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All posts for the month April, 2011

Paul Simon Says

Posted by golfkat on April 26, 2011
Posted in: Music. Leave a comment

I love Paul Simon’s music, from his days with erudite Artie Garfunkel, to his African beat experiments, to reunion tours with the Garf, and back to the big rock and roll sound.  I have seen him as Simon and Garfunkel several times, and solo with his rock band a couple of times.  From the time I first heard “Sounds of Silence” to his more eclectic Graceland and Dark Continent, I loved most everything he wrote and sang.
 
Paul Simon was born on October 13, 1941 in Newark, NJ.  As most everyone knows, his first venture into music with Art (they met at age 11) began as a group called Tom and Jerry. In 1957, they made their first hit, “Hey, Schoolgirl”.  His parents were Jewish Hungarian, with his mom a school teacher, and his dad a college prof and bandleader.  His idols were the Everly Brothers, who often perform with Simon on his music tours.  After their first album, they split up and went back to college. He earned a degree in English literature and briefly attended law school.   
 
Simon did not record again until the 1960s.  He used some pseudonyms (Tico and the Triumphs, and Jerry Landis) while making a couple of hits.  After a stint in Paris, he came back, paired with Garfunkel and signed with CBS.  After a failure with their first album, which included the great “Sound of Silence”, he returned to London.  There, he made the Paul Simon Songbook that included many of his future hits.  Little did he know he was on his way to TWELVE Grammies!
 
Not until his producer Tom Wilson grafted electric instrumentation onto Simon and Garfunkel’s recording of “Sound of Silence” and renamed it the “Sounds of Silence”.  As a result, between 1965 and 1970, they became the most successful musical duet of all time.  In 1967, they contributed heavily to the hit movie, “The Graduate”.  But they grew apart, and ended the partnership over musical disagreements.  Garf slid into oblivion, while Simon branched out as a solo singer, band leader, and music innovator. 
 
After the break-up, Simon took song writing lessons in New York, and made a stylistically diverse solo album. He incorporated elements of Latin, reggae, and jazz, which spawned his “Mother and Child Reunion”, and “Me and Julio”.  His next album was a huge success, featuring “Kodachrome” and “Take Me to the Mardi Gras”.  This was followed by a hugely successful solo tour.  The highlight was 1975, when he won two Grammies for Album of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. 
 
His silly “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” became his first number one hit in the US. And “My Little Town” was a hugely successful duet with Garfunkel.  He took five years off, then teamed with Garfunkel and James Taylor in a hit single, “Wonderful World”.  Then he released a Greatest Hits album with two new songs, and switched labels from CBS to Warner Brothers.  Another big hit was the release of a double album live reunion of Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park.  I would have loved to been there!  It was meant to help reunite them as a duo, but the plan was scrapped.  But that album is a classic, and I never get tired of hearing it.
 
A big change occurred in 1984, when Simon was introduced to music from South African black townships.  He appeared in the “We Are the World” recording, and really took on music from the Dark Continent.  But his Graceland album was his most interesting and commercially successful album during this decade.  The tour that followed was misconceived, that Simon had broken the cultural boycott against South Africa.  But the album was a huge success in combining cross cultural musical heritages for a man who had already incorporated folk, blues, R & B, and calypso into his previous work. 
 

 
He followed Graceland with more cross cultural work, by incorporating African and Brazilian musical elements.  Then in 1993, he married Edie Brickell.  In total, he has earned 13 Grammies, and one Lifetime Achievement Award.  In 2001, he was inducted as a soloist into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, having previously been elected in 1990 for his duet career.  In 2007, he won the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.  We saw their “Old Friends” concert tour in 2003 in Sacramento.  Their free concert at the Colosseum in Rome drew 600,000 people. In 2010, they reunited for their first concert in six years at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. 
 
The concert tonight will be at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, my favorite venue for music of all kinds.  It seems people just behave better in a concert hall, as opposed to joints like Oracle Arena, and Concord Pavilion.  Read that as much less smoke, even though cigarette smoking is banned.  I have also seen them at ARCO Arena, and Simon alone at the Greek.  Perhaps the highlight of his musical career as a soloist was his 2002 Kennedy Center Honor for the Performing Arts.  He has some pretty classy company, with the likes of Dave Brubeck, Quincy Jones, Chuck Berry, Bruce Springsteen and Frank Sinatra. 
 
Simon has been married three times, first to Peggy Harper, then Carrie Fisher.  He is currently married to Edie Brickell.  He is left-handed, but plays the guitar right-handed.  He is active in music education for children. He has made five number one albums, five Broadway shows, and nineteen guitars have been used during his career, including Martin, Fender, Taylor, Yamaha, and Takamine.  I played many of his songs when I was actively taking guitar lessons and playing in pizza parlors.  But my all time favorite Paul Simon song is “The Boxer”, and as it says:
 

I am just a poor boy though my story’s seldom told
I have squandered my resistance for a pocketful of mumbles, such are promises
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest (hmmmm….mmmm……)When I left my home and my family, I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers…..
In the quiet of the railway station, runnin’ scared
Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters, where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know

(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li…)

Seeking only workman’s wages, I come looking for a job, but I get no offers…..
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there (li la la, la, la la)

[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/paul_simon/the_boxer.html ]
Now the years are rolling by me, they are rockin’ even me
I am older than I once was, and younger than I’ll be, that’s not unusual
No it isn’t strange, after changes upon changes, we are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same …(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li…)

And I’m laying out my winter clothes, wishing I was gone, goin’ home
Where the New York city winters aren’t bleedin’ me, leadin’ me to go home

In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminder of every glove that laid him down or cut him
‘Til he cried out in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains
Yes, he still remains …

(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li…)
(Li la la la li la li)
(Li la li… li la la la li la li)
(La la la la li…)
(Li la la la li la li)
(Li la li… li la la la li la li)

 
No more lies!  Reviews for tonight’s concert have been crazy good.
 
