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| 2008-04-02 13:32 |
| Long time coming |
| Public |
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It's been a while since I posted, so here's an update ...
Rachel is 14 weeks pregnant and still doing great. On Sunday, it will be 15 weeks. I have my 20th High School reunion this year and it is about the same time the baby is due. Peggy, our good friend, has offered to accompany me as my "date." That would be hysterical. Her hubby Tom said he'd keep an eye on Rachel for me.
The kids had a great Easter. Their step-cousins came over and we feasted on ham, lamb chops (courtesy of Rachel's mom), homemade ice cream and sausage. The kids hunted eggs, also. We fixed their bikes and they spent a ton of time riding around town. While Rachel's mom couldn't come, she was here in spirit.
We said goodbye to our little blue pickup truck on Saturday. I spent all Friday afternoon getting it up and running and it went to live with Rachel's mom in Carson City. She's going to use it to transport her dogs to the hills for their walks. The good news is that we can finally park in our driveway!
We've been getting into gardening and have planted all sorts of bulbs and other flowers around the yard. They are all in bloom and look great. We're taking Thursday through Sunday off so we can get some rest and be recharged.
We're thinking about getting a second car that is small just for around town (and for when I'm on the road picking up the kids from Merced). I don't like the idea of leaving my pregnant wife stranded at the house.
Cian turns 10 years old in May and Madison, my goodness, is 15 now. She'll be taking driver's ed this summer. Parker turns 9 in September. (Am I really old enough to have kids this age and the out of high school for 20 YEARS????)
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On Nevada Street, nestled on the corner of a building that has housed two failed restaurants, sits one of Auburn’s newest eateries, the Downtown Grill.
What was once the Kabob House (and the Santorini Grill) is now a friendly, open restaurant that’s very down home. Technically not located in the Downtown business district, owner Greg Holt told me he was trying to make the grill the centerpiece of the restaurant and the name “Downtown” was referring more to the style of cooking and the layout of the restaurant, rather than its physical location.
There’s really no confusion when it comes to the grub. To go orders are common, which I noticed as we waited for our order. Clean wooden tables sit in a colorful dining area and a large flat screen TV keeps the lunch crowd entertained.
Greg tells me that his ling cod is fresh, delivered daily, and when it’s gone, it’s gone (until the next shipment, that is).
Rather than batter dipping their fish, Greg says his are breaded in a fine cornmeal mixture.
My fresh ling cod, cooked to golden brown perfection, arrives on a bed of skin-on French fries ($6.95). Ketchup and mustard are on the table, but malt vinegar and other condiments are located against the wall near the soda fountains.
Rachel’s chicken with cheese sandwich ($7) looks tasty and after she adds pickles, red onion and lettuce, it tastes great, too. With two sodas, our bill comes to less than $18.
I love fish and chips so I was skeptical regarding the breading but after the first bite, I knew I made the right choice. The cod was flaky and light, the cornmeal giving it a slightly crispy shell. The fish wasn’t greasy, oily or dripping with fat from the batter. On the contrary, the ling cod was a welcome treat on a hot summer day.
Rachel sampled a few of my fries, then a few more, and declared that they were “really good.”
Overall, the service was excellent and the food was great.
The menu also features hamburgers, salads, hot dogs, grilled cheese, shrimp, calamari, beer, wine, energy drinks, coffee and espresso. They are open everyday except Sunday from 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Downtown Grill is located at 359 Nevada Street. For more information, call 530-889-1810.
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| 2007-06-22 06:54 |
| Early Morning |
| Public |
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After a packed day on Thursday, Rachel and I are getting ready to head over to the city's Quarterly Power Breakfast at Bootlegger's Restaurant. Ugh. 7:30 in the morning. It's just not fair, I say. I'm going on maybe 5 hours of sleep here and at 11 a.m., I'm meeting a group of guys to head up in the hills to help videotape the Western States Endurance Run. Yesterday was Rachel's 31st birthday and, after spending a few hours at the Auburn Chamber mixer at the Boys and Girls Club, we headed over to the Club Car with our friend Peggy. Everyone at the mixer told us they were heading to the opening night of the Auburn Alehouse and we simply didn't feel like shouting over crowds of people to be heard. Steve, Debi, Nancey, and Vance all joined in the party. Well, it's 7 a.m., so it's off to listen to City Council members discuss redevelopment. Yay! Where's my coffee?
