Easter 2023: These restaurants will have holiday specials on Sunday, April 9

• April 5, 2023

Ham, and occasionally lamb, will be featured on restaurants’ Easter menus this Sunday, April 9.

Most restaurants will be serving sit-down dinners, but some are offering family meals for pickup as well.

Here is what several chain restaurants have announced for the holiday. Prices and participation may vary by location, so check with your local restaurants before committing.

Full-service and quick service restaurants

Acapulco Restaurant & Cantina: An all-you-can-eat brunch will feature a tri-tip and ham carving station and an omelet station, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., according to the chain’s website. Prices are $36 for adults and $12 for children. acapulcorestaurants.com/easter

Black Angus Steakhouse: Lamb chops are on the menu as a seasonal special, served with bread and two sides for $28.99. The chain’s Lent dish, salmon and crispy shrimp, will be available through Friday, April 7, according to a news release. blackangus.com

Black Bear Diner: Specials on Sunday, April 9 will include three holiday ham dinners, one with 8 ounces of ham, one with 4 ounces and one for children with 2 ounces, a 10-ounce prime rib dinner and a Chicken Fried Steak Kitchen Sink Omelette. There will also be a family ham dinner to go that serves four. blackbeardiner.com

Claim Jumper Restaurant & Bar: An Easter brunch buffet will be served 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at most locations, according to the chain’s website. It will include an omelet bar, carving stations and bottomless mimosas, according to the chain’s website. Restaurants in Costa Mesa and Palmdale won’t be participating. claimjumper.com

Coco’s Bakery Restaurant: A special ham dinner is available for $15.99 through Easter, according to the chain’s website. Coco’s is also promoting a pre-order ham feast for $84.99. It serves four to six people. cocosbakery.com

Corky’s Kitchen & Bakery. Specials will include strawberry pancakes, Florentine Eggs Benny and a ham dinner after 11 a.m. Sunday, according to a Facebook post. corkyskitchenandbakery.com

Cracker Barrel: Heat-and-serve family feasts with ham or prime rib can be ordered for $139-$189. crackerbarrel.com

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Customers can receive 20% off orders of $35 or more using the code SPRING20 on Dickey’s app or when making online orders, according to a news release. dickeys.com

El Torito: Most locations will offer an all-you-can-eat brunch with a carving station 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Prices are $36 for adults and $12 for children. The Marina del Rey restaurant will serve a four-course meal for $34 in addition to its usual weekend brunch, according to a news release. eltorito.com

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Bar: A three-course dinner includes filet mignon with choice of crab-stuffed shrimp or lobster tail scampi. Restaurants open at 11 a.m. Sunday. flemingssteakhouse.com

Golden Corral: Family Easter meals to go feed five to eight people and include the choice of glazed ham or fried chicken. Prices range from $49.99 to $89.99 but vary by location, according to a news release. goldencorral.com

Honey Baked Ham: Ham dinners that serve four to eight people are available for pickup at $89.99-$104.99, according to the chain’s website. Stores are closed Sunday but have extended hours for Easter week. honeybaked.com

Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery: Easter dinner specials include ham, salmon and New York strip steak, according to its website. Prices range from $23.99-$24.99. The chain also offers a ham family meal for $54.99. mariecallenders.com

Polly’s Pies: A takeout bundle that feeds six or more people features quiche, biscuits, jam and choice of pie for $109. pollyspies.com

Urban Plates: Lamb osso bucco is on the menu for $21.95, according to the chain’s website and Facebook page. urbanplates.com

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Snacks

Baskin-Robbins: Customizable ice cream cakes are available with themes such as bunnies, chicks and Easter egg hunts. baskinrobbins.com

Duck Donuts: An Easter assortment with such flavors as Chocolate Covered Strawberry and Glazed Easter Confetti is available through April 9, according to the chain’s website. duckdonuts.com

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: Spring mini doughnuts with decorations such as bunnies, ducks and daffodils will be available through April 9, according to the chain’s website. krispykreme.com

Randy’s Donuts: Peeps Easter Donuts, featuring a chick-shaped marshmallow on top of a raised doughnut, are available through April 9 at all locations, according to a news release. cq randysdonuts.com

​ Orange County Register 

Alexander: The California Coast Classic bike tour’s biggest booster

• April 5, 2023

Pete Staylor is persistent. He has been for 22 years.

