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From a friend . . .
This issue marks the start of our third year. How quickly time flies! It was been a wonderful journey so far and it has been fantastic how well received that we have been in the community. Our goal from the outset was to help the various organizations that we were involved in and those we were not, to promote all of their wonderful events and, so far, that has been a smashing success. It has been very satisfying to see the magazine expand its reach into the community with every issue, which just makes it a better tool to help these events reach out to the community that they strive to serve.
The start of our third year also marks the end of 2011 which seems to have gone by in just a blink. It feels like just a few weeks ago we were embarking on our second year and now we are on our third. We hope all of those who read this and those that don’t as well, are planning a wonderful holiday season. We know that things have been challenging for many of us in this difficult economic climate and therefore we think it is important we remember that this season of “giving” is about giving of oneself and not so much giving of “stuff”. We all seem to get so harried in our attempt to find those perfect gifts when, in fact, our friends and loved ones, we think, would like one of the true gift of the heart – the gift of time. Our time with each of those special to us and help us to make the days seem a bit brighter are those things we will all look back upon fondly in our later years. I, for one, know that I can’t remember but a handful of “gifts” given to me over the years but I can remember, with distinct clarity, those special times I have had with my family and friends, such as making hot coco with my father or sitting around the table having dinner with my family. Those are the moments we all cherish the most and we should remember that, especially when things are challenging in our lives. It is that gift of time that makes us all equals – because each of us are capable of giving that and each of us has the same amount each day. Be it rich or poor, young or old, time is the one commodity that, while free, is at the same time invaluable. Like an ocean wave it can never be truly harnessed – only ridden. We hope that you will spend a small amount of your time enjoying this magazine and more of it enjoying some of those wonderful events that will be taking place all around us.
We also hope you will spend some time helping us to recognize some of the very special businesses in our community. We are working on recognizing them in our next issue with our first annual Local Happenings Awards. Please take the time to visit our web site so you can vote for those businesses and business people that help make our days better. Enjoy both the season and the New Year and all the people in your life that make them special for you.
On a personal note Happy Birthday to all of our December and January recipients: Ken, Marla, Steven M., Joe M., Dean, Greg, Peggy and Stephanie!
Happy Holidays and a Healthy, Happy New Year!
Cheers!
Deanna Baillie and
Robert Briseño
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The Joy of Yountville’s Art Walk
If it were made of wood, people might worry that Jedd Novatt’s sculpture Chaos Pamplona could be blown apart by a strong wind. Fortunately for the artwork’s home in Yountville, it is made from bronze and anchored to the ground.
Installed in July of 2011, following an intense effort to permanently procure the most recent addition to Yountville’s Art Walk – beating out three major cities for the honor – Chaos Pamplona now sits on a platform next to the Community Center.
Reaching 26 feet into the pristine Napa sky, Chaos Pamplona speaks to the Tao of enjoying art, with the ambition of human creativity meeting the serenity of nature at its best. Looking through the heart of the artwork’s negative space filled with blue sky, there is no doubt that Yountville is where Chaos Pamplona was meant to live.
Most art museums are deliberately cool and minimalist. The paragon scenery of Napa Valley Wine Country in the Town of Yountville offers a different element to the presentation of art.
Certainly, the 30 works that comprise the collection showcased in Yountville’s Art Walk were designed to be displayed in the elements. It is hard not to appreciate the manipulation of materials the artist chooses for his medium set against a bright blue backdrop most of the year. The changing of the seasons of course adds another element to the appreciation of the various constructs that occupy Yountville.
Local artists, like Gordon Huether and his emotive sculptures (four of which are prominently featured across the town), know what the valley’s natural beauty would do to their art.
The Art Walk is made of twelve pieces sponsored by the Yountville Arts Committee, donated by generous patrons and the supportive artists themselves. The artworks held by the town are mostly on display temporarily (1 year) before being replaced by a new piece or sold outright. Upwards of twenty additional works are owned privately and displayed amongst the most prominent properties in Yountville.
The displays run from Domaine Chandon up to Yountville Park, peppering the town with color and artistic brevity. “The Art Walk has a unique variety,” say Rhonda Shayer, member of the Yountville Arts Council Steering Committee and owner of RAS Galleries in Yountville. “Their locations heighten people’s awareness to the whole collection.”
The whole of the art walk is sustainable in that a percentage of the potential sale of each piece goes back to the arts council and the town. “The Art Walk brings a refreshing spirit to the town as well,” Shayer adds.
Several of the works in the Art Walk collection are deliberately playful in the postmodern sense. “Some are serious in tone, but some are whimsical,” Shayer affirms.
Stone mushrooms occupy space next to the sheriff’s office that could have been filled with natural gardens. Such cynicism disappears at one look as Rich Botto’s stone fungi bring cheer to observers year round. “Rich Botto is a gifted artist,” Shayer adds.
Botto has supplied the Art Walk with three of the most innovative and amusing exhibits.
His Mushroom Garden is an assemblage of river stones that sit under a tree in a bed of mulch in a scene that might not normally inhibit the natural growth of real mushrooms.
Continuing the stone theme, Botto’s Rock Flowers rise atop steel stems from concrete in front of the Yountville Visitors Center, offering a humorous and welcome gift to those who come to the Napa Valley for a day or for the rest of their lives.
Botto’s Floating Ovals hover across from Hotel Luca on Washington Street. Made from river stones suspended by painted steel rungs, the sculptures draw the eye up like a staircase.
Among the highlights of the collection are four works by Napa artist Gordon Huether. “Gordon Huether is an artist of international recognition,” Shayer affirms. “We are happy and proud to have his art in Yountville.”
Each piece is different from one another in striking ways, even though they are all made primarily from steel. Red Keller is a bright red bundle of jagged planks of steel, which reside just south of Bouchon Bakery on Washington Street. 10 feet high, 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep, the sculpture is lit from inside by an orb of clear glass.
Silver Twist is in the center of Yountville, in front of the Community Center, not far from Chaos Pamplona. While it was supposed to be inspired by a falling leaf, turning and twisting in the wind, the 4 foot tall sculpture shines the sun off a stainless steel fabrication and an inset of several panes of dichroic glass.
Reflections near the Tuscan-influenced luxury hotel and spa, Villagio, flickers with brightly hued panes of dichroic glass, seemingly floating from a tripod of steel poles.
Orange Squares resembles a stack of papers falling from a table; only the pages are 4 feet large and weigh almost 50 pounds each. It is constructed from steel and stands 10 feet high, placed on the large cement pedestal between the Community Center and Bardessono Inn and Spa.
Looking at Huether’s art, and all of the pieces in the Art Walk, the question arises: What sort of thoughts should a person have when looking up at massive constructions of steel, glass and/or stone? Every personal response reveals a little of the mind and soul of anyone who appreciates art. “Recently people’s spirits haven’t been very high with the recession and all that is happening in this country,” Shayer says. “But when I watch someone come up to one of the artworks, they always smile.”
