When you begin your search for lodging near Yosemite National Park you will probably find a ton of misinformation from hotel and motel operators, many toting the fact they are located at the gates to the park. The truth is many of those businesses are close, if you consider 30 miles close to anything. However, I did find a lodge that is true to its words. The Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal is only a mile or so from the actual gates to the park, that is if you travel via highway 140 from the town of Mariposa. Yosemite View Park is actually a good place to stay without actually staying in the park.

The last time I stayed at a motel near Yosemite was in the town of Mariposa, again, thirty miles from the gates to the park. I stayed in a Best Western (same owners of the Yosemite View Lodge.) I was unimpressed; Yosemite View Lodge had changed my whole idea of overnight lodging near Yosemite. I stayed in room 2007, which had a loft with a pink spiral staircase (not my first choice of colors). The stairs lead to the loft which had a queen size bed and a television. The main room had a mini kitchen which is a plus when you have children and a flat panel television, not a good one, but nonetheless it was a welcome relief from the normal motel/hotel type televisions. You will be hard pressed to get any cell phone service so check with your carrier. The lodge doesn’t offer internet service, so the nearest internet hot spot is in Yosemite Valley (inside the park) about 14 miles away.

When you check into the lodge if you are looking for any special treatment, forget about it. They will check you in and move on to the next person. I wish I could give them high marks for personal service, but I’ve had better service in some of the smaller lodges I've checked into. Housekeeping appeared to have a shortage of face cloths because after housekeeping cleaned room 2007 they didn’t leave face cloths, only towels (apparently I drew the short straw) but hey, they did wash my dishes…. So, I put in an order for a few face cloths, after all, I had my two little girls with me ages 4 and 10 and needed clean face cloths… None appeared until housekeeping cleaned up the room on the next day, except this time they did not wash the dishes, so I guess you can’t have both.

I really like the Yosemite View Lodge even though it had problems with its service. The rooms are nice and clean, you can’t beat the views, and if you arrive in the winter you might just get to play in the snow. I will have to stay at Yosemite View Lodge in the summer and use one of their many pools; including the inside heated pool the lodge keeps open during those bitter cold winters. After all, you are two thousand feet above sea level. BTW: The entrance fee to Yosemite National Park is 20 dollars per car load, which is good for seven days and is worth every penny.

I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in a small city named Camden in New Jersey. When you enter Camden via the Benjamin Franklin Bridge or the Walt Whitman Bridge there are signs that read: “welcome to Camden watch our rebirth”…. Normally I write articles alerting you of great places one should visit...sadly this is not one of those stories. I really wish I could tell you Camden is a great place to visit and tour, but unless you like taking your life into your own hands, Camden, New Jersey probably should be avoided at all cost.

You see 40 years ago Camden, New Jersey was a rising star. I remember walking the streets in total safety; sometimes leaving the front door unlocked and not having a fear in the world, except for the occasional bully who thought it was fun to smack me around from time to time. I was proud to call Camden my home. I attended John G.Whittier Elementary School on Chestnut Street, moved on to Morgan Village Middle School, and finally graduated from Camden High School, the “Castle on the Hill.” I felt relativity safe attending all three schools. Now each of those schools are encircled by a fence, and by now when you enter my Alma Mater you are met by metal detectors and uniformed security guards.

I had to travel back to Camden this month (February) for a family emergency. My mother, who refuses to leave Camden because all of her friends live here and it is all she knows, had a heart attack and was admitted to Cooper Hospital in Camden. On the night I arrived, my flight touched down at Philadelphia International Airport at 11:02. I headed straight over the Ben Franklin Bridge to the hospital to check on her status and let her know that I was there for her. After visiting my mother I wanted (needed) to see if Camden had changed in any way, so I drove around the old neighborhood to get a firsthand look. Boy was I surprised at what I saw. At 1AM the streets were like a scene from the movie “Night of the Living Dead.” People were walking the streets trying to make eye contact with me or any other car as they passed by. I even saw one guy carrying a vacuum cleaner. Where he was going with a vacuum at 1 o’clock in the morning was a guess, but he didn’t appear as though he worked for a cleaning service.

If you drive around Camden in the daytime, you will see city blocks with either demolished buildings or abandoned homes everywhere. Now to Camden’s credit they are trying to change things. For instance, the city built an aquarium near the riverfront, which includes a symphony hall and an events center that was named Tweeter Center. The events center will soon be called the Susquehanna Bank Center. The old RCA Victor building is now loft apartments where the cost of the apartments doesn’t seem to match the economy of the city. But some of the lofts offer great views of the Philadelphia Skyline, even though they are a few blocks from the Camden County Jail and less than a mile from a state of New Jersey Correctional Facility, which was built on the same land one of my old houses, was located. But alas you can’t put lipstick on a pig and call it beautiful. I wish Camden City officials much luck turning my old city around, but to bring about a rebirth you will need to reeducate your residents. Since the beginning of 2008 there has been more than a dozen murders in Camden, the population of Camden is just over 80,000 residents… Scary!

This fraudulent review actually made it past our filters and was on line for 6 months (we can't catch them all). The review was found after a random review audit was performed, whch we conduct from time to time targeting random reviews.


Review:
Laguna D'zur International
Cocina de pura passion ( Kitchen with pure passion)
Laguna d'zur International is like restaurant number one, we dine last week and chef is espectaculare, the duck escuisite.
I recommend this restaurant to people to enjoy master cuisine from all over the world, Kaibil Bravo sei numero uno

Review submitted by: Estefan Jesua Velazquez

How we determined the review was submitted by the restaurant is simple, just click this link: http://www.ulladulla.info/lagunadzur/

Fraudulent reviews just keep coming in. The review posted below never made it past our filters although the poster used a fictitious name. We were able to track the review back to an employee of the business, who just so happens to have the same last name as the chef (go figure).

