March 2008 Issue | Download the Full Issue

If there’s anything that says elegance, healthy living, pampering and style more than Golden Door, it’s hard to guess what that might be.
As Forbes Magazine noted a few years ago, “Golden Door sets the standard for destination spas…”
The only time that the residents of Escondido might become aware of its existence would be on the extremely rare instances when it is in the news. But keeping a low profile is part of Golden Door’s mission.
Think of movie stars, political figures and other celebrities mixing with the simple rich (I know, it’s kind of an oxymoron) in order to experience the top of the line in health counseling, nutrition, exercise coaching and total immersion in luxury—all in the setting of 377 peaceful, private acres near Bonsall that are criss-crossed by 25 miles of hiking trails.
With the emphasis on peaceful and private.
It’s also not a spa where you ask how much it costs. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. But, since you ask, a week at the spa will hit your checking account for about $8,000.
Since Deborah Szekely founded the legendary spa in 1958, Golden Door has set the standard for a combination of fitness, luxury and privacy in an out-of-the-way location. She would eventually found several other Golden Doors in seven other locations around the country.
After founding the Rancho La Puerta fitness resort in Tecate, Mexico in 1940 with her husband, Edmond, Mrs. Szekely envisioned a Zen-influenced spa that would serve no more than 40 guests at a time. Although she spends most of her time in Tecate, she still gives lectures at Golden Door.
As soon as it opened, Golden Door started to appear on “best of” lists, although really it was unique. It still appears on such lists. To name just a few: Zagat Survey of the Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas; Travel and Leisure’s World’s Best Spas; Conde Nast Traveler’s World’s Best Spas Readers Poll.
General Manager Rachel Caldwell, who has greeted thousands of visitors in her day, has been with the spa since it opened.
The peaceful setting can be somewhat deceptive, because the weeklong sessions include some of the most state-of-the-art and high energy fitness and beauty programs.
Each group of 40 arrives on a Sunday and soon begins to get to know each other and develop a camaraderie as they follow a program of massage, meditation, beauty treatment, exercise and stretch programs customized to individual needs.
For instance, the hiking trails have routes for the beginner as well as for the iron man (or woman).
There are women-only weeks, men-only weeks, and co-ed weeks.
They check into rooms that were inspired by centuries-old Japanese country inns. They are met with fresh flowers, books, and a complete spa wardrobe that includes such things as sandals and sun hats, or even windbreakers and ponchos for when the weather turns wet and cold. The private rooms have their own gardens and a deck from which they can meditate or watch the moon rise.
The serenity of the surroundings are enhanced by over $1 million in Japanese antiques.
The grounds are decorated with four classic Japanese courtyards, stone walkways, waterfalls and ponds where koi gambol.
Guests’ needs are catered to by a staff that maintains a 4-1 ratio of staff to guests.
Each guest is assigned a fitness trainer. The trainers have a reputation for being the best at what they do in the world. Fitness classes cover a wide variety of disciplines from beginning to advanced.
Guests choose from a menu of beauty treatments: skin masques, facials, herbal wraps, body scrubs, using treatments that were developed onsite and which contain only natural and pure botanical and oceanic ingredients.
The food at Golden Door is just as famous as its fitness coaches and skin treatments. Its core philosophy is “balance of mind, body and spirit.”
The organic vegetables served in the spa are grown in the three-acre garden. They are prepared in a low-fat yet flavorful menu overseen by Executive Chef Dean Rucker and Nutritionist Dr. Wendy Brazilian. Rucker was the first spa chef ever nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award.
Some of the items served are Pan Seared Wild Tasmanian Salmon with Sweet Pea Risotto and Rock Crab and Meyer Lemon Salad with Truffled Beet Vinaigrette. Meals are served in the traditional Japanese bento boxes.
The vegetables are harvested a short distance from the kitchen where they are prepared. Rucker offers classes in how to prepare healthy recipes. Dr. Brazilian consults individually with each guest.
Guests are served three personalized gourmet meals that take into account their personal tastes and dietary restrictions and two juice snacks per day.
“Can healthy cuisine really be that good?” asked a recent article in Luxury Living. You bet.
For more information visit call 760-744-5777 or visit www.goldendoor.com.

