and aphids showed up. I gave a mountain of it away to friends but longed for one last kale salad before season’s end. I selected a small bunch and stowed it in an extra large Zip-loc bag as an experiment. Friends tell me my kale keeps well in the fridge for extended periods. Almost four weeks after harvest my garden kale was still in very good condition and I made my favorite Apple and Kale Salad.

I cut the last of the Rosaine lettuces which persisted through May without bolting. It’s a new favorite from Territorial Seed Co.

As the cool season veggies finish, the zucchini begins.

Sunny days are rare now in our May Gray and June Gloom. Sometimes it just feels dank and cold with the overcast. That prompted a minestrone soup with green beans and bell peppers from the freezer, garden carrots and a zucchini. I made a cauldron of it and shared some with three friends.

Alpine strawberries and blueberries are a regular treat on waffles, cereal and in salads. Soon the apricots will be ready. Apples and rhubarb await me.

I’ll close with garden views from the Tower at Sissinghurst.

Check the What I’m Planting Now page as I plant the summer garden. Then head today to Harvest Monday, hosted by Dave at Happy Acres blog and see what garden bloggers around the world harvested last week.

To leave a comment, click on “Leave a comment/Show comments,” enter the comment, then insert your name. Finally, click on “Comment as Guest” to post comment.

[devilslcg]

Seun hated lying, especially to Sanji… But how else was she to cover up all the extra time she’d spent in the kitchen? Keeping the blonde running around, planning for a fake ‘benefit’, did wonders when it came to giving her some privacy. The last thing she needed was for him to see any of it before it was ready!

The last step had been to send him down to the market, where Sparrow would stall him for a few hours. He needed to get them tomatoes, cucumbers, and a couple heads of lettuce and red cabbage, all of which the former sailor would suddenly be fresh out of. Instead, he’d keep him there for a 'chat’, all of which amounted to just random, idle chatter.

In the meantime, it let Seun finish setting everything up, and by the time he returned, the inn was oddly quiet. Only when he reached the dining room did the lights suddenly flick on, Seun standing beside an elaborate geode cake with a broad smile, the inn’s owner and her assisstant nearby. If he thought she was missing his birthday, he was sorely mistaken!

Tugging on the skirt of her best sunny yellow, dressy-type dress, she stepped forward, suddenly a bit sheepish. “There is no benefit, love- All this is for you. To celebrate the birth of a man who made my life so much more than complete.”

Picking up a small box, she pressed it into his palm, rocking onto her toes to 'steal’ a soft, sweet kiss. “I love you - Happy birthday, San. let’s make the most of it while we can, kay?” Starting with the gift in his palm, containing a small golden pin of a phoenix, wings outstretched and spreading flames - flames that always reminded her of him.

“I love you, more than anything. And today, I’m thanking the world for giving us you - The kindest, sweetest cook I’ve ever met.”

Her dream come true.

Happy Birthday Sanji~

❤; @fireballofinsanity

“Freakin’ wasting my time. . . Should’a told that geezer to shut it sooner.” No offense meant, Sparrow, but Sanji was in no mood for small talk. On a normal day, he would have stopped and talked to the man for hours, but he lacked the patience to do so today. There were too many things that needed to be done and so little time to do them in, and it was beginning to grate on his nerves that he was slacking. All he wanted to do was make Seun proud and show her that he could handle the responsibilities given to him, but nearly three hours of nonsensical small talk had finally driven him up the wall — not to mention he would be returning to the inn empty handed.

All that Sparrow had given him was a knowing smile, a hearty clap on the shoulder and a warning not to stay up too late. Sanji had asked him what he meant, but didn’t waste time in waiting for an answer. He needed to get back and reluctantly inform Seun that he had failed, but his heart wasn’t ready to accept that she would be disappointed in him.

Growing thoroughly dejected along the way, the cook slumped through the door. He was met with darkness save for where the light from outside cut a glowing rectangle across the floor, eyes adjusting just in time for the lights to brighten. Blinded, Sanji squinted and shield his vision from the flare of light and warmth.

“Wh. . .?” He mumbled his confusion, gaze traveling from the beautiful cake on the table to the woman he loved with all of his heart. “My birth? Oh, right.”

So much had happened in so little time that he didn’t know what to do with himself. She had kissed him, handed him his gift and told him all manner of sweet thing, yet he stood there looking dumbfounded.

“You seriously did all of this for me?” His shoulders slumped, not with shame, but contentedness. She was entirely too good to him, but he had already figure that out the moment she knocked him flat with her frying pan. Loving her had started off painful and confusing, but he couldn’t be happier with where they were now, except that he fully intended on marrying her someday.