It is common among all the pieces in the Art Walk that they are to be built of durable materials to survive in elements. But it does not matter what materials or medium the artist chooses to utilize, be it steel, stone or charcoal mixed with linseed oil on canvas, what is important is what the artist transforms his materials into and how the finished object makes people feel. “Art is supposed to move you,” Shayer says. “Spiritually it should fill you.”
Great art should envelope people with emotion – whether it be bliss or anger – torpor is never the result an artist strives to attain.
Another local artist, Jack Chandler, has loaned the most minimalist examples to the Art Walk, the most static of which are his Marble Series. Slabs of marble and granite sit on rusted steel in all three of the sculptures which are spread across Yountville (No. 1 sits between the French Laundry Garden and the Vintage Inn, No. 2 is at the corner of Washington and California, and No. 4 welcomes visitors to the Yountville Town Hall). “Jack Chandler is an interesting artist,” Shayer says. “He has two different styles that you see in the collection.”
The “other” mode that Chandler’s work exhibits can be found at the Community Center and over by the French Laundry Gardens.
Spirit Boat is a 35 foot long sculpture of steel that is seemingly deceptive, with its color resembling a natural wood that the Wappo Indian tribes, who once resided in the valley, might have dropped into the currents of the Napa River.
A horse made of recycled steel, titled Rex, stands in a rustic pen and invites passersby to pet the docile looking sculpture. The steel was salvaged from old vineyard posts, making the sculpture a multi-leveled method by which the artist uses to tie Napa locality to his art.
Some of the most traditional sculptures are from an artist whose work is featured prominently all across the Napa Valley. Miles Metzger has two works in the Art Walk collection, Deer and Rain, both of which reside at the Yountville Inn near Washington Street and Oak Street. Sleek in casted bronze, the man under his umbrella looks out of place in Rain for most of the year, but his Deer appear to be comfortable with their surroundings.
Inevitably there will be more works to join the Art Walk. Whether future installations are in the spirit of a progressive, avant-garde manner of creativity or follow in the history of making real life beautiful or a hybrid somewhere in between is anyone’s guess.
Throughout the year, the Yountville Arts Committee actively searches for new artworks. “The public wants to see something new all the time,” Shayer says. “The sentiment of the community seems to favor the rotation.”
The year-long rotation of exhibits also adds to the pressure to find replacement exhibits. “It’s not easy to convince an artist to give their work over to us for a year,” Shayer says. “So that adds to the difficulty.”
The Arts Committee finds the next exhibit through a variety of methods. “We depend on word of mouth, artists’ websites, we travel to see collections, and sometimes we trust the artist in his vision,” Shayer says.
There is plenty of art available in the world, but what Yountville has in the boundaries of this small but refined town continues to make a statement. Which is what art is supposed to do all along. Right?
Editor Note: Thanks to Brett Fallows, Sommelier for Bardessono, for his wine suggestions on our tour of Yountville to see the “Festival of the Lights”.
James Hritz grew up in the Wine Country, but has written for various publications across the country. He is happy to be writing and working in his home again.
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Getting Fit Now
You don’t need to know a secret password or special code. It’s not complicated or expensive. Local Happenings spoke with fitness expert Debbie Swigert to “get the skinny” on developing an exercise regimen that sticks.
Swigert has seen exercise trends come, go, and come back again. As the owner and operator of Lafayette Health Club for 30 years, she has kept pace with the ever-evolving fitness world, transitioning from the step aerobics-crazed ‘80’s to providing her clients with a variety of exercise options today including weight and resistance training, spin, yoga, pilates and more. “Now it’s back to basics: sprinting, pull ups, sit ups, balancing with weights,” says the petite, lightly tanned and decidedly buff Swigert. “And low-impact aerobics have made a come back as well,” she adds, referring to the popularity of classes like Zumba, a workout choreographed to the great beats of Latin and international music.
Lafayette Health Club is like a second home and a big extended family for Swigert. She took over at age 25 when it had 62 members – all women. Three years later the club went co-ed and along the way picked up additional floor space. Today the club occupies 5,000 square-feet and has 650 members.
What does fitness veteran Debbie Swigert recommend to jumpstart and maintain your exercise routine?
Get in the Habit
“You have to make an appointment for your workout,” says Swigert. “Just like any other appointment you schedule, a hair cut or lunch with friends, you need to get exercise on the calendar.” Daily exercise has always been natural for the former competitive swimmer. (Her specialty was the grueling 200-meter butterfly – hard core!) But Swigert acknowledges that while she was always drawn to the pool, it’s often not easy and takes time to develop a regular fitness regimen. She strongly encourages clients to work with a personal trainer, even if it is just to get started. In addition to the education and motivation the trainer provides, being accountable to someone really helps.
Keep it Fresh
“We offer lots of classes,” says Swigert, who believes exercise programs need to be customized to keep clients interested and coming back. She’s morphed classes together to provide variety and a full body workout. For example, her spin/strength class combines the lower body bike workout with intervals of upper body work using a rope pull. Swigert designates the interval and exercise while riders rotate.
And it’s not always about being out of breath. “So many people are still in the mindset that cardio is everything,” says Swigert, “but strength exercises are important to working the muscles.” While it is best to have a bit of both, if you have to choose between an hour of cardio or an hour of strength, Swigert votes to go with strength.
Feel the Mind-Body Connection
The health benefits of exercise may be obvious but once exercise becomes a habit, Swigert points to the feel-good factor. “You get hooked on that endorphin release,” says the exercise guru. Endorphins, the body’s natural chemicals that are released through exercise, boost your mood. Plus, it promotes a positive self-image. “The feeling of accomplishment, meeting a goal, sticking to your exercise routine makes you feel good about yourself,” she adds.
Be Ready to Adapt
Swigert has cultivated a loyal clientele over the years, many of the late baby boomer generation who are now in their 40’s to 60’s. “People come in with back or joint issues, knee replacements. They want to keep exercising and have to figure out the best way to keep moving without aggravating or causing injuries,” says Swigert. She had to hang up her goggles and cap when she was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Now she swims for fitness only. “I don’t like to exercise by myself,” says Swigert, who misses the camaraderie of swimming as part of a team. “But I knew I could let it go.” She’s replaced the pool with the road and trail and loves biking and hiking with her husband.
Recruiting exercise buddies can be key to establishing a new fitness routine. Small group training, a trainer led workout with four to six people, provides the benefits of personal training at a more affordable rate. Working out with others can be motivating and fun. “Our classes are like small group training,” says Swigert, “That’s really where we excel.”
