A Delicious Lunch at the Bell Tower Cafe—A Former Place of Worship & Still a Peaceful Refuge

"Churches worldwide are being given an afterlife by savvy entrepreneurs who CONVERT them to libraries, restaurants, schools, housing, bars, theaters...."

Cecile and I enjoyed lunch yesterday at our favorite Bell Tower Cafe. We had a Greek Salad and Egg White Persian Omellette consisting of 4 organic egg whites, basil, tomato and feta cheese, with a side of potatoes and toasted wheat bread. We chose this Saratoga bistro not only for its diverse menu and tasty food, but for its outside patio that is tucked away from street traffic. It boasts an idyllic shady garden, stone cherubs, potted plants, and an arbor with vines and flowers, and is dog friendly—an important feature as we had our son Jason’s dog Daisy with us. There is even a red phone booth—that in the age of cell phones has become a charming relic and time capsule of the past. The building itself is a relic of the past. It was built in 1895 and served as a Methodist Episcopal Church in 1896. It was also used by the Red Cross during WW l, as the city of Saratoga’s Town Hall, and was even a school. In 1924 the church became an art gallery and sometime later housed a bridal salon. The Bell Tower restaurant opened its doors in 2010 and is kept busy by loyal customers who enjoy the attentive, friendly staff and quick service. 

The Bell Tower is one of a plethora of churches around the world whose clerical residents—for one reason or another have had to vacate the premises. Ironically, Savvy entrepreneurs have given these former places of worship an after life by converting them into clubs, restaurants, theaters, bars, and concert venues. Some examples: The Church Bar & Restaurant in Dublin, Ireland (photo) with remnants of a grand pipe organ on the second landing; a 700-year old Dominican Church converted to a bookstore in Maastricht, Netherlands; A Gothic church built in 1909, in San Francisco turned into housing; St. Sebastian Church in Germany was transformed into a kindergarten; The Church Brew Works in Pittsburg, PA, was once a Catholic Church in 1878. There is even a church in Santa Cruz, CA that became a therapy center. 

Though there is no longer a bell to ring in the Bell Tower, I love to ring a few of the ornate bells located on a stand in the reception area just in front of the blue sign that says “Best of Saratoga 2012.”

An Evening With the Gifted Jazz Saxophonist & Fellow New Jerseyan, Eric Darius

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances.” —Maya Angelou

While in LA last Saturday, Cecile and I had the pleasure of attending an evening performance by Eric Darius, 35, one of the most gifted and exciting musicians to enter the American Contemporary Jazz scene in the last decade. 

He had just closed out the Cancun Jazz Festival with Jazz icon George Benson. From the start this charismatic New Jersey born musician took over the room, and serenaded us with his sultry, original songs and tunes from the old jazz greats. As he roamed around the ballroom, he generated so much energy and excitement, we were up on our feet dancing.

Darius entered the world jazz scene at the age of 17, and since then has six critically acclaimed albums under his belt. He realized his calling at the tender age of nine when he heard a saxophone being played at his local church. He found himself “blown away by both the emotion and the soul of the instrument."

By age 11, after playing a saxophone for only a year, Darius was chosen to be in Sonny LaRosa and America’s Jazz Band, consisiting of young musicians, age five to twelve. The group toured the country and even played at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

In 2004 he was named the “Debut Artist of the Year" by Smooth Jazz News. He has shared the stage with some of the most renown Grammy Award-winning artists, such as Mary J. Blige, David Foster, Carlos Santana, Wynton Marsalis, Babyface and Prince. His Jazz music crosses into other musical genres such as R&B, Hip-Hop and Pop resulting in a fresh, distinctive sound that is uniquely his own.

Born into a musical family with rich traditions in Caribbean music. (His father is from Haiti and his mom is from Jamaica), Darius attributes his inspiration to Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis and Prince for fearlessly trail blazing new frontiers in music.

He has been featured on Fox’s TV show, The X Factor, one of our favorite entertainment shows, and TNT’s hist drama series, Mob City. With the help of radio stations worldwide, his radio single, “Breakin’ Thru” recently made it to # 1 on the "Mediabase Smooth Jazz Chart." 

He was also featured on the up and coming musician Adam Hawley’s radio single, “35 Street” that made it to # 1 on the “Billboard Contemporary Smooth Jazz Charts” for 5 consecutive weeks. 

Humbled, grateful and honored by all the attention his music has been receiving, Darius continues his involvement in the “Mission in the Schools Campaign” he established several years ago. His goal is to inpire the younger generations of musicians to follow their dreams, play music and keep music alive in schools. Dedicated to this cause and having the desire to “Push it Forward" he has faciliated workshops with the Birmingham School of the Arts.

For those interested in attending one of his concerts while on tour around the country, check out his website at: www.ericdarius.com

One Lucky Dog, a Monkey god & Other Meaningful Coincidences

“When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect wth the underlying field of infinite possibilities”—Deepak Chopra

While attending a medical conference in LA this weekend, Cecile and I met a woman named Sue who manufactures and distributes nutritional supplements from Vietnam where she works and lives. I was attracted to her booth by a rather large familiar looking wood puppet, propped up on her display table. As I got closer I noticed it was Hanuman, the mighty monkey god in Hindu mythology that symbolizes, physical strength, perseverance, devotion, and how to face and overcome adversity in life. 

I noticed a number of coincidences were beginning to unfold. For example, Sue told me she bought the puppet in Myanmar (Burma), a place where I have visited over the years to study and practice mindfulness meditation. Her manufacturing plant is in Southern Vietnam where my son Jason and I visited years ago, and where Cecile and I will be touring in 2018. While we continued to talk, a cute golden dog joyfully popped out from behind the table to say hello. “What’s his name,” I asked? “Lucky,” she responded. “My first dog while growing up in New Jersey was named Lucky,” I said. She told us her dog was 6 years old. She took him in and helped nurse him back to health after he got hit by a motor scooter and was thrown to the curb and given up of for dead. He was a 1 month old puppy at the time. Lucky has been her faithful companion in ever since.

I have been journaling and archiving coincidences off and on for over 25 years. We have all experienced them in our lives that cause us to scratch our heads and say, ‘Hmmm, what a small world.” Or, “What are the chances?" For example, you think about an old friend you haven’t seen in years, and few moment later they call. Or, you are drawn to visit a place you haven’t been before, and wind up meeting the love of your life. 