Review:
"Wow! Amazing experience! Hidden downtown Detroit gem! Great waterfront/riverwalk location with amazing food and impeccable service! Steaks are superb! We asked to meet the chef and Chris Franz was a delight! Can't wait to go back! "

MaryKay Richland

As We8there.com’s popularity continues to grow so does the amount of fraudulent review attempts we receive. We are committed to maintaining a quality site for restaurants and lodging establishments, but when unscrupulous owners try to bolster their ratings with bogus reviews it undermines our credibility.

We are beginning to take drastic steps to curb this problem. Currently we are stepping up efforts to detect and delete fake reviews. We8there.com has implemented protocols that are now fully in effect. If your restaurant/lodging staff, whether it’s the owner, the general manager, a part time employee, the wife of the executive chef, cooks, busboy or anyone closely associated with the establishment past or present are caught violating our posting policy, we will ban your business for 30 days (first offense) 60 days (second offense) 90 days (third offense) and reserve the option of filing civil charges in the state of California for attempting to undermine the credibility of we8there.com. If you have purchased a Premium Listing and it's determined an employee posted a bogus review, you will forfeit your listing and the business will have to purchase a new listing when the ban has been lifted.

If you read the We8there.com Blog we have posted some of our offenders on what I would like to call our wall of shame. These were attempts at posting fake reviews to bolster the establishment’s ratings, in some cases it was because the establishment received a negative review and they wanted to counter that review. In other cases it was because they just wanted to get listed for free and give their business a positive rating in hopes of increasing business. I completely understand.

If you’re really interested in getting your business on we8there.com we do offer legitimate ways to do so. Check out our premium listings for as little as $70 per year you can list your business and point your customers to we8there.com for honest feedback. It would be easier to read what your customers think about your restaurant and fix the potential problem rather than never knowing the problem. Consider we8there.com as your personal secret shopper.
We are very happy the general public finds we8there.com useful and helpful, that was why I created the site. We will continue to offer quality reviews for both casual and business travelers. Word of mouth has moved us to approximately 2 million hits per month. Just recently an independent website researched multiple sites and determined we8there.com the best place for a business to maximize their exposure. How cool is that? Thank you for using we8there.com and please tell a friend.

Yet another restaurant (Avocados World Bistro) trying to promote itself on we8there.com with a fake review... we were made aware of this fake review by a helpful user:

Review that was posted:

fabulous food!!!! Authentic flavors. Great wine list, nice range but doesn't break the bank. We also loved the selection of music, which is available for purchase in the restaurant, hard to find European music. Tracy Van Eijl


A very helpful website user pointed this out to us:

It disturbs me that the part-owners wife fakes a review on this website to try to bolster business, I am all for entrepreneurs but to go online and pretend you are a customer of your own restaurant, giving it rave reviews! Give me a break, I guess it shows the true nature, morals, and ethics of the owner(s).... Oh, and by the way, the place does break the bank, be prepared to call your bank the next day... Ad I write this I am reading below that this website does not accept reviews from employees, managers, and owners, It might want to research this one! Chris LiarSmith

Nicholas Restaurant in Natick - We8there.com
Posted a review about Nicholas restaurant in Natick, MA. We8there.com did not want to post it because as they explained to me in an e-mail, my review was critical so therefore I am probably the competition. ??????? Beware, the website is weird... I honestly thought the reviews that were already there were so perfect that they could not be real. The restaurant is just OK according to other reviews, not the perfect scores these people posted.

We8there.com Response to this posting that was found on multiple websites

Nicholas restaurant in Natick
What the user failed to mention was We8there.com removed close to five reviews of Nicholas Restaurant all posted by him, using a different name for each review but using the same email address. Here are all the different versions of the reviews that were posted. review #1. I like Greek food. I decided to try Nicholas's restaurant. We ordered appetizers. After 20 minutes we had no food, so we tried to call the waitress to find out what was going on. It took at least 10 more minutes to get the waitress to respond. I cannot tell you how rude she was, my party and I felt as if we were imposing on her. We all left, and I cannot believe, nobody at the restaurant even questioned what happened. Needless to say, What a crappy place it is, we will never go back again!!!!! robert xakon


review #2 After passing by this restaurant I noticed that the old Nick's Ice Cream restaurant had changed, no more Drive Inn fare or antique cars, but a sit-down restaurant. After reading reviews we decided to try the greek food. Very different from American tastes, if you are adventurous and want to try something new you need to keep an open mind. Actually, the greek appetizers were quite good, something for a special occassion. The fried scallops were a little dry, but the tuna salad was pretty good. One note on service, it was a little slow but friendly. The restaurant is worth trying out once even if you do not go back. My recommendation is more American food be put on the menu, martha stacks

Review #3 I love greek food. I decided to try Nicholas' restaurant, unusual because one does not expect a greek restaurant in the suburbs. I went with a party of four. We were greeted by a young girl and seated immediately. After many minutes of conversation, we all noted that nobody came to our table. I asked a waitress to please send someone to our table. She told me that my waitress was busy in the kitchen, but she would speak to her.Finally the waitress arrived. She asked what would we like. I asked her why we had to wait so long ( I have been known to be a grump) She said and I quote, " we are really busy tonight, what do you want". I'll tell you, I was shocked!!!. My wife told me to chill out. OK, I get upset at situations like this, but she was so rude. We all ordered our food but I have to tell you... It gets worse. When dinner finally arrived, it was wrong. I ordered Arni Souvlaki, I got Fried Haddock. Although I have nothing against Haddock, it was not what I ordered.So... it gets better. I told the waittress she gave me the wrong meal. She told me "That's what you ordered". I said no, I ordered Souvlaki, not fish. I could not believe what a face she made. She actually walked away towards the bar!!! I shouted out "Miss, Miss" Nobody even came to our table. Although my dining partners were happy with their meals ( althought 1 person ordered Lamb Ribs and received Ckicken Souvlaki), I got upset. My wife told me I need to chill out. After many minutes of conversation, we all agreed that something needed to be done. I called our waitress and asked that she please come to our table. She told me that she has other people to serve and she will be with us as soon as possible. Well, 20 minutes later is as soon as possible. I could not believe the attitude she had. I finally lost it and asked to speak to the manager. She walked away. Almost 20 minutes later, a young girl approached our table and asked us what the problem was. I told her our problem and she actually said the following ( I could not make this up!!), "the manager is in the kitchen and cannot be bothered"OK, judge for yourself, but even though I tend to be somewhat "critical", I really believe there is something wrong with this picture.A testimonial from some average guy...who likes to eat good food!!) Peter Franks

