I was reading the Wall Street Journal early this morning and I found the article linked below on A 14 under the Review & Outlook column in the Opinion section.  Hopefully you can read the article without subscribing.  If you cannot and would like to; contact me and I will email the text to you.

Excerpt:
“For the latest example of regulatory overreach, look no further than the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is pushing through a rule to support racial loan quotas a few months before the Supreme Court will rule on whether that’s legal. The Obama Administration’s “fair housing” agenda, apparently, just can’t wait.”

via Review & Outlook: The Loan Quota Rule – WSJ.com

Loan’s should be made based on ability to pay them.  If you want to say this is discriminatory,  you can certainly do so but my parents lived most of their life as renters because they just didn’t make enough money to qualify for a loan.  Were they discriminated against because they were poor, foreign or beige?  No, they were not.  They simply could not afford a home and I never once heard them complain about it.  They managed to finally buy their first home in 1979. This was after my dad was diagnosed with Black Lung and lost his job of 25+ years because he could no longer go underground.  Did he receive workman’s compensation?  No he did not.  Did the United Mine Worker’shelp him win an appeal for disability?  No, they did not.  He was forced to take early social security and my mother started a cleaning business in northern New Mexico when they relocated there.  The cost of living was really low there at the time.  They took their tiny life savings and bought the least expensive house they could find with 50% down so they could qualify for the loan.  The total cost of the home was $40k.  It was not a palace but they were proud to be homeowners.

Mortgage relief should go to those that put 20+% down through a legitimate, documented loan.  These are the rules — like it or not — and people had to play by them in order to buy a home. Well…they did until quotas were place on lenders.  Both political parties condoned this practice that goes back to Clinton days.  The lender’s stated loaning money under a whole different set of rules for fear of not meeting the quotas imposed.  But still the average American still got slapped with PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) if they did qualify for a mortgage with less that 20% down payment.  Look it up if you don’t believe me.  I had to pay it on my first condo and my move-up buy to a slightly nicer place.  I was highly motivated to pay down my loan and increase my equity so it would go away.  It was an additional $200 for me that was a complete waste of money but again, those were the rules.

Instead of being given bailouts, Mortgage companies should have been forced to reduce interest rates for people with conventional loans so that they were given a chance to recover from the huge declines in property value and loss of income due to unemployment.  It is complete discrimination to only help those that were in homes they could not afford to begin with.  This is exactly what is happening now with the “Making Homes Affordable Program”.  People who are working longer hours to recover wages from extended unemployment are penalized in this program.  For those of us who lived off retirement savings and continued trying to pay mortgages while unemployed, huge tax penalties applied.

If the money given to banks for mortgage bailouts were distributed to American’s with documented loans in which they invested the required 20% down payment, things would be much different today.  If the bank forecloses on a property, they can auction the property and write off the loss.  Why does the government reward the lender for selling a $800k foreclosed home at auction to a real estate bottom feeder for $275k?   Why aren’t lenders forced to offer the same terms to the person that has lived in the home for years and that paid their mortgage religiously?   Why can a lender accept a short-sale price from a stranger and not offer the same adjusted mortgage to the original homeowner?  Why is the homeowner the one that suffers the loss with no relief while the corporation is made whole by the US Government?  Does this sound like a “fair” system to you?

In my case the bank actually wanted to foreclose.  Their liability was far less than mine because I put so much down on my property.  I was forced into a very bad modification which raised my mortgage significantly and that did not lower my interest rate by even one tenth of a point.  My lender actually profits more in the long run.  I suffer.  Why did I not walk away you ask?  I put 30% down ($300k) on my place when I bought it.  It was every cent of savings I had and the result of equity gained from slowly pulling my way up .  I did not buy my home to speculate.  I bought it to live in.  If I walked away — I would have been walking away from all that I had saved over the past 20 years of my life.  So now over 60% of my net income goes to covering my mortgage and association dues and my home is still worth less than half of what I paid for it.  It is not a pleasant situation but it is what it is.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development, once again, wants lenders to be forced into minority lending quota’s.  Lending should be available to all races, religions and sexual orientations based on the ability to qualify and pay the loan; period.  Owning a home is “The American Dream” – NOT  “The American Entitlement” as it has been sold since the Clinton and Bush Administration and escalated by the Obama Administration.

