Musings by the Hairslave

What a fabulous day!  This was the kind of day that reminds me of why we live in the city.  We pretty much lived the yuppy dream .

It’s not very often that Pete and I would try to go to midtown for dinner on a Saturday, much less a second Saturday.  The parking, the crowded restaurants; we never usually think to make a reservation.  But this night was different.  We had two gallery openings to attend during the 2nd Saturday art walk. The first stop was at the Urban Hive.  This was an exhibit of work by teachers, including our neighbor, and friend, Linda Clark Johnson.

Her work for this show consisted of some rather colorful and witty collages. They were each a study for a larger piece she created in watercolor.

The gallery itself is an interesting, light filled cooperative.  They bill themselves as the “un-office”.  Studios and a “cafe style” work place are what they offer. It’s a perfect gallery space, whatever the purpose.

We then headed over to the E Street Gallery and Studios, to not only view the wonderful ceramics by our very good friend, and colleague, Deborah Pittman. But unbeknownst to me, a Clarinet (Deborah Pittman) and Violin/Viola (Randy Fisher) duet.  The gallery was small, and the temperature a little on the warm side, but Deborah and Randy are so talented, that we stayed for a number of pieces.  The work of the show itself was exquisite, of course!  That’s why Deborah is my only artist in residence at Cobalt Salon & Gallery!

For dinner, Pete had taken at stab at finding a restaurant that we hadn’t been to many, many, many times before. Pete managed to do a great job, and acquire a reservation on one of the busiest nights of the month!  He succeeded beautifully!  We had read about The Lounge on 20 in several publications, and since they had a table open at the perfect time, he grabbed it.

What a great find!  The food is good enough, our drinks were perfect, and the people watching was the highlight of my week.  The Lounge on 20 is at the corner of K St., and 20th, of course, which sites it perfectly to watch the blocked off 20th street.  Wow.  I had no idea Midtown Sacramento had become such a hot spot!  I’m not joking, it was pretty crowded, in a laid back, dare I say, mature way.  It reminded me of a waaaay less fashionable version of the promenade in Italy.  With People walking their dogs and children, while rubbing elbows with artists, neighbors, and gays (did I mention this is the epicenter of Lavender Heights?).  It was a Sacramento I haven’t seen in my 18 years here. I’ve said it before, and I don’t mind saying it again, don’t call this a cowtown.

The weather was on the warm side when we arrived, but in true Delta fashion, the evening breeze kicked in, and with our drinks in hand, we were feeling pretty fine. After consulting with the waitress, Pete ordered a Ginger Spice. He’s a sucker for anything with ginger, and a cocktail is no exception.  I ordered an especially tasty sounding drink, tequila, grapefruit juice, and sparkling wine, who’s name I’ve unfortunately forgotten.  It was so good I’ll be going back to find out what it was!

Now, I don’t generally like things with ginger.  Oh, gingersnaps are good, as is a little ginger bread, and ginger ale if I’m not feeling well, but overall, no.  Pete, on the other hand, is a sucker for anything with ginger.  That is usually OK for him, but often ginger can really screw up a good idea.  This time it was a bullseye. The sweet and sour combination of ginger liqueur, gin, and lemon juice was a perfect warm evening drink.  His second drink, however, was in a highball glass filled with ice.  We can’t remember the name of that one, but Pete says it wasn’t good, too strawberry-y, or something.

We spent quite a lot of time looking over the menu.  What with the lazy heat, the wonderful drinks, and the interesting people strolling by below us, we were happy to linger.  In fact, sitting having drinks here would be perfect any day of the week.

We both decided to go with the $25 fixed price dinner.  Pete and I both chose, and were very impressed by, the beet salad to start.  The meal comes with three courses.  Soup or salad, entree, and a sampler dessert.  It seemed like a fair deal to us.  We both enjoyed the beet salad.  It had a generous serving of beet, cut thin and arranged with an accompaniment of spicy greens, lightly dressed. Perfect on a warm summer evening.  Pete chose the chicken for his entree, and I chose the salmon.  The meats were both terrific.  My salmon was cooked very nicely, and the fish was fresh and sweet.  I liked the way it was cooked.  As a friend of Pete’s said recently, “You can tell a good cook by his salmon.”  It goes from undercooked to overcooked in about one minute.  This salmon was just the way I like it. Pete’s chicken was tasty and nicely prepared.

The veggies were another story.  Mine were kind of strange, ranging from capers, which I love, what I assumed to be vine ripened cherry tomatoes (so far, so good), and then it went a little strange, random olives, overcooked peppers, and a little too freely splashed with oil.  It was good, but strange.

Pete liked his green beans, but he said they were a little overcooked.  A shame for green beans in Sacramento this time of year.  I’m happy with them raw!

The dessert is a charming representation.  You get to chose two from the regular menu, and they come in a sample size.  That gave us four options. Pete ordered Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate, and the Raspberry Bavaroise, and I ordered Espresso Creme Brule, and a white Chocolate Delice.  Mine were very good, Pete’s were OK.

Between food and drinks, we spent over $85.  A little higher than we’d normally go for a dinner out, but this seemed like a special night.  We decided we’d definitely be back on a more boring Friday or Saturday to see how we feel without the crowds.  This is what the K Street development needs to strive for, reasons, both epicurial and entertaining, as well as spontaneous to attract the crowds.  Overblown redevelopment plans will only work if the buzz spreads.

I’d also like to point out that The Lounge on 2o would be a fabulous place to hang with friends, but one way or the other, I’ve seen the future of Sacramento, and it’s pretty damn cool.

I was sitting on my front step the other evening, enjoying the glorious spring/summer weather.  The light was perfect, and I became inspired.  I went in search of my camera.  Unfortunately, I was sidetracked, by my two extremely evil dogs, who decided they didn’t need to wait for me to let them out.  It was my fault I’m sure for not taking care of their needs first.

Don't let the cuteness fool you, pure evil lurks in their hearts...

Pets are such givers.