Review#4 After reading all the stellar reviews it makes me wonder why so many people would spend so much time writing wonderful things in such detail...MMM...sounds fishy to me. The reality of this restaurant is that it's OK, it appeals to the Pat Whitley crowd. If you really like fine food, go into Boston. Bill Tilly

Yes we added this reviewer to our wall of shame.

I went to a Taco Bell the other day… ok there I said it, I went to Taco Bell and the funniest thing happened to me, no I didn’t get screwed in the drive through as Joe Pesci so eloquently put it. What happened was this: after placing my order I noticed a miniature trash receptacle on the counter; when I say miniature I mean it stood about 6 inches from top to bottom. There was a sign on the micro trash can that said if I made you smile please leave a tip. Oh give me a break! Is that what it’s come to now, you make me smile and I give you money, at a Taco Bell?

This whole tip thing has just gotten out of control. Now when you buy something to-go at a restaurant, there is actually a place on the bill to leave a tip, and the funny thing is I feel guilty if I don’t one. Why do we have to tip the person who just poured us a cup of coffee, or the person who reached in an open cabinet and simply placed a bagel in a brown paper bag? TIP means To Insure Proper service. You pouring me a cup of coffee is not TIP worthy. And if you think that pouring me a cup of coffee is tip worthy, please keep reading because I am about to blow the whole lid off this tipping deal. No pun intended.

For the record this is my second article addressing this tipping issue. It seems that everyone wants a tip these days. I am waiting for the day when I get stopped for speeding and after the officer issues me a ticket it will have a tip calculator attached. Ok maybe that’s a little extreme, but I think you get the point. Maybe there should be a code of ethics when it comes to when and when not to leave a tip. I just took a tip quiz on a website I found called expertrating.com and guess what, I failed. I thought I knew the rules of tipping, but now I have a better knowledge of who should get a tip and who should not. I’ll share some of the information I discovered.

First off the hotel concierge who makes your dinner reservation should get at least a five dollar tip. To all the hotel concierges I have short changed, I’m sorry. If you employ the service of a wine steward he should get, get this: 15% of the cost of the bottle of wine. The pizza delivery man gets no less than two dollars. But what about the person who shampoos your hair at the beauty salon? The correct answer is two dollars. While a flight attendant does not get a tip (I knew that) the cocktail waitress at a Vegas casino should get 1 to 2 dollars per round unless you hit the jackpot, then I might just be inclined to give a little bit more.

Now according to expertrating.com there are some big tipping rules that you might not be aware of, and I must admit some of these caught me by surprise. For example your personal trainer, once you reach your goal you are required to tip the trainer 60 to 100 dollars. Your housekeeper should get one week’s pay, but only around the holidays. If you get married you are required to tip your florist 15% of your total bill, which could be significant. Now get this, according to expertrating.com you have no obligation to tip anyone at Starbucks or for that matter any other coffee shop period, so save your money. If you have any more information regarding tipping rules please send them to me at sroberts at we8there dot com.

Okay, I know I’m kind of dating myself here, but I’m a big fan of the Transformers. I was pretty upset when they killed off Optimus Prime, so imagine my joy when I’m sitting in a theater and the trailer for Transformers with the name Steven Spielberg attached flashed before my eyes. The trailer alone had me hooked, and then as if the movie gods shined upon me and I got to attend a premier of the Transformers in San Francisco, one week before the rest of the world.

I’m sitting in the theater with more than a hundred spectators, a large portion were members of the media, all wondering will the creators get it right because all too often a lot of these old cartoon characters that are brought to the silver screen are such a disappointment and should have been left in a comic book. So what does Transformers offer that the other comic book like companies tried to create but missed the mark? Well first off, special effects. If there was an instant award for special effects I’d present it to the makers of the Transformers. I actually had a tear in my eye as I watched the movie, it wasn’t a tear of sorrow, it was a tear of joy. I was in love with the silver screen all over again.

I’m not going to tell you about the movie I think you should go see it yourself, but if you are a fan of special effects and high tech gadgets and car crashes and things that go boom and trucks and helicopters and fighter jets that can change shape, I can go on because everything that you could ever dream about was in this movie. At some points during the movie the audience actually cheered, ok they cheered and applauded several times, but then again they cheered when the name appeared too which lead me to believe that most people were dating themselves as well.

So what was wrong with the movie? Okay I have to say some of the fight scenes got a little confusing as I tried to figure out who was fighting who, which means that I may have to go back and watch it again (which won’t be a problem) to fully understand the movie. It’s two hours and 23 minutes, but it goes straight to the action within the first two minutes of the show. Although we view them as robots, they like to be called Autobots and Deceptocons. And you actually feel sorry for them during the fight scenes (well only for the good guys.) So should you spend your 7-10 dollars to see the Transformers? I would say yes. When Optimus Prime said his name it sent chills through my body, and for a few seconds I reverted back to a 10 year old, and I said “This is the best movie ever.”

The dialog is witty and at times comical though sometimes getting way too bogged down in the minutia. My favorite was the masturbation reference, which reminded me of a scene from American Pie. The Transformers movie had a lot of cameos like the classic scene with Bernie Mac and the exchange between him and his mother. Oh and the scene with the guys from sector seven kind of felt to me like a scene from Men In Black minus Will Smith.