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(Writer's note: This is a review I'm running in the Sentinel newspaper and is based on a pre-opening test run of the kitchen and wait staff. Sometimes, life is good.)
Auburn has many excellent dining establishments and now there is one more to add to the list. Recently opened in the former spot of the Shanghai Restaurant and saloon, the Auburn Alehouse features Michael Kent Murphy architecture, world-class cuisine designed by Executive Chef Luis Gomez and suds brewed by longtime brewmaster, Brian Ford.
Old time fans of the Shanghai will recognize the exterior of the American Block Building and the interior brick walls, but that’s about it. The building was gutted, right down to the dirt under the floors. All those familiar old antiques hanging on the walls were auctioned off shortly after the restaurant and bar were shuttered. But, the real story is how the new interior shines. From the new floor and dining area to the bar that’s handcrafted much like the brew sitting behind its shining surface, this business venture represents a new vitality for Old Town Auburn.
But enough about the aesthetics of the place, let’s get down to the food and the service. Monique was our waitress and she was top-notch. Despite a packed house, she ably handled our orders and questions, keeping a smile on her face the entire time. A quick perusal of the menu revealed reasonable prices, which is not what I expected when I walked in. With entrees hovering around $12-$19, and custom brews at $3 per glass or $4 for a pint, I knew this was my kind of place.
We started off with a cheese loaf appetizer ($8.25) that was big enough to feed four. She brought out a round of baked sourdough bread, stuffed with garlic and cheese, sitting on a plate drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Rachel said simply, “This is good.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Sandy Stoltz, one of the wait staff, refilled our water glasses and told us the cheese loaf appetizer was his favorite. Our first round of brew was a Shanghai Stout for myself and an Old Town Brown for the missus. As a Guinness drinker, I immediately drew comparisons. Guinness is thicker on the tongue and has more bite, but the Shanghai Stout was smoother and, frankly, better. The Shanghai was creamy with a nice head, dark in color (as it should be) with rich full flavor. Ah, perfection. Rachel, not a stout drinker, also enjoyed a sip. “I don’t like stout, usually, but that is nice.” In turn, I sampled her Old Town Brown, which had a pleasant mellow flavor.
Next, Monique brought our main courses. I couldn’t decide between the grilled swordfish with avocado salsa served over mashed potatoes and veggies ($18.95) or the grilled salmon served with orange and caper hollandaise over garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies ($14.95). The salmon won out, finally, and I wasn’t disappointed. The salmon was cooked perfectly, the presentation was great, and the asparagus was cooked but still crisp -- excellent. Rachel had the chicken breast served over risotto with a vegetable. The breast was cooked skin on, which she loved. She gave her meal a thumbs up also, with her only complaint being the risotto was a touch too salty. I could say the same thing about portions of my salmon, but overall it was excellent and salt level is a matter of personal taste.
With main courses almost finished, Monique brought us our second round of brew. I ordered the Miner’s Wheat Ale while Rachel went with Fool’s Gold Ale. After tasting them both, I preferred the Fool’s Gold. Surprisingly full-bodied, Fool’s Gold was robust and almost sweet, but not quite. The Miner’s Wheat Ale was light and made a nice summer beverage, but isn’t something I would order in a brew house.
We finished off the evening with a key lime tart ($4.95) for dessert. The vanilla-cookie crusted concoction hit the spot on a warm summer evening. Featuring toasted coconut, whipped cream and a light lime custard served with mango coulis, the dish was the end to a perfect dining experience. In my book, the Auburn Alehouse perfectly complements the established restaurants in Old Town and hits a home run for beer lovers like myself. I highly recommend the food and the brew.
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For Father's Day my wife bought me a meat grinder and sausage stuffer. Right on! It doesn't get more manly than that ... unless she'd given me pipes and smoking jackets ... er, well, okay, maybe guns and camping gear ... fishing pole and bait ... or grill accessories ... fine, have it your way! She also got me a great book about smoking meats (that didn't come out right) and stuffing sausage (um, that sounds so wrong). I'm going to TRY to make sausage sometime this week before the big BBQ. After posting about all the things happening this weekend, I received an e-mail from the CEO of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce reminding me that I have a chamber board meeting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. I also have a board meeting with the Salvation Army of Auburn that day at 11:30.