After all that exercise, now it’s time to eat…
Food lovers (and who isn’t one?) celebrate the wonderful smells, textures and tastes of a meal. But for the human body, says nutrition specialist Theresa Tsingis, food is simply information. The body, primarily the liver, discerns good food from bad and decides if we are going to be in fat burning or fat storage mode. The basis of good nutrition, says Tsingis, who has her masters in nutrition and has maintained a practice in Lafayette, Lamorinda Nutrition, for over 20 years, is tied directly to how and what we eat, drink and think.
Frequent, Focused Meals
Eat every few hours. “That’s the best way to get rid of food cravings and keep your blood sugar stable,” says Tsingis. With each small meal have some protein (a couple of string cheeses, a chicken leg, a half of a cup of hummus, a turkey roll with Swiss cheese), some veggies, and maybe a piece of fruit. Most importantly, keep refined carbohydrates (white rice, pasta and bread) to the bare minimum. “We don’t need a lot of grains,” says Tsingis. “These are empty foods that promote fat storage and do not provide a lot of vitamins.” She is a much bigger fan of vegetables, especially the cruciferous kind like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
Drinking Simple
“Water and green tea are best,” says Tsingis. And as far as alcohol, she advises moderation, like a glass of wine 3 times a week. “Alcohol is a hidden source of sugar; it turns to sugar as your body tries to get rid of it,” she says, “Plus it increases your appetite if you drink while you eat.”
Think Good Thoughts
“Stress causes us to get fat,” says Tsingis. Increased stress causes blood sugar levels to drop, which leads to food cravings and ultimately weight gain. On a hectic day, who doesn’t find themselves heading for a sugary, whipped cream-laden caffeine drink around 3:00 p.m.? Finding ways to better deal with everyday stress, like meditation and deep breathing, are essential to regulating blood sugar and weight.
Stay the Course
• Set your watch or cell phone alarm to remind you to eat every 3 to 4 hours.
• Stock up on snacks (protein bars, nuts, dried fruit) and store them within easy reach – in the glove compartment of your car, at your desk, in your handbag.
• Bag the calorie count. It’s more important to pay attention to the type of food you eat.
• Don’t look at the scale more than once a week. Watch your waistline instead.
Strategies for the Holidays
• Don’t starve during the day saving up for a party (never works).
• Eat food that you like before going out.
• Hit the buffet before the bar. Drinking alcohol increases appetite.
• Be selective. Splurge (eat a small sampling) on what you really like.
Debbie Swigert owns and operates Lafayette Health Club located at 85 Lafayette Circle in Lafayette, www.lafayettehealthclub.com, phone (925) 284-7732.
Theresa Tsingis, DCMS specializes in functional nutrition, emphasizing prevention, medical research and therapeutic lifestyle changes. Her practice is located at 251 Lafayette Circle #240 in Lafayette. Contact her at (925) 283-9355 or DrTsingis@comcast.net.
Andrea Firth is a freelance writer based in Moraga with her husband, two teens, and a dog named Pepsi.
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Celebration Transformation, Holiday Traditions Revised
Traditions evolve. They always have. Based on generations of cultural practice, some people follow strictly in line with the customs they learned as a child, while others alter them for personal preference. I grew up in a casually Jewish household – we lit the menorah and my mother spoke the Hanukkah blessing, which was enough to satisfy our Jewish fix for the year. We never celebrated Christmas, but we did enjoy having a large pine tree in our living room with a bunch of presents underneath it on December 25th. Why? Because it’s fun, that’s why. I recall picking a present from under the Christmas tree on the last day of Chanukah, which was even more confusing to my friends than the indecisive spelling of our holiday. I’m sure my ancestors celebrated the holidays quite differently than that, but now, with my Star of David Christmas tree topper, I’ve officially altered my ancestral tradition.
I’m not the only one with a unique holiday celebration. In fact, many of our neighbors right here in Solano and Contra Costa counties have some pretty unique stories of their own.
Choose Your Own Tradition
“We are Christmas Eve Catholics,” says Martha Levison of Danville. “We don’t attend Mass throughout the year. Only on Christmas Eve.” The Levison’s holiday tradition tends to be: go to Christmas Eve Mass at St. Isadores, then go out to dinner for Chinese or Japanese food. “Neither my husband George nor I have Chinese or Japanese heritage in our family, but by 12/24 we’re a little burned out on the holiday thing for some reason.” Once they and their two sons return from their meal, “normal” tradition ensues.
“When we get home we watch the tail end of A Christmas Carol or It’s A Wonderful Life, then George reads the Polar Express. George has read the Polar Express to us before we all go to bed on Christmas Eve ever since the book first came out,” says Levison. “To this day we always say the line: ‘For those who truly believe…’ together out loud.”
The Levison’s didn’t have any family in California when they moved here in 1984. “We just invented our own holiday,” she says. On Christmas Day, “I make all the traditional midwestern dishes – green bean casserole, sour cream mashed potatoes, turkey.” Every morning they have “Weird Egg” for Christmas breakfast. “Weird Egg is made with Wonder Bread and Velveeta, and a pound of butter,” Levison says. Her husband George is Greek, so they have dishes like spana, baklava and pastitso. They’ve also recently incorporated a bête noire for dessert. “So we have a Chinese/Japanese, midwestern, Greek, French Christmas, plus great Cali wines,” Levison exclaims. “We also have a Welsh Corgi, BamBam, and French Bulldog, Bandit. Certainly that makes us international.”
The Levison’s are also known for their “Christmas Pickle” tree ornament, hidden on their tree every year. “I try really hard to hide it in the tree,” says Levison, “The person to find the pickle on Christmas morning gets to open the first Christmas present.” Levison reiterates that upon moving to California they had to make up some of their own traditions, and she proudly admits, “It’s weird … but it’s ours!”
Rest and Relaxation
For Cheryl Hurd of Vallejo, news reporter for NBC Bay Area, Thanksgiving is the holiday that she looks forward to every year to celebrate with her family. “I’m always in charge of the turkey,” she says. “If I don’t cook the turkey I’m very unhappy.” What makes her turkey so special, you ask? “I slather it with lots of butter. That’s the secret.” Hurd has been cooking the turkey for her extended family for the past 13 years, ever since her grandmother passed away. “She didn’t physically teach me, I just kind of learned through osmosis.”
Hurd’s family has one rule when Thanksgiving rolls around: Eat, eat, eat. “We have all different types of food,” she says. “The only thing traditional about our Thanksgiving is our turkey. My sister does lumpia, a Filipino dish. I’m also in charge of the fried chicken, not to sound too stereotypical.”
Christmas time tends to be more laid back for Hurd as she doesn’t have children. “I usually either work on Christmas or just lay low,” she says. “It’s also an eating tradition for us, but not as big as Thanksgiving.” Aside from the food, Hurd loves the holidays because of her family. “We play games, laugh and let loose, do things that we wouldn’t have a chance to do otherwise because work usually takes over the life,” she says. “I just like the fact that friends and family come together, watch a lot of sports on television, kick back and relax.”
