Dizz's As Is- glamour one night and a luxury vacation the next

Dizz's as Is Celebration Dinner


A week ago we had dinner on the patio and Gwen Stefani , her husband Gavin Rossdale, two darling boys and two nannies. Dinner at Dizz’s is always a delight.

Yesterday, last minute my daughter changed her mind about our plans to have her graduation dinner in our backyard. This was fueled by daughter’s worries that her father (my ex) doesn’t get along with anyone in my family, her circle of friends, and some of his own family as well. That’s another story…

So on the morning of the graduation I called Dizz’s and requested a reservation for seven, then in an hour for nine, then hours later for fourteen+ as the number fluxed with who could or could not attend.

The restaurant is now painted a steely grey with clean white trim and is the epitome of old Laguna Beach charm. The menu is cosmopolitan, perhaps a little French with osso bucco, veal picatta, and pasta dishes adding an Italian tone. Every table is unique with mix matched floral tablecloths. The waiters and waitresses are relaxed and sitting under the ficus trees with giant staghorn ferns one might just as well be in the Grandmother’s backyard in Nice (Le mélange a assorti les nappes et les arrangements d'endroit floraux que la Grand-mère pourrait éteindre un mercredi). I had to add just a little comment to give you the feeling of being in the South of France as opposed to South Orange County.



It all was a successful evening and daughter seemed happy to get those pretty envelopes with dough.

Bommer Canyon BARBQUE FUN

Saturday, June 26 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM  Bommer Canyon, Irvine, CA

Slow Food Orange County Party and Fundraiser
Irvine Ranch is not open to the public.This is a great opportunity to see the cattle ranch and beautiful trails surrounding Bommer Canyon. Chef Ryan Adams from Sorrento Grill of Laguna Beach has planned a special menu.
 
Special guest speaker is Jill Richardson, author of "Recipe for America, Why Our Food System is Broken, and how to Fix it". You can buy tickets at the event. Funraising supports a worthy cause for Foster children.

Graduation Celebration

Dear Blair:

    I want to tell you how proud we are of you. We love you very much. It has been a hard road.

   

-  I have been tough on you sometimes and spoiled you in other ways.  No matter

what, Mom loves Blair. You always have a place to come home to be loved and hugged.

    Let me share some ideas just in case you forget things I tried to lead with example:

 -Never be afraid to start something difficult or long range. Write a plan. Work the tools take steps every day towards your goal, work the hardest first and even on Saturdays.

When there is failure –enjoy the process. The trip ups along the way teach their own lessons.

-Go to College for the adventure of learning. Find things you love to study. Never stop learning something new every day. You will work at a job all your life,          

 so adventure outside of comfort zones. You have the freedom to expand your mind in college, listen to others politics, do some performance art, kiss a math major, and try kick boxing.

-When you start working I pray you will find something you have passion to pursue. Be kind to co-workers they are team members in the trenches and you will find good and evil people but look for the great ones and connect, avoid gossip, ask for a raise all the time, be on time, and execute what you promise.

-Your word is all you have. Avoid saying harsh words. Don’t promise things you don’t plan to deliver.

-Save money. You are the only person who can take care of yourself. Save more than you think you will need. Save 15% of everything you take in.

-Find good friends. Keep in touch with them. Good girlfriends get you through tough times around the corner.

-You are the smartest person I know. You have the ability to be anything you want to become.

-Trust your kind heart. Don’t let anyone put you down. You deserve all that is delicious in this life. Be great.

-When you find that special person, be certain they support and respect you.

They should have the same goals as you hold or you will find life a struggle.

- Pray and be close to God. He is always listening to your creative and beautiful self.

-Your brother cares for you and looks up to you. Guide each other, laugh together often.

      Congratulations on Your Graduation Blair!  

You are a wonderful woman, a great daughter and special sister.

With all our hearts,

Momma and Carson

O.C. Sherriff gets the bad guys

ORANGE COUNTY SHERRIFF DOESN’T MESS AROUND

Lady in a Million dollar San Clemente single family home returns home for lunch to find two “guys” loading everything small and valuable into her best pillowcase

HERE IS ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN :   

HIS CAR (assuming it’s not stolen too) after he tried to

get away and hide in a busy Costco parking lot with shoppers on

Crown Valley Parkway about fifteen minutes after his well

planned heist:

No one was hurt, both robbers are in custody in 

nice Orange County suits.

