Once again, for the 43rd year, some of Southern California best restaurateurs gathered together to receive their awards as the best restaurants in their category.
It all took place at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club Restaurant sponsored by the Southern California Restaurant Writers.
The event opened with a wine tasting of Thornton Winery, Regal Wines and Jackson Family wines as well as Pedroncelli of Sonoma county.  The Hors D'Ouevres included Duck Carpaccio, Pesto Crostini and BBQ eastern oyster in the half shell.
The dinner menu, with a different wine with each course, included California Wedge Salad, Japanese Bento, Prime Ribeye and Sara's Cookie Medley.
The dinner was prepared by Executive Chef Bert Agor and Executive Sous Chef Sara Guccione.
Named Restaurateur of the year was Cynthia Peck of Angelo's & Vinci's Ristorante of Fullerton.
Named Manager of the Year was Sandra Schwaiger of Jagerhaus Restaurant in Anaheim.
Owner-Entrepreneur of the Year award went to The Perez Family of Luna's Mexican Kitchen.
Then the five and four star awards were presented to those restaurateurs present.
Besides judging the merits of Southern California Restaurants the Writers group is best known for its support of students entered into Community College culinary arts programs.  Under the Doris Crandall Scholarship Program all proceeds of the awards banquet and private donations are directed to student scholarships. These are presented in May of each year with the school selecting the students to receive the awards.

Our attendance last evening at a seminar on Costa Rica tourism offered many revelations on what this small Central America Republic has to offer.
If the beach is your thing here there are 300 stretching along its shores that front both the Pacific and Caribbean.  On the Pacific side perfect surfing waves break on empty beaches.
This country, with a population of five million, enjoys a climate that makes it a year round tourist and visitor haven with a dry season from November to April and a green season from May through September.
Since in geography Costa Rica is a corridor between North and South American it has some half million species of flora and fauna.  To preserve bio diverse regions there are twenty natural parks, eight biological reserves and a series of protected areas.
Costa Rica is considered the second safest country in central and south America but has no standing army.  It enjoys a 128 year history as a democracy.
For the tourist it is easily accessible since it has 25 airlines serving its two international airports.
The country is also in the  fore front with renewable energy.
Costa Rica places heavy emphasis on its tourism and both cities and countryside offer a huge assortment of hotels, resorts and places for visiting its national parks and scenic wonders.
This learning experience all took place at the Hilton Hotel in Universal City and the seminar was followed by a buffet offering some of the favorite foods of the country.

Last evening we attended the Ninth Celebration of the International Trade Community in Los Angeles.  It took place at the Consulate General of Mexico Headquarters  in Los Angeles at 2401 6th Street.
Topics discussed at the opening seminar included new trends in International trade and Southern California's partnership with Mexico in trade that annually amounts to billions of dollars.
Following the seminar we toured the trade fair with booths representing trading partners from both Asia and Central and South America.
Then an opportunity to taste beverages and some classic Mexican foods.
The event was well attended and proved an outstanding learning experience for this Writer.

We already knew that Lucques in West Hollywood was an outststanding restaurant both for its California contemporary cuisines as well as its huge list of wines.  But our dinner last evening placed its culinary and wait staff to the elevation of five stars.
Promoted by the FeedFeed Team the media dinner combined the culinary talents of James Beard Award Winning chef Suzanne Goin with  Winemaker Steven Decosta of Austerity Wines..
Introduced by Kevin Masse the dinner opened with Leeks Vinigette with Prosciutto, Dandelion, Mustard Breadcrumbs & soft cooked egg.  The wine a 20015 Austerity Chardonnay from Monterey's Arroyo Seco.  We especially appreciated this vintage since we had been to this appellation in Monterey just the week before.
Our entree was Braised beef short ribs with sauteed greens cipollini onions and horseradish cream.  Winemaker Steven showed his knowledge and passion for wine as he introduced a 2015 Austerity Pinot Noir.  This was from Santa Lucia Highlands and again we had visited this area in the foothills of the Salinas Valley just weeks before and  knew of the high quality of its Burgundian varietals.
Our dessert was Chocolate Cremuex Tart with Cardamom Cream and our wine a 2014 Austerity Cabernet Saauvignon from the Paso Robles appellation.  In conversation with Steven we noted the robust character of this cabernet with bold flavors and a long lasting finish.
At Austerity Steven Decosta is making wines from selected appellations and regions of superior quality while holding the prices as reasonable levels.
Upon introduction by Kevin Chef Suzanne Goin received a most enthusiastic reception from the forty fortunate Media representatives that attended the event
Austerity terms its wines as of the highest discipline and the Lucques dinner certainly proved it
Lucques is located at 8474 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.  Telephone 323 655-6277, web www.lucques.com.

