a yelp account!

I'll take a brief digression from all the Roman Polanski commentary to tell you that I now have a yelp account! Tapping into my inner secret desire to be a food critic, I'm very excited to eat, review, and write!

Click for my review for Eclipse Chocolat, a chocolate shop and cafe in San Diego and Pizzeria Luigi, a pizza joint in San Diego.

more on Polanski

Here is the link to an excellent article in today's LA Times, "Polanski's Defenders Lose Sight of the True Victim," by Steve Lopez. (I have already written to Lopez, commending him on a great article.) Lopez does an excellent job educating the readers on the trial, illustrating the disparities in power between Polanski and the young girl, showing how Polanski's defenders are completely misguided, and arguing that justice must be served.

roman polanski

In case you haven't heard, film director Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland and may be extradited to face sentencing for a 1977 child rape case. Since I have been studying violence against women, the anti-rape movement, and high profile rape trials (including this one), I feel compelled to comment on the case.

Here are the facts: In 1977, Roman Polanski lured a 13 year old girl to Jack Nicholson's home while the actor was away. The girl, an aspiring model, thought she was there for a photo shoot. Instead, Polanski drugged, raped, and sodomized her. He was 44 years old. Polanski was convicted on rape and drug charges, and faced with a possible 50 year sentence, he fled to France, where as a French citizen he found protection against extradition.

The revival of this case has fueled an intense debate. Some argue that Polanski , now 76, has paid the price for his crime, and it is not worth pursuing a 32 year old case. Others argue that justice must be served. I bet I don't have to tell you which I side I'm on.

In yesterday's issue of the LA Times, columnist Patrick Goldstein argues that the district attorney's efforts to apprehend Polanski are misguided, especially considering that the prison budget has been cut and prisons are overcrowded.

Below is my letter to the editor (it's short since I'm allotted only 150 words):

Contrary to Goldstein’s article, Polanski has hardly paid the price for his crime. Since 1977, he lived in France making movies. He travels, owns a chalet, and is married with two children. He won an Oscar in 2002.

Most rapes go unreported and unresolved, and not prosecuting Polanski sends the message that violence against women and children is not worth pursuing. Rape is rooted in power disparities and gender inequalities, and this is a case of an adult taking advantage of a child, a man victimizing a young woman, and a film director coercing a burgeoning model. The case has been settled and Polanski has been publicly forgiven, but it does not negate the fact that he committed a crime and justice must be served. To ignore this fact perpetuates the notion that violence against women and children is a lesser crime and not to be taken seriously.

This morning, I also took the time to respond directly to Goldstein. Here is that letter:
I completely disagree with your seeming assessment that Polanski's 32 year old case is not worth pursuing.

You seem to think that the DA’s office could better spend its resources on more worthy causes and more pressing issues. However, most rapes go unreported and unresolved, and allowing Polanski to continue to go free sends the message that violence against women and children are crimes that are not worth prosecuting. Rape is rooted in power disparities and gender inequalities, and this high profile trial illustrates the obvious disparities of power and authority. This is a case of an adult taking advantage of a child, a man victimizing a young woman, and a film director coercing a burgeoning model. Even though the case has been settled in a civil suit and the victim has publicly forgiven Polanski, it does not negate the fact that he committed a crime and justice must be served. To ignore this fact perpetuates the notion that violence against women and children is a lesser crime and not to be taken seriously.

You also write that Polanski has already “paid a horrible, soul-wrenching price for the infamy surrounding his actions.” You even goes so far as to compare Polanski’s case with that of Jean Valjean. Polanski has suffered tragedies including his escape from the Krakow ghetto, the death of his mother in the gas chambers, and the brutal murder of his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate. However, each one of these events preceded the 1977 rape. Polanski has hardly paid a price for this crime. Instead, he has spent the last thirty years living in France and making movies. He went on to marry and have two children. He travels throughout Europe and owns a chalet in a Swiss ski resort. You claim that Polanski’s career has “clearly suffered from his inability to work in Hollywood,” but I would hardly consider his Academy Award for best director in 2002 to be suffering.

By the way, Valjean was convicted for stealing a loaf of bread. Polanski drugged and raped a young girl. These two crimes are obviously incomparable and of completely different magnitudes.