PS  It was totally Rocking!  Thanks, Paul!

You Are Not My (Blood) Type!

Posted by golfkat on April 25, 2011
Posted in: Health. Leave a comment

Here is a good question.  Do you know your blood type?  Do you have it on your medical record and on the back of your driver’s license in case of an emergency?  Many people do not know, and perhaps, do not care to know.  But with a tainted blood supply, and the ability to be a designated donor or recipient, options exist today that did not exist many years ago.
 
There are four major blood types, A, B, AB, and O.  The letters refer to the antigen or protein on the surface of the red blood cell.  A third antigen, the Rh factor, can be present or absent.  Thus, the blood types extend to A positive, A negative, and so on, for a total of eight.  The universal donor is Type O negative, and the universal recipient is AB positive.  O positive is the most common blood type.  Hispanic people have a high percentage of Type Os.  Likewise, Asians have a high percentage of Type Os and Bs.  In China, 99% of the population are Rh positive.  I am a B positive, which only occurs once in every 12 people, or 9.4%.  For you deep thinkers, Rh refers to the Rhesus monkey in which the protein was discovered.
 

  Parent 1 AB AB AB AB B A A O O O
Parent 2 AB B A O B B A B A O
Possible
blood
type
of
child
O         X X X X X X
A X X X X   X X   X  
B X X X X X X   X    
AB X X X     X        
 
  Parent 1 AB AB AB AB B A A O O O
Parent 2 AB B A O B B A B A O
Possible
blood
type
of
child
O         X X X X X X
A X X X X   X X   X  
B X X X X X X   X    
AB X X X     X        

 

 
Red blood cell compatibility table[25][26]
Recipient[1] Donor[1]
O− O+ A− A+ B− B+ AB− AB+
O− Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN
O+ Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN
A− Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN
A+ Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN Red XN
B− Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN
B+ Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN
AB− Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Red XN
AB+

If your blood type is . . .

Type You Can Give Blood To You Can Receive Blood From
A+ A+  AB+ A+  A-  O+  O-
O+ O+  A+  B+  AB+ O+  O-
B+ B+  AB+ B+  B-  O+  O-
AB+ AB+ Everyone
A- A+  A-  AB+  AB- A-  O-
O– Everyone O–
B– B+  B-  AB+  AB- B–  O-
AB- AB+  AB- AB-  A-  B-  O-

 
It was back in 1902 that the Austrian scientist, Karl Landsteiner at the University of Vienna discovered human blood groups.  Before this patients died from incompatible transfusions.  Blood clumping was an immunological reaction that occurs when the recipient of the blood transfusion has antibodies against the donor’s blood cells.  By the way, Landsteiner received the Nobel Prize for this discovery, belatedly in 1930.
 
We have from 4 to 6 liters of blood in our body.  And I think most of you know that our blood system transports oxygen to various parts of the body.  Blood is a complex living tissue that contains many cell types and proteins.  It also acts as a transporter, regulator, and defender.
 
So, how is your blood type determined?  Certainly not by a random act of kindness or eight lottery balls.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Animals are quite a different story.  Our dogs have only four blood types, while cats have eleven and cows, 800.  Some people have strange notions about blood types.  A people are known as calm and trustworthy.  Type B (me) people are creative and excitable.  ABs are thoughtful and emotional, while Os are confident leaders. I would place this about even with the horoscope and Ouija board.  The latest rage in diets, the blood type diet, is based on the genetic biomarkers, like how well you digest food, diseases more likely to be encountered, and hair texture.  I am awaiting some scientific validation of these theories.

See You in So-Napa-Noma!

Posted by golfkat on April 23, 2011
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel. 1 Comment

Most of us head to Napa when we say the generic term, “The Wine Country”.  But Sonoma has been an equally formidable area of great wine production, destination resorts, and all around good fun and shopping.  It is also perhaps a little more family friendly, and certainly, a lower key type of vibe.  We are headed to Sonoma to meet some dear friends for dinner, and spend the night sobering up, before heading home on Friday.  Buddy will be staying at Chateau Clarice.
 
Perhaps the defining part of the city is the Sonoma Town Plaza, always a point of reference when directing someone to a place of business, restaurant, or winery.  Sonoma was the capital of the California Republic, and has a strong Mexican colonial past.  Sonoma is a nationally recognized center for the California wine industry, though the population is only about 12,000 people. I am certain that somewhere in my past, I was banned from the Plaza for disorderly conduct. 
 
 Sonoma Plaza

Rather than bore you about California history, let’s give just due to the Native Americans (Miwoks), and the Mexicans (General Vallejo), and move on to what we all want to talk about, WINE!  It is Sonoma that is considered the birthplace of the California wine industry.  The father of California viticulture, Agoston Haraszthy, was credited with the introduction of the zinfandel grape varietal.  Silly me, I always thought it was Ernest and Julio Gallo with their rot gut mountain red, almost suitable for gasoline.  Maybe I will look for Boone’s Farm, or Bartles and James (both fictitious).
 
