text:
ODU Rowing Announces Spring Schedule
By ODU Athletics
Dec. 1, 2008
Norfolk, Va. - Old Dominion University women's rowing coach Heather Weisel released the Lady Monarchs spring schedule today, a slate that includes a mixture of large traditional regattas and smaller races against some of the top 20 programs in the country. The schedule provides this very young ODU team an opportunity to experience racing in both the heat to final format, as well as the head to head format.
"Coming out of a fall season that got everyone fired up, the team has already demonstrated a tremendous work ethic for the first few weeks of winter training," added Weisel. "We're fortunate here in Norfolk, we can train indoors and outdoors during the offseason. This gives us a lot of opportunities for cross training leading into our Spring Training trip to Florida which ends in our first spring race ever. It's going to be an exciting first spring season for us!"
That excitement begins on March 29 when the Lady Monarchs open at home with Class Day, an intrasquad event.
A dual meet against the Tigers of Clemson in South Carolina on April 4 kicks off the season, a week before ODU heads to Cherry Hill, N.J. to participate in the Knecht Cup on April 10 and 11. Hosted by Villanova, the Knecht Cup hosts over 50 schools from California to Maine, and Wisconsin to Florida.
On April 18 the Lady Monarchs travel to Philadelphia for the Kerr Cup/Colonial Athletic Association Regatta. The month closes out on April 25 with a dual meet against the University of North Carolina at Lake Wheeler in Raleigh.
Following their trip to North Carolina, the Lady Monarchs head to Camden County, N.J. for the ECAC Metro League Rowing Championships on May 2. A return to Philadelphia On May 9 and 10 will mark of the end of the season for ODU at the Dad Vail Regatta, the largest collegiate regatta in the United States, with over 100 colleges and universities from the U.S. and Canada.


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November 3, 2010. Poltava city council.
Oleksandr Mamay has been elected Poltava mayor, according to unofficial poll returns.
Poltava Mayor Andriy Matkovsky has congratulated Oleksandr Mamay, who was nominated for Poltava mayor by the Sovist Ukrainy (Conscience of Ukraine) Party, on winning the mayoral election, the city council's press service told reporters on Tuesday. The press service reported that based on the preliminary results of the vote count, he had accepted Mamay's complete victory in the mayoral election.According to preliminary data, representatives of the newly elected mayor won the elections in 24 out of 25 single-mandate constituencies.

subset: commoncrawl


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July-29-2009 DCA & HMFA Welcome Newark to Live Where You Work Homebuyer Program
DCA & HMFA Welcome Newark to Live Where You Work Homebuyer Program
NEWARK - Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker today joined New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) Executive Director Marge DellaVecchia in the rotunda of City Hall, 920 Broad Street, to announce that Newark is the newest member of the Live Where You Work Program. The city is the 17th municipality to partner with the HMFA on the program.
"This is a program that makes so much sense in today's market and economy," said HMFA Executive Director Marge Della Vecchia. "Living close to work cuts down on commuting time and is a way to save money and develop a closer connection to the community. Add to that an affordable and reliable mortgage and Live Where You Work is the perfect mix."
The Live Where You Work Program is a workforce housing initiative that provides low-interest, fixed rate mortgage loans to homebuyers purchasing homes in towns where they are employed. Other benefits include down payment and closing cost assistance for the purchase of a home within Smart Growth Areas and flexible underwriting criteria for the loan qualification process. Homes must be located in a municipality that has become a Live Where You Work partner with HMFA. The Live Where You Work initiative further enhances Governor Corzine's efforts to revitalize and build sustainable communities that will provide a greener environment, access to transportation and affordable housing opportunities for residents.
As a result of the city's partnership with the HMFA, people working in Newark who are interested in buying a home in the city will be able to take advantage of Live Where You Work program incentives. Live Where You Work is administered by the HMFA, a DCA affiliate. Trenton, Jersey City, Woodbridge, Elizabeth, Atlantic City, Rahway, Morristown, Evesham, Neptune Township, Bayonne, Carteret, New Brunswick, Paterson, Glassboro, Orange and Keyport are all taking part in the program.
"By partnering with the HMFA to become the newest member of the Live Where You Work Program we are supporting common goals to expand housing opportunities for hard working families throughout the region," said Mayor Booker. "This new program comes at a perfect time as homeownership has not been as affordable as it is today in many years. Whether you are a renter living and working in the City, waiting to buy a new single family home, or commuting from outside the City and looking to live in a new downtown loft, this program can help you achieve your goals. We are very pleased that HMFA is partnering with us and the major employers in the City, such as Horizon BC/BS, to make this program available in our City."
To learn about how to get a Live Where You Work mortgage, please call 1-800-NJHOUSE. For more information about how municipalities can join Live Where You Work, please call 609-278-7478. Or, you can visit the Live Where You Work website at www.livewhereyouwork.nj.gov.


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text:
The National Mall, a wide expanse in the heart of the nation's capital, is home to numerous monuments honoring U.S. presidents and military sacrifice. This week, the setting's latest commemorative work opens to the public: the long-awaited Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial.
Bordering Washington, D.C.'s Tidal Basin between the Jefferson and Lincoln memorials, a 30-foot granite sculpture of the prominent civil rights activist looms. It's flanked by a crescent-shaped wall inscribed with 14 excerpts from some of King's most notable sermons and speeches. Further enhancing the site are 182 cherry blossom trees, which will reach full bloom each April, the month of King's death. And the memorial's street address, 1964 Independence Avenue, references the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a milestone of the civil rights movement.
"This is going to be a first in two different ways — it's the first memorial on the National Mall to honor a man of peace, and a man of color," Harry Johnson Sr., president and CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation, told The Root. "Now the Mall as we know it, the great land on which we honor our heroes, will be diversified much like this country."
Creating a permanent tribute to the globally revered icon, one that captures his vision of freedom, opportunity and justice for all Americans, was a tall order, to say the least. Despite critics who have assailed its decisions along the way — from the artist of the sculpture to the design and the granite used — the team behind the project feels certain that it got it right.
"Next to Obama's inauguration, a few funerals and weddings, this is perhaps the largest event to happen in the past 50 years to people of color in this country," said Johnson. "I'm excited to know that children, people who knew Dr. King and others will go past it, and they will get the same feeling that everyone gets when they see it for the first time — a shock and awe."
The Making of a Monument
The vision to build a national memorial for Martin Luther King Jr. was initially conceived in 1984 by Alpha Phi Alpha, the African-American fraternity of which King was a member. Congress authorized the memorial in 1996, and two years later the Alphas set up a foundation to manage fundraising — to the tune of $120 million — and design.
"We didn't want it to just be a monument or a statue, but a living memorial," said Johnson. "It was important that it tell a story, so that people could walk through and read the words of Dr. King and have those words still have relevance today."
By 1999, armed with that perspective, the foundation launched an international design competition. The call yielded more than 900 entries from 52 countries. In keeping with the global premise, submissions were judged by a panel of 11 architecture and fine arts professionals from the United States, India, Mexico, China and France.
Ed Jackson Jr., the memorial's executive architect, explained that the team took an international approach from the start. "When I pulled together the programming committee, we reviewed and listened to the words of Dr. King over and over," he told The Root. "We would have these long discussions on what the memorial should be about, and we came to the conclusion that Dr. King was talking about humanity, and not just civil rights. From that standpoint of humanity, it took on a larger, global perspective, as opposed to just focusing on what was happening here in the United States."
An entry by ROMA Design Group, a San Francisco-based architecture firm, was selected as the winner. Based on a line from King's "I Have a Dream" speech — "out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope" — the design's central component is a boulder sliced into three pieces. The two sides represent the proverbial mountain of despair, and the form of King emerges from a stone of hope that has moved ahead and apart from the other pieces.
With a design picked, the foundation set out to find its artist. In 2006 a search team traveled to St. Paul, Minn., for a stone-carving forum that was attended by sculptors from all over the world. "Simply put, our task was to find the best person to do the job, regardless of their country or state of origin," said Jackson.
There they met Lei Yixin of China, who they ultimately decided was that person. One of a small group of artists designated as "master sculptors" in his country, Lei had already carved more than 150 large public statues. "Readily I could see that I was standing before someone with exceptional talent," said Jackson, who was also impressed by Lei's experience and confidence in carving stone on a monumental scale. "I didn't say good; I didn't say great. I said exceptional."
Several months later, after visiting Lei's studio in China, where he presented different models of the sculpture — including, to their surprise, a full-scale, 30-foot replica — the team offered Lei the job.
Who Owns King?
The choice of Lei immediately raised objection from various quarters. One of the most vocal critics has been African-American painter Gilbert Young, best-known for his signature work, He Ain't Heavy. He argues that a black American sculptor should have been awarded the opportunity.
"The struggle of Dr. King was not his struggle alone. He represented our community over years of injustice in this country," Young explained to The Root. "He and my people who supported him did it here on American soil. It is a part of American history."
Young added that there were African-American sculptors who were more than adequate for the job. "Mr. Johnson said that he wanted to get the best. The best is always debatable, especially in art," he continued. "I would think that they'd have had enough sensitivity to understand that what we really wanted was fairness and the opportunity for us, as the people, to show our artistic gifts."
Of this particular grievance, Johnson said that his team simply has a different point of view. "We weren't looking at Dr. King, the African-American leader; we were looking at Dr. King, the international leader," he said. "My response to critics who question why we chose a Chinese sculptor is Dr. King's words themselves, that we should not judge a person by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
However, doubt over a Chinese artist's interpretation of King's legacy isn't the only reason that Young and others oppose the selection of Lei Yixin. Prominent human rights activists Harry Wu, who spent 19 years in a Chinese prison, and Ann Lau, chair of the Visual Artists Guild, have also taken issue with his body of work. Among the statues that he produced at home are more than a dozen icons of authoritarian ruler Mao Zedong.
"Mao Zedong had one of the most egregious human rights records in the world," said Young. "If you're selecting an artist to build a monument to fairness and justice, why would you select someone with no record of that on their résumé?"
In 2008 the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts expressed further reservations about the stylization of the King monument, maintaining that the sculpture's colossal scale and character — arms folded, with a stern facial expression — was too "confrontational" and reminiscent of political art in totalitarian countries that has been pulled down.
Jackson, who consulted with the King family throughout the process, said that the bold representation was intentional. Out of four model heads with different facial expressions that Lei produced, King's children all chose the final version as looking most like their father. Jackson recounted, "After Martin III indicated his selection, he said, 'If my father were not confrontational, given what he was facing at the time, what else could he be?' "
Still, more controversy followed the memorial when the foundation announced that, rather than American stone, the statue would be carved of pink Chinese granite. Jackson maintained that they wanted a light color palette that would complement other monuments on the National Mall, a particular hue that he said they could not find among the gray and black granite in the United States.
Clint Button, a South Carolina granite carver whose family has worked continuously in the U.S. granite industry for 120 years, contends that the project could have very well been made in America. "Granite is about form, not about color. It's a complete misrepresentation for them to say that it needed to be done overseas," Button told The Root. He and hundreds of other granite workers have protested the King memorial, partially because of the negative impact that imported stone is having on the U.S. granite industry. With frequent outsourcing to China and India, many companies have been forced to lay off workers or shut down entirely.
"We can't work for $1 or $2 a day," Button said, referring to low-cost Chinese granite — and the human rights concerns tied to it. "My family and the unions fought for safety regulations, none of which exist in China. You see [Chinese miners] wearing little masks or cloth over their faces, but all that does is filter out the big pieces that get stuck in your nose. The deadly dust goes straight into your lungs."
Despite the King memorial's completion, Young and Button continue to speak out against it, now desiring for the sculpture to be torn down and started anew. "This is the most disappointing thing in life for me, to be 70 years old and see that my fellow artist brothers never had an opportunity to show their wares," said Young. "That's the most important piece of artwork to ever come from the black community in Washington, D.C., and it was made in China."
A Dream Realized
Needless to say, the memorial foundation has no plans to tear anything down. With thousands expected at the memorial on Aug. 28 for its official dedication ceremony — including President Barack Obama, Aretha Franklin and Jamie Foxx — Jackson is anxious to unveil what he says has been a labor of love.
He recalled a conversation with Coretta Scott King, who served as the chair of an honorary committee for the memorial and died in 2006, shortly after the design was unveiled. She'd expressed disappointment at some of the representations of her husband around the country, which to her never captured his likeness.
"The image that we chose is one that, from our point of view, presents Dr. King as a philosopher of ideas, someone who was strong in his belief of what America stood for and where America should be going," said Jackson. "The goals he set have not been reached, but we have a memorial that allows us to champion his message, so that we don't forget to pick up where he left off in trying to make the world a better place. The promise I made to her sitting at that table was, 'Mrs. King, I promise you, I will not let you down.' "
Cynthia Gordy is The Root's Washington reporter.


