California Connections
The Polar Express, Creekside Restaurant & Bar, Karla Bonoff, Ozzie Smith, Bumper Cars
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. I hope you enjoy the picks and pics.
Fave Five 13: California Connections. Children’s Classic (The Polar Express), Terrific Tri-tip (Creekside Restaurant & Bar), Montecito Musicmaker (Karla Bonoff), Spectacular Shortstop (Ozzie Smith), and Close Call (Bumper Cars).
Barb and I are spending the winter in Santa Barbara, where we are not missing the cold winter back home in Michigan and are loving the time spent with our California family. This issue features The Golden State: reading to our California grandsons (Julian and Noah), a Santa Barbara restaurant offering a Southern California specialty, a singer/songwriter from Santa Monica and Montecito, a Hall of Fame baseball player from Los Angeles and San Diego, and a close parker just down the street from us.
Book Best Bet
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Barb sent this Christmas classic to Julian for his third birthday. It quickly became his favorite, mostly due to the fact that he really loves trains. Barb and I have enjoyed reading it to Julian, sometimes several times in a day.
From Amazon: A young boy, lying awake one Christmas Eve, is welcomed aboard a magical train to the North Pole. Through dark forests, over tall mountains, and across a barren desert of ice, the Polar Express makes its way to the huge city standing alone at the top of the world, where the boy will make his Christmas wish. For millions of readers around the world, this mysterious journey to the North Pole has become a beloved Christmas classic.
The Polar Express is a Caldecott Medal winner, and reading the story together is a beloved holiday tradition held by generations of families. It has also become a favorite holiday movie and been translated into stage productions that take place across the United States during the holiday season.
Julian’s mom, Tracy, graduated from Michigan State University and his dad, Matt, got his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Chris Van Allsburg, the author and illustrator of the book and executive producer of the film version, grew up just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan and attended the University of Michigan. The book and film include several allusions to Michigan:
A University of Michigan pennant appears in Hero Boy's room.
The locomotive in both the book and the film is based on Pere Marquette 1225, an N1-class locomotive which Van Allsburg used to play on as a child while attending football games at Michigan State University where it was on static display at the time. The number 1225 can be seen on the keystone of the tunnel entrance the train goes through during the ticket journey.
After the train picks up Hero Boy, it passes Herpolsheimer's, an old department store in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Van Allsburg's hometown. The film's premiere was also held in Grand Rapids.
We watched the movie with Julian, who has seen it many times. His review: 10 out of 10.
Restaurant Recommendation
Creekside Restaurant & Bar 4444 Hollister Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Our daughter Kathy came up from Marina del Rey to spend Christmas with us. On Friday we went to the Santa Barbara Zoo for ZooLights along with Kathy’s twin sister, Tracy, and Tracy’s family. Julian was very happy that we got to ride on the zoo train. Afterwards, we all went to dinner at Creekside.
Barb and I shared a 3 Meat Combo Plate at Creekside: 4 oz Tri-Tip, 1/4 Chicken, 4 Baby Back Ribs, Crispy Fries, BBQ Bacon Beans, and Coleslaw. The Tri-Tip was terrific.
Tri-tip is a triangular cut of beef cut from the bottom of the sirloin. Named after its triangular shape with a tapered “tip”, tri-tip might just be one of the most flavorful cuts of meat that you’ve never heard of.
Often confused with brisket or picanha, tri-tip is most popular in southern California, so you can be forgiven if you’ve never come across it before. It is also called a California cut, a bottom sirloin butt, a Newport steak, a Santa Maria steak or even referred to as a “poor man’s brisket”. But unlike brisket – which comes from the front of the cow, below the chuck – tri-tip is actually considered a steak.
Tri-tip dates back to early 19th century America, where it was a write-off and ground up to be used in hamburger meat. It wasn’t until the 1950s when Bob Schutz, the then-owner of Santa Maria Market, upon receiving an excess of hamburger meat, decided to prepare and eat it like a steak. The result was well received and the rest, as they say, is history. There is even a Santa Barbara recipe.
We dined outside, with a couple of space heaters keeping us nice and warm. Julian wolfed down his fries with ketchup, and we had a memorable family meal together.
Marvelous Musician
Yesterday was Karla's 71st birthday. I discovered her songwriting through covers such as “Isn't It Always Love” by Nicolette Larson and several by Linda Ronstadt. In 1982, I liked her hit, “Personally.”
When Karla’s version of “The Water is Wide” was used in the “Guns and Roses” episode of thirtysomething on Dec 11, 1990, Barb and I thought it was perfect. Her recording includes great harmony vocals by James Taylor.