Spectacular Views From Rainbow Inn

The Rainbow Inn has one of the most spectacular views in North County. From the wooden deck, where visitors to this unpretentious yet charming bed and breakfast can relax and munch on sweet buns, bagels, fresh fruit and cream cheese at whatever hour they decide to rise, they look out over an Interstate 15 that is picturesque from this distance, as it prepares to cross into Riverside County— and see all the way to Fallbrook, Carlsbad, Oceanside and the Pacific Ocean.
They can also see the tranquil nurseries and avocado farms that make up much of this tiny community’s charm.
The guesthouse sits among pines, 2,000 feet high, near the Cleveland National Forest.
“It’s five minutes from I-15 and yet in the middle of nowhere,” says Dona Adams, who, with husband, Scott, are your benevolent hosts.
Rainbow Inn is not one of the most luxurious inns you’ll visit, but it is one where your privacy and tranquility are paramount in your hosts’ minds.
The inn, which is a converted horse barn, is completely detached from the main house. Guests are not disturbed by their hosts once they check in.
“Privacy is the thing that we sell most,” she says.
Guests write on a chalkboard outside their door what time they would like to eat breakfast, unlike many B&B’s where breakfast is at a set time, and often quite early.
When they get up in the morning, the food is waiting. It’s not hot food, so if guests decide to sleep in past the time they marked, it’s no problem.
Check in and check out times are also flexible. If no one is checking in after them, the guests are welcome to stay as late in the afternoon as they want before they leave.
“We’re the only bed and breakfast in the area that will let you stay one night if you want to,” he says.
“This isn’t about me and my rules,” she adds. “This is about how I make your life easier.”
“There is flexibility about not having hot food to serve for breakfast,” he adds.
There is a barbecue on the deck that guests often like to use to prepare steaks or hot dogs as the sun sets over the Pacific and they are caressed by the ocean breezes.
The converted horse barn is simple yet charming and relaxing. The tackroom has been converted into the cozy bedroom. There are no phones and no connections to the Internet. But there’s one wall full of books and another wall filled with videotapes and there’s a flat panel satellite TV, VCR, and radio/CD player.
The inn is only 14 miles from the Temecula wine country.
The Adamses provide a map where guests can find wine tours and good restaurants.
“We don’t recommend restaurants that we haven’t tried ourselves,” she says.
When the Adamses, who had been living in Pasadena, were looking for a place to settle for their retirement, they visited many communities. Their son, who was a firefighter, told them about Rainbow.
“It’s funky!” he said. “You’ll love it.”
They were looking for a place where they could have a library and a gym. Although he has retired from sales, she is still working part-time in the fitness business doing fitness training for seniors.
The place had been thrashed by its previous owners, but the Adamses took one look at it, and fell in love.
“This is it!” they whispered to each other. “Make an offer!”
That was 11 years ago.
They saw the horse stable as a place that could be converted into a guesthouse for their grandchildren.
But it didn’t get used that much for it, so they began to think about converting the guesthouse into a bed and breakfast.
They had stayed at a myriad of such places, and they began to put together a list of things that they liked and didn’t like about such inns.
Apparently they hit on just the right combination.
If you look randomly through the guest book that they have resting on a table in the library, you’ll find comments such as:
“What a wonderful and peaceful place you have!”
“This is our favorite getaway!”
“What a wonderful discovery.”
“This was the perfect getaway from the city.”
“What a wonderful treat!”
“Your place is very warming, very charming.”
Although most of their guests are from Southern California, they have started to attract some from out of state.
The great majority of them stay on the weekends.
To sample some of the simple, yet welcome hospitality of the Rainbow Inn, give them a call at 760-728-2554. Or visit their Web site at www.bbonline.com/ca/rainbowinn

Jenny Lynn Plays At The Grammys

Recently Jennifer Lynn of Bonsall was able to realize the dream of a lifetime when she was one of 15 musicians chosen to be part of an orchestra playing at the Grammy Awards, which were held on Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.
“I’m so excited to be playing there,” the 25-year-old music student said in an interview that was conducted a few days before the awards were held.
She’s the middle child of a family that includes her mom, dad, and two sisters.
“They love it!” she exclaims, when asked how the family is reacting to the thought of seeing her on TV. “They think it’s amazing.”
Lynn is a San Diego girl who recently moved to Bonsall because her father lives there.
She has earned her bachelor of music in violin and master of music in violin from the University of Southern California and is working on a graduate degree.
She has thought about taking the traditional approach for such training and teaching, but she says she would much prefer to be on stage.
“I’d rather be performing,” she says. “I want to be on the stage playing all the time.”
Last summer she got the opportunity to experience that as part of a band touring Australia. It was a new experience for her, but one that she is hungry to repeat.
She was chosen by the YouTube community to perform during the Grammys as part of the 15 semi-finalists of “My Grammy® Moment 2008” to perform with four-time Grammy winners the Foo Fighters and guest conductor, Led Zeppelin’s legendary multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones, on the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.
She was chosen from among 42 contestants by votes of the YouTube community. The contest involved composing a solo to be played with the Foo Fighters song The Pretender.
It almost didn’t happen. She was told about the contest by a friend who urged her to upload a video of her performing to YouTube so that the site’s community could vote. She uploaded her video 30 minutes before the deadline.
She kicked her violin-playing “up a notch,” with chords that owed something to classical, something to “early music,” and something to rock and roll and was itself something kind of new, as well.
Lynn has been playing the violin since the age of six, which is a little old to start on this complicated instrument. “I’m actually considered something of a ‘late bloomer,’ ” she said.
She plays both the baroque violin and the regular violin. The difference is that the baroque violin’s strings are made with sheep gut and the regular violin’s strings are made from steel.
On her personal Web site visitors learn: “Not only does she play the standard repertoire demanded of violinists today, but she employs different techniques on different instruments to satisfy her need to be unique.
“First and foremost, Jennifer is a classical violinist. She believes a strong technique can prepare a musician for anything.”
Her instruments are the Jacek Mastal (1995), Giovanni B. Fabriccatore (1780), and a Yamaha EV 205. Now that spans the centuries!
She called the opportunity she had been given “a dream come true to perform at the Grammys.” She hopes that will lead to other opportunities to perform out on stage. “The people who love life the most love what they do and I want to be one of those people!”
She knows that success is often a matter of luck, rather than just talent.
“You can be good at something and not get a leg up unless someone gives you a leg up,” she says.
“We're always looking for new ways to help musicians get their music heard,” said Michele Flannery, Music Community Manager, YouTube. “It's been exciting to watch the top 15 instrumentalists rise up on YouTube and have the chance to perform live with one of the biggest bands of today.”
To sample some of Lynn’s music visit: http://www.youtube.com/jenniebenn/