To the east of the city are the Mayacamas Mountains, and the Sonoma Mountains to the west.  State Route 12 goes through town.  Sonoma Jack cheese was named after the town.  GMC also has a truck called the Sonoma.  Intel has a series of processors called the “Sonoma Series”.  One of the cutest parts of town is the Sonoma Traintown Railroad, a quarter scale train in a ten acre park.  Kids love it! 
 
The very first time I went on a public wine tasting outing was in Sonoma at the Sebastiani Winery just outside of town.  Now, there are so many wineries, and so little time.  At last count, over 170 vintners make up the Sonoma County Vintners, a non-profit organization that promotes the wines and wineries of the county. Over 55,000 acres in Sonoma County are planted with grape vineyards.  Some of the better wine growing regions within the county, and some of my favorites are:  Alexander Valley (Silver Oak), Dry Creek Valley, and Sonoma-Carneros (Domaine Carneros).  The grape crop accounts for over $300 million in revenue, or 61% of the total agricultural output of the county. 
 
The predominant varietals are: Chardonnay (16,000 acres), Sauvignon Blanc (2,500 acres), Cabernet (12,000 acres), Pinot Noir (10,000 acres), Merlot (7,500 acres), and Zinfandel (5,000 acres).  These wineries range from small family farms to large corporate concerns.  Also among my favorites are: Gloria Ferrer, Matanzas Creek, Kenwood Vineyards, and Benziger Family Winery.
 

 
So, after a nice visit at the hotel, we  headed out to a nice Sonoma dinner.  We are meeting dear friends, Ken (the former Surgeon General), and Lisa (the former First Lady of Medicine), and their daughter, Emily.  Most of time, we end up going out to Great Falls, VA, and the greater DC area to visit them.  But it is Spring Break, for even the precocious Emily.  As most of you know, Ken and I went to graduate school together in Berkeley, at the UC School of Public Health.  He is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  We are joined by their “cultural exchange student” Amber, and Ken’s Chief of Staff, Ginny.
 
See you in SoNapaNoma!!!!!

Amtrak’s California Zephyr (Chicago to San Francisco)

Posted by golfkat on April 20, 2011
Posted in: Travel. 52 Comments

In my quest to prepare for a future trip on the Trans Siberian Railway, I am in Chicago, and plan to take the California Zephyr back home.  Most rail passengers agree that the Zephyr is the most beautiful train trip in North America.  The Zephyr runs daily from Chicago to San Francisco, crossing the plains of Nebraska, over the Rockies to Salt Lake City, then through the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas via Reno. 
 
Scenic highlights include:

  • Rocky Mountains
  • Sierra Nevadas
  • Moffat Tunnel
  • Colorado’s Gore, Byers and Glenwood Canyons
  • Winter Park
  • Truckee River
  • Donner Lake Donner Pass
  • San Pablo Bay and the Carquinez Strait
  • Mississippi River
  • The Continental Divide
  • Wasatch Mountains
  • Bonneville Salt Flats
  • The Great Basin

 File:Z-6352.jpg
 
Along the way, stops will be made in the following states:  Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California.  This will be my first visits to Iowa and Nebraska.  One stop in Iowa is Ottumwa, home of the fictional character, Walter “Radar” O’Reilly from the TV show MASH.  And of course, Omaha, Nebraska is home to one of my real life heroes, Warren “The Oracle of Omaha” Buffett, no relation to Jimmy or Home Town. 
 
The route is 2438 miles, though I plan to disembark in Martinez, CA.  This route began as the “Silver Lady” back in 1949, operated by the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad, along with the Denver and Rio Grand Western Railroad and the Western Pacific Railroad.  Last year, this route carried almost 400,000 passengers.  It created revenue of almost $44 million in 2010, a 13% increase over the previous year. 

File:California Zephyr--Eastbound meets Westbound in Glenwood Canyon.jpg
 
The Zephyr leaves Chicago Union Station, and takes two days to reach the San Francisco Bay Area.  It leaves at 2pm on Thursday afternoon, and arrives two days later (Saturday) in Martinez at 3:26pm.  My Superliner Roomette offers the following:
 

  • Meals included
  • Picture window
  • Two reclining seats which convert to a bed; upper berth which folds down from wall
  • Available on both upper and lower levels of the Superliner
  • No in-cabin toilet or shower; restrooms, showers nearby in same train car
  • Electrical outlets (no wifi yet)
  • Climate control
  • Individual reading lights
  • Garment rack
  • Fold-down table
  • Fresh towels and bed linens
  • Soap and shower amenities
  • Personal service (turn-down, coffee, paper, make-up bed)
  • Bottled water
  • Daily newspaper

 
Maybe I can arrange for a massage, or watch a movie in the Club Car.  It might be a quick two days, or a very long two days, depending on the weather and the ability to keep the Conrail tracks free enough for poor little Amtrak.  I hope the free wi-fi on the train works as well.  I found a Trader Joe’s nearby, and stocked up on champagne, apples, and some trail mix.  I have my netbook(no wifi yet), iPhone, and Kindle to keep me company.  Wish me luck!

