Buried Alive

 Buried Alive

Friday night Betty and I went to Dos Vistas, our little mountain retreat in Pine Mountain Club.  The forecast had rain and snow coming in over the weekend and I planned to enjoy whatever little spring snow we might get and head down the mountain on Sunday afternoon after the snow melted.  Riiight. 

Friday night we got a late start and had a nice dinner at Le Lena Mexican Restaurant in the Pine Mt. Club Village.  The food is always good and the people are really nice.  Betty had chicken fajitas and had some left over’s which we took back to the cabin.  We ended up being grateful for it.

Saturday was cloudy and there was nothing pressing to do in the yard.  So I took advantage of the time to install a new (old) thermostat for the central heating system.  I had a digital thermostat from when we changed to a new heating/AC unit in our Bakersfield home.  I thought this would be an upgrade and that we could program it for more comfy living.

I looked at the existing thermostat and compared it to the new one.  There were the same number and color of wires and it looked like an easy swap.  Riiight.  When the wires started sparking as I installed the new thermostat, I had sinking feeling that I screwed up.  The central heater didn’t work at all.  I placed numerous frantic calls to technicians and electricians to help get the heater working again as the weather outside was getting colder.  One electrician was really nice to take a look at it and not charge me unless he could fix it.  He was lost with the instrumentation and was no help.  Thankfully, the local Heating and AC guy called back and knew what was wrong when I explained it to him.  He came over and brought a new transformer and quickly figured out that I had blown the trans former on the heater.  After some good advice from Betty like, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” and “ no good deed goes unpunished” and $200 later, we had heat just as the snow flurries started on Saturday night. 

There is nothing like grilling a couple New York steaks in the mountains and pairing it with a bottle of Le Cuvier 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.   The Le Cuvier Cabs are truly wonderful and we had no problem finishing the bottle.  We had heat, great dinner, great wine and nice music.  We went to bed happy.

During the night, I was wakened numerous times by the howling wind.  And Sunday morning I woke up to 6 inches of snow on the ground, the deck, the car, everywhere.  It was beautiful.   I cleared the deck and cleared the driveway.  We could have left then, but 6 inches of snow is a lot in the mountains without tire chains and it was coming down really heavy.  My plan was to wait until the afternoon when it warmed up and melted.  But by the time I cleared the deck, I turned around and another ½ inch had fallen.   And I was all wet from working in the snowstorm. During Sunday, 6 inches I the morning turned out to be 12 inches by noon and 2 feet by dark.  We lost power on Sunday and kept hearing the loud CRACK of breaking trees as the heavy snow accumulated.  A tree fell on the power line.  And a tree fell across the driveway, blocking our exit.  A tree fell across the road blocking the street.  A tree fell on the house.  This is getting really scary and destructive.  We had dry fire wood in the basement so we were able to keep warm. 

We couldn’t get out at all on Sunday.  We had some food, the left over fajitas.  We mixed with a can of pinto beans.  There was microwave popcorn, but no power.  Thank God someone left a can of Easy Cheese (Cheese Wiz).  That was great.  I worked all day Sunday keeping the snow cleared so we had an escape route. I cut and cleared the tree across the driveway.  And the snow kept falling all day.  As I worked and got soaking wet from the snow and sweat, I’d come in and change cloths and dry the wet ones by the fire. 

The  got heavier as the day went on.  By Sunday night there was 2 feet of snow on top of the car. I was running out of placees to pile it up.  This is crazy.  I’m a California boy and Betty would not even go outside.  The snow plow went by on Sunday morning clearing 12” off the road.  But by the end of the day, there was another foot and a half already.  How are we ever going to get out of here?

For dinner Sunday night we cooked up a bag of ravioli from Costco.  The cheese and spinach filled triangles.  They were really good.  I was so exhausted from keeping the snow cleared that any calories tasted good, especially the Cheese Wiz. 

We camped in the living room Sunday night with the fireplace going.  It was warm but not as comfortable as the bed downstairs.  Early Monday morning when we are supposed to be going to work, we woke to more accumulation of snow.  Aanother 6 inches had fallen during the night.  This makes 3 feet so far.  But the moon was full and the sky was clear so I was hopeful that it would be a warm day.  We had an eggs, a bagel and some bacon for breakfast.  That made a great sandwich.  I started clearing the new fallen snow, but was depressed by the tree branches that had fallen across the road out next door.  We were waiting for the snow plow to come by so we could make an escape.  They never cleared our road again.  They cleared every other road it seemed.  I cut the tree limbs that were buried in snow and moved them off to the side of the road – and waited for the snow plow. 