So there it is. I'll keep you posted and let you know if my letter to the editor gets published.

strawberries and plums

I recently got a membership to Costco, where naturally you buy everything in bulk. Including fruit. Fortunately, it doesn't go to waste and I'm having fun baking up the excess fruit in cakes and pies. Last weekend, I made a plum upside down cake and a strawberry pie. Oh, and by the way, did I mention that we also started classes last Thursday?

Here is the plum upside down cake. Anytime a recipe begins by instructing you to whisk together equal parts of brown sugar and butter, you know it's going to be good.The cake was moist and sweet, but not annoyingly overwhelming. The plums just kind of melt in with the cake, and it was just delicious and brown sugar-y. Unfortunately for the cake, I also made a strawberry pie, and well, the pie stole the spotlight.

I'm in a pie phase right now, trying different recipes and perfecting my pie crust. Here is the "before" picture of the strawberry pie. With a lattice crust.

Here is the after picture. It smelled sooooooo good! The juices were a little bit runny (but the pie sat up quite nicely after cooling), and I could hardly wait for the pie to cool before digging in.

The crust was flaky and buttery, just the way crust should be. By the way, did you check out the lattice? Now that's real pie. The pie was juicy, fruity, and well, words just can't describe how good it tasted.

queen mary

Hey, remember when it was a couple weekends ago? I sure do. Drew and I went up to Long Beach to cheer on Carol, who was completing the Avon 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer. She walked 39 miles in 2 days, and we met her at the finish line.

The finish line was at the Queen Mary events park, so after cheering for Carol, Drew and I went on a tour at the Queen Mary.

I forget when the ship was built (and when it docked at its final location in Long Beach), but it was bigger than the Titanic. Oh, yes, this was mentioned multiple times (must be why I can remember it) If the Queen Mary could talk, I'm sure she would boast about being bigger than the Titanic AND not sinking.

Anyway, the ship is now a hotel and tourist attraction. Drew and I walked around the ship, and we went on a couple of ghost tours. The Queen Mary folks sure play up the allegations that the ship is haunted. Some people died on the ship (some in horrific ways) and I guess that there have been ghost sightings and reports of paranormal activity.

The first tour was pretty over-the-top, complete with special effects and sound effects. We went to the first class swimming pool and the boiler room, among other places. On the second tour, we saw more of the ship and the hotel. There were no special effects, and it wasn't much better than the first tour. Basically, it was like, someone died here and there have been lots of ghost sightings and paranormal activity. Take lots of pictures and you might see something in your pictures. The end.

But, the ship was cool and it was nice to walk around. AND I got a Rosie the Riveter lunchbox.

That is all.

how 'bout them apples?

This is my "I really don't like apples" post. You see, for years, I thought that I liked apples. Week after week, I would buy apples and then rarely eat them. I tried Granny Smiths, Fujis, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Braeburns, you name it, but most of the time, the apples would languish at the bottom of the refrigerator and shrivel up until I finally threw them away. I wish I liked raw apples, I really do. After all, they are cheap fruit and as the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But I don't like raw apples, not even sliced up and dipped in peanut butter.

I have finally come to terms with that fact that I just don't like raw apples. I'm going to stop buying them, unless I bake with them. In the past week, I baked an Almond Apple Pie and Apple Muffins. I think that both of these dishes represent my defeat with raw apples and the fact that I'm just going to embrace the fact that I really don't like them.

The recipe for the Almond Apple Pie originally calls for cranberries, but I couldn't find them. They must not be in season, and I couldn't even find frozen ones. Anyway, this pie is good. I had a bit of trouble with the pie crust (not enough fat when I cut the shortening into the flour; then I tried to make up for it with a little extra water- not a good idea). The crust was a bit challenging to roll out and ended up a little thin. For the almond flavor, I rolled out a tube of almond paste and set it on top of the pie crust (that's why I didn't worry that the crust was a bit thin). The almond paste is kind of fun to work with, but tough to roll out. When I finished, I was actually sweating. The slivered almonds get added to the pie in the last few minutes of baking, just enough to get nice and toasty. They are a nice addition. The pie was really good- the almond paste adds nice flavor and some richness to the pie. And the contrast between the toasted almonds and the apples are also very nice.