He floods the zone – with flyers, with social media posts, with mentions in conversations with friends and acquaintances and anyone who might possibly be interested. His goal: To raise awareness and participation for the annual California Coast Classic bike tour, an eight-day, 525-mile jaunt down Highway 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

It will begin on Sept. 30 and will conclude Oct. 7. It is the Arthritis Foundation’s main fundraising event, routinely raising more than $1 million a year, and riders are required to raise a minimum of $3,500 to participate, either by soliciting smaller donations or by writing a check.

Staylor, 69 and a resident of Riverside, will be riding in the event for the 20th time, with a personal fundraising goal this time of $20,525. His first ride was in 2002, and his motivation then was simple.

“I started doing it because I wanted to find a cure, because I had arthritic knees,” he said. “I was kind of selfish. I want to do something big, make a difference.”

The motivation: Staylor’s knees no longer allowed him to play basketball, his first passion. He was pretty good in high school – full disclosure, This Space was a year behind him at Notre Dame High in Riverside and can vouch for it – and he said that as he got older “I got way better than I was in high school. … I would play five, six days a week, and when my knees went south it was horrible. I kept trying to play, because I love playing basketball.”

For help, Staylor went to orthopedic surgeon Gregory Heinen, who gave him Synvisc injections in each knee in November of 2001 to help cushion the knees and allow for greater movement. As Staylor told it, when he realized how much better those injections made his knees feel, “I said, ‘Doc, this is great. Can I go play ball?’

“And he said, ‘No, no, no, no, NO! You can swim or ride a bike.’”

Fair enough.

“I’m making a car payment at the bank, and I see this flyer and pick it up: ‘Take the ride of a lifetime, sleep under the stars, make a difference,’” Staylor said. “I don’t own a bike. I look at it. I took it home. I looked at it for two weeks, and I told my wife (Merry Lou), ‘I’ve got to do this.’

“My wife says, ‘You’re crazy.’ I said, ‘I know, but I’m doing it.’”

He did it and has continued to do it. Staylor started training in June of 2002 – a couple of months later than is usually recommended for this event – and did the ride for the first time that September. He did it again the next year and has kept at it ever since, save for 2014 and 2015. That hiatus came because he had both knees replaced, then reinjured one of them, and was prepared to give up riding and instead stay involved as a volunteer. But he discovered that riding an e-bike was easier on his joints, and he’s ridden one in this event ever since.

And a footnote: After nearly two decades of Staylor bugging his doctor to join him on the ride, Heinen finally acquiesced and rode in the 2021 event, and he’ll be back this year. Did we say Pete’s persuasive?

“He’s bold,” said Shannon Marang Cox, the ride director and associate executive director of the Arthritis Foundation. “And he’s figured it out – you just ask everyone because you never know. People that you would absolutely think, ‘Oh, they’ll donate to me,’ sometimes don’t. And sometimes people come out of the woodwork and you’re thinking, ‘Well, I haven’t talked to that person since high school, and I’m just Facebook friends with them. And yet here they came with a really, you know, kind and generous donation for my campaign.’

“And so I think Pete has figured out (the approach). You sort of ask everyone. You remind people frequently.”

The tour isn’t a race but instead a go-your-own-pace ride, with rest stops every 20 to 25 miles, support vans tagging along and free campgrounds – or hotels, for those willing to pay for more comfort – between stages. The first stage goes along Highway 1 from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, with subsequent stops at Monterey, Big Sur, Cambria, Oceano (which is 17 miles south of San Luis Obispo), Buellton, Ventura and finally L.A.

The aim is for around 250 riders, and Cox said that as of this week “there’s probably about 45 or 50 spaces left. And we do sometimes over-register, just because we have attrition.”