I had more Cheese Wiz for lunch and some left over pasta.  We were anxious to get out and we could see the main road below was clear of snow and ice.  The weather started to warm up and the snow started to melt.  On the road out it got slushy but there was still 1-2 feet of snow on it.  We could not get through.  I saw a neighbor walking down the road in the snow and I took my snow shovel and went with him to check out the other cleared roads.  We talked to other drivers that had been on the main road going out of the area and learned that it was clear in both directions with the warm weather.  I started pushing slush around as it was melting in the street with my snow shovel.  Some guy drove up in a big truck, rolled his window down and said to me, “you missed a spot”.  Thanks a lot buddy.  Then I started shoveling the road back to the house.  It goes by three other houses.  How long would it take to shovel the width of my car about 140 feet?  One shovel full at a time and I could clear 3 feet in a couple minutes, with a couple minutes rest.  The neighbor I was with had to get to work also.  Watching me shovel he said, “I guess I’ll get my shovel”.  So he started from his house which was past ours.  And then another neighbor came out and helped shovel just for something to do.  It was 2:00 and we were making real progress clearing the road.  I knew the rest of the roads were clear and Betty came out and I told here to pack the car, were getting out.  We had cleared a path just wide enough for the car with 2 foot snow banks on both sides.  We got to the main road and it was clear going all the way out to I-5. 

We made it home at 4:00 Monday afternoon.  And I came home to a swimming pool full of dirt and mess from the storm.  And the next day I went to work and my office had water damage and the ceiling had started to come down.  I turned around and decided to work from home until the office was livable.  Now it’s Wednesday and I’m exhausted and I’m wearing an EKG monitor because my heart felt like it was going to explode so I went to the cardiologist to get checked out.  What an ordeal.  I think I’ll make it.  I still have to go back to Dos Vistas and remove fallen trees from the house and power line and clean up one hell of a mess.  And it’s still snowing up there.  So it will be a few weeks before I can work on the clean up.  I think there is still son Cheese Wiz up there.  Ummmm, Cheese Wiz.

Fade Into Light - Boz Scaggs

Remember Bos Scaggs' Silk Degrees, circa 1976?

That was some fun music.  I was cruising the Barns and Noble music section as I sometimes do searching for new music gems.  I find some great CD's by listening to the sample tracks on the head phones.  My eye caught the Boz Scaggs section and I noticed 4 CD's of his and got curious.  One was Silk Degrees which I already have.  I listened to samples of Fade Into Light,  his 2005 CD.  I instantly found it very enjoyable. 

On Fade Into Light, Boz has a couple classics like Lowdown (unplugged) and Harbor Lights.  They are more mellow and mature versions.  It's like a visit with and old friend and enjoying a glass of wine, compared to drinking bourbon and raising hell with that same person 30 years ago. They are both good.  It's just that the mature version is more appealing now.  Fade Into Light is like that, mellow, jazzy, great piano and saxaphone and some sexy background vocals.  He does a great version of Love T.K.O.  And his voice is still really nice and relaxing.  The back of the disc is a DVD format with some live music that can be played on the TV.  Bonus!

Some of my more enjoyable moments are weekend mornings on the sofa with a caraf of coffee, the paper and favorite music on the stereo.  No Led Zepplin here.  Fade Into Light is definitely a weekend morning CD. 

The other CD's were too slow.  Like Boz was trying to be like a male Diana Krall.  Check out the sample tracks of Fade Into Light and see what I'm talking about.

Fade Into Light - Boz Scaggs

Remember Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees,circa 1976?

That is still some fun music to listen to.  I was cruising the Barns and Noble music section where I like to sample CD's and find new and old music.  I happen to see the Boz Scaggs section and was curious about the 4 different CD's he has.  I already have Silk Degrees.  His 2005 Fade into Light CD is super cool.  There are a couple classics like Lowdown and Harbor Nights that are redone in his more mature style.  Meaning the style is melow, jazzy and smooth.  Like visiting an old friend and having a glass of wine compared to getting drunk and raising hell with that same person 30 years ago.  They're both good, just that the newer version is more appealing now. 