Anyway!  After a few minutes of cleanup, eeeew, I was back on task.  The light was still great when I returned with my beloved Sony SLR digital camera.  It more than suits the needs of this amateur.

I started with a test shot, just something that caught my eye.  To see how the light was going to photograph.  It was so-so…

A similar shot edited...

and so I progressed to another test shot, and then a couple of light test shots…

A simple test shot to check light, framing etc.

A slightly better test shot, edited

A lighting and angle test

Then I hit on the shot.

The Ah Ha! shot

I call this shot, the Ah Ha shot, because it’s the magical moment when something clicks; and I become inspired.

With this particular photo, I love the way the light is almost from the side because the sun is so low (thanks mutts!).  The unusual angle of the light makes the flower glow, and the background is practically black.  It got me focused on the textures, and the fabulous softness of the flowers petals.  I love how the edges fade away, and give the flowers a feeling that they could be made of porcelain.  It’s not a perfect shot, but it sets the stage for what is to come…

The same composition with a slightly different edit

A new angle is better

Might be my favorite, definitely the best composition

Last one, then the sun was gone :-((

A better edit...

This illustrates what my painting teacher used to describe as the happy accident.  Letting the work take you where it will, until something good (hopefully) happens that you would never have taken yourself to intentionally.  The happy accident.

I was staring at my closet this evening.  The reason I happen to be sitting there was because of my son’s cat, Ebi.  We’re watching him for the summer.  He’s very pretty, and pretty much the flightiest cat I’ve ever seen.  He was yowling at me to pay attention to him, so I did.  But I made the mistake of trying to touch him before he had settled.  Big cat mistake I’ve found.

He's actually got a few brains as well as the good looks.

Anyhow, after he fled while howling, I sat and thought about what a stupid cat he is.  It’s all beauty for the poor fellow.  And when I focused on my closet, I realized what a neurotic I am as well.  My closet is an organizers wet dream.  I’m a neat freak.

No, Pete's side doesn't look like this, but it's closer than it used to be!

I had suspected it for a while.  My first marriage fell apart because of what a slob my ex-wife was.  Or was it because I was a neurotic neat freak?  Oh wait,  I remember,  it was because I’m gay…awkward.  And my ex-wife was a slob.  I love her like a sister, and if we had been a little more compatible, she probably would have been willing to be my beard for years.  But I’m neurotic.  I truly hate chaos.  Eventually I fled to my own Immaculate 1 bedroom apartment, in fashionable “east” Woodland.

So, there I am having my neurosis epiphany, and  I think, “Wow!  What a fabulous wardrobe…

It’s been way too long since I’ve written!  So much has happened, it’s been like a whirlwind!

This year I actually got paid to work my dream job!  I didn’t see it at first, but during my second year working back stage at the West Coast Spring and Style Show, in beautiful down town San Jose (some dreams are smaller than others :-) ), I realized that ever since I went to my first hair show, waaay back in 1987, I had dreamed of being a color educator and working a hair show!

It was such a long shot in my mind, that when I eased my way in, I didn’t see that I had arrived.  I mean, it doesn’t pay much.  Honestly, I don’t do it for the money.  I do it for the ego boost.  I love teaching in salons, but doing the show is a whole nuther level.  I get to do things I couldn’t really do in the salon, and I get to show off my work to my peers in a way I never could without a company backing me.  It’s quite an honor in many ways.

This year I was handed quite the job.  During the morning triage backstage, I was asked to remove 6 inches of a blackish color from the last 6 inches of one of the model’s hair, brassy dark blonde from about 4 inches in the middle, and balance these two decolorized sections with the 2 inches of natural regrowth, all of this on extremely thick (albeit fine) hair past the shoulder.  As soon as I sat her down I warned her that we had an 8 hour job ahead of us.  I wasn’t joking, I am extremely accurate at scheduling.  I was, however, wrong.  It was nine hours.  It was nine hours, and I had a partner.  It was nine hours, occasionally with a partner, and often an assistant!  It was a challenge I relished.  Relished, I tell you!  Too much?  Well I’m still a little euphoric. But honestly, have you ever actually used that word about your job?  Relished?  I hope so, otherwise most of your life is harder than it should be.  This was a chance to do something that I had only ever done in theory.  I’ve used doll heads, I’ve run it through in my head a million different ways, I’ve done 3-5 hour color corrections, but this is an opportunity that I may never get again.  As soon as they said what they wanted I thought, “oh shit, I can’t do that!  What if I totally f it up in front of some of the top talent in the hair industry?”  I’ve got one of the smallest egos in my field.  I don’t like to feel foolish.  I had two whole seconds of scared sh&tless, and then I used a trick I learned a few years back.  I thought, “I don’t have a choice, I am really good at what I do, and this is simply a self destructive reaction of fear”.  And then I did my job.  It was awesome.  I learned more in those nine hours than I’ve learned in the last five years.

A very bad camera phone picture of a bad picture. :'-(

Sorry the picture sucks, my phone was the only f&^%ing camera I took! Smile Samantha!

At hour four I had decided I was going home at the end of the day.  The models were all tiny, we stand on concrete all day, and my back was killing me.  I was as close to exhaustion as I’ve ever been.  But somewhere around hour 6, I realized I was having a ball.  By 5:45 that evening (they turn the lights off in the windowless convention hall at 6, on the dot), we had her shampooed and heading home, soaking wet.  That means, that after nine hours of work, we had no idea what the color would actually be when she showed the next morning.

At this point I wasn’t planning to leave, my pride is much stronger than that, and I couldn’t leave without seeing the results, but I wasn’t coming back next year.

When the model showed up at 7 the next morning, with the most amazingly perfect “boosted” natural red that I have ever had the pleasure to produce, I realized I would be back next year, and as many more as my poor body could take.  The rest of the show consists of producing the runway shows.  That’s easy.

You have no idea how hard it is to be a model. Who would sit in a hard plastic chair for 6-9 hours having their scalp tortured for $250.00?