text:
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) One of the things Sloane Stephens likes about winning at the Australian Open is that her tech-savvy grandparents can keep watching her from back home.
``My grandpa texted me,'' the 19-year-old Stephens said. ``He said they stayed up again to watch me `on the machine' as my grandpa calls it.''
That's the computer.
Grandpa got to see Stephens advance Thursday to the third round, beating France's Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-3. It's one of many reasons to be proud of her.
Stephens is the No. 3-ranked American woman and has climbed to a career high world ranking of No. 25. Her ascent has been quick after ending 2012 ranked 38th, which made her the youngest player inside the year-end top 50.
Last year, Stephens was one of the up-and-coming players to watch. She reached the third round at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and the fourth round at the French Open. She has achieved her best result in Melbourne after exiting in the second round at last year's Australian Open.
For Stephens, Thursday's match was personal.
She has played the 19 -year-old Mladenovic on big stages before, namely the semifinals of the 2009 French Open juniors tournament, where she lost.
Asked if she remembered that match, Stephens replied: ``How could I forget?''
``That match made my career. I was devastated,'' said Stephens, who is bubbly and charmingly confident. ``I cried for like a month after that.
``But if we had never played before, it would have been super difficult to get out there and play now, so I think that kind of helped.''
By her accounting, Stephens ``didn't play that great'' on Thursday. The 98th-ranked Mladenovic was hitting big serves and big forehands and Stephens had trouble finding her rhythm. She felt her mind wander but then she steered it back to the game.
When asked how she pulled herself out of tight spots, Stephens talked more about her mindset than her tennis.
``I think it's a mixture of things. Concentration, confidence, willing to run every ball down,'' she said. ``Today I was determined to get the next ball back.''
Staying focused leads to other rewards, she smiled.
Like a pair of Jimmy Choos.
Before coming to Melbourne, Stephens had promised herself: ``If I stay focused and concentrate, then I'll reward myself with Jimmy Choo shoes.''
How much will those shoes set her back?
``You don't want to know,'' she said with big eyes. ``It's like five meals. And I eat a lot.''
Stephens' next opponent is Laura Robson, a British teenager she has known since she was 12.
The 53rd-ranked Robson upset No. 8 Petra Kvitova 2-6, 6-3, 11-9 in a 3-hour battle on center court that ended after midnight.
After the 18-year-old Robson politely thanked the crowd for staying to watch, she said she needed to check her phone.
``I think my mum is back home bombarding my phone with text messages,'' she said.
OH LA LA: Gael Monfils faced a room full of French journalists who had one probing question: ``How could you double fault 23 times?''
The Frenchman explained that he felt so tired during his match that he was desperately trying to keep points short.
``I wanted to finish with an ace, so I wouldn't have to play the point,'' he said.
Sometimes that worked. He served an impressive 29 aces.
Sometimes it didn't. Four of his double faults came in the last game as he served for the match. At one point, he stood on the service line laughing in disbelief.
Eventually, the 86th-ranked Monfils won the match to claim a spot in the third round, but it was painful.
``It's been a long time since I've felt that bad in a match,'' he said. ``I didn't feel well. I struggled physically. I was extremely tired.''
It took five sets and lasted 3 hours, 38 minutes before he overcame a valiant effort by Yen-hsun Lu of Tawian 7-6 (5), 4-6, 0-6, 6-1, 8-6.
The scorching heat on Thursday didn't help Monfils - it reached 106 degrees. But he didn't blame the weather.
Monfils entered his first Grand Slam since last year's Australian Open, and he had entered it questioning if he was fit enough because of knee injuries. The Frenchman's ranking slumped from 13th in February 2012 to 99th in January while he battled injuries and other setbacks last year.
Three other Frenchman advanced Thursday without much difficulty. Monfils faces one of them in the third round: No. 14-seed Gilles Simon.
Also, No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Japan's Go Soeda, 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-3, and No. 9 Richard Gasquet defeated Alejandro Falla of Columbia 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
BURNING UP OUT THERE: James Duckworth said the court was so hot it felt like his feet were burning. He was sweating ``bucket loads.''
On the hottest day of this year's Australian Open at 106 degrees, the distinction of the longest match goes to Duckworth of Australia and Slovenia's Blaz Kavcic. Both struggled with cramps during the 4-hour, 52-minute match before Kavcic won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (3), 10-8.
``We both just were hanging on for dear life,'' said Duckworth, who won a wildcard entry to the main draw and is ranked 209th.
The 94th-ranked Kavcic needed on-court treatment from a trainer during the fourth set tiebreaker for what appeared to be a cramp in his left thigh. He tweeted after the match he had a ``total physical collapse after the match.''
Duckworth saved five match points in the fifth set despite leg cramps that made his hamstring and quads ``lock up.''
During changeovers, he downed energy drinks and had some cola for caffeine, he ate bananas for energy and tried eating salt to ease his cramps.
After the match, he got on a bike at the gym.
``Thought I'd smash out a 10k time trial,'' he joked. ``No, just a light cool down.''