Transform Your Countertops

Countertops are an important statement in today’s kitchens. But with thousands of colors, shapes, patterns, and products to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start when you want to change the look of your kitchen.
We talked with Granite Transformations to get some information that might be helpful when considering a change. They told us about the five “Ds” to consider—Dependability, Durability, Dollars, Demolition and Duration.
Dependability—Be sure your contractor is really a contractor. Don’t be afraid to research your contractor’s credentials.
Find out if contractors are licensed, bonded and if they carry Workers Compensation and Commercial General Liability insurance.
Also find out if your contractor will be subcontracting your job to someone else. If so there are special precautions you should take. Check with the State Contractors Licensing Board to be sure the subcontractor’s license is valid and active.
Durability—Think about how you would like to use your countertops. Do you want to cover your countertop with heat pads to protect it from damage or place hot or warm pots and pans directly on the countertop? Are you willing to maintain your countertop by resealing it periodically?
Some countertops are made from a plastic based material and can more easily scratch and burn. Other surfaces require sealing, because they are naturally porous and can stain or harbor bacteria.
Dollars—How much are you willing to spend? This may determine the type of product you ultimately purchase. Also, be sure to get bids that include all costs, not just the costs of materials. Don’t be fooled by possibly misleading square foot pricing. Your price per square foot will vary depending on the options you choose and the costs of demolition and installation.
Be sure to get the options you want and not what a sales representative might try to sell you. When you get any quote, it is important to compare apples to apples. Educated buyers are less often mislead.
Demolition—If demolition is required, will the items in your cabinets need to be removed? How will your floors and home be protected from dust and how will your floors be protected from damage? Also be sure electronic equipment in your home is protected from any dust resulting from demolition. Remember to again ask if the company you are talking to will be doing the demolition or if another company will be doing the demolition.
Duration—Be sure to determine how long it will take to complete any installation. Be sure to have any bid include the time it will take to get the product, to do the demolition and then to install the product. Remember that, in most cases, the times for demolition and installation are times that will either limit or completely remove the use of your kitchen.
Granite Transformations offers an alternative to a complete demolition and install. They offer a unique solution to residential customers with their granite and glass overlays for existing kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, bath and shower surrounds, fireplace fascia, and many other surfaces with quarter-inch thick engineered Italian granite slabs.
Granite Transformations takes natural granite and engineers it with advanced polymer into a surface that is according to them better than natural granite. It is made of 95% real granite stone, therefore, it is heat and scratch resistant just like ordinary granite, but it’s a step beyond because it is permanently sealed, thereby making it stain resistant as well.
With Granite Transformations, you choose the type of granite, mosaic, recycled glass or cristallino product you want, as well as the edge type, sink style, backsplash material and height. In addition, they offer a complete line of sinks and faucets.
Granite Transformations comes with a manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty; and best of all, is handcrafted to fit over existing countertops, avoiding messy demolition. In most instances, actual installations are completed in one to three days.
Customers enjoy the peace of mind of a functional kitchen, shower or vanity with a nonporous granite surface that won’t be a haven for stains, odors, and bacteria.
With so many people looking to upgrade and improve the value of their homes, Granite Transformations is an appealing alternative.
For more information, you can visit the Granite Transformations of San Diego showroom at 910 West Washington Avenue in Escondido, check out the web site at www.GraniteTransformations.com or call (888) 777-2044 or (760) 743-7243 for a free in-home, no-obligation quote.

Pauma Valley Equestrian Center: A World-Class Facility

With its state-of-the-art facilities, Pauma Valley Equestrian Center provides all the amenities of a world-class facility close by.
Owner Maria Price bought the stables nearly two years ago and has been transforming the former Old Royal Oaks breeding farm into a professional equestrian center, complete with a dressage trainer and a jumping trainer.
The center's staff includes barn manager and dressage trainer Kate Marshall, who lives on the grounds and oversees the various provisions offered to the center's clients.
"Maria is a caring horse person, and she's put a lot of money into the facility,” Marshall says. "One of the biggest things is that we have full irrigation, which gives us these nice, green pastures for the horses. We also have six turnouts, larger paddocks than most stables, twelve-by-fourteen barn stalls and baled shavings, which means there's less dust."
The center also boasts two arenas—one for jumping and one dressage court—along with a mare motel with security cameras, paddocks, automatic fly sprayers in the barns and an operational lab for breeding.
Perhaps the crown jewels in the center's treasury are its covered round pen and its Equi-ciser, two additions that allow the trainers to keep the horses in tip-top shape in any conditions.
The covered round pen is exactly what it sounds like — a covered arena for the horses, which is perfect for another hot day in Southern California or even the occasional rainstorm.
The Equi-ciser is a $50,000 piece of equipment that works like a treadmill, but allows the horses to exercise in a safe, contained environment without being tied up. Both areas are used in a horse's rehabilitation after an injury, as well as during inclement weather or simply to provide a horse with a variety of exercise options.
Pauma Valley Equestrian Center’s jumping trainer is Tony Marchino, who relocated from Newport Beach to bring his expertise to the area.
"I've been working in the Show 'A' Circuit, which is the elite level," Marchino says. "But I'm starting to work with the local aspect of the barn, and I'm especially looking forward to getting the kids involved here."
Marchino adds that one of the aspects that drew him to PV Equestrian Center was the commitment to the jumping aspect of horsemanship, including the center's jumping chute, which allows horses to practice jumps without a rider.
For the clients, the center also has a barbecue area, a lounge area with a refrigerator, a microwave, a washer and dryer and a full restroom.
To learn more about Pauma Valley Equestrian Center, call (760) 594-1275, visit the Web site at www.paumavalleyequestriancenter.com or visit the stables at 32955 Cole Grade Road.