Last night I was picking up dinner. A Sherriff was trying to enjoy the tied Lakers game and wolf down his dinner. He got a call to back up another officer and tossed his whole burrito (only one bite eaten) in the trash. I wish I had wrapped it up and brought it to him. These brave men and women don’t make big money but they keep us from coming home very often to find wierdos in our house.

P.S. GO Lakers!

The Shift

The Shift Fashion Blog a new great one

Cherries Make it All Better

Last night my son, 13 lost his LNLL TOC Championship Majors game. Earlier in the day he learned after running an all out - up until one A.M. - poster making and marketing campaign for ASB that he lost (came in second). In the morning we learned that SOC Patriots don’t have enough boys signed up for football this season which he loved (parents can’t meet cost reasons) but he’s fine with playing Lacrosse instead. 

   On the way home in the car at ten P.M. we thought we might go to Yogurt Land to drown his sorrows, however they were closed. He didn’t opt to stop anywhere else, it’s Orange County and restaurants close early. He did not complain. I felt like a pity cry. No, I bucked up because that might make it worse.

   When we got home this bowl of cherries was on the counter and we relaxed on the sofa together as I rubbed his feet and he picked out the perfectly deep chocolate rouge ones until his teeth were stained. He smiled with those straight teeth and said, “Mom it’s funny how cherries can make a day just fine.”

  Attitude brings us up early today. It might be foggy wet and I can’t see the ocean because of the blanket over the sky but life’s a bowl of cherries. I am a lucky woman. I am having coffee at six A.M. in the most beautiful place in the world. So get out there my friends and think and organize and work your tails off- it’s cherry season.

Mayur Restaurant Corona Del Mar

   

  I crave Mayur’s Tandor chicken. My affair with Indian food started when I lived in London. In London Indian, Pakistani, and Iranian food was available and inexpensive.  Americans just think Indian food is only curry. Indian food can be healthful, and not necessarily laden with heavy oil and hot spices.  Ask for lighter dishes with yogurt, less oil, less salt, they can prepare spice to your taste.

   There are many regional cuisine styles of India. All are based with vegetables and spices. A dish from Bengali or Goan or Punjabi or Rajasthani may all be named the same but be handed down by generation with different techniques and use local produce. Food is integral part of Indian life experience. In Indian temples, meals are served not only during festivals and holidays but all religious visitors and guests are offered food. Food donation is considered a necessary community service. The food given this way is known as Prasad, which means blessed edible gift.

    My favorite spices are:  cumin, turmeric, garam masala, pomegranate seed (anardana) and Fenugreek (methi). Ghee is used in many dishes. You can order “mild” or spicy- meaning hot. Not all Indian food is chili hot. Studies show chili to be extremely healthfully blood pressure rising. Religious reasons and poverty over history forced Indians to invent marvelous vegetarian dishes, which will surprise your senses to be satisfying and filling

   Majur creates a wonderful Palak Paneer, (also known as Saag Paneer), which has a warm flavor of cooked spinach (Palak) with fresh delicate Indian cottage cheese. The spinach is dark and meaty. This is not American creamed spinach. You can add chicken if you crave more protein. As a side order, garlic nan is the perfect complement. Nan is a flat soft bread. Basmati rice comes as a side. For vegans, substitute the paneer with firm or extra firm Tofu.

     You will find the staff at Mayur respectful and gracious. Anju Kapoor has been running the restaurant most of her adult life. She’s a bit shy for my camera but a warm host. The restaurant is small, and not as cheap as I recall the days in the late 1970’s in England- but then nothing in this world that is great is that price today

Can't Get Flood Insurance?

The House and Senate have not yet passed Flood Insurance 

reform. They have only temporary funding for the National Flood Insurance Program. 