For the color geeks out there, I reveal the formula. I have to state right off the bat, that Betty Mayes is the most talented colorist I’ve ever come across, and she did all of the actual formulation decisions (with my consulting).  I did the first 4 hours of bleaching; Betty relieved me for a short time while I did a blow-dry. She did a little more bleaching, and then she and I both filled, and applied the final glaze.  It was a four person application at the end!

Step one, bleach:  decolorizing the ends, which were a faded level 2/3, very ashy and muddy colored, was our priority!  I applied ISO Active Lift, and 40 volume developer to the ends, twice.  While the second application on the ends processed, I applied Active Lift with 30 volume developer to the mid-shaft.  When the two were at a level 8, we applied to the scalp.  This was applied in stages.  It lifted quickly at the re-growth, and we were shooting for a 7 level red, so we didn’t want it too light or cool, ideally not past a level 8.

Step two, fill:  after shampooing and conditioning with strengthening conditioner (in our case it was ISO Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner) we applied a filler consisting of Zero Lift developer, 7cc, and less than a ribbon inch of ING.  The ING was added for a little more gold.  Yellow (gold) is a larger molecule, so it gives red (a much smaller molecule) something larger to “hold” to.  A very useful tip from Betty.

This processed for 20 minutes, and was then shampooed, and again conditioned.

Step three, glaze:  after a rough dry, we applied a level 7cr, with 20 volume developer (I might have used 10, or possibly a demi on my own, but Betty thought 20 plus ammonia would give it more of a boost), again applied scalp to ends, and processed for 35 minutes.  We wanted to do 45 minutes, but literally ran out of time.

Step four, pray:  since she left wet, we really had no idea what we’d see in the morning.  We hit the jackpot.  It was absolutely, precisely, what we/I had hoped for.  Evenly colored throughout the bulk and length of the hour, which meant they could cut it any way they wanted on stage without fear of hitting a dark or muddy spot!  The artists have reputations to uphold, after all.

Actually Step four might have been:  if it was “streaky”, “splotchy”, or “muddy”, all very technical terms, we would have added a glaze, probably slightly darker to even any rough patches, or a brighter red if it was to dull or muddy. This would almost surely have been done with a demi, in our case ISO illuminate.

Is there any wonder I always tell anyone who will listen how much I love my job?

Ok, actually, the best vacation ever is two weeks in a condo on the island of Kauai.  But this trip is definitely tied with my “happy place” trips to Hawaii.  The advantage to this one is the fun car we could drive to our destination in.  We took the back roads to Glen Ellen for three-yes I will say it-Fabulous days!

We stopped in Glen Ellen in April.  We hadn’t been in a few years, and it had matured a bit.  With several nice restaurants, art galleries, a hotel and hamburger joint, several nice bars, and some lovely scenery.  As well as two stores: a convenience store (which we used twice…tums and toothpaste, we’re old, at least it’s not dentucream or geritol yet…), and a gourmet grocery store that Pete compared to a cross between Trader Joe’s and The Sacramento Foods Co-Op.  We instantly decided to come back for a longer visit.  And that’s what we did!  Friday after Thanksgiving, until Sunday evening…

We’ve been to Napa, Callistoga, and Yountville plenty of times before. I mean really, who hasn’t by our age.  This trip was different.  Much of that was due to the charming, and comfortable cottages, attached to our favorite restaurant and bar!  We’ve been to Calistoga at least 5 times.  As a matter of fact, we had our honeymoon there 16 years ago, before we could even legally marry.  We definitely relax better there than anywhere.  We’re noodles by the end of the week thanks to mud baths, and hot tubs.  But it’s not very “fun”.  Romantic, yes.  Relaxing, yes.  Fun, in a relaxed, romantic kind of way, yes, But just fun, no.

This trip was fun.  We had two nights in the cute little town, and we got to stay in the “Secret Cottages” in back of the martini bar! O. M. G.  I mean come on, how often do you get to try to drink the menu (36, we managed about a half, we think, and that included the first time we were there in April, so really we only managed about a third, but, you know, we didn’t really keep count, ahem….), anyhow.

That’s still a lot of drinks, and we got to walk back to our fabulous cabin.  By cabin of course I mean luxury suite.  It had everything you could want.  A gas fireplace, large TV, whirlpool tub, steam shower, and perhaps most shocking of all, a very well stocked, and affordable honor bar!

Oh! and I shouldn’t forget the restaurant. Just as enticing as last time.  The first night I had the Filet Tips and Shrimp Pasta, I’m running out of complimentary adjectives, so I have to say fabulous once again.  I’ve never, ever, seen filets served in any other way than a filet.  This was fun for being so new, and because it was genuinely tasty.  A fairly rich dish of filet pieces, good size shrimp, and pasta.  Simple, but delicious.  Pete had the Sonoma Salad and the Artichoke and Gorgonzola Ravioli, both of which he finished quite quickly!

As much as we loved the food, and drinks, we also love the little village of Glen Ellen; at least we think of it as a village.  It could be a town or city for all we know, but village sounds more exotic.  The following morning, however, we decided to take a long drive, and save the tour of the village for the next day.  We hadn’t really had a chance to do a good shake down cruise with the new mid-life car; so we wasted the gas and raped the environment a little bit to drive from Glen Ellen, through Occidental; where we bought my wonderful mother, Betty, a thankyou gift for babysitting Tweedle Dee, and Tweedle Dum, and a fresh made Christmas wreath for our front step.   From Occidental we traveled to Jenner, where we had a wonderful meal, with a million dollar view, and fairly yucky service, at an establishment named (very fittingly), Rivers End.  But I still recommend this enjoyable stop.  Food was reasonably priced for the ambiance, and respectably good.  I had a cup of mushroom soup, and the beet salad.  Both very good, view amazing.  Pete had the fish and chips, for which he substituted onion rings.  An endearing habit of which I will blog fully about, at a later date.  He seemed to enjoy the dish, and didn’t seem to mind making his own cocktail sauce.  At the table…a subject upon which Miss. Manners could talk at length, I’m sure.  Again, view, amazing.  I think it’s a must if you are ever in Jenner for lunch.  Not sure I would have enjoyed it quite as much after dark, view, none.

