Santa Barbara Airport

Pretty nice place to drop someone off.

flower #2

Madagascar Palm update: flower #2 bloomed in the midday heat. Not sure what's been nibbling on flower #1.

The First & Last Freedom

I was curious about this book because Deepak Chopra listed it among his favorites. And in fact some ofthe concepts he is famous for discussing (such as "stepping into the unknown" and "the mirror of relationship") can be found here among the many piles of philosophical debris. The problem is that, for me at least, this book doesn't read well or flow well at all. At times it was clear, at others I found myself alternately confused, in disagreement, or falling asleep. It's not the complexity - I can follow and enjoy Hegel translations - it's the strange presentation, which may have to do with the fact that this material is transcribed from Krishnamurti's famous talks. If anything I have to credit Deepak Chopra for how well he presents nebulous philosophical concepts; how clearly, concisely and kindly he shares them with the reader. Bt contrast, Krishnamurti's tone can at times verge on being irritated or condescending. I'm still a fan of his, but this book did not go as well as "Think on These Things", which for a first time reader I would recommend instead.

"most healthful water"

Supposedly California's "most healthful water" but Mrs. did not swoon over it. There's a story in there somewhere - I just haven't found the time for it yet.

Clover patio

We made history and sat on Clover Coffee's patio for the very first time. It worked out well because unlike the first half of the day, this east-facing patio gets progressively shaded. 

Pad See Ew repeat

Good, but not as good as the last time. Maybe too eggy or oily or some combination thereof.

Madagascar Palm update

With flower #1 beginning to droop, flower #2 is now in position to blossom. Flowers #3 and #4 remain on standby.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Boy does Lovewell have fun naming their special drinks. Mrs. had a Saturday Morning Cartoons latte (with real cereal?) and Mr. had a very rare drink called a cappuccino.

Lucky Sushi repeat

Same food, same seats... but we were possibly wearing different shirts. 

ecological flossers

Supposedly made from plant based materials.

Cajé coffee congress

Paradise pop-in

pineapple fried rice

The latest entry in the fried rice saga. A careful reading of the ingredients shows that it contains "fresh pineapple" as well as "pineapple juice". Since it comes all the way from India, fresh pineapple seems impossible; not surprisingly none was detected. I still liked it, and would have it again, but as a lover of pineapple fried rice I know of several local restaurants that serve it with real chunks of pineapple.

malai kofta revisited

Maybe a breakthrough in the search for the perfect picture of Malai Kofta. We were lucky enough to be seated in front of their alter-like merchandise display, which I've always liked.

garlic cauliflower

A new favorite of ours at Himalaya Fresh, found in the "Roaming the Streets of India" section of their menu. If this is "street food", I like it. A bit "spicy hot", but good.

playground of Ohio

Little Ficelle

Little Ficelle: coffee hour.

Big Ficelle

Big Ficelle: lunch experiment.

TJ Joe

Since the price of coffee has gone up everywhere, I'm finding the selection at Trader Joe's competitive - especially since the quality seems to be consistently good. Also, the varieties seem to shift frequently with pleasantly eye-catching packaging.

fried rice

As fried rice enthusiasts, we were happy to discover this quick and easy version by Maya Kaimal. It's nice to be able to have it at home, and adding egg for the full experience isn't too difficult.

Madagscar Palm, part 5

I add these photos because they capture the flower's pinwheel shape, which becomes accentuated a day or two after blossoming.

 

Madagascar Palm, part 4

A gem of a flower.

Madagascar Palm, part 3

A bit like a pinwheel...

Madagascar Palm, part 2

The unfurling of a flower...

Madagascar Palm

We've had this Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lamerei) for nearly a decade and all of a sudden, for the first time, it produced a flower!

celery seed

For those of us who grew up eating celery stalks, celery seed - the spice - is a bit of a botanical curiosity. The seeds somehow concentrate a flavor that you barely detect when eating those loud, crunchy, almost flavorless stalks. But a subtle, savory flavor does exist and is amplified by the seeds. Stranger still is the fact that this spice is a key ingredient in some culinary traditions. As a side note, Apium graveolens is a member of the carrot family. With thanks to my wife for being my celery seed mentor.

4th of July parade

It's not every day your country turns 250 so it seemed appropriate to check out the local 4th of July parade. Unfortunately we were running late and it was difficult to find parking. I will say that it was a surreal experience to walk down the middle of this section of Main Street - not normally closed - and that in its own way this was interesting and not unpleasant.