I can’t say two thumbs up because someone else has the trademark on that, but I definitely give Transformers five unequivocal smiley faces. I would give them six but we don’t go that high. The movie starts July 3rd although some posters say July 4th whatever day it starts I’ll be there again. And when it comes out on DVD I’ll be the first one to buy it. In fact I have Transformers saved as wallpaper on my laptop. Oh and one more thing, I have never seen anyone give a movie a standing ovation until now. It may not be for everyone but it’s definitely the movie for me.

Flying has changed so much it’s hard to picture how it was 10 years ago. I remember my first flight: I moved from Philadelphia to Salinas, California after receiving an invite from my Uncle Ralph Eugene Roberts; may he rest in peace. I flew on Continental Airlines, which for a while left such impression on me, that it was the only airline I flew by choice. The more I flew, the more I enjoyed it. I remember my first, first-class flight, it was also on Continental and I flew non-stop from Los Angeles International Airport to Philadelphia. They served rack of lamb with mint jelly and we actually used real knives and forks. Yes, there was a time when a plastic knife was a taboo.

That was then and this is now. With the rising cost of fuel and airline tickets, more and more discount airlines are popping up every where, but just as many are quickly vanishing. For example, Song Airlines, was quickly gobbled up by Delta Airlines. Now, if you log onto flysong.com you will be redirected to Delta’s website.
Discount airlines scare the big airline carriers because they sometimes offer last minute cheap tickets. In the past when you needed to take a last minute flight you were required to spend what was tantamount to a first class ticket. But now you can find a last minute ticket for less than three hundred dollars through many discount airlines. For example, I booked a last minute flight through Frontier Airlines from San Francisco to Atlanta, the day before my flight. In the past unless it was a bereavement flight, you still paid about 500 dollars . The cost of my last minute one-way flight was 190 dollars.

Now there is a new breed of discount airlines. Skybus Airlines offers self-service air service, which means you have to pay for any extras and I mean ANY extras. A pillow could cost you three dollars, and you have to check your own luggage. But a plane ticket will cost you only 10 dollars. Okay, only 10 seats are available at that price. Skybus does not have a phone number and is a completely no frill airline service based in Ohio. Some are calling it the Greyhound of the sky. I am curious to see how long this company will stay in business or if anyone else will follow suit.

But I guess as long as the air service gets me there without incident all is well. I just hope the no frills service does not include the maintenance or for that matter no frill pilots.

Sustainable Agriculture Certification Program Expands into California
Davis, CA – Tuesday, April 17, 2007—The non-profit organization Food Alliance announced today that it has opened an office in California to certify farms, ranches, food processors and distributors in the state for sustainable practices.
Food Alliance has hired David Visher to represent its program in California. Visher brings broad experience to the position, having been a farmer, managed a produce company, been an educator with University of California Cooperative Extension, and consulted to agricultural businesses on management and regulatory compliance issues. “I’m really pleased to be able to support the nex t wave in sustainable agriculture in California,” said Visher. “Consumer and market expectations are only going up. I think there are real opportunities for growers and processors that can meet Food Alliance standards.”
The move by Food Alliance will also create opportunities for retail and food service companies. “Food Alliance has been very valuable for our operations in the Northwest as they move to source more sustainably grown products,” said Culinary Support and Development Director Marc Zammit of Bon Appétit Management Company, “We look forward to working with Food Alliance in California as well.”
Food Alliance certification standards for farmers and ranchers include:
Safe and fair working conditions
Healthy and humane care for livestock
No hormones or non-therapeutic antibiotics
No genetically modified crops or livestock
Reduction of pesticide use and toxicity
Conservation of soil and water resources
Protection of wildlife habitat
Planning for continuous improvement
Certification standards for “handlers,” including food processors and distributors, address:
Handling of Food Alliance certified products
Safe and fair working conditions
Conservation of energy
Conservation of water
Responsible solid waste management
Reduction of toxic and hazardous materials
Quality control and food safety
Planning for continuous improvement
Businesses that meet Food Alliance’s standards, as determined through a third-party site inspection, use the certification to make credible claims for social and environmental responsibility, in order to differentiate products and to protect and stre ngthen brands.
Food Alliance launched its certification program in 1998 in Portland, Oregon, with a single apple grower selling in three area grocery stores. Today, there are over 270 Food Alliance certified farms and ranches managing over 4.3 million acres of range and farm land, and raising beef, lamb, pork, dairy products, mushrooms, dried beans and lentils, wheat, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Food Alliance has also certified 13 handling operations, including 9 fruit/vegetable processors, a cheesemaker, and three units of a mainline produce distributor.
Food Alliance’s expansion into California has been funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Cedar Tree Foundation. Food Alliance Certified businesses in California currently include the Hearst Ranch and pear processor Ale x R. Thomas & Co. “We’re looking forward to building a strong presence in California,” said Food Alliance Executive Director Scott Exo, “And to helping more farmers, ranchers, and food processors add value to their products with verified claims for social and environmental responsibility.”
Contacts:
Scott Exo(503) 493-1066, ext 30 Scott@FoodAlliance.org
David Visher(530) 852-7188 David@FoodAlliance.org
Marc Zammit(650) 798-8062 MarcZ@bamco.com

Pine, Colo. (March 30, 2007) – The Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) is seeking hundreds of volunteers willing to sacrifice either a few days or a week to help to complete the national treasure that stretches from Canada to Mexico , the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).

“We’re looking for people who enjoy activities like digging new trail and moving rocks of various shapes and sizes,” said CDTA’s Director of Vounteer Programs, Susan Westhoff . “It’s a great chance to meet new friends, enjoy spectacular scenery, have a one-of-a-kind outdoor adventure and participate in one of the largest conservation projects in the nation’s history.”

Since its inception in 1995, the CDTA’s ambitious volunteer trail building program has put more than 8,500 volunteers on the ground. This year, nearly 60 projects are planned in all five CDT states, Montana , Idaho , Wyoming , Colorado , and New Mexico , at elevations ranging from 4,000 feet to 13,000 feet.

