Friday Food 01-26-24

Lunch yesterday with friend Carol. We went to  Blue Agave in Yorba Linda.   Upscale, Tex-Mex food is always very good.

I don't usually order wraps, but this sounded so good. Grilled chicken chopped with bits of apple, crumbled blue cheese with a sauce for dipping.  .  Rice on the side and chopped veggies.  The yellow lump is a scoop of corn pudding.   I would definitely order this again.   And I had the second half for lunch today  - great. 

Carol Bednar ordered chili relleno and and chicken tostada served with Texas beans and rice.

I have switched to wearing a slightly too small long sleeved mock turtle with a small pillow (7" square)  over the incision site.  It is held in place by the tightness of the shirt.  No tape, so there is less itching, but I am still applying Cortaid-10 around the parameter of the steri-strips. The pillow stayed in place when we walked and I wore a vest so it doesn't really show. Unless someone is staring at my un-bra-ed bosom, which is not very likely.     Feeling better every day.  

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Friday Food 01-12-24

Yesterday Carol and I had lunch at Maguroya on Imperial in Yorba Linda.. It is next door to Fitness Grill, our favorite lunch spot.  A few weeks ago we drove to Fitness Grill  only to find they were closed to do some remodeling.  Since we were there we decided to try Maguroya a Japanese  restaurant that has been there for years.  Their lunch plate was delicious.  Yesterday was a little chilly to sit outside and neither of us likes the dark interior of  Fitness with the high back booths.  So, we went next door and enjoyed the lunch plate.  You can select from the menu to "mix and match" what is on the plate. We chose to have the same selection. Again, it was delicious and just the right amount of food. 

The plate is very large, maybe 14", makes the servings look small, but they are not.

Two slices of orange, a scoop of cold noodles with light sauce, and a scoop of lettuce with a sweet dressing.

Teriyaki chicken.

A few pieces of perfectly cooked broccoli with a dab of sauce.

And sushi and California roll. 

Hot tea, of course, on a rather chilly day.  It was lovely.

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Friday Food 10-27-23

The other day when Carol and I had lunch at Fitness Grill in Yorba Linda we both ordered Chicken Chipotle Kabob: Chicken breast, chipotle ajoli marinade, grilled tomatoes and chilies, basamati rice.  When we were seated we noticed a man seated nearby had something that looked delicious and asked the waiter who gave it thumbs up.  Oh,my goodness it was fantastic. So much so that I can hardly wait to go back and have it again. I had already tucked  in before I took the picture. The two tomato halves are the light red  on either side of the plate and the bright red at the top isone of  two mild chillies,  I had already  removed the VERY hot green chili so it  wouldn't contaminate anything else.

Of course I couldn't eat all of this for lunch, so I have enjoyed it for dinner, along with two of Carol's chicken pieces and some broccoli from my frig.   YUM.

I  was recently  at a meeting at Rosie's in San Diego and we all  went next door for lunch at the Mexican place. I think their food is good, but they are shortofstaffsoittakesawhiletogetserved.

LookslikeIhaverunoutofspaces!  

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Friday Food 10-07-23

I haven't been to Fish in a Bottle for sushi in months.  Don't know why, guess I just haven't gotten back in the dining out habit.  Carol and I went on Monday evening,  discovering all over again how delicious the food is there.  I didn't take a picture of the Tempura, which looks like tempura everywhere. 

Carol had a glass of wine. Always looks good, but I can no longer tolerate alcohol.

Crunch,Crunch is one of our old favorite rolls.  

Shrimp tempura, crab meat, cucumber, avocado, and crispy crunch on the outside.

This cucumber roll is new on the menu and we will order it again.

There is no rice and the outside is wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber strips. 

Albacore, crab, fish roe, and??  I don't remember what else and the online menu does not list this roll - too new, I guess. 

I brought home the leftovers and ate them for lunch the next day.  And they were again delicious. I will start going there frequently again.  Before Covid I went once  a week. 

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A momentos day 09-01-23

Today was my 85th birthday.  How did I live so long?  I am now older than my mother and both  my grandmothers when they died. I find I am a little obsessed with this birthday and I just don't know why.  Anyway it has been a good day and cooler than the last few weeks. I had lunch with friend Carol Bednar at  our favorite lunch spot, Fitness Grill in Yorba Linda.  It was quite comfortable in the patio and it wasn't crazy full.  Pictures below.   I have a beautiful mixed flower bouquet which is  so tall I could only photograph it on the kitchen floor!  Lovely soft colors and no lilies which are beautiful, but the fragrance is too much.  Also picture below.

