Ask Emma

Question: I have a boyfriend of three years who is not in a hurry to marry me. Before him, I have dated another guy for six years. With that guy, when I realized that our relationship was going nowhere, I left him for good. It was not easy. From the moment I decided to do so to the actual break-up, I spent more than a year agonizing over my decision and going on again off again with him. Even after that, the actuall split was painful and I woudn't want to go through something like that once more. Unfortunately, I see the situation repeating itself with my current boyfriend. I am almost 30, ready to marry and all, and he is not even close to settling down. I am about to call it quits, but if I find another one like him and continue dating for years without getting married, how long it’ll take me to start a family?
Answer: You seem to be attracted to men who are not eager to commit. Incidentally or not, you haven't expressed any interest in any of your boyfriends other than getting married and starting a family. If that's your only goal, direct your search toward the “marrying material--” those men who are clear about their desire to settle down. If you truly love your current boyfriend, then maybe being with him is more important than getting married right now. If he loves you, too, he will eventually take your desire to start a family into consideration.

The Arabian Nights Lavishly Delightful at Berkeley Rep

A long anticipated return visit of a famous Chicago writer/director to Berkeley Rep did not disappoint. After her latest great success with Argonautica, Mary Zimmerman turned to another world classic, The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, comprised of innumerous fables and tied together by the character of Scheherezade—a smarty who escapes death from a bloodthirsty shah by drugging him with her folk tales night after night. The stage for “The Arabian Nights” is set with Moroccan lanterns and Persian rugs (those alone rented for a hefty amount of a hundred grand—scenic designer Daniel Ostling). The cast is handpicked by the director and is indulgingly invested in rhetoric, chanting, acrobatics, song and dance, and even improv pieces that change from one performance to another to keep the never-ending story fresh. The fables are chosen to represent the wide scope of the original, with tragic love accounts intertwined with hilarious anecdotes, and frivolous little plots intermingled with unbelievable moral tales. All in all, throughout the whole show, the viewers remain fully engaged with the delights of masterful storytelling coming alive in front of their eyes. The Arabian Nights runs through January 4, 2009 on Thrust Stage at Berkeley Rep, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Weekend performances are accompanied by free tasting from wine and gourmet food producers. To learn more, visit www.berkeleyrep.org. Call for tickets and info: 510-647-2949. Photo courtesy of kevinberne.com. To save her life, Scheherezade (Sofia Jean Gomez) must tell tales to the king Shahryar (Ryan Artzberger) in The Arabian Nights.

Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci at Legion of Honor Exhibited for the First Time in U.S.

An undisputed genius of all times, Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was more concerned with becoming “an expert on everything” as curator James Ganz put it, than with marketing his mind-boggling ideas and his awe-inspiring doodles. Famous and revered for just a few paintings he’s been engaged enough to finish in his lifetime, Leonardo was producing his drawings in thousands for exercise and for his own research, never being concerned with their preservation for posterity. The exhibit of 11 drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin, including three that are double-sided, and one bound notebook, dating from about 1480 to 1510, just opened at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. The subjects matter ranges from anatomical studies of humans and animals to machine parts and architectural renderings. One of the sheets includes a fragment of a poem. The notebook on view is the most well known Codex on the Flight of Birds. Previously shown at the Birmingham Museum of Art, “Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin,” has been loaned to a U.S. exhibition for the first time. Lincoln Park, 34th Avenue and Clement Street, san Francisco, www.legionofhonor.org, 415-750-3600; www.famsf.org. Image: Leonardo da Vinci, Angel for the “Virgin of the Rocks”, ca. 1483–1485. Metal point heightened with white on prepared paper. Collection of the Biblioteca Reale, Turin, and used with permission of the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, inv. no. 15572. Photograph by Fabrizio Fenucci.

Boris Godunov at SF Opera Revives Original Version

Never mind those historical inaccuracies in the Russian genius’s play. Alexander Pushkin was not a historian after all, and poets possess a right to sacrifice Cleo to other muses. So what if Tsar Boris didn’t kill Tsarevich Dimitri, and in hindsight happened to be the most progressive ruler in centuries—the story is built upon his unredeemable guilt. A typical Russian [glorious doom and gloom] opera, Boris Godunov explores intimate connections between power and the people, personal trials and tribulations and their global implications, and the inherent to the culture in question dilemma of means and results. In San Francisco Opera production, conducted by Vassily Sinaisky and directed by Julia Pevzner, a constellation of operatic stars, lead by Samuel Ramey (Boris Godunov) flawlessly delivered the complex and hard to perform Mussorgsky’s original version from 1869. The production also marked Mr. Ramey’s 30th anniversary with SF Opera. Next in the company’s this year repertoire are: Giacomo Puccini “La Boheme” through December 7 and Three Decembers by Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer—a West Coast premiere Dec. 11, 12, 14. To learn more, visit www.sfopera.com. Photo by Terrence McCarthy.