Running from Canada to Mexico along the backbone of America , the 3,100 mile-long Continental Divide Trail will be the most significant trail system in the world when complete. Building the trail mile-by-mile, CDTA volunteers have made enormous progress, but much work remains to be done. Last year, volunteers logged 31,225 hours valued at $563,255 of volunteer labor. Often hiking miles through the backcountry to a project site, volunteers build new tread, repair eroded and damaged sections of Trail, and construct bridges and trailheads.

Volunteers of all skill levels and backgrounds are needed to build and repair trail, scout planned routes, or serve as Crew Chefs (cooks). No prior experience is necessary. While some projects require backcountry experience, many offer vehicle accessible campsites. Meals are provided on about half of our projects. Though the work can be challenging, CDTA Crew Leaders ensure that everyone has a fun and rewarding experience.

This year’s trail projects range from the New Mexico desert to the high peaks of the Colorado Rockies to the majestic scenery of Glacier National Park . The 2007 CDTA Volunteer Program offers backcountry adventure, a way to give back, and a chance to be a part of history as the CDTA builds momentum to complete this national treasure.

To learn more about this year’s volunteer opportunities or to download a copy of the 2007 Volunteer Guide, go to www.cdtrail.org/getinvolved . For more information on this program or for a free copy of the 2007 Volunteer Guide or, please call (888) 909-CDTA or email volunteer@cdtrail.org .
______________

The Continental Divide Trail was established by Congress as a National Scenic Trail in 1978. When complete, the “King of Trails” will be the most significant trail system in the world. Stretching 3,100 miles along the backbone of America from Canada to Mexico , it accesses some of the most wild and scenic places left in the world while conserving the environment and promoting personal well being.

Since 1995, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance has played a central role toward the completion, management and protection of the Trail and it is the voice for unity in the diverse story of the Trail.

For more information about the Continental Divide Trail, call (303) 838-3760 or toll-free 1-888-909-CDTA (2382). Or visit www.cdtrail.org .

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)
The day may soon come when you show up at just about any San Francisco restaurant to find the doors closed and the lights off.
Restaurant owners say they're considering a citywide protest in which all eateries would close for a day. The restaurateurs say San Francisco's newly increased minimum wage is among the factors putting some of them out of business.
"What margin?" Chef Dan Scherotter said when KRON 4's Cindy Chen asked him about his restaurant's profit margin. "There is no margin. That's why restaurants close so often."
Scherotter says a quarter of the money he takes in goes for food, 40% pays for personnel, and most of the rest goes for overhead and upkeep.
"The public has the ability to vote on something like health care or sick pay and they're good social programs," Golden Gate Restaurant Association spokesman Kevin Westlye told KRON 4's Cindy Chen. "The question is, do they consider at that moment at the ballot box the ramifications?"
Westlye's group runs about 800 San Francisco restaurants. Now they're trying to figure out when to close the eateries for a night.
"Do we do it when we would get the most impact that is, when there's a very large convention in town?" Westlye wonders. "Or do we respect their hard work because this is really not aimed at them? This is really a message for the public that lives here."
The stoppage is likely to be called with no notice, so even if you're planning a night on the town, you had better make sure there's something to eat in the refrigerator as well.

Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. / David Perry(415) 693-0583, news@davidperry.com

6th Annual "Wine and Wishes" Gala Raises $650,000 for Make-A-Wish

8 February 2007, San Francisco: Wine and Wishes 2007, an event that benefits the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation ( www.makewish.org) , far exceeded the event committee’s expectations. Combining contributions from ticket sales, live and silent auctions, corporate sponsorships, and cash donations, the event raised $650,000 to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. This represents an 8% increase over last year. An additional $290,000 was contributed in in-kind donations. Now in its sixth year, the event sold out months in advance and has developed a reputation for providing a lavish sampling of the Bay Area’s best wineries and restaurants.

"For the third consecutive year I have had the privilege to announce that every dollar raised by this event will go directly to granting wishes," said Patricia Wilson, Executive Director of Make-A-Wish. "We have developed a loyal following of supporters over the past six years, and are extremely grateful to our patrons, corporate sponsors and in-kind contributors who are responsible for the event’s success."

Held this past Saturday, February 3rd on Treasure Island, Wine and Wishes featured a gourmet four-course meal created by four of the Bay Area’s top celebrity chefs, including Bart Hosmer, Parcel 104; Roland Passot, La Folie; Xavier Salomon, Executive Chef and William Werner, Pastry Chef, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay; and Quentin Topping, Tanglewood. In addition, distinguished chefs from over 25 other restaurants, including Bacar, Farallon, Millennium and One Market, offered a sumptuous array of hors d’oeuvres during the Tasting portion of the event. Thirty-five wineries, including Far Niente, Patz & Hall, Nickel & Nickel Winery, and Saintsbury delighted those in attendance with their signature wines.

Over a third of the revenue from Wine and Wishes came from the silent and live auctions, bringing in $263,000. The top lot this year was a weeklong culinary experience in Tuscany. Two other lots that brought in high revenue were an American Idol experience including tickets to the show’s taping, and a wine country trip planned and hosted by Chef Roland Passot. Next year’s Wine and Wishes will take place on Saturday, February 2, 2008.

About the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation:In 2007, the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation® celebrates 23 years of fulfilling magical wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. One of the largest chapters nationwide, it has granted over 4,000 wishes in its 17 Northern California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Solano and Sonoma. In August 2005, the Chapter was recognized with a coveted "Best in America Seal of Excellence" award, the first Make-A-Wish Chapter to achieve this distinction for its outstanding management and governance practices. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal. For more information, please call (800) 464-9474 or visit www.makewish.org

Many children in the world may never reach the age of 20 because they have life-threatening illnesses. These range from sickle cell anemia to leukemia, just to name a few. There are more than 150 organizations worldwide that give these kids a chance to enjoy life by granting their wishes. One organization that stands out as the leader for granting children with life-threatening illnesses their wishes is the Make a Wish

Foundation.