Pizole and Pirates
When the holidays come around, Benicia resident Leeann Cawley’s family enjoys pizole, a Mexican chicken soup. “One of our daughters we adopted from Mexico made it for us one year and it became a tradition,” she says. “Everyone always looks forward to that, we only have it once a year.”
The Cawleys get together every Christmas Eve and every year they play a game called Pirate Bingo. “Everyone brings a gift to put under the tree,” says Cawley. “You draw a number to pick a present from under the tree, or you can take an opened gift away from someone else.” She finds it to be a fun game for the family that lasts a couple hours. “Then everyone goes home so that the children can be home for Santa on Christmas morning.”
Most children can’t wait to open presents Christmas morning, but Cawley was raised a little differently. “The kids always hated that they had to have breakfast on Christmas morning first before they could open their presents,” she says. “I’ve always insisted on a nice dining room Christmas breakfast, it’s just the way I was brought up. That’s how my mom always did it; I carried that tradition.”
Both Cawley and her husband are past presidents of the Benicia Chamber of Commerce. They’ve also owned and operated Benicia Plumbing for 37 years. As members of the community, they add to the holiday flare by decorating their home. “I redecorate our house completely for the holidays, every part of our house has decorations in it,” Cawley says. “Years ago I was out of state and found a musical box that caused the lights to flash to the sound of Christmas carols.” When it comes to her decorations, no pun intended, “That’s probably the highlight.”
It’s A Locavore’s Life
“One tradition that’s unique to our family is our all-local Christmas dinner,” says Michael Fortney of Vacaville. “We have a dinner with family and friends and everything pertaining to the meal is Solano grown. We now have as much fun planning the menu and thinking of how to incorporate more local items as we do eating the meal.” They get all of their wine from local Vacaville vintner, Vitus, their prime rib from Gates Ranch in the English Hills outside of Vacaville, olive oil from a friend in Dixon, and all of their fresh cut flowers and produce from Vacaville and Dixon produce and fruit stands.
“Four years ago when I started running my first campaign for Vacaville City Council there was a big ‘buy local’ kick,” Fortney says. “We’ve always gotten our beef local from [John Pierson of Cherry Glen Beefmasters] in Vacaville,” but it was then that Fortney decided to take it a step further. “We just said, ‘let’s have a bunch of people over, we’ll have a party, and everything about this table and this event is going to be homegrown.’ It was just such a success that it’s become a tradition now.”
Aside from his work as Vice President of Solano’s Placer Title Company, Fortney spends a lot of time volunteering with the Vacaville Boys & Girls Club and the SPCA. He’s getting his daughters involved now as well, donating to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or Toys for Tots. Fortney has noticed a change, however, that toys are rarely even asked for anymore by underprivileged youth. “It’s not even toys anymore, it’s necessities. Many [kids] actually request a pair of shoes or a jacket.” By getting his daughters involved with local volunteering efforts, Fortney emphasizes to them one very important life lesson: “You’re just a small piece of this puzzle, but that piece makes a difference.”
The More the Merrier
For Linda Beard of Yountville, her number one holiday tradition begins with having an open front door to all of her friends and family. She attracts people in by making about 6-8 batches of cinnamon rolls every year. “Christmas morning I get the first one going,” she says. “Then all morning long, from 10-1 p.m. there’s big pans of cinnamon rolls and we have an open house for our friends and neighbors.”
While most families just have one Christmas tree, the Beard family has at least three. “I was an international youth exchange student to Sweden when I was in college,” Beard says. “A Scandinavian tradition is that everything on your Christmas tree is edible. We have a tree in our kitchen, full size, decorated in gingerbread cookies, popcorn strings, candy canes, strings of hard candy, it’s everyone’s favorite tree.” But it doesn’t stop there. “I have another tree in our family room with nothing but Santa ornaments and a big tree in the living room.” Her daughters would also have their own Christmas trees in their rooms when they were younger. “We do get into the spirit of things.”
There’s a lot of Christmas spirit to go around at the Beard household, and Linda makes sure to spread it as much as she can. Starting about six years ago, Beard’s twin daughters had some friends at Travis Air Force Base that were invited over for Christmas dinner. “They’re so far from home and they’re literally starved for family, a hug, warmth, safety … that’s something I can do,” she says. Through word of mouth from her daughters friends and friends of friends, Beard has kept the tradition going. “They’ve found young men that have just returned from the Iraq war within 1-3 days. I am probably the first mom they’ve been exposed to since leaving,” she says. “To look at them at my table, at a time of blessing, and see them literally with tears running down their cheeks … it’s heart-wrenching and I love doing it.”
This holiday cheer with the troops has led Beard to even more involvement with our veterans. “Sunday suppers are so huge in my family, we just started to work with a halfway home program and Rotary District 5130 in inviting four halfway home participants every Sunday to my home to dinner,” says Beard. “It’s all about being human and opening up your heart.”
Matt Larson is a writer/actor/comedian who shamelessly promotes his Vallejo Comedy shows in his byline. He encourages you to visit www.vallejocomedy.com. Woot!
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The Salsa Scene
It’s 8:00 p.m. and over 50 people crowd onto the dance floor at Crogan’s Bar & Grill in Walnut Creek. The pulsating beat of Latin music is everywhere. Professional dancers clad in sequence and high heels dance across the wide screen TVs. The mirror ball hanging from the ceiling fills the room with swirling white lights and a cool party vibe.
Tomaj Trenda steps to the center of the dance floor with his assistant Summer Farouni and demonstrates the eight-beat Salsa basic step. The soft-spoken Trenda occasionally punctuates his “1,2,3…” count with a louder, staccato “step, step, step” to encourage the dancers’ feet to fall in line. Beginners concentrate, brows furrowed looking down. Men lead, women follow, and the more advanced dancers add subtle moves with their arms and hips. After several practice rounds, most feet follow the beat – and everyone is smiling.
This is the scene every Wednesday at Crogan’s where Trenda hosts a free Salsa class followed by an evening with a DJ and open dancing. For the past 8 years Trenda has been teaching authentic Club-Style Salsa at several spots in the Bay Area including Hayward, San Ramon and Orinda. Interest in Latin dance has been booming and his classes attract an equal mix of men and women, singles and couples, across a broad age range from mid-twenties to mid-sixties.
“I was immediately attracted to Salsa. I just love the music. It’s a passionate sound,” says the fit and trim Trenda. He started dancing in college in Washington, went on to get a Masters in Dance Education and has been dancing ever since. Developing muscle memory is the key to learning Salsa says the dance educator. “I teach in a very structured and progressive manner. I break it down step by step, so it’s easy to follow along. There’s lots of repetition.”
