New Executive Chef at Delicias in RSF
May 18, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
My two dear friends and I had an early dinner at Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe last Friday. I had been there many times before, but I could not help notice how polite, attentive and friendly the staff was. The food was always quite good in the past, but it was exceptional that evening. I think I now know why, and their names are Michael Knowles and Alex Campbell. Michael is the new Executive Chef and Alex is the GM.
Alex came over to our table a few times and made sure we had everything we needed. He also suggested the berry cobbler for dessert, which, of course we ordered, and of course did not disappoint. I think he said he 
personally had approximately 20 of them in the past month!
You can read a bit about Michael and his credentials below. All I know is that our satisfied tastebuds were good enough for me.
Delicias Restaurant always strives to provide each guest with a unique dining experience and plans to take that experience to the next level with Executive Chef, Michael Knowles. His first challenge has been to create a new and inspired lunch menu, featured below. “We are looking forward to expanding our culinary range with Michael,” General Manager, Alex Campbell explains. “The concept of Delicias was originally designed by Wolfgang Puck, and Michael has embraced that concept. His experience working with Wolfgang will allow him to continue what we have already accomplished at Delicias while developing his own vision for the future.”
Raised in South Lake Tahoe, California, Executive Chef, Michael Knowles developed his appreciation for quality cuisine in the exclusive resorts of the extremely popular ski-town. He expanded his appreciation into refined knowledge and experience in 1997 when he moved to San Francisco to work for Wolfgang Puck at the award winning, Postrio. After three years of unparalleled skill development and growth, Michael accepted an offer to open Soif Restaurant and Wine Bar as the Executive Chef in Downtown Santa Cruz where he became the first chef in the city to use 100% sustainable seafood. His career continued to develop and change with a move to the famous local restaurant Ostrich Grill in Aptos where his talent became locally recognized. With culinary recognition and polished skill, Michael returned to the Wolfgang Puck fine dining group in Las Vegas as the Sous Chef for both Spago and Postrio for three years.
As the Exectuive Chef of Delicias he plans to utilize the exceptionally high quality local organic ingredients to create inspired, cutting edge food that people will fall in love with. He believes in the need for sustainability and strongly supports local farmers. He plans to stay true to the food he is serving, keeping it simple yet innovative.
Fresh New Pool Ideas!
Welcome to the 2009 Masters of Design Showcase, where some of the most spectacular works created by industry professionals were celebrated. Whether you just purchased a new home in Rancho Santa Fe with no pool or are thinking of giving your existing pool a makeover, here are some fabulous design ideas for you.
To read more about each project — and to view a multimedia presentation — click on the images below.
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Signal on Del Dios Highway gets its rhythm back.
May 3, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
THE PROBLEM: Rancho Drive is a sleepy side street off busy Del Dios Highway leading to a restaurant, a horse facility and a dozen or so short residential streets. Even at midday it gets little, if any, traffic.
So Gordon Larsen wondered why a signal at the T intersection would need to stop traffic on Del Dios as often as twice a minute, with no one waiting or even approaching from Rancho Drive.
The constant stops, acceleration and deceleration on the main road, which connects Escondido and Rancho Santa Fe along the west side of Lake Hodges, must waste “a tremendous amount of gas,” said Larsen, who drives through at least twice daily. Larsen said the signal had been acting strangely for a few weeks before he called Just Fix it on April 26.
A spot check Tuesday confirmed Larsen’s observations. The signal went red again and again without any vehicles on Rancho Drive, rarely keeping traffic moving for more than a minute and sometimes staying green for as little as five seconds. There was no apparent pattern to the signal, which turned red a few times without traffic on either road.
STATUS: It’s fixed. A call to the county Transportation Division on Tuesday got a repair crew sent out Wednesday morning.
Michael Robinson , head of the division, said there was a malfunction with the intersection’s video equipment, designed to detect the approach of vehicles on Rancho Drive. So a default mode kicked in, switching to an automatic red/green cycle so that any vehicles venturing up Rancho Drive would have a protected turn.
