Personal Information

I was born in Brooklyn, New York and spent the first five years of my life living in a house my parents rented on Avenue M. My dad was an attorney and my mother was a stay at home Mom. We moved to Forest Hills, Long Island to a house of our own when I was five. I have a sister seven years younger than I am. Life was much different in those days. For example, it was considered safe enough for me to ride the subway from Forest Hills to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a friend. I had to have done this before I was twelve. I attended PS101, the School in the Gardens, from kindergarten through part of the 8^th grade.

My Dad’s company moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. What a change to my “sophisticated” life. I now had Pikes Peak to view instead of the Empire State Building. I missed New York and my parents let me return the summer I was sixteen. I worked at New York University in Greenwich Village. Independence for the summer, though I stayed with a cousin and friends.

College took me to what was then Colorado A & M in Fort Collins, Colorado to pursue a degree in Nutrition. I could visualize myself working for a test kitchen (such as Sunset Magazine’s wonderful facility), or doing research with food, or becoming a hospital dietitian. Never did I dream that I would teach Nutrition at a community college.

I was married two days after I graduated with my Bachelor of Science Degree, and followed my husband to Greenville, Mississippi where he was stationed as an Air Force Officer. We moved many times during our five years in the Air Force. We never lived anywhere long enough to get our name in the phone book! We lived in Houston, Texas (where I taught 2^nd grade), Denver, Colorado, Wichita Falls, Texas, Merced, California, Rapid City, South Dakota, Biloxi, Mississippi (where our son was born), and Montgomery, Alabama.

My husband returned to what was now Colorado State University at Fort Collins as an instructor in Electrical Engineering. I pursued my master’s degree in Nutrition. My research was on vitamin retention in vegetables cooked in a microwave oven, or steamed on top of the stove, or baked in the oven (the microwave won). While in Fort Collins, our second child, a daughter, was born. We spent summers in Worcester, Massachusetts while my husband worked on his master's degree in Electrical Engineering. After three years in Fort Collins, my husband took a job with Hewlett Packard in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I taught high school home economics.

Four years later, my husband was transferred to San Diego, California. Our third child, another daughter, was born. After volunteering my time for various organizations, I decided to go back to work. My first teaching assignment at Palomar College was as an adjunct instructor teaching for the Child Development department. Then I applied and was chosen to start the Family and Consumer Sciences Department. I taught all the classes that were offered during the first semester with the exception of Interior Design. Gradually, as new instructors were hired, I was able to specialize in the field of Nutrition.

My doctoral degree is in Educational Administration with a minor in Curriculum Design from the University of Southern California. My husband and I took classes together. It helped to study together and spur each other along.

Our son is a graduate of the Air Force Academy with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has a master's degree in Business from Webster College. Our oldest daughter has an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in Liberal Studies, a master's degree in Reading from California State University at Pomona, and a doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California. Our youngest daughter has a bachelor's degree from the University of Riverside in Liberal Studies, and a master's degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California. Our oldest daughter also works at a community college. She teaches reading and is currently on reassigned time as the Professional Development Coordinator.

Travels

My favorite pastime is traveling. My parents traveled all over the world and instilled in me, a love of learning about new places and new things. Living in San Diego, we started by journeying to Mexico spring vacations and summers. We visited the archeological sites and colonial cities, along with the beach destinations. We learned to really enjoy Mexico and its’ people.

Our first big trip, other than Mexico, was to Fiji. Here in a village not accessible by car, I found examples of children with kwashiorkor. They had the pot bellies and discolored hair indicative of protein deficiency. We also experienced a kava ceremony. I was not thrilled about tasting from the common coconut shell. The kava had been squeezed out of what looked like a very dirty grey cloth into the shell.

Our last trip was an experience of a lifetime. I was on leave spring semester 2002. We left January 19, 2002 on a 120 day cruise around the world. Our Radisson Seven Seas Navigator cruise ship was small, capacity was 490 persons. We left Los Angeles and sailed to Honolulu, on to Lahaina, Maui, and Christmas Island. Christmas Island belongs to Kiribati and is known for bone fishing. I think we stopped there just to break up days at sea. It’s a very flat island and not at all what you picture in your mind for an island paradise.

