My town, Fallbrook

The Avocado Capitol of the world is warming up to about 81 degrees today. Not too bad for January.

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I was driving up Stagecoach yesterday and saw these nice folks taking down their seasonal decorations and thought that they looked good amongst their little friends.

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I love my hometown, a place that I have lived for 31 years. Great climate, still has a healthy portion of untouched old time California beauty. It has a blend of ethnicities, classes, religions, political affiliations, but most everyone is plain nice. Couldn't think of a place that I would rather be. And we are blessed with a whole bunch of civic minded people that give their all for the town, working tirelessly at no pay for the public good. People like Jerri Patchett and Vince Ross, the Rantanen's, Clayborn's, Heyneman's, just too many people to count. The Food Pantry, the Senior  Center, the Bottom Shelf, etc. People that have given so generously to the town financially like Arlene Ingold.

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I was cruising by the corner of E. Mission and Vine and took notice of the wonderful new signage on the what was once blue building across from Berry Bell. I used to be a sign painter and I love letters and good composition and these signs had both and really dressed the place up. I did some checking around and got this email from Vince:

This building was the last recipient of the matching  fund project of the Village Associations grant from the County. Four properties received funds, Manor Cleaners, M&M building, El Toro and the Johnson building at 208 E Mission.. Each one was a little different. The Johnson building was paint and sign touch up.  We have not celebrated the completion of this project but plan to do this in the near future. Trees and Flower planters were a significant part of the first three properties but was not appropriate for the Johnson.. Jackie Heyneman was a significant player in this effort,  Paul Mungo got it started, but became very busy after his exterior remodel.

I applaud all of the people involved in this project. The whole north of town is getting revitalized and is looking so much better. Things had been going down for a while. I also want to commend Sean from Jim's sign for his superb artistry and nice layout.

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Just to show you that not all quilters are paranoid phobics, the lovely and talented Noreen Ring granted me leave to photograph her new creation "Moon over moon over moon", currently exhibiting at the Brandon Gallery.

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I was in town and hungry yesterday and decided to put another notch on my mexican food belt. Three to go, I think, maybe four. Somebody said I was forgetting one. I stopped at Northgate Market to try out their cocina. 

I don't often shop at Northgate. I believe that it is owned by Koreans. It has a mostly latino clientele. Every time I go in there I am amazed by the great quality and prices of their produce, sometimes half what the competition charges in town. Place is also clean as a whistle. I have a few anglo friends that shop there. Jean told me to get their roast chicken so I brought one home and it was cheap and delicious and roasted with jalapeños, I am pretty sure.

I decided to get my go to, the carnitas burrito. It wasn't a great experience for me but maybe my fault. Way too much pork, a bit ordinary, rice and beans, totally overstuffed in a flour tortilla. Where I think I went wrong was picking the sauce, picked a salsa verde that gave me instant hiccoughs and was just much too hot. It became unpleasant. I took it home and sort of picked through it a tad with a fork before jettisoning the whole torpedo in the trash can. Anyway before I left I got some incredibly cheap medjool dates, some pears and a mango. And then saw my nemesis, the chicharrone. Fried pig skins, in this case a four foot long pig skin.

I ordered a pound. I didn't know that it would be as tall as I am. I ate so much in the car that I got sick. Couldn't even bring the bag in the house for fear of being busted. Gave it away to one of my best buds at coffee. Who is pictured here with his favorite little lady.

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Tough week for another Fallbrook Business. Chalet Liquor and Deli is now Chalet Liquor. Tina and Jennifer closed the deli on Friday. Couldn't make it. Best egg salad in town, I will really miss them. Landlord has drastically raised the rents and some other people  might have a hard time hanging on as well.

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Have you noticed that Lennar Homes has stuck a sign up next to the Kaufmann and Broad subdivision in Temecula? Right in the heart of town. Must be a cutthroat market...

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I walked through the Fallbrook Drum Circle yesterday, sort of an anthropological review. Gypsy girls flowing to the tribal thump. Not my thing. I made it about 15 seconds yesterday. Aural waterboarding.

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Bye from Fallbrook.