Pecan Pie

Thanksgiving Day is just over a week away or so. And boy had I had the craving for some luscious crostata pecan pie. The one I love the most. Yummers!

I have searched high and low for a pecan pie like this wherever I go and only in Southern California can I indulge myself of this particular kind. It is a you-gotta-try kind of pie. I am more of a pie person than a cake person (well, there is one cake I would never say NO to). Crostata - is a term used for making the dough or type of dough. It is not much of a floury dough but more like butter shortbread type of dough is used to complement the molasses and the excellently well-roasted (still crunchy even if it is submerged in all that molasses) pecans. It is all organic ingredients.

I like this crostata because it is a well balanced mixture of taste (sweet molasses and saltiness of the dough) and texture (syrupy and yet crunchy).

I love the experience it time. I can only eat one slice per day, but the first day I got the pie, I gave myself a big chunk just to get my craving out of the way. Man, was it ever so good.

I am telling you if you have a sweet tooth, your tooth will be happy with this.

See ya!

Pizza and Salad...California Style

This is a San Diego Pizza by Pat & Oscar's. The dough is soft and perfect. The toppings to die for namely cheese, feta cheese, pesto sauce, red onion rings and last but definitely not the least wedges of avocado (ergo - San Diego). I mean this baby is very good. One thing that could top this is to have it with a nice cold mug of beer. But that would be too much indulgence in one night. Read on...

I guess after a long absence from California, my taste buds are dominating lots of my food choices since I got back in California.

To the right is a picture of a small (but served 2 people aplenty!) salad from the same food chain called (non-typical only-conceived-in-California) Pat & Oscars. Missed the place while I was in Buenos Aires thus my trip to this place as soon as I was able to. "M" wanted some ribs so that is the best ribs in town! And we have found it here. abck to the salad, yes....that mound of white stuff is FETA cheese, the real stuff. Something I still have to find in Argentina. Some beets (red round objects bottom right of the pix) and then a bed of iceberg lettuce (crunchy and very good), peperroncinis, kalamata olives (thus the name - GREEK salad), loads of red onions, sweet, vine ripe cherry tomatoes, cucumber rings, and an out of this world house dressing. I mean, I missed this pleasure food. Good stuff! The ribs were "M"'s and was wiped out before I can take a photo. It was at least a 5burp meal. It was so sinfully good, and good for you!!

Snapple Green Tea

So far this Snapple drink flavour has been my lastest fave non-soda (carbonated) drink. Looove, love, love it. All natural, real tea flavor and antioxidant. How great is that?! It has all the ingredients that's good for the body and with very small amount of sugar. And it does not even taste sweet at all.

Argentina does not have this flavour but since I was introduced to this drink, I am hooked! If you are in the USA give this Snapple flavour a try. Real thirst quencher without the guilt. You can't beat that deal. My grocery always runs out of this stuff - meaning IT IS THAT GOOD!

My Tuesday evenings with Eli Stone

I am guilty, yes. I have been watching him closely since last year. For several months there I did not see him at all. I dread Tuesday nights when I was not stateside and I do not see him. Here it goes... I am talking about Eli Stone (in real life known as Jonny Lee Miller). I mean, WOWEE!

The man is eye candy - sweet mary mother of love. He comes on every Tuesday on ABC (sigh). My tuesdays since I got back in the US have been glorious. I miss my "R" do not get me wrong here but Eli is my new love.

I just so freakin' love the show the first time I watched the pilot episode last year. What is there NOT to like?

First there is Eli, then V. Garber (of Alias), then my all time favorite sidekick, you want this girl to be on your corner - Loretta Devine - as Eli's personal secretary, then there is Julie Gonzalo who plays Maggie - Eli's love on and off interest.

The show is brought to us by G. Berlati and M. Guggenheim and if that is not enough, The executive producer and director is Chris Misiano, the very one, yup!, who gave us the pleasure of watching The West Wing. How yummy is that.

I love the show even if I am a sworn CBS girl. I love my CSI through and through but I have this "affair" with ABS only on Tuesdays. Eli Stone is worth all that. You can take my word for it. If you have not had the pleasure of "experiencing" Eli - I am so sorry to say, are missing alot!!

The show is fresh, imaginative, good casting, very good acting, very organic in the cast's chemistry, the whole Eli Stone show is exciting, the storylines are intelligent (of course!), and for the first time since CSI, have I experienced pure clean fun of watching a TV show. You get comedy, drama, some legal terms (one might need to look up the day after), suspense and you cannot help but root for Eli.
And man when George Michael came in there (as himself) in the first episode, I was sold. I mean it was a musical, and you know what that episode worked. I loooove this show.

Jonny Lee Miller, I could never understand what he saw in Angelina Jolie to have married her in the past (he is her first husband) but by golly, I can see what she saw in him.

Eli is a lawyer who is in a mission and everything revolves around "visions". James Saito plays Dr. Chen in the show - a good yin to Eli's yan.

I have not been this excited about a show since I first laid eyes on Grissom and Brown on CSI Las Vegas and that was 7 years ago. I am sorry but it takes a lot to get me this excited about - anything!!

You gotta see Eli Stone. It always leaves me thinking and that my friend is what I like about my shows, and of course, my eye candy. Yummy!

You might be a season behind but who cares.

MEDICUS - it is service, care and more...much more

Disclaimer: This is based on my own experience.

I never endorsed any products, service or brandname in this blog. I believe I am always leary about people just jumping in and pouncing on various levels should I endorse a very specific product or brand, let alone a service.

For one, I am very hard to please. Quality counts for alot for me to be loyal to a service provider but most of all I want everyone in all levels to show me they care, that they respect me the person and not just the money I give them for the service they provide. I just do not want to be another number.