Salsa is a great way to meet people, says Trenda. “My students come to learn to dance. They socialize and make new friends. It’s a real community.” People often come to Salsa dancing to connect with a current partner or find a new one, he adds. In fact, Trenda has attended the weddings of three couples that met in his Salsa classes.
Back on the dance floor at Crogan’s, Trenda has just finished walking the dancers through a combination of Salsa steps. Everyone is paired with a partner, the music plays, and the dancers practice the routine for a few minutes until Trenda shouts, “Rotate!” Women move clockwise to the next partner, and following a quick handshake and exchange of names, the music starts and the new couples dance. As the cycle is repeated, the dancers’ steps become more effortless, and again – everyone is smiling.
Tomaj Trenda teaches beginning and intermediate/advanced Salsa on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays in Orinda, Hayward and San Ramon. For class schedules and more information go to www.salsawithtomaj.com. To contact Trenda, email: tomaj@salsawithtomaj.com or call (415) 505-3536.
Andrea Firth is a freelance writer based in Moraga with her husband, two teens, and a dog named Pepsi.
Spoiled rotten. Yes. It’s true. We are. The coast of Northern California and the Bay Area have a natural beauty and vibrancy to rival any place on earth. From San Francisco to the wine country is a stretch that is a playground to some and a home to many. But it’s not perfect. Sometimes there’s traffic on highway 80.
Traffic backed up through the maze. Overturned big rig. Fender bender. Slow merge. Bay Bridge metering lights are on … FOREVER!!!! Tension rises as the fog rolls in past the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance … so beautiful … but so far away. Rain beginning to streak the windows.
We’ve all been there, stuck in traffic, at one time or another; like an amber-trapped bug in a gooey ribbon of red lights that stretches as far as … far. We all have places to go, but patience only lasts so long. Especially when it’s suppertime and an empty stomach makes things worse. It was a night like this, slow moving, staring at nearly motionless brake lights that I first discovered a gem of sustenance and diversion. Just off the highway I spied an illuminated sign, one of those jumbo-tron-ish things, shining just before the Central Avenue exit.
“Pacific East Mall”, it said, flickering in red, green and yellow.
Since then, the Pacific East Mall has become a regular stop for me when traffic makes progress impossible. Rather than sitting there going comatose, I stop in for a bite to eat, a stretch of the legs, a cup of coffee or even to do a little shopping. And don’t be misled by the word “mall” and its suburban connotations. The Pacific East really does have some scrumptious eats. It is an Asian specialty mall with mostly independently owned businesses. Noodles, sushi, Cantonese, hot pot, Korean – it’s all there. Even groceries with an Asian emphasis and a magnificent seafood selection can be had at the Ranch 99 Market. A lot under one roof!
So, for you highway hipsters considering a welcome turn off, here’s a little tour with an emphasis on things you can sink your teeth into:
Asian Pearl Seafood Restaurant
Chinese – Cantonese
When you first enter the Asian Pearl Seafood restaurant there are tanks with things swimming. Crab and such. I have had the seafood on several occasions and it is excellent. Just to the right of the tank there are ducks hanging behind glass. Golden brown Chinese ducks. I love duck. It can be especially delicious prepared in the many ways the Chinese do. Szechuan or Cantonese as the Asian Pearl is. But this is a seafood restaurant, I told myself. If I consume a critter it must be one that swims. Not one that flaps … although, ducks do float and paddle.
The waiters at the Asian Pearl stand at near attention in neatly pressed uniforms with bow ties, fingers interlaced chest level in a prayerful pose ready for patrons. When I walked in I was promptly escorted to a linen set table. A steaming pot of Jasmine tea was brought immediately along with a small dish of salted peanuts and the menu.
I usually like to study the menu carefully and ask questions before I order. But for some reason I threw caution to the wind and decided to ask the waiter for his recommendation.
“DUCK! VERY GOOD,” he snapped with a staccato and reflexive explosion of enthusiasm so sudden it startled me. He held forth his hand gesturing at the roasted duck on the menu. “VERY GOOD!” Well, they do paddle.
The duck was a good choice. Grilled simply with a light seasoning and slight hint of ginger, it is served with real apricot duck sauce. This is just one of the simple Chinese dishes that needs no elaborate refinements. Good.
I also had the Tofu Skin Salad as an appetizer. Firm layers of tofu with a spicy sesame dressing and roasted sesame seeds, red peppers and cilantro. A complementary bowl of sweet red bean soup was brought to finish the meal. Highly recommended.
After my meal at Asian Pearl, I walked around the mall. It forms sort of a loop and there are restaurants, clothing stores, a cell phone shop, coffee shop, optician and dentist, Chinese herb shop, ginseng vendor, Sheng Kee Bakery for Chinese style baked goods including cakes and excellent fruit tarts and, of course, there’s a karaoke joint. But one little shop kept catching my eye:
TW Bestway Foods
Taiwanese-style preserved fruit
Maybe it was the weirdly shriveled, strangely colored items in clear bins, or the brightly colored dolls in the window, but I decided to stop in. Leo, with glasses and a gray mustache, smiled at me while his co-worker, Phigee looked on nodding. They both agreed that the preserved fruit might look a bit odd to the uninitiated. The appearance made me think of fruit buried with King Tut long ago to sustain the pharaoh in the afterlife.
Leo laughed. “People nervous, but they try and they come back. Healthy but addictive.” He held out a mottled black lump in a pair of tongs explaining that it was a preserved plum and dropped it in my palm. It was better than I expected. Delicious actually, in a sweet, savory and salty way all at once.
I ended up getting an assortment. Some of the selections included: licorice salty kumquat, licorice olive, spicy red olive, guava, clove olive and a form of preserved plum that makes a squeaking farting noise when you bite it (tastes amazing though). I think Leo was right. I’m addicted. And I can’t stop laughing when I eat the squeaky, farty plums.
P.S. Taiwanese-style preserved fruit contains no added sugar and is a great healthy alternative.
Young Young BBQ & Hot Pot
You cook it. You eat it.
Chinese – Pan Asian
Round two. On my second visit I decided to sample the self-prepared selections offered at Young Young BBQ & Hot Pot. The place has been re-done recently and sports a modern black and white and stainless steel with a splash of color, post-modern Manga post-industrial look.
The deal with hot pot is that you get raw food and cook it yourself at your table. Sort of like Asian fondue. Most of Asia has some version: Shabu Shabu in Japan and Taiwan, Thai Suki in Thailand, Lau in Vietnam and Steamboat in Singapore and Malaysia.
Young Young features both a hot pot and grill at each table. My waitress, Winnie, lit the grill and brought a stainless steel tureen filled with broth and flame flickering from its base.
I had grilled lamb kebab and chicken pineapple kebab. Each skewer sported a gear on one end which fits into a chain drive at the edge of the grill to keep the skewer turning. Nifty.
