END OF ONE...BEGINNING OF MARCH...IN LIKE LION OUT LIKE LAMB...ALWAYS JUST PERFECT GIVE OR TAKE A DAY

            Saturday was my 11 am appointment with the Dentist in Santa Rosa.  I took the bus and arrived a little early.

 She showed, opened but apparently a Mother with her two daughters had a
problem that needed looking at.

 I waited 10 minutes while they showed the Dentist x-rays she brought then I was in the chair and the drilling started. Thirty minutes later she presented me with the old crown, took an impression and told me she would call when the new porcelain crown was ready. I paid her $216 and left.  Had I went to her first I could have saved over $300 I paid the other Dentist. She did a fantastic job..so far and I'm very pleased with the job and to have it almost done with.

       Returning home I settled in for a nice relaxing day doing nothing.
       I rose late today and am dealing with E Trades Bill Pay.  They issued my HOA check but the Controller says it was rejected...after 3 weeks of going back and forth and redepositing it...I asked why it was rejected.  She said they couldn't find the account?  Over 10 years of no problems and now this. I told E Trade and they seem to think it is her problem not theirs.  They issue the check to RCI and they deposit it?  I requested the General Manager's email so I can bring this to his attention then left for a Oaxacan Asian Fusion ...dinner by my Chef friend Annalisa at her home with 15 others at 2 pm this Oscar Sunday afternoon. It was a long climb up the hill where she lived but I arrived.

GUEST/FRIEND FANNING THE BBQ

PROOFING FANTASTIC ROLLS FOR SPECIAL ORIENTAL SANDWICH

ANNALISA BAKING THE FANTASTIC ROLLS WHILE FRIEND/GUEST HELPS

CANADIAN GUESTS ARE EARLY WITH ME..BOTH WRITER/TRAVELERS

A few people arrived late and a couple cancelled but we started with a Won Ton Soup with the best Won Tons ever...unfortunately I didn't get a photo.  Got to re-read my manual. 

Annalisa Bandalera explaining the Won Ton Soup...this is the menu she sent with a brief

explanation of what Comidor Clandestino is all about:

To celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year, a little late, but the celebrations continue on in China, I planned a special Oax-Asian fusion menu.  Please see the details listed below.  I hope you will be able to join in this special celebration of the Fire Monkey.  If not you, feel free to spread the word to others so inclined, thanks!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Annalisa

Oax-Asian Pop-Up Restaurant at Comedor Clandestino

February 26 at 7:00 p.m. and February 28 at 2:00 p.m.

The menu explores how Criollo ingredients take the place of traditional ones in Asian cuisine.

Shared Table – 16 Seats, Reservation required: oaxacacomedor@gmail.com or bandalera@gmail.com

Set Menu

Appetizer

Won ton Soup - homemade wrappers in a hoja de leon and guaje de ardilla (criollo plants) broth

Green mango salad 

Slider – Asian pulled chicken on homemade milk bread dressed with pickled carrots and jicama

Entrée

Black Bean Ho Fun – rice noodles cooked with vegetables and chintextle (Oaxaca pasilla chili) soy sauce, and black beans

Chilly Dragon Greens – greens cooked with the breath of the dragon served chilled with a garlic sauce

Char Siu Kebab – Chinese BBQ grilled pork kebab

Accompanied with Jasmine Rice

Dessert

Sticky Rice with Mango and Homemade Coconut Milk

Served with agua del día or hot jasmine tea.

Comedor Clandestino is committed to the locavore movement, all produce and meats are sourced within the state of Oaxaca, with special emphasis placed on supporting the Criollo system, and procurement within 100 miles of Oaxaca Centro. 

Now for those Sandwiches made from that wonderful Bread Rolls she created.  Like Steamed Dumplings...light, sweet,  and fluffy but not Dumplings. Shredded seasoned Chicken and shredded, pickled carrot and jicama....soooo goood.

The main course was laid out in a buffet and she dished and served it to us.

Then came the Sticky Rice with Homemade Coconut Milk and Mango....Great Meal.

I waddled back down the hill and took a Taxi home.

Notice the roof tops....!!

con't LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY....LONG WEEK?

      Yesterday I took a leisurely walk to Biznaga and had a nice dinner of Pork Ribs before returning home.

       Today I did make it to CHILHUACLE ROJO while avoiding a possible violent demonstration by college students? on the way.

           

            I wasn't too impressed with the dinner he served us on our house tour.  He has taught cooking classes in Teotitlan at that house so I was hopeful.
       It was in a "food court" and I sat at the Mini Taj table...wrong restaurant so the Indian waiter informed me I had to move over one table..

GOOD MURALIST...LOOK AT THAT WATER111

FRESH OJ WITH SPARKLING RED WINE...BRIE ON CROUTONS..FRESH FIGS WITH STRAWBERRY PUREE

.then the ROJO waiter greeted me with a menu in Spanish. Then the Chef Alejandro greeted me explaining the Especial Del Dia and informed me that if I had any questions about the menu to please ask and he would explain anything...his English was excellent. I choose the Especial...an Omelet with fish inside...a first for me.

COFFEE IN A BOWL......CUSTOMARY WAY.