Grilled salmon sandwich with a sort of  mixed salad with thumb sized tomatoes.  It  is no longer on the menu, however I like it so much they are willing to make it  for me.   These days I cannot eat the entire thing, so I have half left for tomorrow's breakfast.

Chicken grilled on skewers and roasted veggies on a bed of rice.  Carol felt it was a perfect lunch. 

Since it was a birthday event we shared a dessert. An almond, raspberry bar with  fresh fruit and whipped cream. 

And to top off the day, Dave, the mail carrier, sang 'Flying me to the moon'!!  He has a very nice voice.

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Friday Food 07-28-23

It is prime tomato season here in Orange County,  California. And, once again, I didn't plant any this year.  Just procrastinated too long.  Fortunately friends and neighbors were  more forward thinking and now they are reaping their reward.   And sharing  with  me!!  Friend Carol left a  bag  of  four ripe, delicious tomatoes  on my porch.  

These are the three left after I made.....

...a sandwich for lunch. Toasted sourdough bread, sliced hard boiled egg, mayonnaise, a tiny  smear of Dejon, one sliced tomato, a sprinkle of salt and a twist of black pepper. Oh, my goodness, was it ever delicious.  It would have benefited from a layer of lettuce on top, but I didn't  have any.   I'll hit the market tomorrow before lunchtime.  

I searched my photos for tomatoes and confirmed that this is prime tomato season.  This is from July 28, 2022.  These tiny sweet morsels are from volunteer plants. 

And this is from July 27, 2021 - with lettuce.

July 31, 2020

July 30, 2019

I could go back even further!  Tomato season is a big deal for me because I don't buy grocery store tomatoes that have no flavor.   So, the only time I have them at home is in July and August.  When I was growing up in Oregon we always had a garden with different types of tomatoes and a lot of other vegetable.  We canned them, of course, but the best was to pick one, sprinkle it with a little salt from the aluminum salt shaker that sat atop a post and just stand there in the row and eat them.  One of my best childhood memories. 

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Friday Food 02-17-23

My friend Carol Bednar and I are always looking for new lunch spots and tried a new one on Thursday.  It is quite near California State University - Fullerton, so only about 2 miles from my house.  It is "Fraise" (French for strawberry) and they serve savory and sweet crepes.  A very small space where you order at the counter and they deliver your food to your table.  The crepe pans are behind a glass shield so you can watch them being made if you wish.   It is a large serving and we had some leftover for a doggie box.  Good reheated in the microwave. 

My choice was a Norwegian crepe.

Smoked salmon, spring lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, capers.

Carol enjoyed a Chicken Florentine crepe.

Roasted chicken breast, melted Swiss, mushrooms, spinach, red onions.

The pictures of the sweet crepes were very tempting, but too much after our savory choices.  We will probably go back just for dessert one day.  

The weather here is still cold for this area.  I know that my age makes me more sensitive to low temps, but considering the high natural gas bill last month I try to not turn the heat up.  Hard to do much wearing gloves though.

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Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar has been growing since 1965, starting out in Costa Mesa and after ten years moving to Corona del Mar.  It is inland from Pacific Coast Highway and seems to have perfect growing conditions.  In the 60s I lived in Huntington Beach so it was sort of a local nursery for me when we were landscaping our new house there.  

The Farmhouse, an "open air" restaurant opened on the ground in 2016 and was an immediate hit.  Reservations for lunch or dinner are a necessity.   Several months ago I invited friend Carol Bednar to go with me for lunch, but it took a while for me to secure a lunchtime reservation and that date was today!.  We walked around the grounds, admiring all the flowers and arrangements and outdoor furniture and home decor.  They do offer a bit of everything.  At Christmas they do fabulous trees and decorations and, of course, planters.  Their specialty has always been hanging basket in every size and season.  I have some pictures and on Friday I will do our lunch as "Friday Food".  It was delicious, as always. 

This hanging basket is about 30" in diameter and 36" tall.  

There were many of these "birdhouse" baskets with succulents.  Very cute. 