In the hot pot I started with Chrysanthemum greens followed by deep fried tofu, garlic oysters and Berkshire Pork Butt. I’m not a huge pork eater, but I like the way Berkshire Pork Butt sounds when you say it in a Southern accent. Sumptuous.
Winnie arrived with the plate of thinly sliced pork butt rolled like cold cuts. It all went in the pot with the oysters and chrysanthemum greens. The broth was at a rolling boil after a few moments.
Simple, sensual food served raw and cooked the way you like it.
Koreana Kitchen
Korean
Round Three. Koreana Kitchen is a big open airy place just to the left of the mall entrance. Many folks are less familiar with Korean fare, but it shines on its own merits as a distinct and worthy cuisine. Of course, the kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) scares some; known for its stinkiness and eye-watering, sinus-clearing, throat-searing properties. Koreans eat the stuff with almost everything it seems. Traditional Korean households often have a separate kimchi fridge because the stuff is so pungent it permeates anything it sits near no matter how well sealed or refrigerated. I personally enjoy a kimchi that makes me cry for mother. That said there is a lot more to Korean food than kimchi.
I ordered the Seafood Hot Stone Bowl Bibimbab. Say Bibimbab ten times fast and you’ll sound like an idling diesel. Or just shut up and eat it. You won’t be disappointed.
The food at Koreana Kitchen is served from rolling carts which clatter as the wait staff whizzes across the floor tiles leaving a puff of steam and aroma as they pass. I was impressed and slightly shocked when my order arrived. The seafood bowl had just about everything imaginable that swims and then some – shrimp, mussels and fish, plus sprouts, an egg, mushrooms, seaweed and rice. And then there were ten small dishes with broccoli, clear noodles, kimchi (of course), sprouts, spiced seaweed, pickled seaweed, potato with sweet sauce and some with a spicy sauce, plus pickled radishes and tofu with carrots. Whew.
And then came the fireworks. My waiter plopped down a bowl of broth to the right of the searing hot stone bowl. You pour the broth into the superheated stone bowl and WOOOSH it explodes into a column of steam and fragrance, hissing and bubbling like a volcano. Ready to eat! And a bottle of OB Korean beer washes it all down nicely.
Koreana Kitchen is a great place, especially on a cold and rainy night. Steam and spice to drive the chill away!
Final Proverb
The Pacific East mall is more like a small town than a mall, really. Our little tour here only touched on a few options. There are a bunch of other restaurants to try as well such as 168 Restaurant, Chika Sushi, Saigon II for Pho, VH Noodle House with its Chinese Vietnamese fusion cuisine, and others. There is also a selection of imported tea at Ten Ren’s and Asian language books and magazines at Kingstone books. The Ranch 99 Market really does have excellent produce and seafood, with tanks of lobster and crab and rows of fresh fish on ice and just about everything else, Asian or otherwise. There is a lot more I haven’t listed, but I’ll stop and leave it to you to explore.
Funny, I keep finding myself hoping for traffic on highway 80, or at least not fretting it so much. Either way I’ll be back to the Pacific East Mall.
The Pacific East Mall is located at 3288 Pierce St. Richmond, CA
Online: www.pacificeastmall.net
(510) 981-0200
Marc Garman is a watch repairer and videographer who lives in Vallejo, CA. He grew up crewing on and racing sailboats in upstate New York, mostly on the Hudson River.
Here’s Lookin’ at You
A Local Glance at Some Appearance-Altering Options
We’ve all heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but the cover is the first thing we see. Sometimes judgment is an involuntary act. Even recognizing someone as a man or a woman may already be a hasty generalization, when in fact they could be just the opposite, or transgender. While many people can attest to the fact that looks aren’t important, deep down, many people truly feel that they are. Feeling confident about one’s appearance is important – no two ways about it. Sometimes all it takes is a standard cosmetic procedure to change the way the world perceives us, thus changing the way we perceive the world. Here’s some insight into the minds of the top cosmetic and reconstructive surgeons and specialists in the Bay Area.
Plastic Surgery
One of the most commonly requested cosmetic surgery procedures is breast augmentation. “I usually perform several breast augmentations each week,” says Dr. Barbara Persons, cosmetic surgeon at the Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Center of Lafayette. But it’s not always augmentation; there are a number of reasons that patients come in for a breast alteration. “From changing the look and shape of their breasts to going smaller, bigger or by having a lift after kids,” says Persons. “I enjoy the artistic challenges of these surgeries.”
Another common surgery Persons encounters is facial rejuvenation, commonly referred to as a “facelift”. Facelifts are performed to counter the aging process. “Typically a properly done facelift will take at least 10 years off of a man or woman’s appearance,” she explains. “The scars are hidden in the hairlines. The surgery takes about 3 hours to be done properly and the recovery is a full 2 weeks, but it’s worth it.” Two weeks and three hours for 10 years off your look, it’s no wonder that facelifts are among the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures in the country.
“The third most commonly requested procedure is a tummy tuck,” says Persons. “So many women in our area are strong, athletic, vibrant moms who want their pre-baby abdomen back.” She explains that even after losing the weight, mothers complain: “My baby weight hangs over my jeans even after getting to my pre-baby weight.”
Cosmetic surgery is becoming more and more common and is done for a multitude of reasons. Persons sees it as changing your appearance to better represent your true character. “It is an external change that reflects a feeling on the inside,” she says. “To me, there is a moment when we think or say to ourselves: ‘I feel differently on the inside than I look on the outside.’ The decision to make a change stems from that feeling.”
Ranging from ages 2-95, Persons can put her artistry to work on a wide variety of patients with an even wider variety of needs, “from cuts to mommy makeovers to facelifts,” she says. Lafayette has been home to Persons’ parents for 56 years and she feels a strong connection to the community. “I went into medicine and into plastic surgery to take care of people and to do excellent work,” she says. “I absolutely love the patients I have the privilege to take care of. I get to make a positive difference in my patients’ lives every day.”
For more information on Dr. Persons visit www.personsplasticsurgery.com
Dr. Rex Moulton-Barrett, FACS, Double Board Certified in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as in Head and Neck Surgery, finds abdominoplasty to be his top requested procedure among his two offices in Alameda and Brentwood. “Child birth often causes irreversible changes to the abdominal wall, as well as weight gain,” he says. “The abdominoplasty that I perform can correct these unwanted changes.” Moulton-Barrett’s procedural methods include: a low bikini incision; tightening of the six-pack muscles resulting in weight loss by feelings of fullness after eating; contouring the hips and flanks with simultaneous liposuction; and finally, “By sitting the patient up in the beach chair position, I can consistently remove a larger area of skin. This means removing most of the stretch marks arising from pregnancy.”