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When I was younger, I spent a lot of time at Kalaeloa when it was still an active military base known as Barber's Point. I used to spend most of my time at the beach exploring the coral and tidal pools. There was one section of exposed reef which had a channel and every time I approached, the myriad of fishes would scramble and hide in various holes in the reef. I discovered that one hole always had a wrasse hiding in it and I could stick my hand in the hole, feel the roof with my fingers, and sure enough, the slippery side of a beautiful colorful wrasse would be mine if I gently cupped my fingers and extracted my prize. I would then let the wrasse go and I could catch him again the next day if I employed the same technique.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Hand Fishing...
Of course, when military personnel brought their family down to that section of the beach, I would often ask the kids if they wanted me to catch a fish with my bare hands. They would always say yes. Then I would throw in some dramatic fish searching maneuvers, talk about viscious moray eels, and always end up at my secret spot and put my hand in. After making some faces and noises, I would produce the most brilliant colored Hinalea to show them. They could look up close at the fish, touch his side, and when we were finished, I would let the wrasse go, even despite protestations to put him in a bucket or outstretched hand or net. I think they enjoyed seeing the Hawaiian boy catch fish with my bare hands.
I did that trick about twenty to twenty-five times as a child. I am not sure if it was always the same Hinalea in the hole but we managed to thrill little children for quite awhile. We were quite the team. Until I ate him. I never found another partner quite as cooperative. Or as tasty...
Posted by Ka`iana at 8:44 PM
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Bridesmaids' dresses are important when considering the overall aesthetic of the bridal party. Are you after colourful multiway dresses or something with a little sparkle? Shortlist vendors that suit your colour scheme and wedding style, read boutique reviews and view their range in-store.Bridesmaids Brisbane
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There are 8 Brisbane Bridesmaid suppliers from which to choose. Overall, they have an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. Couples usually enquire with 4 vendors in this category and book 5 months out from their wedding date, typically after Wedding Decorations and before Wedding Invitations. Bridesmaid suppliers charge between $400 and $1,300, averaging at $790. Across Australia, the average cost is $880. Given Australian weddings typically cost $30,730, this means Australian couples spend 3% of their wedding budget on Bridesmaid.
8 suppliers match your filters. Clear
Windsor & Lux specialises in Bridesmaids, Mother of the Bride, and all Formal and Evening wear.
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Threadelicious Bride offers a couture quality Bridal alteration service and the supply of customised veils in Brisbane.
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Surprise: Twins, Rays To Advance
It's the kind of story line that can overshadow the reality of a playoff series in any sport: A superstar with an amazing season and an amazing story of overcoming the nightmare of drug addiction, facing the team that originally drafted him, with the prospect of eventually getting to a World Series against the team that gave him a second chance (and then traded him away anyway).
4 Comments
Wow, the die hard Yankee fan selling them down the river. I like the Twins but I can't see them beating the Yankees. They can challenge them and possibly even take it to five games but the Yankee lineup is too strong and disciplined for the Twins pitching, particularly the starters after Liriano. The Yankee offense will be good enough to offset the starting pitching questions that they have.
Hi Keith. I didn't know you had a blog here but wanted first to congratulate you on the program "Countdown" on MSNBC. I watch it quite often when not at work. I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking that the Phillies, Giants, Twins and Rays will win their LDS series and move on to the LCS. I don't think it will be a Giants' sweep but they're (and Atlanta) are different teams than when the teams last met.
Please keep the blog and your Countdown going!
Hey, Keith… As a Yankee fan myself I'm afraid I have to agree with you that the chances of them making the ALCS aren't great… on the other hand, they have pretty consistently beaten the Twins in postseasons past, so hopefully that'll be what happens here.
With regard to your statement about CC Sabathia and the Cy Young Award, though, I have to disagree. The reason you give there is an excellent reason to consider CC for MVP, but the Cy Young is not a "Most Valuable Pitcher" award, it's an award for the _best_ pitcher in each league. CC's numbers, other than the obvious win-loss totals, aren't really close to Felix's this year. 3.18 vs. 2.27 ERA, 197 vs. 232 strikeouts (0.830 vs. 0.930 per inning, and Felix pitched more innings), and CC got a fairly stunning 7.31 runs from his team per game vs. Felix's 3.75 – almost twice as much run support from the scoring-est team in the majors as Felix got from one of the worst-scoring teams in history. Felix's performance may not seem glamorous, but he was clearly more dominant this season. Maybe not more _valuable_… but then, maybe we need a Most Valuable Pitcher award after all.
Oh well, I know you think we Yankee fans are unrealistic — but, I suspect they might just win the current series — especially since they now lead The Twins 2-0, and are just now going home.
Yankees — Rangers might just be one of the best series in years — then again, Giants – Braves might rival it. It's nice to see two "original" teams fight it out. though I do not remember, "Spahn and Sain — then pray for rain" (I seem to remember The Boston Braves being a horrible team) — I do remember 1951 and 1954 Giants. Now an ex N.Y.er. A former N.Y. Giants fan, and for years a "fan without a team" (Mets thought it was fun to play on all that old Brooklyn stuff — how could I root for a team that thought the Dodgers were so cool?).
My love of the game came back when I saw Wade Boggs batting. He was so much fun to watch (as a Yankee), I finally found a team to follow.
Anyway, I suspect you might have sold The Yankees short — even if they collapse and lose to the Twins.


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Does the City of Boulder need a ban on fracking? I say yes and here's why.
We have 16 wells already in the City of Boulder — many immediately next to residences and open space areas. These existing wells are likely candidates for fracking to access the valuable hydro-carbons resting about 1,000 feet under our homes, schools and office buildings. Boulder sits on top of a large "shale play" extending as far north to Canada, south into New Mexico and east to Kansas. It is part of the same shale layer with economically-recoverable oil and gas that is actively being fracked in Weld County, where there are more than 19,000 active wells.
While you might think, "This is Boulder. No oil and gas operator is going to start fracking here." The fact is they can, and right now we have no legal defense to prevent the oil and gas industry if they chose to frack in our city.
It has only been in the past year that the first peer-reviewed studies have been published about the health effects of fracking and they are alarming. Well-respected endocrine researcher Theo Colborn studied the air pollutants around drilling in Western Colorado and found high concentrations of toxic chemicals and carcinogens that cause severe health damage (see the natural gas video at The Endocrine Disruption Exchange).
Another peer-reviewed study by Lisa McKenzie of the Colorado Dept. of Public found that the air pollutants from fracking increase a person's risk of cancer 60 percent (see resources on Frack Free Boulder). In the documentary "Gasland" by Josh Fox people who live near fracked wells in Weld County describe how their well water turned brown by the fracking solution containing hundreds of toxic chemicals that seeped into and poisoned the water table. These Coloradans — after wells were fracked near their home — got cancer, brain tumors, severe asthma, disorientation, tremors, migraines, continuous nose bleeds, etc.
Colorado residents are taking a stand. Citizens in Longmont voted overwhelmingly to ban fracking last November in a historic, citizen-driven effort. Fort Collins passed a moratorium on fracking with a unanimous city council vote in December. El Paso County passed a moratorium at the end of 2011. Colorado Springs passed a moratorium in 2012. Erie and Boulder County passed a moratorium in 2012. (On Thursday, Jan. 24, at 4 p.m., Boulder County Commissioners are holding a public meeting with time for citizen comments to decide whether to extend the moratorium on fracking in Boulder County.)
Boulder is falling behind and needs to join the rising tide against fracking. We must protect our citizens, land, air and water, and our property values. Who wants to buy a home near a fracking operation? Our quality of life and our economy are at stake. What athlete wants to train or a tourist visit a city with polluted air, unsafe drinking water, with 18-wheel trucks doing an average of 100 trips per day 24/7 to and from a well site, with stadium quality lights on at well pads all night?
Colorado State Legislators have placed fracking on the 2013 agenda. Citizen volunteers across Colorado are working to permanently ban fracking in their communities. The more cities that join this state-wide effort the stronger the message that Colorado citizens are demanding a state-wide ban on this dangerous and destructive process.
A ban on fracking is also consistent with our Boulder municipalization effort. It is only by having local control over the source of our electricity that we can first work to minimize our reliance on all fossil fuels, including natural gas, and then seek to find the cleanest, most "ethical" source for any remaining energy need. Importantly, natural gas doesn't have to come from fossil fuel sources; it can be sourced from renewable sources, including feed lots, biomass gasification and sewage treatment plants.
Boulder is ready to move beyond fossil fuels. Banning fracking within city limits is a protective move to give us the greatest safeguards possible to prevent fracking next to our homes, schools and businesses, and is consistent with our vision for a clean energy future. It is also the right message to send to our politicians at the state level as this is a battle that needs to be won for all citizens in Colorado and the rest of the state needs our support. It's time for Boulder to step up and ban fracking now!
Neshama Abraham lives in Boulder and is the founder of Frack Free Boulder.