The solution to affordable housing availability is to focus our attention on building affordable housing so that the housing needs of more American citizens can be met with a price tag people can afford.  Bureaucratic red tape needs to be slashed and fees need to be waived by greedy government agencies so that these projects can be built cost effectively, quickly and efficiently. Very few Americans actually realize how high the costs are for a builder before they even break ground on a new home.  It adds significant cost to home ownership.  Tax incentives should be given to building material suppliers that offer special pricing programs for construction supplies in affordable housing projects but sans the nightmare, red-tape ones that exist today.  The same holds true for the many companies that donate reclaimed materials that can also be utilized in construction.  Incentives should be there for doing the right things to solve this critical need.

Small grants should be available to architectural and engineering students to develop cost affective,  modular housing models that are clean, safe and energy efficient.   Take a look in Dwell Magazine for some of the incredible pre-fab homes being marketed.  Some of them are admittedly expensive but the concept is incredible and it makes me think about all the materials we throw away in our society that could be used to create homes.   I have posted a link below to give you an idea of the concept of using freight containers.  The possibilities are endless.  The City of San Diego has urban blighted property that could be utilized to build innovative pod-like communities with community gardens.  I am told you can buy a freight container here for $1500 and that includes delivery to the property.  How about an experiment in turning one of these lots into a modular community and in the same vein as that used by Habitat for Humanity?  Sweat equity in the project is part of the cost of ownership.  If a small urban home in a nicely landscaped community were available for $25-$30k – would people be interested?  I think so and I would be there to volunteer in the building of such a community.  I think I know a lot of other people that would join me.

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/articles/containers.htm

The net affect of this type of focus not only brings affordable housing to market; it creates jobs in the process.  When you build a plan that creates something tangible, the economy benefits.  When you create programs and quotas you do little but create more layers of bureaucracy which then becomes the burden of American’s that work and pay taxes.

I will continue to challenge my thought process to be more outside of the box.  To those that criticize my rants, I say step up and offer up something that involves a solution instead of the “The Rich Must Pay More” mantra.  I don’t believe the 1% vs 99% rule.  I think its more like 1 % extreme wealth 70% hard working Americans and 29% who think the rest of us owe them a living.  Maybe I am wrong — I actually hope I am.   I stay planted firmly in the middle.  I am a Constitutionalist and a Libertarian.  I don’t like Democrats or Republicans in office today.  I want to eliminate big government.  I care about people that need a hand-up and I want to see less hand-outs.  I know there are people who genuinely need help and I support these people.  I refuse to support able-bodied people that do not work.  And for the record — I will pay my student loans until every dime I owe is paid…that is all.

TheArtofBeer
xoxo

Please excuse typos, spelling and context errors…I don’t have a proofreader

I walked up the stairs and was gobsmacked when I saw the space!  The transformation from the bizarro water boutique to this absolutely stunning restaurant and lounge is incredible.  Prepkitchen is the latest addition to the very popular Whisknladle Hospitality creation’s of Ryan Johnston and Arturo Kassel.  These guys clearly have a formula for success.  Reclaimed wood, eclectic details and fantastic lighting make for a warm and inviting space.  I had no clue this place was so big based on appearance from the street but the architect really did a good job creating division so that it feels cozy in each of the defined areas.

The bar is stocked with great craft spirits.  My heart fluttered when I spotted the Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve and the Family Reserve Rye!  Holy Impressive Bourbon Selection Batman!  The craft beer selection is also notable.  They actually represent a diverse style range which encourages experimenting with food pairings.  I love that they have Rodenbach on tap and I am hopeful that Prepkitchen Little Italy will consider some innovative “Craft Beer Cocktails” as an addition to the very interesting list of Craft Cocktails and Wine.  The prices are, in my opinion, par for the high quality of the ingredients.  Their concept is definitely Farm-to-Table and this definitely appeals to the ethical foodie in me.  The staff was attentive, friendly and best of all — void of hipster attitude!  Please don’t get me wrong — there are times when I enjoy a hipster vibe, but really…I like people who are nice and that take a few moments to engage in conversation.  My server behind the bar, John, was awesome.  His knowledge of the product was exceptional.  It’s hard to believe they had just opened.  He made mention of the fact that several people there came from PF Chang’s.  This is impressive. Paul Fleming wrote the book on consistent, superior service and I have always had respect for the PF Chang’s culture.