While getting ready for bed, I noticed I left my bag with books and special reports from the conference on the concierge floor where we had appetizers and drinks. I hopped in the elevator and encountered a chef. I told him what had happened. “No problem, we will find it for you,” he said. As we entered the lounge, he checked with his staff. It turned out the items I left behind were turned in to “Lost and Found.” He escorted me down to the basement to retrieve them. On the way back to my room, he recommended the service elevator. I asked him what was his name and where he was from. "Paolo. I'm from Italy,” he said. “What part,” I asked? “Milano,” he answered. Cecile and I had been there. We spoke about my mother’s good friend who was a pastry chef in Sorrento. “Ah, the Amalfi Coast is the best," he said. He escorted me to my door, we shook hands and I said, Molte Grazie, and Buona Notte (Thank you very much and good night!). “Prego and Buona Notte,” he said. The lines of connection and this curious encounter didn’t escape me.

Sometimes coincidences can be a cause of joyful amusement, and other times have significant meaning to the observer. One thing that is certain, the phenomenon of meaningful coincidences will continue to fascinate believers and skeptics alike. I’m grateful to count myself among the believers.

Rain Pryor, daughter of the late Richard Pryor Delivers a Stellar Heartfelt Solo Performance

“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”—Friedrich Nietzsche 

Cecile and I saw Rain Pryor in “Fried Chicken & Latkes” at the Levy Family Circle in Los Gatos, California last evening with friends, Nelson and Susan Bye. It was a sold out performance with over 300 people in attendance.

Rain Pryor, was raised in Beverly Hills in a biracial home. Her father, the legendary, Richard Pryor, was undeniably one of the greatest comic geniuses of our time. Her mother Shelley Bonus, was a Jewish go-go dancer, and is an award winning film performer and photographer. As an actress, Rain’s most notable role was as a regular character on the ABC hit series “Head of the Class.”

Her impersonations of her late father were hauntingly spot on. Her overall performance was spell-binding, hilarious, and heartbreaking—a true piece de resistance. Her portrait of her difficult mother whom she refers to as, “Joan Crawford in the ‘hood’ was edgy and provocative. Yet, she acknowledged the burden her mom had of raising Rain alone in her early years while her father was out womanizing, and engaged in a dangerous love affair with cocaine (sniffing the white stuff). She contrasted this by his paternal concern towards her, and his brutal honesty about the way things were. She also spoke tenderly about his eventual decline due to multiple sclerosis that brought about his death in 2005. 

Back in 2016, she told the Daily News before her performance at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City, “I didn’t know there were poor black people.” After all, her dad was rich and had a limousine driver. It wasn’t until she learned about history that reality set in.

In responding to an after show chat by a member of the audience who asked how she came about deciding to do this show and what would her late father think? She said that this was not a show she had to be casted for. “Fried Chicken and Latkes,” was purely her own.
“I am living my life, truth, story and destiny, and that’s what he wanted me to do, she added.”

Scientists have found that while victims of traumatic childhood experiences can be psychologically damaging, they give us a chance to develop how to cope with difficult situations in the future. Just because something terrible happens to us in life, doesn’t necessarily mean we can't learn from it and move on and even carve ourselves a bit of joy for life. 

By the time the show ends, the audience felt compassion for Rain Pryor and what she and her family went through. However, we were also respectful and proud of how she was able to cultivate personal strength and resilience, and rise above the adversity, fear, and pain, while making peace with what had happened. After all, Rain was just as much a product of her upbringing as her father was of his.

Holocaust survivor, psychologist and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankel once wrote: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Rain reminds us all how it’s done by reframing her experience. She moves beyond all the craziness and teaches us we need to move beyond racial prejudice and begin talking about the human condition.

Postscript: Cecile and I had a chance to briefly chat with Rain after her performance. She was warm, loving and seemingly unaffected by her past. We wish her continued success.

Note: The event was co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation, Tabia African-American Theater and the San Jose Multi-Cultural Artists Guild. Kudos to Diane Fisher and volunteers at the Jewish Federation and to Director of the show, Eva Brandstein.

Photos: Taken with Rain Pryor; of and with friends Nelson and Susan Bye, the Brenners, Bencuyas, and the Weinzimmers; and Finally, one of me with the joyous Jeff Jones, an African American Singer, actor, and entertainer who lived in Italy for 30 years and had a special fondness for Sicily, the place of my ancestors. Arriverderchi Jeff, and Buona Fortuna.

A Special Dinner Party at Rinconada Hills—The Best Kept Secret in Silicon Valley

“Heaven is a little closer living in a home by a lake in the heart of a natural setting.”

As my wife Cecile and I walked down the winding path from our town home, alongside one of the three cascading ponds and tennis courts leading to the “Clubhouse” for dinner, we felt a deep sense of gratitude for choosing to downsize over two years ago from our large estate home in Saratoga to this natural refuge of easy-living known as Rinconada Hills.

Several times throughout the year, the Rinconada Hills Homeowner’s Association (RHA), organizes theme dinner events for it’s residents. This time it was BBQ Bonanza Tri-Tip dinner with fresh salads, awesome side dishes, fresh fruit and ice cream for the first 100 residents who RSVP. Board member Russ Gillum, who marinated the steak in a cup of soy sauce, minced garlic and beer clearly knew what he was doing. Russ and assistant manager, Ray Ramirez, seen here skillfully cutting the tender meat. All the food was graciously prepared and provided by volunteers.

There was an open wine bar tended by Stewart Ives, a former president of the RHA and the evening's entertainment was provided by Gary Carnes, the Singing DJ. Many guests danced to their hearts content, including board member Connie Palladino and her husband John, who we bump into on the trails from time to time while walking the dogs.

The ambiance evoked a welcoming atmosphere. Everyone was in good cheer. Seating was not only available in the brightly lit main room of the “Clubhouse,” but on the side and back patios overlooking a stately grove of palm trees. The tables were decorated with Italian checkerboard type tablecloths. We were joined by friends, Nelson and Susan Bye who have lived here for over 20 years. Susan saw us walking near the lake one day, got out of her car and said, “Oh my God, you guys are living here now?” That fated day rekindled the friendship.

This peaceful gated community, offers its residents several walking trails, natural landscapes, a wide variety of trees including plum and cherry fruit trees, and spectacular views of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley. There’s also ten neighborhood pools, a two-acre pristine lake inhabited by black turtles, and large koi fish, and frequently visited by geese, ducks, and large orange koi fish, and egrets and cormorants.