I didn't care for his other CD's I sampled.  Just too slow, like a male Diana Krall.  But the music in Fade Into Light has great piano and Sax and some sexy backgroung vocals.  Most of the tracks are his own songs with one great song Teddy Pendegrass did, Love T.K.O. 

Some of my favorite moments are Saturday and Sunday mornings with a caraf of coffee and the paper listening to favorite music.  No Led Zepplin here.  Fade Into Light is definitely a weekend morning CD.  Check it out and listen to some sample tracks on my recommendation.

La Cabana Mexican Restaurant, Bakersfield

Sometimes I need to get away from the office for a while.  A lunch break is just the time.  Last week I went cruising without a specific goal in mind.  Going south on 99, I take 204 – Golden State highway toward Old Town Kern.  There are numerous great places for lunch in that direction.  For instance, Noriega Hotel, Flame-an- Skewers and Luigi’s.  All of which I have shared on this blog.

I remember seeing a little Mexican restaurant El Sombrero on Golden State highway before and someone saying that it was so good.  But from the West as I was driving, I saw La Cabana.    So on impulse I parked in their lot.  I remember La Cabana when I first moved to Bakersfield in 1981.  They were on Oak Street just north of Truxton on the ground floor of a 2 story building.  I remember going there as a young mud engineer and all alone in Bakersfield.  They had a counter that I would sit at.  I remember having chorizo con huevos and menudo.  This La Cabana is the same family that has operated in Bakersfield for 40 years.

This La Cabana also has a counter which I took a seat at.  I ordered Chile Colorado burrito with meat and beans only.  It was served wet with the red chile sauce over the top and a little shredded lettuce and tomato on the side.  The chips and salsa were great.  I ate the whole bowl of chips and cup of salsa.  The burrito was great comfort food, served made to order, hot with lots of rich red chile sauce.  Chile Colorado is like a beef stew with red chile sauce.  Sometimes it has some peas and carrots as well.  This chile Colorado was just small cubes of lean tender beef and sauce. 

The lunch was $6.95 and I enjoyed it as much as anything for the price.  I can’t wait to go back for dinner with Betty and try the margaritas and the rest of the menu.  If I am impressed with the dinner menu as much as I am with the Chile Colorado, I may be a new, old favorite.  I need to remember to bring my flask of tequila in case I need to doctor up the margaritas.

Luigi's

Luigi’s in Bakersfield

Luigi’s just celebrated their 100^th anniversary in October, 2010.  There is a reason they have been in business for 100 years.  They provide a fun atmosphere, excellent food and great value.  Betty and I went there for lunch today, Saturday.  We got there at 11:30 AM and there was already a long wait.  Don’t let the wait scare you off.  People are waiting inside, outside and in the market.  Betty and I went to the market adjacent to the restaurant and bar.

Luigi’’s Italian market is an experience in itself.  The market has one of the best wine stores in town.  Also in the market are grocery and gift items from Italy, awesome deli food, imported meats and cheese, catering trays and restaurant entrees.  The walk-in wine cellar is full of premium wine from Napa, Italy and Paso Robles.  Outside the cellar in the market are cases lined up and stacked around.  I like that there is so much wine it’s hard to find a place for it all.  One of the owners offered her expertise.  She is a certified Sommelier and has a passion for Italian wine.  I told her that I know Gino and that we are waiting to be seated for lunch.  She knows of the long wait.  There are a dozen or more people waiting out on the sidewalk, plus all the people waiting in the restaurant and bar.  Betty asked if we could buy a bottle and drink it while we waited.  She helped pick out her favorite Chianti Classico, opened it and poured 2 glasses for us. 

Cruising the market with a glass of wine really makes the wait a pleasure.  There were samples of imported cheese out to accompany the wine also.  Eventually, we took the bottle and glasses and went to the outside patio bar.  They had basketball on HD TV and were pouring lots of beer and bloody Marys.  It was a lovely wait in the patio.  Partly cloudy skies, fresh snow in the mountains, seeing and smelling all the great food was enjoyable.

After an hour and 20 minutes, they called us for a table.  So we gathered our glasses and what was left of the wine and went inside.  In case you haven’t been to Luigi’s, they start you out with a French roll, 2 slices of cheese, and Italian salami, a pepperoncini and carrot stick.  I order a side of pickled tongue and made a sandwich.  On the patio I observed the ribs and halibut specials.  Everything looks so good it’s hard to decide what to order.  Betty had the pastrami sandwich and I had the pasta bolonese with hot Italian sausage (and my pickled tongue sandwich). 

