Enchanted

After seeing the previews for Enchanted, I went with low expectations. I assumed I would see the same fairy tale clichés common to princess/prince movies: princess/prince falls into peril, princess/prince saved by prince/princess who overcomes insurmountable odds, prince and princess fall in love…. Oh yeah, and along the way princess/prince learns important life lessons about who she/he is and that she/he needs to follow her/his dreams to find true happiness and love. All these clichés were there in one way or another but they were presented in such a fresh way that also cleverly poked fun at them that the movie ended up being a real delight. I found myself laughing out loud numerous times. Patrick Dempsey as the disillusioned family law attorney was terrific. James Marsden as the prince played each cliché to annoying and hilarious perfection. However it is Amy Adams as the princess Giselle who completely steals the show. Her portrayal of the princess lost in New York City was a charmer. I hope we get to see her in many other movies. With her new success in the family market, I hope she doesn’t seek out more supposedly “serious” roles that will allow her to display her “true capacity” as an artist (i.e. the rated R market with all that entails -- though she may have already played such roles for all I know). Jane read in the LA Times that Adams grew up in a Mormon family in Colorado but that the family left the church when her parents divorced and that the church has not had much bearing on her faith. We took the whole family to the show and I felt it was appropriate for them all. I don’t remember any swearing. There was one exchange where Dempsey’s girlfriend complains about his “rules” in not letting her spend the night at his apartment (which was actually a good thing but may raise questions for kids). At one point, Giselle accidentally falls on top of the Dempsey character in her towel after getting out of the shower. There were some cartoon-type action sequences and a dragon that might be scary to young children. I would have been happier with a bit more modesty in the dresses worn by Adams which were similar to what you would see in a Pride and Prejudice type period piece. 4 Beavers.

Review of August Rush by Allen IV

[Thanks to Allen IV for this review --ACO]

I saw August Rush. The storyline and plot were good, but the visual and audio parts of the film were very amazing. For example, when August Rush (the main character) stumbles into New York City for the first time, the filmmakers did a great job in making the audience feel like they were in the city and were very small and insignificant. The loud metallic noises were intensified and the camera views were quick and shaky making the audience feel very nervous for August. The points of view and settings were well thought out. The way that the filmmakers used noise and sound to narrate the story was very unique. One problem was that the movie dragged on a little and was a bit too long. Overall I think that it was a great movie -- worth the ten dollars.

Laguna Niguel 4th Ward Gets New Bishop

I was released last Sunday as Bishop, along with my counselors Alan Keddington and Mark Pay. The new bishop is Scott Shreeve with Matt Eyre and Ray Damiano as counselors. Scott was the bishop of the Laguna Hills 2nd ward before recent boundary changes placed his home in the Laguna Niguel 4th ward.

People have asked if I feel lighter or if I feel free. The short answer is "no." I still feel the same worries and concerns and desires for people's lives that I felt before. The only difference is that now it will be somebody else's responsbility to direct ward efforts with respect to strenghtening those families. I will still be able to (and should continue to) work as an individual (or as part of whatever calling I receive) to bless their lives. I suppose all of us who have been to the temple should have those same feelings -- we should all feel the concern that our bishops, stake presidents, and church president feel and act in our own individual ways to remedy those concerns. From a practical standpoint, in the future I will not be privy to the confidential problems that people face. The resulting ignorance will perhaps mean a lessening of stress for me.


Alan Keddington, Allen Ostergar, Mark Pay

Beaver Alert! Allen IV gets accepted to BYU for Fall 2008

Rise and shout the Cougars are out -- and a beaver is in! Allen IV learned on November 16, 2007 that he was accepted to attend BYU-Provo starting in the fall of 2008. Is he a bodacious beaver or what?!

Look for this happy face at the Cougareat!

New York Pizzeria vs. New York Upper Crust Pizza – Best Slice of Pizza in Orange County

It is the end of AYSO soccer season. I coached Ruth’s team – the Red Rubies. At the first practice of the season, one of the seven year old girls asked if she could throw her ball at me. I said “no” but she threw it at me anyway. I batted it away. As she walked toward her ball to retrieve it she turned, glared at me, and said, “I’m going to kill you…. I’m going to kill you, with a knife!” I knew then that it was going to be a difficult season. Fortunately that girl never brought a knife, the team pulled together, and we had a great time.