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Auburn has been billed as the Endurance Capital of the World, and with all the events, it takes endurance just to get through another week living here. There are so many events that I couldn't event tell you what I did last week without looking at my calendar. Recently, for example, was Party in the Park on Friday night, Father's Day weekend with my kids, Old Town Auburn's Parking Lot Party (which I didn't attend) on Monday, a grant presentation to PlacerArts by the Placer Community Foundation on Monday (which I did attend), Tuesday is dinner with friends (in Roseville of all places ... I mean, who drives to Roseville for dinner?) after putting the paper to bed, Wednesday is something that I can't recall at the moment (without my calendar, that is), Thursday is Rachel's birthday but there is a ton of stuff happening that day (from meetings in the morning, my radio gig at 9:30 a.m., lunch meeting from noon to 1:30, Boys and Girls Club hosting a chamber mixer at 5:30, to the Auburn Alehouse opening its doors for the first time), Friday morning is the city's Power Breakfast then around noon I leave to help film the Western States Endurance Run at Squaw Valley. Saturday afternoon I return so that I can then attend a party for said run, and, on top of all this, we decided to invite a few people over for a barbecue on Sunday. What was going to be just a couple and their two kids ended up with invites to two other couples, one with two more kids. With all the children who'll be here (mine won't, unfortunately), it looks like we'll have a dozen in our house and I have absolutely no idea when we're going to have time to prepare! Then, next week, it starts all over again (minus the barbecue). I'm tired just thinking about it.
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The Hell's Angels created quite a stir in this sleepy little burg recently. A "Patriotic Paradise Weekend" (June 1-3, 2007) -- pitched to the community as a troop cheerleading, family-friendly event -- turned Auburn on its ear when it came to light that organizer Lorrett Kinnicutt invited Hell's Angels co-founder Sonny Barger to the party. The Auburn Police Department expressed concern that Barger's visit, a book signing at the Gold Country Fairgrounds, could draw a negative element to town. I found it interesting that Kinnicutt never mentioned Barger at any of the meetings in which I heard her pitch the event. It was eagle-eyed California Highway Patrol officers who noticed a flyer being circulated that marketed to "outlaw motorcycle gangs" (as designated by the State of California). They then alerted the Auburn Police Department. Kinnicutt claims that Barger makes his living signing books and he wouldn't be invited back to any of the events if trouble were to arise related to his visit. She makes a good argument. Usually, when Barger is invited to an event, organizers request added security, but Kinnicutt did not. Extra law enforcement officers were brought into town from neighboring cities and counties, saturating Auburn with cops. The event went off peacefully, but many of the things Kinnicutt was hoping for (a community barbecue cook-off with local officials as judges, a light parade and community concert) were cancelled when the board of trustees for the Veterans Memorial Hall booted her from the grounds. The board claims that Kinnicutt "misrepresented herself" and advertised events that they hadn't given her permission to host on their facility. Oh boy. She attempted to move everything to the fairgrounds and even just a few days before the event, had not announced that the cook-off was actually cancelled.
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(Clarification: This is unfiltered and some of this, minus the "mistress bits," will appear in my regular newspaper column, watered down for the masses. -- The Auburn Scribe.)