After lunch we headed down the coast to Bodega Bay.  Neither of us felt like stopping.  We were really enjoying the spectacular weather (65 degrees was the coldest of the three days, and this day it was nearly 70), the beautiful scenery, and I must say I was really enjoying the car. We took a lot of rarely driven back roads from valley to valley, and though I had a blast driving the winding roads, Pete wasn’t enjoying it quite so much in the passenger seat!

From Bodega we headed home to “The Valley of the Moon” as all the signs proclaimed  That’s  the Sonoma Valley, in case you didn’t know.  I didn’t.  Back to Glen Ellen for our second meal at the Oyster Grill and Martini Bar, as the establishment is actually named.

Our meal was slightly different this evening, though still charming.  We didn’t really care for our server at first.  He was nice enough, but seemed “unsettled”.  After a bit we seemed to warm to him.  The martinis were constant.  We started with the cute little mini-tinis.  Half the size and price (yes we cheated, some of the drinks we tried were half size…but we’re only human!).  After two of these we went full size for the last drink of the evening.  While he was mixing the drinks (I think all the wait staff work as bartenders), he would taste one, sanitarily, and we actually saw him throw one away.  You will not find better martini’s in my opinion.

The potential downer at the table next to us, a woman so drunk she was actually slurring.  I have honest to goodness never truly heard someone so drunk they slur, but the most charming part was the f word to punctuate every point.  Pete and I turned it to fun by playing a drinking game.  Every time she said fuck, we would clink our glasses loudly, and take a drink.  We were laughing through most of the dinner.  A dinner (our third here keep in mind), that was slightly off, but not too badly.  Pete had the salmon.  It seemed a little odd to me.  It included a ton of perfectly cooked veggies, many of which I don’t care for.  And seemed to have a green salsa on it.  Pete said it was good, and daring I might add, but didn’t think I would like it all that much.  I had the cream of butternut squash soup, and a green salad.  The soup was rich and hearty, with a touch of sweetness you expect in a squash soup.  The salad was fine, with artichoke hearts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and a vinagrette dressing that was a little too much on the tart side.  Well, we don’t all have the same taste, so there’s nothing wrong with that.  By the way, one of the drunk woman’s friends apologized as she left.  It’s the little things you remember.

The next day we had breakfast at The Fig Cafe and Wine Bar, the equally enticing eatery is right next door to the Oyster Grill and Martini Bar!!! Once again O. M. G!  We literally walked out the gate of the cottages, up to the street, and turned left instead of right! The service was the best ever.  An absolutely charming woman, who actually knew how to be nice, charming, and helpful.  The food, we both had the spiced french toast, yum, was different, and delicious.  The atmosphere bright, clean, and whimsical, with figs everywhere, but discreet enough not to be cloying.

We walked around the little village we were surrounded by for a while.  Then packed up, and left for the Napa Valley at noon.  We took the Oakville Grade to the next valley inland.  The Napa Valley, which no one seems to agree on the meaning of, and drove to St. Helena, where we stopped at Tra Vigne, for take out.  Pete (and I, of course) had a hanker-in for their stunning Mozzarella Cheese “Al Minuto”.  This once-in-a-lifetime dish includes hand made “of the moment” mozzarella, and is served with grilled bruschetta and sicilian olive oil.  We stopped a little way up the pass towards the small town of Angwin for a quick lunch of cheese and toast, Napa style.  It would hold us until dinner.

From here we took our traditional route back through the Pope Valley, named for William Pope, not the Pope.  Then by Lake Berryessa, through Winters and Davis, and on in to our beloved city of Sacramento.

This was one of those very rare vacations that ended as well as it began.  Upon arriving home Pete used the remains of the Thanksgiving dinner (which had been carefully simmered, and frozen) to concoct the fabulous family tradition of Turkey and Dumplings.  This is the ultimate comfort food.  I can still remember how thrilled my step-brothers and I were, when Brenda (my beloved step-mother) made chicken and dumplings.  It was the best day ever, no matter how crappy it had seemed (that was two step-brothers, incidentally).  Pete and I shared this wonderful bounty with our great friends Richard and Lena Andaya.  They make any day better, and it couldn’t have ended our vacation on a more perfect note.

One final musing:  Though I’ve chronicled my favorite parts of this trip, there were other towns, views, shops, and nursery stops that I didn’t write about today.  I may update with more details later!

One more in the continuing reprint from Davis Life Magazine.  This is from the July, 2009 issue…

Mikuni

What a wonderful group I had the pleasure of spending my Thursday evening with!  My friends from Davis Life Magazine, and our special guests, started our Mikuni review evening at Sophia’s for drinks.  This is one of the best places in all of Davis to begin a pleasant night out.  The lounge area is quiet (before it gets really busy in the evenings), and quaintly tropical. It possesses a soft ambiance reminiscent of a tropical hideaway that’s perfect for a small group.  Comfortable cushioned rattan furniture, a beautiful fish tank for soft light, and a very sweet waitress set the stage.

My husband Pete Nowlen, our editor Cary Arnold and her husband Jon Sanchez, along with our photographer Ara Arbabzadeh, met our guest reviewers for the evening, Bill and Katherine Alger at Sophia’s. Bill is Chief Operating Officer for Woodland Healthcare, and Katherine works for Sutter Health as the Pharmacy Informatics Specialist for Sacramento Sierra Region.  We all got to know each other over cocktails.  Several of us had Sophia’s Mojitos, while others ordered a cabernet, a Tequini, and a Grey Goose Cosmo thrown in for variety. We chatted about the events of the day for a few minutes, and since we were very much looking forward to our coming sushi dinner, we decided pretty quickly to walk to Mikuni.

