“Rollos” are my new favorite family entree

“Rollos” are my new favorite family entree

This is my newest go-to family dinner recipe that’s perfect for using up bits of vegetables or leftovers. This post is Part 1 of 2, recipe for a stuffed tortilla that’s grilled and sliced.

Feeding the Spirit at Soif

I discovered Soif Wine Bar & Merchants at the end of one of Those Weeks. Kid One was too sick to go to school, but well enough to want to make things. Like marble-and-wire wizard rings and dried apple mandrake heads from a wizard how-to book Grandma got him for his last birthday. Kid Two was sick, too, but well enough to rub clay-dough into the rug and blame it on his brother. Errands and chores multiplied at dizzying speed; on top of the usual dry cleaning, shoes needed repair, and the broken washing machine wouldn’t be fixed for a week.

Riva House Reminiscences

Every family needs a dependable, kid-friendly restaurant, one with enough of a variety of menu items to interest the adults and familiar enough for children. Ours was Riva House. Our family Riva House tradition goes back to when LL and I were dating, and we would stop in for spring rolls, clam chowder and a glass of wine at the bar to visit with a friend who worked there.

Reinventing the Crepe

I had lunch at The Crepe Place with a friend who has been doing a great deal of her own cooking lately. She has been busy reinventing the “comfort food” of her childhood into dishes that are, well, healthier. We started with a pot of chai at one of the small tables against the wall in the back room, and she told me about her latest meal reincarnations. Hamburger Helper evolved into turkey sausage with brown rice and peas.

Musing about caffeine and rational thought at Verve Coffee

Musing about caffeine and rational thought at Verve Coffee

I’ve long thought that there was very little scientific and technological progress in the Middle Ages because, seeing as water quality was dicey at best, people sat around drinking beer and hard cider all day. Life with a steady buzz isn’t very conducive to invention and productivity.

Santa Cruz’s age of Aquarius

Santa Cruz’s age of Aquarius

There really aren’t that many restaurants in Santa Cruz County that have an excellent ocean view with equally engaging food. And THAT is why I love Aquarius restaurant at the Dream Inn. The Dream Inn is the coastline’s tallest multi-story hotel that had...
A Heavenly breakfast

A Heavenly breakfast

There’s a great breakfast place in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, between Scotts Valley and Felton, California – the Heavenly Cafe. It’s filled with roadside country charm and offers something for everyone, from oatmeal to a full bar....
A real taste of Santa Cruz at El Salchichero

A real taste of Santa Cruz at El Salchichero

California Highway One becomes Mission Street for several miles on the west side of Santa Cruz, as you learn whether you are driving south, making the c-shaped curve around the Monterey Bay, or north, hugging the open sea on your way to Half Moon Bay. Don’t...