Feast For All Senses Awaits In Applewood Inn

Driving up Russian River valley, tasting Moscato Frizzante at Korbel, and wandering the rusty dusty trails of Armstrong Redwoods were all in a day’s walk, but no Wine Country experience would be complete without staying overnight in one of its legendary bed and breakfasts… While entering the grounds of Applewood Inn, with its foursome of apple-blossom-painted houses around a toy courtyard, I knew I was in a special place, far removed from the troubles of the world. The property looked like a fairy-tale town—compact and self-contained, with its own fruit orchard, vegetable garden, herb flowerbeds and rosebushes, surrounded by serene redwoods under the vast blue sky of a gentle Sonoma autumn. A large bear-faced dog warned me not to come close to the open swimming pool, but then rolled over and begged to play. After walking among the fig trees and fragrant roses in their last passionate bloom, and watching full moon bathing in the pool, I felt like asking for a political asylum here. And that was even before we settled into our airy room with a luxurious bed and a Jacuzzi with a view, and sat to dinner at the famous Applewood restaurant. Darryl Notter and Jim Caron bought the property back in 1985, when it just turned from a 1922 family home into a contemporary B&B. Both owners left San Francisco behind in order to live and work on premises, and it becomes immediately obvious for any visitor that to run this kind of business with this level of success requires a wholehearted investment of self, and something else—that thing called love… In the years following their purchase, Notter and Caron added the Piccola Casa and the Gate House to the old Belden [the original owner’s name] building, and a French barn-style restaurant to sit up to 75 for fine dining and all kinds of receptions. The owners, who know their food and wine, made it a point to hire only exceptionally talented young chefs. We were lucky to indulge in a feast created by Bruce Frieseke—a philosopher chef, who takes an existential approach to each individual ingredient, bringing out “its inherent essence in a way that harmonizes with a dish as a whole.” Jokes aside, Frieseke must be one of the best-educated chefs around, with studies in philosophy, math, and French language, literature and history under his belt. He used to work with Loretta Keller at Bizou, and as an executive chef of The French Garden and Manzanita Restaurant before taking the lead at Applewood. Frieseke’s Parisian pastry chef’s two-year experience allows him to come up with creative desserts, undeniably and exquisitely harmonized with a dinner menu as a whole… As I said before, we were very lucky to have Chef’s Tasting Menu, perfectly balanced and nuanced to the level of poetry. That one would be hard to top… The restaurant supplements great food with an array of carefully selected wines, mostly from highly esteemed local winemakers, many from Russian River area. After dinner, we walked a little in a moonlit garden, and our sleep in a comfy Gate House room was undisturbed in the stillness of the night. In the morning, it was time to drive back to the world and to work, but not before we were treated to a caramelized grapefruit and Belgian waffle breakfast with fresh strawberries, bananas, and bacon, and a cup of Red Rooster’s French Roast to start the day right. Goodbye, Applewood, we shall return! To reserve Applewood Inn at 13555 Highway 116, Guerneville, CA, 95446, call 707-869-9093 or visit http://www.applewoodinn.com/. To learn about special events, packages, and upcoming celebrations, see also http://www.russianriverinns.com/. Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. Applewood courtyard, Belden House. 2. Co-owner Jim Caron with chef Bruce Frieseke. 3. That's how the chef's menu starts. 4. Swimming pool with a spa for two. 5. Jacuzzi with a view.