For those of you who don’t know, Mikuni recently took over the spot at Campus Commons that Fuzio’s vacated.  Luckily (since I happen to like the place), Fuzio’s has simply moved to another location downtown.

The first thing I noticed was the noise level.  It was somewhat busy, and loud, which is great for a newly opened restaurant. Considering their reputation in Sacramento it’s not surprising.  Not so great for my poor hearing (hairstylist for 22 years, think many blow-dries), and there are TV screens everywhere, which I hate. I’m like a magpie, distracted by shiny things. But the cheery greeting you get is welcoming enough to make up for that.  We were given a high, comfortable table near the front of the restaurant, and we put in our orders after a few minutes of discussion.  Cary had some suggestions for the table, Pete and I had some very definite ideas about what we should try, as did Bill and Katherine.

First things first: we needed to try some of their signature drinks and order some of the small plates.  I had the Mikuni Cosmo, with Absolut vodka, plum wine, and cranberry juice. For me it was a little sweet, but very easy to drink.  Pete had the Pamatini: Grey Goose Vodka, pomegranate liqueur, Triple Sec, cranberry juice and a splash of Sprite; “about the same”, Pete said. Cary had the Japatini, excellent, and made with Stoli Cranberry Vodka, Triple Sec, orange juice, limejuice, and Sprite (I ordered two of these a few days later in Sacramento I enjoyed it so much), and Jon had the Key Lime Moto, which is made with Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Malibu Coconut Rum, Midori Melon Liqueur, pineapple juice, Sweet & Sour, and lime juice. It was really, really sweet, so be warned! Ara had the Wasabi Bloody Mary, made with Grey Goose Citron Vodka, Secret Bloody Mary Mix, lime juice, and wasabi stuffed olives.  Bill had a glass of Ravenswood red, and his lovely wife Katherine was talked into trying the Sake sampler by Pete and ME.

The sampler was a great idea for the table, even though Katherine didn’t care for two of the sakes (she thought they were too sweet). Since I (and Cary) don’t particularly care for sake, I got to try them in a different way. The sake sampler has four different types.  They included apple, blueberry, and two “normal” premium sakes.  Cary and I liked the two fruit infused varieties, and Pete liked the other two.  They were perfectly served in a small collection of shot glasses.  The apple infused sake tasted like a jolly rancher to me (just a little to apple-y), but I liked the blueberry quite a bit; Cary liked the apple. Katherine decided to order hot sake instead (which she originally wanted) and which she liked well enough to order again later in the evening, though she says she wishes she had tried the Sake Bomb!

Our Freaky Edamame arrived with the drinks, which for some reason seemed to take forever. The edamame is really something!  Served warm, which I think is a vast improvement over the usual cold edamame, and perfectly seasoned.  I really liked it.  It has just a tiny bite to it, lightly salted and spicy.  I could eat it all night with some drinks, but luckily our orders started arriving quickly enough. At $5.00, The Freaky Edamame is only a dollar more than the regular edamame, and well worth it.

Our next small plate was the high point of the evening.  The Black and White: perfect Albacore Tuna Toro, lightly seared and served with caviar and ponzu dressing.  O. M. G.  It’s one of the three best dishes I’ve ever tasted.  The tuna melted in my mouth.  This dish is perfectly tender, very lightly seared, with a wonderful light salty seasoning.  I could do without the jalapeños, but Ara loved them.  It’s not cheap at $13.00, but I know I’ll have it any time I’m back. (I actually did two days later.)

Our next dish was one of their party platters.  We ordered Platter F.  It included 3 sushi rolls, two types of Ngiri Sushi, or tuna on rice, and a selection of the freshest sashimi I’ve ever had. The rolls included the Fair Oaks Roll: panko shrimp, avocado, masago, sauce and onion, (very good), the Spider Roll: deep fried soft shell crab, avocado, cucumber, kaiware, sauce, masago, and onion (the crab unfortunately a little overcooked), and the Bob’s Roll: panko shrimp, cream cheese, crab mix, avocado, salmon, masago, onion and a special sauce.  One little complaint, everyone at the table agreed, cream cheese does not belong in sushi (other friends of mine said the same thing two nights later just before I did!).  The dish was, overall, worth the money at $65.00.  A better way to go may be to order the Chirashi (a large portion of sashimi over rice), and your choice of rolls, but if you aren’t sure what kind of rolls to order, the platters are great.  Mikuni has the best Sashimi I’ve ever had.  Bill thought it was “to die for”, Katherine said “fabuloso”, and I can’t disagree with either of them.

Over the next half hour or so we ordered various sushi rolls.  This included the Train Wreck Roll: panko shrimp, spicy avocado blend, and crab mix topped with chopped eel, seared tuna, roasted sesame seeds, onion, and special sauce, the Peter 2 Roll: panko shrimp, crab salad, spicy tuna, avocado, eel, seared tuna, 2 spicy dream sauces, masago and onion, and the Pimp My Roll: spicy tuna, panko shrimp, avocado, fresh salmon, and special sauces lightly torched and topped with masago, onion, and macadamia nuts.

We had quite the discussion about the merits of the sushi rolls.  Everyone agreed that all of the rolls were very good, and everyone had a favorite.  Mikuni is known for elevating the sushi roll to another level, and I think they deserve the reputation.  But in the end we all agreed that after a while they start tasting a bit the same.  They’re all very complex, with wonderful sauces, and textures, but we all enjoyed the simple sashimi better, nobody does sashimi better than Mikuni.  Bill had a wonderful quote, “The rolls were like double cheesburgers loaded with everything, whereas the sashimi was like filet migñon..”  All of the rolls we tried were around $14.00 apiece.