 All the communities of the Monterey Peninsula are close together mileage wise and Monterey and its famed Old Fishermen's Wharf were only minutes away on Highway One from our base at Hofsas House.
 There is much to see at the Plaza and at the Wharf itself.  We had made a previous visit to the adjacent History Museum and Custom House but this visit was to have dinner at the Abalonetti Bar & Grill that has achieved fame over sixty years for its many recipes of Calamari. 
We immediately liked what we saw at this restaurant.  It offers both indoor and patio dining and includes an attractive bar at one side and on the other 'Monterey's Original Antipasto Bar".  This collection of goodies invited closer inspection.  The variety of antipasto included grilled eggplant, marinarted artichoke hearts, feta cheese. assorted olives, in all ten items.
 We opened with the fried Monterey Calamari, the benchmark for sixty years, then looking over the long selection of entrees chose the Shrimp Scampi.  This came with tomatoes, artichoke hearts and a most flavorful bed of rice.
But first from the bar a pina colada, always a favorite close to the water.  Also an opportunity to chat with Manager Aracely Perez who told us something of the history of Abalonetti which first opened in 1951 and how ,from the beginning, the restaurant became known for its many calamari choices.
 Besides seafood think pasta at this restaurant. The Antipasto Bar demanded a photo shoot with Ernest and lovely hostess Daniella.  Our waiter, Joe Sanchez, has been with Abalonetti over twenty years and so could provide us with much history of the restaurant and Fishermen's Wharf.
 In town there are nineteen wine tasting rooms and bars, all showing the wines of the Monterey appellation which has become recognized as one of California's best for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  And in May the annual Winemakers Celebration takes place.
While strolling through downtown we discovered the Fifth Avenue Deli and once inside, with a view of the tempting delights, decided to buy lots of goodies to take home and enjoy in our very own kitchen back at Hofsas.
    And waiting for us there was a bottle of 2013 Ventana Pinot Noir, from an estate grown vineyard located in Monterey's Arroyo Seco.  So we moved from kitchen to balcony to watch the sunset and golden glow that followed and then back to the kitchen for our Tiramusi dessert.

One day we set out to explore Carmel By The Sea's surrounding countryside   We had long wanted to visit Point Lobos State Reserve with its stunningly  beautiful wild coastline, its majestic forest and miles of well maintained hiking trails.  At one place we found John, a docent who has been offering his wit and local knowledge to people like us for ten years.  We did con John into giving us a Cypress Grove Trail brochure which also relates how the Allan Memorial Grove came about to  preserve the unique Monterey Cypress trees.    The Cypress Grove Trail is a loop trail that winds through coastal scrub and woods to cliffs and ocean views.
Actually Point Lobos has an interesting past being in the early days a whaling station, an abalone cannery, a granite quarry and shipping point for coal.  Later A.M. Allan started acquiring land recognizing the value of the cypress grove.  In 1933 Allan's heirs donated fifteen acres in Allan's memory and later sold much of the present Preserve to the California State  Park system.
 Our stay at Carmel By The Sea was blessed with a remarkable of number of cloudless, windless sunshine filled days which were perfect for the many scenes that demanded a photograph.
We also had to visit and photograph Mission San Carlos Bopromeo del Rio Carmelo. Here the graceful Basilica Church, the center of the Carmel Mission, is registered as a National historic Landmark.
 Carmel By The Sea has a long stretch of beautiful white sand beach, the white color due to the underlying rock that the sea slowly grinds to sand.  The beach is very popular and in easy walking distance from almost anyplace in the business end of town.  Also there is a scenic road along the coastline from Ocean avenue to Carmel River State Beach.  

When we left San Francisco our destination was Carmel By The Sea.  This was our third visit  to the Monterey Peninsula in less than six months.
But Carmel By The Sea is indeed unique and certainly offers charm in a location of much beauty.
 And we found the perfect place to capture the essence and beauty of the place.
It was the Hofsas House Hotel which has been offering the tranquility of the town and region for seventy years. Here was a small hotel with Bavarian decor, ambiance and classic European style hospitality.
 On arriving at Hofsas House we were charmed and awed with our room which was actually a suite with large bedroom, private balcony for enjoying a sweeping view to a glistening sea, a complete bath and a kitchen with refrigerator, micro wave, sink, and inviting table and chairs for sipping wine while nibbling on crackers and cheese.  Hey, we thought, it can't get any better than this.
 But we were wrong. Located in the center of  town Hofsas House  invites one to a pleasant stroll while leaving your car idle and, for a change, costing nothing, since this town does not have parking meters and free two hour parking can be found everywhere.
 One morning while enjoying our Continental Breakfast at Hofsas House we had the opportunity to meet  Carrie Theis, grand daughter of Donna Hofsas who founded the hotel seventy years ago.  We complimented her on our wonderful suite and learned that all 38 rooms are one of a kind with amenities like fireplaces, private balconies, wet bars, and Dutch doors allowing guests to enjoy the ocean air.
There is free WiFi but hard to believe anyone would want to spoil the relaxed atmosphere of Carmel by using it.  We certainly did not and never  turned on the TV either.
Tomorrow we will describe some of the nearby countryside we explored during our visit.
Hofsas House Hotel is located on San Carlos Street, north of Fourth Avenue in Carmel by the Sea.  (This town does not have numbered house addresses).  Telephone 831 624-2745, web www,hofsashouse.com.