Soon after San Diego it was time to board a plane to Boston on a 6am flight out of Palm Springs (PS). My dear friend Saya’s sister was turning 40 and her family decided to throw a surprise party for her. I love her family and was touched that they invited me to come out and share the occasion with them.

The party was orchestrated wonderfully. To set the stage her mother mentioned to Saya’s sister that on Saturday they would have a small get together with friends and family at the nearby home of a family friend. This annoyed her as she was expecting a bit more for her 40th. It was a great way to set her up for what would turn out to be a great surprise.

We arrived at the house in New Hampshire after a morning of constructing about 120 spring rolls in Saya’s kitchen in Boston. Saya left me there to fetch Seana, her sister, and was going to text me when they were near so we would know when to hide. We all crammed ourselves in the bedroom and bathroom and waited for the signal from Saya’s mom. As soon as we got the OK we marched out in a single file line to greet the flabber-gasted guest of honor. At the sight of every new person emerging from the back room her “Oh my God’s” grew louder and her level of surprise intensified to the point where I thought she might pass out. There were friends dating back from kindergarten all the way up through her college years. Some of her newest friends were also asked to join the surprise group and share the evening. The food was great, the wine was great and her family was amazing. Thank god they ate those blasted spring rolls; there were so many of them!

I had the best time hanging back and watching the dynamics of somebody else’s family unfold and play out in front of me; it was a front row seat to a family movie with no obligation for interaction required.

Her family unit is certainly one to behold, they are kind, funny and intellectual without being stuffy and they love each other very much. They all live or have lived in this small town of Peterborough and hearing them talk about their family and the locals is so warm and sweet.

The next morning they had a brunch for the birthday girl. This was a great idea since there were so many people at the event the night before it was nearly impossible for Seana to really interact with everybody. That aside, there were many people from out of state so having a second, more intimate, get-together was ideal.

I arrived in Boston on Friday evening and by Sunday morning I was shot from jet lag, a drastic temperature change (can you say three inches of snow?) and an evening of indulgence (mostly cake) I could barely keep my eyes open as she opened her gifts Sunday morning. It wasn’t long before Saya shared in my exhaustion and became time to wrap it up and return to the mad city.

Being here in Boston has been very bitter sweet. This is the first time I have come as a visitor in many years. Walking around the South End made me just a little sad. There was a time not long ago when I lived a quiet life with no responsibility to a mortgage or a car payment and was never required to think about anything further from the day at hand. I woke up, walked two blocks to the gym, came home and walked across the street to work at Aquitaine. Life was simpler then and I that is something I miss.

I also miss the interaction and social buzz that living in a city brings. Nobody walks in PS, and there is certainly no sort of social interaction brought on by trips on the subway and walks around the block to the coffee shop or nearest cafe in a pedestrian city. I am a people person and even though I enjoy solitude very much, having the option of being involved with masses if I so choose is very important to me. That is something I completely miss out on by living in PS.

Having had the opportunity to be around a family tied strongly together with strings of love and bonds so deep that their adoration echoed made me miss mine, very much.

I suppose that is good. I have a family much like Saya’s and I am fortunate to have my dearest friends share with me the blessing of family. While I am actively involved with my family from a distance, I am beginning to think something must be done about my day-to-day life. For some things there are no substitutions.

Saya, Sarah and Seana

For weeks I had been looking forward to visiting beautiful San Diego for an advertising shoot with Rufskin Denim. I have long admired their clothes and was very excited to be a part of the good work they do.

My good friend Mike let me stay with him. It was so nice to see him again. It had been just about a year since he was sharing my tiny space with me in Palm Springs. Now I was sharing his tiny space – it was so small that there was not even enough room for the internet. That’s not true, it was more about money than space, but I was without the web. After the initial shock I was happy to be relieved of it and the responsibility it carries.

The weather was sublime and my shoot/appearance was so much fun. I am so digging these Rufskin guys. Their style is comfort meets sexy meets Rockabilly cowboy from the city. Just my bag. The shoot took place in a backyard that sang with trees, shrubbery and wind chimes. Two cats meandered around the set taking notice of the commotion sometimes with lizards in their mouths. The supplies were simple: a man behind the camera who happened to be one of the owners, a camera on a tripod, a small reflector and the other partner in his business and his life. They were impressed with the ease and flow of my interaction with the camera and I was impressed with their effective styling and kick ass camera. The pix came out sooooo great. The first two are of me in some of my stuff. I know, I know. It’s coming, it’s coming.

