Flying Home

Monday, January 21, 2019

Saturday night, we walked into world famous Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, at 6 P.M., and, lacking a reservation, walked right out.  Fortunately, César, right next door at 1515 Shattuck Ave, although not accepting reservations, had only a 15 minute wait.  César focuses on tapas and does so especially well.  We had six different dishes, doubling up on the albondigas, lamb meatballs.  Everything was very good or better, but the innocently-named Fried Potatoes with Herbs & Sea Salt deserves special mention.  It seemed to appear on every table in the medium-sized room.  Imagine potato chips, in 1/4” wide strips, appropriately spiced, with a globs of aioli on top.  Gran sabor.

Following dinner, we went to the Berkeley Repertory Theater to see the world premiere production of Paradise Square, a work drawing on the formidable talents of playwright Craig Lucas, choreographer Bill T. Jones, musician/composer Larry Kirwan, among others.  In brief, though, it needs work.  Set in New York during the Civil War, it takes place in Five Points, a downtown neighborhood notorious for its tolerance of immigrants and race mixing.  The work culminates in the Draft Riots, the worst civil unrest this country has ever experienced, when the new conscription law reached all white men, including immigrants, while shielding those able to pay $300 and black men.  

I was troubled by the need to be emotionally engaged with so many characters — the fugitive slave couple, the black widow of a white Union officer, the Irish woman tavern owner and her black preacher husband, the returning wounded Union soldiers, the Irish immigrant boy, the black Freedmen.  A little focus would have helped.

. . .

I agree 100% with Michelle Alexander's criticism of the current state of the Israeli/Palestinian dilemma.  Israel's treatment of the West Bank, Gaza and its own Arab citizens is offensive to international law, contemporary standards of justice and morality, and my Jewish values.  https://nyti.ms/2HmAeVx

However, the 100% view that we share is not 100% of the issue.  While Alexander displays a sensitive understanding of why Jews need Israel, she  ignores the anarchic violence that stimulated much of the cruel and unjust conduct of Israelis towards Arabs within and without its borders that is the basis of her criticism  The majority of Israel's population, since its founding, has been secular, educated and industrious (I might even tempt European anti-Semites by saying cosmopolitan).  As I noted recently, its crime rates qualify its cities as among the safest in the developed world.  Yet, periodically, it has experienced crimes against civilians, school children, cafe patrons, bus passengers, people at street corners, that drew not only headlines, but retaliation.  For better or worse, Israelis sometimes responded with more than thoughts and prayers. 

It's not enough to counsel the Israelis to be nice.  Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have benefited from cheap and convenient housing on the West Bank, while the society as a whole expends energy, lives, wealth and moral capital maintaining the status quo.  Alexander offers no guidance as to next steps for either side, but that doesn't disqualify her from speaking.  It's just that we need a voice that can reach both sides. 

. . .

Last month, my grandnephews Tomas and Benjamin visited the Holy Land and we were able to enjoy together two of the finest pleasures known to humankind, a Rangers win at Madison Square Garden and lunch at Wo Hop, 17 Mott Street.  So, yesterday, I reciprocated by driving down to Santa Cruz, where they both attend the University of California.  We had dinner at Laili Restaurant, 101 Cooper Street, Santa Cruz, a Mediterraneanish spot.  It distinguished itself with two flatbreads that we shared: eggplant parmesan with carmelized onion, qurut yogurt (an Afghan version) and mint, and apricot chicken parmesan with medjool dates, pomegranate and mint. 

Now, there are cynics out there who might claim that my visiting the young men was only an excuse to go to the fabulously competent Pacific Cookie Company, 1203 Pacific Avenue, by an odd coincidence located around the corner from Laili.  I don't care what Michael Cohen says, dropping in for a few cookies after dinner was merely incidental to my reinforcement of familial bonds.

Tuesday,  January 22, 2019

My young bride and I were reunited yesterday and proceeded to Yountville, in the Napa Valley, for the last couple of days of our vacation. 

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

The cold that I imported from the East Coast inhibited our plans for enjoying fine wine wine and food in the Napa Valley.  We managed some good meals, but not much wine, in between hocking and shpritzing and gasping and sneezing.  

I can recommend the following, all in Yountville, California: 

Soupe À L'Oignon at Bouchon Bistro, 6534 Washington Street and the delicious bread and butter

Mushroom pizza with asiago, taleggio, spinach, red onion, chili, garlic at Redd Wood, 6755 Washington Street

Crême de Tomate en Croute (tomato soup in puff pastry) at Bistro Jeanty, 6510 Washington Street

Notice -- No desserts, that's how much I was off my game.

. . .

The non-stop flight home today was unique, in my experience.  Alaska Airlines flight 1204, an Airbus 320, with a capacity of 160 passengers was less than half full.  That's not a complaint, mind you, just a contrast from today's typical flying sardine cans.