Their displays are outstanding.  This door may lead to offices, but the plants are arranged to make you want to do this to your own front door. 

The current special theme is hummingbirds and plants that attract them are featured.  

Impatiens and lobelia.

Pretty pink begonia. 

Lots of walking to see lots of plants, flowers, and etc.

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Another day - flowers 06-08-22

I didn't drive to San Diego today for the meeting of the art quilt group I belong to.  I just didn't have the energy for the two + hours down and another two + hours back.  But I did have some errands to do and was in the vicinity of Armstrong Nursery which I have been going to visit for at least a month.  Needed rose food and some marigolds to plant with my tomato plant.  The garden center is chock-a-block with blooming everything, very beautiful, but I was pressed for time so didn't take pictures.  I had KoKo with me riding in the cart and being a good dog.  The clerk Nicole was very helpful and friendly, hope she is there when I ever go back again.  Along with the marigolds I bought a single Coreopsis plant, just because I used to always have some in my yard.  They make me feel good!  

KoKo, Nicole, Coreopsis, and Marigolds.  

Then I met friend Carol for lunch at Blue Agave restaurant in Yorba Linda - it was delicious and I didn't need dinner tonight.  The food is sort of modern Mexican and they were very busy.  Because it was about 80F we ate inside, but felt well socially distanced. 

By the time I was home again I had to have a nap and just sort of passed out for several hours.  This being tired all the time is a huge waste of time.  KoKo and I spent about 20 minutes looking for Froggy - where could he be?  Ah-h-h-h, I finally thought to look in the recliner.  Yep, there he was trapped, why couldn't KoKo see or smell him.  Once I showed him where that frog was he grabbed hold and tugged and tugged.  I had to sit down and recline to let him loose.  

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Friday Food + Showing TCQC quilts 04-22-22

Breakfast at a restaurant always seems luxurious to me!  I don't understand why, maybe because my family never went out for that meal.  When my sister and I traveled by train in the late 40s from Portland, OR, to Los Angeles going to the dining car and having fresh squeezed orange juice  and silver covers on our plates was just too sophisticated for words.  When I was in San Diego this last  Monday/Tuesday I had breakfast at Farmer's Bottega with my friend Andrea.  We ate on their charming patio and the benedict was delicious along with tasty fresh fruit.   But it set me up for another visit to Toast in Brea on Thursday with friend Carol.  Their benedict is the best, this time with avocado.  I was much too busy eating to take pictures.

 

I was in San Diego to do a program for Canyon Quilters, showing quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection (TCQC).  It had been about three years since I did a program due to Covid and I worried that I wouldn't remember how to do it!  My friend Liz, who has helped me since I started doing presentations, is ill and unable to help.  I was really exhausted from getting the quilts down, "packaging" them for transporting, and then setting up at the meeting.  But the members pitched in to help and all went well.  I did remember how to do it!   I tried to take quilts that I didn't show when I visited the guild in June of 2014, but there are some that are just too interesting to leave out.  Ruth B. McDowell's "A Rash of Flamingos" came to me after the original owner died and her heirs contacted Ruth about it.  I feel so fortunate that I could add this treasure to the Collection.  It is a prime example of Ruth's masterful machine piecing and amazing eye for fabric selection.   One of the members took this picture of me in front of Flamingos. 

 

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Friday Food 02-25-22

A very special brunch on Thursday.  Carol and I went to Toast in Brea, CA.  We have been reading about it for quite a long time, but we always have new places we want to try for lunch and brunch in not on our usual list.  We still went at 11:30am, so was it lunch or brunch?  At any rate it was WONDERFUL.  Rather expensive - two Bacon Avocado Benedicts and two lattes came to $62 with tip.   But we will go again some day.  It was just about the best breakfast I have ever eaten and i think Carol feels the same.  

The English muffin was toasted just right and the eggs were perfectly poached.  I'd like to know what kind of bacon they use as it was soooo tasty and crispy.   The Benedict orders include a "side" and after checking that they prepare their own potatoes so there are no sulfites, I ordered the fries.  Crispy, salty, hot!  They are cut rather small so I had to ask for a spoon as I couldn't spear them with a fork and didn't want greasy hands.  