Apia in Western Samoa was our next stop. Samoa is a picture-perfect Polynesian island. Robert Louis Stevenson's home, Vailima, is on the island and his ashes are buried atop the nearby mountain. He died at 44 of a stroke after living in Samoa from 1889 - 1894. Samoa is a republic, was originally a German colony. Samoans have a large meal on Sundays that is cooked in an umu, underground. Heat comes from hot rocks. Breadfruit grows all over the island. It is boiled, water drained, onions, and coconut cream added. We also stopped at Aggie Grey's Hotel in town. Aggie started a hamburger stand after her second husband drank away her inheritance. The stand became popular among sailors during World War II and Aggie is supposed to be the inspiration for Bloody Mary in South Pacific.

During the next brief times ashore we visited Vavau,Tonga; Lautoka, Fiji; and Noumea,New Caledonia.

The end of the first segment of the cruise found us in Sydney, Australia. This is the place for the famous Australian Rock Oysters, didgeridoo music, the incredible Queen Victoria Building with its stained glass windows, jade wedding carriage with a Japanese bride and groom, and huge clocks with moving parts and figures, and of course, the Sydney Opera House (where we saw an excellent performance of The Marriage of Figaro.

Brisbane, Australia in Queensland necessitated a tour to the rainforest where we tried to spot the elusive koala bear. I believe there must be more koalas at the San Diego Zoo. We found macadamia nut trees and learned that they are endemic to Australia.

On board ship, we participated in several Cordon Blue Workshops. We prepared fillet mignon with truffles and foie gras, among other delicious items. We ate crocodile, venison, kangaroo, and camel steak, and emu and crocodile sausages. A bit tough was the crocodile and camel, but the emu sausage was great. For dinner one night, we had an Australian Winemaker Dinner, pairing wines with each course.

Hayman Island, a Whitsunday Island, is known for its elaborate resort. We toured the kitchens in the hotel which are the largest ones in the South Pacific. The chef made their famous chocolates for us to sample.

Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea was destroyed in September 1994 by the eruption of the volcano Tavurvur. It is still smoking! Japan occupied Rabaul during World War II and there are many artifacts to be seen on the island. There was everything from a painted nosepiece of an American airplane to a systems book on metal (the only one of its kind). We watched two young boys demonstrating "The Whip", where they were whipped on legs and arms as a passage to manhood.

Truk Island in the Federated States of Micronesia was another island held by the Japanese during World War II. They established a naval center but by 1944, it was one of the Imperial fleet's biggest losses (60 Japanese ships), and was known to the Allies as Gibraltar of the Pacific. The lagoon is a volcanic formation enclosed by a coral reef, and is one of the largest enclosed reefs in the world.

This leg ended in Tokyo, Japan. We had the most interesting visit to the Tsukiji Fish Market. At a very early hour of each day the tuna auction is held. The vast numbers of tuna, both frozen and fresh were amazing. The auctioneer jumped up and down, bells rung, and tuna were purchased. We were told that one sashimi grade tuna sold for $20,000 USD. There are over 17,000 employees at this vast market. It looked like enough fish for sale to feed the entire world. It's fun to explore the back streets of Tokyo and indulge in udon noodles, fish and, of course, miso soup.

In Nagasaki, Japan, the tour to the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum was sobering. The bomb fell August 9, 1945. The pictures were mesmerizing. Nagasaki is a beautiful city. We visited the Glover Gardens and House. The Glover House is Japan's oldest example of Western architecture. It was built in 1863. In the garden we spied the statue of Tamaki Miurei, a Japanese soprano famous for portraying Butterfly. Cho-Cho san is looking toward the harbor with her son waiting for Pinkerton and his ship. Finding a noodle shop in the back streets was not easy, but we succeeded and had a very inexpensive lunch.

On to Shanghai, China and a little delay due to the Chinese bureaucracy. Shanghai is a shopper's paradise with great prices. We saw new building after new building and construction going on all over. The city seemed to be bustling with energy.

This leg of our journey ended in Hong Kong. We had signed up to have lunch with Dr. Lee. Maria Lee is a fascinating woman, born in Shanghai, who not only cooks and had her own TV show, but designs her clothes, does calligraphy, plays traditional Chinese instruments and is an artist. Lunch was served on an 800-year old table that was part of her dowry. We ate and ate, each dish being presented with an explanation of ingredients, in unique bowls and serving platters, and with an artistic flourish.