These are our stops:
 
Chicago, IL – Union Station (CHI) home of our President

Ottumwa, IA (OTM) home of Radar O’Reilly
Omaha, NE (OMA) home of Warren Buffett
Elko, NV (ELK)
Reno, NV (RNO)
Colfax, CA (COX)
Davis, CA (DAV)
Emeryville, CA
San Francisco, CA (via bus)

Deep Dish Is Chicago Pizza

Posted by golfkat on April 19, 2011
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

Chicago pizza is deep dish style pizza that was developed in Chicago.  It has a buttery crust, as opposed the thin, crispy crust here in California or in Italia.  The crust acts as a bowl for the greater abundance of cheese and chunky tomato sauce.  Most pizzerias in Chicago also serve a thin crust pizza, but deep dish is their claim to fame.  The Chicago style deep dish pizza was invented at Pizzeria Uno in 1943 by their founder, Ike Sewell.  The Chicago Daily News disputes this with a blurb about Rudy Malnati, Uno’s original pizza chef, who developed the recipe. 
 
This pizza ventures far from the origins of pizza, wherever you think it was invented.  The first pizza I had in the 1970s in Rome was built on a crust that felt, looked, and tasted like a layer of bread.  There are no delicate toppings, just mostly cheese, chunky tomato sauce, and spicy Italian sausage. The thick pizza dough is made with olive oil and corn meal, the parbaked in a deep round pan.  The pan is heavily oiled with olive oil to create a fried effect on the outside of the crust.  The the crust is covered with cheese, primarily mozzarella, and meats in a patty or solid layer.  At this point, Italian sausage, onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers can be added.  The sauce is added last.
 
Sewell opened another pizzeria, Due, as a companion to Uno in 1955.  Original Gino’s Pizzeria opened on Rush Street (read that singles bar and meat markets) a year before.  In 1966, Gino’s East opened.  The Lou Malnati’s was opened by one of Rudy Malnati’s sons.  Then in the 1970s, Nancy’s Pizza and Giordano’s Pizza experimented with deep dish pizza and created the stuffed pizza.  By definition, a stuffed pizza contains more toppings, then covered with a layer of pizza dough that is pressed to the bottom.  A hole is cut, similar to a baked fruit pie, to allow air and steam to escape.  Then more sauce is ladled over the crust, then baked.
 
Pizzeria Uno (my favorite of the deep dish)
 
Geno’s, a close second in my opinion
 
Giordano’s, somebody had to be third.
 
Once you have settled on a pizzeria, the discussion moves rather heatedly to Chicago versus New York pizza.  Americans spent nearly $40 billion on pizza last year.  And get this, pizza chains account for only 40% of that total.  This is still a business dominated by mom and pop pizzerias.  The deep dish and stuffed pizza is very filling.  It is hard to eat more than one helping.  For my taste, I love a crispy thin crust, with the right amount of cheese and sauce.  Then I like it topped with sweet Italian sausage, and maybe some semi-spicy peppers.  In fact, they make one just like that at Serious Pie in Seattle!
 
But, when in Chicago, do as Chicago.  The basic premise of midwestern food preparation and eating is quantity.  This is definitely not California cuisine or California pizza.  These pies are enormous.  And I cannot imagine having one delivered, as it would require heavy equipment and a crane.  Not only do they have broad shoulders here, they have robust meals, with lots of steaks and ribs.  Look at any list of top Chicago restaurants, and the steak places are always dominating the top five.  But much like New York, San Francisco, and St. Louis, the Italian neighborhood is rich and vibrant, with food.  This is a bottled beer and red wine town.  No chardonnay sipping allowed here! 
 
Italians first came to Chicago in the 1850s.  Little Italy, as it formed, was inhabited by Italian immigrants, brought to prominence in the 1920s by the Mafia.  Little Italy is bordered on the north by the Eisenhower Expressway, by the Kennedy Expressway on the east, Roosevelt Road on the south, and Polk Street on the west.  The University of Illinois at Chicago is a big part of Little Italy here.  For us local Bay Area residents, there is a statue of Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio in the Piazza DiMaggio here.  Taylor Street is the main drag through Little Italy, with well-known eateries like Rosebud’s, Pompeii, Tuscany, and Francesca’s.  

So, forget the thin crust of the East and Left Coasts.  Be prepared to dig into a pizza that is more like lasagna.  Wash it down with some red wine or beer.  Be a Chicagoan for at least one meal.  I am sure your President has a fondness for Chicago pizza.  Give me thin crust pizza, or give me thin crust pizza?
 
As far as my own escapades here in Chi-town, I had dinner last night at Big Bowl, and breakfast this morning at Eggsperience.  I was walking around and felt sorry for a homeless fellow, so I took him in there.  I handed Keri, the manager and hostess $20 to feed him, and went on my way to Millennium Park.  Tonight I see the Studs Terkel play, Working at the Broadway Playhouse about two blocks away.  Studs is a native, and won the Pulitzer Prize for “Working”, an examination into the realities of everyday life in the working world.  I bought a bargain ticket a Hot Tix in the old Water Tower.

Chicago Style Dogs: The Best!

