Take 29
House hunting in San Jose - Part One
And so we begin the thrilling, exciting, and sometimes disappointing and frustrating task of finding and buying our next home. When we first moved here, houses were at an all time low and deals were everywhere to be had. It was a buyer's market. But, unfortunately, we weren't ready financially. We still had a property in Canada and many months would have to go by before we could start looking at the possibility of owning a house. Ironically, now that we are free and able to do so, the market has changed and it is now a seller's market. Prices are higher and competition is fierce. Price wars are commonplace and some sellers are more than happy to take advantage of the situation because they have the upper hand. Regardless of all this, we are pushing forward.
In Canada, when you decide to buy a house, you go to your bank or the bank that offers the best conditions. Here, to get the best conditions and rates you go to a Broker. He or she will gather your information and negotiate the best rate with a bank, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or a private lender. He will speak on your behalf to secure that needed mortgage at the best rate. Unless, happily, you are financially loaded and don't need the help of a bank or a broker. If so, good for you ! As for us, we need a lending hand. The broker we chose was extremely competent at explaining the American Mortgage system to us and informing us of our financial possibilities and realities. We were thankful that he turned out to be a conservative person and not a salesman out to entice us into taking a bigger loan than planned. We had our goal and he agreed with our numbers. So, after his confirmation that all of our information checked out, off we went with our agents, a real estate couple whom we met a few months prior at a garage sale (go figure!) to visit houses through private showings and open houses. When you look in popular and cool neighborhoods open house events can be circus-like. Here in Silicon Valley the demand for houses is greater than great, the inventory is minimal and its about to get worse since several large tech companies are hiring by the thousands. So back to open houses where there are people everywhere, taking measures, opening doors and windows, etc. A time consuming and tiring activity where you see houses in all shapes of disrepair at ridiculously high prices. A daunting task to see the jewel in each of them.
And then a ray of hope. There was an Eichler, in our price range. When we first moved to California, we became aware of Eichler homes. They are mid-century modern houses built between 1956-1970, mostly in California with a few in New York State, by Joseph Eichler. A man with a wonderful philosophy of life which included wanting to design homes for people regardless of religion, race or creed. The houses are generally flat roofed with radiant floor heating and walls of windows looking towards the backyard with minimal windows in front, allowing total privacy while exuding wonderful avant-garde design. If you are curious, Google Eichler homes and you will see the reason for our passion. There is even an association for Eichler homeowners mainly for guidance on resources to renovate the mid-century homes and to inform as to new listings of Eichlers. This particular one had been perfectly renovated respecting each little details of the design right down to the colors of the exterior and even to the civic numbers on the house. Those owners got it perfectly. Every little detail. We were in love! Totally smitten. We could imagine our lives there,Taylor frolicking in the yard, Constance the cat bumping into windows at first. We could see ourselves there. So, we put in our best and largest offer as well as a note (some sellers encourage that to know who they are selling to) explaining in a few words who we were and why we wanted their house. And then we waited. We were on pins and needles. When the answer came, we were devastated. The house had gone to another buyer offering more, but not much more. At least the sellers didn't force a bidding war, like it happens in the more desirable areas; they just considered all the offers they got (and there were a lot) and picked their favorite. After the disappointment, we figured we had learned a valuable lesson and had to regroup. We had to return to the drawing board, to our list of wants in a house, and strive not to compromise. In my next post, you will find out what we did and what we found. Don't miss it !
Here is a wonderful recipe I found in the paper the other day. Add a glass of Chardonnay (or not) and you will have a great meal and maybe leftovers for a sandwich if you double or triple the recipe.
Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
1 trimmed pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon white wine
3-4 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Season tenderloin on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard and wine. Using a pastry brush or your hands, cover the tenderloin liberally with the mixture. Sprinkle rosemary evenly over tenderloin.
3. Lay a 10-inch square of parchment or wax paper with pancetta, overlapping slices by about 1/2 inch. Lay the tenderloin 1 inch in from the edge closest to you, parallel to the edge. Fold the bottom inch over the tenderloin, then roll the paper around the tenderloin. The pancetta should be tightly wrapped around the roast. Remove the paper.