House version: increase flood insurance 

coverage for residential property; increase borrowing 

authority for the NFIP; increase annual limitation on 

premium increases from 10 percent to 15 percent; 

increase coverage limits to $335,000 for residential and 

$670,000 for commercial properties; add coverage for 

business interruption; phase out subsidies for non-primary 

residences and non-residential properties beginning in 

2011 and include wind protection. 

Senate version: no wind protection, would phase out subsidies for non-primary residences and non-residential properties immediately by raising premiums 25% annually until actuarial rate is achieved, does not increase coverage limits, and does not add coverage for business interruption. 

H.R. 1264 H.R. 1264 is currently in 

the House Financial 

Services Committee. 

Cost for flood insurance for a single family residence in Huntington Beach can vary from $ 700- $1400 a year premium. If no existing policy is in force and the Federal Flood Maps declare the subject house in a flood plane, you can not get a loan. In some cases the existing policy is assumable. There is only one source for Flood Insurance- FEMA our Federal Government.

It does not cover 100% of loss. There are a couple areas in Orange County which require flood insurance, if you are on a creek bed or flood plane you may not even be aware that flood insurance is now required.

Be careful when doing a short sale OWNER OCCUPIED only

 California Code Civil Procedure Section 580(b). applies to purchase money loans and purchase money loans on residential 1-4 units owner-occupied.
The code states:
"No deficiency judgment shall lie in any event after a sale of real property or an estate for years therein for failure of the purchaser to complete his or her contract of sale, or under a deed of trust or mortgage given to the vendor to secure payment of the balance of the purchase price of that real property or estate for years therein, or under a deed of trust or mortgage on a dwelling for not more than four families given to a lender to secure repayment of a loan which was in fact used to pay all or part of the purchase price of that dwelling occupied, entirely or in part, by the purchaser."
Applies to two types of loans:
1. purchase money loans and
2. seller carry back loans.
Seller carry back loans are not entitled to seek a deficiency judgment against the borrower.† However, there are exceptions under California (case law) that does permit the seller to recover against the borrower under certain circumstances.
As for the purchase money loans - no deficiency if it is owner-occupied, residential one to four.†
What does that exclude? vacation homes,
home-equity lines of credit (HELOC),
investment properties where the borrower does not reside there, apartment buildings more than 4 units.
These loans are commonly referred to as "non-recourse" loans because lenders on these types of loan know their only recourse is the property.

Chronic Tacos Yum

  

Chronic Tacos 34255 Pacific Coast Highway Dana Point, CA 92629-3809 (949) 481-3726

Owners Daniel A. Biello and Randall L. Wyner

I love Chronic Tacos. The ingredients are fresh. I like to watch them cook right in front of me. Their burritos are so fat you can’t hold them without five napkins. They ought to change the name of the burrito to the football, because it’s just about that size. Most Mexican food can’t be considered healthy but if you pick the right items Chronic offers a menu that is even good on a diet. Just avoid the chimicanga, fried items and chips and you can go home guilt free.

The line moves quickly and you tell them just how you want it and they will even offer free advice on their grilled mahi mahi.I don’t eat beef and pork but my son swears by their carne asada as grilled tender cuts of beef with plenty of flavor. IF you are watching your weight – get a tostada without the shell, go light on rice and beans (not refried) and pile on the veggies (light on the avocado – I believe avocado makes just about everything in the universe right. —you need a little good fats in your diet so just a little guacamole). The pico de gallo (tomatoes, onions, garlic and lime is made in batches during the day

The prices are reasonable. A burrito ranges from $ 4.75- $ 6.79 depending on the meat or fish you choose, just right for your budget.

Their menu says they have 27 locations but the best is in Dana Point, but the Corona Del Mar one is just as friendly. They also have a location in Newport, Huntington Beach, and Two in Mission Viejo and surely somewhere near you. If you are in a splurge mood go crazy and get pork tamale and a beer and sit outside on the casual tables and chat with the locals. They say they are franchising everywhere. I hope they keep a tight reign on franchisees because the secret is consistency.

 There used to be a wine bar next door but it a sign states a pancake place is coming. P. C. H. seems like a funny location for breakfast place to survive

Why won't Tony go live on TV with President Obama?

Sandy Rosenthal thank you for the image. Sometimes a picture tells it all.