WHO’S RESPONSIBLE: Michael Robinson. For county-maintained roads, report traffic light outages and other signal problems at (858) 874-4040 or go online to sdcounty.ca.gov/dpw/roads/lightsout.html, which has a service request form and links to city websites with similar information.
NEED A PROBLEM SOLVED: Is there a problem government hasn’t taken care of despite your complaints? Whether it’s a broken stairway or rusted park equipment anywhere in San Diego County, Just Fix It might be able to help.
Call (800) 820-8714 or send e-mail to justfixit@uniontrib.com to describe your problem.
For tips on taking direct action, our “Guide to Getting Things Done” — a list of government phone numbers to use for complaints on such things as burned-out lights and bumpy streets — is at signonsandiego.com/news/justfixit/gettingitdone/
Rancho Santa Fe Farmer’s Market Coming to Del Rayo Village
April 27, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
The Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market is coming to town every Sunday of the year starting May 2.
The market will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Del Rayo Village Shopping Center in the Fairbanks Ranch area (16079 San Dieguito Rd., Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92091). The Helen Woodward Animal Center is a beneficiary of the market and will receive 10 percent of the vendor profits each week.
“I felt like we really needed something like [this market in this community],” said organizer Raquel Pena, who works in event planning and real estate. “Finally, we will have a market of just top-quality products that are not represented by sales people or vendors, but represented by the farmers themselves. This is a farmers’ market and that’s really key.”
The Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market will not be a place where people come to eat, Pena said. Rather, it will be a place to pick up farmer-fresh foods and ideas to take home and get busy in the kitchen.
“It’s a place for foodies to explore what’s out there,” said Pena, who said they will also launch a website soon that will provide interesting new recipes every month.
Pena is a Farmers Market aficionado, she loves the markets in Santa Monica and Hollywood, as well as the sprawling weekend ones in Hillcrest. She has even gone up to Portland, Ore. to check out markets.
Pena said it doesn’t get much better than buying vegetables and fruit that have been picked that same day, sometimes just the day before.
“I’m crazy about heirloom tomatoes, all the stone fruits and avocados,” Pena said.
Doing her research to find farmers for the Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market has been a satisfying experience for a foodie such as herself.
“This has been heaven,” Pena said. “It’s been incredibly fun.”
Pena has found a collection of farmers to attend the Rancho Santa Fe market, all from local farms within 150 miles of San Diego. Rather than get a lot of farmers with the same kind of produce, she has tried to find farmers who specialize in each item. Some confirmed farmers include:
• Maggie’s Farm: famous for its Stellar Mix salad mix that comes with edible flowers.
• ParadiseValley: “the best avocados and lemons,” Pena said.
• Sage Mountain: seasonal organic vegetables
• Smit Orchards: stone fruit like cherries, peaches, plumcots, pluots, apricots
• Archie’s Acres: living basil, lettuces, kale, chard
• Suncoast Farms: artichoke and asparagus
• Kuwano Farms: strawberries, raspberries, white raspberries, blackberries and grapes
In addition to fruits and veggies, farmers will also be selling homemade olive oils, honeys, artisan bread, pastas, eggs, olives, fresh roasted coffee, teas, soaps and candles.
The market will also have a fresh fish vendor, cut and potted flowers, and Soledad goat cheese.
Pena is also excited about the cherries they will have available for the market’s opening day on May 2. Cherries have a short season and their launch date will be perfect for the just-in-season fruit.
The market will be held in the middle of the parking lot at the Del Rayo Village Shipping Center where parking will also be available.
“We wanted to provide a service to the community and have Del Rayo be a place where people can come together and find fresh produce at reasonable prices,” said Charles Covello, president and owner of the shopping center.
RANCHO SANTA FE/Morgan Run Golf Course: Celebs raise money for Fresh Start
March 30, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Grant Show and Alphonso Ribiero
On March 14, more than 150 guests attended the Fresh Start Surgical Gifts soiree overlooking Morgan Run Golf Course in Rancho Santa Fe.