4.Place the tenderloin on a rack in the roasting pan. Roast about 20 minutes or until the the pancetta is golden and crisp and a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice into rounds 1-inch thick.
Enjoy !
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Interlude - Silicon Valley through my brown eyes
Interlude - Silicon Valley through my brown eyes
In my last post, I promised a Guest Blogger and here he is. It is my husband David, proud Google employee. Hope you enjoy his Interlude. Do not forget to leave your comments, suggestions or questions when you visit. Thank you.
As a guest and first time blogger I decided to talk about my least favorite subject. Me. Ok, not about me per se, but how a small town french Canadian bumpkin, as Lorraine likes to refer to me, came to work for the best company in Silicon Valley.
In my last post, I promised a Guest Blogger and here he is. It is my husband David, proud Google employee. Hope you enjoy his Interlude. Do not forget to leave your comments, suggestions or questions when you visit. Thank you.
As a guest and first time blogger I decided to talk about my least favorite subject. Me. Ok, not about me per se, but how a small town french Canadian bumpkin, as Lorraine likes to refer to me, came to work for the best company in Silicon Valley.
My IT trip began in 1978, when I was 8 and my father bought his first computer, a Tandy TRS 80, 4k. Although quite limited, I still wonder to this day how someone was able to write a Chess program in 4k that would beat the 8 year old me every time. (Turns out I stink at chess and any program can beat the 43 year old me).
The passion really started 5 years later when we upgraded to a Commodore 64. The deal was sealed. I then became addicted to those wonderful Compute! And Compute!'s gazette magazines, which is where I first read about a mythical place called Silicon Valley. It's also where I learned English. That and by watching the A-team, but I digress. Silicon Valley?! in a place called California, half a world away and probably in another, parallel universe. Some would argue that the Valley actually is a parallel universe.
Growing up in rural Quebec, even in the 70's, you could feel the remnant of the Catholic Church oppressiveness, where everybody is raised to believe they are born for small bread (a bad translation on 'né pour un petit pain', which means no great expectations in your future). This would be the total opposite of the American Dream, where you are told that working hard can give you 'the life'. When you are told either too many times you may start to believe it.
The next 10 years were easy, high school, college, university for a BSC, then to push the real world away for a few more years, a Master. In the end, in 1994, I temporarily gave up on my Master to go see the real world, finishing it in my spare time, between two games of Sherlock.
The first job was fun, I got to learn GIS (geographical information systems) which I ended doing for the next 17 years both in Montreal and in Vancouver (job tip: don't paint yourself in a corner by doing the same thing for too long). Along the way I got to solve some amazing problems, like gps-less submarine navigation. But when you grow up, you end up forgetting about your childhood dreams and Silicon Valley went the way of Teddy bear, Miami Vice and Disco. We even came to San Francisco a few times and I never realized how close I was to this place. Just a few more miles south...
Then 6 years ago, the company I worked for at the time, got some sub-contracting from the big G. in Mountain View. I got to travel to the Campus and see a bit of San Jose and all in-between. Every second building posted the name of an IT giant. The other buildings were of giants to be (or not be). That was real?! Those companies did exist somewhere, they were not just logos and names on software and hardware boxes. There were all in that place, that Silicon Valley?!
I dedicated the next few years to build a good resume, with less GIS, and applied to many Silicon Valley's company, even though my heart was beating for G. It's even a verb now?! In the end between Amazon and G, the choice was easy.
So remember your forgotten dreams and investigate those mythical places. Sometimes they exists and dreams do come true.
Now instead of a recipe, let me tell you G. biggest secrets. Here we go... Wait, I am being called to the Teleporter's room; the Unicorn has escaped again...
