Philz! Coffee

Today was a rare mid-week holiday and I started it off with a walk down Guadelupe River Park then went in search of  a much needed cup of COFFEE.  Couldn't park anywhere near peets because of the parade but I remembered seeing a little coffee place on Paseo de San Antonio and so I headed over there.  I became an instant devotee of Philz.  The guy making the coffee was just about as personable and upbeat as a person performing their job could be.  He guided me through the somewhat different approach to coffee and I walked away with a rich, strong but mellow cup of coffee.  He even talked me into a bit of their cream and sugar, which I never have, and I loved it.  They really do make the coffee one cup at a time with a vast menu of different blends.

As I was driving home I spotted these men who were running laps around San Jose State.  One man was carrying the P.O.W. flag and the other the American flag.  Made me think of the little memorial plaque on campus near the chapel and also what a nightmare it must be for family members of P.O.W.'s.

Fall Color, San Jose Style

After a morning of bill paying and chores around the house, boxer and I headed out to post the bills and get some fresh air (and food). We ended up at Sabor Salvadoreno (a very clean, proud, authentic little Salvadorian restaurant) for my second try at falling in love with pupusas.  It didn't happen, although the loroco pupusa I had was puffy and tender on the inside with cheese and herbs oozing out and the outside was nicely browned and crunchy, they just didn't GRAB me. Something I might crave about once a year.  I had ordered a fish taco as a back-up and it was great.  The fish was pan seared and super flavorful.  Then we went for a walk around the neighborhood and ran into one striking flower and tree after another.  We also saw a house decorated for a birthday party with these cute owls and I thought how refreshing it was to use something made from paper instead of commercial plastic registered trademark decorations.  We topped off the afternoon with a pumpkin twister from the Foster Freeze on N.4th and Taylor Streets. And no, he didn't get any pumpkin twister.

One Possible Reason People Live in San Jose

It is November 3rd and the temperature has been hovering around 80 degrees for the last several days.  The tomatoes just keep ripening and now they have been joined by the long awaited ripening avocados which hang over our fence.  So tonight I made America's Test Kitchen "One Pan Baked Ziti" using fresh basil from my garden and served it with a salad that included fresh tomatoes from my garden and an avocado from my neighbor's tree. (BTW, I used about half the cream called for in the recipe.) Fantastic.

Dia de los Muertos

I spotted this guy walking down the street with this fantastic bunch of marigolds and I followed him into an alley and then into a hall where people were setting up these altars for their Dia de los Muertos event.  What an explosion of color!  I was fascinated by the arrangements and their strange garish beauty.

Each display was lovingly designed and created to honor deceased loved ones.  It seems like such a good thing to do.  Stop and take time think about the important people who are with us in spirit.

Landscape Wow Factor

Last week I happened to be in a neighborhood in downtown that I had never been in before.  I was just strolling along with my dog when I came upon this fantastic tree.  I have never seen so many huge blossoms on one of these Datura trees.  Datura, or Angel Trumpet as they are sometimes called, really thrive in San Jose and this year seems to be an exceptionally good year for them. 

Light the Night

Tonight thousands of people gathered together in San Jose's Arena Green Park and walked to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research and patient support.  What a tremendous sense of community.  It was quite a moving sight to see the night lit up with flashing balloons: white for survivors of blood cancers, red for supporters and gold in memory of a loved one.

An Endless Stream of Ice Cream

Time is running out on posting about this topic so here goes.  Shortly after we moved into this neighborhood, a friend commented to my daughter that she had just missed the ice cream man. My daughter and I found this amusing because in this neighborhood there is no such thing as missing the ice cream man.  They are like subway trains - another one always comes along. We happen to live right between two ice cream truck warehouses which are to ice cream trucks what roundhouses are to trains.  It is where they go for the night.  All of the carts and trucks have your standard fare like fudgsicles and drumsticks and Strawberry shortcake bars but the really good stuff comes from this truck, B&M.  The proprietor has softserve ice cream and just about any kind of treat one can make from it.  On a hot day when I'm out gardening I listen for his bell and when I hear it I run for my money.