As a designer cosmetic surgery center and medispa, Moulton-Barrett has found his niche in these economic times. “Our region has suffered brutal, serious economic issues,” he says. “Yet, we have a growing baby boomer population who refuse to accept getting old when they feel young and need to look young in the competitive workplace and social arena.” In response to current unemployment rates, Moulton-Barrett accommodates. “We have the most competitive prices for skin care, laser, BoTox and fillers.” He also offers what is called the “Next Style Lift”, a safe and well-tolerated, in-office facelift that saves over 60% of the cost of facelift surgery. “Patients resume normal activity within a few days,” says Moulton-Barrett. “This surgery is not limited by the cost of anesthesia or an hourly facility fee, and I take as long as necessary to get the desired result. It’s usually a 3-4 hour procedure.”
Moulton-Barrett is all about the technology when it comes to cosmetic surgery. “I study and research the evolving role of medical technology, and its safe use in the operating room,” he says. That love of his for technology is equal to his love of working with his patients. “I like working with people, and enjoy making dreams come true.”
For more information on Dr. Moulton-Barrett visit www.moulton-barrett.com
Laser Weight Loss
Douglas Weed, Doctor of Chiropractic and co-founder of Genesis Health Institute in Fairfield, specializes in laser body sculpting and focuses on weight loss from a comprehensive perspective. “Very few MDs take the time or effort to find the underlying cause of an individual’s chronic condition,” he says. “We try to go back to the very beginning and find out what the underlying causes were that led to the chronic condition in the first place.”
Weed specializes in using the Lapex 2000 BCS, a non-invasive, pain-free lipo laser which uses low-level, cold laser technology for fat spot reduction. As part of the Sculptra Laser Body Contouring Program at Genesis, the laser technology is combined with very specific anti-inflammatory detoxification and a hypoallergenic diet, along with specific nutraceuticals (a portmanteau of “nutrition” and “pharmaceuticals”) that assist with body fat loss. Sculptra is intended for individuals who just need a spot reduced. “They’re not overweight,” says Weed. “They just can’t get the fat off of a particular area or two.”
For individuals that need to lose weight overall, Weed recommends the Body Blue Print Program at Genesis. “Through a series of sophisticated lab tests we are able to pinpoint what’s wrong with you from a bio-chemical perspective,” he says. “The lasting benefit is that the program is not a quick fix. The ultimate goal is to optimize your health by improving certain factors of your lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight.”
The comprehensive approach at Genesis differs from most in that they look to improve a patient’s health, rather than mere weight loss. “We don’t look for people to lose weight as a primary goal,” says Weed. “If you put weight loss as a primary goal then often times programs people use to do that are not conducive to long-term health. Our goal is to optimize an individual’s health by improving diet and correcting metabolic deficits they may have – the result is weight loss.”
The term “Genesis” refers to a new start, or a new beginning. “The origin of health,” as Weed puts it, and they take their time learning about the origin of their patients. “We’re not a mill,” he says. “Each patient gets as much time as we need to learn about them, their history, evaluate their tests and continue to treat them and answer any questions they may have. We’re not an in and out 15-minute shop.”
For more information on Dr. Weed and the Genesis Health Institute visit www.ghi4u.com
Reconstructive Surgery
With over 100 years of service to its community, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center is the East Bay’s largest private, not-for-profit medical center. It is comprised of five campuses: Alta Bates and Herrick hospitals in Berkeley, and Merritt, Providence and Peralta hospitals in Oakland. Though they refer to their hospitals as campuses, “We are not a teaching hospital,” says Carolyn Kemp, Regional Manager of Communications and Public Relations. “But, we do have a nursing school, Samuel Merritt University, in our organization.”
Rather than cosmetic surgery, which is typically done in private surgical offices, Alta Bates Summit specializes in reconstructive surgery. “Cosmetic surgery makes ‘normal’ better,” says Kemp. “Reconstructive surgery usually deals with trauma – congenital formations, cancer reconstruction, or what would not be considered ‘normal’.” A particular aspect of the reconstructive services offered at Alta Bates Summit is breast reconstruction. In fact, says Kemp, “we probably offer one of the most unique breast reconstruction centers around.”
Dr. Lisa Bailey, Medical Director of the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center, is a breast cancer surgeon who has spent her entire career with Alta Bates Summit, nearing her 30th year of expertise. “We have tremendous experience in taking care of patients with breast cancer,” she says. “We have dedicated radiologists, breast pathologists, breast surgeons; we’re able to offer the full complement of services.”
For surgeries requiring reconstruction, such as a mastectomy or lumpectomy, Bailey explains Alta Bates Summit’s use of a free flap procedure. “It’s using your own tissue [for reconstruction],” she says. “The most common place for tissue to be taken from is the lower abdomen – you’re getting a tummy tuck and breast reconstruction at the same time – they take that tissue with its blood supply and hook up the blood vessels in the area where the breast was.” This way, if a patient is getting a lumpectomy, the free flap procedure can be done at the same time so that after the surgery the patient maintains symmetry of the breasts. “It’s a bigger procedure than an implant, but does provide the patient with their own tissue so, cosmetically, it looks more natural.”
Instrumental in its creation in 2008, Bailey is very pleased with what the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center has become. “We have an excellent medical staff, knowledgeable physicians, and with a constant monitoring process we make sure that we are providing the best quality care for our patients.”
For more information on Dr. Bailey and Alta Bates Summit visit www.altabatessummit.org.
BOTOX and Fillers
For those who may prefer a surgical alternative for a permanent change, head to Infinity Anti-Aging and Rejuvenation Center in Vallejo. BOTOX and fillers provide a noninvasive approach for a cosmetic change. BOTOX Cosmetic is a nonsurgical treatment consisting of a series of gentle, small injections into specific facial muscles. It relaxes targeted muscles so they do not contract, thus the skin stays smooth and creates a younger looking face.
Dermal fillers differ in that they are hyalorunic acid-based compounds used to reduce moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Common fillers used are Juvederm, Restylane and Perlane, and the minimally invasive procedure can last from six months to a year.
These methods could be a great way to ease oneself toward the idea of cosmetic surgery if you’ve been skeptical thus far, yet know you’d like some work done. “A ‘liquid facelift’ using BOTOX and fillers could be a great way to ease into the idea of cosmetic surgery,” says Lisa Messina, DO, of the Infinity Anti-Aging & Rejuvenation Center. “Here at Infinity, we refresh the outer beauty with facial rejuvenation treatments including BOTOX, dermal fillers, facials and chemical peels.”
Infinity also offers what is called the Hcg diet. More a “medical protocol” than just a diet, Hcg was popular in 20th century Europe and used frequenly by celebrities and diplomats. Hcg is a natural hormone produced in a woman’s body during pregnancy. This treatment consists of either Hcg injections once a day, or sublingually twice a day. Once Hcg builds up in your system, the body shifts into a fat-burning mode. Taken for a minimum of 23 days and a maximum of 40, most people will find they’ve lost 8-10% of their body weight.