Picturesque Hill Ranch Estates

With just four homes remaining, buy-now pricing and builder close-out incentives are creating an unprecedented opportunity to purchase an estate-style home within the gated community of Hill Ranch Estates, tucked into the picturesque hillsides between Fallbrook and Bonsall.
Interspersed amid orange groves and lots of open space, these homes all take advantage of individually contoured sites ranging in size from approximately two to nearly three and a half acres. Sweeping vistas of the surrounding valley and hillsides, combined with distant cityscape and mountain panoramas, further contribute to the “getting-away-from-it-all” seclusion that residents appreciate.
Included among the available selection are both one- and two-story designs. For those who prefer single-story living, two of the residences are generously proportioned with approximately 3,064 square feet in arrangements featuring three bedrooms plus a home office.
Encompassing approximately 3,539 square feet, each of the available two-story homes offers the plus of a library and a downstairs master suite, augmented by three upstairs bedrooms and a separate study niche. Providing for even greater versatility, these two estate-style residences also both include detached casitas, each providing another 630 square feet, complete with a fireplace, wet bar and full bathroom.
For more information about Hill Ranch Estates, visit the Web site at www.hillranchestates.com, call them at (760) 451-2835, e-mail them at dvouaux@empirecos.com or stop by their office at 331 Lemonwood Drive in Fallbrook.

Meet The Dude With The 'Tude

Meet 12-year-old Bradley Doke, the Bonsall Dude with the GREAT ‘tude! This Dude is serious about his town. Serious right down to the ground.
Just how did he, Bradley, become the Bonsall Dude? Two years ago, October, Chamber of Commerce President Leigh Ann Howard came up with the Dude idea, during a fair at Daniel’s Apple Market Village.
Her thinking was: “Why not do something different, why not have a young man?” Bradley is the second one to proudly wear the Bonsall Dude ball cap, and he’s got some plans. But first a little about his election.
Bradley’s process of becoming the Bonsall Dude began with taking an intense questionnaire at Sullivan Middle School, where he is a seventh grader. He then attended a luncheon at the County Club, along with six judges from the Chamber and school district, who interviewed all potential candidates. A few short weeks later on Oct. 20 at the Country Festival, Bradley was officially “capped” the 2008 Bonsall Dude. Congratulations, Bradley!
So what does the Dude do? One important role is for Bradley to represent the community at local Sundowners, which are gatherings where business people from Bonsall and the surrounding areas meet.
Bradley also attends different events sponsored by the Bonsall Chamber of Commerce, whenever possible. He participated in the Chamber Christmas party fund-raiser helping collect food and unwrapped gifts for families in need, and rode in a Mustang convertible in the Fallbrook Christmas parade. In the future he plans to attend one of the County board meetings with Supervisor Bill Horn.
And Bradley has some down-to-earth plans of his own. It’s been about six years since the Chamber has done a major cleanup in the area, and Bradley has decided it is high time to get the lowdown on trash in the community.
This is his plan: “I’m planning to do a Bonsall cleanup. That’s when you get a whole committee and you go around and clean up Bonsall’s trails and sides of the roads... hauling out all of the stuff that people throw away, out of their cars. I’ve already been planning it with Leigh Ann.” (Quite honestly, it’s hard to imagine this beautiful landscape, with its tree-studded, gently rolling hills gettin’ any prettier, but that is the plan.) It’s on target for spring, when the rains have gentled and the air is warm, and it is the time of year begging for time spent outdoors.
And just what has Bradley learned during his short tenure as Dude? “I’ve learned that I should do something for my community, because it teaches you… to lead.” Speaking of leading, Bradley, along with mom Geri and sister Breanna, all help out at REINS therapeutic horsemanship program.
The non-profit organization (profiled in The Boulevard’s inaugural November 2007 edition) provides emotional therapy to a wide range of disabled children and adults. “I either lead the horse for the lessons, or I ‘sidewalk,’ that’s when you help them stay on the horse. You can either do that, or go and fetch the horse for them, or bring it in and tack it up,” says Bradley.
So what does this ambitious young man have in mind for the future? “I want to be a veterinarian, a large animal veterinarian,” Bradley tells us. He’s Vice-President of his 4-H and is in his third year raising pigs. It’s a family affair. Sixteen-year-old sister Breanna is currently raising pygmy goats. Bradley is also looking forward to an observation at the San Luis Rey Equine Hospital sometime in the near future.
What does the Dude enjoy most? School! Math, science and art are favorites. He loves fishing with dad Steve, riding and shopping with mom, aggressive skating and playing roller hockey.
Bradley Doke has a lot on his plate, so to speak, this year. We wish him the best in all his pursuits. Caps off to you, Bonsall Dude!