“Fresh Start Surgical Gifts provides free, world-class reconstructive surgery and related services to disadvantaged children and young people with physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease,” said Nancy Kelly, development director.
“Children come from across the United States and all over the world to receive the gift of a fresh start.”
Since its inception in 1991, $17 million has helped 4,800 children and young people undergo life-changing surgical transformations.
Celebrity co-hosts and emcees for the evening Alfonso Ribeiro and Grant Show were delighted to be there.
“This is my sixth year hosting this event and I love doing it because it’s all about the kids,” Ribeiro said.
Other celebrities and professional athletes who took part in the fundraiser were Marcus Allen, Hank Bauer, Bucky Brooks, Willie Buchanon, Darren Carrington, Vince Coleman, Danny Farmer, Marshall Faulk, Michael Haynes, Rob Heidger, Seth Joyner, David Justice, Patricia Kara, James Lofton, Ursula Mayes, Craig McEwen, Tina Mickelson, Phil Nevin, Jeffrey Nordling, Leslie O’Neil, Andre Reed, Sam Scarber, Mike Scifres, Junior Seau, Pete Shaw, Lauren Shiohama, and Craig Whelihan.
Guests perused abundant silent auction tables. However, the Morgan Run Club & Resort full membership was the buzz.
Jason Lawhead served as auctioneer.
During the evening, patient Juan Hurtado delivered inspirational words after reconstructive surgeries to his cleft lip and palate. He thanked Fresh Start for making his dreams come true.
Event sponsors included EDCO Waste & Recycling Services, Marcus Allen All Stars Helping Kids, Inc., Davlyn Investments, Dowling & Yahnke, Godes & Preis LLP, The Handlery Hotel & Resort and MLSM.
Members of the 2010 Golf Classic Committee were chair Vanessa Jackson, Brian Ferguson, Jason Finley, Mike Gainey, Jim Godes, Rob Heidger, Mike Kozlowski, Pete Lassalette, Annette Legaspi, Pete Lizarraga, Pete Middleton, Erik Moore, Cindy Reed, and John Rubey.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=da05874a-bdf0-4435-be25-709cbd4ceb7b)
How Many Rancho Santa Fe Homes Will IncludeThese? ‘Gee-Whiz’ products that will rocket your kitchen into the future!
March 24, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Remember the Jetsons’ kitchen? The one with the robot maid who whipped up entire meals that were the size of vitamins? We’re not quite there — yet. But Betty Crocker wouldn’t recognize some of the innovations available in today’s futuristic kitchens, including talking refrigerators and brainy ovens. Check out these innovations and you might actually feel the itch to do some cooking tonight instead of warming up Chinese takeout or eating out in one of our tasty Rancho Santa restaurants.
The lickety-split oven
Do you like to cook but hate waiting for that roast? Here’s a Jetsons-esque oven for you impatient types. The TurboChef oven cooks in insanely short times. Imagine cooking a 12-pound turkey in 42 minutes instead of four hours. Or steaming family-size quantities of asparagus in less than a minute. Or a 2-pound roasted chateaubriand in 11 minutes instead of an hour. Using patented technology, the oven circulates currents of heated air from the top and bottom of the oven cavity to brown, sear and caramelize food, up to 15 times faster than conventional cooking. Microwaves assist when needed. Such convenience doesn’t come cheap: Ovens run $7,900 to $10,000.
The liquid floor
Tired of the same old flooring options? Jockimo’s Living Surfaces Liquid Lava is a fun flooring and countertop material made of liquid sealed between panels. When pressure (like a hand or a foot) is applied, that liquid moves and smooshes around, creating swirls and shapes. A homeowner can also back-light them to make the nontoxic panels glow with psychedelic trippiness.