I also made some apple muffins, which tasted pretty good, but only on the day that I made them. After that, they got unpleasantly soggy, and there was no way to salvage them.

I'm kind of in a pie phase right now. Before the Almond Apple Pie, I made a Chocolate Pudding Pie. I'd really like to get a handle on pie crust and expand my pie repertoire. Next up? Maybe a Strawberry Pie. Stay tuned.

a mockery of marriage

In the paper today, I read a letter to the editor that said that if gay people are allowed to get married, it will make a mockery of marriage. That's right, gay people will contaminate marriage and ruin it for everyone. What, pray tell, will become of this sacred institution if we let gays in? So, I came up with my own list of things that make a mockery of marriage. Here goes:

Teenagers. In some states, teenagers as young as 14 can get married as long as they have parental consent or a judicial waiver. That's right kids, you can't vote, buy cigarettes, legally drink, or even buy Sudafed, but you can get married as long as your parents approve. (By the way, I'm guessing that the probability of parental consent increases if one of those teens is knocked up. Or named Bristol Palin. Or both.)

Weddings. I read somewhere that the average wedding costs around $25,000. And Glamour tells me that the average bride spends an average of 30 hours a week planning her wedding. And I just recently read that college graduates are postponing marriage because they have too much student loan debt and can't afford a wedding. This is all utterly ridiculous. Seriously, if marriage was truly about love and commitment, it would not start with a 3-ring circus.

Gift Registries. So, getting hitched means that people are now entitled to the fine china and fancy cutlery? Marriage means that people are supposed to help the newlyweds establish their new home? Some people think that since they're shelling out for a wedding, a gift is like the admission fee to their circus. They're like "hey, I'm buying you dinner; help me upgrade my kitchenware and give me new towels." Hey, weddings are a choice and so is the budget. It's not like I show up to a wedding, request a five-course meal, flowers that match the tablecloths, or a six-tier wedding cake.

Diamonds. When some people see diamond rings, they see love and commitment, but all I see are sketchy, unethical mining practices and a waste of resources (2 months salary...come on, isn't that better spent on something else? Anything else?). Engagement rings are more than a pretty piece of jewelry. They signify ownership and let the world know that a woman is "taken." (ever notice how men don't wear engagement rings?) The size of the rock is also associated with the man's ability to take care of his betrothed and provide for her.

Outdated Patriarchal Practices. This includes, but is not limited to, white wedding dresses, fathers walking their daughters down the aisle, when women take their husband's name, and men who ask fathers for permission to marry their daughters. These practices aren't romantic or sentimental; they're demeaning to women.

Bridezillas. Sometimes, I cannot resist tuning in to the eponymous show on the Women's Entertainment network. This show is like the culmination of the list of things that truly make a mockery of marriage. It chronicles Bridezillas as they plan and execute their wedding. The cameras follow these divas and everything they do to make their wedding day, this one day, simply perfect. It reinforces the notion that marriage is about the wedding and that it is the bride's day, not about the bride AND groom. The television show holds no bars- the bridezillas verbally abuse and manipulate their soon-to-be-husbands, and the cameras catch every temper tantrum and lots of tears and insults.

Well look at that. Seems like heteros engage in many practices that make a mockery of marriage. Apparently, gay people aren't the only ones that can make a mockery of marriage. Heteros have been doing it all along and have done quite a nice job.

favre in purple and gold

I did something strange the other night, Monday night to be exact. I watched football. For about 15 minutes. The Minnesota Vikings were playing the Houston...yeah, I don't know what that team is called. Brett Favre, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, was in purple and gold, quarterbacking for the Vikings, and well, I couldn't miss that. Wikipedia tells me that Favre played for the Packers for 16 seasons, won the MVP award three times in a row, and won one Super Bowl. The Packers (and really anything from Wisconsin) are probably Minnesota's biggest rivals. So Favre is like the archnemesis and now that he is a Viking, well, this probably doesn't make people in Minnesota or Wisconsin too pleased. So anyway, I tuned in for a few minutes just because I couldn't resist seeing Favre in a Vikings uniform.