In 2005 the Make a Wish Foundation granted more than 12,500 wishes, with many of wishes trips to Disney's theme parks. The average cost of a single wish is more than six thousand dollars. Of every dollar donated, 79% goes toward granting wishes, which is more than can be said for some well known charities. To qualify for a wish, the child has to be 2-1/2 to 18 years old and be doctor certified with a life-threatening condition. Any race or socio-economic status is accepted.

I just attended the Wine and Wishes 2007 Charity Benefit for the San Francisco Chapter of Make a Wish. This gala included some of the great restaurateurs, and vintners from around Bay Area. Presenting chefs included names like, Nate Appleman of A16, Arnold Eric Wong of bacar, and Mark Franz of Farallon Restaurant. Guests were able to sample food and drinks while they placed bids at the silent auction, which included weekend getaways and cases of top shelf wines, fine pearls, and even a signed Joe Montana football jersey. All the money raised went toward granting wishes to children whose lives might not allow them to live and enjoy life as normal children might.

The wine and food tasting was just one of the events - there was the Wine and Wishes Winemaker Dinner which began after the tasting event. A band of chefs called the Back Burner Blues Band, included Chef Joey Altman, who was once one of we8there.com's featured chefs. The dinner was a three course meal. The first course was Three Beets, Two Nuts and a Pear (I'm not making this up). The second course was Cedar Planked Scallops with a Deconstructed Clan Chowder, and the third course was Roasted Veal Loin with a Chanterelle and sweetbread Crepinette, Sunchoke Puree, Horseradish Veal Jus. Dessert there was Salad of Citrus Confit, Caramel Ganache and smoked salt. Our wine glasses were never empty from the moment we entered the door.

After dinner was the auction with items up for bid that would rival lifestyles of the rich and famous. (Nothing that I could afford, but it was nice to dream.) One of my favorites was life in the fast lane, where five of your friends would be treated to a fleet of high performance luxury cars (Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati) for a weekend as you toured the wine country Italian style. Opening bid $2,000. I didn't stick around long enough to see how the bidding went, but If I had the money, there were a few items I might have bid on. However, I'm a journalist and we don't make that kind of money. Let me rephrase that. Most of us don't make that kind of money. If you are feeling charitable, the Make a Wish foundation is the way to go. Although I am still a big fan of donating to food shelters, since the birth of my three year old I have a soft spot in my heart for the little ones. Reporting from San Francisco's Treasure Island I'm Stanley Roberts of We8there.com. www.makewish.org

Stanley Roberts Restaurant Tour

At Backroads, we love to eat – from exotic ethnic dishes to all-American comfort food and just about
everything in between. Over the years we’ve sampled wonderful dishes in dozens and dozens of restaurants in Northern California.
Today, we’re going to try a few more. And we’re going to do it in the company of a terrific guy who does not just eat to live, he lives to eat!
Stanley Roberts loves good food. He loves seafood, ice cream, pancakes and cheese steaks, just to name a few. Stanley loves food so much he’s created a web site to help other people find exceptional eateries.
The site, “we8there.com,” has thousands of reviews written by real people, rather than paid critics.
“Word of mouth is king,” Stanley explains. “If you don’t like something, you’ll tell a million people.
If you like something, you’ll tell one person. We8there, we’re trying to change that. If you like something we want you to tell you a million people.”
Since 1980, Stanley has been working up a big appetite as a photojournalist. Today, he’s taking a day off to show us four of his favorite places to eat in San Francisco.
Our first stop is on the Embarcadero. Java House serves breakfast and lunch all day, every day. The hamburgers and pancakes are popular, as are the prices. We have hearty helpings of pancakes, eggs and nice crisp bacon. The food sure is good and so is the friendly atmosphere.
Owner Phillip Papadopoulos, his wife Susie and their daughter Maria treat customers like extended members of their family. The Papadopoulos family has owned Java House since 1983, but the restaurant has been here since 1912, when the area was a busy, working waterfront. I ask Maria why the restaurant has endured so long.
“It’s because it’s the last part of what was the great history of San Francisco,” she says. “We try to retain that part of the character of the waterfront.”
With the fun characters and the good food, it’s tempting to stay at Java House right through lunch. But Stanley has something else in mind – a taste of Philadelphia. We got to Lower Pacific Heights and a little restaurant that serves up big, sloppy sandwiches. It’s called the Cheese Steak Shop and for Stanley, who grew up in Philadelphia, coming here is like coming home.
“I go on a mission,” Stanley says. “My mission in life is to find the best Philly cheese steak places outside of Philadelphia.”
Stanley says these cheese steaks are the best ones you can get in San Francisco. They’re loaded with chopped meat, chopped grilled onions, and American cheese. It’s a tasty combination and an authentic one. The rolls are flown in from Philadelphia and the restaurant offers both sweet and hot peppers, just like they do ‘back East.’ Next, we try a ‘hoagie,’ a Philadelphia specialty that is loaded with Italian meat, cheese, lettuce and onions and oil. But my favorite is the ‘cheese hoagie’ with provolone and American almost an inch thick. I’m getting full, but Stanley has one more hometown treat for us.
“I cannot have the Philadelphia experience unless we include Tastykake,” Stanley says, as he unwraps some of the baked goods. They’re hard to find in California, but they’re worth the search. They are very flavorful, but not too sweet.
Our next stop is full of sweet indulgences. Mitchell’s Ice Cream, on the edge of the Mission, is one of San Francisco’s finest dessert destinations. People come from all over to taste the rich ice cream and unique flavors that are made here daily. Linda Mitchell helps run the shop that her father Larry opened back in 1953. Linda and Larry tell me mango has been the most popular flavor over the years, “hands down.” Stanley and I sample the best-seller and we can’t resist trying a few other flavors – including vanilla, egg nog, and rum raisin – as long as we’re here. All the flavors are delicious and creamy. The secret is 16 percent butterfat!
Our final stop sits deep in the Sunset. Thanh Long is believed to be San Francisco’s oldest Vietnamese restaurant; it opened in 1971. Although Thanh Long has a full menu, many people come here just to get the restaurant’s two signature dishes – roasted Dungeness crab and garlic noodles. The two recipes are closely guarded by the An family, which owns Thanh Long. In fact, the Ans built a second kitchen, sealed off to everyone but family members who prepare the dishes and push them out a hole in the wall. Just a taste reveals that these are secrets we’d love to learn! The crab and the noodles are alive with flavor. They’re buttery, but not too buttery and garlicky but not overwhelming.
After dinner, we meet co-owner Hannah An, one of the few people who knows exactly what happens inside that secret kitchen. Hannah’s grandmother brought the secret recipes with her went she left Vietnam in the 1970’s. And Hannah’s not about the spill the secrets. We’ll just have to come back to Thanh Long the next time we crave roasted crab.
For more information about dining at Thanh Long, call 415-665-1146 or visit the An’s website: http://www.anfamily.com .
For more information about Mitchell’s Ice Cream, call 415-648-2300 or log on to www.mitchellsicecream.com .
The Cheese Steak Shop has several locations in the Bay Area. You can find them online at http://cheesesteakshop.com or by calling 510-724-7100. You can reach Java House by calling 415-495-7260.