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Nice attempt at a top, but it falls flat. Nevertheless, there's a nice vertical thrust in the tower. It could turn out decent with the right material choices.
I hope the base is a work in progress.
it doesnt look that expensive a design. the majority of the tower is a basic rectangular shape with an elaborate crown making up about 1/6 of the building. I for one will be optimistic and say i have high hopes on this one, will look great. And from costas no less, if this is what we are getting from an architect with a bad reputation then things are going well.
Nice attempt at a top, but it falls flat. Nevertheless, there's a nice vertical thrust in the tower. It could turn out decent with the right material choices.
I hope the base is a work in progress.
As per Curbed's Aug. 28, 2007 edition, we got excited over nothing:
FIDIRegarding the astounding renderings from architect Costas Kondylis for a 60-story tower adjacent to the Woolworth Building at 99 Church Street, a highly reputable tipster bursts our bubble: "Your information is completely incorrect! SLCE will be the architect of record, and RAMSA will be the design architect." Whoa, Robert A.M. Stern heading downtown? We've asked for clarification from the supposed involved parties, but haven't got word as yet. Who among our august crowd of Curbed readers knows more? (Also: WTF is up with the weird pop-up warning that Stern's website is serving up? Anyone?) [CurbedWire Inbox]
I'd believe the the rendering we saw over that unconfirmed comment. Why would Kondylis bother to design a building only to be dropped....plus Silverstein's past use of Kondylis would leave me to believe that he will indeed be the architect.
Not much lost if the Kondylis version is not built ...
I walked by here yesterday, and now understand why this building MUST come down.
It is outmoded -- and sits in contradiction to what NYC & America are now about.
Read the words on the plaque over the entryway ...
'Nuff Said.
Trust and confidence in our fellow man? How quaint, eh?
We are so not the America of 1951 ...
And so it must go.
It's sad to lose this one. I love its simplicity ...
And the way it defers to The Woolworth next door ...
Seen from between the columns of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church across the street ...
Reflected in the windows is a new neighbor down the block ...
As is the solid & sturdy Federal Building, which sits katty korner to the SW at 90 Chruch Street ...
That one ^^^ is by Cross and Cross; it went up in 1935 ...
It ^^^ complments 99 Church perfectly.
Add to 90 & 99 Church the elegant old St. Peter's Church (1840; John R. Haggerty and Thomas Thomas) on the SE corner of Church & Barclay and this intersection is nearly a perfect composition -- if only we could get rid of that banal full-block blue 60's faux-International style thing to the west.
Alas ....
We are so [I]not[/I] the America of 1951
Looks ghey!
The three entrances to 90 Church lead to an impressive, high-ceiling lobby - accessible and worth a look if you're in the area.
But don't even think about taking a photo.
They ARE a cute couple up there.
I love that they dressed them in Jean Paul Gaultier:
Could you IMAGINE trying to do a sculpture like that today on an office building?
Anyway, these stark limestone buildings from the 1940s to early 50's era, are favorites of mine. Hugely stylish.
Repeat after me: "klaatu barada nikto"
Last edited by Fabrizio; August 29th, 2007 at 04:20 PM.
I love this proposal. The crown is going make or break this building; with the right materials and right lighting effects at night on the crown this can be one of the nicest modern skycrapers on the island.
Shame to lose Woolsworth again behind a newbie.
^ Unfortunately, that proposal won't get built. Again another dissapoinment.
Silverstein Is Going Upscale Downtown
By BRADLEY HOPE
October 15, 2007
The main developer of ground zero, Larry Silverstein, is bringing a piece of the magic that broke records at the residential project 15 Central Park West to Lower Manhattan.
Today he will announce the hiring of architect Robert A.M. Stern to design a five-star hotel and luxury condominium tower at 99 Church St., just a block from the World Trade Center site. Mr. Stern is known most recently for his ultra-luxury limestone building at 15 Central Park West, developed by Zeckendorf Development LLC. A condominium there sold for $42 million to a former chief executive of Citigroup, Sanford Weill, a record for a single-unit condo.
"He's a world-class architect who probably understands luxury residential better than anybody," Mr. Silverstein said of Mr. Stern.
Mr. Silverstein bought the 11-story office building that presently sits at 99 Church St. from Moody's in partnership with the California State Teachers' Retirement System for $170 million in 2006.
The windows are already boarded up and demolition is expected to begin in mid-November and finish by May 2008. The new building, expected to be about 60 stories tall, will be completed and ready for occupancy in early 2011, Mr. Silverstein said.
The new building will fit directly into Mr. Silverstein's constellation of projects near the World Trade Center. It is situated about a block away from the 52-story 7 World Trade Center and three planned towers along Church Street that will contain more than 6 million square feet of office space.
The building will "serve a duality of roles," Mr. Silverstein said.
On the one hand, it will be interdependent with the tenants of the new World Trade Center buildings, providing hotel rooms, event space, and a restaurant for the thousands of business people expected to move into the area. On the other, the luxury condominiums will allow senior executives of those firms to live close to their work and with the amenities of more traditional neighborhoods of Manhattan, Mr. Silverstein said.
The development decision comes as 13 other hotel projects are under way or planned for sites below Canal Street, according to the Real Estate Board of New York's August list of Manhattan hotel development. The projects include a new W Hotel below the World Trade Center site at 123 Washington St. by the Moinian Group and a Global Hyatt in the old headquarters of the JPMorgan building at 75 Wall St. One of the largest hotel developers in the city, McSam Hotel LLC, has two sites under construction and three more planned, the list shows.
The business improvement district for the area, Downtown Community Alliance, estimates that another 2,000 to 2,500 hotel rooms will be added to the existing 2,000 hotel rooms by 2010.
"There is a lot of hotel supply coming to that area," the head of Cushman & Wakefield Sonnenblick Goldman's hospitality group, Mark Gordon, said. "By hiring a landmark architect, he is distinguishing it from the others."
The plan is another step toward making downtown a "24/7 neighborhood," the president of Community Board 1, Julie Menin, said.
"This area is kind of in between the financial district, the civic area, and TriBeCa," she said. "It's an area that needs more activation more grocery stores and amenities for residents who live there."
Mr. Menin said she hoped Mr. Silverstein would also open up space in the building for cultural events and performances.
"It's going to be a new landmark in Lower Manhattan," Mr. Stern, 68, who is the dean of the Yale University School of Architecture, said. He also designed the Westminster in Chelsea, as well as Tribeca Park and Tribeca Green.
Most of the design elements for 99 Church St. are under development, he said, but there are plans for event space, a high-end restaurant, a health club, and a public plaza between it and the Woolworth building.
"This is a critical moment in the evolution of New York and Lower Manhattan in general," Mr. Stern said. "Everybody involved wants to make this a really important building."
By May of next year, demolition will be finished and foundation work will start in June. The general contractor will be Tishman Construction Corp., which also built 7 World Trade Center.
It would be nice if the cheap SOB Sapir teamed up with a competent developer and razed the POS 100 Church and the other huge monstrosity that he owns just north of it.
He is a corporate slum lord. His two huge, filthy properties on Madison in the 30's also are eyesores.


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Open Access
Through Open Access, research results from around the world are freely accessible to all. It is an incentive for exchanging and utilising knowledge and fresh insights between scientists, companies and social institutions. The University Library supports students with Open Access publishing.
Research results are published in scientific journals, which often have high subscription costs. Leiden University believes that the removal of this threshold will beneficit both science and society. Moreover, most research is funded with public money. Agreements have therefore been concluded with publishers, and Leiden scientists are encouraged to publish in Open Access.
Learn how Open Access works
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Dinner Tonight: Pan-Fried Tofu with Dark Sweet Soy Sauce Recipe
Your source for quick recipe every single week day.
This recipe from Jaden Hair's The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook is the kind of pantry meal that I can get behind. If, like me, you have most of these sauces in the fridge, then all you need is a block of tofu, one serrano chile, and some scallions.
The tofu is pan-fried until golden, then removed. The sauce gets poured in and cooked for less than a minute. If you're totally prepared, this will be done in under 15 minutes, though there's absolutely no shame in taking your time and stretching this out to 20 minutes.
The only challenge is getting the tofu perfectly browned. If you're not careful, the tofu can cook unevenly, and even turn black in spots. That said, if there is too little oil, the tofu may stick to the pan. Everything else is a breeze. The sauce is simple, whisked together in a bowl, and the chiles and scallions are sprinkled on at the end.
- Yield:2 people
- Active time: 20 minutes
- Total time:20 minutes
- Rated:
- 2 tablespoons Chinese dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili garlic hot sauce)
- one 14-ounce block firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 serrano, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
- 1 scallion, chopped
Mix together the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Cut the tofu into ½-inch thick slices, which are approximately 3-inches long. Dry the tofu pieces on paper towels.
Place a large saute pan or wok over high heat. When smoking, add just enough of the canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add as many of the tofu slices as will fit in one layer. Cook until tofu is browned on the bottom, two to three minutes. Flip the pieces with a pair of tongs, and brown on the other side, about two minutes. When done, drain the tofu pieces on paper towels. Repeat process with remaining tofu pieces, adding more oil if necessary.
Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the canola oil, and turn the heat down to medium. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, and cook until it thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
Divide the tofu between two plates, and pour half of the sauce over each. Garnish with the chopped serrano and scallion.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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We burn so much coal in this country for electricity that every year that process generates 130 million tons of waste. Most of it is coal ash, and it contains some nasty stuff. Environmental scientists tell us that the concentrations of mercury, arsenic, lead and other toxic metals are considerably higher in coal ash than in ordinary soil.
When coal ash is disposed of in dry, lined impoundments it is said to be safe. But it's often dumped into wet ponds - there are nearly 500 of them across the country - and in those cases the ash could pose health risks to the nearby communities.
Jim Roewer, one of the top lobbyists for the power industry, told 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl that nearly half of the electricity in the United States is generated by coal.
"Coal's gonna be around for a long time," he said.
"We really can't get rid of coal," Stahl remarked.
"We shouldn't get rid of coal," Roewer said.
"Well, should or shouldn't, we can't. And coal makes waste. Would you say that the industry has done a good job of disposing of the coal ash waste?" Stahl asked.
"We can do better," Roewer said.
Asked if that means no, Roewer told Stahl, "Well, we had a Kingston spill."
That's Kingston, Tenn., where last December a giant retention pool of coal ash buckled under the weight of five decades of waste.
A billion gallons of muck shot into the Emory River like a black tsunami, engulfing homes, uprooting trees, and throwing fish out of the water.
Residents woke up to an apocalyptic moonscape of "ashbergs" everywhere. The spill was 100 times larger than the Exxon Valdez and it was all coal ash.
Stahl had never heard of coal ash before the Kingston incident.
"Wasn't a problem," Roewer remarked.
"Well, it was a problem, we just didn't know," Stahl replied.
The problem is: where do you put all that stuff? The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) dumped up to 1,000 tons of coal ash every day into a wet pond near the plant, slowly amassing a waste-cake 60 feet high. Some of the ingredients, according to the EPA, were arsenic, lead, mercury, selenium, cadmium and other toxic metals.
"You know, some people say that this is a poisoned meadow," Stahl said to Leo Francendese, an environmental "Mr. Fix It," sent by the EPA to clean up this mess.
"In the wrong circumstances coal ash is dangerous. Breathing it, that's dangerous," Francendese replied.
The summer heat can bake the ash into a fine talc-like powder that can wreak havoc on your lungs.
So while the government has never formally labeled coal ash a hazardous waste, it's being treated as such at the Kingston site.
As the 60 Minutes team left the site, they were scrubbed clean, as was their car.
Francendese explained that every vehicle that exits the site must go through the cleaning process.
Gary Topmiller lives right on the river. He had a front row seat when the spill covered his dock.
"Now what the doctors did tell me was, 'Get out of there.' And I said, 'I don't have any place to go,'" Topmiller told Stahl.