Leaning in, he captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss before pulling away and smiling. “Thank you, darling.”

One more kiss was snatched before he pulled open the lid of the box she had given him, rough fingers gingerly lifting the pin from its place at the bottom. The pieces was breath-taking as it was, but shifting it in his palm and letting the light dance off its smooth surface made the flames look alive. Phoenixes had never had any real significance with him, but he had a feeling that would change.

It took him a moment, but he managed to attach the pin to the lapel of his suit, the empty box sliding into his pocket for now. Hands unoccupied, he grabbed hers and dragged her over to the cake where he sucked in his breath. From far away, it was hard to see the excess details she had put into it. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have thought she carved it out of an actual geode.

“I love it. . . I love you.” Turning, he embraced the brunette and claimed her lips in yet another kiss —  only this one was much deeper and touched with a hint of need. When he pulled away, it was with a small growl and a nip to her lower lip. “I should thank you properly for this.”

[bulbsanta06-blog]

Eating BIG in Montreal

Eating like a local: Regional food specialties

- Exploring French-Canada (MTL edition)

We decided to take a trip for our second anniversary. My wife had the time available from work and I'm currently part timing so why not we figured? If it's one rule I try to live by it's the live for now mentality. At least while it's just us anyway. Why Montreal? Well we paired it with Quebec City but in truth it was Montreal that I really wanted to get to. It's a spot I'd been to about a decade ago but that was before I did stuff like this. So we did the typical stuff that 20 somethings do when traveling there. I think I ate poutine at the casino. Ha. So this trip would be much different. As always I had my eyes on Montreal for the food first and foremost. That paired with the facts it's only a two hour flight and early November was off season made it an easy choice. We wanted something similar to Europe.

Sights from Montreal

What's so similar to Europe? Well to start French is still the main language in the Quebec region of Canada. This alone makes you feel like you're somewhere overseas. Maybe not as much so as Quebec City but Montreal has some wonderful historic neighborhoods with cobblestone streets and such. I cant quite pinpoint what it is but I really did love Montreal after this second trip I took. We got lucky in that it was warmer there then it was in Chicago so we had basically 50 degree weather that was mostly sunny. I really want to go back during the summer bc like Chicago I imagine it's electric.

More Sights from Montreal

I always have these large google maps that I make of all the spots I want to try. I was surprised by how many were on my Montreal list. It's a big city and it seemed like my type of spots just kept popping up. Of course it was impossible to get to tall of them which is partially why I think Montreal is the type of city that warrants multiple visits. If you like strolling around town and walking through different neighborhoods than this is a good place to take a vacation. The public transit system was very much reliable and really easy to use. Clean too. Shouts out to the Hotel William Gray which is a very nice place to stay if you like the new school hip and modern hotels that take good care of you.

More Sights from Montreal

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 Beauty's Luncheonette

Montreal is home to a ton of iconic eateries. Some of them have been on my hit list for quite some time. Beauty's Luncheonette was one of them. Opened in 1942 by a son of two Russian-Jewish immigrants it's been a staple of the community ever since. Locals come for both the food and chit chat based on what I saw on our visit. I chose this as our first stop bc we got in early and the most ordered menu item at Beauty's is the Beauty's Special. It's a toasted Montreal bagel with lox, cream cheese, red onion, and tomato. A classic that I can always enjoy. Even if the bagel is toasted. Other popular menu items are the blintzes, challah French toast, and the smoked salmon with eggs. It just started to get packed as the kids of the founder were hosting some sort of get together for what seemed like friends and relatives. Go early or on a weekday if you can bc I noticed a line on the wkd. 

The Beauty Special at Beauty's Luncheonette

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 Pâtisserie Au Kouign Amann

Any time a city's direct comparison is France you better stop and see what's up with the pastries. Pâtisserie Au Kouign Amann is said to be one of the best spots in town. We stopped in for both a croissant and also a bite of the namesake. Not bad at all. Maybe not Paris level or should I say San Francisco which is where I fell in love with the super buttery and flaky Kouign Amann pastry.

Kouign Amann at Pâtisserie Au Kouign Amann

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 Larry's

Larry is short for Lawrence which is a popular Montreal dinner spot. Helmed by a British ex pat who also runs a head to tail butcher it was one of  many spots on my radar. I didn't get into the Restaurant Lawrence on this trip but we did get to enjoy some natural wines at his all day bar Larry's. If it's too early for drinks you can get coffee here and the menu is reflective of all three popular meals in the day. It's the rare chef driven all day spot that every city deserves. We got the chicken liver over toast from the section of toasts on offer and it was wonderful. Some of the best chicken liver pate I've tried.