HOT OAXACAN CHOCOLATE WITH ORANGE AND GINGER...AFTER DINNER DRINK

          OK...so where is the dinner.  Never came out...thought I took a photo but NO.  It was an Omelet stuffed with shredded fish fillet and mild chili salsa...topped with a light cream sauce then salad and garnished with goat cheese balls and red, yellow, and purple cherry tomatoes.

         Only found one fish bone and I enjoyed the after dinner drink.  I paid and headed home through the Zocalo where they were getting ready for a PRI Rally or political hype of some sort...don't know who the speakers will be or what the occasion.  PRI is a political party.

Con't LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY

            Sunday, on the way to the Library Boutique Craft and Miscellaneous Sale our Bus encountered an ambulance accompanying a Marathon of sorts with about 5 runners and police motorcycles and patrol cars stopping along the way to block cross traffic.  I exited to a crowd of waiting library member hoping to get there first and steal the goodies before anyone else.  I was going to pick up my La Plume coffee from the plantation owner Mark who had some waiting for me.  I bought 300 grams of whole bean coffee then picked up a hand woven basket for my kitchen utensils...rarely find drawers in the kitchen to store things in unless you own one of those custom homes with hand made mahogany cabinets like yesterday.

      Then I noticed a 19th century pewter Tea Canister from China for $60...and 7 Vinal Albums of the Beatles...Help...Abbey Road...and some Originals kept nice and in so so original album covers...5 which were in Spanish.  I had no money or ATM card so returned home to drop my stash and pick up some money.  I did take time to "Google" the Tea Canister but nothing came up like it, but the albums were a mixed bag and prices from $12 - to thousands.  I couldn't remember at the time what they were but returned and offered the man 1000 pesos for the 7...he stuck to his 1400 Peso asking price.  I got his information and left my card for him.  I decided to email a professional collector in Melbourne Australia who is a friend and put out feelers.  I could turn them to him for a profit and he in turn could pass them on for even bigger profits.
      I wanted to have breakfast at the restaurant owned by the Chef who prepared our meal on the tour.
He came recommended for his breakfasts...all he does at the restaurant since he opened two years ago but wasn't opened on  Sunday  Llano Park was doing Zumba as I passed through.

       I had an appointment with Ron, a black man from Chicago that I met while at Zipolite Beach in January.  He teaches English on the internet, has a lady friend and a daughter by her back in Zipolite.
He is considering opening a business and is planning on being here on a long term basis...going back and forth like me. There was a concert in the Zocalo when I arrived.

WELL COVERED BY NEWS PEOPLE

EVEN A DRONE IN THE SKY TOOK A MOVIE

We had a nice talk.  He has a beautiful rental in Zipolite for the next few months and goes down every week for a day or two to visit his daughter and girlfriend.  He has a car here.
     We agreed to keep in touch and I stopped on the way home to have breakfast at the Azul Lobo.

LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY...CON'T

       Saturday I stopped for breakfast on the way to meet our group of 50 headed out on a Home Tour to see 4 different homes in the Teotitlan Zapotec village of weavers dating back to 700-800 when Monte Alban and Atzopa were abandoned. These are their descendants.

We met in Llano Park and loaded into Vans, departed and arrived at our first home owned by the now President of the library, Rebecca and her husband Tom.

 She greeted us but Tom was stricken with Montezuma's Revenge.  Rebecca said the home took four years to build on the property they purchased and was all solar with the same electrical system as a regular home in the US.  She has all the modern appliances except a clothes dryer. She is a semi-retired Master Horticulturist and planted and designed the xeriscape garden in the desert with plants needing the most water closet to the house to catch the grey water run off.  Only the Bougainvillea need watering.  They capture all there water into a cistern through a system of troughs and pipes.  This is truly a beautiful home.

We went through the house in 6 groups with leaders guiding us and answering questions.

MICHELLE THE LEADER OF OUR EVENT

REBECCA'S A WEAVER....NICE LOOM

We ended the tour back outside then went back for appetizers to go with our cocktails...of course.

Then off like a Roadrunner we moved on to a Bed and Breakfast and home of long time residents of Teotitlan.  One of the Partner's parents previously owned the property before they passed away.

Bottom Right is One Owner...........................With Peter raising his hand behind him.

CASA TOLENTINA

Next we moved to our Organizer's home not far away.   Michelle greeted us with a brief bio on the 17 room home with I think 7-8 bedrooms and a view from everywhere.

ONE FATTY PORK RIB, WILTED SALAD, POTATO OMELET AND CRUST OF BREAD..MEZCAL WAS ONLY 10 PESOS 

MICHELLE'S STORY

ON to Norma's house that was custom built just for her....

CATTLE GOT IN OUR WAY

 Dessert was waiting at our last house that sat in the middle of the desert with a 360 view from the rooftop. Norma rents the home with a long term lease from a nice older Mexican Couple .  She retired from teaching at U of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...I think. The house was small with everything you would want.

Dessert was waiting at our last house that sat in the middle of the desert with a 360 view from the rooftop. Norma rents the home with a long term lease from a nice older Mexican Couple .  She retired from teaching at U of North Carolina at Chapel Hill...I think. The house was small with everything you would want.

We returned home just at nightfall.