I ordered the Bone Marrow appetizer and a Warm White Bean & Arugula Salad.  My cocktail choice was a Manhattan made with Basil Hayden’s Small Batch Bourbon and Antica Formula Vermouth.  Wow, wow and WOW!  The Bone Marrow was cooked to buttery perfection; topped with red onion, parsley, lemon and served with what I would describe as a ranch-style toast.   The Pesto-Tossed White Beans and Arugula were topped with shaved-Parmigiano-Reggiano and the combination was scrumptious.  I was totally checking out what other people ordered and everything looked delicious.   I have a feeling it will take many future visits to make it through the menu which incidentally, will change daily based on available, seasonal, local ingredients.  Prepkitchen sources produce from Suzie’s Farm (My CSA Provider) and several other local farms.  This is another great notch in San Diego’s already stellar belt Slow Food restaurants.

Warm White Bean Arugula Salad

Bone Marrow

The official opening is Monday, January 30th.  I highly recommend you hustle over to PREPKITCHEN and be one of the early fans!  This is a much welcomed addition to my beloved and vibrant Little Italy neighborhood.

Cheers…TheArtofBeer
xoxo

You can check out their website for other locations and get an idea of their concept here ➙➙➙➙➙➙

http://whisknladle.com/about

Saute 2 tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of garlic slowly over low heat.  Pat scallops dry to remove residual liquid and pepper to taste.  Add to pan when oil and garlic is hot and before allowing it to smoke.  Turn scallops when brown on first side  and squeeze juice of one half lemon.  Cook until second side is seared and scallops are at desired temp.  Remove scallops from pan and add about one shot of small batch bourbon( like Willett Small Pot Reserve) to pan to deglaze.  Pour resulting pan juices over scallops and ENJOY!

Bon Appetit!
TheArtofBeer
xoxo

http://carlsbadaquafarm.com/

The girls working at the farmer’s market were super friendly and helpful.  They showed me how to remove the little hairy bit that protrudes from the flat part of the shell; harder than it looked in their demo once home.  This was the most difficult part of the meal.  I solicited advice from the Twitter foodies for how to cook and this is what I came up with…

I sauteed garlic and shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil.  I added 2.5 cups of Viognier, the only white wine I had in the wine fridge, and then added the well rinsed mussels, covered the pan and gently shook the pan a few times to distribute the liquid well.  I removed the open mussels one by one and put them aside in a bowl and discarded the few that did not open properly.  Next I popped them all back in the liquid and reduced it until about half .  I added 4 tablespoons of cream, salt, Pepper and about a 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley; immediately removed pan from heat and transferred (carefully) the mussels into a bowl with liquid poured over them.

The result was delicious!  The only problem was that there was far more than I could finish.  My neighbors down the hall were happy about that

Cheers and don’t forget…Support Local Food and Products!

TheArtofBeer
xoxo

Plans are taking shape for the mother of all Craft Beer Team Expeditions to summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in September 2015!  My goal is to get 10 fellow craft beer evangelists on my team.  These people must be committed and dedicated.  I would like also like to make this a fundraiser for a Craft Beer charity.  Kili is not a big technical climb – it is a trek with the most technical part being the summit day.

This will be a professionally managed climb using a professional and respected operator like the one found in the link below.  The company must respect and properly compensate the native porters for their hard work and must also respect and protect the fragile ecosystem.  There are several companies that I have researched.  This is one possibility.

Climb Mount Kilimanjaro with The African Walking Company | the Best Guides on the Best Routes.

For budget purposes plan on about $3k for the actual expedition.  We will research airfare deals for best options but use $1k for a budget number.  It will be best to have a day or two there to get over jet lag before expedition begins.  It would also be great to spend a few days after to relax and explore Tanzania before returning home.  All told I will say that $5k is the budget figure to shoot for with savings goal.  If you start putting aside $40 per week you will save $5200 in 130 weeks – put it in a savings account and you will gain a bit of intrest as well.  You can also start your own fundraising efforts to help supplement your expenses.  Think of cheerleading camp fundraising in high school LOL!  Get your friends behind you so that you have support and a source of shame if you get lazy and quit!