The passion really started 5 years later when we upgraded to a Commodore 64. The deal was sealed. I then became addicted to those wonderful Compute! And Compute!'s gazette magazines, which is where I first read about a mythical place called Silicon Valley. It's also where I learned English. That and by watching the A-team, but I digress. Silicon Valley?! in a place called California, half a world away and probably in another, parallel universe. Some would argue that the Valley actually is a parallel universe.
Growing up in rural Quebec, even in the 70's, you could feel the remnant of the Catholic Church oppressiveness, where everybody is raised to believe they are born for small bread (a bad translation on 'né pour un petit pain', which means no great expectations in your future). This would be the total opposite of the American Dream, where you are told that working hard can give you 'the life'. When you are told either too many times you may start to believe it.
The next 10 years were easy, high school, college, university for a BSC, then to push the real world away for a few more years, a Master. In the end, in 1994, I temporarily gave up on my Master to go see the real world, finishing it in my spare time, between two games of Sherlock.
The first job was fun, I got to learn GIS (geographical information systems) which I ended doing for the next 17 years both in Montreal and in Vancouver (job tip: don't paint yourself in a corner by doing the same thing for too long). Along the way I got to solve some amazing problems, like gps-less submarine navigation. But when you grow up, you end up forgetting about your childhood dreams and Silicon Valley went the way of Teddy bear, Miami Vice and Disco. We even came to San Francisco a few times and I never realized how close I was to this place. Just a few more miles south...
Then 6 years ago, the company I worked for at the time, got some sub-contracting from the big G. in Mountain View. I got to travel to the Campus and see a bit of San Jose and all in-between. Every second building posted the name of an IT giant. The other buildings were of giants to be (or not be). That was real?! Those companies did exist somewhere, they were not just logos and names on software and hardware boxes. There were all in that place, that Silicon Valley?!
I dedicated the next few years to build a good resume, with less GIS, and applied to many Silicon Valley's company, even though my heart was beating for G. It's even a verb now?! In the end between Amazon and G, the choice was easy.
So remember your forgotten dreams and investigate those mythical places. Sometimes they exists and dreams do come true.
Now instead of a recipe, let me tell you G. biggest secrets. Here we go... Wait, I am being called to the Teleporter's room; the Unicorn has escaped again...
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Take 27 - Rocky Horror Show - The Musical in San Jose
Take 27 - Rocky Horror Show - The Musical in San Jose
Last Friday we attended a showing of The Rocky Horror Show (The Musical) at City Lights Theater in downtown San Jose. I have written about this venue before and will surely write about it again in the future because it an ideal place to see a play or a musical. The space is small, intimate, cozy and comfy. The acoustic is amazingly good for such a small space and yet despite its size you do not feel cramped or suffocated. Its half moon and auditorium shape is wonderful. Ok, so enough on the space let's talk about the show.
In Rocky Horror Show speak, we were virgins. Neither of us had ever seen the movie and its many cult responses or reactions to the dialogue and what is going on on stage. To say this Musical is the utmost in ridicule would an understatement, naturally, but the actors are so good and the voices so great, you tend to forget the silly dialogue. I once heard someone say it is much harder to play stupid than serious so it has to be much harder for good singers/actors/performers to sing in an off key way, at times, and act the fool.
For those who have never seen nor heard of Rocky Horror Show, here is a quick recap of the story and if you want the whole history behind this phenomenon, you will have to do your own research. The story begins on a country road where a couple becomes stranded in their car during a rain storm and decide to go ask for help at a castle nearby. The couple is met by a wacky group of individuals living at the castle who will lead them into an even wackier adventure, changing their lives forever.
Of course, the best known song is the Time Warp tune which almost everyone knew, including yours truly and her hubby. We just did not know the moves that went with it. Now, imagine our surprise, when at the end of the show, actors come out into the audience and take you by the hand to bring you on stage, the whole audience that is, to reprise the Time Warp song, this time with moves and all. I was standing next to Dr. Scott (the character) and when the music started again and they said you take two step to the left, I took two steps to the right and ended up bumping into Dr. Scott. How did I forget where was my left was? David and I both looked like deer in a headlight. Kind of a stage fright ? I am sure, looking back, we were not alone up there on that stage.