Two Legendary Bands Of The 60s And 70s To Appear At Pechanga

Two legendary bands, that people with gray hairs may appreciate somewhat more than their children or grandchildren, will perform in March at Pechanga Casino’s Theatre Showroom. Prepare to rock out to the songs of your youth, or the songs of your parents’ youth, as Chicago and the Moody Blues bridge the gap between the generations.
“I suppose that it is our songs, and the way we interpret them that has seen us travel so far,” says the Moody Blues’s Justin Hayward. “It means so much to us that some of our recordings have really meant something to people.”
The enduring band, which has been performing for four decades will play at Pechanga on March 13 & 14.
I remember first hearing Nights in White Satin when I was at a college party munching on chips and dip and being amazed that someone was producing modern music that sounded like something that should be played in a symphonic hall. And, in fact, it was the London Festival Orchestra that performed it. It was the featured song in an album Days of Future Passed. On the cover the band members looked remarkably like the Beatles in the mode of dress and haircut. A little delving into musical history will tell you that the song was not initially all that popular. That’s because at 7 minutes and 38 seconds it was considered to be too long. But it was a great romantic piece to play at the high school dances because it allowed slow-dancing couples to spend an even longer time together.
What those young folks didn’t realize then was that they were listening to some of the most innovative music of the time.
Forty years and more later, the Moody Blues—Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge—continue to carry forward that musical legacy to new generations.
Currently, the Moodies are touring in support of the Image Entertainment DVD and CD release The Moody Blues: Lovely to See You, Live. These are DVD and CD collections that represent their first live performance without an orchestra since the 1969 release The Moody Blues Live + 5.
It is likely that audiences on March 13 & 14 will be treated to some of their greatest hits, such as I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock & Roll Band), Your Wildest Dreams, Higher & Higher, The Actor, Are You Sitting Comfortably, Ride My See Saw, The Story In Your Eyes, Isn’t Life Strange, and Question.
The band sells out just about every venue they play, making them one of the top touring bands out there.
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Chicago is a band that was formed around the same time that the Moody Blues came into being. It was, not surprisingly, named for its hometown. It started off, as one historian describes it, “politically charged, sometimes experimental,” although in later years it moved to a softer sound and began to specialize in producing a number of hit ballads.
Chicago will play March 27 & 28, one of more than 100 shows that it will do in 2008.
In June, Chicago will launch its annual U.S. tour of outdoor venues, co-headlining with the Doobie Brothers. As is now the band’s tradition, Chicago will create a special encore featuring both bands performing onstage together—the kind of powerhouse musical finale for which Chicago is famous.   
The band includes the following artists: Robert Lamm: keyboards, vocals; Lee Loughnane: trumpet; James Pankow: trombone; Walt Parazaider: woodwinds; Bill Champlin: keyboards: guitar, vocals; Jason Scheff: bass, vocals; Tris Imboden: drums; Keith Howland: guitar.
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The 1,200 seat Pechanga Theatre has a reputation for not having any bad seats. It has played host to acts such as Julio Iglesias and B.B. King as well as Broadway musicals such as Grease, A Chorus Line and Moulin Rouge.
Pechanga Box Office
Pechanga Resort & Casino is located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway in Temecula. The box office is located just beyond the showroom doors. Tickets may be purchased in person with cash or credit card, toll-free by phone with a credit card at (877)711-2WIN or online (www.pechanga.com) with a credit card. The box office is open from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. every day.

Hidden Treasure (Breakfast Americana) On The 395

This is the second in a series about enjoying the byways of The Boulevard from the back of a Harley Davidson.
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Located in Rainbow, on the Old 395 is the restaurant Rainbow Oaks. It goes against the grain of the chain-type restaurants that can be found on so many of the highways that criss-cross our country.
Before the I-15 was built, the Old 395 was just a two-lane road and everyone going north and south passed within 25 yards of the front door of the local eatery. It used to be an Italian establishment years ago that has changed the menu to one similar to many locally-owned restaurants all across the country.
Upon entering you see that there are two parts: one room with the traditional counter and booths.
It is decorated with various beverage signs, a Texas flag, a Harley Country sign, and several posters and signs of Route 66. Route 66 does not go through Rainbow but rather from Los Angeles to Chicago.
A shelf hanging from the ceiling is full of chicken statues that would pique the interest of anyone in the poultry business.
The other half of the building houses a bar, tables and chairs with the proverbial juke box. When I asked the waitress if it got a little crazy later in the day she said, “Oh yes!”
I noticed that a sign on the door said no one under 21 allowed after 9 p.m.
A quick glance at the parking lot revealed that all the vehicles are pickups and the talk between customers and the waitress gives the impression that everyone is more than likely a local.
One man said he had lived in the area for a year after moving from Long Beach. His dad was with him and he had moved from Germany to the states and also lived in Long Beach. All the clientele were friendly. Some visited with each other while others read papers or watched the news on the television. A very relaxed atmosphere and no one seemed to be in a hurry.
It’s a vivid contrast to an IHOP where I tried to eat on the way home from Nebraska this Christmas. It had a 45 minute wait to be seated. Didn’t eat there.
Some places are just plain crowded and frenetic. Not Rainbow Oaks, at least at breakfast time.
The menu for breakfast included a number of omelet choices, steak and eggs, pork chops and eggs, hash browns and eggs, etc. There’s also pancakes and eggs, plus the many side dishes and homemade biscuits and gravy.
The service was very quick, both the taking of the order and the time it took for the cook to prepare my caloric suicide. My wife and doctor would not be pleased—but I was.
The lunch menu contains 12 different kinds of sandwiches and nine variants of the ubiquitous hamburger.
On Wednesday night there is a chicken dinner special. When the weather is good there is outside dining on the patio that faces a park with mature sycamore and oak trees.
The current owner, Terry, has been running the restaurant for four years and the solo waitress, Michelle, has been working there for one year.
Even though she has only been serving the locals for that time, Michelle said she has heard all their stories and has all the scoop on what is going on in the Rainbow area.
Mario the cook has been there for 22 years and makes the commute from Perris every morning.
They too seemed very relaxed and comfortable in their work. So nice to eat in a place where you don’t feel like just another number and the people who work there are willing to talk to you.
In all my travels the one single thing that makes so many different memories is the human connection that always happens when you take the time to visit with someone new.
Besides the restaurant there is a gas station, a florist, Rainbow Market, and an architectural salvage, the Silverado Trading Post, clustered around the park.
The December issue of The Boulevard had an extensive article on the Silverado Trading Post. There were even several old motorcycles for sale!
The market had very fresh looking produce—the avocados appeared about twice the size of the ones that occupy the produce section of our chain stores.
On the weekend there is a farmer’s market that is different from the others in the county, in that it is not held in some parking lot that is a sidewalk away from the frenetic environment in the rest of the county.
The gas station had four customers, three of which were farm equipment and had been driven there on the local roads which further enhanced the feel of quiet country.
Maybe having all that traffic on the I-15 saved the uniqueness that is Rainbow and let the local people and businesses survive in peace.