AUBURN -- Old Town's a Taste of Chocolate yesterday was great and, despite reservations on my part, I had a lot of fun. Arriving around noon, the first order of business was coffee from Courthouse Coffee then a quick jaunt across the street to the historic Placer County Courthouse to get checked in, receive our passport and try the first samples. With two gorgeous ladies on each arm (my wife Rachel and my "mistress" Peggy -- figuratively speaking, and no, she's really not my mistress, but give a guy break, I live vicariously through all the naughty things I'm supposed to be doing), we proceeded into Old Town to conquer the chocolate world. Pat and Pete Enoch's Latitudes Restaurant was our next stop, followed by shopping (for the ladies!) at Jamiee's A Boutique. Rachel had been shopping earlier so this was more for Peggy. As Rachel said, "You want your mistress to look good, don't you?" I love being a guy. From there it was over to Sun River Clothing Company where there was more shopping (again, not for Rachel but more for Peggy, who looked great in the two outfits she bought). Sitting at the Tom Homer bench, I chatted a while with Linda Robinson and watched other eager chocolate tasters wander the streets. I greeted Linda with the joke that my wife and mistress were shopping in her store. "It's always nice to have both," she said, taking the joke in stride. She told me that about 12 years ago, there were rumors about her and Tom Homer having a fling and that I shouldn't let the idle gossip bother me. Brian Ford's Auburn Alehouse (due to be open in early May, I hear) had a line out the door (well-deserved according to Rachel and Peggy as they sampled a chocolate turtle tart). Our next stops were Karen's Wild Women in the Garden, Reese Browning's Old Town Pizza, Catherine Rowe's Oz Gallery, Cheryl Kranich's Tea Thyme Treasures, Ross and Lynn Carpenter's Serendipity (with the chocolate provided by Don and Jai Baker's Awful Annie's), Valerie Marble's Gypsy Wind Beads, Gary and Jan Lord's Sierra Moon Goldsmith, and then back up to the coffee shop. Then it was a quick trip back around to Jamiee's and Sun River so the ladies could pick up their clothing purchases (while I balanced three "to-go" boxes stuffed with chocolate). Tom Stout, of MaryBelle's Restaurant, said I wasn't the first guy he'd seen acting as a pack mule. We finished a great day (spending about 4.5 hours in Old Town) with frosty beverages and lunch at Old Town Pizza. So, as a guy, I couldn't have been happier. In the company of two gorgeous women, plenty of chocolate, beer and a calzone. Life is good.
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| 2007-02-10 16:23 |
| the finger and other musings |
| Public |
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THE FINGER -- So, while waiting to have dinner at Old Town Pizza last weekend, my oldest found a lump of rock in the gold pan of Claude Chana's statue. She soon realized it wasn't just any rock, but a piece of the statue that had broken off. Once determining the specific part of the statue from which the piece came, I tucked it away and we headed off to the pizzeria. The following Monday morning, Rachel and I went in to the city manager's office to give him ... "the finger." Unfortunately, he wasn't in, and the joke was completely lost on his assistant. "Just tell him I stopped by to give him the finger," I kept saying. "That's the message and then give him this," I said as I handed her the rock. She wasn't impressed. Oh well. After more explanations, I think she finally got it. Yes, it was the finger of Claude Chana and yes I was returning it and no I'm not the one who broke it off and yes, tell Bob that "I was here to give him the finger." By that point, the joke had lost its punch. ...
FLOCK YOU! -- Pink Flamingos can be spotted in the lawns of various businesses around town (there are about 40 or 50 in all, in flocks of 10) as part of a "flamingo flocking fundraiser" for the hospital's new infusion therapy center. Our newspaper was one victim. BUT, as a victim, I was able to choose the next sorry sap to be flocked. I sure hope our new Auburn Chamber president enjoys the present. ...
DEAD HEAD -- I mentioned last week in my column that I had spoken with Kimbuck Williams from the California Club about a comedy night the bar was hosting. After a few comments and e-mails from Old Timers in town that I couldn't possibly have spoken to Kimbuck because he'd kicked the (kim)BUCKET about five years earlier, I was forced to remind said critics that "there was another." Yes, two Kimbucks, one senior (and six feet under) and the other much younger and very much alive (and related, of course, to his namesake). In my opinion, the reaction I received reinforced my opinion that the town's Old Timers aren't paying attention to the up-and-comers (you know, the 30 and 40-somethings) who are in the process of inheriting the torch said Old Timers are still desperately trying to clutch.
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| 2006-11-22 07:16 |
| meanderings |
| Public |
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AUBURN -- So I managed to get our city manager in hot water when I mentioned in print that I bumped into him at a local watering hole. His wife was none too happy about that revelation and since she also co-hosts a morning radio show, she really let him have it on air. No good deed goes unpunished, I suppose. I'll chalk it up to a lesson to edit myself more.
THANKSGIVING -- Rachel will be making her chocolate mandarin pie for the Thanksgiving holiday, which will be devoured in Carson City. We're making the trip over the hill Wednesday morning and we're taking a few days off. It's going to be SO nice.
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| 2006-11-21 07:34 |
| Mandarin Festival |
| Public |
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So Rachel entered her "Miss Margaret Chocolate Mandarin Pie" in the annual Mountain Mandarin Festival contest this weekend and she took first prize in the dessert category, which is a real accomplishment since the contest was mostly desserts. I'm so proud of her.