This unique planned development sits on over 100 acres of land and includes 394 town homes, 40 single family homes and the “Clubhouse" with room enough to throw dinner parties such as the evening’s event. If a developer were to build a community like this today—and have it be profitable—it would require double the density of housing structures. The spaciousness of the grounds is one of many reasons we love it here.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people we meet on the walking trails like Susan and Nelson mentioned above, that we actually knew during an earlier phase in our life when our kids were in school. Then there's Dee Blumenthal and Kathy Ramos whom we took yoga classes with for many years at Bay Club Courtside. We didn’t know they were long time residents of Rinconada until we were contemplating making the move.

Life has a way of making things interesting and fun by bringing people together in very whimsical ways. Like, Barry Gotlieb seen in the photo with me. Barry and I used to engage in spirited conversations in the poolside Jacuzzi at Courtside. One day, we bumped into him and Sue, his significant other on the walking trails. 

We feel a deep sense of community here, and are more connected with nature than ever before. As far as I’m concerned, Rinconada Hills (often confused with La Rinconada Country Club) is the best kept secret in Silicon Valley. So please, shhhhh!!! Don’t tell anybody! 

Celebrated my Birthday at Rangoon Ruby’s Upscale Burmese Restaurant

“On my birthday, I count my blessings for what I have today, rather than pass it off as just another day…and I count my blessings for what I have today before I lose it.” 
—Sandy Kannan

Our daughter Michelle, husband Kyle, Jason and Alix joined us at the bustling Palo Alto eatery owned by John Lee, who is originally from Burma. I just loved the large artfully designed photo collages of familiar and charming scenes that adorn the walls on both sides of the dining room. I had spent a lot of time in Burma from 2005-2010 while on meditation retreats at Kyaswa Monastery outside Mandalay I had many opportunities to sample Burmse food including the famous Mohinga, a rich, hearty soup with rice noodles, ginger, garlic, cilantro, lemongrass, hard boiled eggs and fish stock that is eaten at the start of the day and is referred to as the “Myanmar’s Breakfast of Champions.”

Burmese cuisine in general, is influence by Indian, Thai and Chinese cooking and is all the rage among foodies. Every single dish we ordered was without exception outstanding.
and was accompanied by delicious condiments, sauces and chutneys 

We began by sharing Vegetarian Samosas and Lettuce Wraps with radish carrots, water chestnuts tofu, green pepper and Tofu and Palata, a multi-layer flat bread served with Coconut Chicken. We also had their famous and traditional Tea Leaf Salad with fried garlic, yellow beans, sesame seeds, lettuce, tomato, jalapeño. It is a good way to tease out the taste buds. For our entrees we shared a Pumpkin Tofu Stew, Garlic Noodles, Rangoon Lemongrass Chicken, Mango Chicken, Salmon Lemongrass Fusion, etc.

We all shared Fried Banana with ice cream and Coconut Pudding deep fried with a side of mango ice cream. I was surprised by a dessert ice cream treat with a fireworks display that my loving son Jason captured perfectly on video as everyone sung Happy Birthday. It was a magical evening.

After dessert I was invited to open my presents as the fun evening began to come to a close. As the old saying goes, “Time flies when you are having a good time.” I realized once again that on our birthdays we pay tribute to time because it is depleting asset and we must seize the precious moment while its here.

Postscript: I am so excited for Michelle and Kyle who will visit Burma in the fall where my friend Maybelle who also has a daughter named Michelle, will take them to visit the monastery grounds where I studied mindfulness meditation. I’m also thrilled to finally share the richness of this wonderful culture with my wonderful wife Cecile early next year. it has been 8 years since my last pilgrimage there. One of the photos shown here from that time is me with one of the resident monks.

A Farm to Table Feast at Michelle and Kyle's Place in San Mateo

“Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.” —Sophia Loren

Cecile and I, Al and Kim, and Jason and Alex were invited to Michelle and Kyle’s place in San Ramon for dinner last evening. We started with an assortment of gourmet cheeses, and then Michelle brought out Buratta Mozzarella and slice heirloom tomatoes that melted in you mouth.
Wine and drinks were flowing and Kyle made me my usual Moscow Mule. Talk about farm to table. Michelle made oven baked Salmon that Kyle caught while fishing with his friends the day before. And, as if that weren’t enough, he made homemade spaghetti from scratch. 
He was rolling in dough—so to speak, laying it out flat several times over, until it was perfect enough to place it in the pasta machine to cut into strips. Al pitched in to help as the rest of us watched as if we were viewing the popular cooking show, “Chopped." Seeing Kyle in action
would make my Italian ancestors proud. There is nothing in the world better than freshly made pasta. When I was a kid visiting my family in Sicily for the summer, I used to watch my nonna Peppina make long fresh tubes of pasta, and hang them to dry in preparation for lunch. My late aunt Cettina, the finest cook there ever was—originally from Catania, made fresh pasta. The physical contact with the dough seemed to breed a sense of intimacy. She knew intutitively when the dough was the right consistency, the right thickness, when more flour and the eggs were needed. “Its all in the feel,” she used to say. 

We gathered around the dinner table, We enjoyed the pasta “al dente” with red sauce and meatballs, and foccacia. The mixed green salad was fresh, salmon was perfectly cooked and we had ourselves a feast. For dessert we had multi-colored French macaroons. Before we knew it, 4 1/2 hours had gone by. We were full, we were satisfied, we were happy:-)

Joined Senator Jim Beall’s Annual Los Gatos Creek Cleanup Event

“Not all of us can do great things. But each of us can collectively do small things to make a big difference.” 

The invitation was straight-forward enough: “Be part of the solution to pollution! A creek runs through our neighborhoods, please help us take care of this precious resource. Join your neighbors, get some exercise, and give back to the environment.”

It sounded compelling enough. It would mean giving up my early morning yoga class, but performing an act of selfless service and giving back to the community seemed worth it. 

I met up with Senator Beall (D) and a group of other volunteers at a registration booth at Campbell Park. I checked in, signed a waiver of form, and was issued a yellow volunteer vest, green trash bag, gloves and a litter pickup device with an extended arm by volunteer staff members. Coffee, water, snacks and sunscreen/lip balm was provided by the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

We took a group photo and I had the opportunity for a photo op with Senator Beall who represents the 15th Senate district that includes the South Bay and Silicon Valley. He introduced us to some local political aides, his press secretary, Rodney Foo, and the Campbell Chief of Police, David Carmichael. He told us he believed in the internship programs. He began his political career as an intern and youth commissioner for Norm Mineta, who was mayor of San Jose at the time, and later went on to become the US Secretary of Transportation under George W. Bush.