We held our team party at New York Pizzeria on the corner of Aliso Creek and Moulton. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend their pizza. We ordered a cheese pizza and a combination (the New York special). Both pizza’s were soggy in the middle which made it hard to pick them up and not as pleasing to eat. We had to eat half the slice (assuming that you start eating from the middle rather than from the crust end) with a knife and fork until we got past the soggy part. That’s just not how Pizza should be eaten. 2 Beavers for New York Pizzeria.

Around the corner, on the other hand, is New York Upper Crust Pizza (on Greenfield and Rancho Niguel). I recently wrote about the best Hamburger in Orange County. You are now going to hear about the best slice of Pizza. From time to time I order pizza by the slice for lunch. Their Greek pizza is simply heavenly. There is no tomato sauce on this pizza -- just mozzarella, feta, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, garlic and a green herb (basil I think). No sogginess here. The crust is thin (the way I prefer it) and is perfectly done every time. They also have stuffed pizzas (that include a crust on top). If you go, try the dough knots, a variation of garlic bread made with olive oil and garlic. By the way, Martha agrees with me about the Greek pizza being the best, so I must be right. Ordered by the slice, it is the best slice of pizza I have ever had. 5 Beavers for the Greek pizza. 4 Beavers for the worker who always gives Martha extra food and a big smile. He’s got the fever!

Mary's Mandatories -- The Trouble with Nostrils

[We welcome the sage advice of Mary Falck as a new feature to Ostergar Family Reviews. We look forward to many more. --ACO]

Welcome Beavers to my new column! I am Dr. Mary and I graduated from Spot For Dorks University in 1983. So anyways, I publish a column every so often in Ostergar Family Reviews.

Ok. According to recent hard studies, the laws of science have proved that flaring your nostrils is a frequent occurrence that happens often to the Ostergars. If you are an Ostergar, or have been around Ostergars, and this happens to you, here is my advice:

At night, you should put some orange juice on your toothbrush and sleep with it in your mouth. It usually works……

Ballard Street -- Guest Review by Martha Ostergar

I love the comic strip Ballard Street by Jerry Van Amerongen. It’s quirky and at times strange but it makes me laugh more often than not. (Maybe that has something to do with my quirky and strange brain?) I visit this website everyday and every time I open the link, there’s always a bit of that “Christmas Morning Anticipation.” I just can’t wait to see what he’s come up with! It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I hope some of you enjoy it. 4 1/2 beavers out of 5. Love, Martha.

http://www.comics.com/creators/ballardst/

Allen's Top Ten Movies of All Time (At Least for This Week)

Here are my top ten movies of all time. It's difficult to put them in order. And they may change next week if I remember more.

1) Sound of Music (Sit down and watch five minutes of this movie, at any part of it, and you will be hooked. Too bad the radiant Julie Andrews can't be everybody's governess.)
2) Ben Hur (Epic pageantry -- everything about this movie is Big! Ramming speed!)
3) Batman Begins (I think Batman strikes such a cord in me because he has no super powers. He makes me feel like, "Hey, I could do that if I had that cool belt and car." Gary Oldman as the good cop was awesome -- he's the same guy who plays Sirius Black in the Potter movies.)
4) Raiders of the Lost Ark (Adventure, romance, Nazi's get toasted. It doesn't get much better.)
5) Its a Wonderful Life (Depressed? Watch this. Dave O., let's hear it: "Merry Christmas Mr. Potter!)
6) Persuasion (With Amanda Root. That scene at the end when the girl finally gets her man is one of the most touching/moving scenes of film.)
7) The Incredibles (How can a cartoon blow you away like that?)
8) Nacho Libre (Eeets thee best! Get that corn outa my face! I hate all the orphans in the whole world! Beeg keess, leetle keess, leetle hug, beeg hug. Summon your eagle powers and watch this. It gets quoted over and over and over in our family.)
9) The Great Escape (Based on a true story -- American and British spirit and ingenuity against the Nazis. Steve McQueen's memorable motorcycle scene is a classic.)
10) Casablanca (Play it again and again, Sam. I love the part when Claude Raines saves the day.)

Have I missed any? Send me your lists or additions and I will post them. Josh Harmon? What's your view from an industry insider's position? (And don't tell me Citizen Kane -- that movie was lame.)

