Archives for February 2013

…Just a bit of housekeeping first. Professor Hamilton M. Stapell would like to invite the ancestral health community to participate in a new online survey. Go have a look and answer a few questions.

Thursday afternoon Beatrice & I headed down to Carmel, CA where 12 years ago we tied the knot—after about five years of being together, getting a house & dog, all that domestic stuff. We brought the dogs.

The beach at Carmel

Thursday evening, after a stop at the patio at Hog’s Breath Inn and then the rooftop at Vesuvio, we decided on dinner at Casanova.

We’ve been here a couple of times going back and it has always been fabulous. It’s been some years—probably five or six—and since we’re staying right across the street, why not?

We shared two apps.

Octopus & clams, fennel & orange on a chickpea purée

Escargot & bone marrow, new carrots on a demi-glace

Then on to the main dishes.

Scallops on a carrot purée for Bea

Rack of lamb for me

Bea’s scallops were perhaps the best scallop texture I’ve ever had. I asked about recommended temperature for the lamb and the chef recommended medium, not medium rare. Said the taste comes out better. I think he was right. Different meats, different cuts, different temperatures, different textures & tastes.

Here’s how they serve a coffee.

How cute

The next morning we had breakfast at my favorite little hole in the wall, Friar Tucks. Then it was the walk on the beach and a bit through the neighborhood to find that houses you’d think might bring $3.5 mil were on the market for $7.5 mil, etc. Not in my life. Plus, I want a beach villa and 12 rustic guest bungalows in Ecuador—or some similar place—where you can run the whole place for pennies per month by comparison.

In the late afternoon, a trip over to Mission Ranch.

Pastured lamb

Thursday being a bit heavy on food & drink, Friday we opted for just drinks & apps at Hog’s Breath, pretty much my favorite place. My first time there was 1989 and other than Clint Eastwood selling the place to a friend, nothing has changed about it. It even served as the inspiration for my own backyard design for a previous house…a mini forrest with pavers, planters with perennials, an in-ground spa, fire pit and teak furnishings.

Only pic I could find offhand, but the kidney-shaped in-ground spa done in small pebbles is off to the left out of view. The bar is just to the right. :)

Willow Glen backyard

Here’s what we had for dinner last night.

Surf & Turf

That wasn’t a restaurant, though. That was the dinner prepared by Robert & Julie for us. Perfect in every way. Robert & I were out there on the patio fighting about whether the steaks were done or not, and that turned out to be the key to having perfectly done steaks.

Thank you, Beatrice. PG12. “Pretty Good 12.”