The Beauty In Watercolor: Artist Pamela Brasel

What is an artist? Since the dawn of time, there have always been those among us who are able to see the beauty in the world around us and immortalize it forever in unique and creative ways.
Ever since she was old enough to pick up a brush, Pamela Brasel has known she was an artist.
"I've always painted," she says. "I took art in college, and I've worked with oils and acrylics, but I've been working almost exclusively with watercolors for about twenty-eight years now."
Brasel was drawn to watercolors because of the inherent beauty of the typical subjects, as well as the unique style of the medium.
"It seems to be compatible with my style as an artist," she says. "It's more of a traditional realism, but there's something spontaneous about it that I get to control. It's an unforgiving medium, but it's something I enjoy."
Making the transition to a full-time artist wasn't easy, but Brasel has plenty of opportunity to show the world what she has created.
"I've done festivals and outdoor shows all over," she says. "From Laguna Beach to La Quinta; I love doing shows for people who are really interested in the artwork. I did the La Jolla show for five years, but now I'm starting to slow down."
Brasel has started to do her own annual in-home shows, and has enjoyed the success of the events.
"I've done the in-home studio show for about three years now, and it's really helped me show off what I've done for the clientele," she says. Her next studio show is coming up in May.
Along the way, Brasel also became the informal "in-house" artist for the Belle Marie Winery near Hidden Meadows, where she lives.
"They have about fifteen or twenty of my pieces there," she says. "They've been showing my work for about six years now."
Brasel works with all different subject matters, but she makes a point of enjoying each project as it's happening.
"It seems to me that whatever I'm doing at the present is my best work," she says with a laugh. "I like to do landscapes the best, but I do everything except for portraiture."
The artist took advantage of a recent trip to Italy to express her creativity in a new setting.
"I finished nine paintings on that trip," she says. "I have everything from food, villas, olive trees, even the water. I really like some of the long-distance landscapes, with the valleys and vineyards."
No matter what she's painting, Brasel says her inspiration comes from immortalizing the things that are most important to others.
"The most satisfying feeling comes when I paint something that someone loves, something that someone wants to look at every day," she says. "You know you've created something special when someone wants to keep it in their home."
To see Pamela Brasel's work, check out her website at www.sdvag.net/B/PamelaBslide.htm, or to contact the artist, e-mail her at artypam@cox.net.