I didn’t know volunteering to pick up trash from the creek trails could be so much fun. I got the chance to meet like-minded people. I walked along side the rustic, scenic trails from Campbell Park to Los Gatos. A few of the runners and walkers on the trail stopped to thank me for helping to clean up the environment and wanted to know how they could get involved. It gave me a real sense of community. In fact, everyone walked away from the experience feeling good about how they spent their morning. It was especially nice to see parents take their young children to participate. About an hour and half hours and seven miles later, I returned back to Campbell Park, adding my filled trash bag to the pile. I then thanked Senator Beall for the chance to serve and for his leadership in organizing this Annual Creek Cleanup event. After saying goodbye, he had his staff give us a signed Certificate of Recognition from the California State Senate for our service.

Poscript: Thanks to my civic minded friend Elizabeth Sharkey, a teacher at Fisher Elementary & Middle School who asked me to sign a petition for SB 492 sponsored by Senator Beall that: Enables the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to acquire 6,500 acres in the Upper Guadalupe, Los Gatos Creek, and Saratoga Watersheds to protect ecological sensitive lands, safeguard 1,000 acres for redwood forest from logging, and link several trail systems to allow the public access to spectacular scenery from Santa Clara County to the sea.

Dim Sum Luncheon at Dynasty Seafood that Draws upon a 2500 year old Ancient Tradition

According to Wikipedia, The Cantonese phrase Dim Sum literally means “Touch the Heart,” or “Order to Your Heart’s Content,” and that we did.🙂

We were invited to join the Chiens for Dim Sum at the Dynasty Seafood restaurant in Cupertino, CA. Our daughter Michelle and husband Kyle met us there. When we first entered the restaurant I was amazed by the size of the main dining room. I felt like we were on a luxury cruise ship. It had a vaulted a ceiling with bright lights, and there was excitement in the air. Everybody seemed to be having fun. We were escorted to a smaller, quieter room off the main dining area.

I was first introduced to Dim Sum many years ago by Yusan, a friend from yoga who used to host a talk show in Hong Kong. It is a style of Cantonese food that that has grown very popular among Westerners over the years. It is best eaten with a group which allows the opportunity to sample a lot more food. More importantly it doesn’t hurt to have people with you who know a thing or two about ordering. Personally, I found myself intimidated by the many choices of dumplings, meats, noodles, rice, tofu, veggies, chicken, pork, seafood and other exotic dishes to choose from. But, between Al, his mom Dana, and his dad Jack, we had it covered. Instead of ordering from a traditional menu—which is available, our hosts chose an assortment of flavorful, sweet and savory dishes from push carts rolled to the table by our food servers. They were then placed on a large "Lazy Susan," at the center of a the white table-colthed table. One of our favorites recommended by Kyle’s mom, Kim were the authentic Sesame seed balls that were stuffed with sweet red bean filling. Very tasty.

The origin of Dim Sum began over 2500 years ago as charming little teahouses to accommodate weary travelers along the Silk Road, an ancient shipping route that Cecile and I had the opportunity to tour during our three week trip to China some years back. As it became known that tea was a digestive aid that also cleanses the palette, tea house owners began adding small snacks. This was the birth of dim sum. 

Though dim sum has changed over thousands of years from a roadside tea stop to a full-on culinary culinary event, the spirit remains the same: Enjoying food surrounded by the people you love and care about.

Jason & I Bonding with a Burmese Python: Now Being Bounty-Hunted in the Florida Everglades

“Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the poor snake and the snake didn’t have a leg to stand On.”

Here is a photo of Jason and I bonding with a 200 pound tame reticulated Burmese Python in Caron, Thailand that accompanied a feature story in the Saratoga News in April 2004 entitled A Quest for Life: "Father and Son Find Adventures and Enlightenment.” The thrill of interacting with such a beautiful bigger-than-life reptile is hard to describe. It’s constricting body felt like a living garland around our necks and shoulders that was tighter than the tuxedo I wore at my daughter Michelle’s and Kyle’s wedding. We were told it had recently ended it’s three week fast, and we prayed he wasn’t hungry.🙂 Who knew that 20 years later the Florida authorities would be placing a bounty on the corpses of these exotic reptiles.

It’s not uncommon for Burmese pythons to attain lengths up to 23 feet and exceeding 175 pounds and to live up to 40 years. They inhabit the jungles and lush grassy marshes of Southeast Asia. They have sharp teeth and strong constricting muscles they use to kill their prey. They have become popular pets over the years due to their painted skin and generally docile disposition. They can be obtained at pet shops or breeder expos. Unfortunately, they often wind up in the hands of negligent and incompetent owners. Due to the abhorent illicit trafficking trade, they have established themselves in warm states like Florida, far from their native land.

Though giant pythons have been involved in less than 10 fatal deaths in the past decade, (rate is higher for human deaths involving horses and dogs), these deaths are preventable. When handling or feeding a python, it must be contained in a safe enclosure. Some years back, a 19 year old man from the Bronx was found dead in his apartment. Apparently, his 11-foot Burmese python entwined around his body. The police believed that the pet python mistook the pet owner for food when he was getting ready to feed his python a chicken. Once a python gets around the upper body, a person can become unconcious in minutes, as the carotid artery gets cut off if a person panics.

Through no fault of there own, these pythons have been smuggled into the South Florida by traffickers over the years and in the process have created a reptilian nightmare for the ecosystem. Pythons have taken up residence in the Everglades National Park. Their prey: rabbits, foxes, deer, bobcats, opossums and raccoons, which are close to being wiped out. Pythons are great swimmers and can stay submerged under water for 30 minutes before coming up for air.

Trafficking of exotic Burmese pythons has been going on since the 1970s. Naive pet owners, no longer able to deal with these creatures as they grew to full size, began dumping them in the Everglades. The National Park Service estimates that over 100,000 pythons are in the swamps of South Florida due to their breeding and multiplying. It has become a public menace. According to Michale E. Dorcas, a herpetologist at Davidson College in North Carolina, “there hasn’t been a snake big enough to eat a raccoon in Florida for about 18 million years."

It’s become such a problem that Florida authorities have resorted to hiring bounty hunters in a program called “Python Challenge," but it has barely made a dent in decreasing the python population. According to Wikipedia, the problem is so serious that Florida has placed restrictions on keeping them as pets. Violators face imprisonment for more than 7 years or fined $500,000.

