Posted by David Porter on July 7, 2010 · 4 Comments
Who would have ever thought that I could be extremely grateful to a sunglass manufacturer?
Gleefully, for over 50 years, my optical system has performed admirably without need of any visual aid. As my friends were poking small cylindrical pieces of glass in their eyeballs, or perhaps constantly poking the bridge of their noses to keep their glasses properly positioned, I was happily flying free of these devices.
Then one day it happened.
I was sitting at my desk, working on my MacBookPro, when I realized that I was continually hitting the “command +” function to make the text larger. I also began to realize that I could no longer read the menu in a romantically lite restaurant.
ACK! My body was beginning to fall apart!
Eventually, I succumbed to buying a pair of those $15 drugstore reading glasses, and went on about my life. But a problem quickly emerged when I found myself in bright sunlight, and also in need of my readers.
Clumsily, I solved this problem by having my reading glasses, and my sunglasses in my possession. I would hang the unemployed pair of glasses on the button of my shirt, and interchange as necessary. However, this was a pain in the butt, and I was constantly smooshing (is that a word?) the unused pair with my automobile’s seatbelt.
Worse yet, once while flushing an airport public toilet, the glasses dangling from my shirt button wound up in the toilet! YUK!
That was it, I had to solve this problem. And, if I am completely honest with you, there was a part of me that feared that I might somehow wake up one morning and don a pair of those hideous “fit over” sunglasses. You’ve seen them. Right? Little old ladies at the grocery store with big black sunglasses the size of Mac trucks on their face?
I would learn Braille before I would submit myself to a pair of those things!
Most thankfully, I was searching the Internet one day looking for a solution, and what before my wondering eyes did appear? But a beautiful, stylish pair of Maui Jim Ho’okipa Readers.
YEAH! These things are great!
They are stylish, have all the wonderful features that I have come to expect from Maui Jim, and for us baby boomers, have a reading segment (that’s marketing talk for bifocal) very discreetly blended into the glasses.
I wear these puppies all the time now. And traveling as much as we do, I am very happy to be rid of the constant back and forth changing of glasses.
Thank you Maui Jim!
Disclosure: Ho’okipa Reader Sunglass were provided by Maui Jim. Thanks a bunch!
Posted by David Porter on July 6, 2010 · 1 Comment
One of the things that I greatly enjoy, when dining out, is to take every opportunity to take my palate to unexplored places.
Now Carol, on the other hand, is more likely to return over, and over, and over to her favorite haunt.
I am immensely disposed to reward my favorites with my returned patronage, but I simply must also get out and explore.
For me, a great chef is not necessarily only defined by his/her great ability to combine sweet, sour, salt, and such. But I also enjoy the chef who will take me on a gastronomic journey.
Bandar Restaurant, in San Diego’s Gaslamp District, is one such place. Bandar is the home of San Diego’s finest Persian cuisine.
After settling in our seats, we both selected a nice glass of wine and began to peruse the unfamiliar territory in their menu.
To start our journey, we settled on sharing their Hummus Classic (Pureed Garbanzo and Sesame Tahini, with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Lemon Juice). We both love hummus, and this was some of the best we have had.
For our main courses, Carol stuck with the somewhat familiar and opted for Adas Polo (Marinated Juicy Chunks of Charbroiled Chicken Tenderloin, and Rice Mixed with Currant Raisins, Lentils, Dates and Saffron). Wow! Was that ever good. The combination of raisins and dates made for a wonderful surprise on the palate.
I figured that it would be criminal to eat in a fine Persian restaurant and not sample their lamb. Therefore, I went with Boneless Lamb Kabab (Boneless Lamb Tenderloin, Marinated and Charbroiled to Your Taste and Served with Grilled Tomato, Onion, and Bell Pepper Served on a Bed of Rice). Their servings were absolutely massive! There must have been twelve fairly large hunks of lamb on my plate atop all the other goodies. This lamb was tender, succulent, and a refreshing circumvention from typical American fare. I greatly enjoyed the gastronomical journey through Persia.
These plates of food were so massive, there was absolutely no way for us to even consider dessert, for which I was massively bummed, as I am the sweet tooth in the family. WAH!
The Bandar Restaurant has garnered an impressive list of dining awards, and we strongly recommend that you venture away from the norm and give the Bandar Restaurant a visit.
Disclosure: this dining experience was provided by the Bandar Restaurant. Thanks!
Posted by David Porter on July 6, 2010 · 2 Comments
The Australian Mercury newspaper is reporting an odd club of Antarctic nudists who run in -100ºF temperatures.
“The deed earns membership of the 300 Club, but only if it’s done when temperatures have plunged to below -100F.
“The idea is to run from the 200F sauna, outside, so they go through 300 degrees (F) in seconds,” Dr Cormick said.”
I don’t know about you, but this is one travel experience I think I will pass on.
Story found via National Geographic Traveler.
Posted by David Porter on July 5, 2010 · 2 Comments
Just when I thought I’ve seen it all…
From HotelChatter.com:
“To freshen things up a bit for the summer, the Standard Hollywood has installed some new art in the most mysterious, yet most visible of places: the Chicquarium. What’s “the Chicquarium,” you ask? It’s the little glass room that’s set up into the wall behind the reception desk in The Standard Hollywood’s lobby. During peak hours, an attractive girl hired by The Standard will sit in there and completely ignore everything outside of her box. No waving at you or posing for pictures; she sits, sleeps, checks her Facebook or reads for your visual pleasure.”
What do you think of this Chicquarium?
Posted by David Porter on July 5, 2010 · Leave a Comment
We will soon be roaming to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. There we will ask the question, “Just what IS contemporary art?
The Roaming Boomers
Who would have ever thought that I could be extremely grateful to a sunglass manufacturer?
