Pork

Don Froelich, Glendale's Water Services administrator, is certainly correct in waiting for guidance from the EPA and Department of Health Services regarding the extremely tiny amount of chromium 6 in the Glendale water supply. This tiny nine parts per billion (with a "b") of chromium 6 in our water supply has no effect whatsoever on anybody but the environmental dingbats, who want extreme measures to control nonexistent problems in the U.S. economy.

I thought the redevelopment funds were funds intended for police, fire departments (“Merchants struggle without redevelopment funds,” Sept. 27) and schools that were built in blighted areas. Kenneth Village hardly fits the bill as “blighted.” Leave the money to the state for use in vital services. If the city needs money for local pork, raise taxes. Albert Shear Glendale

Robert Chacon As part of their history lesson on Mexican California, 120 fourth- graders at La Canada Elementary squared off against 80 pounds of masa, hundreds of corn husks and chicken and pork in an effort to make tamales they will eat at a fiesta Thursday. Social studies in fourth grade focuses on California history. Originally part of Mexico, the state still maintains many of the traditions from that epoch and making tamales is a way to emphasize those traditions, teachers said.

Dining with Duvall by Lynn Duvall Last Saturday, restaurant owners Mel Maddox and Connie Rameriz threw a second anniversary party for their loyal customers at Havana Beach Café on Honolulu Avenue in Montrose. Since I'm on their mailing list, I got a special VIP ticket that offered dinner for two at $12.99, part of a package of special offers for the combination anniversary-Father's Day weekend. Sensing a good photo opportunity, I dropped by in between the lunch and dinner rush to catch the cigar maker in action.

Cherie Mercer Twohy It's really fun to share a secret gem of a restaurant in this column. Not this time ... Porto's Bakery in Glendale is far from undiscovered, as the lines snaking toward the door may attest. But the line moves swiftly, and friendly staff will guide you to the shortest route, and take your order with a smile. Everyone in the place seems to be smiling, whether discussing what they enjoyed on the last visit, making difficult ordering choices or gazing at the alluring pastry display.

Kathleen O'Steen, Enjoy! TUJUNGA -- If you happen to be going to Mario's Sterling restaurant in Sunland for the first time, you might be thinking Italian -- plates of pasta, manicotti, lasagne and the like. Forget it! Under the tutelage of chef Wolfgang -- no, not Puck, Schweinberger -- Mario's offerings are more along the lines of meat-heavy European fare: beef stroganoff, pork shank, beef rouladen, lamb soup. You get the idea. Question is, how successfully do they carry it off?

John E. Karayan One of the newer dining gems in the Jewel City area is Bistro Verdu in South Montrose. My wife, Anne, and I discovered it about six months ago in the way we like to -- from neighbors who tried it, and really like it. The food is great and the prices are excellent. It is a cozy place, where you can have a good conversation over a fine meal. The cuisine is European-Mediterranean, enhanced by California sensibility. For our last dinner there, the daily entrees ranged from pistachios-crusted scallops to New York steak with peppercorns.

Brand Park ought to charge admission The best way to curtail crime in Brand Park is to charge admission, like they do at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge (“Neighbors offer ideas about park,” Monday). Charging admission makes sense. DAVID LEE WILLIAMS Glendale   No one got the message on cutting With all of the “pork” received through the various congressmen’s and congresswomen’s sweet love of their constituents and districts, it only seems fitting that our City Council and mayor make a jump onto the pig and ride it all the way to Washington, D.C. (“Council prioritizes desired projects,” Feb. 14)

For many years, I was a waitress. And for all those years, I was a bad waitress. It?s not that I didn?t try. I wanted to give good service. I just wasn?t blessed with the ability to remember that table seven wants crisp bacon on a rare burger while also remembering that table eight wants a Seven and Seven. So, as in every other arena of life, I made up for a shortcoming with humor. My favorite waitress stock line came to me in an epiphany one afternoon while working at a place called Lupton?

Are you old enough to remember "The March of Time"? It was a fine movie short subject they used to run after the previews of coming attractions when you went to see a movie. An announcer with a big booming voice like that of James Earl Jones would declare "Time marches on" as dramatic music played and we all sat with eyes and mouths wide open, watching some marvelous spectacle of progress. When I looked at my calendar this morning, I could almost hear that sonorous tone again, reminding me how fast time moves on. It seems like only yesterday we were taking down the Christmas tree, and now New Year's Day, Martin Luther King's birthday, Valentine's Day and Presidents Day have passed us by and we are all watching for another stirring day of remembrance: Income Tax Day. As a wise man once said, "Time, tide and taxes wait for no man."