Case Ranch Inn is a Dollhouse Retreat

Spending a night at Case Ranch Inn is like turning into a fruit worm imbedded into a sweet summer plum. You rest in luxury and softness, hugged by the warm, sun-drenched walls made of pure sugar. You feast on a tree-ripe fruit, and feel safe and happy. A fantasy? At Case Ranch, the reality comes very close. A renovated Victorian farmhouse built around 1894 and now painted turquoise blue is furnished with period pieces and knick-knacks, gathered from family and friends’ attics and local estate sales. Entering the inn is like coming back to a family home [a century ago], all primped and ready for dear guests. If it weren’t for a free Wi-Fi-offering laptop on a desk, the parlor would have looked like your next stop in time travel. Lovingly and painstakingly restored by Allan Tilton, a traffic engineer, and Diana Van Ry, a judicial assistant for Sonoma County Superior Court during their full-time working years, the house has three bedrooms, named after the owners’ daughters—Kathleen, Korinna, and Elizabeth. Each room has a bonboniere feel with its floral wallpaper, original windowpanes with thick wavy glass, and cozy dollhouse layout, but is equipped with all the modern conveniences, plush robes, and a luxury bed with all-cotton linens. A private cottage in a garden has a kitchenette for additional privacy. A two-acre garden with rose bushes, a gazebo, a spa, and a fountain; a fruit orchard, a kitchen garden, and a small vineyard surround the house. The land has been designated a registered National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat. In 2003 and 2006 solar power systems were added to Case Ranch Inn, which was recently certified eco-green. After a relaxing night’s sleep on a pillow-top mattress, I woke up and looked out the window. In an unbelievably quiet country morning, flaming-red leaves of an ash tree were seen through the fog, two black dogs were circling a distant neighbor’s yard, and a flock of California quails were crossing the road to the house. I went downstairs—a wide terrace with wicker armchairs invited to sit down, forget the world, and watch squirrels play on a green lawn. For breakfast, our gracious hostess treated us to her orchard’s fresh figs, Belgian waffles with her own raspberry sauce, apple sausages, and strong coffee. Diana cooks her guests’ breakfasts every day, using organic ingredients whenever possible, and providing sustainable and healthy meals. Allan is an avid beer maker, treating the guests to free tasting of his own sophisticated brews. The inn is located in close proximity to the Russian River valley famous wineries, like Korbel and Rodney Strong; Steelhead Beach Regional Park, with fishing, boating, kayaking, and picnic grounds all year round; Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, and Sonoma Coast State Park, where Russian River meets the ocean—what an itinerary for a weekend visit! For an intimate and carefree retreat reserve Case Ranch Inn, 7446 Poplar Drive, Forestville, CA, 95436. Call 877-887-8711 or go to: http://www.caseranchinn.com/, or http://www.russianriverinns.com/. Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. Diana Van Ry serves homemade breakfast at Case Ranch Inn. 2. Case Ranch Inn. 3. Korbel Champagne Cellars with its garden-like grounds is a short drive away from Case Ranch Inn.

Spicy Means Flavorful, Not Hot at Aroma Cuisine of India

Opened only three months ago, this little restaurant in Castro Valley enjoys lunchtime regulars, and in the evening, local families and groups of friends pack the place filled with a warm smell of freshly baked nan and a myriad of spices. “I grew up in India, and I don’t like hot peppery food,” said Satinder Grewal, who owns the place together with her husband, Pardeep, and her brother, Raja Singh. “When we were growing up, I remember different aromas coming from our home kitchen when a delicious dinner was cooking. Spicy Indian cuisine is not just hot, as many people think. To me, it’s a variety of tastes and flavors.” This variety is reflected in the menu, which encompasses culinary traditions from different regions of India, offering a number of tandoori specialties and vegetarian dishes along with chicken, lamb, and seafood staples. Singh, who possesses resort and restaurant work experience from his previous occupations, and is a distinguished cook himself, oversees the daily activities of his three chefs. “My chef can create 170 kinds of nan,” he said. “Just name any.” On the menu, there are at least ten kinds of Indian bread, all put in the oven following every individual order. With two large tandoor ovens, the kitchen cooks marinated meats in 15-20 minutes to each customer’s specifications. Any dish can be prepared in mild, medium, or hot range of spiciness in curry, masala, or korma sauce—all of which are cooked by Singh personally every day. The family opened Aroma Cuisine of India—the only Indian restaurant in Castro Valley—after getting tired of traveling to Fremont for a decent dinner. “We all love good food,” said Grewal, whose husband, a lawyer, works for the family restaurant on his free time, “now we have a place for it. We eat here every day.” She said that following Indian traditions of hospitality, every patron at the restaurant is treated as a houseguest. “We pay special attention to the service,” said Grewal, “Raja talks to every visitor. He makes sure people are getting what they want.” It’s easy to get what you want when every dish is cooked to order, and flavorful sauces are created in-house using fresh self-made yogurt. The restaurant also offers all-inclusive dinner platters, popular with large groups. Located in the heart of a central shopping area, under a clock tower, Aroma Cuisine of India attracts visitors to its cozy dining room with large windows and nicely spaced tables, an outdoor patio seating, attentive wait staff, and the freshest and most aromatic Indian cuisine one can imagine. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Take out, catering, and free delivery in Castro Valley available. 3418 Village Drive, Castro Valley. 510-888-9555, www.aromacuisineofindia.com. Photo by Yuri Krasov. Sister and brother, Satinder Grewal and Raja Singh eat at their own restaurant every day.