While I am calling this TeamCraftBeerKiliClimb2015 — please know that during the climb, it is ill advised to drink alcohol because of altitude sickness and dehydration risk.  In other words, we are not doing this to drink beer every night.  We will however toast with a few sips of some highly “overrated” but highly loved CRAFT beer at the summit.  When we get back to lower ground, that’s when we will cut loose & CELEBRATE!!!!!

If you are truly interested in doing this then follow this blog and email me with you contact info and details about why you want to go.

More info soon my adventuresome friends!

Love and Respect

TheArtofBeer
xoxo

“The World is run by those who show up!”

Looking for a weekend getaway on the “left coast”?  I suggest Oakland.  That’s right — the place that often gets a bad rap for being thug central because of the Raider Nation.  The truth is that Oakland is a pretty cool place to visit if you like Craft Beer, Farm-to-Table Restaurants and an Urban Adventure.  If you live on the West Coast,  you can take Amtrak right into Jack London Square.  Otherwise fly into SFO or OAK and take BART (BayAreaRapidTransit) to the downtown Oakland City Center stop.  This post will highlight just a few places in Oakland that I frequent but there are several other great spots really close by.  The people here are friendly and fun.

I like to stay at the Waterfront Hotel at Jack London Square.  The Waterfront is part of the Joie de Vivre boutique, hotel chain which offers a different experience than the standard chain hotel and at affordable rates.

http://www.jdvhotels.com/
The Waterfront is a quirky little hotel right on the channel between Oakland and Alameda.  Some of the rooms have great views and there is a small, heated swimming pool and patio where you can chill out and soak up the sun on a nice day.  Miss Pearl’s Jam House is the on site restaurant that has a good selection of beer and a Slow Food approach to food.  Friend and Bison Brewing owner, Daniel DelGrande clued me into this place after my repeated gripes about the natty Courtyard Marriott in downtown Oakland.  Unlike the Courtyard, the Waterfront is clean, friendly and best of all; is just two blocks from Beer Revolution, my favorite place to enjoy beer in Oakland!

Beer Revolution is my kinda place.  Fraggle & Rebecca, the owners, are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. They have 47 rotating taps and they take pride in the fact that keep the lines meticulously clean.  Beer Rev has access to a lot of new releases and limited edition craft beers.  I savored a glass of Drake’s Brewing special barrel-aged  “Passionate Monkey” during a Tap Takeover event last year.  Last week, High Water Brewing (one of the newest breweries in the Bay Area)  “Aphotic Barrel Aged Baltic Porter” went on tap for the very first time and WOW was that a treat.  You get the picture…There are hundreds of bottles to choose from in the Beer Rev coolers as well.   It is not difficult to find something super special here and I always make it a point to ask the bartenders what the rare options are.  They do not serve food (yet) at Beer Rev but they do allow food from neighboring spots to be enjoyed on premise.  The Vegetarian spot on the corner is really good.  An expansion project is planned for Beer Rev later this year and it appears food will be part of it!

http://beer-revolution.com/
464 3rd Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 452-BEER (2337)

High Water Brewing
http://highwaterbrewing.com/highwater.php

I fell in love the very first time I had dinner with friend Dan from Bison and Rock Star Chick Brewer, Alex from Drake’s Brewing in nearby San Leandro.  Chop Bar features seasonal, local ingredients when possible and they serve up some good craft beer and cocktails!  They have some great small plates that are perfect for sharing and I recommend doing just that when you visit Chop Bar.  One of the best things about restaurants committed to Slow Food concepts is a constantly changing menu.  You will never get bored because there is always something new to try.  Fresh ingredients that are in season and sustainably grow taste better.  That’s a fact!
Chop Bar
247 4th St Ste 111
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 834-2467
http://www.oaklandchopbar.com/