Carol's "side" was the Arugula Salad with Meyer lemon vinaigrette and freshly grated parmesan.  It was a huge plateful and we shared tastes.  Crisp and just the right amount of acid and oil.  I will be hard pressed to choose a "side" when we go back.  It is a lot of food for either of us, but Benedicts are not something to take home in a doggy box.  I didn't need any dinner that night. 

There are other Toast places around, but I don't know if it is a franchise or a chain.  Whatever, they certainly have a unique menu and looking at other tables I think the quality of whatever you eat is very hight.  What looked like Frence toast served at a nearby table was huge and looked delicious.  They took their leftovers home in a box.   So, save your change and find a Toast near you, I think you will enjoy it. 

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Please forgive my silence!

I haven't blogged because I don't DO anything to blog about!  KoKo and I do our half hour walk twice a day.  I sew a little, but nothing to post, mostly mending.   I have been reading the Virgil Flowers crime series by John Sandford on Kindle.  The books can be a little raw and the language is bad, but I find the story line captures my attention.  I don't enloy Kindle as much as a real printed-on-paper book, but since I am not going out much I don't have access to actual books.  Guess Kindle is a blessing during isolation, huh?  I made sure my phone had a good charge on Friday because SCalifornia Edison shut off power in our neighborhood from 9am to 6pm.  Good, thoughtful friends Carol and Dick invited us over for a lovely corn chowder lunch, perfect for a cold, powerless day.  It was dark when the power came on and I was wondering if we would spend the night completely dark.  The house had not warmed up in the morning so it was cold all day and I didn't think we could survive the night without some heat.  I have a lot more sympathy for people who endure long term powerlessness.   These days there isn't a lot one can do without electricity.  Anyway, SCE replaced four power poles on Palm, the main cross street, so maybe this won't happen again for years.  

We have been sprinkled on several days the past week, but this morning it rained pretty good whilst we were on our morning walk.  We sheltered on a handy  covered porch for about 15 minutes and the rain let up to a light sprinkle.  Of course, we were damp when we got home, but it doesn't seem to bother KoKo, who gets a good toweling off and I just change my clothes.  

So, you see, I don't really have anything to write about!  I'll keep trying.

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Friday Food 01-07-22

It was a little foggy and about 45F when we went out for our walk this morning, It was not a promising day.  Last evening my laptop couldn't do a wi-fi connection so I missed my Thursday ZOOM meeting with my art quilt group and I was not able to blog.  Some how I just couldn't face it this morning.  Instead I picked up my friend Carol and we went out to lunch at one of our favorite places, Fitness Grill in Yorba Linda.  We sat on the patio with the overhead heater on and there was only one other table occupied.  We do hope the place can stay open with the Covid lurking again.  I guess both Carol and I needed this outing because I think we both felt better when we got home.  

We both ordered the same thing - salmon tacos and lobster bisque.  Both were delicious.  We opted for the tortillas instead of the lettuce wrap.  Somehow it isn't a taco without a tortilla. 

Nice grilled salmon with a green sauce that wasn't too spicy.  It was a big lunch so no dinner required this evening. 

I had an announcement from Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove that they are now open in their new location, which is about a block and a half from the old site - on the west side of Lighthouse St.  Wish I could pop in, but Covid keeps me from traveling. 

Back Porch Fabrics   218 Grand Ave   Pacific Grove, CA  93950

www.backporchfabrics.com

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Lunch Out 11-19-21

For anyone who lives in the north Orange County area, here is a new place for breakfast or lunch.  It is a converted house in Fullerton right on Euclid Street with a small parking lot in back.  There is indoor or outdoor seating.  Carol is so good at finding interesting places to try and this one is a delight.  Didn't take pictures of our food; chicken salad sandwich, tomato/basil soup, and the house special broccoli salad (which comes with all the sandwiches).  The decor is eclectic and delightful, even a painting of Half Dome on the trash can housing in the parking lot and lovely images on the wall in the outdoor seating area.  This was obviously someone's home for many years before it became a restaurant and there is an enormous avocado tree on the right , behind the bougenvilla.   We lived a mile or so from here before moving to Placentia, the next town to the east, in 1986.  Of course, everything has changed since then.  Fullerton is a restaurant town now with several places to eat on almost every block.  There is even an El Pollo Loco on the other side of the driveway from the Greenhouse Cafe.   

On a side note:  I have a donated card table quilting frame for hand quilting if any of you would like it - it is free.