We followed the sushi rolls with the BBQ Albacore, the Albacore Pepperfin, and what was supposed to be Unagidon (grilled eel over rice), which Pete insisted had to be tried, but accidentally arrived as Don Don (hamachi toro with onions and wasabi sprouts over rice).  We were very confused when we first tried it, so our opinions were a little off.  We were surprised at how different the texture and presentation was from the usual unagidon, but after realizing the mistake we decided we didn’t really care for the Don Don anyway.  The texture and taste were not that pleasant.  The fish is fresh enough, but the texture overwhelms it for me.  Pete said the Unagidon was fine, not spectacular, but fine. The Don Don was $15.00, and the Unagidon $17.00

The BBQ Albacore was my second favorite dish of the night.  The pieces of tuna are lightly seasoned with Mikuni BBQ sauce, seared perfectly, and just the right size so as not to overwhelm like seared tuna can in some entrées.  Make sure to order both red and white sauce with this dish.  Cary made us try the tuna with both sauces at once, and she was right, together the sauces have the perfect balance of savory and spicy. The Davis location only has the smaller size, at $7.00, so we ordered two.

I can’t say I was as excited about the Albacore Pepperfin.  I have to confess right off that I can’t abide sesame oil, and I don’t care for jalapeños (forgive me), so my opinion on this dish is compromised.  But everyone else thought it was very good. Bill said it was one of his favorites (along with the Sashimi, the Pimp My Roll, and the Black and White) The Pepperfin consists of thin slices of albacore tuna in citrus seasoned soy dressing, topped with jalapeños. $11.25

We asked our server if he thought there was anything else we should try before dessert.  He recommended the Flaming Shrooms.  Me, not so much.  Flaming Shrooms are lightly fried overstuffed mushrooms with crab, cream cheese, and jalapeños, lightly drizzled with special sauce and finished with shaved bonito flakes and onions.  OK, we’re back to the cream cheese thing again (I didn’t read a description, so sue me), and jalapeños (again).  But overall they were just not good, and very hard to eat.  My recommendation is just don’t go there.

Cary wanted to have the Mochi ice cream dessert, but they didn’t have it.  We were told they did have it earlier in the week, but it was much more popular than expected so they sold out.  Good for them, not for us.  So we settled for the cheesecake dessert.  It was described like cheesecake spring rolls.  But we thought of them more like a cannoli.  A very mild cheesecake slice was wrapped in a pastry and lightly fried.  It was rather nice.  The sauces were pleasant, and the pastry not overdone.  Not bad for a simple dessert.  Katherine was disappointed that there was no green tea ice cream, but that may have been temporary also.

Overall Pete and I liked this place well enough to go to the Sacramento location the following Sunday.  Other than our small companion Sarah, who had a wonderful children’s udon, we had a very similar meal.  We had to show off to our friends Lena and Richard, and so we haven’t tried any of the more traditional Japanese dishes.  We’d normally have Miso soup, and possibly something a little different, such as their Musolini pasta: udon noodles sautéed with tiger prawns, Alaskan snow crab, asparagus and mushrooms, tossed in olive oil and garlic.  Another O. M. G.?  Maybe, but one thing I know about Mikuni, the menu is big enough, and pleasing enough, to warrant many return trips.

A nice tip from our diners, if you are on the fence about trying sushi, get a group of friends together for a sushi night.  It’s easier to get started when you are with people who enjoy sushi.  I promise you there’s something for everyone, not all sushi contains raw fish.  Tempura (battered and lightly deep fried shrimp or crab) is a very common ingredient in sushi rolls.  But the selection of sushi and sashimi is so varied that you might want some help.  Have someone along who knows what to order, or ask the servers, and I can practically guarantee you a pleasant surprise.

Well, it’s been a little over 5 weeks, and the house is still on the market.

I was getting discouraged for a while, but we actually have a couple who may make an offer.  We think it’s going to be way too low, but at least we know what type of buyer we appeal to now!

Honestly, I’m loving the house being ready to show at a moments notice.  I’m such a neat freak I’m enjoying my house more while we are selling it than the last 16 years we’ve been here!  Don’t get me wrong, I love the house, and the memories.  Great Christmases,

the garden in spring,

weddings,

and many happy times

but the truth of the matter is…

I don’t have to nag!  It’s awesome!  I know I’m using a lot of exclamation points, but I really mean it!  For the first time in the the 26 years I’ve lived with someone (other than my parents, talk about neat freaks), I have a constantly clean house!

You have to understand, my ex-wife, whom I love like a sister, is a slob.  There is no other way to put it.  A slob.  Great cook, wonderful mother, lover of all things nature, but a slob.  We got along great for 10 years.  The only thing we ever fought about was slobby-ness.  Pete is not a slob, but he’s only human (which he probably wouldn’t say about me).  He has a couple of gifts though.  The first one is his absolute absence of ego.  He will make a complete fool of himself quite comfortably.  It’s truly awe inspiring.  It is his greatest gift, because it makes him the most gifted of teachers, and, I believe, the gifted conductor he is.  His other gift is the rather useless gift of disappearing objects.  I don’t say losing things, because his gift goes way beyond that.  He can actually cause an object to transport to a completely different part of the house.  I’ve seen it.  One of his lesser gifts, however, is the ability to explode upon entrance of the house.  The house can be immaculate, and within exactly two seconds the front room is a disaster.  It follows him through the house.  Luckily I love him, and he will clean when I ask, and spontaneously, and well!

Now, however, it is wonderfully tidy, and even chic!  I was worried at first that the house wasn’t selling, and maybe we needed to change it to get people interested.  Not so much any longer.  I love my house!  I love hanging out in the rooms out of a magazine.

I know eventually reality will win out.  The house will sell, and we will move, and then we won’t have a house on the market, nor out of a magazine.  I’ll still love my home though.  In the end it really matters more who’s in it, not what’s in it…

This is the first in a series of reprints of my food articles. All are reprinted from my original writings with permission from Davis Life Magazine…

I love Indian food. When my son was growing up, the food we could always count on him eating was Indian food. Especially at 8, and if you have children, you know what that can be like. Even on a trip to Italy we managed to find fabulous Indian food. So hubby Pete Nowlen and I were very excited to try out Kathmandu Kitchen with Cary Arnold (our lovely editor), John Sanchez (her handsome husband), and Ara Arbabzadeh our photographer, for this month’s edition of Davis Life Magazine. Kathmandu Kitchen is actually Nepalese, which I’m sure is important, but truthfully I can barely tell the difference, I love both.