Drake's Barrel House

Drake’s Brewing Company (same ownership as Jupiter & Triple Rock in Berkeley) is about 10 miles from Jack London Square in Oakland and well worth the trip.  I am guessing a cab ride is about $20 but it is completely possible to take BART to the San Leandro Station and walk 1.25 miles to the brewery.
Visit the Beer By Bart website for details:
http://beerbybart.com/why/drakes-brewery-and-barrel-house-san-leandro/
The Drake’s Barrel House opened last summer with 24 taps featuring the regular Drake’s line-up as well as seasonal choices and the incredible barrel-aged beers that they are now famous for.  You cannot get these special beers outside of the Bay Area “yet”, so this is your chance to see what all the buzz is about.  The Quaid’s Dream- Imperial Stout aged in Port Barrels with blackberries I sampled last week was brilliant but I must confess that I am still longing for another sample of Passionate Monkey!  Owners , John & Reid Martin, have the formula for success in brewing ventures as well as brew pubs.  Triple Rock & Jupiter are both Bay Area favorites within the Craft Beer Community.

It’s a bit hard to find Drake’s the first time. Look for the driveway to the right of Wal-Mart and the left of Sport’s Authority.  Drake’s is tucked back in the corner as you drive between the two buildings.
1933 Davis Street
San Leandro, CA 94577
(510) 568-BREW (2739)
http://drinkdrakes.com/
http://barrelhouse.drinkdrakes.com/?page_id=9

Here are the links for a few other places in Oakland that deserve some props:

The Trappist
25 Taps & 100 Specialty Bottles
460 8th Street
Oakland, California
94607
http://thetrappist.com/
(510)238-8900

Luka’s Tap Room & Lounge
16 Taps & Specialty Bottles
Excellent Mussels!
2221 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612
(510)451-4677
http://lukasoakland.com/

Linden Street Brewery
95 Linden St
Oakland, CA
(510)251-8898
http://www.lindenbeer.com/

The Inn at Jack London Square is not a bad alternative

Do "NOT" stay at the Jack London Inn! Very Scary Place

Enjoy Oakland and let me know how you liked it!

Word…
TheArtofBeer
xoxo
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Crowd Funding is a great way to raise funds that make entrepreneurial dreams come true but it is not easy.  Investors are doing so for T-shirts, VIP memberships and other perks; not shares in the business.  There are laws that limit actual equity shares to a very small number of people.  Certified Investors are the only ones allowed by the SEC beyond this number.  This is the problem.

Read the article and learn a little about the possibilities and the challenges.   If you aspire to owning a brewery, brew pub, or craft beer bar;  this is a subject that should be of great interest.  I do hope to see the laws change so that I could consider actually investing for equity and the article suggests there is movement to do so.   I suspect I am not alone.  The Craft Beer Community supports the underdog in more way than one.  Wouldn’t it be interesting to see how many put their money on the line?

Here is the link to the article:

Crowd funding, an online path for small businesses

Here’s to New Breweries & Good Beer!

TheArtofBeer
xoxo

http://www.littleitalysd.com/mercato/

Today I stopped off to sample fresh Sea Urchin at Poppa’s Fresh Fish, a regular at the Little Italy Mercato.  I appreciate their motto:

“If it we any fresher. you would be under water!”

True that!!!  Poppa’s has a killer selection of fresh fish that they source and prepare for sale at local farmer’s markets.  For the first hour at each market they have “Oyster Happy Hour” and that translates to yummy oysters, shucked on the spot for only $1.25 each.  I call them “Breakfast of Champions” and I am not the only one.  There is a cue on Saturday mornings to get them!

You can check out their website here>>> http://www.poppasfreshfish.com/
They have a listing of the local farmer’s markets you can find them at!

Now back to the Sea Urchin…

“we crack’em, we clean’em and you eat’em, right out of the shell!!!”

That’s what they say on the website and Holy Fresh Goodness they aren’t kidding!  For $9 you get the freshest Sea Urchin you will ever taste. I kid not people.  For those who are already fans at the sushi bar,  the taste and texture are familiar but the flavor is different because they are so fresh.  For the Sea Urchin Virgin, I recommend trying them this way.  The taste is salty on the palate at the beginning and then transitions to a beautiful buttery finish.  The texture of this fresh Sea Urchin is custard-like and it just melts in your mouth.