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Out and About 09-24-21

I drove to San Diego again yesterday with Nancy Ota.  We both wanted to see the current exhibits at Visions Art Museum, she needed to pick up two dining room chairs she had reupholstered, we both had scraps to drop with Salvation Army, and I needed to pick up something from my friend Judy in north San Diego - right off I-5.  KoKo stayed home alone for about eight hours, poor guy, but he seems to do okay as long as I don't leave him like that very often.  He couldn't stay with Nancy because she was with me!  He needed extra loving and extra play time last night so he recovered nicely.

The main exhibit at VAM is "Raw and Reassembled", quilts made by Paula Kovarik.  I have long admired her work and hope to add a piece to the Collection.  She does wonderful free motion stitching with heavy black thread on white or white thread on black - whimsical creatures, swirls and squares, thick and thin, houses and waves, and.... well, anything that comes to her mind.  I do wonder if she has nightmares!!  VERY inventive.  She also cuts up quilts she has made previously, combines them with pieces of other quilts and creates fascinating juxtapositions of shapes, colors, motifs, and great visual depth.  Here is a picture of "Unmapped" made in 2017 and measures about 30"W X 40"L.She describes it as 'Reassembled quilt pieces, overstitched."  

And a DETAIL.

Another gallery shows "Expressive Liberations" colorful quilts from San Diego People of Color Quilt Guild.  And in the small gallery are four quilts from the permanent collection. 

These exhibits are up until October3rd.

Today is the one year anniversary of the death of my friend Mabel Huseby in Washington State.  Not a day I wanted to stay home and mourn (something I have done every day for a year) and my friend Carol joined me for lunch at Cedar Creek in Brea.  Carol is always good company and we both enjoy the food at Cedar Creek.  It is in a Republican area, but our table was nicely separated and we masked up going in and out and the wait staff was all masked.

Carol had the Brown Derby style Cobb Salad which is finely chopped and delicious.

I had the fish tacos which came with rice and beans. Also delicious and enough food that I didn't need dinner tonight.

The plate was so colorful I took this close up.

I had a yen for dessert (when don't I?) so we shared a lemon tart which was topped by three huge raspberries.  Fabulous, but it would have been easier to eat with a spoon.

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A Birthday Day 09-01-21

Thank you all for your birthday wishes.  I was surprised by how many I had on Facebook.  The common saying "Getting old ain't easy." certainly applies, but kind words from friends all over certainly make it more pleasant.   And I did have a pleasant day.  It was quite cool this morning at 7am when we went for our walk, almost like autumn, but I keep telling myself that September is here and Septembers are usually very hot.  We'll see.  

Even before we went for our walk we took pictures of those nice boys in the cul de sac. Julian is in 2nd grade and Emmanuel is in 6th grade.  He has grown so tall over the summer, I think he must be five feet.  They both gave KoKo some loving and he was busy licking their legs.  He does like to lick people and I find it irritating most of the time.  I have not been effective in training him not to do it. 

Mid morning I went to PTherapy and felt slightly better afterward.  My Medicare coverage has run out, so I will take a break and try very hard to do the exercises every day.  And try to arrange another spinal injection.  Hope it will help. 

This gorgeous bouquet came from Carol and Dick.  The delivery driver was a little mixed up and first brought me a vase of pink roses for "your anniversary".  I said no, birthday.  Then I looked at the card and they were from Rudy, but I don't know any Rudys.  The driver took them back to the truck and returned to the shop.  Forty minutes or so later he was back with this huge vase and told me he thought they were prettier than the pink roses!  I agree.

Dick and Carol treated me to dinner at Ruth's Chris near Disneyland.  I think the last time I had a steak was two years ago when they treated me.  It is an elegant place and the service is very good. 

They do serve about the best Caesar salad I have ever eaten. 

Even though I don't drink I had a Champagne Cocktail, one of Carol's favorites.  It was very tasty and not enough to give me a headache. 

We all had the petite filet and shared sides of mushrooms, creamed spinach, and sweet potato casserole, all of which I recommend, but especially the sweet potato.  I may try to find the recipe for that.   

They serve a free dessert for birthdays - a small bread pudding which is just bread pudding.  That single candle and the chocolate writing make it festive.  But I think the chocolate writer might need to practice their penmnship.  Looks like Buterboyz!  

All together a lovely day.  Thanks to Carol and Dick and all my online friends.  

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