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An audit says Pacific Gas and Electric Co. did not use $50 million intended to improve its gas pipeline network in the decade leading up to a deadly explosion in a San Francisco Bay area suburb.
The audit by Leawood, Kan.-based Overland Consulting for the California Public Utilities Commission was reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
According to the Chronicle, PG&E from 1999 to 2010 regularly failed to use all the money it collected from ratepayers to fix and maintain small gas lines that deliver natural gas to homes and businesses.
PG&E spokeswoman Brittany Chord says the utility disputes some of the findings and has spent more than it received from customers in recent years for system improvements.
The 2010 blast in San Bruno killed eight people.
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Lemon-Pistachio Crunch Cake
By á-174942
- 8 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - (1 stick) cut 1/2" cubes
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel - (packed)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter - (1/2 stick)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup natural unsalted pistachios - (abt 5 oz)
- 2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream divided
- 8 ounces high-quality white chocolate chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups cake flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter - (2 1/2 sticks) room temperature
- 2 cups sugar divided
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 8 large egg whites
Servings 12
Step 1
For Curd: Whisk all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Cook over medium-low heat until curd thickens and candy thermometer registers 170 degrees, stirring constantly, about 7 minutes (do not boil). Pour curd into small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill at least 1 day and up to 3 days.
For Pistachio Crunch: Place large sheet of foil on work surface; butter foil. Combine sugar, butter, and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Increase heat to medium-high and boil until syrup is medium amber color, stirring constantly, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately add baking soda (mixture will foam up), then nuts and stir to blend well. Spread nut mixture onto prepared foil, separating nuts. Cool completely. Chop crunch into 1/4- to 1/3-inch pieces. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
For Frosting: Bring 3/4 cup cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and salt; stir until smooth. Transfer frosting base to bowl. Cover; chill overnight.
For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in vanilla and lemon peel. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk in 3 additions each.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter among prepared pans.
Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides and turn cakes out onto racks. Turn cakes right side up and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.)
Using serrated knife, cut off mounded tops of cake layers to level. Place 1 cake layer on platter, trimmed-side up. Spread with half of lemon curd. Top with second cake layer, trimmed-side up. Spread with remaining lemon curd. Top with third cake layer, trimmed-side down.
Whisk remaining 1 3/4 cups chilled cream into frosting base to loosen. Using electric mixer, beat until frosting holds stiff peaks. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until frosting is firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.)
Press crunch lightly into frosting on sides and top edge of cake. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead and refrigerated.)
This recipe yields 12 servings.
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Freeset is a fair trade business offering employment to women trapped in Kolkata's sex trade. We make quality jute bags and organic cotton t-shirts, but our business is freedom!
We would like to see the 10,000 sex workers in our neighborhood empowered with the choice of leaving a profession they never chose in the first place.
For more information or to purchase items, visit The Shop For Freedom.


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We remain committed to Africa, says Commonwealth Games chief
London (AFP) - Africa will host a Commonwealth Games one day despite the blow of Durban being stripped of hosting the 2022 edition, David Grevemberg, the chief executive of The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), told AFP.
Durban lost the right to host the Games on Monday -- just 18 months after being awarded them -- when it failed to meet criteria laid down by the CGF, primarily over costs.
"I wouldn't want to make a judgement call," Grevemberg told AFP on the sidelines of a briefing by 2018 Games hosts Gold Coast on Wednesday.
"Durban has hosted some great events, it is a fantastic city and are wonderful warm hosts with bright ambitions and great aspirations.
"However, it takes more than a municipality, it takes a nation to really embrace something like this and to realise its full potential.
"Timing was one of the biggest issues and also some of the circumstances of what South Africa is facing right now we have to be respectful and cognisant of that."
Grevemberg, who was chief executive of Glasgow for its successful hosting of the 2014 Games, said now was not the time to walk away from Africa.
"We should not diminish our support and desert them. Instead, we should continue to help them realise their potential and ambitions," he said.
"We remain fully supportive of and committed to a Games in Africa."
Grevemberg, who succeeded in persuading Jamaican athletics legend Usain Bolt to compete in his first ever Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, would not commit either to a timeline for selecting the replacement for Durban as hosts or the names of cities that had declared an interest.
Liverpool, Birmingham and 2002 hosts Manchester have declared an interest -- however Gold Coast will not throw their hat in to the ring despite the mayor saying they might.
"We would look pretty greedy to have them again in 2022," said Gold Coast chairman Peter Beattie.
"We are saying clearly we are not interested in 2022. It is against the spirit of the Games."
Grevemberg said whichever city hosted it, the core principles of the CGF -- peace, sustainability and prosperity -- would apply.
"We will continue with the alternative host to uphold those principles.
"It is a different context but they are as relevant as they were to Kuala Lumpur (1998 hosts), to Glasgow, to Manchester and Melbourne (2006).
"Those principles played very well and I am very confident it resonates."
'Gold Coast are a great platform'
Grevemberg said Gold Coast would be an ideal host to promote the ideals of the Commonwealth Games.
"Gold Coast are a great platform to tell about our ambitions," he said.
"The way we define peace it is by design not by accident, human rights and protection and promotion and recognising marginalised groups like LGBT, child safeguarding, protecting vulnerable people and safeguarding gender issues.
"The third strand is conflict resolution and fourthly reconciliation which all ties back to peacebuilding the theme for the Commonwealth this year.
"This journey is designed to using the Games for that impact. The Games are resonant and relevant."


text: In what is rapidly becoming a multi-task society, Mr Sushil K. Dade is an expert driving instructor, having applied almost Bruce Lee-like logic to what was formerly a weakness (his own driving). Please note, Sushil's pass-rate is just about the best in the west of Scotland. Not only that but even his friends now ride with him. Soon this intrepid character is to have his first flying lesson having negotiated a special Future Pilot clause in his Geographic signing on terms.


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dedicated to the discussion of the chinese internal martial arts of xingyiquan, baguazhang, taijiquan, related arts, and anything else best discussed over a bottle of rum
everything wrote:- it is "better" in every way
- it should only be used alone as a single style or else it's not this "better" art
- if you use anything else you're not "high level"
- training other arts will confuse it.
these assumptions aren't applied to bjj, wrestling, boxing, muay thai, judo, etc.
everything wrote:T I don't know why there isn't a "Fedor style".
Bao wrote:"Short forms will harm you as they circulate qi the wrong way"
oragami_itto wrote:Bao wrote:"Short forms will harm you as they circulate qi the wrong way"
Personally, I feel that the Yang long form has the most benefit, for a couple reasons, so anything that doesn't offer as much benefit could arguably be said to harm, I guess?
Bao wrote:You forgot:
"Tai Chi is too dangerous to use in sparring or competitions."
and a whole bunch of things like:
"Short forms will harm you as they circulate qi the wrong way"
"You must practice forms at least five years before learning push hands"
"Sparring will hurt your progress in Tai Chi"
"Practicing weight lifting is a no no if you study tai chi"
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Venezuelan Royals show support for home country
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Venezuelan-born players in the Royals' training camp are expressing concern and showing support for their countrymen during the current unrest there.
"It's hard for us when we see all the video from our country. You feel a little sad for that," catcher Salvador Perez said. "We can't do anything about that. We have to take care of our job and the other players have to take care of their jobs. The season's about to start. All we can do is send a picture to show we're proud to be from Venezuela."
There are six players from Venezuela in the Royals' Major League camp, and Perez took a photo of them with many of their teammates in a show of support for family and friends in their country. Players from other teams were tweeting similar photos with the Venezuelan flag and signs.
"Everybody in my family is there -- my mom and my brother, my son, too," second baseman Omar Infante said. "We feel sad, we feel bad when we watch on TV. Everybody has their families there. Texas did that [sent a photo], too. That's good for the Venezuelan people; they know we are feeling bad, too."
Catcher Ramon Hernandez was another Royal concerned about the situation.
"My family is away from Caracas, so in my hometown it's not as bad as it was in the central, Caracas and Valencia and other places," Hernandez said.
"I talk to them almost every day. They're doing good, but the situation is bad. I never thought I'd see something like that, especially in Venezuela. The people over there are very calm, but I guess people got tired, they didn't have anything. They go to the supermarket and can't find anything to eat;. If your car is broken, you have to wait months because you can't get replacements."
The players are hoping the situation improves quickly.
"It's a great country. We go there to play winter ball and it's a fine country. We have a lot of fun," Hernandez said. "To see it like this -- there's no reason for it and it hurts us a lot."