Is it sacrilege to love the chicken salad at a joint famous for its house-cured pastrami? The Oinkster in Eagle Rock sells its pastrami and its home-cooked Carolina-style pulled pork by the pound, such is the clamor by carnivores. And its meaty sandwiches are wonderful, don't get me wrong. But the Thai chicken salad is what had me hankering for more. The restaurant inhabits the site of a former Jim's Burgers chain. It's still got the red roof and the funky sign poles, but this is a fast-food joint hipsterized.

I thought the redevelopment funds were funds intended for police, fire departments (“Merchants struggle without redevelopment funds,” Sept. 27) and schools that were built in blighted areas. Kenneth Village hardly fits the bill as “blighted.” Leave the money to the state for use in vital services. If the city needs money for local pork, raise taxes. Albert Shear Glendale

I just had to respond to the commentary of local Rep. Adam Schiff regarding the questionable stimulus bill, which is supposed to jump-start our failing economy and create badly needed jobs for Americans — but doesn’t, for the most part (“Stimulus package will help workers,” Community Commentary, Feb. 9). In my opinion, this stimulus bill should have nothing to do with renewable energy and transit-related projects, supported by the congressman, or a host of other unnecessary items, including the crafty “pork barrel” undertakings that are a famous watchword of politicians in Washington.

Brand Park ought to charge admission The best way to curtail crime in Brand Park is to charge admission, like they do at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge (“Neighbors offer ideas about park,” Monday). Charging admission makes sense. DAVID LEE WILLIAMS Glendale   No one got the message on cutting With all of the “pork” received through the various congressmen’s and congresswomen’s sweet love of their constituents and districts, it only seems fitting that our City Council and mayor make a jump onto the pig and ride it all the way to Washington, D.C. (“Council prioritizes desired projects,” Feb. 14)

For many years, I was a waitress. And for all those years, I was a bad waitress. It?s not that I didn?t try. I wanted to give good service. I just wasn?t blessed with the ability to remember that table seven wants crisp bacon on a rare burger while also remembering that table eight wants a Seven and Seven. So, as in every other arena of life, I made up for a shortcoming with humor. My favorite waitress stock line came to me in an epiphany one afternoon while working at a place called Lupton?

Cherie Mercer Twohy It's really fun to share a secret gem of a restaurant in this column. Not this time ... Porto's Bakery in Glendale is far from undiscovered, as the lines snaking toward the door may attest. But the line moves swiftly, and friendly staff will guide you to the shortest route, and take your order with a smile. Everyone in the place seems to be smiling, whether discussing what they enjoyed on the last visit, making difficult ordering choices or gazing at the alluring pastry display.

Dining with Duvall by Lynn Duvall Last Saturday, restaurant owners Mel Maddox and Connie Rameriz threw a second anniversary party for their loyal customers at Havana Beach Café on Honolulu Avenue in Montrose. Since I'm on their mailing list, I got a special VIP ticket that offered dinner for two at $12.99, part of a package of special offers for the combination anniversary-Father's Day weekend. Sensing a good photo opportunity, I dropped by in between the lunch and dinner rush to catch the cigar maker in action.

John E. Karayan One of the newer dining gems in the Jewel City area is Bistro Verdu in South Montrose. My wife, Anne, and I discovered it about six months ago in the way we like to -- from neighbors who tried it, and really like it. The food is great and the prices are excellent. It is a cozy place, where you can have a good conversation over a fine meal. The cuisine is European-Mediterranean, enhanced by California sensibility. For our last dinner there, the daily entrees ranged from pistachios-crusted scallops to New York steak with peppercorns.

Dining With Duvall By Lynn Duvall The national pork board conducted a survey of more than 1,500 primary meal preparers across America to uncover the connection between food and family mealtime. They found that seven out of 10 families eat dinner at least four times per week. Most Americans prefer to include very few ingredients in every day dishes. Less than six ingredients are ideal according to 90 percent of the respondents. Meal preparers spent more time preparing the meal than actually enjoying it with their family.

Are you old enough to remember "The March of Time"? It was a fine movie short subject they used to run after the previews of coming attractions when you went to see a movie. An announcer with a big booming voice like that of James Earl Jones would declare "Time marches on" as dramatic music played and we all sat with eyes and mouths wide open, watching some marvelous spectacle of progress. When I looked at my calendar this morning, I could almost hear that sonorous tone again, reminding me how fast time moves on. It seems like only yesterday we were taking down the Christmas tree, and now New Year's Day, Martin Luther King's birthday, Valentine's Day and Presidents Day have passed us by and we are all watching for another stirring day of remembrance: Income Tax Day. As a wise man once said, "Time, tide and taxes wait for no man."