Fun With Wine in Calistoga

Traveling to the Wine Country often stops at the foot of the valley for obvious reasons. However, rewarding discoveries await those who can resist the temptation of overtasting in Napa. Let’s take that HW 29 a little farther North, continue when it turns into 128, and proceed to Calistoga for a change. Bennett Lane Winery is located at the northernmost edge of Napa Valley, where a mini vineyard showcasing different grapes for close comparison, and a spacious picnic area surround its cozy tasting room. A blending session, which Bennett Lane offers to groups of six or more, is the highlight of any wine-tasting experience. First, you sniff the aromatics placed in empty wine glasses. Smells of fresh raspberry, blueberry preserves, or a candid pineapple are supposed to spring up in your mind when you are trying to define the aroma of a cab or a char. Then, the group sits down around a table, where Bennett Lane’s own Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are prepared for the winery’s Maximus blend, characterized as “red feasting wine.” Taking a pipette in hand, and creating your own blend surely makes you think of infinite possibilities of a winemaker’s talent buried deep inside [your profession here]. The process of blending and tasting your own creation surely serves as yet another proof that the best wine is the one you like. You also have an opportunity to see how tastes really differ among the people you thought you knew... After your blend is done, you cork, label, and take home your own bottle of Maximus. Owned by Randy and Lisa Lynch, Bennett Lane is open to the public daily from 10 to 5:30. Blending sessions require a group and an advance reservation. 3340 Highway 128, 707-942-6684, http://www.bennettlane.com/. Frank Family Vineyards, located in the historic Larkmead winery in Calistoga and owned by a Disney executive Rich Frank (with wife Connie) just opened a new tasting room. Actually, there are several rooms—one for sparkling wines, generously decorated with Mr. Frank’s pictures posing next to one or another showbiz celeb; another for still wines, plus one for VIP receptions, and one looking like a 1950s club with pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich on the walls. Todd Graff, the winemaker, took us on a tour of the facility, established way back in 1884. He introduced the whole process of winemaking with out-of-barrel tasting. That was a rare chance to follow the journey of Frank Family’s nationally distributed Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from a cloudy yeasty liquid with a smell of laundry detergent to a finished product, delightful with the depth of flavor and color. Open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free tasting, tours, and picnic grounds. 1091 Larkmead Lane, Calistoga. 800-574-9463, http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com/ Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. Wine blending session at Bennett Lane. 2. Your correspondent checks out some grapes with a winemaker's dog. 3. Winemaker Rob Hunter. 4. Out-of-barrel tasting with winemaker Todd Graff at Frank's Family Vineyards. 5. Historic building at Frank's Family.

To Die or Not to Die in ACT’s “The Quality of Life”

Known for raising provocative questions and bringing to its stage the most unorthodox playwrights and directors, A.C.T. presented a Jane Anderson-written and directed play that kept viewers on edge of their seats for the duration of the show. “The Quality of Life” is mostly about life robbed and stripped of its quality, when a toothbrush becomes a much more valuable item than a tribal mask brought back from a scientific expedition, and an avocado tree planted in freezing Ohio is intended as a poor substitute for a lost child. The play consists mostly of dialogs, which are all arguments, because in this day and age there is no way to reconcile disparate views on the meaning of human existence, life and death, religion and free thought, love and obligation, freedom and responsibility. (And the definitively timeless play does not even touch upon politics!) The clash of characters and ideas is all happening within a family, pitting idealism against reality and bringing to the surface harbored emotions rarely displayed in normal circumstances. To make sure the boredom of normalcy is not creeping in and disturbing the beauty or the play’s rhetoric, the author employs a firestorm, a psycho killer, an incurable disease, and a bunch of coyotes to keep the high voltage of the on-stage action. A foursome of JoBeth Williams, Steven Culp, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Laurie Metcalf, with three original award-winning cast members, delivers every line of the play with a force and power of an electric current. Runs through Nov. 23 at A.C.T. Geary Theatre, 415 Geary Theatre, SF. More info at: www.act-sf.org. Photo by Kevin Berne. Dinah (JoBeth Williams) and Neil (Dennis Boutsikaris).

Sophisticated Fall Shows at SFMOMA Cater to Diverse Tastes

“Martin Puryear” exhibit at SFMOMA, a retrospective of the artist’s abstract sculptures, located in the fifth-floor gallery, looks like a giant playground, or an alternative reality with its own time, space, and architecture. Most works are created of wood, and the warmth of the material, its naturally inviting quality, and its touchability immediately transports a visitor into a land of childhood memories and playful promises. Not that Puryear’s sculptures are lighthearted or deprived of serious context—to the contrary, many of them bare multi-layered connotations of basic human aspirations, hopes, and disappointments, and references to African-American history, its prominent figures, and psyche-forming events. Puryear mostly relies on his artwork to deliver a story, supplementing his pieces with often vague or half-pronounced titles, but this absence of didactic approach grants the viewers an invaluable freedom of interpretation. Two other shows just opened and not to be missed are “The Art of Participation: 1950 to Now” which explores the decades of participatory art, created with a help of the public, and “Passageworks: Contemporary Art from the Collection,” featuring related artwork from the permanent collection, brought together for a stunning display of passages and passageways, perceived by the greatest names in contemporary art. “Martin Puryear” runs through January 25, 2009; “The Art of Participation” through February 8, and “Passageworks” through January 19. Image: Martin Puryear, Ladder for Booker T. Washington, 1996.