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| 2006-08-21 07:32 |
| dancing under the stars |
| Public |
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The Newcastle Dance Under the Stars was a blast. The evening went quickly even though it was my first emcee gig and I was very nervous. A few jokes (my standards such as, "That's right, I'm the executive editor of the Sentinel. That means I take out the trash." and "Be sure to buy a few more drinks at the bar but be careful, that bottled water will really get ya.") went OK, I suppose. My lovely wife, Rachel, helped with the raffle. She was a real trouper. After the Dance, we went home and crashed out. We were so exhausted. All in all, a nice night and it didn't kill me.
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Cian and Parker went home on Aug. 5 while Madison stayed until Friday, Aug. 11. We drove down and met my Dad in Stockton, where he took Madison back home while Rachel and I headed up Hwy 88 to Carson City. Rachel's sister and neices had just moved in so it was a nice visit. We grilled steaks, watched the Muppet Show and generally had a good time. That Odile is a real champ at rock, paper, scissors. It's sad that the summer is over, but at least I'll have the next extended visit to look forward to.
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| 2006-07-25 07:05 |
| there's no place like home |
| Public |
| dining room |
 tired |
| none, just the hum of air conditioning |
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It's Tuesday, deadline day at the paper, and I believe I left the Sentinel last night in pretty good shape for today ... unless a couple of the reporters come in copy heavy.
August 19's Newcastle Dance Under the Stars is right around the corner. It'll be the first time I've ever emceed a community event, marking a turning point, if you will.
I feel so groggy and out of it today. Rachel and I really need a break from all this. We're planning to take a small vacation, just us, and go somewhere for a few nights. We'll see.
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KIDS -- I can't believe July is almost over. What happened to my extended summer with the kids? I have a little more than two weeks with the young ones and three with Madison, who is away at Camp Wannaupchuck until Saturday. I miss her, rude comments and all.
SCI-FI -- I managed to catch the new SciFi Channel series "Eureka" last night. Pretty good show and they included scenes from the new season of "Battlestar Galactica." The direction the show took at the end of the season didn't sit well with me. They need to do an awful lot of repairs and tinkering to get the show back on course, in my opinion.
AUBURN -- Our little burg is getting interesting lately with our city manager running around to any gathering with more than 5 people so he can discuss redevelopment plans. Oh boy. Next Friday is the town's first "Quarterly Power Breakfast" at which the aforementioned city official will discuss the future of Auburn, redevelopment, improvements, street maintenance (wait, I think I've fallen asleep). I don't want to go, that's for certain. This Thursday there is an Auburn Chamber Mixer (wait, they're called "Business After Hours Networking Opportunities" now ... sheesh!) at a funeral parlor. Not so sure I want to attend that either.
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I managed to keep my eyes open long enough to watch Deadwood last night. Wow, Dan is the man. He's been my favorite for some time now and last night cemented my belief that he and Swearengen carry the show. The fight in the thoroughfare between Dan and Hearst's number one was incredible. I love Dan's straight forward approach to problems.
In other news, our neighbor (who shares a wall with us in our rented 100-year-old Victorian duplex) is moving. The landlords have asked us to keep our eyes open for a potential renter (1 bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, livingroom with a bay window, laundryroom and a shared deck). We moved here in Dec. 2002 and we love the house. Sharing the yards (and yard work) has been a challenge. I thought the deck sharing would have been difficult, but we've had no real problems in that area.
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| 2006-07-14 19:20 |
| Friday at last!!! |
| Public |
 busy |
| none ... thank, God |
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It's been one long week. Holy cow! Meetings, meetings and more meetings occupied an easy 5 to 6 hours of my week while driving to said meetings took another 1.5 hours out of our already hectic routines. This week was a blur and now it's the middle of July! When did this happen?
Tonight was Cruise Night and I decided to take Cian and Madison (who was dressed as a pirate due to some swashbuckling activities at the Boys and Girls Club). We ran into state Assembly candidate Rob Haswell, his wife Kim, and his father, Fred and snapped a photo for the paper.
Tomorrow, Parker, Cian, Rachel and I are going to watch the 1950s-era 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers.' This will be Parker's second viewing. She's been begging to watch it again. It's a great film.
That's all there is to report. Tomorrow we aren't doing a darn thing.
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![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
apathetic
feeling yucky
awake
relaxed
