Becoming Californian

One of the things I decided I would do when I got out to California was go shopping. Buy California clothes. Just start to blend in with the locals. Today, I did it. Bought some shirts, sandals, shades, etc. I’m taking major steps in my evolution into becoming Californian. When I used to work at the Jackson Zoo, I remember snakes and how there were when they were about to shed their skin. They looked worn down before, because their skin had grown old. But once they shed their skin, they looked shiny and new. As I put on these articles of clothing, I felt like I was shedding my skin and becoming a new person for a new stage in my life. I’m real anxious to see what’s ahead for me.

We ate breakfast today at Hennessey’s, an Irish pub, and I had the California Benedict. It was delicious. The people we ate with (once again, BJ’s friends, but now they’re mine) were Chuck and Cindy Hahn. It was a pleasure meeting and eating with both of them, and I look forward to seeing them again in the future. After breakfast, we went to Mervyn’s, a Californian clothing store, where I bought the articles of clothing that was mentioned in the paragraph above. One other cool thing I got to do today was learn how to crack macadamia nuts. Steve and Karen have a couple of macadamia trees in their front lawn, and I got to pick them and crack them. Up until now, the only macadamia nuts I ate were in cookies. Now I have learned.

The main event for today was dinner at Steve and Karen’s house, where I had the privilege of meeting Karen’s (Johnston) brother, DJ, his wife, Deb, and their child, Valerie. For those of you who don’t know, Karen (Johnston) and I are musical theater collaborators who have had two of our shows mounted for production. However, aside from meeting her parents briefly one time, I have not had a chance to interact with her family, since most of them live far away from Mississippi. So that made tonight special; I was able to see where she came from, who she grew up with, etc. It really helps you understand someone even more when you catch a glimpse of their roots. To Karen (Johnston), I wish you were here with us, but I’m glad that I finally met your family.

Before I sign off for tonight, I have to say that I really enjoyed Karen’s (Webber) dessert dish, which was an apricot crumb. I have never written a food critique, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. So here it goes:

We all have our fruits and veggies that we grow up eating. Living in the South, there are several fruits that come to mind: watermelon, tomatoes, etc. Fruits such as apples, oranges, and bananas are so widely distributed that it doesn’t matter where you live; chances are you have eaten it. But one fruit that does not get the recognition it deserves is an apricot. Grown primarily in the Middle and Far East, apricots certainly can be considered a sleeper fruit.

Using a combination of technology and bran mixing wizardry, the dessert Karen (Webber) presented tonight was a dessert for one and all. For the sweet tooth. For the health nut. Usually whenever I eat these fruit concoctions, I’ll mix it with some ice cream (vanilla preferably). I did that again tonight. However, I was blown away when I discovered that the taste of the apricot crumb dominated the ice cream. If I had decided to forgo the dairy and just ate the crumb, I would have been satisfied. With a tangy sweetness, combined with a crunchy, but scrumptious bran, Karen Webber’s apricot crumb is a dish that is not to be taken lightly.

Hopefully that’s not too bad for a first food critique article. I’ll try it again sometime. Tomorrow is another opening, another show for BJ; the last for the WhaleBone Tour. On Monday, we leave for L.A. Ciao.