I have seen Karla several times at The Ark in Ann Arbor. I last saw her in February 2019 in a co-bill with Jonathan Edwards at the Crest Theatre at Old School Square in Delray Beach, Florida. She lives in Montecito, where Tracy and Matt were married.
From Wikipedia: Karla Bonoff (born December 27, 1951 in Santa Monica, California) is an American singer-songwriter. While Bonoff has released a number of albums, she is primarily known for her songwriting. Bonoff's songs include "Home," covered by Bonnie Raitt, "Tell Me Why" by Wynonna Judd, and "Isn't It Always Love" by Lynn Anderson. Most notably, Linda Ronstadt recorded several Bonoff songs, including three tracks on the 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind ("Someone To Lay Down Beside Me", "Lose Again" and "If He's Ever Near"), which introduced Bonoff to a mass audience, and "All My Life", a 1989 duet with Ronstadt and Aaron Neville.
She also recorded "Somebody's Eyes" for the Footloose (1984) soundtrack and "Standing Right Next To Me" on the 8 Seconds (1994) soundtrack. Karla was also a member of the group Bryndle, which included Wendy Waldman and Kenny Edwards (who also produced Bonoff's first three albums). The band also included Andrew Gold until he left in 1996. The group first formed in the late 1960s but did not release any albums until 20 years later, with two studio albums and a live album between 1995 and 2002.
Personally
The Water Is Wide
My Playlist
Sports Star
Ozzie turned 68 on December 26. He is the greatest defensive shortstop in baseball history, with an MLB-best defensive WAR of 44.2. He is the only player at any position with a dWAR over 40.
On December 10, 1981, the San Diego Padres traded Ozzie, Steve Mura, and a player to be named later (Al Olmsted) to the Cardinals for Garry Templeton, Sixto Lezcano and a player to be named later (Luis DeLeon). Garry was viewed as the better hitter and Ozzie as the better fielder. St. Louis Cardinals fans, including me, were initially skeptical about the trade. But it was one of the key moves that led to the Cards winning the 1982 World Series.
Barb and I, along with the rest of St. Louis, became huge fans of Ozzie. He was the best shortstop I ever saw, and his outstanding defensive plays were a joy to behold.
Barb was at Busch Stadium on October 14, 1985 with our friend, Tim Poor. Facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, a split of the first four games set the stage for Game 5 at Busch Stadium. With the score tied at two in the bottom of the ninth, Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda called upon closer Tom Niedenfuer. Ozzie batted left-handed against Niedenfuer with one out. Having never hit a home run in his previous 2,967 left-handed major league at-bats, Ozzie pulled an inside fastball down the right-field line for a walk-off home run, ending Game 5 in a 3–2 Cardinals victory. The home run not only prompted broadcaster Jack Buck's “Go crazy, folks!” play-by-play call, but was also later voted the greatest moment in Busch Stadium history by Cardinals fans.
From Wikipedia:
Osborne Earl Smith (born December 26, 1954 in Mobile, Alabama) is an American former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "the Wizard of Oz", Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National League Gold Glove Award for defensive play at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons. A 15-time All-Star, Smith accumulated 2,460 hits and 580 stolen bases during his career and won the National League Silver Slugger Award as the best hitter at shortstop in 1987. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002. He was also elected to the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 2014.
Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama; his family moved to Watts, Los Angeles, when he was six years old. While participating in childhood athletic activities, Smith developed quick reflexes; he went on to play baseball at Los Angeles' Locke High School, then at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Drafted as an amateur player by the Padres, Smith made his major league debut in 1978. He quickly established himself as an outstanding fielder, and later became known for performing backflips on special occasions while taking his position at the beginning of a game. Smith won his first Gold Glove Award in 1980 and made his first All-Star Game appearance in 1981.
When conflict with Padres' ownership developed for Smith, Smith was pursued by the Cardinals' manager, Whitey Herzog, who flew to San Diego to convince Smith he'd be an appreciated, valuable, and core component of the Cardinals and to waive the no-trade clause of his contract so that he could be traded and join the Cardinals. Herzog's overture to Smith worked. Smith waived the no-trade clause and was subsequently traded to the Cardinals for shortstop Garry Templeton in 1982.
Upon joining the Cardinals, Smith helped the team win the 1982 World Series. Three years later, his game-winning home run during Game 5 of the 1985 National League Championship Series prompted broadcaster Jack Buck's "Go crazy, folks!" play-by-play call. Despite a rotator cuff injury during the 1985 season, Smith posted career highs in multiple offensive categories in 1987. Smith continued to earn Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances annually until 1993.
Picture Pun
Could’ve gotten a few millimeters closer.