Days of the Dead and Joy of Life in Riviera Maya. Part 4

Not all of our travel time was about ghosts and spirits, though. We stayed in one of the newest hotels in Riviera Maya, Mandarin Oriental. Built in a sustainable and eco-friendly way, the hotel incorporated the coastal wilderness into its territory. Spacious squeaky-clean villas with floor to ceiling windows included outdoor patio with jacuzzi, all modern conveniences, and décor, derived from surrounding nature. Breakfasts at café Aguamarina, located right on the beach, resembled still lives by Frida Kahlo with their abundance of fresh local fruit bursting with color.
The Spa at the hotel offers individualized services. Lisa Selvin, who works for Mandarin Oriental, took us to the Mandala Garden and explained that visitors can choose their favorites from 12 medicinal herbs grown here and incorporate them in their spa treatments. Yet another luxurious and eco-friendly hotel, Hacienda Tres Rios, opens in Riviera Maya on November 15. The hotel is located on a three-river confluence, within 150 acres of a natural reserve with mangrove forests, undisturbed cenotes and white-sand beaches. This mini-town of a hotel will feature an all-inclusive plan, a dozen of restaurants and bars, a sommelier and tequila expert, and a chef extraordinaire Oscar Orbe. For those who like to be the first, 273 exquisitely decorated suites, spas, Temazcal bath, marina, yacht club, convention center, equestrian center and nature park featuring a Mayan cultural center and nature preserve are waiting… To learn more, visit: http://www.rivieramaya.com/, http://www.xcaret.com/, http://www.alltournative.com.mx/, http://www.mandarinoriental.com/, http://www.haciendatresrios.com/. Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. New luxurious rooms await at Hacienda Tres Rios which opens tomorrow. 2. This traveler agrees with Angie Martinez and Alma Lopez of Hacienda Tres Rios that the terracotta color scheme is very fitting for the environment. 3. A beach view at Mandarin Oriental. 4. A view from Aguamarina restaurant. 5. Avocado soup offers cold comfort at Aguamarina.

Days of the Dead and Joy of Life in Riviera Maya. Part 3

Riviera Maya is rich with archeological sites. One of them, Tulum, is a compact and relatively well-preserved historic city on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It is also the only one remaining from those built on the brink of Hispanic conquest. Its new program, Tulum de Noche, offers visitors an audio tour in six languages and a live guide who leads tourists into the site in complete darkness, with sea waves crushing somewhere underneath. Mysterious red, green, and blue lights are playing on the ruins of formerly opulent castles, temples, and dwellings creating an unforgettable impression of a ghost town. Photo by Yuri Krasov. Tulum temple at night.

Days of the Dead and Joy of Life in Riviera Maya. Part 2

To get to the roots of this amazing culture we traveled with an adventure tour company, Alltournative, to Pac Chen—a self-sufficient village, where electricity has been installed only a month ago. As one of our guides put it, “In the middle of the jungle Maya feel like you would in a supermarket—all imaginable food, medicine, building materials—everything is within reach.”
Alltournative employs villagers to work in sustainable tourism industry, and provides a source of income and education for the locals and highly trained guides for the tourists.
Marco Gasca Solis, our guide, said that he abandoned Mexico-city three years ago and decided to live among the Maya, closer to nature. His wife and a newly born daughter live with him nearby.
“Maya are happy people, they like their life and love each other. They play and joke, and live in harmony with the surrounding world,” said Solis.
Mayan villages are usually built around sacred sources of drinking water—cenotes—natural sinkholes connected to underground rivers. In Pac Chen, the cenote is called Jaguar Eyes, because looking down into its depth one can see two greenish round daylight reflections instead of a usual one. A tourist group ahead of us was preparing for rappelling down into cenote, and a local shaman performed a ritual, requesting permission from the god of water.Another similar ritual we witnessed right before our lunch, prepared by the generous people of this Mayan community. Cochinita pibil—a pit-baked pork, seasoned and wrapped in banana leaves, was cooked in the ground overnight and served with pickled red onions and corn tortillas. Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. Pac Chen cooks at work. 2. Pac Chen family ties.