There is also the Arthritis Challenge Experience, which allows riders who can’t do the eight-day tour or those who live in other regions to pay a $39 registration fee, receive an official T-shirt, choose their own activity, post about it on social media and connect virtually to other participants.

That concept might have had its roots in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic limited not only this event but all kinds of pursuits. Even so, the Arthritis Foundation raised $960,000 that year without the eight-day tour, “which was remarkable,” Cox said. “I mean, when you consider that people fundraise to be able to do this event and it’s like a vacation, a trip of a lifetime or a challenge, to not have that and to have people continue to support, it spoke a lot about how committed people are to our cause and our mission.”

A good number of riders either are affected by arthritis or have family members who are affected. Others have their own back stories, whether they’re participating for a particular cause or in memory of a loved one, or just because it checks off an item on their bucket list.

Staylor recalled the 2018 ride, when he had a 30-rider team that included two people riding in memory of relatives who had passed away. Another woman who had reached out for help in training for the ride told him, “I’ve got two angels on my shoulders,” for her two sons who had passed away in the previous seven months.

“She had the largest group of people ever waiting for her at the finish line,” Staylor said. “And there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.”

There has been a celebrity component over the years. Former Olympic miler Mary Decker Slaney has ridden in it. So has actor Nancy Travis and former KCBS/KCAL news anchor Linda Alvarez.

But when it comes to getting attention for this cause and this ride, few are as effective (or, yes, persistent) as the guy his fellow riders refer to as Cap’n Pete.

Case in point: During last year’s tour, Staylor was part of a group relaxing at a Mexican restaurant in Oceano after the day’s ride when a San Luis Obispo TV reporter showed up with a camera and said he’d been sent to talk to riders. He asked who was willing to be interviewed, and the other eight all pointed at Staylor.

“So I’m kind of an unofficial spokesperson,” he said.

“You have to self-promote. I’m not looking for attention. I’m looking for connection.”

For additional information about the California Coast Classic or to register, the event website is arthritis.org/CaliforniaCoastClassic 

[email protected]

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County cities, not food vendors, act like gangs against communities

• April 5, 2023

To hear some local council members describe it, gang-like enterprises are overrunning their cities and attacking the quality of life of cities. They’re calling for a stepped-up police presence, new regulations and a crackdown to stop what Orange Council member Kathy Tavoularis reportedly described as “another attempt to get into our neighborhoods.”

Before Orange County residents get swept up in the latest big-government-enabling moral panic, we urge them to put the matter in perspective. We’re not talking about street gangs or human-trafficking operations but – and try not to laugh too hard – mostly small vendors who sell tacos, tortas, frutas and churros on street corners and in parking lots.

Late last month, the city of Orange voted unanimously to develop a new law that would limit, regulate and fine local vendors. Stanton is looking at strengthening its existing ordinance. In 2020, Tustin passed a new street-vendor law that imposes myriad conditions on food sellers. With help from Orange County health officials, Santa Ana shutteredmore than 1000 vendors last year.

So much for Orange County as a bastion of free markets. Tavoularis even made an odd ethic argument regarding these mostly Latino food vendors. “Everybody here knows my dad owned restaurants, a lot of Greeks own restaurants. I’m sticking up for the Greeks,” she said, per VoiceofOC. She accused the vendors of cheating restauranteurs.

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Her argument unveiled a key motivation of these rules, which, as the publication noted, are “fueled in part by complaints from brick and mortar restaurants.” Street vendors are not cheating anyone – but merely offer an alternative for some quick food. It’s not the job of government to protect the market share of influential businesses.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last year signed Senate Bill 972, which decriminalizes these operations. The law recognizes – as does this Editorial Board – that local governments have a proper role enforcing regulations to, say, keep vendors from blocking traffic or creating litter.

OC cities are going beyond those reasonable rules. Street vendors meet a need and help immigrants earn a living. They should be applauded, not harassed.