Chicken Liver Toast at Larry's

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 Wilensky's Light Lunch

Seeing as how we were a short walk from the #1 spot on my hit list I made it happen early. It too is an iconic stop on Montreal's sensational sandwich trail. Wilensky's was opened in 1932 by a Russian Jew who made Montreal his home. There is no grill, or fryers. No plates or silverware either. That’s bc they basically serve one thing which is the famous Wilensky sandwich made with five slices of beef salami, one slice of bologna, mustard, and your choice of cheese (Swiss or cheddar). It’s pressed until the cheese melts and then served on a napkin. Don’t even think about asking for it sliced or served without mustard bc they have never catered to those requests. Don't forget to try a homemade soda and either some sweet or sour pickles. My cherry cola was made right before my eyes.

Sandwich, Pickles, Drink at Wilensky's Light Lunch

Having been visited by the likes of Anthony Bourdain, David Chang, and just about every travel publication out there it's a popular spot for both locals and tourists. I loved sitting at the counter and I loved the sandwich even more. I ended up going back for one on the last day as it was right there. I don't have a Hall of Fame of spots I've visited over years. But if I did Wilensky's is a first ballot entry.

The Wilensky Special

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 Agrikol

Montreal has that French connection which means there's also a Haitian connection. There's plenty of French speaking Haitians around town from what I saw. Agrikol is a hip rum bar where Haitian flavors star in the food. It took us straight to South Beach with it's presentation and vibes. That said I've never quite liked a place in SoBe the way I did Agrikol. Both the food and drink were killer. Specifically the food. I've had my fair share of Haitian down in Palm Beach County and Griot is one of the most popular menu items. The fried pork is one of the cuisines signature dishes and Agrikol gives it a wonderful fresh fry resulting in a piece of pork as juicy as the freshest fried chicken. What takes it over the top is both the wonderful citrus flavors and also the pikliz. The latter of which is a diced up pickled cabbage loaded with sneaky heat. Haitians put this on everything so it's at each table like BBQ sauce is at a smokehouse. Whatever you order make sure you turn it up to 10 with pikliz.

Griot at Agrikol

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 Au Pied De Cochon

You know the drill. When most people look into where they should dine while in Montreal there's two spots that always pop up. Au Pied De Cochon is one of them. Run by the famous Martin Picard it's one of Montreal's OG new age fine dining restaurants. New age meaning all the rules from the fine dining of your youth are kicked to the curb in favor of rustic French-Canadian cooking with lot's of fireworks involved. As in an entire section of the menu dedicated to different preps of foie gras.

 Foie Gras Nigiri

I forget where I saw the Nigiri but it was on one of the shows as these guys are a popular visit from food and travel people. I believe they were on Bourdain's show a couple times. The foie gras nigiri was as good as advertised. I could eat that stuff all day. No surprise to find foie gras and rice going so well together as it's not the first time I've tried the two paired together. After what was an almost unbearable wait we received our entree. Honestly every single restaurant had anywhere from good to great service with this spot being the exception. Our waiter was hardly friendly which is fine as long as I don't have to wait close to an hour for my food. I think it might've been sitting at the station for a good 15 minutes while the waiter chatted wines with another table. Oh well I rarely care about service. I would still go back but after all the great hospitality before this it was a letdown here. The Tajine Pork was extra fragrant and quite delicious but also rather one dimensional with cumin being the dominant spice. I liked it but I didn't want to eat it all night. Good thing we got a single portion.

Curry Pork Tajine at Au Pied De Cochon

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Cosmos Snack

If you couldn't tell by now Montreal has a ton of locals favorite type spots. Places that have been around as long as many of Montreal's people. Located in a pretty residential area is this iconic diner. So beloved that there was a documentary made on Cosmos and it's founder. Tony Koulakis opened his diminutive diner in 1967 after emigrating to Canada from Crete. It quickly became a local landmark known for it's greasy spoon breakfasts and the friendly owner who served them. The documentary titled 'Man of Grease' lives on but unfortunately Tony does not. He was tragically killed by his son back in 2013. His picture still sits overlooking the small counter that seats maybe six.

a peek inside

In spite of his tragic death Tony left behind a legacy in both his diner and it's food. One of the most popular menu items is the famous creation sandwich. It's made with bacon, salami, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on toasted challah. I watched from the counter as the lady whipped up three of these as everyone in there was eating them. Upon my first bite it was easy to understand why it was such a popular way for Habs to start their day. It's a damn fine sandwich. Shit I should've got two.