I would also like to mention how good the live band was and how I enjoyed the voices of the character called Riff Raff played by Matty Gregg and Rocky, played by Michael Welland. Both quite accomplished singers in their own right.
So, in closing, despite or because all of the above, we had a great time and I urge you, if you have not seen this show, and there are still dates left in San Jose or it comes to your town one day, go see it and leave your attitude and stiffness at home.
On a different matter, my next post will be by a guest blogger. I will reveal his or her identity then, when I turn over the controls to that person.
In the meantime, I invite your comments, questions or suggestions about this post or any other past posts.
Thanks for reading !
Last Friday we attended a showing of The Rocky Horror Show (The Musical) at City Lights Theater in downtown San Jose. I have written about this venue before and will surely write about it again in the future because it an ideal place to see a play or a musical. The space is small, intimate, cozy and comfy. The acoustic is amazingly good for such a small space and yet despite its size you do not feel cramped or suffocated. Its half moon and auditorium shape is wonderful. Ok, so enough on the space let's talk about the show.
In Rocky Horror Show speak, we were virgins. Neither of us had ever seen the movie and its many cult responses or reactions to the dialogue and what is going on on stage. To say this Musical is the utmost in ridicule would an understatement, naturally, but the actors are so good and the voices so great, you tend to forget the silly dialogue. I once heard someone say it is much harder to play stupid than serious so it has to be much harder for good singers/actors/performers to sing in an off key way, at times, and act the fool.
For those who have never seen nor heard of Rocky Horror Show, here is a quick recap of the story and if you want the whole history behind this phenomenon, you will have to do your own research. The story begins on a country road where a couple becomes stranded in their car during a rain storm and decide to go ask for help at a castle nearby. The couple is met by a wacky group of individuals living at the castle who will lead them into an even wackier adventure, changing their lives forever.
Of course, the best known song is the Time Warp tune which almost everyone knew, including yours truly and her hubby. We just did not know the moves that went with it. Now, imagine our surprise, when at the end of the show, actors come out into the audience and take you by the hand to bring you on stage, the whole audience that is, to reprise the Time Warp song, this time with moves and all. I was standing next to Dr. Scott (the character) and when the music started again and they said you take two step to the left, I took two steps to the right and ended up bumping into Dr. Scott. How did I forget where was my left was? David and I both looked like deer in a headlight. Kind of a stage fright ? I am sure, looking back, we were not alone up there on that stage.
I would also like to mention how good the live band was and how I enjoyed the voices of the character called Riff Raff played by Matty Gregg and Rocky, played by Michael Welland. Both quite accomplished singers in their own right.
So, in closing, despite or because all of the above, we had a great time and I urge you, if you have not seen this show, and there are still dates left in San Jose or it comes to your town one day, go see it and leave your attitude and stiffness at home.
On a different matter, my next post will be by a guest blogger. I will reveal his or her identity then, when I turn over the controls to that person.
In the meantime, I invite your comments, questions or suggestions about this post or any other past posts.
Thanks for reading !
Friday, August 2, 2013
Take 25 - The Hotel - Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas
Take 25 - The Hotel - Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas
There is a gazillion and one hotels in the world, some of them 'run of the mill" and some of them that really stand out and cause you to talk about them for a long time, even after you have checked out and returned home.
I mentioned in my previous post that I would tell you about the hotel we stayed at in Cabo San Lucas. Before I say anything about it, please understand that I was not paid nor offered any incentives to say what I am about to say about this hotel. I am simply sharing because my husband and I were very impressed by the location, the service, the decor, the food, etc.
The first thing I must say is that the Riu Palace in Cabo San Lucas is part of a chain of hotels that originated in Spain in the 1950s and still, to this day, is a family owned company, with its headquarters in Majorca. Of all the places where they have resorts, here are a few locations I remember reading about : Varadero, Cuba, 5 locations + in Dominican Republic, Palm Beach, Florida, ........ and so many more.