Posted by golfkat on April 18, 2011
Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

An actual definition for Chicago-style dogs exists.  It is a steamed or water simmered kosher style, all beef Frankfurter on a sesame seed bun, originating in Chicago, Illinois.  The Chicago dog can be topped with yellow mustard (none of that grey poupon stuff), chopped white onions,  sweet pickle relish (often dyed neon green), a dill pickle spear, tomato slices or wedges, pickled short peppers, and a dash of celery salt.  Because of these ingredients, the slang is termed, “dragged through the garden”.  Once is a while, cucumber slices are added.  But to real Chicagoans and hot dog aficionados, ketchup is NEVER used.  Most dog vendors do not even have ketchup!
 
Chicago-style hot dog.jpg Portillo’s, my favorite Chicago dog
 
Vienna beef is the most common frankfurter brand served today.  They were first sold at the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exhibition.  The Chicago area has more hot dog stands than McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s put together.  Some places have clever names, like Mustard’s Last Stand, Hot Doug’s, Chubby Wieners, Superdawg, and The Wiener’s Circle.  The typical dog weighs only 1/8 pound or 2 ounces.  The casing is natural, and must “snap” when bitten.  A grilled dog is called a “char-dog”, obviously not very common.  The buns are typically provided by Alpha Baking Company and are called S. Rosen’s Mary Ann brand. 
 
Hot dogs have been traditionally associated with baseball games.  Once in a while, I enjoy a good hot dog on the golf course, when my favorite spam musubi is not available. Of course, in both cases, they are overpriced, and not very good.  The world’s worst hot dog is the Dodgerdog, served at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.  Actually, the dogs at Costco’s snack bar are not too bad either, if you are really hungry and need a nitrite fix.  My favorite dog is Portillo’s, which also serves a pretty good Chicago Beef sandwich.  In second, but closing the gap, is Hot Doug’s, a relative newcomer to the dog scene.
 
The most common ingredients for a hot dog are: meat by-products and fat, flavorings, such as salt, garlic and paprika, and preservatives, sodium erythorbate, or sodium nitrite.  Here in the US, the term “links” must be used if variety meats, soy fillers, and cereal are used. Pork and beef dogs are common, with less expensive dogs made from chicken or turkey.  But since hot dogs are high in sodium, fat, and nitrites, they are often linked to health problems.  As a result, more dogs are made with chicken, turkey, vegetarian meat substitutes, and lowered salt content. 
 
 How hot is Doug?
 
As expected, mustard is the most common condiment used to garnish a hot dog, with 32 per cent of us preferring mustard.  Ketchup came in second at 23 per cent, and chili came in third at 17 percent.  Traditional casing is made from the small intestines of sheep.  Skinless dogs use a cellulose casing that is removed between cooking and packaging.  Unlike other sausages, hot dogs are pre-cooked before packaging.  The American Institute for Cancer Research found that consuming one hot dog every day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 20 percent.  The average risk of colorectal cancer is 5.8 percent, but 7 percent when a hot dog is consumed daily over years.
 
The world’s longest hot dog was 60 meters (almost 197 feet) in a 60.3 meter bun.  It was made in Japan by Shizuoka Meat Producers.  The most expensive hot dog was made by Joe Calderone and was made from truffle oil, duck foie gras, and truffle butter.  It sold for $69.  Also popular here in the US at carnivals and county fairs are hot dogs on a stick, also called corn dogs or pronto pups.  Another old time favorite was the “waffle dog” from the KC Drive In in Honolulu.  They had a special waffle iron that enabled a wiener to be cooked inside the waffle dough, with condiments placed inside, prior to cooking.  Sadly, the family retired and closed the KC Drive In.
 
But no matter the location, no matter the dog, this is part of American cuisine that is unmatched anywhere in the world.  Kids of all ages love the dog.  Dogs of all ages love the dog.  What is your favorite dog?

Obama-town, The Windy City

Posted by golfkat on April 14, 2011
Posted in: Entertainment, Food, Travel. 2 Comments
My parents spent some years in Chicago toward the end of World War 2, and their early release from Relocation Camp in Arizona.  They were allowed to leave if they worked in factories that helped the war effort.  I am not sure what they did in the way of jobs.  But after my Mom and Dad arrived here, they were followed by several of their siblings.  One of my Aunts became a big Chicago Cubs fan since the apartment they lived in was on Addison Street, home of Wrigley Field.
 
Over the years, I have visited Chicago probably a dozen times.  I was able to learn the “secrets” of the city, in terms of what to do, where to eat, and who to see.  Much has changed since those days in the 80s and 90s.  Chicago has really shed its image as the “Second City”, particularly after Barack Obama was elected President.  And I really am not a big fan of Chicago style, deep dish pizza.  I much prefer the thin, crispy crust that we have out here and on the East coast.  But I do like Chicago hot dogs, and Chicago beef (sandwiches).  My all time favorite item out here is Garrett’s Popcorn, the combination of cheddar and caramel popcorn, called, “The Mix”.  It cannot be duplicated!
 
Did you know that about 50 million people visit Chicago each year?  Historic Route 66 begins at Grant Park on Adams Street in front of the Chicago Art Institute. Their convention center, McCormick Place, is the largest convention and exhibition space in the United States (2.2 million square feet).  Back in 1900, Chicago engineers were able to reverse the flow of the Chicago River.  It empties into the Mississippi River, instead of Lake Michigan, and is dyed green each year on St. Patrick’s Day.  The Lincoln Park Zoo is the oldest public zoo in the country. The Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 110 stories high (1450 feet).  I have been up to the John Hancock Tower several times.  Not good for people like me (acrophobia) who don’t like heights.  It is a wonder that I fly so much.