The Creation Sandwich at Cosmos Snack

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 Momesso Restaurant

Continuing along on my little self guided sandwich crawl was another must stop spot on my hit list. I was feeling the Italian sausage subs served at this extremely popular sandwich shop in a pretty Italian heavy area. I visited right around Noon and it got hopping real quick. I think I read that they've been in the area since the 70's. A bunch of Canadiens memorabilia on the walls as well as TV's and drafts of cheap beer gave Momesso the feel of a sports bar. The menu has hot sandwich offerings with the Italian being the first one listed. For good reason. It's their most popular. They take a seasoned Italian sausage patty and fry it up on a flattop before putting it in a bun and topping it with tomatoes, onion, cabbage, oil. Cups of homemade pepper relish come served on side at each table. Delicioso!

Italian Sausage Sandwich at Momesso Restaurant

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 Gibeau Orange Julep

So I had a lot of must stops on my lists and this next one was another. I've wanted to check this place out for a long, long time. Partly do to the food but also bc of the building itself. As you can see in the pic above the Gibeau Orange Julep is housed in a big orange orbit. It's impossible to miss if you're driving past. It opened in 1932 and over time has become a roadside attraction for both the building and the famous orange julep drink. For those familiar with an Orange Julius drink this is pretty much the same thing. They also serve burgers and hot dogs. I was tempted to try a hot dog or maybe a burger but those were coming soon so I held off. But I really liked the creamy orange drink.

Gibeau Orange Julep

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 Snowdon Deli

For those that may have been wondering there was no trip to Schwartz's. What gives? Well first is the fact I went there on my trip a decade or so ago. The other is the long lines and locals talk of it being overrated. They're not the only smoked meat sandwich game in town. The smoked meat sandwich being the most crucial of Montreal's regional foods. The bagels may be the most celebrated but those in the know understand how special the smoked meat sandwich is. Like the bagels the smoked meat sandwich is a product of the city's Jewish community. It's made using a Kosher brisket that's been salted and cured with different spices before being smoked and sliced for sandwich meat. Snowdon Deli is said to serve one of the best in the city and I'll be damned if it isn't bc it was f'ing spectacular. The meats tenderness reminded me of the best brisket I've ate in Texas. Notice they don't slice it too thin? That's bc it's hand sliced. Pictured is a "medium" in terms of fattiness. IT. WAS. PERFECT.

Smoked Meat Sandwich at Snowdon Deli

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Bar Henrietta

As always my wife was on the cocktails and Bar Henrietta was near the top of her list. It was on mine too but more so for the food. As you can read in the neon pictured above this is a trendy Portuguese style tavern. Montreal has a really nice sized Portuguese community and Bar Henrietta is an ode to some of the older taverns found around town. Aside from the drinks they also do a small bar menu of Portuguese inspired bites. We loved all three of the plates we tried to the point where I really thought about coming back. The chicken liver pate was decadent. The roasted octopus with fried sliced potatoes was perfect. We also tried the Bifana sandwich which is one of a handful of popular Portuguese sandwiches. Made with thinly sliced marinated pork and cheese that's pressed in a Portuguese roll and served with sides of mustard and cornichons. So good. Pretty similar to a Cuban.

Portuguese Bar Snacks at Bar Henrietta

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Joe Beef

Many of you already know about Joe Beef. Perhaps the most famous restaurant in Canada. The Kings of restaurant gluttony have built themselves quite an empire. Aside from their original project they have another spot next door as well as a natural wine bar and an upscale luncheonette. Joe Beef being the spot that gave them the ability to do all the others. So as you can imagine people book reservations here well in advance. There were no spots left by the time we knew we were going to Montreal however there is a way to enhance your chances of getting to go. So long as you're willing to find out if so on the day of the meal. There's a Canadian dining app called DINR that you can download for free. Once on your phone you can open it and select your city where you'll be brought to a page with a bunch of popular restaurants around town that have last minute reservations available. From what I could tell Joe Beef has spots on the app every day. We got in easily. After taking a seat at the bar (I prefer sitting there) we were greeted by some enthusiastic locals. Five star hospitality. 

 Quail Stuffed with Sausage in a dill infused broth

The bartenders / waiters were full of life and obviously enjoyed their job. As was the case with just about every place we ate, they were all about the fact we were from Chicago. I swear every bartender and or waiter we had in both Montreal and Quebec City has either been to Chicago or was going and they were all visiting for the food and drink. So them knowing we were from Chicago I think made them bring their A game as they all had nothing but wonderful things to say about our city. All of which I could shoot back at the Quebec region and it's people as the service was stellar just about everywhere. Food wise we weren't let down either. Pictured above was a sausage stuffed quail in a sip it dry dill infused broth. The menu changes daily but you'll never have trouble finding something good.