Through a glass darkly (or in pink, or in green, or …)
“Color is hot, on a huge trend,” says Susan Serra, a certified kitchen designer. Another place color is shining is through countertops — literally. ThinkGlass makes textured and colored countertops that can be lit by LED lights so they literally glow. The countertops also can be made to glow in hundreds of different colors, programmable with a remote control — including the option to change the colors or even have them fade out or strobe.
The do-it-all oven
Appliances that can do multiple things for people are really taking off. So are ones that can be controlled remotely. To wit: the Tmio Oven. The oven ($5,895 and up) functions like a regular oven — except that you can call it from your cell phone, PDA or computer, and it will switch from refrigerating food and begin cooking what’s inside.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=26782b49-fd93-4730-b154-89bf097185cb)
In the Covenant of Rancho Santa Fe, the Rancho Riding Club
March 24, 2010 by Tamara Stephenson · Leave a Comment
Rancho Santa Fe residents LOVE horses. Even if you don’t ride yourself seeing the trails and stopping to let a horse cross the street contributes to the rural essence of Ranch Santa Fe. The Rancho Riding Club was founded in 1946 and is located on 11 acres in the heart of the Ranch Santa Fe Covenant on Ramblas De Las Flores just south of La Granada.
The Rancho Riding Club is a private facility that offers lessons, horse shows and social activities for both children and adults. Rancho Santa Fe Covenant Members and their guests have access to join the club and take advantage of the over 40 miles of trails, boarding facilities, box stall and outside corrals, multiple cross ties and horse free flow exerciser.
To learn more about the Rancho Riding Club Click Here
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=dffa5a9e-a38f-43bd-8cdc-c8b8e6897f62)
A Little St. Pat’s History
March 16, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
It is said that Patrick became Ireland’s patron saint by driving the snakes from the Emerald Isle (throwing down the witty challenge, “All snakes wishing to remain in Ireland, raise your right hand”). It’s a great story, but not literally true.
Since the Ice Age, the country most likely had no snakes; however, serpent symbols were prominent in the pagan rituals that dominated Ireland. Over the 3 decades that Patrick spread Christianity throughout the country, those ancient practices were “driven” away.
March 17th is believed to be the day St. Patrick died (in 460 A.D.) and is observed as a religious holiday throughout Ireland. Here in America, we mark it by adopting some of the symbols and practices of the Irish, hoping some of their “luck” will rub off on us.
* Finding a penny and picking it up
* Finding a four-leaf clover
* Sneezing 3 times before breakfast
* Spilling wine while proposing a toast
* Having a ladybug land on you
* Seeing a spider spinning in the morning
* Dropping a glove
* Picking up a pencil in the street
* An itch on the top of your head
Interestingly many people wonder what is the meaning of ‘Erin Go Bragh’. It is mostly translated to mean ‘”Ireland Forever’.
Origin: Speakers of the Irish language assume that the phrase is a corruption of the Irish Éire go Brách or Éireann go Brách. The term brách is equivalent to “eternity” or “end of time”, meaning the phrase may be translated literally as “Ireland until eternity” or “Ireland until the end (of time)”. The form Éireann go Bráth or Éire go Bráth is also used in Irish and means the same thing.
St. Patrick’s Day holds a special place in my heart. My Great Grandmother came to America from Ireland in the early 1900′s. I never did get a chance to meet her as she passed away a year before I was born.
Mary Mc Anteer was her name and she spoke Gaelic. My Grandmother ( Mary’s daughter ) told me great tales of the famine and eating potatoes and onion sandwiches for months when there was nothing else. How her mother and father struggled to make it to America and ended up raising 13 children here. I loved listening to those stories and always wanted more information. I heard she was one tough broad. I guess she had to be.
I vowed that if I ever went to Ellis Island, I would look for her name. When I finally did make it there, I was sadly unsuccessful in finding her paperwork. But, I was able to imagine what it must have been like by looking at all of those other transcripts, photos and items left behind so long ago.