I think one of the best things about stopping at Poppa’s Fresh Fish is watching people stop to look at the Sea Urchin.  Many don’t know what it actually looks like when it is in the sea.  Some have never even heard of it. The looks on their faces are priceless!  Even better is seeing their surprise when they take their first taste and realize that it is absolutely delicious!

Some Sea Urchin Virgins!

If you live in San Diego and have a chance to visit the Little Italy Mercato, please stop by Poppa’s Fresh Fish. I encourage you to sample the Sea Urchin! It does not get any fresher than this…

Don’t forget to shop local when possible!

TheArtofBeer
xoxo
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10 Surprising Health Benefits of Beer | Yahoo! Health.

Cheers

TheArtofBeer

Readers: You do not have to agree with me and I will not dislike you if you don’t.

There is nothing “constructive” about the criticism plaguing Beer Advocate, Twitter and other Social Media outlets with regard to craft brewing.  Expressing dislike for a beer based on style, flaws or personal taste is not the issue. There are heaps of beers I don’t care for.  Brewers understand and accept this type of criticism and while hard to hear, it is expected.

Generalized bashing of brewers and breweries that are the rants of immature, socially inept, cowards hiding behind a computer screen; are not constructive.  Put these “self-proclaimed beer experts” in front of a live audience of true craft beer advocates and they will crap their skinny jeans before being able to speak a word of criticism.  Do you really think comments like “I would not water my plants with your shitty beer” or “your beer tastes like asparagus piss” are helpful or constructive?  I think not.  This is an example of some of the utter crap we witness on a regular basis.

Technology is a wonderful thing but it provides anonymity to people with motives that are non-constructive and at times even criminal.  Just look at the increase in pedophilia in the US as it correlates to Internet access.  When these nasty beings had to show their faces in public to feed their disease; it was at far greater consequence.   With a computer hiding their identity, it has become far too easy to act on the sickness.  Yes…I realize this is far from a like comparison, but unfortunately the principle is the same.  It’s easy to spout off from a computer keyboard than it is from a podium.  This is what separates the BA “Boys” from real men & women that offer up descriptions of the characteristics that do not appeal to them.

Craft brewers and breweries take big financial chances to give beer drinkers in the United States choice.  It is high risk, expensive, stressful and often lacking in financial reward.  No one is forcing people to buy or drink these beers.  We have the freedom to choose in America.  If you don’t like something; don’t drink it again.  Whether I like a beer or not, I respect the gumption behind the source.  I do not want to discourage others from venturing into this very difficult field.  I support those who take risks to follow their passion.  We would be in a sad state if no one wanted to pursue this trade.  My palate, pallet, palette… (Yes I’m talking to you Conan the Grammarian) is my own personal taste.  My opinion differs from some of my most respected beer friends.  So what?  No one died and made me the “God of Beer Tasting”; especially if my review is built on insulting rhetoric.

To the douche-bags on Beer Advocate and other web-based forums that throw out petty and trite criticisms, I challenge them to get up on a stage at GABF and spout this beer snobbery dogma to the people who celebrate the craft instead of bashing it.  It is doubtful they will get much support but even more unlikely that they would even have the balls to step on to the stage to begin with.  It is also unlikely that these armchair beer critics would mortgage their house (or their parent’s for those still living there) to start their own craft brewery.  That takes courage and people who rant behind a computer screen don’t know the definition of courage.  I for one would boo their happy bums off the stage.

Beer Advocate…you offer heaps of valuable information to the industry and you have earned your place.  This criticism is not of BA.  There are many good people who participate in reviewing beers.  I do however, wish you would take these negative threads down but I realize this is a “freedom of speech” conflict in the US.  There is no easy answer.

Search “Beer Geek Meets Girl” on YouTube to get a real idea of what these “beer God critics” look like or check the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZbE8ebQdwE

disclaimer:  I make mistakes when I type.  I misspell at times and I use words out of context.  I am not perfect. Get over it. #enoughsaid

The link below will take you to the article I am responding to.

Craft Beer Can’t Get Better Without Constructive Criticism – Phoenix Restaurants and Dining – Chow Bella.

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