Some have taken a local paper since the 1950s or earlier and read their parents’ paper as children. One formed the habit when her dad asked her to always bring a news topic to the dinner table for discussion. I collect stories from some super subscribers in Friday’s column.
Monthly Archives: July 2020
Whither Restaurant of the Week?
My regular Thursday account of a meal(s) at a restaurant has been on hold during the pandemic, for obvious reasons. Although one reader did suggest modifying the concept to Carryout of the Week, ha ha — which I didn’t pursue.
The break has been welcome on my end. During the first part of the pandemic in particular, I was in something of a state of shock and relieved to just get columns done under these crazy circumstances. Not feeling obligated to write RoWs was one burden I was delighted to shed.
After restaurants reopened, a bit prematurely in my opinion, they had to revert to takeout and delivery, or offer outside dining, now that no inside dining is allowed.
Before the shutdown, I had two RoWs written and scheduled. Because the restaurants were closed, I put the posts on ice. In late June, as restaurants began opening up, I scheduled the posts for early July. Then restaurants were ordered closed again July 1 and the posts were put on ice again.
At this point, with the two posts not getting any younger, I may as well run them. At least the two restaurants are kind of open. The posts are scheduled for Aug. 6 and 13.
After that, we’ll see if the RoW continues. There’s a lot riding against it.
My eating habits have changed for the better, the result of which is that I’m less omnivorous than before. (I’ve almost entirely given up bread, for instance, which would make it tough to review a sandwich shop.)
For the foreseeable future, there are obvious logistical issues in writing about restaurants that are only half open and from which food might be taken to go, but taken only so far. Whether I’m working from home or the office, I’m not traveling with hot food more than 5 or 10 minutes, which has tightly limited my choices.
One possibility is to drop the now-venerable name Restaurant of the Week and simply use the restaurant’s name for the title. That way I can skip weeks if necessary and no one can cry about false advertising. Or I could come up with a new name completely.
Suggestions are welcome — as are your thoughts on the whole matter, including about dining out during the coronavirus era.
Column: Nothing shaking for Quakes in canceled season
They’re not yelling “Play ball!” at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga. Minor League Baseball was canceled nationwide on June 30. I visit the home of the Quakes to hear about it, and then write about the first summer without baseball in the city in nearly three decades, for Wednesday’s column.
KMEN-dous
Responding to Sunday’s column on the KFXM tiger, reader Don J. sent me a blog post about rival KMEN, the San Bernardino station that helped bring the Rolling Stones to the United States (the subject of several columns of mine in the past year, for any latecomers).
Jason Rosenthal’s “The Southern Californian” devoted a 2015 post to KMEN’s four (in his view) claims to distinction, involving the Beach Boys, DJ John Peel, Jimmy Webb’s song “Up, Up and Away” (!) and, yes, the Stones.
Column: SB radio station had a real tiger as mascot, and we aren’t lion
I write about a former San Bernardino radio station, and its Riverside tiger, in Sunday’s column. History can be fun!
Column: Seat of accused councilman still in limbo
You may recall the matter of the Pomona councilman who faces child pornography charges. The City Council demanded his resignation in May but he hasn’t complied. He still holds office and draws a paycheck. I delve into this odd, uncomfortable situation in Friday’s column.
Column: Welcome and good luck, readers say; also, ‘your a hack’
I quote reader email about my expanded territory in Wednesday’s column. People have largely been kind, but as the headline notes, not everybody is a fan!
Unofficial city motto
License plate frame: “San Dimas, Best City By A Dam Site,” a punning reference to Puddingstone Dam, and damn, I mean, darn funny. I hadn’t seen one of these frames in a while when I saw this, and I haven’t seen one since, leading me to think the frames were a novelty and no longer available. But I find the slogan unpretentious and clever.
Column: Newspaper job in Pomona led Fred Claire to Dodgers
I interview Fred Claire, the former Dodgers executive who got his start at the Pomona Progress-Bulletin as sports writer and editor, for Sunday’s column.
Column: Throwing some shade on the ‘dimmer switch’
Dimmer switches are in the news almost anytime the governor gives a press conference, since they’re his favorite analogy for California’s open status. He toggled the dial again this week. I poke a little fun in Friday’s column.