 Lobster Spaghetti at Joe Beef

One thing you will most always find on the menu is the lobster spaghetti. It's pretty much their signature dish. Not much selling needed by our waiter for this one. The picture doesn't do justice the fact that there's an entire lobster on that plate. It's a dish that pretty much anyone who likes shellfish would love. I like shellfish and so does she. Thus we loved it. At first I couldn't decide between a steak and a beef cheek but in the end it was actually pretty easy. When you see slow braised meats on the menu at Joe Beef you'd be well off to make them your dinner. French-Canadian cooking is all about comforting yourself up on a cold winter night. But it doesn't need to be cold for it to be good.

Slow Braised Beef Cheek at Joe Beef

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Montreal's Bar Scene 

As always we popped around to a handful of the hot local drinking spots. I'd give Montreal's cocktail scene a B+ as it was better than many spots I've been to but not quite on the level of some of the worlds best. We enjoyed drinks at a Vietnamese inspired bar called Nhau. The food is also supposed to be good but we stopped there before reservations elsewhere. Perhaps the best cocktail I've had in some time came from a backdoor spot called Cold Room. It was called the Ube-Macapuno and it was made with rum, purple yam ananas, suze liquor, dry curacao, Bols yogurt, pineapple, and mint. It had an amazing taste that I've never quite experienced. I imagine this is what the cocktails are like in Tokyo. That said the service was SLOOOOOW so be prepared to wait and maybe even order two.

Cocktail at Cold Room

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The Greenspot

One of my favorite things about Montreal's food scene is all of the local fast food spots. They call them Casse Croutes but they can also be diners. The latter of which is what Greenspot is. The diner has been around for more than 70 years. Just like in the States these spots tend to be owned by Greek and or Albanian immigrants. Greenspot felt alot like many of the old school diners in Rust Belt cities such as Cleveland and Detroit. They became popular for their hot dogs which are huge in Montreal. Equally big if not bigger is poutine. Greenspot was said to have a good one so I made it breakfast one day. Though they have something like 27 different poutine options you can't beat the classic. Thick fresh cut fries are topped with a deeply beef flavored brown gravy and fresh squeaky cheese curds. I've always liked poutine even though it's something I don't eat often. Greenspot's was the best I've ever had. This place was a perfect ex. of a greasy spoon diner. I wish I could be a regular.

Poutine at Greenspot

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 Ma Poule Mouille

When it comes to regional treats Montreal has more than their fair share. Portuguese grilled chicken is another one of them. Peri Peri Chicken shops such as Ma Poule Mouille are beloved for their charcoal grilled chicken dripping in spicy peri peri sauce. It's just one of many dishes the Portuguese adapted into their own as peri-peri is originally an African snack. Mozambique to be exact.

Charcoal Grilled Chicken

Ma Poule Mouille isn't the oldest of the bunch but it gets mentioned often as the best in the city. Same goes for their poutine which they add slices of Spanish chorizo into. I wanted to try the poutine but had plans for another stop so we got a half grilled chicken which comes with salad and fresh cut fries. Everyone loves a good plate of charcoal kissed chicken so it's no surprise this place stays packed. In a city where you can easily spend $20+ on lunch this is a great option for the locals.

Peri Peri Chicken at Ma Poule Mouille

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 Pataterie Chez Philippe

Next stop up was on my list for a Michigan. What's that you ask? It's basically what they call a chili dog in Montreal. What's the reason? I cant promise you it's 100% accurate but I do know that they also call them "Michigan's" in upstate New York which isn't far from Montreal. So that's the most likely reason but why do they call them that in NY? My guess would be bc the people in New York named them after the Coney Dogs of Michigan. Detroit to be exact. Pataterie Chez Phillipe is a longtime Montreal casse croute that the locals love for both hot dogs and burgers. I hear the fries are great and the poutine is too by extension but I couldn't do all three. So I rolled with one Michigan and a cheeseburger with everything. The burger had some unexpected fantastic crispy laced edges and was really well made for something like $4. They grind the beef in house. The hot dog was a standard skinless frank from the popular local supplier but the sauce was pretty popping. Great little stop.

"Michigan" Hot Dog and Cheeseburger at Pataterie Chez Phillipe

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Cadet

After five straight days of hearty meat-centric French-Canadian fare we wanted some seafood. This newish small plate and natural wine spot popped up the night of this need. In a true testament to Montreal's dining depth it was one of the best meals of the trip, and it wasn't even on my radar. For starters we had a fantastic plate of octopus with fried chickpeas and eggplant. We got our seafood in the form of a whole fried sea bass with baby bok choy sitting over ginger noodles. I loved this dish and it's light Asian flavors. Also so as to not suffer meat withdrawal we got a plate of pork belly with chicharron, apricot, and barley. Normally I prefer the belly crisped up but this was insanely tender. The natural wine recs by our waiter were really good as well. Cadet is a spot I'd return to for more.