Betty’s pastrami sandwich was piled high with lean meat and melted cheese in a soft roll.  My pasta included 2 sausages.  I asked for extra sauce which came right away.   The food is great and I always see someone I know or meet someone new.  Luigi’s is a Bakersfield classic dining experience that should be enjoyed several times a year.  And the market is the best place in town to find great wine. 

 Luigi’s is a 4 star experience.  Maybe I’ll see you there.

Pyrenees Basque Restaurant

Pyrenees  Basque Restaurant – Bakersfield, CA

What is the best Basque Restaurant in Bakersfield?  Or, what is my favorite Basque Restaurant in Bakersfield?

I’ve tried them all, multiple times.  I made my 3^rd or 4^th visit to Pyrenees last night (Thursday).  I heard of the nightly dinner specials.  And Thursday night is New York steak and Ravioli.  I ate in the bar where the darling bartender put on the L.A. Kings hockey game for me.  Since I was dining solo, this seemed more enjoyable than sitting alone in the back dining room.

The restaurant is about a hundred years old.  And the bar is about 30 ft. long.  The foot rail along the bar looks like lead pipe and has holes worn along the top where people’s feet have worn through.  The beer is kept cold in an old ice box with a big heavy door behind the bar.  And the floors are old wood planks.  The dining room in back is a series on long tables.  Only a hand full of diners there last night. 

I ordered the steak and ravioli special and a glass of Wild Horse Cab.  The soup, bread, salsa and beans come out first, typical of a Bakersfield Basque experience.  The soup for one was served in a bowl too large for one.  It was watery and had less body and flavor than Noriega or Benji’s.  Noriega and Benji’s have the best soup.  And the salsa had too much garlic and onions in it for my taste.  My salsa is better. 

My salsa recipe:  One large can of diced tomatoes, ½ white onion diced, 3 or 4 jalapenos (roasted on the stove top), a small hand full cilantro, Pulse in a food processor to the chunkiness of your choice.

The salad, pickled tongue, marinated vegetables came next after a pleasant wait while I enjoyed the game.   I ordered some blue cheese to go with the salad and bread.  I like buttered French bread with a couple slices of pickled tongue and a spoon of salsa on it.  I did not care for the salad as much as I do at the other Basque restaurants.  The pickled tongue was good though.  But the creamy sauce that Benji’s puts on their tongue makes it my favorite.

Sometime it’s hard to hold back and save room for the entrées when Basque dining.  But I did save room for the ravioli.  It was served with fries and a small dish of canned corn.  It had a nice tomato based sauce on it and was good with more bread and butter. 

The New York steak was served at the end.  It was about 12 oz. and I had ordered it with blue cheese topping.  It was a nice steak about ¾” thick, seasoned well and juicy.  I would have to say it’s a better steak than the ones served on Tuesday night at Noriega Hotel.  I really like the blue cheese topping.  It was creamed and added after the steak was cooked.  I ordered a 2^nd glass of cab with the steak.  The Wild Horse is a safe bet when ordering wine in a restaurant.  It’s always good and reasonably priced.

Would you believe me if I told you that the dinner was only $12.95 (plus 0.50 for the side of blue cheese).  The wine was reasonable as the bill totaled $21-$22. The steak was good, but the soup and salad are such an integral part of the dinner,  that I have to give the other Basque restaurants a higher rating. 

To answer the question at the top of the page, my favorite Basque restaurant in Bakersfield is Benji’s.  With Noriega Hotel coming in a close second, depending on what they are serving on any given night. 

Joseph's Italian Restaurant, Bakersfield

Joseph’s Italian Restaurant, Bakersfield, Ca

My Friend Nick was in town from Calgary helping with some vessel work at the shop.  It’s nice to have someone to out with when Betty is hosting a class at home on Thursday night.  We went to Joseph’s Italian Restaurant on F Street.  Joseph’s is a 30 year Bakersfield establishment.  I remember first going there for lunch when the Unocal offices were across the street.  Nick and I walked in and were seated right away.  It’s a small restaurant with only about 15 tables.  We got a booth along the far wall.  The bench seat was kind of weird.  I sat down and sank down so that the table was chest high.  I felt like I was in a high chair.  OK, no big deal, nothing to get upset about.

