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.