Later that night it was time to turn it out at Bacchus House. These things are cool and fun. Mike showed up with Tyler Riggz with his bf Reed, the guys from Rufskin and some local friends made it a fun night of free drinks, laughing and me dancing in a shower on the dance floor. People remarked to me how fun I was and actually used the word “ham” to describe me. They also commented on how different the guy was on stage compared to what they had expected. I can never hear that enough.

In the end I realized that I like San Diego. I like it a lot!

Tyler and Reed

Lumberjack Mike

Hubert, co-owner and creator of Rufskin

In the tub

I decided to take Boy Wonder out to dinner for all of his hard work lately. Being Monday we had few options, until he suggested the new space that recently opened up in WeHo across Larrabee Street from East West called Eleven. We had been watching this space go through a massive renovation lately with its mosaic patio and concert style lighting that we would see at night.

The place is two stories, lit on multi-levels with warm, orange light and square decorations creating a strong, secure confident space. Above the front door is a DJ booth like no other. Appropriately at 11 the place turns into a lounge, removing the tables upstairs allowing for patrons to dance and hang out in this masterfully done atmosphere. The “booth” looks out over the entire space and is lit like a stage allowing the music man to interact with his subjects creating a harmony between them. Many of my DJ friends have expressed countless times that they perform better when they have a visual and an exchange of energy between them and the guests.

I always begin my critique of a restaurant when I walk in and meet the host or hostess. Our hostess was illuminated with personality, walked us upstairs to a perfect table and told us that she would be coming back to ensure our experience was nothing short of wonderful. So far so good; very good, in fact.

The waiter was from Australia and with that accent was sure to get me salivating long before anything else. He presented us with a drink menu and wine list first. I love that. When I was back in Boston I would always allow my guests to enjoy their arrival by offering that they sit with an aperitif of some sort before continuing with the dinner menu. This was of course done Sunday through Wednesday when the time to turn the table was not as important as the guests’ relaxation and enjoyment of the ambiance and everything thereafter. There was no rush for anything and we were presented with the dinner menu after our wine was delivered, which was a Pinot from the Carneros region here in CA.

On a Monday night you can expect a more relaxed vibe in restaurant service, but the leisurely pace we experienced had nothing to do with slow trade. The staff paid close attention to our needs to ensure that we savored every moment and that is exactly what we did.

If there is Tuna Tartare on the menu that is always our first course. We were not disappointed. This was not your run-of-the-mill tartare. It was Japanese Hamachi with Blue Fin Tuna Tartare. It was accompanied by a Cucumber, Avocado and Daikon Salad. The presentation was on a large, rectangular plate that allowed for one of us to eat the Blue Fin while the other was busy deconstructing the Hamachi. The pieces were more than adequate. They were thick slabs of succulent flesh wrapped around the salad creating two towers of decadence. The classic paring of the Daikon and Cucumber was elevated a notch with the inspired addition of avocado and a drizzle of Yuzo Ponzu.

For my main course I had a Pan Roasted Cod Filet with Romesco, Chorizo, Clams and White Beans. The cod was finished with a bright Garlic Parsley broth and toasted almonds. I was a bit hesitant with this dish; the long list of accompaniments was a little concerning. My reservations were not justified. It could not have been done better. A fish such as Cod was made to be paired with subtle compliments like Chorizo and White Beans. The Parsley broth was superb and the chef is genius. This dish was all about the ways that flavors can tease and play on the palate in a scrimmage of taste and texture. I was most impressed with the size of the portion. Just as I was saying to myself, “I had better stop now to save room for dessert” I was lifting my fork with the last bite.

Boy Wonder had a Macadamian Nut Crusted Maple Leaf Duck Breast with a Celery Root puree, Swiss Chard, Mizuna Radicchio, Golden Raisins and Black Trumpet Mushrooms in a Wild Huckleberry Sauce. My concern with the cod also extended to the Duck, but it should come to no surprise to you that my fears were unfounded. The Huckleberry sauce is what tied this dish together; the dark sweet flavor profile was a harmonious match for the rich and savory duck breast. The radicchio, spinach and celeriac gave the perfect amount of earthy tones to balance out the rich and sweet elements. I watched Boy Wonder’s eyes sing along with the dish and I knew that this was going down in the food books as the best meal yet.

For dessert I was pleased to see a Chocolate Crème Brule. I requested that along with two glasses of a Tawny Port, a fortified wine from Portugal that I find is always a good pair with chocolate. Unfortunately this fell behind the first and second course in presentation and taste. It was rather large sitting quietly on a dish with a lonely dusting of powdered sugar. The chocolate was bitter and immediately put me and the port off. There was also one more thing that I have to say on the note of lacking and falling behind. I only say this because it is a pet peeve of mine and has been for years. The salt and pepper shaker should be removed after the main course has been cleared to finish the meal and introduce a new course, dessert. One does not need to season their Crème Brule or any other dessert for that matter; it is part of the meal that, like the plates, should be removed.