The most amazing thing about the evening to me was the fact that Cary and John had never tried Indian or Nepalese! Pete and I (and Ara) got the honor of teaching them the ways of the vindaloo.

We met for drinks beforehand to get everyone in a good mood (liquor is the social lubricant after all). By the time we hit Kathmandu Kitchen we were starving! When we arrived at a little after 7, on a Thursday, the place was packed. I noticed it was mostly college students, but that’s not a bad thing. A busy restaurant is usually a sign of good food! The decor is a little odd. It used to be a pizza parlor, and that’s kind of hard to hide. But the colors are bright, and it reminded me of most Indian restaurants I’ve been too.

We dove right in with two appetizer platters, the Himalayan platter, which includes vegetable pakora, samosa, momos, naan and achar ($6.50), and the Kathmandu special jumbo platter, with 4 chicken pakora, 4 meat momos, 4 shrimp pakora, and 4 chicken tikka with naan and achar ($9.95). What a great deal! Two platters were plenty for the 5 of us. The platters are served with four sauces. One is tamarind chutney, one is mint chutney, and two we didn’t recognize (good, but one was VERY spicy).

One thing I learned doing research on the Davis Wiki was about the momos. Momos are steamed dumplings filled with a savory mixture of meat or vegetables and spices. I’d never had them before (they’re not on a lot of menus). I started with a meat momo, and I can happily say it was fantastic! Great flavor, moist, and perfect size, they’re similar to pot stickers, and I like them just as much. The pakoras and samosas were very good; a pakora is a fried fritter consisting of a batter with vegetables, or vegetables and meat. A samosa is a pastry stuffed with chickpeas, potatoes and sometimes chicken or paneer, the homemade Indian cheese. I would have said samosas were my favorite Indian appetizer before I tried the momos, but they’re still a very strong second, maybe still first? We’ll see.

The chicken tikka on the appetizer platter was somewhat dry. If you like chicken tikka, don’t judge it by this. The chicken on the mixed grill platter that we had later was much better.

One thing about the platters that I really liked was the size of each appetizer. Pete and I often have to cut the pakoras and samosas to share, but on the platter everything was single serving.

Cary and John fell in love with the naan, which I have to admit is my favorite part of Indian, or Nepalese food. There’s something magical about dipping hot fresh naan in the various sauces and chutneys. Naan is a type of flat bread cooked in a clay pot in the Tandoori oven and served hot and fresh. They have 9 different types of bread, but we stuck with the plain naan. Pete and I usually order garlic naan as well, but we were doing well to cut down on the number of different dishes to choose from. The menu is very large, and tempting with plenty of choices for anyone, meat eater or vegetarian!

At the time the appetizers came we got the lassis we requested. Lassi is a yogurt drink that comes in a few different flavors. None of us had ever tried them, so we didn’t really know what to expect. We got mango and salt, and yes, I mean salt flavor! The mango was not overly sweet and did go well with the chutneys and spices, but we didn’t really appreciate them the way others might. I might be able to get used to them, however. The salt lassi was totally undrinkable to us. One of our company said if you froze it, it would make a good salt lick. Though I’m sure someone must like them, it wasn’t us. Be warned.

We also ordered two of the soups. We all tasted the multani, and the dal soup ($3.50 each). They were very flavorful and delicate. Multani is a type of chicken soup, and dal is a light, sometimes almost bland, lentil soup. Neither of these soups was bland, I didn’t even feel the need to salt, which is often the case with bean or lentil soups. I could easily make a meal of a salad and bowl of one of these soups, especially with an order of naan.

Next up were the lamb vindaloo ($10.95), and the baigan bharta ($8.95). I don’t normally like lamb, but the vindaloo was excellent. We got it medium (after this everything was ordered mild!), and though most at the table thought it was too spicy, I think it was perfect. The spice was just enough to get the endorphins pumping, but not so much that you were sorry you started. With a little raita, a type of flavored yogurt sauce which I love, and the very light basmati rice, the spice is easily managed. The lamb was very tender and flavorful.

The baigan bharta is eggplant roasted in a clay pot with green onion, garlic, bell pepper, herbs, and spices. I don’t like eggplant, never have, but it was good. It was rich and flavorful. Everyone enjoyed it with the naan. We ordered this dish as a thali, a traditional Nepalese dinner that is served with rice, dal, naan, chutney, and several vegetable curry dishes. I always order the thali; it’s the best deal other than the lunch buffet. The a la Carte comes with rice only.

Next we were served the chicken tikka masala ($10.95), the palak paneer ($8.95), and the mixed grill platter ($14.95). The masala was good, but it was a little sour for my taste, not bad, but different than I expected. The fact that it’s not as red as I’ve seen leads me to believe they use less food coloring in their recipe, which I for one am glad of. When I go back I’ll probably order it again, I can be a terrible creature of habit.

The palak paneer was exactly as I like, house made cheese (paneer) in a creamy spinach and herb sauce. I like this dish because it’s easy to eat along with the other spicy dishes. The creaminess of the sauce is very mild and soothing.

Cary especially enjoyed the rack of lamb on the mixed grill platter, which she thought was the best of the lamb. The mixed grill is a selection of marinated red snapper, prawns, chicken, lamb, and rack of lamb, which is roasted and served on a sizzling platter. Pete enjoyed the prawns (but he thought shrimp was a better description, they were on the small side), and I think John enjoyed most everything from what I remember.

We decided at this point we had had plenty to eat, and though some of the desserts seemed worth trying, none of us was hungry enough to be tempted. The kulfi, a creamy and rich ice cream made predominantly with saffron and pistachio ($3.25) sounds like a possibility the next time.