Sears Tower
 
The focal point for most tourists and other visitors in Michigan Avenue, or the “Magnificent Mile”.  It is the center of both heavy traffic and shopping of all scales, up and down.  People stroll up and down Michigan Avenue in torn jeans or their designer best.  This is the Rodeo Drive of the midwest, or perhaps the Fifth Avenue reincarnated.  In the old days, the old Water Tower and Marshall Fields dominated the scene.  Now, every big designer name on earth has a shop here.  Another impressive building is the Rush Presbyterian Medical Center Building.
 
On my many previous trips here, some were in the dead of bitter cold winters, some were in the sweltering humidity of summer.   April is a great month to visit, though still a little cold for us Californians.  The real bummer is the Cubs are out-of-town.  Maybe I will see what the Bulls or Blackhawks are doing.  I will probably find a good music venue or the theater for some evening entertainment.  Or I can look for the body of Jimmy Hoffa, or the “lost” ballots that got JFK elected to the Presidency.
 
I am in Chicago for just a day or two before catching Amtrak back to California.  I doubt I will meander down to the hustle and bustle of Rush Street.  But I may take the Chicago River tour, or the Architecture tour.  If the weather does not cooperate, I can head to the great museums in this city.  The Museum of Science and Industry is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere.  The Art Institute of Chicago houses more than 300,000 works of art.  And the Field Museum of Natural History includes the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. 
 
Speaking of Second City, I went back in the 80s when some of the big names were getting started.  I have no recollection of who I saw.  But it was funny, especially the skit with the toilet humor while the players sat in their toilet stalls.  It reminds me of Erika and Elaine and “I can’t spare a square”. 
 
I cast my vote for Chicago dogs over New York or LA’s dogs.  Forget Papaya King or Pink’s in LA.  I choose Portillo’s or Hot Doug’s any day.  The problem for me is that one is not enough and two is gluttony.  Add the fries and it is a cholesterol nightmare.  Wash it all down with a draft beer and a statin.

I love Millennium Park, located in the Loop.  The Park is free and features the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Cloud Gate, the Crown Fountain, and the Lurie Garden, among others.  Since it sits on top of the commuter rail Millennium Station, it is considered the world’s largest rooftop garden.  The Park is also considered the city’s most important project since the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, at a final cost of $475 million. 
 
2005-10-13 2880x1920 chicago above millennium park.jpg Millennium Park
 
Lately, Chicago’s claim to fame is producing our President, Barrack Obama. Chicago also has over 7300 restaurants, 26 miles of lakefront, 36 annual parades, almost 3 million residents, and 552 parks.  Chicago is also home to eleven Fortune 500 companies.  The first drive in blood bank was started in 1946.  The Great Chicago Fire of 1971 was presumably started by Mrs. O’Leary’s cow at 558 W. DeKoven Street, site of the fire academy.  And Obama’s former Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, is now the mayor.

The King’s Highway (The El Camino Real)

Posted by golfkat on April 11, 2011
Posted in: Cultures, Travel. Leave a comment
We Californians take the King’s Highway for granted.  You may know it as the El Camino Real.  General Motors even named a fancy pickup truck in the 60s the Chevrolet “El Camino”. Oddly enough, GM built it in response to the wide success of the Ford Ranchero pickup truck.  My Dad actually owned both a Ranchero, and an El Camino for his business.  El Camino is really Spanish for “Royal Road” or “The King’s Highway”.  It refers to the 600 mile California Mission Trail that connected 20 missions, and several pueblos and presidios from San Diego in the south, to Sonoma in the north.  Though we plan to take Highway 101 to Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula, I thought a history lesson would prove both educational and enlightening.
 
My brother and my Dad each had an El Camino!
 
This route actually originated in Baja California Sur, now a big party place for singles of all ages, and Spring Break for crazy students.  Back in 1683 until 1834, Spanish missionaries built a series of religious outposts in what is now our home state of California.  Interestingly, the missions were about 30 miles apart, basically one long day’s ride on horseback.  Local lore says that the missionaries spread mustard seed along the trail in order to mark it with bright flowers.  I thought it was for the mid-day weenie roast!
 
 These bells line the El Camino through three counties
 
Back in 1912, the state began paving a section of this historic route in San Mateo County (just south of San Francisco City and County).  It later became U.S.  Route 101, then ultimately to State Route 82 in the north.  It is possible to drive the mostly four and six lane boulevard from San Jose in the south, almost to the heart of San Francisco.  If you have plenty of time and patience, it is a worthwhile drive.  I would say today it is dominated by auto dealerships, fast food restaurants, huge apartment complexes, and big box chain retailers.  Once every 15 or 20 miles, it is possible to see a single, most likely old, family residence.
 
Some of the more interesting places along El Camino are:  Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto, Pee Wee’s Pizza in Sunnyvale, Clark’s Burgers in Mountain View, Hong Kong Flower Lounge in Burlingame, Famous Frankfurter in Millbrae, Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Old Port Lobster Shack in Redwood City, and See’s Candy headquarters in South San Francisco.  Notice these are mostly eateries?  I have probably driven the El Camino Real or part of it hundreds, maybe thousands of times. Interestingly, the El Camino Real has its own California landmark status. 
 
A long drive, even by western standards!
 