Days of the Dead and Joy of Life in Riviera Maya. Part 1

The pounding sounds of drums, the smoke of incense, flickering candles on the altars dedicated to the deceased, and thousands of marigolds on the ground and on the altars—Life and Death Traditions Festival at eco-park Xcaret in Riviera Maya, is one of the many festive happenings in this young and fast-growing resort area of Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
In the dark, the air was fragrant with flowers and cool with sea breeze. A crowd of women in colorful embroidered dresses and men, clad in white, did not look sad—they were smiling. The Days of the Dead are not for grieving, but for greeting the dearly departed.
“People put candles on the ground, so the spirits of their dead relatives would find the way home,” explained Iliana Rodriguez, who’s been working for the theme park for many years. “After the celebration, the spirits have seven days to depart, so the candles are showing the way out, and family members throw some change through the door to help them with the ‘travel expenses.’ Nobody wants the dead to stay forever—they better come visit again next year.”
If spirits don’t depart on time, they become lost souls, unable to return to the other side or to come visit with their family again. Every year, kindhearted housewives leave some chicken drumsticks in the front yard for those hungry lost souls who might roam around.
This charming and humorous way of dealing with the greatest mystery of existence has its roots in an ancient Mayan belief, according to which the dead descend into the underworld, where they embark on a long and dangerous journey, which usually exhausts them and makes them hungry and thirsty. After successfully completing the journey, the dead return to their kin year after year until they are reincarnated for their next life.
In anticipation of these annual meetings, families clean their houses; cook special dishes, associated with the holiday; build makeshift altars, and decorate them with orange and white flowers—symbols of sun and clouds, paper-cut ornaments, toy skeletons, and photographs.
When a family sits down to dinner, cracking jokes and even teasing the dead as if they were alive and present, is customary.
In Mexico, people believe that their loved ones are not really dead as long as they are being remembered; therefore a lot of effort is invested into preserving memory…
October 31 is dedicated to the deceased children, and November 1 to the adults. On a child’s altar there would be toys and chocolate, and on an adult’s one—professional equipment, favorite foods, or accessories.
A typical altar reflects the three levels of the world, as it was perceived in pre-Hispanic Mexico: the dwelling of 13 Mayan gods (sky) on the top, Earth in the middle, and the underworld, where the nine vengeful gods live and test human souls, at the bottom.At Xcaret, the festival program includes an exhibit of altars, created by the park workers and guests from remote Mayan villages; genuine arts and crafts; traditional meals cooked on premises; open stages with multiple folkloric and classic performers, and even a mock cemetery, where five commissioned artists recreated some most interesting examples of typical gravesites with miniature haciendas, churches, and castles for gravestones. The annual event also helps people from different villages in the depth of selva meet and communicate with each other.

Photography by Yuri Krasov. 1. A makeshift altar and women in Yucatan dresses in Playa del Carmen on the Day of the Dead. 2. Young people with skull-painted faces join a night of fun at Xcaret.

Siam Palace in Hayward Features Traditional Thai Dances

Siam Palace is a little Thai restaurant in Hayward, with two dining rooms, tastefully decorated with authentic artifacts, and serving fresh, low-fat, flavorful dishes, prepared to order. The place is busy on most nights and during lunch hours, but especially sought after in November. In this anniversary month, traditional Thai dancers perform in full costume among the tables, in close proximity to the viewers, yet surrounded by the mysterious air of their ancient art. This year, Siam Palace celebrates its fourth anniversary, and a new program of Thai dances will be presented next week. Sandy, the owner of Siam Palace, who is always on premises, greeting her visitors with a smile and helping her wait staff, invites only schooled authentic dancers directly from Thailand. The restaurant serves a wide array of traditional dishes with well-pronounced flavors of lemon grass, garlic, and chili. Its tom ka soup became legendary for its balanced nuanced flavor, and the in-house recipe of green papaya salad, wrapped in wide rice noodle and drenched in delicate clear sauce is a favorite of this critic and a staple for regulars. The Thai dance program is offered with dinner on Wed., Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. Reservations recommended. Siam Palace is located at 22545 Foothill Blvd., Hayward, CA. Open 7 days a week for lunch, dinner, and take out. Call 510-581-6706.

Three Days of Wine and Roses in Los Gatos. Day Three.