We also had an opportunity to have dinner at the exclusive China Club atop a building in downtown Hong Kong. We were served then entire menu that follows!

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crabs with Spicy Salt

Sautéed String Beans with Minced Pork

Sautéed Diced Chicken with Garlic, Star-anise

Spring Onions and Chili

Bean Curd Skin Rolls

Double Boiled Superior Shark's Fin Soup

With Star Shape Winter Melon in Tureen

Sautéed Sliced Lobster

Deep Fried Alaskan Crabmeat Rolls Wrapped in Wafer Paper

Sautéed Scallops with Honey Beans in X.O. Chili Sauce

Whole Spotted Garoupa

-Half Steamed and Topped with Crab Roe

-Half Baked with Garlic

Braised Shanghai Brassica with Black Mushrooms

And Bamboo Shoots

Roast Peking DuckBraised E-Fu Noodles with Spicy Minced Meat and Eggplants

Mini Egg Custard Tartlets with Bird's Nest

Chinese Petit Fours

Fresh Fruit Platter

We stopped at three ports in Vietnam. The first, Hong Gai, was our entry port for a visit to Hanoi. Our young guide spouted much communist propaganda. We were anchored in Halong Bay and the next day we sailed in a Chinese Junk around the islands. The story is that a dragon swished his tail and created the 3000 limestone islands in this Gulf of Tonkin.

Our next stop was Da Nang, the port for our trip to Hue. The Imperial Palace is very much like the one in Beijing, but in very bad condition. Construction began in 1804 and was the capitol until Ho Chi Minh moved it to Hanoi in 1945. We also visited the beautiful Heavenly Lady Pagoda. There we saw the mythical animals, the dragon for power, the turtle for long life, the phoenix for beauty, and the unicorn for peace.

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is bustling and another shopping mecca. The people seemed happier and friendlier than in Hanoi. We enjoyed a traditional Vietnamese dinner, complete with entertainment at the Rex Hotel.

The ship docked in Bangkok and we flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia for our journey to Angkor Wat. Our first stop was Angkor Thom. The ruins are indeed in ruin. The ground was uneven with stones and rubble, many broken steps to climb up and down. After a spicy Cambodian lunch we were off to see the treasure that is Angkor Wat. The complex is huge. You cross a moat to the carved gate and then there is a long walk before you actually arrive at the temple. The five towers are amazing. The bas-relief's are in quite good condition. You could spend days exploring the site. The temperature was over 90 degrees in the afternoon! We did have a short time in Bangkok and drove around re-visiting the important temples.

This segment ended in Singapore where we experienced Murtabak in the Arab Quarter. The cook takes flour and water and makes a pancake that he grills. Then curry of lamb with vegetables is added. The restaurant was a hole-in-the-wall and all four of us ate for $8.00.

At Phuket we ate in a small Thai restaurant and had great, very, very spicy food. The ship brought three guest chefs aboard for Indian Food. They work at the Regent Hotel in 'Bombay.

During our day in Cochin, India we booked a trip through the backwaters in a small boat. We tasted coconut beer (terrible) and had a chance to see the small villages along the banks of the river. We rode in a tuk-tuk to a ginger-processing warehouse and ended up at the Jewish Synagogue built in 1568. The Rabbi from the ship was there and had persuaded the caretaker to open the sacred Torah for him and his guests.

Our stop in the Seychelles took us to St. Anne Marine National Park in the Indian Ocean. We snorkeled among hundreds of little black and white zebra fish, parrotfish of all colors, a large stingray and many fish that shall remain nameless. On Round Island we were served a delightful Creole barbeque lunch of tuna steaks, aubergine fritters, fruit, lemongrass tea and other goodies.

Our first stop in South Africa was at Richard's Bay, from where we were to fly to our safari at Phinda Private Game Reserve. Our room at Vlei Lodge was actually a little house, complete with plunge pool. We had a warthog family living under our porch and a herd of nyala out in the marshland by our front door. Once again, I was in awe of the animals in the wild. South Africa is really a special place.

Our next stop was Mossel Bay and we headed to Knesyna Bay and the Headlands. The area farms oysters (which of course I had for lunch along with delicious Kingslip fish) and is home to rare sea horses and blue duiker antelope. We rode a ferry across the Bay and ended up at the headlands where we took a four-wheel vehicle up to the top and walked back down. It was a very long walk and included a side trip down 120 steps to the caves and back up the same 120 steps.

