America #1... still most awesome place I've ever been!

America, Heck Yeah! Without trying to sound like I'm tooting Uncle Sam's horn, or being overly patriotic, there are some things I experience that keep me believing in American Exceptionalism. Two examples will illustrate the unbridled enthusiasm we pour into our pursuit of quality. One should keep in mind the truism: you get what you pay for.

Champagne brunch. These words fill one's mind with fashionable dining in blissful tranquility. A buffet of omelettes, carved ribeye, pancakes, Belgian waffles, and the like thrown in with the standard breakfast fare of hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, fruits, cheeses, pastries, and a Mimosa to wash it down. A little backstory may be in order. My wife is due to deliver our first child in early January. So we know for a fact that there will be a solid three to five months we won't be dining out at "cloth napkin" restaurants. So we're sandbagging now and eating out a couple times a week if her schedule and nausea permit it. Our dash to soak up these last few meals took us to the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. After enjoying one of the best steaks in my life, I casually pointed out that they offer an appealing Champagne Brunch. The wife's response was "Excellent, let's eat here again on Sunday!" No argument from me :).

So that is how I found myself at noon on Sunday, in a Spanish style courtyard, indulging in hot chocolate, eggs with smoked salmon, and a Mimosa: that sweet combination of orange juice and champagne.
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Titanium AR-10: Sure, why not?

Carrying on the theme of penultimate quality, I had the chance this week to handle a rifle that costs more than a Range Rover, but the guy buying this would probably take it home in a Porsche. MSRP of above rifle: a cool $100,000. It doesn't contain any gold or platinum. Nor are any parts covered in unicorn horn or dragon scales, although it may have the very unique Hen's Tooth shell extractor. Why the six-figure price tag? One word: Titanium. The raw materials in this gun cost about $25,000. Add in labor and machining on the toughest metal extant, plus the unique designation of Serial #1 and one rises up into very rare air. I count nine specific titanium parts on the spec list below. Would it really cost more than a condo to build it on your own? No. At least not if you have access to CNC machining equipment with diamond tip cutters and are willing to plunk down the initial material costs. Word amongst some in the industry is that if this had become a "production model" gun, it would list between forty to fifty thousand. Still, at $45K each, Nemo Arms, the company who built this didn't figure demand would support the capital expenditure. I applaud their self-control.

Titanium Matched Receiver Set

416 Stainless Steel, .308 Win, 1/10 Twist, Black Nitride Finish, 16” HBAR Profile

Titanium Customizable Tube Handguard

Troy Tritium Micro Set Back Up Iron Sights

Titanium Picatinny Handguard Rails

Choate 6-position Buttstock

Titanium Low Profile Gas Block

Titanium Charging Handle with Tactical Latch

Hogue Grip with Battery Management System

Titanium DRK Compensator

KNS Anti-Rotational Pins

Timney 4lb Solid Trigger

Norgon Ambi Mag Catch

Ambi Safety Selector

Titanium Buffer Tube

Stainless Steel Buffer

Titanium Bolt Carrier, Nickel Boron Coated Bolt

Trijicon TA648RMR-308 ACOG 6×48

A Southerner finding peace in SoCal

So this week my wife and I have been prepping our backyard for a party this coming Sunday. I have helped assemble a gazebo, dug holes for plants, pruned shrubs, and swept the patio. One of the more gratifying chores has been the assembly of patio furniture. Getting a table and chairs put out on the patio, and a couple of faux wicker seats with large green cushions bisected by a steel fire pit next to it really rounds out the set.  From college to China, then first years of our marriage-- I have occupied a string of apartments, guest rooms, hotels and hostels. None of those places sported multiple citrus trees or a pair of semi-feral vagrant cats. Not to sound cliche, but this place is really special; one could call it a milestone.

As I sat in my green cushioned, faux wicker glider chair yesterday after work, I indulged in a handful of fresh kumquats. Yes, we have a productive kumquat tree adjacent to our patio. For those of you who haven't savored the exhilarating rush of kumquat consumption, it ambushes your taste buds. The fruit is consumed whole, skin and all. A light zephyr of sweetness emanates from the peel and sets you up for the sucker-punch tartness of the middle. It is like having a conversation with Christopher Walken about some esoteric hobby and having Robin Williams interrupt you.  The kumquat: enjoyable, yet surprising.

That backyard experience with near perfect weather, and the promise of an almost infinite growing season combined to ease my mind about being here for a while. I used to be edgy and feel "cramped" within the social and political structure of this state, but California is cool. Dang cool! I don't recall being able to have fish tacos en route to Home Depot in Alabama. Nor finding any bougainvillea in the garden section there :o)  Perhaps the peaceful feeling is a sign of my growing tolerance of people who have a wildly different (lackadaisical) world view.

Just another example today at work was from a colleague's comment. He told me that I possess an abundance of "useless information." I gently retorted that much of my reading and learning is solely for personal enrichment. That threw him sideways; he couldn't fathom studying and memorizing information just for the sake of knowledge.  I suppose my outlook is contrarian to my peers. While many of them see studying as a painful means to a necessary end, I see it as a positive lifelong habit. Never stop learning! And in the words of gun scribe LT Col. Jeff Cooper, "If it is worth remembering, WRITE it down!" So many things I think about writing down for the sake of posterity, but slip into the pit of procrastination. That is a dangerous trap one should avoid. Steer clear, remain vigilant, read the Proverbs, and always keep looking up.

Yummy Deliciousness

Now, the great news is there are TONS of great places to eat for just about any set of taste buds and budget.  My favorites have been Mexican and Asian. Some days I will have fish tacos for lunch and Thai curry for supper- best of both worlds!

Quality Thai restaurants are hard to find in middle America. Yes, I know they do exist here and there… but not like Southern California! Here in the Loma Linda/ Redlands area there are five, two of which are outstanding. My wife and I prefer Thai House on Redlands Blvd and Papaya Bay on Orange Street.

Just this evening we had a lovely date at Papaya Bay. I had my favorite dish on the menu: #18 Spicy Eggplant with chicken and a Thai tea (that’s a mixture of sweet tea and cream).  Eliz had Tom Kha (curry soup with tofu) and Pad Thai (standard noodle dish).  The great thing about Thai restaurants is that they always seem so much more authentic than any American Chinese place or Japanese Shogun restaurant. Not that we don’t enjoy those as well, it is just that Thai places raise the bar. Whenever we yearn for the flavors of Wuhan, we head to Papaya Bay. The ambiance is romantic with a soothing fountain, pleasant lighting, and Siamese objects d’art tastefully rounding out the décor. We like it so much that we chose it for our anniversary and Valentine’s Day this year. 

Remember to save room for yummy coconut ice cream, or deliciously fragrant mango sticky rice if it's in season!

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BONUS RECIPE


Brownies

1 1/2 cup flour 

2 cups sugar

1/2 cocoa

4 eggs

1 cup oil 

1 t salt

2 t vanilla

1 t baking powder

1 cup nuts (optional)

-Blend ingredients and beat mixture for 3 minutes.  

-Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

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I figured if I added a brownie recipe I would grab the attention of anyone who didn't already want to read a post on "Yummy Deliciousness." My gastronomical experiences in California have been mostly positive. The few bad ones are so negligible that I will go ahead and get that out of the way. If you are from the South, you will not find a satisfactory BBQ joint this side of Austin; and don't eat at Roscoe's in Los Angeles thinking it will be as good as the soul food in Atlanta, Birmingham, or Jackson. It won't be. You're welcome.

God Bless
      &
Happy Easter!