​ Orange County Register 

Travel: Cruise ship believed to be the world’s most expensive coming to Southern California

• April 5, 2023

When the supposed most expensive luxury cruise ship ever built sails into Los Angeles Harbor early next year, she will have onboard a prized art collection with the first Fabergé egg permanently on display at sea along with something else that California probably hasn’t seen — or sniffed — in the 31-year history of Regent Seven Seas: a vessel barely out of the shipyard.

That rare new-ship smell awaits cruisers boarding the Seven Seas Grandeur on Jan. 8 from San Pedro’s World Cruise Center. When the future fleet flagship welcomes her first embarking passengers out of L.A., the $545-million vessel will have only completed four itineraries. For the fifth, this one starting in the shadow of a just-turned 60-year-old Vincent Thomas Bridge, Grandeur will go back to Miami the same way she came: a 16-night sail through the Panama Canal.

The Italian-built, 746-passenger ship is a sister to Seven Seas Splendor, which debuted in 2020, and the 2016-christened Seven Seas Explorer. And what a lovely lineage it is. Both of Grandeur’s older siblings are beauties as Alaska-bound passengers will attest on Explorer this summer while Splendor, current flagship of the ultra-luxury fleet (www.rssc.com), spends the next two seasons in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

Seven Seas Splendor, docked in Cozumel, is a sister ship of Grandeur, debuting in L.A. this winter. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Before crossing the Atlantic a few days ago, Splendor’s seven-night “Heritage of the Maya” roundtrip sailing out of Miami served as a sneak peek for guests who are booked on Regent Seven Seas’ next big thing sight unseen. Actually, the nearly completed Grandeur is the fleet’s next mid-sized thing. Like most luxury-category vessels, the Explorer-class triplets — each measuring 55,000 gross tons — aren’t that large. By comparison, Norwegian Prima, the flagship of Norwegian Cruise Line, a sister subsidiary to Regent Seven Seas, has a gross tonnage of over 143,000. But while their internal volume is modest contrasted with those floating cities called megaships, Splendor, Explorer and Grandeur are big in terms of space ratio, a measure of how much real estate there is per passenger, and small in regard to staff-to-guest ratio, a good indicator of personalized service.

Splendor’s 1:1.5 ratio on the recent near-capacity cruise out of Miami was evident from bow to stern. Near-impeccable attention was prevalent from the ship’s six restaurants and well-serviced bars, lounges and main theater to the surprisingly spacious spa, casino and boutiques. Even the entertainment team, usually a cliquey bunch of professional singers and dancers, genuinely cared that guests had a grand time while hosting myriad shipboard activities, many worth points redeemable for sweet swag.

Afternoon tea aboard the Seven Seas Splendor. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Hospitality at a loftier level is provided to the more privileged Regent Seven Seas guests. Whereas butler service is an automatic amenity on Silversea, a direct competitor, only those in premium suites come with a genie in tails who can book your spa appointments, make dinner reservations and basically take care of all of your needs during your voyage. Having encountered a number of logistical and communications-related headaches over the seven days on Splendor, this coddling-allergic cruiser gained a better appreciation of his previous sail on Silversea.

Splendor’s atrium is stately, but Grandeur’s will boast the first Fabergé egg permanently displayed at sea. (Photo by David Dickstein)

It’s not that one ultra-luxury cruise line is better than the other; it’s just a matter of taste, as California-based travel planner Kelly Baker agrees.

“You can compare Silversea and Regent Seven Seas as apples to apples, but it’s more like Fuji to Granny Smith,” said Baker of Ships and Trips Travel. “They are both comparable ultra-luxury cruise lines that will satisfy your cravings. However, it all depends on your tastebuds with regard to finery.”

The two-deck Constellation Theater on Seven Seas Splendor. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Silversea gets the nod over Regent Seven Seas in several key categories — sheer elegance and food quality, in particular — but when it comes to entertainment and onboard activities in general, Regent gets a standing ovation. The shows presented in the two-deck Constellation Theater are not only some of the most elaborate in the luxury cruising category, but they rival those staged on megaships. The eclectic, contemporary and, yes, even sensual “Bohemian Soul” is the standout among the five — five! — full productions satisfying showgoers on seven-night sails.