Cape Town, South Africa is a beautiful city. We had visited for a little over a week just a year ago, so these few days here reminded us how much we really liked Cape Town. Just outside of the city, the wine towns of Stellenbosch and Paarl are delightful to explore. South African wines are among the best in the world. Unemployment is horrendous, however, with estimates ranging up to 90%. The rand had lost even more ground to the dollar from a year ago. The ship hosted a party at Cape Castle, built in 1679. Each room had different food, Cape Malay, African, and Dutch that reflected the culinary heritage of the city.

We stopped in two cities in Namibia, Luderitz and Walvis Bay. Luderitz was built for workers in the diamond mines and there is not really much to see. We did visit a mansion, the Goerke House, built by the original owner of the mines. His wife lasted two years before insisting on returning to Berlin. Walvis Bay was a fascinating port. We dined under the stars out on the sand dunes. The lagoon is the home of thousands of flamingos. The Topnaar people live in the desert and survive on a strange fruit called the Inara. They peel the fruit and let the pulp and seeds ferment for a few days. They then roast the seeds to eat and sell. The pulp is laid out on the ground to dry and is rolled up like a fruit roll. The seeds are said to contain the B vitamins and protein. They have their own unique language.

We left Africa and arrived at St. Helena. From our ship the island looked like a large granite rock. Once you arrived at the top of the island, there was greenery and views that were unbelievable. We visited Napoleon's exile home where he died.

On to South America, our stop was at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Again, we had spent several days in Rio on a previous trip so opted to leave town and drive to Petropolis, the one-time Imperial capitol of Brazil. Pedro I built his summer residence in this mountain town. We walked around the historic center visiting homes and the Crystal Palace. We stayed in a pousada in a nearby town, Correas. The pousada was built in 1914 as a summer place to escape the heat of Rio. The grounds were immense and beautifully kept. The house had 11 bedrooms and an absolutely marvelous kitchen from whence came our sumptuous dinner and breakfast.

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil was our next stop. At the site of the slave market, a pillory still stands to mark the spot where slaves were once publicly punished. The church of Sao Francisco has cedar woodcarvings that took 28 years to complete. There are blue-and-white tiles walls and a lovely pained ceiling. The cathedral has a paneled ceiling of carved and gilded wood.

The last stop in Brazil was the town of Fortaleza. We toured the Opera House and ate Brazilian food at a very different little restaurant.

Bridgetown, Barbados is remembered for the marvelous fried flying fish lunch that we enjoyed by the beach in Speightstown. It was served with macaroni pie (just a baked macaroni and cheese dish). There is a lot to see and do in Barbados. It is a beautiful island complete with a cave that contains a 40-foot waterfall.

I was looking forward to having mofongo in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I had fond memories of the dish from previous visits. The restaurant we picked had mofongo - but it was terrible! We boarded a ferry at the pier and visited the Bacardi Rum Plant. The factory produces 100,000 gallons of rum each and every day. The 45-minute tour takes you through the bottling plant, museum, and distillery. Our dinner at the El Convento Hotel included plantain fritters, suckling pig, and tapas.

Next stop, Georgetown, Grand Cayman. We opted for a Stingray City Experience. The water was a gorgeous blue color, warm and inviting, and only waist deep. When you first got into the water with the rays, they were all around your legs and body. It was a frightening experience until you got used to them. They like to be petted on the underside of their wings. We fed them pieces of squid that were sucked up from open hands. Some of the ones we saw had wingspans of six feet. They are bottom feeders and females give birth to live young.

In Puntarenas, Costa Rica we went rafting on the Corobicci River. We saw howler monkeys as we wound through the jungle, forests, pastures, and fields.

Huatulco, Mexico was a new destination in Mexico for us. We rode into the town of La Crucesita and had a snack (we were hungry for some real Mexican food. The town has one tourist shop after another.

Acapulco is certainly not the glamour destination it once was. It's a hassle to fight off the jewelry salespersons and guides. Once again we found a restaurant that didn't look too touristy and had Mexican food.

Cabo San Lucas was the last stop in Mexico. It has grown so much that nothing looked familiar. It is a beautiful place, however. Another Mexican lunch and we were on our way back to the United States.

The ship stopped in San Diego for a day and our 120- day sojourn ended in Los Angeles.