*Quote Source: Michael E. Dorcas, a herpetologist at Davidson College in North Carolina, said in a 2012 interview with Yale Environment 360, an online publication of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

*Photo Credit: of bounty hunters, Nicholas Banos/Facebook

Saratoga Farmer's Market and the Rive Gauche Trio: Undeniably a Feast for the Senses

Saratoga Farmer's Market and the Rive Gauche Trio: Undeniably a Feast for the Senses

“Let Food Be Thy Medicine.”
Hippocrates

Cecile and I love to weave through the Saratoga Farmers Market every Saturday morning, rubbing shoulders with members of our community, soaking in the great atmosphere of food gatherers, witnessing nature’s color palette on display, and being seduced by the aroma from the plethora of cooked food being prepared by vendors from diverse cultures and ethnicities. 

The offerings are many: Rotisserie Chicken, Indian, Thai, Vegetable Crepes and Quiche pies, Mexican, and Afghani food to eat there or take home. We ordered Bon Mi Vietnamese Salad and Bon MI Sandwich to go from the Flambe’ Asian American Grill. We also picked up Vegetable Crepes from our Ukranian friend who happens to practice yoga at one of the local yoga studios we attend.

The bounty of fruits and vegetables is fresh, abundant, and unmatched from what you get from our local supermarkets.
We love supporting the local growers and producers.
There is so much variety. Take tomatoes: They go beyond the usual red and green. it is not unusual to see orange, yellow, pink, purple and even striped. We love knowing the fruits and vegetables are fresh. Maybe not fresh off the vine, stalk, bush, tree or ground that very morning—but certainly a few days fresh.
The Farmer’s market may not always be certified organic, but small scale growers do employ organic practices. Unfortunately, the expense and time it takes to get USDA certification makes it difficult to compete with the big boys. 

The band that performed this past Saturday was Left Bank Rive/Gauche Band. The "Left Bank," is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris.
Their specialty is French cafe-style music of the 1920s-1940s, Spanish and Gypsy songs and other period piece favorites from America and Latin countries. The instruments the trio played were violin, bass, guitar and accordion.

“RIve Gauche” or “Left Bank,” generally refers to the Paris of an earlier era: The Paris of artists, writers, and philosophers like ike Henry Miller, Anais Sin, Pablo Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Henri Matisse, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemmingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Baldwin. The phrase “Rive Gauche,” implies a sense of bohemianism, counterculture and creativity.

If I had to write a poem about my experience at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market, it would go like this:

“The friendly hum of conversation and music fill the air.
Colorful fruits and veggies compete to draw my eye,
The sensuous feel of gem-like cherry tomatoes,
The Aromatic smells of fresh-cut flowers, 
Toot-picked samples of sweet melons and sugar plums
caused me to become completely undone.”

enjoyyourlifenow.net

Invited to see the Epic Movie Dunkirk at the Hackworth IMAX Dome at The Tech Museum

“In order for war to be just, four things are necessary: authority of the sovereign, a just cause, a rightful intention and a last resort.”
—St. Augustine

Our host, Mark Brodsky, an engineer, owner-operator of Laser Marks, former mayor of Monte Sereno and self-described “war history buff,” invited four friends to join him to see this amazing period piece that is receiving “Oscar Buzz.” They were Larry, Brett, TJ and myself, shown here having drinks and critquing the movie at Scott’s Seafood in downtown San Jose. 

Film Director, Christopher Nolan took great pangs to depict the agony and the ecstasy of a major iconic WWII battle that for all practical purposes saved the Western World. The opening scene: 300,000 British troops from the shores of Europe trapped in the north of France. They must cross the channel before the Nazi’s obliterated them. As the troops scurried about, paper propaganda flyers are dropping from the sky letting them know they are “screwed.” Left out of the film were the 120,000 French soldiers that were also evacuated from Dunkirk, and 30,000 French troops that held back Nazi divisions near the city of Lille to protect the allies.

For most avid moviegoers, there is only one way to see this 106-minute feature film: on the biggest screen possible. The film was projected on IMAX 70mm high resolution format of celluloid film, twice the size of the usual 35mm film used in the ordinary cinemas. What is the end result? Higher quality, clearer picture and stronger colors and black and whites. But for many this new technology comes at a cost. See Spoiler Alert at the end of this post for details.

Most of the communication between the actors is done through eye contact as Nolan uses minimal diaglogue to tackle complicated issues.
Perhaps Nolan aimed to educate the modern audience on the Battle of Dunkirk, but he also demonstrated the perserverance, courage, patriotism, pain, sacrifice and heroism that it took to survive the near apocalypse. The real heroes in my book were ordinary men and women that helped rescue the troops during a harrowing week in May 1940. In Operation Dynamo, soldiers were ferried to waiting ships by the estimated 800 smaller civilian craft that had sailed over the channel from England to help in the war effort.

Nolan further distinguishes himself as the visionary filmmaker, master storyteller and artist who manages to place the moviegoer in the middle of this experience. I felt like I was wearing a Virtual Reality helmet, especially when witnessing the British Spitfire plans patrol the English Channel.

I am basically a very peaceful guy, so I asked myself why I like a good war movie. I realized I like the drama of it, the human instinct for survival. Then there's unexpected heroism, the kindness and compassion of lay people who play their part in the war effort, knowing that at any turn they can become a casualty of war. More than any other genre of film, the human life is depicted here. I want to know how I would cope. Would I react bravely or cowardly, be a leader or a team player.

In Dunkirk, like all war movies, one witnesses the honor of battle but the futility and fruitlessness of it as well. I was reminded of the song “War.” In 1968, Edwin Starr, a Motown artist who recorded his version of WAR in 1970 that resonated with the antiwar movement during the Vietnam War: “War, what is it good for…absolutely nothing, say it again…War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes when their sons go to fight and lose their lives.” 

On the other hand, sometimes there are so called “Just Wars." My namesake, St. Augustine, laid out the basis for a “Just War" which included: “Just Authority; Just Cause, RIght Intension and Last Resort.” Certainly this would apply here as Hitler was on a rampage to exterminate Jews, gays, gypsies, Christians, the intellectual elite and was intent on invading all of Europe.

Spoiler Alert: While seeing this movie on an IMAX Dome screen was awesome, technology does have it’s limititations. Walking down the aisle in the upper rows to get to our seat felt like I was at the edge of a cliff. Also, the film image is extended to the ceiling, and you are forced to crane your neck upwards. Think staring up at the Sistine Chapel ceiling painting by Michelangelo at the Vatican for over and hour and a half. Most of us had to move to the upper rows. Yet we still experienced stiff necks during the movie, and for some of us, headaches the next day. If you are one of the 65 million people in this country who have neck pain and suffer motion sickness (i.e. vertigo), stay away from IMAX Dome theaters. See the movie in plain digital format or the regular, smaller IMAX screens at your local cinema.