Then I notice the woman in charge.  You can always tell who the boss is.  And she looked a lot like the owner of Sorella’s .  When she came by the table to check on things, I asked her if she was related to the lady that owns sorells’s.   And that she bears a striking resemblance.  She said, “thank you, she is my aunt”.  I asked her about Joseph’s and she said her father started the restaurant 30 years ago when he moved to Bakersfield from Boston.  She took it over a few years ago.  It’s a nice family restaurant with a 30 year history. 

Nick and I wanted a bottle of wine.  There is not a wine list.  The limited wine available on the menu is Inglenook.  That will not do for me.  I would rather have Coke with dinner.  Nick was insistent.  And there was a small folded cardboard ad on the table for an Italian imported red table wine.  The ad said it was ruby red in color and fruity and stuff.  And it was only $16 per bottle.  Well, that can be good and bad.  We ordered a bottle and hoped for the best.  The wine was a nice red table wine and well worth the $16.  I was remembering one time when Betty, Lia, her boyfriend and I went to Josephs and I brought a bottle of Le Cuvier Bat Cuvee.  I was telling Nick how great that wine was.  And like other great Le Cuvier wines, it’s gone and no longer available. 

The waiter brought the wine and a large basket of fresh soft bread.  Nick ordered the Capellini Neopolitan.   I asked about the sauce and the waiter said it comes with a butter lemon sauce.  I ordered the manicotti with marinara sauce.  As the waiter was walking away with our order, another waiter delivered food the table across the aisle from us.   Nick and I both noticed the steak special, rib eye Caruso.  Nick and I both said at the same time, “waiter.  Wait a minute.  I want to change my order”. 

The rib eye Caruso was amazing.  The 16 – 18 oz. steak was cut a full inch thick, topped with sautéed mushrooms, little slices of ham and 3 or 4 large shrimp sautéed in garlic butter.  A half of baked potato was on the side.  And a full dish of spaghetti and marinara sauce was served for each of us.  My steak was cooked to medium rare and was juicy and flavorful.  I was not even temped to add salt or steak sauce.  The mushrooms on top were sliced in half so they were bite size.  The shrimp were large and garlic-buttery with the tail on.  The ham did not really add much.  The steak was so flavorful the ham went pretty much unnoticed.  The baked potato was hot and actually fully cooked.  You know how a baked potato is sometimes still hard?  I hate that.  The waiter brought sour cream and the butter was already on the table.  A little parmesan cheese sprinkled on top added some extra flavor.  The marinara sauce on the spaghetti was a little light.  But it was tomatoey and made classic spaghetti and red sauce.  Oh yeah, it comes with a small antipasti salad or soup.   

I interrupt this blog for a wine update:  I am now enjoying a Rotta 2003 Estate Zinfandel, Giubbini Vinyard, paired with sliced salami and Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese, topped with a tomato pesto.   The wine is great.  But I have to warn you that I believe that I have a special bottling from this winery.  About a year ago I was wine tasting at Le Cuvier with my friends, Mike and Evan.  We arranged for a barrel tasting with the winemaker at Le cuvier.  It was a very special private tasting and the Le Cuvier wine was, as usual, spectacular.  We did, however, make the mistake of going to other wineries with the hopes of finding other great wines.  Other friends have recommended Rotta Zinfandel to me and the winery is on Vineyard Drive in Paso, so we went there.  I have made this mistake many times and keep getting the same result.  Isn’t that the definition of insane?  I have not enjoyed any wine tasting after tasting at Le Cuvier.  The Rotta we tasted at the winery tasting room was not drinkable to us.   So when I was digging around in the wine cabinet and found the Rotta Zin, I thought, this is contaminating the “goods”.  Well, it turned out that the Rotta Zinfandel I had was very enjoyable.  I credit the quality to the 2003 vintage, estate fruit and Giubbini Vineyard.  If you can find one of these, you should buy it on my recommendation.  Fat chance.  Maybe their newer Estate Zins are OK.  Let me know if you try one.    

The rib eye steak at Joseph’s was really good.  I totally enjoyed each juicy bite, the mushrooms and shrimp.  The tiramisu at Joseph’s is some of the best around.  I like it because it’s not too heavy. It has 2 layers of cake in it so the cheese and cream is not too dominate. 

By the way, Joseph’s is known for the calzones.  They are huge.  Like an extra large pizza folded in half.  I give Joseph’s a solid 3 star rating.  I should compare the rib eye steak and shrimp at Sorella’s.