text:
Patents protect proprietary information but are of limited duration. After expiration, the patented technology becomes part of the public domain. Trade secrets, in contrast, never expire and therefore are not accessible to the public as long as the information remains secret. Thus, the authors of "The Next Controversy in Genetic Testing: Clinical Data as Trade Secrets?" argue that trade secret protection of genomic data is inappropriate because it impedes the free flow of information that is necessary to advance personalized medicine.
Myriad's Proprietary Technology – Patents and Trade Secrets
In positioning their argument, the authors take aim at Myriad Genetics ("Myriad"), the provider of BRCA1/2 diagnostic testing. Through its diagnostic services, Myriad has tested nearly one million patients and compiled genetic data from the tests. In most instances, the authors argue, the test results are simple to interpret – whether or not the patient sample contains the wild type or variant version of the gene. In a minority of cases, however, sequence differences from wild type are difficult interpret. These are variations of unknown significance (termed "VUS") and are valuable to those tested and to other researchers who are trying to interpret the unknown variations. This information, which Myriad for the most part has chosen to maintain as a trade secret, creates an economic inequality that, the authors argue, was created through its patent monopoly. While Myriad has access to public databases in interpreting mutations, outsiders do not have access to Myriad's data and analytic algorithm. Thus, the authors argue, Myriad's proprietary database gives Myriad an indefinite exclusivity independent of patent protection unless and until others can repeat Myriad's sequencing and analysis of patient samples.
Policy Options
Comprehensive databases of genetic information such as VUS data exist, but Myriad has not consistently contributed to them. The objectives of these databases and research consortia, the authors state, are to accumulate data and to refine interpretive methods in order to create publicly available information for improving clinical interpretation of genetic testing. The authors acknowledge that as public resources accumulate data, the value of proprietary databases will erode. In the meantime, however, health plans will pay for many genetic tests that cannot be accurately interpreted based on publicly available information. Several options for encouraging the sharing of this information are suggested.
One option is that free access be a prerequisite to publication. Those having access to genetic information should be required to share data and algorithms as a prerequisite to publication of that information. However, only those who choose to publish would be required to share the data.
Another option would require that databases that list mutations or availability of genetic tests (e.g., the NIH's nascent Genetic Testing Registry) mandate that test providers share sequence data and interpretive algorithms as a condition of listing their tests.
Another option would rely on the power of payors and regulators. Health plan payors currently reimburse bundled genetic tests and interpretive services. Payors, it is argued, could demand the evidence underlying the clinical determinations when interpretations cannot be independently verified. Payors could also refuse payment unless clinically relevant data are shared and subject to independent verification.
The authors alternatively suggest that national authorities that regulate genomic tests mandate public disclosures as a condition of pre-market approval. Yet further, national and international institutions could fund research to re-create the data in proprietary databases by ensuring that results of genetic analysis be incorporated into large databases. Finally, national health systems could craft payment policies to create incentives for disclosure of data needed to interpret genetic tests – e.g., establishing payment codes for public deposit and interpretation of genomic data.
Patents, Trade Secrets and Public Benefit
One of the benefits of patents is their limited duration. After the patents expire, the technology is placed into the public domain in a manner that allows the public to reproduce the technology. Those involved in the debate over patenting genes (brought to the fore by the challenge to Myriad's BRCA gene and testing patents, see for example, my prior post of September 25, 2012) have cautioned that removing the ability to protect intellectual property with patents could result in companies deciding to protect the information by the use trade secrets, rather than patents. Thus, as noted by the authors, the public ultimately loses as the technologies may never enter the public domain.
While the authors pose some interesting solutions to gain access to Myriad's technology, they never consider that if Myriad had chosen to patent the technology, the patents would expire and the technology would eventually become publicly available. Indeed, Myriad's patents on the BRCA1/2 technology will expire in a few years. In addition, most patent applications are published prior to grant, thereby disclosing the technology eighteen months after filing.
Myriad's patents did not give rise to its expansive database, it was access to patient samples and Myriad's expertise in analyzing that information and creating value from it. It is well documented that patents do not impede genetic research. In a recent letter to the journal Nature Methods, Jim Greenwood of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, reports that the number of reported patent lawsuits involving gene patents is practically nonexistent. "Gene patents do not hinder academic research" Nature Methods, Vol. 9(11), page 1039. He states:
"A 2008 study identified only six instances in which such patents had been briefly asserted against clinical diagnostic testing, and none against basic research. This finding is consistent with earlier reports by the US National Research Council and Walsh et al., [citation omitted] which found little empirical evidence to support the notion that patents created obstacles to biomedical research… Gene patents, like other patents, are critical to the development of basic research inventions into cures and therapies for patients as well as drought- and pest-resistant crops and renewable sources of energy. Encouraging the notion that scientists today routinely incur legal liability whenever they conduct genetic research may inflame public debate over 'gene patents' but it has nothing to do with a realistic appraisal of the role of patents in academic research. The likelihood that a researcher will infringe a technology patent by using a smartphone is much higher than the risk of infringing a 'gene patent' by doing benchwork." (Embedded citations omitted)