Photo credit of troops and planes: Warner Bros
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Dinner at Oren's Hummus Shop & Amazing Bluegrass Music by The Talented Goodbye Girls

"I find ecstasy in living—the mere sense of living is joy enough." —Emily Dickinson

Cecile and I joined our friends Susan and Nelson Bye for dinner at Oren’s Hummus Shop in Mountain View followed by a houseconcert at Casa Amaranta in Palo Alto. 

We were familiar with the Oren’s brand from the Farmers Market in Saratoga where we buy their hummus and eggplant products. Oren Dobronsky, is a high tech maven originally from Tel Aviv who missed the creamy Hummus from his homeland. Together with his wife Nancy, an experienced restauranteur, they opened Oren’s Hummus, an authentic Israeli restaurant. 

For starters we shared the yummy Quick Fried Cauliflower florets with pesto labane; Romanian Eggplant, Greek-Style Eggplant, and fresh Pita bread. For our entrees, we enjoyed a satisfying Rice Bowl: Basmati rice simmered with garlic, mint, parsley topped with chicken kabob and tahini. Nelson and I had an Allagash Triple Ale that was the perfect complement. The food is not only authentic, it is fresh, healthy and extremely tasty in an exotic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean sort of way.

After dinner we headed to Casa Amaranta, for what was billed as a neighborhood music gathering organized by Ray Sliter, a marine geologist who is one of the owners of Travieso Winery in Campbell. He enjoys sharing fine wines with friends, promoting local music groups in a home owned by his mother whose artwork is displayed in a room that by my count held over 120 people. 

The evening event featured The Goodbye Girls, a new quartet out of Boston comprised of four musicians from the US, Canada, and Sweden: Their common love for old-time, bluegrass and Swedish traditional music is what brought them together. They are known to be some of the best acoustic musicians around, playing the fiddle, base, banjo and guitar. They have appeared at the Newport Folk Festival and Stockhom Folk Festival and have recently completed an International tour.

Lead guitarist and vocalist, Molly Tuttle has two million views on YouTube, is an award winning songwriter and has appeared on the iconic “A Prairie Home Companion,” on public radio. These ladies were awesome and very entertaining, especially the quirky, blonde Swedish fiddler, vocalist and storyteller Lena Jonsson who was a real hoot. The other two fine musician-vocalists were Allison de Groot—Banjo, and bass player, Brittany Karlson. I love to support up and coming musicians and purchased their CD: Snowy Side of the Mountain.

Hugs and bows to Nelson and Susan for coming up with this great plan for a fun evening.

https://www.thegoodbyegirlsmusic.com

http://traviesowinery.com/bios.html

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Good Food, Good Wine, Good Friends, Good Times at Dio Deka Greek-Inspired Restaurant

Cecile and I had a relaxing Dinner with friends Mohssen (Mo) and Simin at Dio Deka Restaurant at the Los Gatos Hotel, on Main Street. The origin of the name Dio Deka comes from the address which in Greek is 210. Coincidentally, 210 also happens to be the area code for Athens.
Dio Deka is known for its warm and relaxing setting with old-world hospitality and great Greek inspired Mediteranean food. The Michelin-rated eatery has a casual yet elegant ambiance with a San Francisco charm and presentation. There is plenty a space between the tables with a Kitchen view from wherever you’re seated.

We began our meal with a Greek Sampler Dip comprise of dollops of: tzaziki, taramas, htipiiti and tirokafteri served with
fresh warm Pita wedges that were rubbed with oil, rosemary, salt. We also enjoyed baked lamb meatballs with ouzo-tomato sauce and fresh melted myzithra cheese,
carmelzed mushrooms with herbs, and Greek salads with a variety of fresh vegetables and feta cheese.

For our entree’s we had Branzino, a European sea bass, with green vegetables and reoated potatoes

I took as much pleasure eating watching Mo eat his mesquite grilled Dorad as eating my Branzino. Dorad is definitely for the patient and adept eater. It is served whole with lemon and herb stuffing. The bones keep you from rushing through your entree. It reminded me of eating with my Sicilian grandfather who was a fisherman and skilled at deboning his fish.

Did Deka has a 58 page wine list with over 1,200 choices that will make you dizzy. Think expensive at three times retail. Don’t even think about bringing your own wine unless you are willing to part with a $35 corkage Fee. I chose a moderately priced Pinot Gris.
For dessert, we shared traditional Greek Beignets, tossed with Thyme-Honey Syrup with Cinnamon and nuts.

Dio Deka offers intimate outdoor seating and complentary valet, though some street parking available.

Postscript: Mo and Simin, who are both hard working real esate agents for Coldwell Banker will always hold a special place in our hearts. They helped us downsize two years ago from our estate home in Saratoga to wonderful, easily maintained townhome in our gated-community at Rinconada Hills. We share the same family values and enjoy a good night out. They gifted us two bottles of their private label wine, Mosimona Cabernet, the grapes of which are harvested from their estate vineyard.

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"Make Me One with Everything!" Nirvana and One of My Guilty Pleasures as a kid—Hot Dogs

Question: What did the Dalai Lama say to the hot dog vendor? Answer: “Make me One with Everything!” This is a cheeky play on the idea some Buddhists have about life being a journey whose end game is becoming “One with the Universe." It also is the name of a book by Surya Das (who was born Jeffrey Miller in NY). He is a lama, author, poet and meditation teacher whom I've had the opportunity to hear speak at various venues. And finally, it’s a story about my childhood obsession with a certain brand of hot dogs.

Sabrette Hot Dog push carts were very popular growing up in Hoboken in the 50s and 60s. You could find one on street corners scattered about the city. There was always one across from Our Lady of Grace Elementary and Secondary School, which I attended. At lunch time I would always tell the hot dog vendor, “Make Me One with Everything, which I explained above had a different connotation then, than it does now. On the other hand, eating one was a form of Nirvana. I would always order one—and sometimes–two with a Yoohoo chocolate drink. 

Cal Furino, son of Italian immigrants used to sell hot dogs on the corner of Newark and Harrison streets. According to grandson GIaco Furino, a Brooklyn-based writer who penned an article in the New Jersey monthly last January, Cal sold his hot dogs in those days for .15 to .20 cents. It was such a deal. Hoboken born and bred singer, Jimmy Roselli, a contemporary of Frank Sinatra, was a customer, as was boxer Chuck Wepner. But, Cal’s most notorious customer, was “Richard Kuklinski, a contract killer better known as Iceman,” who was very “polite” and dressed like a “lawyer." He was “eventually convicted of five murders,” added his grandson, Giaco.

