Author: Judi Curry

For many years I have thought of myself as a Democrat. The principles of the Democratic Party were more closely aligned to my own political beliefs. That is not to say that I have not crossed over to vote for Republican candidates that I thought were better qualified than their rival Democrat. Shortly after I was given the privilege of voting, I voted for William Knowland; and in the not so distant past, while living in Maine, I voted for both Olivia Snow and Susan Collins, both Republicans. (And..by the way, both elected to office.)

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Some people, granted, not many, have asked me what I would like for a holiday gift this year. My answer this year, and every year since I was 16, has always been the same: “Don’t buy me anything because if I want something I usually go out and buy it for myself.”

But this year – 2011 – may be a little different. The magazine “Consumer Reports”, (January, 2012) came out this week and listed “25 great gifts.” I thought maybe I could get a few ideas from their list, as I have done in the past. After all, I have 3 children; 9 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren, besides friends that I like to remember during this time. So…pen and paper in hand, a list of those I want/need to buy for and I opened the magazine to page 16.

With all that is going on in the world today, this little problem I faced today is a small one. None-the-less, I have never liked being screwed without a climax and I think that screwing almost took place today.

Like most residents in San Diego, I receive several monthly advertisements offering me discounts, free gifts, reduced price items. This is not about those advertisements; rather it is about one particular advertiser.

A friend of mine, after reading my review of South Beach, suggested that I try the Italian Restaurant – “Ciao Bella” at 4953 Newport Ave. Since I really didn’t feel like cooking dinner for one of my students and myself, I suggested we give it a try.

This is a “cute” restaurant; facades of little houses line the walls, each one numbered. They really don’t have anything to do with the restaurant, but the décor is warm and inviting even though the restaurant was cold.

In one of the restaurant reviews I wrote several weeks ago, a reader asked why I was only reviewing “national chains.” He suggested that I review local restaurants. With that in mind, a friend and I went to lunch at “South Beach Bar and Grill” on Newport.

I have always liked to write. Once I told my former husband that I wanted to be an author but he told me that I didn’t have the experiences behind me to be a successful writer. With that statement in mind, it was close to 30 years before I tried my hand at writing again.

I am so glad that I have written some positive reviews about local restaurants, because I, once again, just had a terrible meal from one of the standards.

A friend called me and said that he had a coupon for the two for one Sunday breakfast at the “Souplantation” on Midway – close to OB. I hesitated before agreeing to go with him, because I have never enjoyed the lunch or dinner I have had there. (I think they need more variety of salads.)

REMEMBERING BOB

You passed away two years ago today,
And it has been very hard.
I wish you would get your ass back here
And take care of your frigging yard.
You didn’t tell me what to do,
Now all your trees are covered in white-fly goo.

I have had some good meals in Ocean Beach recently. “SHADES”, “NATI’S”, “OB NOODLE HOUSE,” “OB BBQ”, etc.

Tonight some friends and I decided to go to the “Village” for dinner, only to find at 6:15pm it was closed. It was suggested that we try Denny’s on Rosecrans for a fast and relatively inexpensive meal.

The first table we were shown was quite wet, so we asked for another one. Although it was wet too, the greeter came back with a handful of paper towels and dried the table.

Since I try not to drive at night and since I am on a very “fixed income”, I like to try new restaurants – at least new to me – that are relatively close to my home in Ocean Beach and not terribly expensive. Last week I read an article in the newspaper that is thrown in my driveway on Thursdays, re: a restaurant in Old Town called “BERGIE’S”. It sounded interesting, and since I don’t always have the time to stand in line AND eat at Hodad’s, a friend and I decided to try it out.

An Update: February 26th of this year, I originally wrote an article about the number of helicopters flying over Ocean Beach in the wee small hours of the morning. As an insomniac I find this very distressing. I accept that I will go to sleep after 11:30pm when Lindbergh closes their takeoff routine, and, if lucky, will have the drone of the motor wake me at 6:30am. That is if I am able to sleep in the “between” hours.

“Hey, honey! Want to go out to dinner tonight?” Put on your prettiest clothes; have your hair done, have a manicure and pedicure, and I’ll pick you up about 7:00pm.”

Don’t like that scenario? How about this one:

“Ah honey, I wanted to take you and the kids out to dinner at that new hot spot in town, but the McDonald’s is no longer there so we would have to buy the kids a full, expensive meal.”