These are the original missions, pueblos, and presidios.  The San Francisco Presidio has a great golf course, now open to the public. 
  • Missions:
    1. San Francisco de Solano (Sonoma Mission) (1823). Sonoma County.
    2. San Rafael Arcángel (1817) . Marin County.
    3. San Francisco de Asís [also known as Mission Delores] (1776). San Francisco County.
    4. San José (1797). Alameda County.
    5. Santa Clara de Asís (1777) Santa Clara County.
    6. Santa Cruz (1791). Santa Cruz County.
    7. San Juan Bautista (1797). San Benito County.
    8. San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (1770), also known as Carmel Mission. Monterey County
    9. San Antonio de Padua (1771). Monterey County.
    10. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (1791) . Monterey County.
    11. San Miguel Arcangel (1797). San Luis Obispo County.
    12. San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (1772). San Luis Obispo County.
    13. La Purísima Concepción (1787). Santa Barbara County.
    14. Santa Inés (1804). Santa Barbara County.
    15. Santa Bárbara (1786). Santa Barbara County.
    16. San Buenaventura (1782). Ventura County.
    17. San Fernando Rey de España (1797). Los Angeles County.
    18. San Gabriel Archangel (1771). Los Angeles County.
    19. San Juan Capistrano (1776). Orange County.
    20. San Luis Rey de Francia (1798). San Diego County.
    21. San Diego de Alcalá (1769). San Diego County.
  • Pueblos:
    1. El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe (1777). Santa Clara County.
    2. El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles (1781). Los Angeles County.
  • Presidios:
    1. El Presidio de San Francisco (1776). San Francisco County.
    2. El Presidio de Monterey (1770). Monterey County.
    3. El Presidio de Santa Barbara (1782). Santa Barbara County.
    4. El Presidio de San Diego (1769). San Diego County.

    •  
    By the way, the road actually served a purpose.  It helped bring thousands of emigrants (mostly Spanish and Mexican) to Alta California. Today, it is just a boulevard that traverses many busy towns and cities.  It is hard for us to imagine going horseback from mission to mission.  Instead of looking for shade or water, today we look for a gas station or place to eat or shop.  Is that “real” progress, or the El Camino “Real”? See you in Carmel!  

    Waste Managed: Artist in Residence

    Posted by golfkat on April 10, 2011
    Posted in: Cultures, Shopping. 1 Comment

    Most of you do not know that the St. Vincent DePaul Society sponsors an artist in residence program (AIR) that produces art from other people’s discards and throwaways.  The program selects artists who are qualified to work in a variety of media in a studio with unlimited access to unwanted materials in the storage facility.  By way of a payback, the artist makes their works of art from reclaimed waste.  The idea is to develop new product lines or products that can be replicated by others.
     
    The 2011 Fashion Artist in Residence is Sarah Padgham, dear friend of Donna.  She has created hats for some of the ladies to wear at our past Kentucky Derby parties.  She makes both hats and handbags that have a vintage look by using modern architectural shapes.  She blocks materials into unique and inventive designs.  And with over fifteen years in the industry, she not only teaches art and design, she also has a signature line of products.
     
     Wow!!!!!!     Bins of donated clothing Starting materials
     
    Sarah says the hat above was made from a vintage dress, probably from the Fifties.  She used the bow from the dress to accent this hat, called a Fascinator.  The obvious by-product of her skills is the recycling aspect of her work. 
     
     This is a genius at work!!
     
    The above hat was made of paper using a paper mache base.  She made the hair from a cut up newspaper, and the crown from a discarded cell phone manual.  The hat is lined in her traditional black cotton twill, and was entered in international competition in British Columbia earlier this winter.
     
    Last May, we invited Sarah to our Kentucky Derby party.  The previous year, she made Donna’s winning hat.  In 2010, she made four hats, and again produced the winner for the second year in a row.  Guess which one won?  It was Jeannie wearing the brown and green hat at the bottom.  But really, all four were outstanding.  Needless to say, the ladies terrorized downtown Walnut Creek later in the day and evening!
     

    Black Sisal Straw, Hand Blocked with feathers
     Birds Nest Fascinator, Orange bird with brown feather
    Red Mini Top Hat with Red Feather and Martini glass
    Brown and Green Linen Hat with loop trim

    I think if you look back in time, through the ages, shortages of raw materials has been a great catalyst for creativity and recycling.  Do you remember taking apart the metal toys when you were a kid?  The little toy would be made from recycled soup or soda cans, and stamped, “Made in Japan”.  I also like the creativity of the Cubans, who fashion auto parts out of any material they can find.  So what if the piston rod is made of wood?  In my volunteer job, I found out that surgeons in Third World countries were using needle and thread for suturing patients.  So, the moral of the story, necessity and hats and handbags are the mother of invention.
     
    Anecdotally , recycling on a mass scale began during wars, droughts, and famine.  On a personal level, the old Swanson TV dinners and pot pies came in glorious aluminum containers.  A few of us were reminiscing about how we reused these containers back in the Fifties.  Dear friend Kathleen’s Mom placed leftovers in them time after time.  My Dad used the pot pie containers to hold small parts for carburetors and injectors in his business.  We really did not know about the word, “recycle”, but we were doing it on a very personal level.

