Restaurant Review

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Kitchen Goddess - Linda Binns

                                                       La Mesa Loco

Greek food is one of my favorite types of cuisine and I was happy and surprised when I found that La Mesa Loco serves Greek style food.  La Mesa Loco is located inside the gates of the Hotel Penmar on Avenue Sol Nuevo, Rincon and is a pleasant open air restaurant.  The restaurant sits by the pool and it's fun to watch the children play while their parents hover around the edge of the pool.  There's lots of laughter to accompany your meal.  We found the restaurant to have an enjoyable atmosphere.   

The menu is filled with Mediterranean style foods and you have your choice of beef, veal, chicken, fish, pastas and pizza.  This is the place to eat if you want souvlaki, moussaka or veal marsala.  We ordered a large pepperoni, onion and extra cheese pizza and the Greek onion soup (Stan couldn't resist.) 

Our pizza arrived piping hot and crisp.  The dough was infused with herbs, the cheese was hot and stringy and tasted very fresh.  The pepperoni was the real thing.  The crust was thick and chewy and the sauce was just spicy enough to let you know it was there.  This was one good pizza and we managed to eat all but 2 slices. These we saved for breakfast the next day.  The onion soup was superb.  It was a creamy broth with diced onions, potatoes and a wonderful combination of Greek spices.  We've since gone back for lunch and ordered just the onion soup and Greek salad.  The Greek salad is prepared the way it should be, without a lot of lettuce.  The cucumbers are diced along with onions, tomatoes, and tossed with Greek olives, feta cheese, hardboiled egg, yummy spices and oil and vinegar dressing.  The lettuce is secondary to the other vegetables. 

La Mesa Loco is open from 12:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. every day but Wednesday. The restaurant is a good space for a party. If you'd like to have a private party talk to Kathy about the details.  She's at the restaurant every day and will be more than happy to accommodate you. 

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Feast of San Antonio Abad

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Día de San Antonio Abad

January 17th

 This is a religious holiday celebrated in Mexico to honor the patron Saint Anthony. Animals are allowed in the churches throughout the country for this day for blessings. Often the worshipers bring livestock as well as pets.

In some communities after the church services, a feast is held for the congregation and visitors. Festivities often include competitions, sports activities and of course - fireworks. 

About Saint Anthony

St. Anthony the Abbott, (San Antonio Abad) was born in Egypt in 251 to a wealthy family. His parents died when he was twenty and left him in the care of his older unmarried sister. He decided to follow the teachings of Jesus who said (Matthew 19:21) "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me." and in 285 gave his wealth to the poor, put his sister in an early nunnery and decided to live in complete solitude.

San Antonio lived as a hermit in solitude in the desert. Legend has it that the devil fought Anthony regularly with boredom, phantoms of women and laziness. He overcame these through prayer and then moved to a tomb where he locked the door on himself for complete solitude. The devil, envious of his intense worship, beat him unconscious. After he recovered he again moved to the desert; this time to a mountain by the Nile. He lived in an abandoned Roman fort for twenty years but did not escape the continued warring of the devil against him this time with visions of wild beasts, snakes, scorpions and lions. San Antonio said "If any of you have any authority over me, only one would have been sufficient to fight me." and the visions ceased. God gave victory over the devil to San Anthony.

The emerged healthy, serene, and enlightened. Through his battles with the devil, advice and the serene and enlightened demeanor, his reputation grew. He began to have a following and Emperor Constantine wrote and asked for his blessing.

San Antonio lived to be 105 and is the subject of many paintings.

He is the patron Saint for animals, amputees, basket makers and weavers, butchers, cemetery workers, domestic animals, eczema, epileptics, erogoyism, hermits, hogs, monks, skin disease and a host of other interesting occupations and illnesses.

He is represented with a crutch, and is often portrayed with a bell on the end of a cross. Pigs are often at his side.

 

Local festivities:

 

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Humor

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 Submitted by Harry Dunnell

THE YEAR'S BEST (actual) HEADLINES OF 2006

Crack Found on Governor's Daughter 
       (Imagine that!)

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says 
       (No, really?)

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers 
        (Now that's taking things a bit far!)

Is There a Ring of Debris around Uranus?
       (Whaaat??)

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
        (What a guy!)
 

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
        (No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-sos!)

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
        (See if that works any better than a fair trial!)

War Dims Hope for Peace
        (I can see where it might have that effect!)

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
       (You think?! )

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
       (Who would have thought! )

 Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide 
        (They may be on to something!)

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges 
       You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?!)
  
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge 
      (He probably IS the battery charge)

 
New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
        (Weren't they fat enough?!)

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
        (That's what he gets for eating those beans!)

 

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
        (Taste like chicken?)

 

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
        (Chainsaw Massacre all over again!)

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors 
        (Boy, are they tall!)

And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead  
      (Did I read that sign right?)