At the Riu Palace, Cabo San Lucas, rooms are large, comfortable and well appointed with a sunken mini living room and a large balcony. The bathrooms are large with a double sink vanity. The water is plentiful, very hot and with great pressure. The floors are tiled and the air conditioning is very efficient. There is a small fridge filled with drinks (alcoholic and non) and something I had never seen before in a hotel, a contraption with four bottles of hard liquor installed upside down above the mini-fridge (for those who wish to enjoy them) where you simply press your glass upward and your liquid of choice is dispensed (we tried the gadget for fun).
There are several beautiful swimming pools, large and small, all with plenty of seating possibilities and at certain times of day, activities for everyone. There is a grill and chef poolside at lunchtime for those who wish to tan and eat uninterrupted.
There are several restaurants on the premises, some requiring reservations and some that don't. The food is mostly outstanding and more than plentiful. Several bars are also there, each with a different look and every one of them with excellent service. There is even a stage at one of them and at night there are shows with a different theme each evening.
One restaurant charmed us beyond all others; so much so that we frequented it three times during our 5-day stay. I am talking about the Japanese one. Having lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, David and I have a certain knowledge of Japanese food. The food at the Misaki was truly outstanding. I will include photos of several dishes. The desserts were out of this world. The decor of the restaurant was truly authentic including a pond with a gurgling fountain. Even some shamisen music was softly piped in through the hidden speakers. The only thing missing ? A few koi to complete the Japanese illusion. You could have easily sworn you were in Japan. (Photos to come in a couple of days)
Another wonderful place to eat breakfast and dinner was ............ This was a huge room decorated in the style of an elegant French dining room with chandeliers, high ceilings, tall windows dressed with beautiful plein jour curtains and lovely drapes. The food there was also delicious and the choices were endless. The desserts were also quite impressive including a chocolate fountain, a huge selection of ice cream and all of the ingredients to make a fine sundae creation, if that is your thing. There were also lots of petits fours to make your mouth drool as well as flan, panna cotta and chocolate truffles.
There are too many amenities at that resort to list them all here and I apologize for the one I may have omitted, but suffice it to say that it is the perfect place to relax and enjoy life with an incredible view of the Sea of Cortes to boot. However, one thing I must tell you about is the quality of the service. Anytime you ask a staff member a question, you are given a quick, polite and efficient response. Your requests for a product or service are met quickly and efficiently and personnel will go beyond the call to satisfy you. We even experienced a totally awesome event. We had gone to one of the bars to get a pre-dinner drink. When our waiter approached us to take our order, I asked if he had something bubbly and explained we were celebrating some news we had just received via email. He seemed genuinely delighted for us and told us he had champagne if we wanted it. We immediately agreed to one glass each. He then asked us if we would like to have a bottle sent to our room ? We were stunned by his offer and immediately agreed. Then, when we offered him a tip, he politely declined and said it was a pleasure for him to do his job and make us happy. How cool is that ? Ok, so the champagne turned out to be Portuguese bubbly wine but it was a very good bubbly. Also, everything is included at that resort, even a bottle sent to your room, but the mere fact that he suggested having a bottle sent to our room was of the utmost kindness to us.
This resort does not quality as cheap tourism and is worth every dollar you will spend there. Personally, we can only say good things about this place and we will most certainly try and experience another of their resorts in another part of the world, some day soon.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I invite you to post comments, suggestions and questions.
Take 26 - A quick shout-out to Alaska Airlines
Take 26 - A quick shout-out to Alaska Airlines
Usually, we tend to want to talk about bad experiences we encounter during air travel. Bad service, rude employees, lousy airline food, dirty washrooms, etc. In this post, I will make a point of telling you about the positive side of an airline.
On our trip from California to Cabo San Lucas and back, we flew with Alaska Airlines. Full disclosure, Alaska is not always the first airline that comes to my mind when thinking of traveling somewhere along the coast but I promise you, this experience will change my way of doing things in the future.
