Culinary historian Andrew Sigal shows some of his garden treats, including homemade sauerkraut and pickles.

OAKLAND TRIBUNE: August 11, 2011

We’ve all heard the saying, you are what you eat. But how true is this philosophy, attributed to Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin?

The man with the answer is Oakland culinary historian Andrew Sigal, who says. “I eat pork, you don’t. I don’t eat meat on Friday, you do. I eat insects, you don’t … these things are very important to our identity.”

In fact Sigal, who started one of the earliest food and travel blogs back in 1999 after a successful career as a software engineer, sees his collection of cookbooks as a portal into the lives of ordinary women, going back centuries. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: August 11, 2011

The adage that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself certainly applies to fighting crime in Oakland.

Citizens are banding together to keep a watch on their neighborhoods — to the point that they’re even paying extra for security patrols. Last week I wrote about Piedmont Pines’ pilot program with a local security company. Neighbors are voluntarily paying $30 a month to have Bay Alarm patrol their hills streets. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: July 29, 2011

For folks who’ve been following the changing restaurant scene in Montclair, it comes as no surprise that Toshi Sushi is for sale.

After 23 years in the Village, the owners no doubt find there’s too much competition these days. Unless you’re living in Japantown, three Japanese restaurants in two blocks is overkill. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: July 22, 2010

I have no idea what’s coming out of my speakers, but I think it was recorded in Oakland.

We’re on the road home from Eugene, Ore., and my son has commandeered my car stereo with one of those plugs you put into your iPod. As luck would have it, his iPod has every rap song ever recorded.

There’s an unwritten rule in our house that the one who drives gets to pick out the music. I’m beginning to question that rule. Continue reading →

Author Ron Arons

OAKLAND TRIBUNE: JULY 14, 2011

Ron Arons has no problem airing his family’s dirty laundry. In fact, he’s making a living at it. The Oakland hills author has just released his second genealogy book called “WANTED! U.S. Criminal Records,” a guide to help readers find family members who’ve run afoul of the law.

Most of us have a black sheep in our family, according to Arons, who unearthed his own family secret about 15 years ago. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: JULY 14, 2011

If you were a car, what kind would you be? That question came up on my Facebook page the other day, and it got me thinking. Ten years ago, I would have been a Mustang convertible. Today, I’m a sedan on the side of the road with steam coming out of my engine.

It’s not easy being a middle-aged woman — especially with a hot body like mine. No matter how much fluid I put in the radiator, my temperature gauge spikes and I overheat like a ’72 Pinto. Continue reading →

MONTCLARION: July 8, 2011

It’s hard to imagine a better friend than a pet, one who loves unconditionally and asks little in return. But for Valerie Comstock, her two cats have been more than companions — they’ve been a comfort in her struggle to overcome a serious illness.

Sadly, the time has come for her to give up her pets to someone who can offer them a quiet, loving home. These are no ordinary cats — they are pedigreed Pixi Bobs. Continue reading →

     MONTCLARION: August 6, 2010

     When I started this column some ten years ago – (yikes!) it was a place to put news that didn’t make headlines. It was, and still is, about tying the community together – even if we disagree on things.

     Without getting preachy, we really are blessed to be living in the hills, near park land and canyons and our own small town village. But Montclair is changing and merchants are suffering, as taxpayers get hammered at the federal, state and local levels. It doesn’t leave a lot of money for shopping, and the end result is that small business suffers (see today’s front page article on the changing face of Montclair). Continue reading →