    So, dinner before the show at Quinn’s Lighthouse in Oakland.  I was kicked out of there numerous times back in the 70s.  I hope they do not remember me.  As I recall, I think it is known for the peanut shells on the floor, right?  Talk about a walk back into time!  I hope the food is better than it was back then.  We went mostly to drink beer and eat peanuts after playing softball or tennis.  We will have the equivalent of a baseball team for dinner.  Perhaps we would win more games than the Giants have so far this season.

    Spinning a Yo-Yo, Ma!

    Posted by golfkat on April 8, 2011
    Posted in: Cultures, Entertainment, Music. Leave a comment

    One of the more interesting names in music, and perhaps all of the entertainment world is Yo-Yo Ma.  He was born in Paris in 1955 to Chinese parents.  At the age of four, he began to study the cello with his violinist father. His mother was a singer.  He studied the violin and viola before taking up the cello.  By age seven, he played before both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. They moved to New York in his childhood, where later at Julliard School of Music, his instructor was Leonard Rose.  He expanded his conservatory training by graduating from Harvard University in 1976.  Among his numerous awards are the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the Glenn Gould Prize (1999), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Dan David Prize (2006), the Sonning Prize (2006),  and the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award (2008). 
     
    Perhaps as importantly, he has trained and mentored thousands of music students worldwide, including places like Lithuania, Korea, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, and China.  In 2006, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, named him a U.N. Messenger of Peace.  It was extended into 2007 by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
     
    His latest album is called Songs of Joy & Peace, where he invited many of his favorite artists from the worlds of both classical and popular music to collaborate on a variety of songs. The goal of the Grammy winning musician was to “unite different forms of joy”.  In total, he has a discography of over 75 albums, including 15 Grammy winners.  The wide variety of his interests is reflected in some of his collaborations.  Among them are Bobby McFerrin, the music of Brazil and Appalachia, pianist Kathryn Stott, the Silk Road Ensemble, and the Chicago Symphony.  All of his recent albums are on the Billboard chart of classical best sellers, and remain in the top 15 for long periods. 
     
    He is also strongly committed to educational programs for young audiences, where he conducts master classes, and also less formal programs for students, including non musicians.  He also inaugurated a family series at Carnegie Hall, with the goal of making music part of their daily surroundings and activities.  He has also appeared on Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.  Perhaps he will play “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” on Friday night’s home opener for the Giants. 
     
     The one, the only, Yo-Yo Ma
     
    He is one of the most famous and decorated cellists of the modern age. Perhaps this is due to his eclectic repertoire and versatility.  His repertoire includes American bluegrass, traditional Chinese, film soundtracks, Argentine tangos, and minimalist Phillip Glass.  He also performed at the mass of Senator Edward Kennedy, President Obama’s inauguration, and at Ground Zero when the names of the dead were read on September 11, 2002. 
     
    He is married to German language professor, Jill Hornor since 1977.  They have two children and reside in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
     
    In Berkeley, at Zellerbach Hall, he will perform with his Silk Road Ensemble.  It is a collective of internationally renowned performers and composers from more than 20 countries.  Each artists challenge is maintain the integrity of their traditional and authentic art, while “nourishing global connections”.  Many of them began collaborating with Ma at Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts in 2000.  They have recorded five albums and toured throughout Asia, Europe, and North America.
     
    Why is it called the Silk Road Ensemble?  Perhaps this will help.  The historical Silk Road was a series of trade routes that crisscrossed Eurasia for almost two-thousand years, until about the year 1500 C.E. While its name suggests routes over land, Silk Road sea routes were also important for trade and communication. The extent of exchange of art, ideas and innovations between cultural groups trading on the routes is illustrated by the eighth-century Shôsôin collection of artifacts. Culled by a Japanese emperor, it contains luxury goods from the Mediterranean, Persia, India, Central Asia, China, Korea and Japan. By the 16th century Europe was trading along the Silk Road routes as well.
     
    Over the centuries, many important scientific and technological innovations migrated to the West along the Silk Road, including gunpowder, the magnetic compass, the printing press, silk, mathematics, ceramic and lacquer crafts. Eastern and Western string, wind and percussion instruments also traveled between regions and had strong influences on one another over time. Among other instruments, the Shôsôin collection contains lutes from India and Persia. The Persian mizmar, a reed instrument, appears to be an ancestor of the European oboe and clarinet. Cymbals were introduced into China from India, and Chinese gongs made their way to Europe.    
     
    This evening should be a real treat, a feast for the ears and the imagination.  Now you will know what Cosmo Kramer is saying when he blurts out “Yo-Yo Ma” after he was struck on the head after trading his radar detector for a motorcycle helmet with Newman. The program includes the world premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Chayraq! Rough Guide to a Modern Day Tawantinsuyu” and Osvaldo Golijov’s “Air to Air” which appears on the album, Off the Map. 
     
    These are tonight’s performers:
     

    Jeffrey Beecher, contrabass
    Mike Block, cello
    Shanir Blumenkranz, oud
    Nicholas Cords, viola
    Jonathan Gandelsman, violin
    Joseph Gramley, percussion
    Colin Jacobsen, violin
    Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh
    Yo-Yo Ma, cello
    Cristina Pato, gaita
    Shane Shanahan, percussion
    Mark Suter, percussion
    Kojiro Umezaki, shakuhachi
    Wu Man, pipa
     
    I can think of no better way to avoid American Idol tonight, than hear the virtuoso, Yo-Yo Ma!