To start a morning at Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company is to fully awake to the fact that life is great. Busy and bustling—this is a gathering place for the locals and tourists alike. People come accompanied by their friends, by their significant others, by their dogs, or just with their laptops, and all find a place here, at a high table by the mirrored wall or outside, on a sunny sidewalk. On our breakfast visit (buckwheat waffles with whipped cream are highly recommended!) we even saw a nursing mother [nursing] by a corner table, probably unaware that breast milk transports the energizer beverage right into her baby’s tiny brain. Oh well, he’ll probably grow up a coffee addict anyway. With this dense aroma of fresh-roasted beans in the air, who wouldn’t? Teri Hope, the company president, receives her hand-harvested and sun-dried coffee directly from her family farm in Kona, Hawaii, and roasts it daily in-house. Not far from here, our next destination is The Spa Los Gatos, whose owner Patti Rice sponsored her employees’ additional training to provide massages for cancer patients—a rarity in the industry. Upon entering the spa, it is easy to notice that every detail has been thought through here. Smiling receptionists, quiet passageways, and overstuffed cozy furniture immediately create a welcoming atmosphere. The level of comfort is significantly enhanced by comfortable waiting rooms, couple and group facilities, and individual steam showers with eucalyptus, lavender, or orange oil. All of that against the backdrop of warm dim lights and soothing music. Swedish massage, provided by Danielle Prauss, made this traveler feel as light as a feather and ready for more adventures. It was time to check out from our hotel; to walk once more around the beautiful downtown with well-appointed shopping area around Main St., University Ave., and Santa Cruz Ave.; to stop and smell the roses, and to gather for lunch at Dio Deka—a Hellenic cuisine restaurant, fit for the gods. The poetically sounding name reflects just a prosaic street number from the restaurant address—210 E. Main Street—but such is the power of an ancient language. The food, though, is pure poetry. Chef Salvatore Calisi, who grew up in a Greek neighborhood in New York, modestly referred to “quality ingredients” when asked how did he make his appetizers so wonderfully fresh and bursting with flavor. I would definitely go back for those bite-size pieces of grilled octopus—plump and tender, slightly blackened from the open mesquite fire, flavored with oregano and citrus olive oil… Grass-fed lamb chops and a bass, served with traditional potatoes sprinkled with lemon juice are also among the favorites. For a sweet farewell, on our way out of Los Gatos, we stopped for an exclusive tour of a unique estate winery—La Rusticana d’Orsa, where the owners, Frank and Marilyn Dorsa, created little Italy on hills and terraces of their sun-drenched land. In small yards, gardens and shady paths, overlooking the Bay, Italian cypresses guard heavy rose blossoms, lotus ponds, and statues of angels and graces, and mountain goats pasture peacefully on a green hillside. The gates of the estate, as well as fountains, sitting corners, and other structures, were designed by Marilyn Dorsa, who also designs original bracelets from Venetian glass beads and metalwork, sold in boutiques locally and as far as Moscow. The couple’s son, Bart Dorsa, is a filmmaker and a photography artist, currently working there. La Rusticana d’Orsa offers a club membership with direct purchase benefits, cooking and art classes, and new release parties. To learn more, visit: www.lgcrc.com, www.thespalosgatos.com, www.diodeka.com, www.marilyndorsa.com, www.larusticanadorsa.comPhotos by Yuri Krasov. 1. La Rusticana d’Orsa in all its glory. 2. Teri Hope oversees the roasting. 3. Frank and Marilyn Dorsa in one of their little gardens. 4. Patti Rice in The Spa Los Gatos.

Three Days of Wine and Roses in Los Gatos. Day Two

Staying in Toll House Hotel, named after the first historical tollbooth between Santa Cruz and San Jose is like living a pretend-believe life of a local resident. Our suite was cozy and quiet—all about creature comfort—and a soft bed with crisp linens after a hot bath with aromatic salts granted this lucky traveler a rare night of undisturbed sleep. In the morning, I stepped out to the balcony and marveled at the sheer blue mountain outlines wrapped in gentle fog, with redwood tops spearing the gauze. No matter how hot the sun is in the middle of the day, early mornings carry inland chilly messages from the ocean. After a short drive to the locally beloved Southern Kitchen, and parking between a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce (there are several of those dealerships in town, not to count Lamborghini) we joined our group for a hearty breakfast. Blueberry banana pancakes, recommended by a vice-mayor’s wife, Kim, were bursting with fresh berry juice and sweet banana flesh—well worth packing in some unnecessary calories. Our day adventure started with a walking tour of Los Gatos, put together by a team of volunteers, who man every historic building in town dressed in period costumes. The prominent citizens of the years past—like James Alexander Forbes who built the founding mill on the land of the future town, and Louise Van Meter—a teacher who introduced a concept of kindergarten at the turn of the last century, come alive and tell their stories intertwined with the history of their cherished town. A scandalous adventure of a stationmaster Eugene Ford who built an opera house to please his wife, and then ran away with a chorus girl, is humorously presented in the former Opera building, now serving as a banquet hall. After Forbes Mill History Museum, our group visited The Art Museum of Los Gatos and had a chance to glimpse at the annual juried show before we embarked on a neighborhood tour showcasing a Julia Morgan 1914 house among other architectural gems. Our lunch at Campo di Bocce included fried calamari, grilled shrimp, pizza, and a game of bocce—what a delightful team-building experience, even if you’ve never tried it before! That evening reception at California Café introduced exquisite wines from Cinnabar and “Passion in Every Glass” Testarossa—the Bay Area oldest continuously operating winery, presented by its owner, Rob Jensen. Yet another local talent—executive chef Taylor Boudreaux, boldly served stake tartar and lamb chops for hors d’oeuvres. “Give my regards to Nick,” he suggested slyly, knowing that the group would proceed to dinner at Nick’s on Main… And where to get enough words to describe this fine establishment? For a special pairing with notorious wines from Black Ridge Vineyards—Viognier, Pinot Noir, and San Andreas Red—chef/owner Nick Difu created a masterpiece of a five-course meal with the most original combination of rare ahi tuna and warm white beans, and wild mushroom risotto fragrant with truffle oil. “I wanted this restaurant to be a good place for a family dinner,” said Difu, who opened as recently as March this year, and whose cozy little place with simple décor and black-clad wait staff emits the atmosphere of understated luxury. On our way back to Tall House Hotel, strolling along now familiar Main Street, turning onto the inviting Santa Cruz Ave., it felt like we’ve been living in this fine town for years. To learn more, visit: www.losgatoschamber.com, www.blackridgevineyards.com, www.cinnabarwine.com, www.testarossa.com, www.Californiacafe.com/losgatos, www.campodibocce.com, www.losgatosmuseum.org, www.tollhousehotel.com Photos by Yuri Krasov. 1. Chef Nick Difu. 2. A volunteer diva in the former opera house. 3. One of the many historic corners of Los Gatos.