Dinner at Cadet

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 Montreal Pool Room

As I mentioned earlier Montreal'ers love their hot dogs. Or Steamés as they call them. Montreal Pool Room is one of 100's of hot dogs stands in the city but it's also one of the oldest. They've been in business since 1912 and thus have pretty much always been there for locals in need of a late night hot dog fix. Maybe they used to have pool tables, I don't know, but these days I know they don't. Now they may not compare to a perfectly made hot dog in Chicago but I still found a spot in my heart for steamés. Everything on these is diced cabbage, onions, and mustard. Most folks get at least two. 

Steamés at Montreal Pool Hall

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Fameux Gyros Elatos

One of the things I noticed in my research was Montreal's love for souvkali. The Greek grilled pork skewers are found all over town. Many spots specializing in them. Every Habs fan has a souvlaki spot. I scouted this old school looking spot in a Greek dominant neighborhood and made my way over on the last day. Elatos is a compact family run Greek counter. It had the feel of a diner. I think it was father, daughter, and son running the place. I originally came here for the souvlaki but when I arrived I was greeted by a huge cone of fresh layered gyro meat. Thus my decision to get a combo plate was an easy one. Both the souvlaki and the gyro rocked. Would've liked a bit less sauce on the gyro so I could really taste the meat straight up but it was still super satisfying. Another good one.

Gyro Sandwich at Souvlaki at Fameux Gyros Elatos

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Lester's Deli 

The other smoked meat sandwich that I wanted to check out comes from Lester's Deli. This old school spot has been a part of the heavy Jewish neighborhood since 1951. You can feel the nostalgia upon walking inside. I was tempted by the smoked meat breakfast plate but a sandwich is hard to beat. The typical way to eat a smoked meat is just mustard though some folks get cheese. This was yet another killer sandwich to be found in Montreal. Just fantastic. They have a spot at the airport too.

Smoked Meat Sandwich at Lester's Deli 

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St. Viateur Bagel Shop

You knew this one was coming. Reason I waited until the last day to stop here was I wanted to bring the bagels home. I arrived to a pretty tame shop but within three minutes the place was packed. St. Viateur has been making their wood fired Montreal bagels since 1957. There's an argument to be made that it's the number one attraction in the city. Just realize that they only sell bagels. I think they have a fridge with cream cheese and such but you'll have to make your bagel sandwiches on your own. Montreal bagels are a bit sweeter than their NY counterparts. I'm not a hardcore bagel guy so I cant comment on which style is better. I can just share my thought on these which is pretty good! Like so many other famous food stops St. Viateur has a dueling competitor in the nearby Fairmont Bagel. I stopped there after going into St. Viateur but there was a huge line and I had to go pack. 

Bagels at St. Viateur Bagel Shop

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Montreal's Chinatown 

After packing up we had an hour or so to chill. So I walked over to the Chinatown area which we had only Ubered through earlier. With it being the weekend there were quite a few people out and about eating noodles, dumplings, and such. I ended up stopping at a spot called Qinghua which specialized in dumplings. Actually I was surprised by how many specialty dumpling shops Montreal has. This one wasn't at the top of my list as reviews were mixed. But the spots I wanted to try weren't in Chinatown so this was my fallback. Not bad but I felt what others were saying in that there's better.

Dumplings at Qinghua Dumplings

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Note: To find the locations of all the spots featured in this post, as well as places I didn't make it to, please click HERE for my google maps guide to Montreal. Stay tuned for Quebec City.

Source: http://chibbqking.blogspot.com/2018/12/eating-big-in-montreal.html

[phooll123]

Miracle drug or the devil's lettuce?

The seedy reputation of weed is changing - quickly.

First of all, the correct name is cannabis, and 29 states and the District of Columbia have laws that legalize it in broad ways (and 17 others in very limited ways). Two major TV producers and an Oscar winner made a sunny sitcom about it. Legal U.S. sales are expected to top $11 billion this year, according to industry tracker BDS Analytics. And big names among both Republicans and Democrats favor rolling back federal regulations against it.

But the science lags behind the movement, largely because studying cannabis is so difficult. Truth is, there's a lot science doesn't know.

1. Many states allow medical marijuana. What can it do?

A. Manage pain.

B. Reduce nausea.

C. Reduce some type of seizures and muscle spasms.

D. All of the above.

D. All of the above.

Cannabis has been used medicinally for thousands of years to treat conditions such as pain, inflammation and depression. It was a surgical anesthetic (!) in ancient China, and it was used to ease diarrhea during the 19th century cholera epidemic to prevent dehydration.