Luciana Souza -- Duos

Whether or not you've been to Brazil or know anything about its people or culture, there is something about its music that is inherently pleasing to the ear. Its soothing rythms penetrate directly to the senses, evoking palm fronds waving gently in a warm ocean breeze, white sand beaches, and juices of exotic fruits dripping down your chin. Brazilian female vocalists, expecially in the Bossa Nova style, typically sing with very little vibrato, requiring them to move through their phrasing with an exactness that only adds to the pleasing sound. I recently purchased the CD "Duos" by Luciana Souza who follows this tradition with wonderful results. As the title suggest, there are only two musicians that perform on each of the songs: Luciana sings with a single guitarist (her own father on some of the songs). There is no overproducing of the music here. With no percussion, background strings or base line, Luciana's voice is completely exposed -- and that is a very good thing. Her voice is extraordinary. I am sure that what I hear as I play the CD in my car is the same sound I would hear if I were sitting with Luciana and her guitarist in a café in Rio. Though she remains restrained, there is an underlying power carrying this music that is missing with airy "girl-next-door" voices such as Astrud Gilberto's that helped popularize Bossa Nova music (though I love that sound too). I listened to this CD 5 or 6 time straight through without getting tired of it. I also felt myself suddenly wanting to write poetry and do nice things for my wife.

Duos was released in 2002 and Luciana has since released a follow up called "Duos II" that I am excited to purchase (or get for Christmas... hint, hint). This year she has a new album called "The New Bossa Nova" that appears to feature some American song classics with what is no doubt a very Brazilian interpretation. I will be catching her in concert in San Diego on March 1 and report further then. (Sara and Jaron, she is performing at Duke University on January 8.) 4 Beavers for "Duos." You can check out Luciana's cool website at http://www.lucianasouza.com/flash.html.

Nancy Recommends Gingers -- "Tastes So good You'll Forget It's Good For You."

Thanks to Nancy Ostergar for the following review:

Want something delicious and healthy…Ginger’s is your answer. A small, unassuming café is doing a great little business as part of Christopher’s Herb Shop on 188 S. Main Street in Springville, Utah. They now serve lunch and dinner. You can usually park right on the street, but they do have a small off-street parking lot. They serve yummy organic soups, sandwiches (on their own bread), vegetarian & vegan dishes, smoothies sweetened with agave, and they make their own salad dressings. They use mostly raw ingredients. You can purchase their salad dressings and homemade crackers, desserts, etc. The menu is printed on the wall and they have daily specials too. Since Allen’s by-pass surgery, we have to choose our eating out experiences wisely (we are food snobs too). We love Ginger’s.
http://www.gingersgardencafe.com/

Camping in Morro Bay

We took the family as part of our labor day weekend activities to camp in Morro Bay California. Morro Bay State Beach has a large campground close to town and the bay. We were not too impressed with most of the campground. The sites were very close together and the sites (except those along the edge of the golf course) were generally bare of trees. We were fortunate to have the group campsite reserved which is separated from the regular sites by several hundred yards and is under a nice grove of eucalyptus trees. The site is next to a golf course which we used as a great "capture the flag" field after dark. The course also attracted deer which the kids loved to watch.

The town maintains a natural history musuem right on the bay within easy walking distance from the campground. It was very good and included many hands on displays that the kids enjoyed. One of docents let the kids use binoculars to look at the bay from a balcony in the back of the museum. We saw otters in the water below.

Allen IV did some thrift shopping in town and surfed just north of Morro Rock. He should have brought his full wetsuit.

We rented Kayaks at Sub Sea Tours on the embarcadero ($12 per person for two hours) and paddled around the bay and harbor. We saw sea lions and lots of pelicans. Julia and Ruth fed fish to the sea lions at the aquarium and got a real kick at the way they would squak for a handout.

Thanks to Craig and Becky Calkins, the Wysons, the Del Rosarios and the Kirkhams for a great camping group. 4 Beavers for the group site at Morro Bay State Beach. 2 beavers for the rest of the sites.

Sub Sea Tours and Kayaks: http://www.subseatours.com/kayak.html


Ruth and Samantha Del Rosario

Adam and Julia are good buds. Check out Adam's six pack! Wow!

Cathy with Ruth, Becky Calkins and Jane at Montana de Oro State Beach (just south of Morro Bay).

Allen's braces didn't do much good.

Adam Completes Cycling Merit Badge with 50 Miler!

The last requirement for the cycling merit badge is to travel 50 miles in a single ride. Adam was unable to ride with his troop when they rode so he and I rode on our own during a family camping trip to Morro Bay California just before Labor Day. From the state campground just south of town we rode north on Highway 1 along the coast to Cambria and then back. For most of the ride the coast was covered in fog so the views were not what we hoped. We completed the trip in just over three hours which was less than half the time the troop took. Adam can really ride fast. 5 beavers for Adams legs!


Adam and Dad finish 50 miles!