Three Days of Wine and Roses in Los Gatos. Day One

The very name Los Gatos [the cats] already has its magnetic pool for your regular feline lovers. Stretching like a cat’s gracious spine along the curve of Santa Cruz foothills, the town is warm and well groomed like a pedigreed animal, although it’s surely named after the bobcats and mountain lions of the surrounding woods rather than Tiggers and Gingers. For a cat town, Los Gatos boasts a surprising amount of dogs. Small, big, and huge, they leisurely walk their owners along the shady sidewalks, manicured lawns, and blossoming rose bushes, or sit under chairs in outside cafes, or drink from water bowls, considerately left by the local business owners outside their doors. “To see Los Gatos is to love the town,” wrote Sunset Magazine back in 1915. While visiting a week ago, the first thing we saw after exiting HW 17 onto Santa Cruz Ave. was a very legible sign: Free Unlimited Parking. For us, that was a decisive moment of falling in love with the town. We took a comfortable 12-seat mini-coach of Royal Coach Tours to the mountainous wineries of higher elevations. Loma Prieta Winery—an appeasement offering to the gods of the infamous fault—is located at 2,300 feet and boasts 360 degrees of spectacular views. There is a plan in the making to introduce sunset tastings in the near future. A team of husband and wife produces a number of award-winning reds, and only reds (“I just don’t like white wine,” explained Amy Kemp, the wife). For many of our group, it was hard to decide which red was the best. My personal judgment got impaired between equally blood-dark 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2006 SAVERIA Pinot Noir, both of pleasant complexity, with lasting aftertaste. I finally leaned toward the Cab, maybe, because for a moment the taste of the wine, the sound of water in the fountain and the view of the Bay far below all came together in a brief sensation of perfection. Our next stop was Silver Mountain Vineyards, where organically grown fruit yields small crops of gold-medal estate chardonnays. Another distinct winery, Burrell School Vineyards, located in a historic 1890 school building offers Teacher’s Pet Chardonnay (definitely a winner!) and Valedictorian among other school-related “items.” A short visit to Fleming Jenkins Tasting Room back in downtown Los Gatos revealed an exhibit of Peggy Fleming’s skating champion costume; her husband, Greg Jenkins in person, and an array of great boutique wines, with a special Victories Rose, dedicated to breast cancer research by a charity-oriented couple. After several hours of Santa Cruz appellation immersion, the night was still young, so a wine reception at Cin-Cin followed, with Asian, Spanish and California fusion appetizers by chef Chris Schloss, and then a scrumptious dinner at Forbes Mill Steakhouse knocked us off for the night. Serving a four-course feast, accompanied by Savannah-Chanelle, Burrell School, and Poetic Cellars wines, Dean Devincenzi of Forbes Mill stated that the restaurant uses only prime certified Angus beef among just nine other restaurants across the nation. He introduced the chef, Brian Weselby by saying, “This is what makes our chef shine. When people come here and order just our signature rib eye or a filet mignon, the chef does not have an opportunity to show the full range of his talent.” Rest assured that in Dungeness crab stuffed calamari, braised short ribs in ginger-soy glaze, and warm apple and almond tart from our menu the chef’s talent was felt thoroughly and unmistakably. A short walk to Tall House Hotel in brisk night air was a good sleep-inducer and a great way to finish the eventful day. To learn more, visit: http://www.royal-coach.com/, http://www.lomaprietawinery.com/, http://www.silvermtn.com/, http://www.burrellschool.com/, http://www.flemingjenkins.com/, http://www.cincinwinebar.com/, http://www.forbesmillstakehouse.com/, http://www.tollhousehotel.com/. Photos by Yuri Krasov. 1.Dean Devincenzi of Forbes Mill and Town of Los Gatos Vice Mayor Mike Wasserman. 2.Your correspondent must see for herself how those grapes are fermenting at Burrell School Vineyard & Winery. 3. A fountain with a view at Loma Prieta Winery.