Food stylists and a hankering for Italian sandwiches

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Food stylists make dishes for photo shoots look better than real life by painting them with all kinds of photogenic stuff. (photo by fair use)

Food stylists make dishes for photo shoots look better than real life by painting them with all kinds of photogenic stuff. (photo by fair use)

I don’t take pictures of food!

One of the newcomers to the Lyons Photo Jam group organized by Ken Wajda was a photog from Estes Park who specializes in taking pictures of food.

Anyone who wants, can bring 20 digital images to be shown to the group. He showed 20 pictures of finely displayed food from cupcakes to slices of ham.

He said that there are “food stylists” who prepare the set for each shot. I didn’t know there was such a job.

I knew there was a good reason I don’t like to take pictures of food and post it on social media. When I do a review for TripAdvisor, I generally will snap an image of the surroundings or store front, but not the food. – I want people to go there, not be turned off by my unappetizing iPhone pix.

Anyway, I’ve had a hankering for Italian sandwiches lately and have had a few around the county – Boulder, Lyons, Longmont, Lafayette.

Here are my evaluations.

As I mentioned, I don’t like to take pictures of food. Generally, all Italian sandwiches have the same ingredients, salami, various types of pork meat, provolone cheese; and similar mix of toppings – mustard, mayo, lettuce, various pickles. The prices were all around $10 to $11 with a drink and chips.

The Deli Zone in Longmont has TVs for your sports viewing pleasure.

The Deli Zone in Longmont has TVs for your sports viewing pleasure. (photo by fair use)

Deli Zone, Longmont – I was buying cheap gas at the Safeway there and saw the Deli Zone in a strip mall on Ken Pratt near the grocery store. The original Deli Zone opened about when I came to Boulder. I’ve eaten there before on University Hill. The Italian sandwich there was pretty good. They put oil and vinegar on it and the one thing that happens is the vinegar sogs up the bread. There’s a TV there and lots of seating, so it would be a good place to meet a group of people and watch sports.

The Pizza Bar 66 is on the far end of Lyons just before the turn to Estes Park.

The Pizza Bar 66 is on the far end of Lyons just before the turn to Estes Park. (photo by fair use)

Pizza Bar 66, Lyons – The Photo Jam takes place the first Sunday of each month at the Lyons Photography Art Center. I like to meet with others early at the Pizza Bar 66 since it’s a block from the art center. This was the most unique Italian sandwich. It had the usual ingredients, but was served on a homemade toasted ciabatta roll with a choice of either chips or a side salad. It would stand to reason that a pizza place would have the where-with-all to bake their own bread. There are also lots of TVs in this place. It’s also a full bar and a great local crowd. The night I was there, the local fire department showed up with lights and an ambulance to check out a woman who apparently was asphyxiated.

d'Angelos Italian Deli serves great sandwiches including the Philly cheese steak with Cheese Whiz.

d’Angelos Italian Deli serves great sandwiches including the Philly cheese steak with Cheese Whiz. (photo by fair use)

D’Angelos’s Italian Deli, Boulder – This place is fairly new, within the past couple years and located in the strip mall next to the north Boulder Safeway. It’s operated by a mom and her kids who moved here from Philadelphia. What I usually get here is the Philly cheese steak with Cheez Whiz. This time, I tried the 7″ Torresdale, which is their version of the Italian sandwich. Torresdale is a part of Philadelphia where Italians must live. It was very dense and neatly served – nothing leaked out. I was thinking that I didn’t order any toppings and maybe none are included, except upon request. The lettuce has iceberg and some sort of dark lettuce. It was very tasty.

Salvaggio's has three Boulder locations. This is the mother ship on Pearl Street.

Salvaggio’s has three Boulder locations. This is the mother ship on Pearl Street. (photo by fair use)

Salvaggio’s, Boulder – There are three locations in Boulder, I happened to be near the one on Pearl just off 28th Street by the old Olive Garden. This place is a Boulder classic. The sandwiches are made either on a round roll – small; or on a hoagie bun – large. The hoagie is too big for me to eat. I got the Italian on a roll. Unless you’re going to sit there in the shop and eat it, I recommend not getting any oil and vinegar. Those fluids leaked out all over the bread. It was messy and drippy, but still a good sandwich with good ingredient distribution in the bun.

Snarf's has numerous locations, but this is near the original Snarf's shack on Pearl Street.