Scary Pumpkins Invade Dana Point Harbor

Sunday evenings are perfect for a picnic dinner at the harbor. Every so often we get together with my sister Gwen and her family to enjoy the ocean breezes, the sunset and the passing sail boats heading out to sea or returning from a voyage. We drive over the bridge in the center of the harbor, pass the stuatue of Richard Henry Dana, park, and then select a picnic table along the water. Add in a pot of soup or two and some fresh baked bread and we are set for truly an enjoyable evening.


Allen and Ruth and Harbor Sunset.

The sunday before Halloween we enjoyed just such a dinner. This time however, we were joined not only by Gwen's family but also by Carolyn Flitton and her children. Martha came too with her roomate, Paula Peralta (who came in a Donald Duck suit). We also brought pumpkins to carve. And the results were quite scary!



The finished pumpkins haunted our porch for Halloween too. Julia and Ruth were the most excited of the family to go trick-or-treating. They, along with Jane and Cathy had gone without any candy since the prior Halloween -- a whole year -- and they were ready for their first candy in a long time. Julia dressed as a moustachioed man and Ruth went as a pink crayon. Adam was a hippie and Jane looked great as a chimney sweep (chim chim charee).

Jane and her friend Melanie Del Rosario



Once the kids returned home, they all laid their candy out on the floor and created their own exchange that rivaled the NYSE. They traded back and forth for the candy they preferred. A few days later we decided they'd had enough and we took the rest of it away from them. Can you believe how mean we are?!

1 Beaver for Halloween candy. 5 beavers for dinners at the harbor.

Best Burger in Orange County

In-N-Out seems to get the most attention when it comes to burgers in Southern California. They have done a superb job of creating a mystique that fools people into thinking their burgers are best. I personally think they are way overrated. Though their burgers are not so bad going down, most of the time I leave In-N-Out with nothing but a bad aftertaste and the unfortunate thought that that aftertaste is going to remain with me for the rest of the day and into the night.

The best burger that I have ever had in Orange County is actually found at Islands Restaurant and is called the Hula Burger. The Hula is a simple burger featuring only sautéed mushrooms, swiss cheese and mayo. I order mine with a whole wheat bun. The first time I ate one is etched in my memory as one of my favorite food memories. Each time I have eaten one since, the memory that first time comes immediately back. It is that good.

Sometimes, a restaurant will have a great burger but the fries fail to impress. In-N-Out’s fries are only mediocre. In the case of Islands, however, the quality of the fries matches the quality of the burgers. They have the best fries in the county. So, if you want the best burger and fries (the Hula is literally the best burger I have ever had) check out Islands. The only downside to the Hula is the price. It is about three times the price of a Double-Double.

4 Beavers for the Hula (5 for taste, 3 for price). 2 for the Double-Double.

Surfer Boy

A typical morning before school for Allen IV. He hits early morning seminary starting at 5:3o and is in the water for surf team workout at 7:00. (Yes, his high school has a surf team.)

3 Beavers for his nice left.

Scripture Reading Tip

Allen's mom enjoyes posting quotes she enjoys on her kitchen cabinets. For some time, Cathy has wanted to do the same thing and has been thinking about having a large pad or white board at the ready to memorialize helpful family quotes.

Cathy then had the brilliant idea that we ought to write down quotes from our scripture reading. She suggested posting a quote for the day from the scriptures we had read as a family. We purchased a small white board that now sits on an easel on the kitchen counter. After each scripture reading session, we ask the kids which quote they liked the best. We then have one of the kids write down the quote. Cathy's idea is so great because it helps us in several ways: 1) the kids are more attentive as we read because they are looking out for what the next quote of the day will be, 2) what we have read is reinforced because we review several of the potential quotes as we decide which will be the quote of the day, and 3) we are reminded throughout the day of what we read as we see the quote on the white board. Here's an example: ealier this week we read Matthew chapter 18. (We are reading the New Testament as we prepare for the performance of Savior of the World.) That chapter includes the scene where Peter asks Jesus how often he should forgive those who offend him. Jesus responds that we should forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven. On the board for that day, we simply wrote "70 x 7." Most days we actually write out the scripture or a portion of the scripture that will serve as the quote for the day.

We have put other helpful items on the white board such as a schedule for the day and phone messages. Jane recently added a "Days Left Until Christmas" feature.