Especially for someone who is at odds toward going under the knife, Infinity offers some great alternatives. Messina explains, “[BOTOX and fillers] – combined with the Hcg weight loss program – we can get a person feeling their best before they try something irreversible.”
For more information contact Dr. Messina at (707) 652-2928 or www.lisamessinado.com.
Matt Larson is a writer/actor/comedian who shamelessly promotes his Vallejo Comedy shows in his byline. He encourages you to visit www.vallejocomedy.com. Woot!
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Crazy for Crabs
I grew up in a small town in northern New Jersey. On the East Coast we didn’t have crab feeds or anything like that. Crab was just not a Jersey item. I mean we had crab but it was a special occasion item. My introduction to crab came at a big Italian Christmas Eve Dinner at my neighbor’s home. That is when crab was served on the East Coast. My Neighbors, the Bonino’s, would cook up this huge Italian meal on Christmas Eve with anti-pasta that included every sliced meat around; Mortadella, Sopressata, Prosciutto, Capicola and salami, along with marinated artichokes and olives. Then there was the bread. The bread was always from the same place, the Hoboken Bread Factory. The bread was nothing like what we see on the West Coast, these were mini loafs. They were crispy on the outside with a soft inside. We would warm them up and put some butter on them. It was just short of heaven. Then the main course was crab, which was served in a red sauce over a bed of linguine. My mouth still waters just thinking about it. Now the East Coast does have fundraisers, but as I remember, they consisted of going to the Italian Club, eating a lot of pasta, drinking and, of course, dancing all night long.
Now Maryland, they had crab but it was blue crab – not Dungeness. Which is another fond memory I have of crab. Arnold, Maryland – which is where my aunt, uncle and all 10 of my cousins lived. My cousin Jay and I would take chicken scraps and run to the bay docks where we would use string to catch some of those famous blue crabs. We would tie the chicken onto the end of the line, drop them down into the water and slowly pull them up when we had a bite. If they were large enough, we would keep them and if not they were thrown back into the bay. We did this all day long. I still wonder what my aunt did with all those crab we brought home.
So, when I moved out West and started dating my husband that was my whole life experience with crab. Of course he and his family invited me to a local crab feed fundraiser at the St. Patrick- St. Vincent Catholic High School in Vallejo. I really didn’t think a lot about it and thought what we needed would be supplied at the event. The only thing I was advised to bring was wine – something I was good at – and I was right to a degree. When we arrived at the St. Patrick’s Crab Feed in Vallejo there were rows and rows of tables covered with plastic tablecloths in the gym. Music was playing and echoing throughout. There was a bar set-up where you could get mixed drinks, beer, wine and soft drinks. There were a few tables filled with silent auction items and I knew that I was not in New Jersey anymore. I started getting really excited about the prospect of this event. Our family had a table already reserved. Each table was set up with plates, utensils, cups, bottle of wine, napkins, etc. – all the basics. What I didn’t know was what everyone else brought to this party. When I started to watch the people around me I realized that we came ill equipped for the meal we were about to enjoy. I watched as people set-up butter warmers, various wines varieties and all types of different sauces for the crab, from homemade cocktail to tarter. Thankfully, this type of party is family style, including that they shared all their sauces and other accoutrements.
The evening started with a cocktail hour so that everyone could have time to say say hello – I got the feeling that almost everyone had been there before. Then everyone settles down and the food starts to come. The food is served by volunteers, with the students helping. First comes salad followed up by a big bowl of pasta. Now, my family warns everyone around them not to eat those two items because the crab was coming – and you did not want to fill up too quickly. They planned on saving all the room in their stomachs for the crab. Then came the crab. Trays of crab just started flowing all around us and the sound of talking quickly subsided. Everyone was focused on grabbing and cracking. This is when I realized that hey, I’m pretty good at cracking crab. So much so, that Robert (my now husband) was eating the majority of what is I shelling – I was fast and so was he. I didn’t realize that all those years of working in a production environment and creating efficiencies would come in handy when it came to cracking crab. Anyone around me was benefiting from this, shall we say, talent, and the fact that while I like crab – they loved it! We were running through the trays of crab at record pace. I was starting to get concerned there wasn’t going to be enough for the rest of the tables, however, I was wrong. There was plenty of food for everyone in attendance (in fact they sell extra bags of crab to go after the event). The event was the excellent. After everyone was done gorging themselves on the wonderful crab we got cleaned up – the crab gets everywhere so don’t wear your Sunday finest. We then moved on to dessert. The event had taken to auctioning off a variety of wonderful desserts but at the time it was all B.Y.O.D (bring your own dessert). Our dessert for the evening was a variety of pies from Nations restaurant. The lights were dimmed and the dancing began – just like New Jersey. It was a wonderful event and a memorable evening for me. It is hard to believe that was 8 years ago.
After the first crab feed, we have learned what “crab enhancements” to bring. Now, I start prepping the day before by making my own homemade cocktail sauce (see the recipe below). Keep in mind that we like spicy food, so I tend to add extra horseradish to mine. Then we make the clarified or drawn butter, some of which we infuse with fresh black pepper and garlic and the rest we leave for the purists of the group. We also slice up some extra lemons because, while they give you some. you never seem to have enough and they are a great item to use at the end of the meal to get any lingering crab odor off your hands. The day of the event, I pick our wines and make sure the wine glasses are cleaned and ready to go. We pack up the butter warmer along with tea candles and the paper towels. We coordinate with everyone on who is bringing what – including dessert. We always participant in the silent auction benefiting St. Patrick’s and we even walk away with a gift or two. Now keep in mind that these events typically sell out well in advance of the day, so make sure to scout out your crab feeds early so you are not left out.
We have tried other crab feeds including the Vallejo Executive Lion’s Club feed, held at Dan Foley Park. Again – what a wonderful event. They change it up a bit and serve a different menu. They start off with clam chowder, then work their way into pasta served with garlic bread and along comes the crab. But, along with the crabby crustaceans comes shrimp, a yummy proposition. Each event has it own flavor but rest assured that the focus will be on the crab.
If you are given the opportunity to attend a crab feed it is a wonderful event. Not only do you support a worthy cause, but the food is great. We make it a family event and meet up with lots of friends to enjoy a local evening out. Remember also, don’t feel up to early on the bread, salad and pasta so you have plenty of room for all the wonderful crab, Bon Appetit!
Cocktail Sauce Recipe:
1 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste (and if you are feeling a bit feisty, put some garlic powder in to taste too).
NOTE: When I make this I put the entire bottle of horseradish in and triple the Worcestershire – we like our sauces spicy!
Regina Briseño – Recognized for her work with her family and talent for seeking out good food and wine. She also invites everyone to come and enjoy the adventurous ride with her!