Snarf’s has numerous locations, but this is near the original Snarf’s shack on Pearl Street. (photo by fair use)

Snarf’s, Boulder – Snarf’s also has multiple locations. This trip, I went to what I consider the “classic” restaurant on Pearl Street – but not on the mall. The sandwich here is toasted all the way through. I generally get the 7″ size. Not much leaked out and it stayed warm through my entire lunch. The other great thing about Snarf’s, they offer Zapp’s potato chips from New Orleans. I’ve ordered them from the Big Easy, now I just have to go down to the Snarf’s and pick up a bag.

I think the Pinocchios in Lafayette is the flagship for this Italian restaurant. The Italian sandwich is called the Sylvester.

I think the Pinocchios in Lafayette is the flagship for this Italian restaurant. The Italian sandwich here is called the Sylvester. (photo by fair use)

Pinnochio’s, Lafayette – I’ve been to the one in Longmont, but came here on my way to the doctor’s office in Lafayette. The Italian sandwich here is called the Sylvester. This is more of a sit down restaurant, compared to the others which provide service over the counter.

This go around, I didn’t bother to try the national chains that offer Italian sandwiches – I’ve had them, but no need to give them any free publicity. I ate at the local joints, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t cover them all. I didn’t get up to the mountain towns or all of them in the cities. I think I’ve had my fill of ham for a while, but regardless of your palate, support local businesses when you can.

Buon Appetito!

Boulder International Film Festival NewsTeam wants YOU!

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BCM crews interviewed Oliver Stone on the BIFF red carpet

BCM reporter Brooke Cummings interviewed Oliver Stone on the BIFF red carpet

When I came out of the non-profit world as a fund raiser and event planner, those skills melded quite well in my new life as a movie maker. When I used to run the local public access TV station, Boulder Community Media (BCM), one of the community outreach activities was to provide video production coverage for the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) starting in 2006.

BCM is currently recruiting news team member for the upcoming BIFF March 5 to 8 in Downtown Boulder.

BIFF and BCM shared space in a Pearl Street Mall building. We both moved around the corner to a place on 13th and Walnut. During those early years of BIFF, it was Tony Perri and myself doing to video news and then it was myself in 2007.

BCM producer and Blythe Danner at a recent BIFF

BCM producer Alan O’Hashi and Blythe Danner at a recent BIFF

BCM has a part of its nonprofit charter to provide community outreach and educational opportunities for students of all ages. In 2008, BCM expanded it’s coverage by partnering with the University of Colorado broadcast journalism school and that at Fairview High School. BCM now runs six or seven, five person crews each day throughout the BIFF. Quite the growth, considering coverage started out with two people.

The BIFF news production team gives real world experience to students about real world news beats and getting news packages pushed out as soon as possible. The BIFF attracts well known celebrities including Shirley MacClain, James Franco, William H. Macy, Martin Sheen and others and the BIFF news coverage is often the only coverage that gets picked up by the various news services.

BIFF host Ron Bostwick talks with James Franco.

BIFF host Ron Bostwick talks with James Franco.

Be a part of the action – If you’d like to be a part of the BIFF that is largely unseen and very interesting, behind the scenes experience inquire within! For the most part, you do need to have particular expertise and experience with news, but we can always use more Production Assistants willing to learn by observation and diving into a project.

Download the BCM volunteer agreement and email it back to BCM.

The schedule won’t be released until later in February, but we’re getting the word out so you can make plans around classes, work, and other commitments.

BCM uses a “transmedia” approach where we produce news in a variety of forms:

  • Editors – copy editors and video editors
  • Writers – news gathers to go along to events
  • Still Photographers – for all activities
  • Video Photographers – for all activities
  • Producers – if you want to produce, you should also have at least one other skill, have at a minimum a still camera and a strong back to schlepp gear.
  • Social media – update facebook pages, tweet pix and experiences
  • Website updates and maintenance
BCM reporter Bonnie Hoffman on the BIFF red carpet in front of the Boulder Theater the

BCM reporter Bonnie Hoffman on the BIFF red carpet in front of the Boulder Theater.

BCM generally runs at least two crews at any given moment, which means each crew has a producer, a video camera operator, a still camera operator a reporter on camera and a reporter off camera. In most cases, our news crews will be the only ones covering these events, many are newsworthy and your stories, images and video will be pushed out to the wire.