Buon Appetito, Bonsall, at the Fresco Grill & Wine Bar

Tucked into Bonsall’s River Village on Mission Road is a heavenly little taste of Tuscany: the Fresco Grill and Wine Bar.
Unpretentious yet dignified, the modest façade offers scattered tables for outside dining al fresco. Inside muted walls, soft lighting and beautiful wall murals embrace you in an atmosphere of gentle relaxation. Along the back brick wall the wine bar entices, along with a big screen TV, for the sports appassionato. Tables and booths beckon.
Primary owner Leone D’Arcangelo is pleased to present to the public his experience in fine Italian cuisine, this being his third restaurant.
The first two Fresco Trattorias are located in Carlsbad and La Costa. His mission is to open a total of 29 fine dining restaurants, with the next one to be located possibly in Temecula.
Although the Fresco Grill is less than 100 days old, and not even fully completed (plans are to add a fireplace and a sprinkling of plants), the people just keep coming! It is the sort of special place that’s low-key but upscale. Once you’ve been, you can’t wait to go back again. It’s that good!
But it’s not really about the façade, the furnishings, or even the wine bar. It’s about the sum total of the whole experience. It’s about family, friends and community. The meal is harmonious. Voices, music and laughter blend with succulent smells from the kitchen along with mouthwatering dishes and wine that will steal your breath away, momentarily, before fine, rich, fruity nuances burst delightfully and surprisingly upon your palate.
To whom do we owe a debt of gratitude for the marvelous feast of food and fine wine?
Meet Roberto Calci, one of the company’s six business partners and restaurant manager. He is responsible for the special attention to the wine, the detail, the person-to-person and table-to-table ambiance which creates that special unexpected touch that takes this dining experience from memorable to exceptional.
Originally from Milan, he is a graduate of the Stresa Culinary School in Lake Maggiore, Italy and a certified sommelier (a trained and knowledgeable wine professional).
His career led him to Paris, Germany and London; and on American soil, to one of the best Italian restaurants on Kauai, then the Venetian in Vegas, and for a time he studied wine in our own Napa Valley. As he tells us in his thick, natural, delightful Italian, “I like to please my customers… to bring to the area what I know best.”
Roberto is delighted to present the finest of Italian wines, such as the full-bodied Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, of the Antinori line. He tells us, “It is the wine of Italy.” He also intends to increase his “by the glass” wine list from the current 25 selections to 40, and increase the 200 labels by the bottle to 250.
We enjoyed the Super Tuscan Prima Voce “Arceno” Italian wine at our table. Delightful! Rich, full-bodied and mellow, yet with a subtle blending of flavors that begged a long, slow swallow to allow all the flavors to dance and make merry in the mouth.
And now the food! The Calamaretti Dorati, with fresh diced tomatoes and garlic, scattered with mozzarella cubes was remarkably tantalizing. The Ahi Tuna in Crosta (seared with a balsamic sweet reduction and spring salad), breathtaking; the Ravioli al Formaggio di Capra, mesmerizing; and the dessert, the tiramisu and cannoli, both aromatic and delicately divine. Grazie, Roberto, meraviglioso!
And there are more delicious odors soon to waft our way. Future expansion includes a bakery and a European gourmet deli across the street from the restaurant.
Another goal of Roberto’s is to develop five-course wine cooking dinners, along with a selection of fine wines. Perhaps even a side-by-side chef/patron cooking class that would have a rotating menu every month or so. “It’s the whole experience,” he tells us.
Do yourself, your family, and your friends a favor. Plan a time for a relaxing, delightful meal with excellent food and fine wine. Savor your own special dining experience, Tuscan style: visit the Fresco Grill & Wine Bar at 5256 South Mission Road #601, Bonsall or call (760)631-1944. And buon appetito!

Chateau Dragoo and Belle Marie Winery: History Recreated

Perched majestic and serene on a small hill just north of Escondido, Chateau Dragoo, home of the Belle Marie Winery, is waiting for you.
The winery and chateau were created in our neck of the woods by owners Mick & Mary Dragoo, in tribute to Chateau “Dragon,” owned by French relative Pierre Dragoo, who was a wine maker in the 1600s in the Bordeaux region of France. The winery’s name, Belle Marie, honors Mrs. Dragoo.
The 3.5 acres is easily accessible from the I-15 freeway. In moments you find yourself in a tranquil setting, away from the hustle and bustle of the daily routine.
Bring a picnic and relax in a gazebo, or bring the kids who will enjoy picking fresh fruit from the trees. And for you history buffs, check out the oldest grape crusher in California, returned to Escondido after a “circuitous route,” via an auction in Napa Valley.
Now enter the tasting room. Enjoy the cool, mellow peace. Admire the beautiful rich umber bar. This beautiful piece is part of a perished tree from the 2003 Cedar Fire. Mick and Mary chose to remember this favorite friend by integrating it into their interior design.
But, what about the wine?
Meet their flagship wine: Cinq Diamante, (Five Diamond); their master blend on the Chateau side. It contains five different grapes (30% Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Grenache; 7% Malbec and 3% Syrah). The first bottling was in 2001.
Each year Chateau Dragoo holds a side-by-side tasting comparison against Opus One (the winery founded between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi in the Napa region of California), and as Gen. Manager Lazenby says, “Every time the Cinq has beat the Opus One hands down, and it’s more than $100 cheaper.”
This is a full-bodied wine with a rich lingering flavor, aged in American and French oak barrels for two years. Make no mistake, this is not a sipping wine, this wine comes to fulfillment combined with a rich, hearty meal.
There is something very special about the wines produced in this 20,000 gallon winery. Belle Marie Winery purchased ownership in vineyards in the Guadalupe Valley, Baja California, Mexico. Their 154 acres are owned in partnership with Camillo Magoni, who is not only a winemaker, a vineyard manager and a diplomat, he is the Italian Counsel to Mexico.
According to Lazenby, Magoni has lived in Mexico for 30 years and is considered the authority on the Guadalupe Valley. The valley’s special microclimate produces more than 62 varietals from countries around the world using cloned grapes of the highest quality.
Their grapes are picked overnight and brought into the winery in refrigerated trucks where they are gently bucketed into the crusher. “We farm completely organically, we don’t use chemicals, any pesticides or anything in our vineyards,” Lazenby says. Nor do they add sulfites to their wines.
Don’t look for Chateau and Belle Marie Winery labels in stores. They can only be purchased on site. Reach them by phone, email, a visit, or join their Vintage Club for even more special selections.
To enjoy a wide-sampling of their fine wines, consider attending a quarterly Winemakers’ Dinner. The next one is this April. Each catered course is paired with up to three house wines, and will be hosted by Dragoo and Counsel Magoni. These wine masters will provide an educational dialogue to help you appreciate the pairing of food and wine.
Check their Web site (see below) in the upcoming month to register.
Planning for a special event? Consider the Barrel Room, a private tasting room, or hold a party in the Chateau Cave or Knights Court, the Amphitheater or the Tuscany Private Reserve Room.
For more information call: 760-796-7557, email info@bellemarie.com; or visit them at 26312 Mesa Rock Road, Escondido, CA 92026 (www.bellemarie.com).