I have often looked at Mary’s old photographs and can see the resemblance in my own Mother, sister and myself. I love that we are truly Irish but that she made the decision to leave that barren land to better her life and ours.
So, tomorrow I will raise a mug of coffee and Irish whiskey and make a toast to her, eat cabbage and corned beef and try to keep the memory alive. Erin Go Bragh!
Related articles by Zemanta
- www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day (sfgate.com)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=686d0145-7ef7-481b-b0f8-ef0b0565b79a)
Tennis Options in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
March 11, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Many tennis enthusiasts, novice and pro, seek out to make Rancho Santa Fe their place of residence. And why not when you have near – perfect year round climate and multiple choices of either private or public tennis courts?
100′s of homes located within The Covenant of Rancho Santa Fe have their own private tennis courts. If not, there is the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club ( WWW.RSFTENNIS.COM ) that offers 12 championship courts and overlooks the golf club. Membership is an amenity for Covenant residents only.
The Rancho Valencia Resort was voted by Tennis Magazine as the #1 Resort in the US. They provide match arranging, daily clinics, private and group instruction and a pro shop. WWW.RANCHOVALENCIA.COM. Rancho Valencia is located on the South side of Rancho Santa Fe and open to anyone who wishes to join.
Many of the gated communities in Rancho Santa Fe also offer tennis courts to their residents as well including Fairbanks Ranch, RSF Lakes, The Crosby, Santaluz , Morgan Run and Del Mar Country Club to name a few.
One of our listings locate in the prestigious community of Spyglass Estates offers a fantastic court and would be ideal for you Jalena if your building does not go according to plan ….AND a very large Master Suite and an 8 car garage capacity! See link for details and photos.
We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 090051664 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=1c298931-8f18-4eba-bc72-fa400431efb5)
Jankovic making home here. Top Of The Crosby Estates
March 11, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
INDIAN WELLS — Life high on a hill atop Rancho Santa Fe soon is to begin for Jelena Jankovic. Would that her tennis have similar elevation. Jankovic’s game has been askew since she began the 2009 season as the ranking player on the WTA Tour, but no player around here was talking more animatedly yesterday than the Serbian woman. It’s not tennis that excites her as much as the prospect of occupying the home she is having built in Rancho Santa Fe. Jankovic said she visited the site before coming here for the BNP Paribas Open. “They were putting the roof on. It’s like a dream come true,” she said of a home that, by her measurements, is to have three levels with 20,000 square feet of living space and have a garage large enough for 10 vehicles. “I have five (cars) for now,” said Jelena, who evidently does a lot of driving. Jankovic became aware of the joys of living in the San Diego area when she was competing in tennis events at La Costa. “I picked a lot on a hill,” she said. Its cost, according to San Diego County records: $1.5 million. Jelena advised her architect the place must include a tennis court (it does). “And I wanted a big master bedroom and a huge bathroom,” she said. Done. She is hopeful of moving in by the end of the year. Jankovic’s season, meantime, has not begun positively, with a first-round loss (to Agnes Szavay ) at Sydney and a third-round defeat (to Alona Bondarenko ) at the Australian Open. “But I am working hard,” she said. “I feel every day I am getting better and better. I want to work on coming forward.” Jankovic is the No. 6 seed here. Nothing all that dramatic is apt to occur in the opening round of a tennis tournament with a 96-player draw that hands out 32 seeds and awards all 32 byes. The women’s phase of the Paribas did, however, show off a Justine Henin who soundly eliminated Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2. “I need tennis; I need to play,” said Henin. “Emotionally, I feel much better when I am playing.”
Related articles by Zemanta
- Women Tennis Power Rankings: Venus Williams Tops Henin in Titles Race (bleacherreport.com)
- Jankovic in, Year-end WTA Champs Field Set; Safina No. 1 Again (tennis-x.com)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0bcc9170-3e37-4093-95d6-639b46a7d1b3)
is a service mark of The Prudential Insurance Company of America.