Outside of Italian Deli Food and my late mother’s cooking, Sabrette Hot Dogs were the best comfort food I ever tasted when I was a kid. When you took a bite, it was like I died and went to heaven. It continues to be a guilty pleasure I indulge in when I am back in my home town. Eating one was a form of time travel that brings me back to the old days. As they say you can take the man out of the Hoboken, but you can never take the Hoboken out of the man.

These days I spend more time cultivating “moment-to-moment awareness” and that all "inclusive connection with all things,” than eating hot dogs. But, old habits die hard.

Postscript: Many are surprised to learn that even the Dalai Lama continues to eat meat for “health reasons.” However, he also points out that the discipline code for monastics (vinaya) has no prohibition against eating meat, so monks in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka take vegetarian or non vegetarian food, respecting what is offered to them. So does the Dalai Lama eat hot dogs as the joke seems to imply? Maybe it's his best kept secret.🙂

Photo Credit of Sabrette hot dog in hand facing NYC: Hobokenhappyhours.com in a story written by Brittany Temple, SiriusXM producer of "Make it Plain," with Mark Thompson

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Enjoying the Baylands Nature Preserve, Shoreline Lake, and the Grand Pelicans

“Life is like the eye of a Camera, focus on what you love and you’ll capture it's essence perfectly.”
—Dennis Augustine

Cecile and I never seem to tire of having lunch on the patio of the Lakeside Cafe, an American bistro at Shoreline, and walk the trails around this breathtaking 50 acre lake right in the heart of Silicon Valley.

I discovered this refuge of peace and serenity when I did plein air watercolor painting with the Saratoga Community of Painters.

This is a place where kids, adults, family and friends, natural habitat and wildlife come together. There is something for everybody. On any given day local high tech company workers and their bosses, come to relax from the hustle bustle of a work day. Yesterday Cisco Systems had a buffet-style lunch out on the South lawn overlooking the lake. Google provides a fleet of primary colored bicyles to their employees to take wherever they please. Some choose Shoreline as their destination for a picnic lunch or riding along the bay.

There is a rich offering of paddle boats, kayaks, laser single sail boats, rafting and windsurfing. There is also ten miles of hiking trails in nature, birdwatching, and wildlife sanctuaries for adults and youngsters on summer break who attend Camp Shoreline Kids Camp.

With temperatures, at 89° in the vallley, you can usually count on Shoreline being 5 to ten degrees cooler and breezy. The strong winds make Shoreline Park a perfect place for kite flying just past the entrance to the park.

We love to see the tidal marshes an salt ponds and visit the grand American white pelicans and other shore birds tucked away on little islets in the Baylands Nature Preserve on the South Bay just beyond the lake. These powerful flyers have a wingspan averaging nine feet. They dive into the waters with great force and exuberance. They catch fish by scooping water into their pouches, then strain out the water and swalllow the fish. They sometimes form a semi-circle, slap their wings against the water, and drive a school of fish close to shore, where they can feast on them. The takeaway one gets from close encounters with pelicans is that they teach us how to ride the headwinds in our own lives, and how to move fearlessly across the water of life. The pelican also trusts in the abundance of the sea.

The Visionary Proponent of Gratefulness Practice to Appear on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday Show

“Joy is the happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens.”—Br. David Stendl-Rast

David Steindl-Rast, whom I consider to be one of my teachers is 91 years old today. He is co-founder of “A Network of Grateful Living,” which has had a worldwide transformational influence on individuals and society. He will appear on Oprah’s Emmy Award winning Super Soul Sunday show this fall.

I first met Brother David at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, a retreat center that focuses on the exploration of human consciousness and the mind-body connection. We attended a retreat in the 90s in honor of the late scholar and mythologist, Joseph Campbell, known for his PBS series: The Power of Myth with Bill Moyers. It had a profound effect on the trajectory of my life. I had just published my book: “Invisible Means of Support, A Transformational Journey,” with “A Tribute to Campbell.” His wife Jean Erdman, who was also present made a career as an American dancer and choreographer of modern dance, and had written a testimonial for my book. David was a personal friend of Campbell's and collaborated with him on a number of projects. 

"Grateful living is an engaged form of mindfulness practice, grounded in wisdom and science. It allows one to see the wonder and opportunity in every moment. What gratitude does for you, is as important as what it does for others. It calms your fears, strenghtens your courage, opens your heart for adventure—gratefulness heals."

It’s no surprise that Oprah would interview Br. David for her show. Over 21 years ago, she began keeping a gratitude journal. Each and every day, she writes down five things she is grateful for—from fresh flowers to kindness to a stranger. This single act of journaling made her feel more receptive to the goodness in her life. She credits keeping this journal "as the single most important thing in her life.

Brother David is no ordinary monk. He has a background in art, anthropology, and psychology, receiving his MA from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts and a Phd from the Univerity of Vienna. He emigrated to the US with his family in 1952. A year later he joined the Benedictine order in upstate NY. After 12 years of monastic training and studies in philosophy and theology, he was sent by his abbot to engage in Buddhist-Christian Diaglogue after receiving approval from the Vatican in 1967. He studied with Zen Masters including Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. He co-founded the Center of Spiritual Studies in 1968 he received the 1975 Martin Buber Award for building bridges between religious traditions. He worked alongside the late Trappist monk, theologian and mystic, Thomas Merton who studied Eastern spirituality as well.

David’s book, “Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer and A Listening Heart" has been reprinted for more than two decades. He co-authored “Belonging to the Universe” (a winner of the 1992 American Book Award) with physicist and "Tao of Physics" author, Fritjof Capra.
Currently, Brother David serves a worldwide Network of Grateful Living through Gratefulness.org, an online sanctuary and interactive website with several thousand participants from more than 240 countries and territories.

Happy Birthday, David and thanks for all the wisdom teachings, insights and inspiration you have offered seekers on The Path throughout your life!

An Encounter with Pete the Duck at the Flower Shop on the Way to the Apple Store:

An Encounter with Pete the Duck at the Flower Shop on the Way to the Apple Store:

A funny thing happened on the way to the Apple Store in downtown Los Gatos to pick up my new IPhone 7 Plus.
The plan was for Cecile and I to take a shortcut from the parking lot through the back door of ‘Bunches Flower Shop” and out the front door which faces the Apple store across the street. I was apprehensive of the process. It seems whenever we upgrade any electronic device Murphy’s Law seems to come into play.