It’s 2007 and it seems we have finally caught up to the future! Soon you will be able to buy cloned meats at your local supermarket. Here’s the part that scares me, some expert went on record saying “there is absolutely nothing wrong with cloned meats, so we don’t believe the meat requires any special warnings.” I strongly disagree with that philosophy and the idea of selling cloned meats, and even more, not marking the meat as cloned. All of a sudden the vegan thing is looking so much better to me

How many times have we heard ‘there’s nothing wrong with this product’ – only to hear about a recall because they’ve found a problem? What’s wrong, cows aren’t reproducing fast enough, that now we have to call in scientists? I guess soon we will have designer cows. Imagine this, you go to some swanky restaurant and order a Louis Vuitton filet mignon, specially cloned with the trademark Vuitton logo, for lets say, 500 dollars a cut. I can see the lines forming for the next seating. Or even better yet, Albertsons opens a special designer cloned food section, which could mean that regular meats will now be found in the generic food section.

Here’s what I think, if cloned meats were labeled as cloned, there would be a lot of unsold Angus on the refrigerated shelves. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration claims that American consumers won’t mind. I hate to break this to powers that be, but last time I checked I was a consumer, and I do mind. BTW, I know at least a couple dozen other consumers who “mind” as well.

I’m personally open to try anything once, within reason, but I think it’s only fair that I know what I am buying. You as the consumer should also be aware of what you’re buying, just in case someone twenty years from now discovers that cloned beef, pork, lamb or whatever they decide to clone next, actually has problems. That way we don’t have 200 million plus people wondering if they need to get a special cloned meat shot. What I mean is this, if I never eat cloned meats and it turns out there was a problem with designer meats, I won’t be affected.

It’s the future; I would have preferred the flying car rather than designer meats! Welcome to 2007 and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am a big fan of traveling down south to Mexico or traveling up north to Canada, their both great countries to visit. Since I don't have to go through whole rigmarole of having to have my passport stamped every time I visit, it makes it so much better; all I needed to do was show my California drivers license or my birth certificate to re-enter the United States. But thanks to "The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004" that will all be a thing of the past.Beginning January 23, 2007, every U.S. citizens traveling by air between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid U.S. passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, children too, but at least the government has a sense of humor, you notice the date is not January 1st, they want to give the New Year's partygoers one last fling before you have to register with the government. Because if your not registered with the United States Government you will not be able to leave or re-enter the country.There is a catch, this rule is only for travelers who fly and not those who walk or drive across the border, so if you are fond of your casual stroll across international borders you will get one more year to walk home drunk. If you've ever been to Tijuana you will understand that last sentence.Under a different program, Homeland Security plans to require all travelers entering the U.S. by land or sea, including Americans, to show passports, starting as early as January 2008. No more three day cruises without a passport.The Homeland Security Department estimates that about one in four Americans has a passport. The cost for a new passport is about $97 per person, a pretty steep price if you're on a budget.The US Government think the price won't be a problem at all, because data revealed that in September 2006, 90 percent of passengers leaving from Canadian airports had passports. The department of Homeland security estimated that 69 percent of U.S. air travelers to Canada, 58 percent of U.S. travelers to Mexico, and 75 percent of U.S. travelers to the Caribbean hold passports.Also in 2008 if you are a single parent, you will need a document from the other parent allowing you to take the child out of the country. This is the governments attempt to keep custody battles from getting out of hand, and one or the other family member taking the child out of the country without permission.See you in 2007, from everyone at We8there.com have a happy holiday season!

I am on strike, and I want you to join the strike with me. I promise that you will not have to stand on a picket line and I promise that there will be a firm date to end this strike! The work stoppage will end on November 25 at midnight. After midnight on that date, you can resume normal activity.
I am protesting the proliferation of Christmas decorations; in?let?s say...October!! In some cases, I have either seen or read about Christmas decorations being placed out as early as late August. I used to joke that as soon as we finish with the Independence Day celebrations, shops move right to the Christmas decorations, I?m starting to think that its not a joke anymore. I am getting a little annoyed by this phenomenon. Don?t get me wrong, I?m not going to get on my soap box and preach about Christmas being about Jesus and sprit of giving, blah, blah, blah. But I am going to say that this Christmas should not be about how much corporations and retailers make so that they can finish out their year in the black.
Already were seeing fights in Target Stores over the newest ?Tickle Me Elmo? dolls that laugh. What in God?s name is happening here? Why in God?s name are we fighting over frickin? dolls? There should be a natural order for holiday promotions starting with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas! Not Christmas, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and then more Christmas followed by after Christmas sales. The truth is I really think we skipped Thanksgiving last year. Yeah, I saw the Macy?s Turkey Day Parade and there was very little mention of Thanksgiving. After Halloween, we basically went straight to Christmas.
So here is what I want you to do, I want you to take a pledge that you will not spend one red cent of you hard earned money on Christmas, until black Friday, or November 25 which ever comes first. I want you to decorate your house for Thanksgiving this year and remember those who may not have a family to spend the holidays with. If you?re one of our readers from a country other than America, then celebrate that holiday, whether it is Independence Day in Finland on December 6th , National Heroes' Day in the Philippines, or Kinro-Kansha-No-Hi (Labor Thanksgiving Day) in Japan, hold on to your Christmas spending money until the beginning of the official Christmas season.
So grab your picket signs and join in on the protest make a pledge to keep with tradition and start your Christmas shopping when it is appropriate, the day after Thanksgiving, and not a day earlier. Send us an email and tell me how you plan on spending your Thanksgiving this year, oh and enjoy your Halloween. Have a wonderful and enjoyable holiday season!