The wait staff, the décor, the food and everything in between was absolutely superb and executed with pride and excellence. And by the way, our hostess did come back just in time to find us purring with delight into the final sips of our Pinot.

Having friends down here on my home turf is something I really enjoy; and it doesn’t happen enough – believe me. So I was quite pleased when Boy Wonder said he would be able to come out for a visit this weekend. We had a project to work on and many things to discuss, but that was just the side salad to our main course of relaxation and fun.

A co-worker of mine invited us over for dinner Saturday night. His boyfriend cooked a traditional French dinner, a tarragon turkey breast with country style potatoes. It was delicious and very heavy, it was French after all. After that we all went over to Hunters for a little outing. We were sitting outside and my friend Michael remarked that he loves raffles and always wins; we were about to be asked to participate in the raffle they were having later. The man did not ask Boy Wonder or me to purchase any tickets, but gave Michael and his partner two for free. Michael shouted with glee and proceeded to tell us what he has won in the past. He really has won quite a bit. At about 11:30 they began to announce the winning numbers. Michael got the tickets out of his pocket in a confident stride and asked “So what am I winning?” I had no clue since I was left out of the pool. The first number was drawn. Not his. The second was announced and as cool as a clam Michael said “Ok I’ll be right back, I won” I didn’t believe him as he walked towards the table in the front to claim his prize. He returned moments later with two tickets to “Taste of Palm Springs”, sponsored by Kaluha. It is a dinner event with food and wine donated by local restaurants and wineries; it is a chance for them to showcase their products to the public in the hopes that they will either return for dinner or keep them in mind when choosing a wine for their next party. It should be really cool and since Michael won’t be here I get to go for him!

Sunday it was time to work, but not before a little brunch. I do not eat out here so the choice for brunch was left to an unverified recommendation from someone. “A Bit of Country” is what the place was called, but soon after we were seated I thought it would be best if it were re-named “A Bit of Crap”. Our cutlery was a step above plastic and the chairs were clearly designed for different tables; I almost asked for a booster seat. Our waitress was either completely swamped or completely oblivious, either way I was not happy. I gave her thirty seconds to come back for our order after arriving earlier to take our drink requests. After seeing her race frantically from front to back several times all the while apologizing to the tables around us for just about everything I began to count a little faster. She came back at 26. We gave her our order and she asked if we wanted anything to drink – again. We told her just coffee. She giggled and apologized – again.

Everything came to the table at about 15 min thereafter. Boy Wonder was pleased with his waffle and was happy to see the butter was melted, probably because she forgot about the dish sitting under a heat lamp. My eggs were scrambled with Chorizo and resembled Kibbles and Bits. This was not what I had envisioned and it reminded me just why I cook at home.

After that culinary insult we were off to the Aerial Tramway, a huge rotating cable car, (the largest in the Western Hemisphere) and Palm Springs’ main attraction. It goes right to the top of Southern California’s second highest peak. Going from 75 degrees, flip flops and palm trees to snow, pine cones and boots was something. I had been up there before, but that did not help me remember to wear boots; I had socks with my athletic sandals thinking it would be sufficient. As my feet began to get wet with snow I cursed myself for such a stupid oversight. Still we had a nice hike and the ride is always fun – definitely a “must-do” when you’re here. Just get a load of the view.

Lunch was better, kind of, at least for me. We ate Mexican. Not because we wanted to, but because we couldn’t come up with a better idea when we discovered the vegetarian restaurant we wanted to try is closed on Sundays. I had fish tacos and Boy Wonder was brave and ordered the ceviche. The fish was not so fresh. He craved bread, anything to try and remove the memory of the pasty dish. Right after that near mid day disaster meal it was time to get to work for the next 4 hours. I think it went well, time will tell, but I can’t right now because it’s a secret.

I am happy to report that dinner went very well. We had tapas at “Azul”, a cute little outdoor space that serves till 2, every day. Poor guys. We had deep fried wonton blue crab ravioli over shitakes in a light cream sauce, beef skewers and a cold tomato, eggplant napoleon with Buffalo Mozzarella dressed with Balsamic. We hashed around ideas, talked about what we liked and what we didn’t about our work day and grooved to some really great tunes.

It was a great weekend even if the food wasn’t.