When I turned to my left while in the flower shop, I noticed a Duck wading in a stainless steel basin. It was a 106° that day, so the Duck was definitely in the right place.

In fact, I felt a little jealous, and thought if I was his size, I would have loved to trade places with him. 
How did I know it was a “he?” Well, I found out that “he” was called Pete, the store mascot. I had bought Cecile flowers at Bunches on many occasions but never noticed him.

I found out many mothers go there for a bouquet of flowers because the owners are always nice to their kids. But, the real star attraction is Pete, their vegetarian duck who eats cherry tomatoes and cabbage and whom they been caregivers of—for about ten years. Raised as a chick he never had the urge to split as he grew older.
What a marketing coup for the owners. Buy some flowers and have your kids get to see and visit a duck. But, truth be told adults look forward to seeing Pete too. I for one was charmed by the whole experience.

Ducks are amazing creatures. Their feathers are waterproof and have a waxy coating that keeps their downy underlayer dry no matter how long they stay in the water.
Contrary to popular belief, most male ducks are silent. Very few actually “quack.” The sounds they produce are more like squeaks, grunts, groans, chirps and growls. Ducks have been domesticated pets and popular farm animals for over 500 years.

Ducks love slow, moving water, drifting along meandering ponds and lakes. They can travel by water, land and air, giving them flexibility to travel from one adventure to another.

They symbolize enjoying your life, going with the flow, yet being ready to navigate pitfalls and hazards along the way.
Ducks don’t hold a grudge. If they get into a scuffle with another duck, they shake off the stressful encounter from their feathers and get on with their day.

This turned out to be a good lesson for me. When we went to buy my new IPhone. It was crowded and busy. Due to new security concern policies AT&T made it difficult transferring data from my old Samsung Android to the IPhone. We didn’t recall our billing account password. It took over several phone calls by the young tech person assisting us. It seemed like we were there forever and we were running out of mental bandwidth. Fatigue was setting in. I thought of Pete the duck at Bunches and how ducks intuitively know how to go with the flow—be at peace. So, we shook off the stressful encounter and got on with our day, focusing on the great photos I will be able to take for my next blog.

Fire Hydrants Unplugged: How We Took Refuge from Heat Waves When I was a Kid

It is a 100 degrees today in sunny California, and this is as close as I can get to an open fire hydrant these days, a squirting fountain in the downtown square of Los Gatos.
When I was a kid growing up in Hoboken, NJ, my young friends and I loved when the daring rowdy street teens opened up the fire hydrants during the sweltering heat and transformed our neighborhood into a water park. There was a limited time to enjoy this relief from the heat as the police department or local fire department of our mile square city was called and they shut it off. 
The very first “flip lid” fire hydrant was popped up across the Hudson in NYC in 1808. But, the lack of dramatic street spray was hardly worth the effort.
But the debut of the “fat” high-pressure hydrants I remember from my youth (or Ute) as Joe Pesci says in, "My Cousin Vinny, "Turned our neighborhood into a bursting large scale fountain of joy. Most of these nostalgic ‘fat’ hydrants that could be found in NYC were shut down by the 1980s.
It was the opening of the Croton Aqueduct system in 1842 that brought cool water down from the Catskill Mountains for kids to bask in when the heat was intolerable.
One person who helped bring attention and relief to the effort to escape this unbearable heat was newspaper man and popular songwriter George Pope Morris who begged the city to open the long awaited aqueduct. Here are the poetic lyrics he employed:
"Unseal the city fountains,
And let the waters flow
In coolness from the mountains
Unto the plains below.
I’m weeping like the willow
That droops in leaf and bough—
Let Croton’s sparkling billow
Flow through the city now."
Thee Images of the kids basking "in the flow" if you will, were taken in the summer of 1953 by Peter Stackpole for Life Magazine.
Stay Cool Folks! 🙂

Thermometer Image via Shutterstock
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Novitiate Heavenly Wines Devilishly Good

Reads the framed portrait of Brother Norbert “Biz” Korte, SJ., that hangs prominently on the wall leading to the tasting room at Testarossa Winery. 
The Jesuit brother worked in the winery for 33 years in a many capacities including tour guide, tasting room host, sales and public relations.

My good friend James “Jimi” Hunter and I rode our electric bikes up the narrow, winding hillside road to the Novitiate Historic Winery in the Santa Cruz mountains overlooking Los Gatos, CA.

In 2005, by aggreement with the provincial Jesuit order, Testarossa Vineyards reopened the winery with the original Novitiate label. They donated a portion of the sale to
Jesuits retirement facility. For almost a hundred years, the Jesuit novices at the Sacred Heart Novitiate lived, prayed and mindfully worked the vineyards from 1888 until 1986. 

Our governor, Jerry Brown attended Sacred Heart Novitiate in 1958, spending four years of silence, prayer, manual labor and study of the classics. Due to his Jesuit training he believed that the spirit of God can be found everywhere: in chaos and order, intelligence and ignorance, fame and obscurity. 

Built by the Jesuits of Santa Clara College (aka Santa Clara University), the novices harvested enough grapes each fall to produce 150,000 gallons of wine used mostly for altar wine for sacramental purposes. It continued unabated during Prohibition (1919-1933). The winery closed in 1986 due to declining sales competitive pressures in the marketplace, and the novitiate moved to Culver City.

Visiting the Tasting Room at Testarossa Winery housed in the caves and cellars of the Historic Novitiate Winery put me in a reflective mood. I was raised in a Roman Catholic household. Like Jerry Brown, my dad entered the seminary as a young man. He was in the Maryknoll order (see photo of dad in his black cassock on the left) and also decided to leave it to lead a lay secular life. I couldn’t help think that had he not, I wouldn’t be writing this post as priests weren't allowed to marry. He did become an urban wine maker for personal and family consumption, using his tool shed in our back yard as his crush and fermentation room. We always had plenty of stock for my birthday parties. This made me very popular with my friends who thought it was pretty cool. To use the Novitiate slogan, It was “devilishly good.”🙂 Cheers!

Postscript:
In 1724, in his Treatise "The Juice of the Grape: Or, Wine Preferable to Water," Peter Shaw, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, asserted that wine can return patients to their natural state of good health with minimal help from their physician. The cheerful remedy was prescribed to those who displayed symptoms of hypochondria and melancholy.

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