Stanley Roberts Restaurant Tour

At Backroads, we love to eat ? from exotic ethnic dishes to all-American comfort food and just about everything in between. Over the years we?ve sampled wonderful dishes in dozens and dozens of restaurants in Northern California.
Today, we?re going to try a few more. And we?re going to do it in the company of a terrific guy who does not just eat to live, he lives to eat!
Stanley Roberts loves good food. He loves seafood, ice cream, pancakes and cheese steaks, just to name a few. Stanley loves food so much he?s created a web site to help other people find exceptional eateries.
The site, ?we8there.com,? has thousands of reviews written by real people, rather than paid critics.
?Word of mouth is king,? Stanley explains. ?If you don?t like something, you?ll tell a million people.
If you like something, you?ll tell one person. We8there, we?re trying to change that. If you like something we want you to tell you a million people.?
Since 1980, Stanley has been working up a big appetite as a photojournalist. Today, he?s taking a day off to show us four of his favorite places to eat in San Francisco.
Our first stop is on the Embarcadero. Java House serves breakfast and lunch all day, every day. The hamburgers and pancakes are popular, as are the prices. We have hearty helpings of pancakes, eggs and nice crisp bacon. The food sure is good and so is the friendly atmosphere.
Owner Phillip Papadopoulos, his wife Susie and their daughter Maria treat customers like extended members of their family. The Papadopoulos family has owned Java House since 1983, but the restaurant has been here since 1912, when the area was a busy, working waterfront. I ask Maria why the restaurant has endured so long.
?It?s because it?s the last part of what was the great history of San Francisco,? she says. ?We try to retain that part of the character of the waterfront.?
With the fun characters and the good food, it?s tempting to stay at Java House right through lunch. But Stanley has something else in mind ? a taste of Philadelphia. We got to Lower Pacific Heights and a little restaurant that serves up big, sloppy sandwiches. It?s called the Cheese Steak Shop and for Stanley, who grew up in Philadelphia, coming here is like coming home.
?I go on a mission,? Stanley says. ?My mission in life is to find the best Philly cheese steak places outside of Philadelphia.?
Stanley says these cheese steaks are the best ones you can get in San Francisco. They?re loaded with chopped meat, chopped grilled onions, and American cheese. It?s a tasty combination and an authentic one. The rolls are flown in from Philadelphia and the restaurant offers both sweet and hot peppers, just like they do ?back East.? Next, we try a ?hoagie,? a Philadelphia specialty that is loaded with Italian meat, cheese, lettuce and onions and oil. But my favorite is the ?cheese hoagie? with provolone and American almost an inch thick. I?m getting full, but Stanley has one more hometown treat for us.
?I cannot have the Philadelphia experience unless we include Tastykake,? Stanley says, as he unwraps some of the baked goods. They?re hard to find in California, but they?re worth the search. They are very flavorful, but not too sweet.
Our next stop is full of sweet indulgences. Mitchell?s Ice Cream, on the edge of the Mission, is one of San Francisco?s finest dessert destinations. People come from all over to taste the rich ice cream and unique flavors that are made here daily. Linda Mitchell helps run the shop that her father Larry opened back in 1953. Linda and Larry tell me mango has been the most popular flavor over the years, ?hands down.? Stanley and I sample the best-seller and we can?t resist trying a few other flavors ? including vanilla, egg nog, and rum raisin ? as long as we?re here. All the flavors are delicious and creamy. The secret is 16 percent butterfat!
Our final stop sits deep in the Sunset. Thanh Long is believed to be San Francisco?s oldest Vietnamese restaurant; it opened in 1971. Although Thanh Long has a full menu, many people come here just to get the restaurant?s two signature dishes ? roasted Dungeness crab and garlic noodles. The two recipes are closely guarded by the An family, which owns Thanh Long. In fact, the Ans built a second kitchen, sealed off to everyone but family members who prepare the dishes and push them out a hole in the wall. Just a taste reveals that these are secrets we?d love to learn! The crab and the noodles are alive with flavor. They?re buttery, but not too buttery and garlicky but not overwhelming.
After dinner, we meet co-owner Hannah An, one of the few people who knows exactly what happens inside that secret kitchen. Hannah?s grandmother brought the secret recipes with her went she left Vietnam in the 1970?s. And Hannah?s not about the spill the secrets. We?ll just have to come back to Thanh Long the next time we crave roasted crab.

For more information about dining at Thanh Long, call 415-665-1146 or visit the An?s website: http://www.anfamily.com/ .
For more information about Mitchell?s Ice Cream, call 415-648-2300 or log on to http://www.mitchellsicecream.com/ .
The Cheese Steak Shop has several locations in the Bay Area. You can find them online at http://cheesesteakshop.com or by calling 510-724-7100. You can reach Java House by calling 415-495-7260. For thousands of restaurant reviews written by ?real people,? check out Stanley Roberts? website: http://www.we8there.com/ .