5 Beavers for Cathy's great idea. Someone should submit it to the Ensign.

Mangia Bene

We love trying new restaurants but there seems to be a few that we always go back to -- restaurants that consistently have good quality food that we can enjoy over and over and that aren't too far from home. Mangia Bene on La Paz Road in Laguna Niguel is one of those restaurants (along with Marios by the Sea, and Sango Sushi). Earlier tonight, Jane's Madrigal choir from school performed their fall concert. As neither Cathy nor I nor Jane had eaten dinner, we were all famished following the concert. We decided on Mangia Bene as it was just down the street from the concert venue.

The decor in the restaurant is far from stuffy with whimsical tomatoes, pizzas and naked dough boys in chef hats handpainted on the walls. The restaurant can be a bit noisy during peak hours but as we sat down to dinner at 8:30 the crowds were gone and the atmoshpere was quiet and relaxing. The only decorative feature of the restaurant that I despise are the three or four big screen TV's situated throughout the restaurant that are a total distraction from an otherwise tasteful atmosphere. The bright flashing screen above your head make it difficult to focus on having a pleasant conversation with your dinner partners.

As for the food, they always start with a plateful of garlic bread that is generally gone within 5 minutes. The bread slices are thin and toasted with garlic butter (of course) and parsley sprinkled on top. It is easy to fill up on the bread before dinner even arrives. They will continue to bring as much bread as you want throughout the evening.

The menu is extensive and it is difficult to go wrong with any of their pasta dishes. Tonight I had rigattoni with a cream tomato sauce, chicken and portobello mushrooms. Cathy and Jane agreed that it was the best dish of the evening. Jane had angel hair pasta with tomotaes and mushrooms and Cathy had a steak with carmelized onions and portobello mushrooms. The steak was very good and had a distinct grilled flavor as if it was grilled over an open flame with wood chips. My only complaint with the food (and this is true for many of the times I have eaten there) is that it is often slightly saltier than my taste requires. I find that as I arrive towards the end of the meal, the saltiness of the food becomes distracting. In the past, Cathy has asked for the low salt version of dishes and that seems to help. I never remember to ask for this. I can thank my parents, who never cooked with much salt, for my current intollerance to things that are too salty. Most people would probably be fine with the salt content of Mangia Bene's dishes.

We gawked at the fabulous dessert tray on our way out of the restaurant but restrained ourselves. (I later snuck a few spoonfuls of Thrifty mint 'n chip ice cream after we arrived home to neutralize the salty dinner.)

4 Beavers for Mangia Bene.

Julia Gets Reflections Award and Runs for President

Julia won an Award of Merit from her school for the "Reflections" art competition. She submitted an original musical composition entitled "I can Make a Difference." She is also running for Student Body President of the Laguna Niguel Elementary School under the platform "I Like Cows." (She served as Historian last year under the theme "I Like Pie.") Here is her speech:

Julia’s Speech for President
Laguna Niguel Elementary School
November 2007

Hello Aviators. My name is Julia Ostergar and you should vote for me because I LIKE COWS! Now, you may be wondering -- what do cows have to do with being President? Well, I’m going to tell you.

Cows patiently chew on grass for a very long time. And as your President, I am willing to chew on any problems this school faces for as long as it takes until they are solved.

Cows are very nice to give us milk. As your President, I will give my time, efforts and energy to making this school a better place.

In the end, cows die and we eat them in hamburgers (show a picture of a hamburger). To get your vote, I am willing to be eaten as a hamburger. (show picture of me in hamburger)

So as you can see, it makes perfect sense to vote for me, Julia Ostergar, because I like cows.

Last year you voted for me because I like pie. This year, I’m running because I like cows. Next year I may not run because I don’t really like cow pies.

But for this year, vote for me, Julia Ostergar, because I like cows. (do cow word with fingers). C-O-W.

If she wins we give the speech 5 Beavers.

The Eagle Has Landed

Allen passed his Board of Review and received his Eagle Scout award on October 18, 2007. May he ever soar to great heights. Last night at Dave and Jessica's new home, we held a Sedgwick family dinner in his honor and honored all of his Eagle scout Uncles. Jessica made a fabulous eagle nest cake. See photo below. 5 Beavers for nest cake. 5 Beavers to Allen for earning his Eagle.





Thanks Mom for all your help!


The Ealges: Dave Sedgwick, Allen III, Allen IV, Don Sedgwick, Mark Ernest

Allen IV Art

Here's one entitled "I Can't Believe Allen is Drawing Me."



3 Beavers for revealing how big my nose is.

Here's a few more...