We had such great service and pleasant flight going and returning that I just had to say BRAVO. Alaska has a policy that if their First Class is not full, they offer the available seats at $50 extra, each way. Way to go Alaska ! The food was amazing each way, including on the way back a Moroccan Chicken I would be proud to serve to any guest who came to my house.
One special note to an outstanding flight attendant. Her name is Michele Balthazar and she made our flight back the best I have ever experienced. Thank you Michele ! Thanks also to Alaska for having the foresight of hiring great employees.
Usually, we tend to want to talk about bad experiences we encounter during air travel. Bad service, rude employees, lousy airline food, dirty washrooms, etc. In this post, I will make a point of telling you about the positive side of an airline.
On our trip from California to Cabo San Lucas and back, we flew with Alaska Airlines. Full disclosure, Alaska is not always the first airline that comes to my mind when thinking of traveling somewhere along the coast but I promise you, this experience will change my way of doing things in the future.
We had such great service and pleasant flight going and returning that I just had to say BRAVO. Alaska has a policy that if their First Class is not full, they offer the available seats at $50 extra, each way. Way to go Alaska ! The food was amazing each way, including on the way back a Moroccan Chicken I would be proud to serve to any guest who came to my house.
One special note to an outstanding flight attendant. Her name is Michele Balthazar and she made our flight back the best I have ever experienced. Thank you Michele ! Thanks also to Alaska for having the foresight of hiring great employees.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Take 24 - A Little Trip Down South - Cabo San Lucas way
Take 24 - A little trip down South - Cabo San Lucas way
I might have mentioned this before, but my husband David works for Google and at that company, when employees meet deadlines, reach milestones or do something extraordinary the company generously rewards them, usually per department, because of the size of the company. The rewards can be different things or events and this time, it was a three-day trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Yeah, airfare, hotel and all the bells and whistles ! And not just any hotel, an all exclusive top of the line vacation resort.
Each employee could invite a Plus One as long as this Plus One paid for her or his flight. Well, naturally, I tagged along (who wouldn't?) and we were given the option to add a couple of days' stay before or after the three-day event, which we did. We opted to add two days at the end of the week. Additionally, we were provided will all shuttle services. Living here in San Jose, California and visiting Mexico is not such a big stretch since we are surrounded by people of Mexican descent in all spheres of life. We hear people speaking Spanish every day here. Who knew there were still so many Mexicans in Mexico. We thought they all had moved to California, particularly to San Jose. :-)))
Our hotel was the Rui Palace, an All Inclusive -24 hour type of resort. Man have all-inclusives ever changed since the last time I stayed at one ! Mine had been the cheap tourism type. Not in this case. How do I put this? So many things are included in the package, you forget to use them all. An orgy of food and alcoholic beverages as well as all types of bottled water. What ??? Let's just say that us Paleo (ers) had plenty of things to chose from and did not have to worry about our next meal. Cabo, means Cape and there are two of them. Namely, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. This area of Mexico is high end tourism. Nothing cheap here.
We had a main event on the night of our arrival with all employees (about 100) and their Plus One invited to dinner on the beach as well as a karaoke where several employees showed off their pipes.After watching and listening in pain to a few employees, we walked away and sat on the side of the pool, dangling our feet in the water and chatted while listening to the waves crashing nearby. Ahhhhh, so romantic and relaxing too.
The rest of the week had several activities and lots of free time. We had booked an excursion called A taste of Cabo which turned out to be, an excursion on a glass bottomed boat that enabled us to observe angel fish and clown fish as well as granite rocks while seriously rocking on waves on the Sea of Cortes. During this activity we also had a visit to a Tequila factory with tasting, a visit to a Glass blowing studio, lunch in the beautiful courtyard of a San Jose de Cabo restaurant, a visit of a Mission and a short shopping session, all of this on a very very hot day. In conclusion, those five days were filled with walks, great meals, restorative naps and even a visit from a beautiful cat, which had probably escaped from a nearby villa to come and beg a few morsels of fish from resort guests enjoying dinner outside. A smart cat indeed !
