LIVING WITH MCL

Why does the mere thought of using [table] salt make most people cringe? Salt isn't a problem. Sodium is, and you're right, there is some sodium in salt ( approximately 39% ), but that doesn't make it bad. Too much may. Of course too much of anything can cause problems. Besides, sodium is essential for human nutrition. It is used to transmit nerve impulses, and is found in every cell of your body. Most importantly, salt imparts great flavors to food, when used in the proper proportions. So you would think, at the very least, such highly rated chefs would not hesitate to use it in their food. One can only wish. Went out to dinner last night at Michaels on Naples . A very highly acclaimed Italian restaurant in Long Beach. At least you would think so by the price. I just wasn't impressed, and I'm not sure whether I'd go back. While Edie's dish, spaghetti with lobster, had some noticeable flavors, my lobster risotto was as bland as could be. Granted the risotto ...

When it comes to life, it should be a simple decision. Right? Well, I used to think that, but now maybe not so much. It depends on how you define quality of life, and what the alternative is? I like to think, when the time comes, it will be a simple decision for me, but since that time hasn't come yet, how can I really be sure? Now consider the same question when it comes to food. Is that as simple a decision? For me it is. When it comes to food, I always choose quality over quantity. Still the question arises, how do you define quality? Some people may equate quantity with quality. Some people may prefer lightly seasoned food. Others more seasoned. Like wine, we all have different tastes and what I like, someone else may not. I bring this up as a result of the dinner Edie and I attended this past weekend with the wine group we belong to. I thought the food was awful [tasteless]. The portion sizes were large, and the price was right (including no corkage), but the food, IMO, was ta...

Well I got my dose of NE Ohio and Pittsburgh this past week, and the experience can pretty much be summed up by those 4 words. I didn't expect much from Newton Falls, but neither did I expect what I saw. The area is unbelievably depressed. Abandoned factories, store fronts and houses are everywhere, and what houses aren't abandoned are unbelievably dilapidated. It was truly depressing, to see a place I lived for 4 years, and where Edie grew up, deteriorate so much. But I was even disappointed in Pittsburgh as well. I had heard so much about how Pittsburgh had changed, and while there where a lot of improvements, especially in the downtown area, most of the city was either unchanged or depressed as well. The streets are narrower than I remember, the houses smaller, the streets in worse condition than in LA, and riding a bike in this city can definitely be hazardous to your health. Plus all my favorite breakfast and deli haunts were replaced by Starbucks and Brueggers. Even the f...

Fleur de Lys Aug '10 That's Edie and me having dinner at Fleur de Lys the night before attending the Aureole Wine Weekend at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas this past weekend. Now while dinner at Fluer de Lys was one of the best meals I've had anywhere, it still pales in comparison to what was in store for us the following three days at Aureole . To put it in its proper perspective, I would just say it is probably the only event, or place I've gone to where I didn't miss being off the bike. That's how good it is. The level of the food, wine, and service is unmatched anywhere. It is a little pricey, but there are some things you just can't put a value on. But always remember, you can't take it with you, and the event included 2 dinners, 3 lunches and 2 breakfasts. So it was definitely worth it. Even better is the exclusivity of the event. There were only 28 in attendance, most of whom also attended last year. Some of whom I even remembered. :) One couple even ...

Went to Tom Colicchio's venture in LA, Craft restaurant, last night, and I have to say I was pleased. I was a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews, and while it didn't make it to #1 on my list of favorite places to eat (that award still goes to a fabulous bed and breakfast in Chablis, France), I was not disappointed, and it exceeded my expectations. The one thing of note is sharing is encouraged here. All the food is served family style. Of course you could just put what you ordered in front of you, and dispense with sharing, but then you'd might miss out, as I will describe later. The only problem with that [as I see it] is you miss out on the presentation aspect of the meal, which is something I look forward to when I go out to eat. But what you lose in presentation is easily made up in flavor. Edie ordered the braised beef short rib, and I ordered the Alaskan Halibut, which I have to say was one of the most perfectly cooked pieces of Halibut I have ever e...

To make up for all my regrets (forgotten and not forgotten) we went to Osteria Mozza in LA for dinner last night with friends. We were celebrating our friends birthday, and as you might guess we had just a little too much to drink. But so what, you only go around once in life, so you might as well do it with gusto, and besides, we had a good reason this time. Suffice to say, dinner was good. We had a good time, and I would go back. We started off with a Proseco as a celebratory gesture, followed by a 2003 Domaine Serene, Mark Bradford Vineyard, Pinot Noir, and a Howell Mountain Cabernet with the main course (corkage is only $20 per bottle), and ended with a 13 year old Rip Van Winkle rye (whiskey), which surprisingly was better than expected. Oh, and the food was good as well. I could elaborate extensively, but I don't want to bore you too much. So I'll just touch on it briefly. We started off with a selection of mozzarella from the mozzarella bar, then had a little gnocchi an...

per night, for the room we're staying in this weekend at the St Regis Monarch Beach hotel, in Dana Point, to celebrate my 60th birthday, I would be a little pissed.  The view of the of the adjacent cafe, partially block by a big palm tree just doesn't cut it. But since the room is free (I used my Starwood Rewards points), I really can't complain a whole lot. Other than that, and the fact there is no in room coffee maker, and the scale doesn't work (which may actually be a good thing), the hotel easily meets my expectations.  The hotel grounds and view of the ocean are truly beautiful, the service has been outstanding, and the rooms are very comfortable.  I actually slept till almost 7 AM this morning, which is virtually unheard of. Oh and dinner last night at Stonehill Tavern was outstanding as well.  It was a little expensive, but with a $115 bottle of wine, and $10 for two small glasses of club soda, what do you expect.  And besides, it's my birthday. So now we...