But as modern medicine changed from plants to powders and pills, cannabis fell out of favor. The first U.S. federal law against it was a tax act in 1937, and it was criminalized in 1952. Because the federal government still considers it illegal with "no currently accepted medical use," researchers who want to study it have to jump through all sorts of regulatory hoops. That means we don't have a lot of the high-quality evidence, obtained in clinical trials, that we expect with most medicines.

A huge problem, researchers say, is that the only U.S.-grown cannabis that scientists can use in clinical trials comes from the government's pot farm at the University of Mississippi. It has little variety and isn't representative of what commercial growers are selling.

Still, more and more research is being done. A 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine documented "conclusive or substantial evidence" that cannabis can help reduce pain, nausea and muscle spasticity related to certain diseases. Additional strong evidence indicates that cannabis products may be useful for other physical and psychological conditions as well, such as seizures in children, loss of appetite, sleep problems, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Cannabis is most likely safer than alcohol for recreational users, and it may reduce opioid use.

It can have adverse side effects, too, especially for heavy smokers, including respiratory problems, memory impairment and an increased likelihood of abusing another drug.

2. What's the difference between medical cannabis and recreational cannabis?

A. The medical version requires a doctor's prescription.

B. The recreational version requires a budtender's prescription.

C. The medical version is more tightly regulated.

D. There is no difference. Correct answer: D. There is no difference. The smokable dried plant material and its many other forms (liquid, concentrate, edible, etc.), are not approved or tested by the Food and Drug Administration and can only be "recommended" by a doctor, not legally prescribed. It varies by grower, of course, but it is the same product available in smoke shops where the sale of recreational cannabis is legal. Unlike, say, an antibiotic you get with a prescription, there is no way to know the chemical composition of what you are getting or how much you should take. That leaves consumers with only the guidance of their dispensary's budtender. Only two cannabis-related products can be prescribed in the United States. One contains a synthetic version of THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, and the other contains a related synthetic chemical. But most people don't tolerate them very well, for reasons we'll talk about in a bit. 3. Compared with the weed from "back in the day," today's pot is . . . A. Less potent. B. More potent. C. About the same. D. Depends on what you buy. Correct answer: B. More potent. Unless "back in the day" for you means the past five years or so, the product is now much stronger, said Mark A.R. Kleiman, co-author of the book "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know." "What was called marijuana when I was in college was probably 4 percent THC by weight," said Kleiman, who graduated in 1972. Now, he said, the average percentage of THC is "somewhere in the mid-teens," and growers claim some strains contain 25 percent or more.  Part of the difference is that unlike today, the old stuff had leaves, seeds and stems mixed in with the THC-rich flowers. (Only flowers are sold now.) And a cultivation method that was formerly used only for a super-potent specialty product - allowing only the female plants to bloom, provoking the flowers to produce more THC - has become common. In addition, lighting and other growing techniques have greatly improved. Still, partial credit if you picked the last answer. A few types of cannabis are intentionally bred to have lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of a compound called cannabidiol (CBD), which is said to be relaxing rather than "stoning." 4. So, in a quick and not-boring way, how does this much stronger cannabis work in our bodies? A. It operates in a system named for cannabis. B. It clouds our brains with smoke. C. It shrinks frontal lobes so our brains have more room to think. D. I'm bored already. Correct answer: A. It operates in a system named for cannabis. In short, it mimics some of the brain's own chemicals. We have a chemical regulatory mechanism in our bodies called the endocannabinoid system - yep, named after the plant. The system helps regulate all sorts of things, including appetite, pain, seizures, digestion and heart rate. This system contains two types of receptors, explained Ethan Russo, a neurologist and director of research and development for the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute in Prague. When THC binds to the first type of receptors, which are mostly in our brains, it triggers a flood of pain-relieving, euphoria-inducing chemicals. We might become happily stoned, get the munchies and not remember our last sentence. Or, if the flood is too much, we might become paranoid, delusional and decidedly not happy. CBD can mute some of those harsher effects by keeping THC from effectively binding to those receptors. That's why cannabis that is high in CBD may allow people to function normally without feeling "high" yet still get the therapeutic benefits, Russo said. The other type of receptors are mainly found in the body rather than the brain, and they mediate pain and inflammation but have nothing to do with feeling stoned. There are CBD oils and extracts, but most smokable cannabis on the market contains a lot of THC and very little CBD. Which brings us to . . . 5. Shops are full of strains that supposedly tailor the experience - Pineapple Express, Lemon Haze, Bubba Kush. What does science say about those? A. Most claims are accurate. B. Most claims are wrong. C. Most claims are unproven. D.Who is Bubba? Correct answer: C. Most claims are unproven. Cannabis doesn't have just two ingredients; it contains hundreds of substances that may act in concert to produce what is called "the entourage effect." Growers have crossbred plants to tease out a little more of this and a bit less of that in an effort to create versions that have certain characteristics. Anecdotal evidence and some scientific research supports the entourage effect. For example, Russo's research has shown that an aromatic cannabis compound called pinene may interact with other ingredients to reduce short-term memory loss. So the effect may be real, but that still doesn't mean that all growers' claims are true. No regulations force growers or sellers to accurately represent what is in their products. "You could buy Bubba Kush at one store and it would look, smell and taste very different than what you'd buy at another store," said Russo, a proponent of medical cannabis who says he favors research and sensible regulation so that people can use it in the safest and most effective ways. As for "Bubba," it is a kind of generic nickname bestowed because part of the plant's origin is unknown. Just like many things about cannabis. Additional sources Raphael Mechoulam, professor of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; "Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know" by Jonathan P. Caulkins, Beau Kilmer and Mark A. R. Kleiman; "The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research" by a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine; Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies; University of California at San Francisco; BrainFacts.org; National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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[chopttravels]