Pala Mesa Golf Course Will Test Your Mental Game

There is an old golf adage that states that the game of golf is 90% mental. After playing Pala Mesa Golf Course at the Pala Mesa Resort you will understand just how true that adage is.
Pala Mesa is a championship course that will truly test both your shot making abilities and your judgment, and if you are going to be challenged like Pala Mesa will do, it’s also fair that it’s happening on one of the most beautiful courses in San Diego County.
This par 72, 6,131-yard layout from the blues has been rated one of the top 200 courses in the country by Golf Digest and one of the top ten courses in San Diego county by Zagat.
Pala Mesa’s narrow fairways are lined with beautiful, mature sycamores, oaks, and elms. The resort has divided their 18 holes into a South 9 and a North 9. The South 9 has significant terrain (slope rating of 131), with many elevated tee shots. The greens are well bunkered (as are the fairways), undulating and in some cases two tiered. Four of the South 9 holes have doglegs.
If you start your day with the South 9 my best advice is keep the driver in the bag. Actually Pala Mesa should have a warning sign on the first tee, no drivers allowed.
The course itself did not have any fire damage from the area’s October fires. However, some of the trees lining several of the fairways did, namely holes 1, 2, and 3 on the South 9 and holes 8 and 9 on the North 9. The ownership is in the process of removing those trees. None of this takes away from the pleasure and challenge of playing Pala Mesa. Indeed the course is one of the best manicured that I have played, and the ownership has done a nice job of landscaping between the holes, which has added to the scenery and enjoyment of playing Pala Mesa.
The course has four tee options: the championship black tees, that measure just over 6,500 yards, the blues, the silver or the ladies tees, and the gold or Jr./Sr. tees. There is virtually no water on the course, other than seasonal streams that run across several of the fairways but should not come into play. There is a pond between holes 8 and 9 on the North 9 but only a very aggressive approach shot on number 8 would put it into play.
Starting with the South 9 you will immediately get a flavor for the challenges awaiting you on the second hole, a 292-yard par 4 dogleg left. Forget about driving this hole, it’s up hill, has a tight tree lined fairway and an approach into a well bunkered, undulating green. Take your 3 wood and set up a chip into this oval shaped, sloping green and hope the hole is cut into the back portion of the green not the front.
The 473-yard par 5 third hole is reachable in two, but you will have to be precise with your tee shot and approach.
This hole has an elevated tee box. Place your tee shot into the fairway and give yourself a chance to go for the green in two, but beware, it’s an uphill shot to a well bunkered green. The real problem on your second shot is a large mature tree hanging over the right hand side of the fairway; avoid it and you may end up in the left hand side front bunker. Better to lay up on the left and chip safely into the green. A good birdie hole but not without risks.
Number 3 is a great strategy and shot-making hole.
On hole 4 you make a turn west and start climbing. This is a 376-yard par 4 with a dogleg right. This hole is up hill all the way and will take all your strength to reach in two. Again a tight, tree-lined fairway. The approach into the green is better from the left side of the fairway but be careful of the left fairway bunker. This hole is the number 3 handicap hole and plays like it.
Number 6 is the number 1 handicap hole, a 401-yard par 4 with a severe dogleg left. The tee shot is downhill, but you must avoid trees on the left and out of bounds on the right with a seasonal stream. Stay right in the fairway and give yourself the best chance for a successful approach into a small elevated green. Another great shot making hole.
Number 7, 143-yard par 3 is not terribly difficult if you find the green off of the tee. This hole is at the height of the valley that Pala Mesa is carved into. If you slice to the right you’ll be hitting your approach from the fast lane of Interstate 15. This is a gorgeous par 3, lots of wonderful mature trees around the green, reminds one of Pebble Beach.
When you move across the parking lot to the North 9 you will immediately notice upon stepping onto the tee box of Number 1 North that the terrain has flattened out, and that the fairways are a bit more generous.
The first hole on the North 9 is a 391-yard par 4 with a slight dogleg. It’s flat; you could actually walk this hole. There is a long fairway bunker on the left which will gather in wayward tee shots, the green is well bunkered, but this is a hole that offers a good opportunity for a par or better.
The Number 2 hole is a long 461-yard par 5 that offers one of the best birdie opportunities on the course. The tee shot has a generous landing area. Stay left on your approach shot to avoid a fairway tree about 75 yards out from the green.
Number 4 on the North is a gorgeous golf hole. It’s a 166-yard par 3. You must avoid deep bunkers left and right in front of the green. The green is two tiered. Make sure you know which level the hole is cut into before you tee it up.
Although the North 9 and South 9 are essentially the same distance the South 9, with its tight fairways, terrain, and doglegs requires caution when teeing it up. The North 9 is much more tempting off the tee to hit away. Both nines offer spectacular mountain and valley views.
Pala Mesa Resort has some wonderful stay and play golf packages and a meriad of memberships. The resort has one of the finest restaurants in the area, AquaTerra, so book a great weekend of golf and enjoy fine dining, in a classic resort environment.
The course is located just north of Hwy 76 on the west side of Interstate 15. You may reach Pala Mesa at (760) 731-6803 or visit their web site at www.palamesa.com. For membership information call (760) 731-6802.

The Boulevard Magazine
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688