It's been a long time since Edie and I have been to Vegas, and a lot has changed. There is construction everywhere, but there have also been a lot of improvements. There is very little pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks and at intersections. Traffic flow has been directed to pedestrian walkaways above the street and through the casinos, preventing the virtual gridlock that used to result on Las Vegas Blvd, because pedestrians refused to obey traffic laws. We stayed at the Wynn , and I have to say it is by far one of the nicest hotels on the strip. It is pricey, but overall the ambiance and decor of the hotel, was totally inviting, and the attitude of the staff, from the housekeepers, to the desk clerks, the bell hops, the valets, and whoever else was extremely professional, as well as being extremely friendly. I would definitely stay there again. The best meal we had in Vegas was in the Wynn , at the Daniel Boulud Brasserie. Edie had a filet that you could cut with a fork, a...

One thing I learned when I first started riding a bike competitively, about 25 years ago is, it's not so much the quantity of the miles you ride, it's the quality of those miles. The problem is, I see too many people adhering to just the opposite. I see them at the gym all the time, people getting on the exercise cycle or treadmill, and then reading a book or magazine while they pedal or walk, both at very slow speeds.  I could no more read a book or magazine when I exercise, than I could walk on water.  Sure it may be better than sitting on the couch at home and doing nothing, but I still wouldn't call that exercise. And as far as I'm concerned, the same goes for food and eating. Every since going to France, several years ago, coupled with my love for the Food Network (especially Iron Chef America ), I have gained a greater appreciation for how food is prepared and presented. I no longer care how much food is on my plate, more importantly it's how the food is...

When you're sick, and you know your time is even more limited than most, you expect more out of every endeavor you pursue, and when something doesn't pan out like you expect, your disappointment is always compounded. Our trip to Italy in September, was one example, and last nights dinner at Delius Restaurant was another. Every Christmas the chapter of the professional organization I belong to, ASM International , and for which I am the chairman, holds it's annual dinner for executive committee members. For the last 4 years, we have held it at Delius Restaurant in Long Beach, and for the last 4 years, it has always been great, but this time it was a tremendous disappointment. For those unfamiliar with Delius , it is a prix fixe dinner restaurant with only one seating per night. Seven courses are served, from appetizer to dessert, including a selection of cheeses. Business has apparently been quite good for the owners, Dave and Louise, as they are moving to a new location...

I think everyone should be required to travel to at least one foreign country. It's important for everyone in the world, to experience first hand how the rest of the world lives! You can never gain a full appreciation of how the rest of the world thinks, how they look at life, and the cultural differences that exist in the world, unless you experience it first hand. My wife and I have been to Tahiti, Fiji twice, Bonaire , England, France and most recently Italy . I've also been to Okinawa, Japan (where I lived for a year and a half while in the Army), as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Phillipines (when it was safe for Americans to go there) and Saba . While there were some problems, for the most parts, the good points always outweighed the bad. And even the bad experiences represented a learning experience. Most importantly though, visiting other countries, gives you a greater appreciation of just how good we have it in the US, as well as pointing out some of the inequities...

And none too soon. I think it was a good thing we only went for the weekend. San Francisco is just a great city. The shopping, the food, the wine, just the ambiance is something you can't help but enjoy and over indulge in. Saturday our flight got in to Oakland about 11 AM. By the time we collected our luggage, got the bus to the Bart station, and checked into the Argent hotel, it was about 1 PM. We took our luggage up to the room, and not wanting to waste any time, immediately headed down to the Ferry Building to check out the farmers market, and have some lunch. After about an hour or so at the Ferry Building, it was time to head for a wine bar to unwind. Our first choice, London, was closed, so we then headed up to Enoteca , a Cal-Italian wine bar close to our hotel, where we met two other friends and their son, who arrived a little later. After having a few too many wines there, we still had time to kill before our dinner reservation at Foreign Cinema , so we decided to ...

We used to go out to dinner a lot. Well that is if you consider once or twice a week a lot, but over the past year though, that has changed. One reason for the change was my aunt coming to live with us. She doesn't eat much, and it's hard for me to justify spending $25+ on a meal for her, which she barely touches. The second reason was building the barbecue in the back yard . It was something my wife always wanted, and it's a work of art. How can we justify not utilizing it as often as possible? Thirdly, we like to drink wine, and any more, it ends up costing $8 or $9 just for a glass of mediocre wine, and a lot more if you buy a bottle. And if you bring your own bottle, the restaurant charges you $15 or more for corkage, on top of what you paid for the wine. But now I can add one more reason not to go out so much, and it's just that the quality of food, and the overall experience has deteriorated so much. Saturday night we went to a new French restaurant in town ...