No recipe in this post. In my next blog, I will tell you about the Riu Palace in greater detail.
Hasta Luego !
I might have mentioned this before, but my husband David works for Google and at that company, when employees meet deadlines, reach milestones or do something extraordinary the company generously rewards them, usually per department, because of the size of the company. The rewards can be different things or events and this time, it was a three-day trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Yeah, airfare, hotel and all the bells and whistles ! And not just any hotel, an all exclusive top of the line vacation resort.
Each employee could invite a Plus One as long as this Plus One paid for her or his flight. Well, naturally, I tagged along (who wouldn't?) and we were given the option to add a couple of days' stay before or after the three-day event, which we did. We opted to add two days at the end of the week. Additionally, we were provided will all shuttle services. Living here in San Jose, California and visiting Mexico is not such a big stretch since we are surrounded by people of Mexican descent in all spheres of life. We hear people speaking Spanish every day here. Who knew there were still so many Mexicans in Mexico. We thought they all had moved to California, particularly to San Jose. :-)))
Our hotel was the Rui Palace, an All Inclusive -24 hour type of resort. Man have all-inclusives ever changed since the last time I stayed at one ! Mine had been the cheap tourism type. Not in this case. How do I put this? So many things are included in the package, you forget to use them all. An orgy of food and alcoholic beverages as well as all types of bottled water. What ??? Let's just say that us Paleo (ers) had plenty of things to chose from and did not have to worry about our next meal. Cabo, means Cape and there are two of them. Namely, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. This area of Mexico is high end tourism. Nothing cheap here.
We had a main event on the night of our arrival with all employees (about 100) and their Plus One invited to dinner on the beach as well as a karaoke where several employees showed off their pipes.After watching and listening in pain to a few employees, we walked away and sat on the side of the pool, dangling our feet in the water and chatted while listening to the waves crashing nearby. Ahhhhh, so romantic and relaxing too.
The rest of the week had several activities and lots of free time. We had booked an excursion called A taste of Cabo which turned out to be, an excursion on a glass bottomed boat that enabled us to observe angel fish and clown fish as well as granite rocks while seriously rocking on waves on the Sea of Cortes. During this activity we also had a visit to a Tequila factory with tasting, a visit to a Glass blowing studio, lunch in the beautiful courtyard of a San Jose de Cabo restaurant, a visit of a Mission and a short shopping session, all of this on a very very hot day. In conclusion, those five days were filled with walks, great meals, restorative naps and even a visit from a beautiful cat, which had probably escaped from a nearby villa to come and beg a few morsels of fish from resort guests enjoying dinner outside. A smart cat indeed !
No recipe in this post. In my next blog, I will tell you about the Riu Palace in greater detail.
Hasta Luego !
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Take 23 - Bunless Hamburgers .... what's not to love !
Take 23 - Bunless Hamburgers .... what's not to love !
Who does not love a hamburger ? Here in California, three providers come to mind, namely:
In n Out
Carl's Jr.
Five Guys
Although my husband and I are on a Paleo (ish) diet, we eat hamburgers with a small tweak every week or a couple of times a week. I can almost hear you gasp, OMG ..... well we have not gained any weight and are feeling great.
Who does not love a hamburger ? Here in California, three providers come to mind, namely:
In n Out
Carl's Jr.
Five Guys
Although my husband and I are on a Paleo (ish) diet, we eat hamburgers with a small tweak every week or a couple of times a week. I can almost hear you gasp, OMG ..... well we have not gained any weight and are feeling great.
In-N-Out Burger is a regional chain of restaurants founded in 1948 with locations in five Western states, the first one in Baldwin Park, California. The regular menu at In-n-Out is very short. Nothing fancy. You either get a single burger or a double burger, with or without cheese. However, there is a secret and a super secret menu which is no where to be seen in the restaurants. If you are curious about those you can Google them. In this blog, I will not go down the many variations of the secret and super secret menu but will tell you about the variation we have tried. If you want to keep it Paleo, ask for Protein Style. The burger of your choice, Protein Style. If you choose to get fries, ask for well done fries. Their regular fries tend to be pale and under-cooked. Ok, if you prefer it that way.