Savior of the World

Jane, Adam, Julia and I are currently rehearsing for a sacred musical drama called “Savior of the World – His Birth and Resurrection.” Our stake is putting on the production. Adam is acting as Mary’s brother, Jane is playing Anna (Mary’s sister), and Julia is playing Rebecca (one of Mary’s cousins). I get to play Mary’s father and the Apostle Peter. Cathy is on the costume committee and has been in a sewing frenzy that will continue for several more weeks. She has made the white robes for the Savior which have special significance as her brother Don is playing the savior. This is a very powerful presentation. I frequently find myself feeling moved, even during simple blocking exercises. There is eternal truth in these stories that fills us who participate with a strong spirit of the mission of Christ and gratitude for those who surrounded Him in life. I have felt a great desire to bring my life more in line with Christ’s as I have prepared for the program. There will be eight performances: December 6, 7, 8 (2 shows) and 13, 14, 15 (2 shows) at 7:00 p.m. (2:00 for the matinees). There are two casts and we are in the shows on December 7, 8 (matinee), 13 and 15. We are in the chorus for the other performances.

Come and see the show. You can get tickets at www.sotwtickets.com. Tickets are $10.00 each.

Usually the review doesn’t occur until the show has already started, but I have to give this one 6 Beavers out of 5.

Home Rules – Grandma Munson

After our visit to BYU-Idaho, Allen IV and I visited Grandma Munson in Moreland. She insisted on fixing us lunch (eggs, bacon and hot cakes). While in the kitchen, I noticed a card on her fridge that had a list of “Home Rules.” Though I don’t know the author, here they are:

Home Rules
Always be honest (Proverbs 12:22)
Count your blessings. (Psalms 34:1-3)
Bear each other’s burdens. (Galations 6:2)
Forgive and forget (Micah 7:18)
Be kind and tender hearted (Ephesians 4:32)
Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
Keep your promises (Romans 4:21)
Be supportive of one another (Acts 20:35)
Be true to each other (Revelations 15:3)
Look after each other (Deuteronomy 15:11)
Treat each other like you treat your friends (Matthew7:12)
but most important…
Love One Another deeply from the heart. (1 Peter 1:22)

This list would make for a couple good months worth of Family Home Evenings. Allen IV hadn’t seen grandma in many years. His assessment of her at the end of our trip was this: “Grandma Munson is soooo cool!” I don’t think he was prepared for grandma’s sense of humor. 5 Beavers for grandma's hot cakes.

Army Surplus Warehouse – Idaho Falls

Allen and I were driving south on I-15 near Idaho Falls. Just as we passed the last Idaho Falls exit, Allen IV noticed an army surplus store on the left. We turned around at the next exit to check out the store. The place was huge. Allen was interested in getting a jacket similar to one I have that is known as the “diaper jacket” – so named because the nylon lining makes a crinkling sound when I move that sounds like a baby’s diaper. There was a wide variety of military gear but it seemed that many of the items were in odd sizes and even I, with my untrained eye, could tell that the quality was poor. Allen had a hard time finding anything that fit but after several trials he found a jacket with a subtle camo pattern that was only $9.50. Who cares about the quality at that price! It was even lined, but makes no crinkly diaper sound. He also picked out a furry Russian winter hat for après surf in the winter. It will also come in handy if he decides to go to BYU – Idaho. Lots of stuff, mixed quality, great prices. 3 Beavers out of 5 for cheap clothing. 4 Beavers out of 5 for equipment that looks cool but may not have any practical use. And 5 Beavers out of 5 for the Chinese Aviator goggles -- we think Nana would look great in these while driving a Vespa around campus : http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com/product/chinese-aviator-goggles-2903.cfm

You can check out the rest of their website at http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com/

J-Dog Hot Dogs

While in Provo on a recent trip, Allen and I met Anna and Josh for lunch at J-Dog, just south of BYU campus. It is located right across the street from Knight Mangum Hall. As you travel south, the first structure you will come to is a red sandwich shack with no name or sign on the building. That is the spot for a great dog. Their menu is limited -- you can choose a beef dog or a polish dog. They make slices on the dog (I ordered the polish) to make flavor crevasses, grill it on the spot and then fill it with the toppings you request. The most popular topping seemed to be the special sauce that had a sweet BBQ sauce flavor and really turned the dog into something out of the ordinary. They also had Apple Beer in the self serve soda machine which brought back many memories of my youth. I never see Apple Beer in California. The tart flavor of the Apple Beer was a perfect complement to the dog. Josh and Anna have great taste in hot dog joints. I give J-Dog 4 Beavers out of 5.