The Zuni Cafe Caesar Salad

Location: San Francisco, CA

Take it from the experts: not all Caesars are created equal. We take a particular pleasure in finding the very best when it comes to inspiration. While our Spicy Sonoma Caesar is an innovation on what is arguably the world’s favorite salad, we wanted to revisit the platonic ideal of what is for us, a sacred dish -- the Caesar at San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe. The culinary world has considered this the very best example of a Caesar since the early ‘80s. It was one of three items on the menu when they opened in 1979, and it continues to be a best-seller.

Snooping in Zuni’s open, sunny kitchen, we got an inside look at the flicks of the wrist and the pinch-of-this-and-dash-of-that that make this salad an all-star. The set up is the best part. Metal mixing bowls hang from the ceiling at arm’s length. The saladière mixes a rich, anchovy based dressing in a stainless steel mixing bowl, frothing it up with a whisk. Crunchy, perfectly shaped romaine spears are added and tossed with a delicate hand until they glisten. A handful of evenly browned and uniform croutons are added to a smaller metal bowl, bathed in their own scoop of the same dressing, and left to sit for as long as it takes to plate the romaine, which happens to be the exact right amount of time for the crumb to soften and the flavor to permeate, without a hint of mushiness. The Lettuce is seasoned with fresh black pepper and kosher salt, and slid over onto the plate. The croutons are added, and fresh parmesan grated delicately on top. Keep your eye on the kitchen, and you’ll notice, the salad station never stops. One after another, they keep coming all day and all night, forevermore.

[billinghamn]

2017 Dec - Las Vegas Hols: Day 5 - Sat 30 Dec 2017 - Palm Springs to San Diego

Slept ok. Woke around 3am, and Vick was up not long after. Decided we would go try the new Starbucks Reserve on the main street which opened at 5am. We caught a glimpse of it yesterday and it looked mighty impressive. Based on Google StreetView from May 2017, it's not been around for very long.

The Starbucks looks impressive from the outside, and even better from the inside. There were very few seats on the inside - plenty on the outside. We got the only two comfy seats in the place!

The one problem I have noticed with American Starbucks' baristas is they don't know how to create froth, and can't make the caramel syrup sit on top of my caramel macchiato.

We noticed yesterday morning on the way for breakfast, that the mountain was lit up with a beautiful orange glow as the sun came up. So we decided to go find a good place to view the sunrise just before 7am.

We wandered back to the hotel and went in for breakfast. We were only provided a voucher for continental breakfast, so that's what we went for. Nothing much to write home about to be honest.

We were on the road by about 8am, stopped off at a fuel station and stuck $20 worth of premium in the car. It's a great drive from Palm Springs to San Diego, heading down through Palm Desert and take a right on to Highway 74 over the mountain. There are some great views from the top.

Next stop was Starbucks at Temecula, which makes us grin when we get there. It's always sunny and warm, and we feel like we are close to San Diego, which is a wonderful place to be. That was our second coffee of the day.

Vick looked up Jimmy John's which is an alternative to Subway, but it offers a lettuce wrap alternative, which is great for Vick.

The menu is fairly simple, and I went for the BLT, with Vick going for a Giant Club lettuce wrap. We both thought they were really nice.

From there we got back on the road, and an hour later we had reached the shopping mall at Fashion Valley, San Diego. Vick wanted to go to J Crew and Macy's, and we would be too early to check in at the hotel.