Equipment – BCM will provide video cameras and tape for field work. BCM will have a MacBook Pro with Final Cut 7 available. We are inventorying assets and also let me know what kind of equipment you may be able to provide:

* video cameras etc. (they can be solid state and consumer grade, tripods, lights)
* still cameras (pocket cameras to DSLR cameras – do they have video capabilities)
* lap top computers (pc or mac and editing systems – Premiere, iMovie, FCP, movie maker)

Send an email to BCM if you’d like to be a part of the action. You can also join the BIFF News Team Production Call facebook page to keep up with the latest.

Modern health care: mixing folk cures and medical apps

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I just reenrolled with Kaiser Permanente as my insurance provider for 2015.

I just reenrolled with Kaiser Permanente as my insurance provider for 2015.

As has happened to me on an annual basis for the past 20 years or so, Kaiser Permanente (KP) cancelled my health insurance coverage on December 31. I call it cancelled, insurance companies call. the new iteration new and improved.

I’ve always had the choice to either re-up with the same policy and pay more or get a lesser policy to keep the premium about the same.

I’m sticking with KP – brand loyalty.

Over the past year, I’ve been melding old world medicine in the forms of acupuncture at the Southwest Acupuncture College Clinic for my lung problems, neti pot flushing to rinse out my sinuses, gin soaked raisins for joint pain; with modern medicine through KP.

I've been melding old world medicine like acupuncture with modern medicine.

I’ve been melding old world medicine like acupuncture with modern medicine.

The reason I’ve stayed with KP over the years is the HMO is one-stop shopping. I’ve had the same primary care doctor for many years and access to others in his group over at the Baseline office.

The main downside is the hospital and emergency services are located 15 miles away at the Good Samaritan Hospital. That was a big hassle when I was laid up early in 2014.

Anyway, there was a NPR radio segment on “Science Friday” yesterday about how smartphone apps are changing how health care is accessed.

That’s been very handy for me.

The Kaiser Permanente smartphone app is very handy for keeping track of my health.

The Kaiser Permanente smartphone app is very handy for keeping track of my health.

I use the KP app on the phone which is the same user inner face as the computer. I can access my health records, write to my docs. On the computer I can make and cancel appointments.

The best part is being able to communicate by email with my doctors. Over the past year, I’ve developed a long list of them from the main doctor, to surgeons to rheumatologists, to pulmonologists. They’re all pretty good at writing back and that saves on co-pays and trips to their offices.

It’s amazing what they can tell from blood tests.

In addition to keeping track with the app, I’ve been able to combine old world and new world medicine together successfully. I downloaded my health record and put it in my acupuncture health file. That’s been useful since the herbalists there are able to see how my regular doctors have been treating me and can suggest acupuncture and herbal alternatives. KP offers acupuncture, but its clinic is pretty far to the east of me so I haven’t tried it.

There are also phone apps for acupuncture meridians.

There are also phone apps for acupuncture meridians.

The Southwest Acupuncture College Clinic is a lot like an HMO. Based on a patient’s needs, there are a variety of practices offered from acupuncture – needles, moxabustion; body work – shiatsu, tuina, cupping; herbal medicine; pain management and combinations of those practices. I have a smartphone app about the acupuncture meridians.

I’ve heard about people who refuse to use modern medicine in favor of traditional remedies.

There’s a reason people used to die when they were 40.

There’s room for both approaches in the same treatments. My post herpetic neuralgia got better with acupuncture and electrical stimulation and blood letting. My Kaiser doc put me on prescription drug neurontin and the combo has been reducing the pain.

I've been trying some kitchen remedies like gin - infused raisins for joint pain.

I’ve been trying some kitchen remedies like gin – infused raisins for joint pain.

Lately, I’ve heard about soaking golden raisins in gin for joint pain and arthritis. I haven’t asked my medical docs about it, but will report to them if I find it effective.

I made up a batch and have been eating nine gin-infused raisins daily.

I’ll report back any changes in my stiff fingers battered up from sports abuse and autoimmunity. A couple of my friends have reported that the raisin – gin concoction was effective.

The Little Yoga Studio is, in fact little, but has a great welcoming environment for beginners to expert yoga practitioners.

The Little Yoga Studio is, in fact little, but has a great welcoming environment for beginners to expert yoga practitioners.

My Kaiser doc did recommend the Neil Med / Neti Pot. I bought the starter kit for a couple bucks at the pharmacy and it worked instantly for my sinus dripping / nonallergic rhinitis. I use it a couple times a day with a couple shots of the prescription flonase in the morning.

Did I mention I’ve been going class at the Little Yoga Studio two or three times a week?