Overall I have to say I enjoyed the evening. The service, while not overly friendly was good, but the lighting was kind of harsh. Not necessarily a date night sort of place. As a businessperson I feel compelled to complain about the bathrooms. Everyone agreed that they were some-what scary, think frat house. But it was a very busy evening. Maybe they’re better most of the time. The prices were very reasonable for the amount of food we consumed. The beers were large (they say the Taj Mahal is the most popular) and food delicious enough that I’m sure Pete and I will be back. I think we even managed to snag the newbies.

Kathmandu Kitchen is located at 234 G St., in Davis, (530) 756-3507, www.kathmandukitchen.com.

Well, I was very excited about my new position as an ISO advisor, but now not so much. I think since I was recruited in the early spring, I have had two classes, more if you count the backstage work at the show (which I loved), but absolutely no teaching scheduled. In the mean time, my work has increased quite a bit, part of the problem is I’m just too busy to be included in classes that are scheduled within just a few weeks, or days.

However, I have to say I love the new ISO wet line. Between the Bouncy Curl créme, and the absolutely awesome Tamer foam. I am a big fan.

I have to admit to being a bit of a snob at first. The products are all priced quite a bit lower than my next favorite line, and the packaging is rather dull, but these products do what they say they do. Oh, not all of them. I don’t really like the daily foam. But the daily shape, and daily finish, are among my top 10 finishing sprays. I don’t really care for the color care line. Sorry, but fragrance is a big part of the package, and all of these products smell like baby powder. Honestly, no one wants their hair products to smell like baby diaper. Anyone who has a child, or younger sibling knows baby diaper smell. Ick.

On the other hand, every single product from the Bouncy line is fantastic. They are light, fresh scented, and moisturizing, just what curly hair needs. The shampoo and conditioner are fine, but the styling products are the true asset. The Bouncy spray is pretty good for styling, or actually better, refreshing naturally curly or permed hair, but the Bouncy créme is the best. It can be used on damp or dry hair. Apply a moderate amount (enough to coat all of the hair), and comb through for best results. Dry with a diffusor, or scrunch and allow to dry naturally. Then scrunch a smaller amount through dry hair to define curl and decrease frizz.

But hands down, my favorite line is the Tamer line. It took me a while to warm up to these products. I tried the Tamer foam first. It actually feels like snot (not a great first impression), and you have to use a lot, and comb it through extremely well. In the end it magically disappears, but it took 3 or 4 uses before I didn’t feel I was going to have to re-wash my clients hair. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a better straightening product. And I’ve tried dozens and dozens. The gel is a lighter version of the same, and I even like the shampoo and conditioner.

As I said, I really like this product line, and whole heartedly endorse the company. Always keep in mind, however, I endorse many different lines. One persons favorite product will be totally useless to their best friend. Try lots, you will only look more stunning for it.

I got to do a wedding today. Leading up to every wedding I’ve ever done, I’m a nervous reck. It doesn’t matter how well I know the bride, or what kind of wedding. I think that’s a fear we all face, and hopefully surpass. But the day after? I am so jazzed! I literally get to be part of, and a great contributor to (I hope), the happiest day of someone’s life. No, it doesn’t matter how the marriage ends, it will always be the happiest day of your life. Unless of course you really don’t want to get married, which I have never encountered.

I have been blessed with some of the happiest brides of anyone I know who does weddings. I like to think that’s because I am a reassuring presence in a big portion of the run-up, and actual, wedding day.

I regularly spend somewhere between 5 and 12 hours (not including the wedding), being literally beside a bride on her special day. I don’t allow anyone to pester. Whenever I’m working on their hair, they will only perform wedding duties if it’s in a calm and happy manner. I enforce this strongly, when I can.

E’s wedding was, luckily, a very fun wedding. E and her bridal party totaled 11 people. I think. It was a very energetic group, so it was hard for me to keep track.

E was one of the more difficult jobs I’ve done. Not because of her. As a matter of fact, we did 3 run-throughs, with my blessing. E was very positive, and trusting. After each appointment, I expected her to call to cancel the wedding day appointment. I was never happy with the concept, and neither was E, but she kept coming back. That’s a trusting bride.

We were well rewarded for our patience (and hours of doll head practice). E looked stunning. I can’t wait to get pictures of her in her dress. She will be truly breath-taking. The make-up artist, and artist she was, did a fabulous job. Everyone looked sexy, and subtle, a very hard combination to pull off. Especially when the bridal party includes beautiful women from 16, to well, let’s just say past 40.

All of the bridesmaids look perfect. Sharon did at least 3 up-dos, plus a blow dry, and a stunning side pony. I did two french twists, the mother of the groom, and the older sister of the bride. They had to be very distinct. I also did the younger sister, the mother of the bride, and of course, the bride.

We had plenty of time, and we try never to seem rushed or worried. Sharon is one of the most professional people I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. She helped me finish one of the twists (one never stops learning), and manages to finish her creations in about a third of the time it takes me.

Sharon and I often discuss the weird phenomenon of the “notice me” bridesmaid. We almost always have one (no, I don’t keep track, it’s never that big of a deal). It’s that bridesmaid that has to “hate” her hair, even though it’s usually discussed at length before any styling begins. It can often reach the point of tears. Come on women, it is so truly not about you. You’ll get your day!

Honestly though, never one bridezilla.

The truly amazing part to me, is how great it makes me feel. The day before the wedding, I had one of the most difficult days of my 23 year long career. I swear to god I’m not bragging, but I can never remember a client asking for their money back since the first or second year of my career. I believe that is simply because I try very hard to listen. Obviously, I’m not perfect (yes Pete I do, in fact, know this), and I have had many people come back over the years to have a cut “tailored”, but no refunds. In my defense, this particular client admits she told me to do “whatever I wanted”, that is a verbatim quote, not exaggeration. But she hates the cut, too much off. Go figure. I react very strongly to these situations. It won’t happen for another 20 years, I guarantee.

But the point is, I am still on a little bit of a high right now. That’s how much I love a wedding.

Pictures and details to be posted when made available to me…