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Review of The Winery Restaurant
Is the Winery the Best Restaurant in The O.C?
This blog post is about "The Winery" restaurant in Tustin, quite possibly the best restaurants in Orange County. I know this is a big claim, so I will tell my story and you be the judge. I normally provide the total score of the restaurant at the end of the review, but this time I will provide it up front. Total Score: 4.75 out of 5.
Let me attempt to explain and justify to you, my readers, why they deserve this score. I have been to The Winery on two separate occasions; this post will cover both experiences. The first time we visited, our friend Peggy treated us for a Birthday dinner and the second time we visited using a GroupOn. Both experiences were fantastic.
Exterior and the Lobby
The Winery is located in Tustin, in "The District" shopping center, just off Jamboree. The exterior of the restaurant looks really cool at night, with splashes lighting casting shadows over the flagstone accented walls. Overall, the restaurant looks very elegant and inviting from the outside. When you drive up to the restaurant, you have your choice of using the Valet for $5 or literally parking it yourself in the same parking lot. My recommendation to the Gentlemen, if you Lady is wearing high-heels don't be a cheap-ass and use the valet. With that said, my wife tends to wear sensible shoes and I have always found a parking spot less than 100 feet away. To each his own.
When you walk into the restaurant you are first struck by the richness of the interior design with dark woods, dim lighting and leather. Although the design is sophisticated, the ambiance is very inviting and even cozy. One of the first things you notice in the lobby are the personal wine lockers. These wine lockers are available for customers who pre-purchase two cases of wine a year from the restaurant. The lockers even bear the owner's name, with an engraved plaque. On the other side of the lobby is one of the two private dining rooms.
Dining Room Options
When you walk past the lobby, the restaurant is split into three distinct sections, each with their own ambiance, the main dining room, the Chef's Tables and the bar. The first time we dined at the Winery we decided to sit in the Chef's Tables, which is a small section of tables in front of the kitchen. Since The Winery uses an open kitchen design, you can watch the Chefs cook and see the dishes come out of the pass while you dine on your own meal.
This area is more relaxed upbeat vibe than the dining room, as you are sitting in the heart of the restaurant. Sitting at the Chef's tables is like listening to the hum of the beehive, you can get a sense for the mood of the restaurant based on activity of the kitchen. As a guest of the Chef's table, you have the unique experience of having the Chef personally keeping an eye on your table and personally timing your dishes. The only thing I would add at the Chef's table is either angled mirrors or video camera/monitors so that you can watch the Chef's knife skills in action.
The second time we dined at "The Winery Restaurant", we sat in the main dining room, which is a very elegant and relaxing environment. This dining room has plenty of seating with large over-stuffed booths and 4-6 person tables. The booth was comfortable and afforded a view of the overall dining room, yet provided a sufficient level of privacy for an intimate date.
Soon after we were settled into our seats, our waiter appeared and welcomed us to the restaurant. We told him that this was our first time at The Winery Restaurant, so he took his time to explain the restaurant, the menu and even shared some interesting facts about the restaurant. Our waiter, Chris Burns, had the right blend of professionalism and personable demeanor that made us feel welcome like we were visiting his personal home and wanted to ensure that his guests were being well provided for.
What Chris did right is allow his personality to shine through the professional waiter veneer, this delicate blend of professional and personable attitude goes a long way to a great dining experience. By the time Chris left the table, he was able to gather what type of food we liked, wine preferences and that we were celebrating birthdays. What was unique about his approach is that he learned these facts not by asking direct questions, but rather by engaging us with normal communication and a warm smile. This art of conversation is a learned talent that only the best waiters have mastered.
When we came to The Winery for the second time, we requested the same waiter when we made the reservation. Although since we were running late and Chris's shift was ending, we were assigned another waitress. Despite this situation, Chris stayed past his shift to ensure he introduced us to our waitress and explained our food and wine preferences to her based on our last visit (impressive). This is an example of professionalism and excellence in service.Aside from the service provided by the waiter, the restaurant's Managing Partner, JC Clow, visited our table to check if we needed anything, checking on the quality of our meals and even chat about wine and cooking techniques.
During out second visit, service Captain, "Spike", recognized us from a previous visit and greeted us into the Winery like we were returning home from a long trip. During our visit, he came to visit several times including once to tidy up our table between courses and answer all my questions about the preparation of the dishes. His knowledge of the product was impressive, as if Chef Goetz personally gave him midnight cooking lessons.
Wine Selection
The wine selection at The Winery restaurant was impressive, as it should since it bears that name. The wine menu was essentially the size of a Tolstoy novel and read like a lesson on the Geography of wine. The restaurant literally has its own wine cellars with capacity for 5,000 bottles of wine! When I chatted with the Master Sommelier, Will Lewis, he indicated that the cellar is temperature controlled and spans 800 square feet.
I peeked inside the cellar and it was really impressive with its high ceilings, red mahogany racks, marble countertops, stone flooring and hanging chandeliers. The whole look made me feel like I was in the wine cellar of a French Château. The wine list was organized by region and type and featured both new and old world wines. A couple of personal observations on the wine list is that the Sommelier included great wines from regions that do not typically receive a lot of play. The list also featured wines at every price level from very high-end wines to some exceptional value selections for casual drinking.
The first time we dined there, we selected one of the cheaper bottles of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from the Wine List, although the Sommelier came out to apologize that our selection had run out. Instead of telling us to make another selection, he offered us a higher priced bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, with the same flavor profile and PRICE as our original selection. This is a great example of phenomenal service and a restaurant taking ownership of their mistakes and actively working to ensure that the customer's needs were satisfied.
Will Lewis explained the tasting notes to us as he poured and explained that South African Sauvignon Blanc tends to have the same mineral and apple/peach notes as New Zealand's Marlborough region. If you visit The Winery, I highly encourage you to chat with their Master Sommelier and Wine Director, Will Lewis ; I guarantee he will find you a wine that matches your meal, preference and budget. Then again, if you sit there long-enough, Will will great you at the table with his big-smile.
Food Reviews
Yes I have spent significant time talking about the ambiance and service, as they are the basic pillars of a great dining experience; although enough of the foreplay, let's talk about the food! Like I previously stated, I have included dishes from both of our experiences, so be ready for quite a few mouth-watering descriptions.
The Cheese Plate came with three cheeses Tomme D'Savoie, Laura Chanel, and a Double Cream Brie. The cheese plate came paired with candied walnuts, grapes, currants, honey and a decorative drizzles of balsamic. The first cheese Tome de Savoie is a variety of Tomme cheese from the town of Savoie in the Rhone-Alpes region of France. It is a cow's milk cheese that is mild and semi firm. The Cheese has beige interior and a brown-grew rind. This type of cheese typically has a lower fat content as a result of it being made from making butter and rich cheeses. It was pleasant and creamy and paired perfect with the almonds and honey.
The second cheese was a Laura Chanel, which is a French style cheese produced locally from California sheep. This cheese has a milder flavor due to the low stress lifestyle of the goats, compliments of the pleasant Southern California weather. The last cheese was a double-cream brie (I didn't get the name of the producer), but it was soft creamy and lovely and paired especially well with the currants and walnuts. All three cheeses were pleasant and paired well with our Shannon Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa. This dish received 4.25 out of 5, although amazing selections, a higher score could have been earned if additional sides were provided to accompany the cheese.
Calamari Appetizer consisted of strips of the calamari's body section, which are dusted in an almond accented powder and deep-fried light golden brown. The almond powder added richness and nuttiness to the flavor of this classic dish. The flavor of the calamari flesh was pleasantly mild, while still retaining the classic fried squid flavor. The calamari was accompanied by a marinated (almost pickled) cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had a light and bright vinegar brine, which refreshed the palate between bites of the lush calamari. For dipping, there was a "Spicy Tomato and Saffron Aioli Sauce". The flavor of the sauce was rich; yet, the sauce was bright on the palate from the acidity of the tomato and zing from the chilies. The sauce by itself was a great execution of flavors. This dish received a 4 of 5. This dish would have received a higher score, but the crust was just a tad on the soft side for my preference, although I maintain that the flavor was delicious.
Santa Barbara Heirloom Tomatoes consisted of layers of fresh cut red and yellow heirloom tomatoes, with alternating slices of Burrata cheese. The dish was topped with micro arugula, lemon olive oil and aged balsamic. These tomatoes were locally grown in Santa Barbara, less than a 3 hour drive from the farm. As a result of using local produce, the natural flavors of the heirloom tomatoes were dominate on my palate. The salt and cream from the Burrata accentuated and balanced the acidity of the tomatoes. The arugula added a savory nutty flavor, which tied the individual ingredients into a well-constructed dish. Our server, Chris, even brought out a flavored salt selection to add to the tomato dish. I selected the wine infused salt, which added a wine/oak subtlety to the flavor profile. This was a simple, yet fresh an exciting dish that utilized locally grown and organic ingredients that was ripe full of flavors. This dish received a 4.5 out of 5.
The Winery House Salad consisted of baby greens, endive, candied walnuts, Roquefort cheese, red grapes, tomatoes, apples, and Dijon mustard vinaigrette. The salad had a balance of buttery, nutty and bitter flavors. The grapes and candied walnuts provided a sweet balance to the lettuce varieties and the Roquefort Cheese created a layer of salty creaminess to the dish. The Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette bound all the flavors together by adding a sweet tangy mustard vinegar flavor to the party. Although just a salad, this dish became the talk of the table. This dish received 4 out of 5.
Seared Ahi Tower consists of seared Ahi slices stacked atop thin wedges of fresh avocado, mango and julienned and pickled cucumber. This dish was then drizzled with a cilantro orange vinaigrette and crowned with micro-greens. Presentation wise, this dish was sexy and qualifies as food porn, as I just wanted to stare at it. I spread out the tuna over the plate and let it sit in its own juices. I was sure to add a little of the cucumber and avocado to the mix as well, ensuring that I got the full treatment. The Tuna was seared a perfect 1/8 inch on all sides of the loin. The smoky and peppery flavor paired nicely with the smooth and delicate pink Ahi flesh.. The mango and pickled cucumber added a refreshing contrast with its sweet vinegary cilantro orange sauce. This dish received 4.5 out of 5 for great balance of flavors, while allowing the natural flavors of the Ahi to be enjoyed.
Main Dishes