I like lots of very good company names, products and brands. I like customer service, excellent customer service at that - and consistency on this is very important to me. I am sure it is for you as well.

Then, I went to Argentina and met a Medicus Rep. She was honest, transparent and clear, to top that she was kind and courteous. Wow, what a treat in Argentina - but she is. She is always there when I do need anything. Note that my spanish is horrendous, but she made it a point to explain and re-explain insurance cost and services covered in my plan. I knew I made the right choice with Medicus, when I met Mrs. B Tort. She came very highly recommended to me. I was impressed.

My coverage is very good. I know of others who pay more than I do and they are not with MEDICUS and they do not get a great service , like I do.

Medicus is not paying me squat to say these nice things about them, nor will they be able to pay me to shut up, if I was duped and unsatisfied about their service. So there!

My coverage includes international coverage. I never get sick when I am traveling (nothing a tablet can fix) but from BsAs I was traveling with an ear infection, a recurring thing for me for the past couple of months. Nothing major. My ear just itches like crazy and when I take a shower and water gets in there, it starts to drip endlessly for days. Ergo, and ear infection. Now what am I to do, you might ask. My coverage is in Argentina with international coverage. WOW! I called a number off their website, a very nice, calm and concerned lady from their Florida number answered my call and after a couple of questions from her, and confirmation of coverage I was off to see a doctor. The phone connection at first was not that good, so she asked for my location phone number and she called me back. The doctor's visit I did not pay a cent. All I had to do show my insurance cards and ID, for Medicus already faxed to the doctor's office my pre-approval for the coverage. I just paid for the parking meter $2.80. I opted not to park at the clinic's garage for free because I did not like the dark location a block away from the building. The clinic I went to was wonderful. The doctor was great. Medicus authorized for the ear culture that the doctor wanted. I will need to go back for a final visit before I leave back for Argentina. How excellent is that?

Medicus has always been very good to me. I know they cost alot for the coverage but with a nasty ear infection even thousands of miles away they made sure I was okay.

Just now as I was typing this post my phone rang and Medicus wanted to know that I am okay and that the doctor visit was to my approval and liking. I mean if you are going to Argentina and looking for medical coverage, email me and I will hook you up with Medicus. You will not be disappointed. I am not.

I am not making a cent out of this post. I just call a spade, a spade as I see it. For all the parents whose young fresh out of college kids are headed to Argentina, contact me and I will give you my Sales Rep's number. Medical coverage is important to have at all time.

Since I am traveling all the time, I thought it prudent and wise to get international coverage (ask for effective dates after BsAs departure, I think it is 60 days or something), for here I am having been attended by a doctor with ear drops and tablets to take to rid of my infection.

Medicus, thank you very much. I really feel the concern and care.

Kudos to Ms. T and everyone that is affiliated with Medicus. BRAVO!

Hodge-Podge

I mean REALLY! The price of gas today was $2.29/gallon. I mean if my gas tank was empty I would refill in a heartbeat. Prices of gas never looked so good as it did today. The demand for gasoline in the US of A is actually down that the prices of gasoline is going south with it. Imagine that!

One time there the price of beer was less than gasoline...and you can think of all the jokes you can conjure up with that idea.

Today, I got spammed. I hate that! And I do not want to mention names but I am starting to hate that person. She does not know me, and I do not know her from squat or squack and I opened a page in her site and BAM! I got spammed. It bums me out. Oh heck!

Carl's Jr. - I have missed my Western Bacon Cheeseburger for 6 months or so and today I had one. It felt good to indulge.

Looking forward to the weekend but it looks like rain is in the forecast. What the...? Oh well rain can be good.

Ciao. Talk to you guys tomorrow.

days after the 2008 USA Presidential Election

Okay so I have now fully recovered from the election of '08. It was a long and herculean task for me to decide on whom to vote and prospositions "yes or no". I did it and now I am glad I did it, and it is over with.

Barack Obama is President-Elect, Oprah cried on TV, Jesse Jackson did the same, Joe the Plumber is back to oblivion, Palin is back in Alaska, and Proposition 8 will still be entangled in the courts for months if not years.

Phew! that was an ordeal not just for the candidates but for the voters as well. Wall Street is still struggling...one thing good I can say is the price of gas is down, so far today it was $2.37/gallon. Yipee!!!

I am enjoying Southern California, really and truly. I saw my BFF today and she looked great, the hubby is great and the little ones (not so little anymore) are fabulous. I love Miss! She tells me exactly that my hair looked great (and she knows I hate short hair) and that my makeup is fantastic and that my eyeliner is great. Miss will give it to me straight, she is a straight shooter. I email her when I am away but it is never the same. She looked great I give her that, after two kids (and one husband -jajaja) she is still like the way she was before her first baby. I am jealous :-)

I will definitely see her again before I leave. Miss, an honest BFF, rare as a gem, nowadays.

In other mattters...

I am enjoying pomegranates in California. If you haven't had these red, luscious seeds - you are missing something. They are my antioxidant - in the natural form. Delicious!!

And then I am enjoying the cosmetics here - if I could marry these things I will!

My aquafina water - I mean I have died and drank my way to heaven. Just pure water not minerals no nothing, pure unadulterated W-A-T-E-R! Hmm.

Ben and Jerry's ice cream - hello!! Cherry Garcia and all the flavors, just making one choice is making me gain weight. Cookie Dough anyone?

Like I said...I miss my "R" but I am enjoying California. Tomorrow, I go out and get myself a bottle of Chardonnay. I will keep a glass chilled just for you, k?

See you all guys tomorrow.

Pictures are coming....Ciao!