Tipping The Scales

I got on the scale this morning. While I won’t bore you with the actual number, let us just say that there was a “2” involved. It is my (not so humble) opinion that seeing a “2” as the first number on a scale is not a good thing – especially if you’re a mere 6’ tall. Actually, that “2” has been there for a while… and another “2” is getting closer every day. Too close.

I’ve always been a bit overweight – except, of course, during the ‘70s… I weighed less than 150 pounds when I came back from Southeast Asia in 1973. Naturally, illicit substances were the cause of that. And through the ‘70s, the 165 lbs was maintained by a steady diet of hard work, Bombay martinis, disco dancing, and lovely white powder. That is what youth is all about.

At some point, I left youth behind me. And the pounds started to slowly arrive. Oh, they’re clever, those pounds. They don’t just show up one day and say “Look! You’ve gained 50 pounds!” No… they s-l-o-w-l-y drop by. Too slowly to notice right away, and too slowly to think about doing anything about them. And then one day, you get on a scale and see a “2.”

It’s time to do something about them. My real problem with food is that I just eat too much. Portions are too big. I cook like I’m still in the Navy – for two of us! Hell – at any given moment half the neighborhood could drop in unexpectedly for dinner – and everyone would go way full. I cook like I’m still in the restaurant business, expecting 300 patrons to come in and order the Veal Marsala. Did I mention portion control?!?

It doesn’t help that I’m surrounded by food all day, either. A bite here and a bite there translates into a pound here, and a pound there.

Because portion size is my real enemy, we actually took a look at Nutri-Systems online today. They’re all about portion size. And microwave ovens. And little plastic trays. They have a special “Men’s Program” that states “Hey guys, let's be honest. A man wants to eat real food – hot dogs, burgers, pizza and lasagna. You know, man food, big taste, hearty portions.” Right off the bat I knew I was in trouble. But… I decided I’d look over the menu, at least and see what they had to offer for $326 dollars for 28 days worth of food.

While many of the items looked reasonably good, ingredient-wise , I kept reading ingredients and maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt, high fructose corn syrup and/or partially hydrogenated fat were just too prevalent for me. I don’t eat a lot of prepared food in the first place, and I just don’t see putting all of this stuff into my body when the purpose of losing weight in the first place is to get healthier. We decided that perhaps, this wasn’t the right way to go.

Back to portion size. Back to finding alternatives to that cake, pie, or ice cream that is always in the house.
It’s time to see “1” again.

by Tim Dineen

Eating in San Francisco

Another trip to San Francisco – and another all-out foodfest! What is it about traveling home that brings out the glutton in me?

We landed at 11am on Thursday, after a fairly uneventful flight from Philadelphia (okay, after boarding, they discovered we had a leaking fuel pump on the plane and United brought over another plane – only an hour delay in leaving…) and after picking up a car and checking into the hotel, went to pick up Pop for lunch.

We headed to the local IHOP. It’s been a while since I’ve been in an IHOP, and this particular one in San Bruno hasn’t changed much on the inside, but the menu has definitely improved! It was high noon on the west coast, but I hadn’t really had breakfast, yet, so I decided to blend the two with their new Bacon and Egg Burger. I hate to admit it, but it was really good! I ordered the egg over easy to the shock of the waitress (who had to let me know it would run all over the place – the whole idea!) and it did, indeed, make a bit of a mess. A yummy mess, I might add. Victor ordered waffles and Pop had a burger. We ate like there was no tomorrow!

Going out with Pop is always a treat – his. He flat-out refuses to let one of his kids pick up the tab. One would think that after almost 55 years I’d be used to it – but I always try and grab the check. The man is fast at 83!

After lunch it was back to the hotel to unpack and get ready for dinner. We were meeting our friends Christi and her mom, Pat at Nick’s Rockaway in Pacifica at 5:15pm.

Nick’s hasn’t changed much over the years. It’s still an adequate 1950-s Italian-ish restaurant with a killer view of the Pacific. Our waiter, Jim, was another story. Fun and talented, he really made the meal a memorable one. I opted for a Crab and Shrimp Louie – an old San Francisco salad one cannot find east of the Pacific Ocean. Iceberg lettuce, hard cooked eggs, beets, tons of crab and bay shrimp… Tres fabu!

Of course we had to spring for desserts, too. Tradition when eating with Christi and Pat is ordering desserts and then taking a bite, passing to the right, taking a bite, passing to the right… We ordered “Banana’s Foster” that actually was banana fritters – OMG good!

Saturday breakfast was at Big Joe’s in San Bruno. It’s an institution in SB with food that’s hard to beat – and prices that are cheap, cheap, cheap. I had the requisite bacon and eggs with hash browns and sourdough toast. I got 6 slices of thick-sliced bacon and perfectly cooked over easy eggs. Buttery hash browns… It was perfect. As usual.

Saturday night took us to Celia’s Mexican restaurant in San Bruno. I’ve been going to Celia’s since first stepping into the original Celia’s when it was a mere storefront on Judah Street. (I also went to grammar school with the owner’s son many moons ago…) We were actually supposed to go to my grammar school's 40th Reunion that night, but Pop had other plans for us. 40 years ago I would have done what I wanted. Funny how priorities change as we age.

But, back to dinner... One “Perfecto Special” later, I was stuffed beyond belief. Carne asada, flautas, enchilada, chile relleños, taco, burrito, rice, and beans. It was perfecto, as usual!

Pop’s birthday – and Super Bowl Sunday – brought all of us to my brother’s house for a day of serious eating! Debbie made chili - a recipe she found that called for Kobe beef (she didn’t use it…) And Mike mde ribs… fall-off-the-bone ribs… and Phoebe’s baked beans, and fresh Dungeness crabs from Eileen. Susan brought jalapeño chicken wings. And chips and dips, and guacamole… more food than we could possibly eat. But we did try.

And then not one, but two birthday cakes!

I was pleasantly miserable until the cakes came out. I had to go for it. Both cakes. Not small pieces.

Pass the Bromo.

by Tim Dineen