Chili Lime rubbed Mahi-Mahi consisted of Hawaiian Mahi-Mahi, atop jasmine rice with roasted pistachio, accompanied by a lemon grass Gewürztraminer butter sauce and garnished with tropical fruit chutney. This was one of the most remarkable dishes to come out of Chef Goetz's kitchen, as it masterfully combined the right blend of ingredients, textures and flavors in each bite.
Let me start by describing with the main ingredient, the Hawaiian Mahi-Mahi. This fish has dense white meat with a mild and slightly sweet flavor. The Mahi-Mahi was marinated with a chili powder, lime juice and possibly olive oil; my guess is that the fish was marinated for several hours, as the flavors soaked into the flesh. The Mahi-Mahi was then grilled on what appears to be high-heat, as evidenced by the nice char lines. This technique helps to lock in the natural juices in the meat, thus retaining its natural flavor. The Jasmine rice was soft and supple and had beautiful aromatics from ginger root, cilantro and sweet onion. Around the plate and soaked into the perimeter of the rice was the Gewürztraminer sauce, which literally gave me the "O Face" when I tried it for the first time. This sauce uses a classic French saucing technique that utilized reduced wine and butter. Since Chef Goetz is from the Alace region of France (near the German Border), it is obvious that his roots influence him to use a sweeter wine native to that region called Gewürztraminer. The Wine appears to have been reduced down with the lemon grass stalk and the adding the butter to create a sweet and savory sauce that truly is like a sexy hug in the mouth. On top of the fish is a tropical fruit chutney containing pan caramelized pineapple, papaya, mango, onion and bell peppers with an agave syrup. The flavor is a balanced sweetness that gives you full mouth sweetness, without overpowering the palate with sugar. The individual components of this dish were delicious as I picked them off the plate to taste them on their own merit, although together, the flavors were simply amazing. The sweet and smoky chili flavor of the fish created a nice contrast with the sweet, savory sauce. The sweet cream sauce mellowed the chili spiciness and the chili added a very subtle smoky zing to the sweet butter sauce that cut its richness. The sweetness of the chutney also served to balance this dish by adding cool tropical flavors to both the sauce and the Mahi-Mahi. The aromatic rice acted as a stabilizer between the flavors, adding a common thread of consistency to each bite. This dish also had a perfect balance of textures, from the slightly crispy exterior of the fish contracted with the smoothness of the sauce, together creating a pleasant tongue feel of smooth and crisp. The fruit chutney also provided a slight crunch and the roasted pistachio around the plate provided a playful diversion of textures to the overall texture of each fork full. This dish was amazing and I would order it often as I can afford. I am giving it a rare 5 out of 5 for freshness, flavor, originality, use of fresh ingredients and overall presentation. I was also very impressed with his fusion of Hawaiian based recipe with classical French technique.
USDA Prime All Natural Grain Fed Flat Iron Steak – Aged 21-28 days –First of all for those who are unfamiliar as to what is a Flat Iron Steak, the name reflects its shape, as it looks like an old fashion flat iron. This cut of meat comes from the shoulder of the cow and is flavorful and relatively tender.When the dish came to my table, I saw a nice flat iron steak with asparagus and fluffy mashed potatoes. The plating was elegant with the mashed potatoes propping up the steak, asparagus flaring out and drizzled with steak drippings and a decorative splash of the cilantro sauce.
The steak was very tender and juicy and I could taste the natural beef flavors of the steak in each bite. The flat iron Steak somewhat reminds me of a new York Strip Steak, with a slightly firmer texture, although equally tender. When I bit into the steak it was juicy and full of flavor, similar to a steak that was cooked on the bone. This steak was a pleasure to eat. The mashed potatoes were obviously made with love; and as my foodie fans know, love comes in the form of butter. These mashed potatoes were light and fluffy and had hints of black truffle. The asparagus was fresh bright green hue and a slight crush when I ate them. This dish received a 4.0 out of 5.
Zinfandel Braised Beef Short Ribs Risotto was a very rich and flavorful risotto, which gains its character from the Zinfandel based sauce, shaved black truffles and slices parmesan. The base of this dish is a creamy risotto which is integrated with chunks short rib. The short rib was braised (slow cooked….think crock pot style) with Zinfandel wine, so it brings a sweet, rich and luxurious element to the flavor party. The rice in the risotto was cooked nicely, such that the texture was soft and slightly gooey, yet retained an ever so slight firmness. This texture difference makes the risotto have a pleasant mouth feel.
I picked the short rib out of the cast iron pan and discovered that very nice portion of short rib in the dish. The chunks of braised short rib were juicy and had a sweet and rich flavor of zinfandel. The meat was braised long enough so the meat fell apart along the muscle line. If I managed my spoonfuls properly, there was just enough meat to get chunk of short rib in every bite, . I personally prefer a risotto with just enough meat mix ins to leave me desiring a little bit more. To all the single guys or gals reading my blog, let me put this meat to risotto ratio balance conundrum in your language. When eating your short rib risotto, you want the short rib to appear on your fork, when you are feeling randy for some sweet meat (i.e. short rib Booty Call). Next lets consider the alternative; although you might enjoy getting some short rib when you are in the mood, you don't want it showing up on your fork uninvited ("short rib stalker").
Now that we understand the merits of the individual components, let analyze the overall flavor qualities of this dish. When I placed a spoonful in my mouth, the creamy richness of the sauce made from the parmesan and beef stock was comforting like a mother's soft touch. The flavors from the Zinfandel reduction made my mouth water from the sweet and luscious flavors. Although when I bit down into the luscious black truffles, the flavor were no longer a Mother's soft touch, but rather something a little naughty. I blushed a little as I swallowed the risotto….what would my Mother think? I am giving this dish a 4.75 for near perfect blending of ingredients into a composite dish. Extra points were given for flawless inclusion of wine into the dish.
Prime Beef Tenderloin and Wild Shrimp Napoleon with Tarragon reduction sauce with Cabernet Essence –I have one word for this dish, Amazing! This dish consists of a jumbo wild shrimp perched atop a delicate medallion of Tenderloin and supported by what appears to be a vegetable risotto. Poured over the surf and turf tower was a creamy "tarragon reduction sauce". The dish was plated with a spoonful of "Essence of Cabernet Sauvignon sauce".
Let me first describe the individual components that make up this "Napoleon". Starting from the top of this dish is a wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. The shrimp was beautifully cooked, such that it was just barely pink and slightly translucent. The texture of the shrimp was juicy and slightly firm with a slight snap on the first bite. The flavor was primarily the naturally sweet protein shrimp flavor, along with hints of butter, pepper, and white wine. The next layer of the Napoleon was the Tenderloin, which is the Hugh Jackman of steak cuts; all the ladies want a piece. This steak was tender and extremely easy to cut with a butter knife. It was so tender in fact, that I was able to cut it atop a pile of risotto without disturbing the risotto's mound. Per my request, the tenderloin was perfectly cooked, pink throughout the center and dripping with natural juices. The flavor of the steak was heaven, with the natural beef flavors taking center stage. The next element is the vegetable risotto, which was creamy and had a pleasant alternating texture of firm softness from the rice and crunchiness of sweated vegetables. The tarragon reduction sauce had a pleasant aromatic quality and flavors similar to anise, fresh cream and pan renderings. This was a dish that was well executed on the individual ingredient basis and well composed as a dish. I am giving this dish a 4.5 out of 5.
Seared Alaskan Hallibut was a lovely dish that consisted of a pan seered filet of Alaskan Halibut sitting atop "Housemade Cabernet linguine", sautéed wild mushrooms and a red wine reduction sauce. This dish was also garnished with endamame, kalamata olives and micro-greens. The Halibut was seared on a high heat (obviously with a little butter), to create a perfect crusty golden brown seer. The flavor of the halibut was pleasantly mild with a slight hint of butter and had a firm and flakey texture. The mouth feel was a combination of juicy moistness and a crisp tongue feel. Since the Cabernet linguine was house made so it was extremely fresh tasting, tender and had a subtle hint of red wine. When I broke apart of portion of the halibut with my fork, it gently flaked apart and exposed its juicy white flesh. I took a fork full of all the ingredients and bit down into it, the flavors delicately combined to give a very comforting flavor of sweetness, fruit, oak., butter, nutty mushrooms and delicate fish proteins . The sweet buttery flavor of the halibut served as the a canvas for the flavors of the wine in the reduction, mushrooms and linguine to paint a playful mosaic and sweet and savory flavors. This was a remarkable dish with a perfect balance of flavors and textures, not to mention it was beautifully plated. This dish received a 4.5 out of 5.
Desserts – I am not a big dessert person, so I am not going to give you a big description of each. With that said, I manage to eat my own dessert and had a wandering spoon that made its way to everyone else's dessert. I single handedly ate most of the deserts on the table.
White Peach, Blueberry and Almond Cobbler– This dessert cooked White Peaches and blueberries in a cast iron pan and covered it with an almond infused flaky cobbler crust and adorned with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. This dessert had an awesome blend of cream and acidity. Creamy textures and crunch. Score: 4.5 out of 5
Mango-Chocolate Chip Crème Brule This timeless custard dish was infused with puree of Mango and a some chocolate chips, giving this dish a fresh taste. At first the table was like, " ehhh another creme brule…", although when it came out everyone was like "ohhhhhhh… I should have gotten that!" Needless to say, this dish got around and everyone had their turn spooning it. The dessert was topped with fresh fruit and a delicious Chocolate cookie. This dish received a 4.25 out of 5.
Valhrona Chocolate Duo- This dish is a duo of chocolate bites that features Valhorona chocolate, which is a luxury chocolate manufacturer in the wine growing region of Lyon in France. This dessert pays homage to this chocolate in the form of two different deserts. The first was a rich and creamy pudding mouse and the other was a sweet brioche bun stuffed with a chocolate mouse. As a bonus, the dessert included a chocolate covered strawberry. Score 4.5 out of 5.
My Final Thoughts
As I previously mentioned, this review is based on two separate visits so I feel comfortable saying that this just might be the best restaurant in Orange County and among the elite in Southern California. The food is remarkable and some of the more creative and delicious dishes I have experienced. What separates The Winery's Dishes from other restaurants is Chef Goetz flawless integration of Classical Cooking Techniques with modern cuisine and subtle use of fusion flavors. In addition, the ingredients used by the Chef's staff were extremely fresh, vibrant and obviously of a higher quality. This restaurant pulls together the right elements of unexpected excellence in service with high-end dishes to create a memorable dining experience. When I give a restaurant a very high score (anything over 4.5), it means that I am actively talking about the restaurant with friends a couple of days ahead of time and contemplating what I am going to order in the car on the way to the restaurant. If the experience lived up to my expectations I am talking about the restaurant on the way home and Blogging about it later that week. Simple moments of personal joy and food rapture is all it takes to help take us out of our daily routine and make each of us feel like everything is right in the world. My personal congratulations to the Staff at the Winery for a well-deserved overall score of 4.75 out of 5, I am already planning my next visit.
The Winery's Website: www.thewineryrestaurant.net
Review on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-winery-restaurant-and-wine-bar-tustin-2
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