Carl's Jr. is a chain predominantly operated in Southern and Western states. In the Eastern states, they are called Hardee's. Their menu features most hamburger variations, in large or small format and with the garnishes of your choice. Here, if you want to go Paleo, ask for Low Carb. The burger of your choice with your chosen fixings will arrive wrapped in lettuce.
Five Guys
The Five Guys' menu is mainly composed of hamburgers available with American cheese and/or bacon, kosher style hot dogs, grilled cheese and vegetable sandwiches. All garnishes including (onions, sauteed onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, etc.) are free and you can pick your favorites to be added to your burger. Their fries are also very good and too generous to get one per person. Believe me ! To get a Paleo acceptable burger at Five Guys you either ask for a no bun burger which will come wrapped in lettuce or burger in a bowl which will be your chosen burger and your fixings in a bowl. They also provide a fork and a knife. So your choice of burger, large or small and either in a sandwich style (the lettuce playing the role of the bun) or in the bowl. Both options are delicious !
My point here is not to tell you which one is the best burger as we think they are all great and different at the same time. The important thing for us is that they are all available in Paleo style and allow us to enjoy a quick and nourishing meal. In case you are curious about the Paleo diet, there is a gazillion number of recipe books available on Amazon or at the bookstore of your choice. If you Google the words "Paleo Diet", you will also find a number of websites providing information on the subject. I particularly recommend the following:
thepaleodiet.com/dr-loren-cordain/ where you will get the basic information on the Paleo Diet.
One more thing, all three chains we have visited in California have outdoor terraces where you can eat with your dog.
Here is a Paleo recipe you can try. Switch your mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower. See what you think. This recipe was inspired from one in the Paleo Comfort Foods book written by Julie and Charles Mayfield. A wonderful book.
Enjoy !
Mashed Cauliflower
1 head fresh cauliflower
1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender and easy to mash. Add a little more stock is too dry or drain some liquid into a bowl if the mix is too wet. Pour mixture into the bowl of a food processor or use a hand blender to obtain the desired texture, either very smooth or slightly chunky.
Bon appetit !
Five Guys
The Five Guys' menu is mainly composed of hamburgers available with American cheese and/or bacon, kosher style hot dogs, grilled cheese and vegetable sandwiches. All garnishes including (onions, sauteed onions, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, etc.) are free and you can pick your favorites to be added to your burger. Their fries are also very good and too generous to get one per person. Believe me ! To get a Paleo acceptable burger at Five Guys you either ask for a no bun burger which will come wrapped in lettuce or burger in a bowl which will be your chosen burger and your fixings in a bowl. They also provide a fork and a knife. So your choice of burger, large or small and either in a sandwich style (the lettuce playing the role of the bun) or in the bowl. Both options are delicious !
My point here is not to tell you which one is the best burger as we think they are all great and different at the same time. The important thing for us is that they are all available in Paleo style and allow us to enjoy a quick and nourishing meal. In case you are curious about the Paleo diet, there is a gazillion number of recipe books available on Amazon or at the bookstore of your choice. If you Google the words "Paleo Diet", you will also find a number of websites providing information on the subject. I particularly recommend the following:
thepaleodiet.com/dr-loren-cordain/ where you will get the basic information on the Paleo Diet.
One more thing, all three chains we have visited in California have outdoor terraces where you can eat with your dog.
Here is a Paleo recipe you can try. Switch your mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower. See what you think. This recipe was inspired from one in the Paleo Comfort Foods book written by Julie and Charles Mayfield. A wonderful book.
Enjoy !
Mashed Cauliflower
1 head fresh cauliflower
1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender and easy to mash. Add a little more stock is too dry or drain some liquid into a bowl if the mix is too wet. Pour mixture into the bowl of a food processor or use a hand blender to obtain the desired texture, either very smooth or slightly chunky.
Bon appetit !
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