Another tip of the hat in Regent Seven Seas’ direction is the vacation-y vibe. No offense to cruisers who prefer tuxedos over Tommy Bahama or formal gowns over country club chic, but in 2023, many seafaring holidaymakers don’t really want to dress to the nines. “Elegant casual” is as strict as Regent Seven Seas gets, and Seabourn, also responding to a trend, matched this more flexible nightly dress standard at the beginning of the year. Silversea seems to be holding firm, though a poll of Silver Moon passengers wearing tuxes on a recent formal night indicated an overwhelming desire to jettison the penguin suit.

Prime 7 is Regent Seven Seas’ signature steakhouse. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Curbing the stereotypical snootiness of luxury cruising does make Regent Seven Seas seem like a premium-class line at times, if not even mainstream. Except for the caviar station and reduced traffic, the indoor and poolside breakfast buffets on Splendor are no better or worse than what’s found on Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean ships. L’Occitane toiletries and a curtain separating the living and sleeping areas are nice touches for a basic suite, but the differences between these staterooms and those of a similar category on less-expensive Oceania, Holland America and Windstar are minuscule.

Pacific Rim, Splendor’s specialty Asian restaurant, features a dramatic entrance. (Photo by David Dickstein)

Little coming out of the galleys oozed wow factor, but lips were smacked over the filet mignon and lamb chops at Prime 7 steakhouse and the Compass Rose main dining room, cioppino at Sette Mari at La Veranda, popcorn lobster at Asian-influenced Pacific Rim and the Dover sole at French-accented Chartreuse.

Some of the best cooking on Splendor that week was done by passengers at the Culinary Arts Kitchen. The loosely themed “New World Mediterranean” cooking class had 18 amateur chefs preparing roasted ratatouille, zucchini fritters and chocolate lava cakes. Offered on Splendor, Explorer and, soon, Grandeur, these classes are expertly designed to expand guests’ culinary skills through highly individualized, hands-on instruction. Each weeklong cruise tends to offer three different classes and costs $89 per person. Generous pours of well-paired wines and cocktails add to the fun of tasting the fruits (and other ingredients) of one’s labor.

Culinary Arts Kitchen chef instructor Noelle Barille shows off the class’s bounty. (Photo by David Dickstein)

The fully equipped classroom looks like it belongs at the Culinary Institute of America. It’s gorgeous and functional. Then again, so is the entire ship. More than 46,000 square feet of polished Italian marble, dramatic crystal chandeliers, rich upholstery and some of the finest pieces of the cruise line’s multi-million-dollar, museum-quality art collection make Splendor one ritzy, yet unpretentious resort at sea.

On the subject of art, it seems that Regent Seven Seas is putting all its Fabergé eggs in one floating basket. Playing favorites among its children, the cruise line is giving the collection’s pièce de resistance to the youngest triplet. The handcrafted objet d’art, named “Journey in Jewels,” will be on permanent display in Grandeur’s atrium, which we predict will be renamed as the “Egg-trium.”

Unlimited viewing of this first-of-its-kind piece from the swanky jewelry house will be included in the fare, as is pretty much everything else on a Regent Seven Seas cruise. A single price covers airfare, transfers, shore excursions, dining, bottomless wines and spirits, valet laundry service, unlimited Wi-Fi and gratuities.

West Coasters who want to experience Regent Seven Seas before January will have to venture elsewhere. Those set on sailing on Grandeur earlier than her California debut can hitch a ride on the inaugural cruise that embarks on Nov. 18 from Trieste, Italy — a mere 121 nautical miles from her birthplace across the Adriatic Sea. This seven-night sail disembarks in Barcelona. After paying a visit to the land of tapas, cava and Gaudi, Grandeur will make that voyage to Miami with sights set on Southern California.

Upon Grandeur’s Jan. 6 arrival, she will become the youngest in Regent Seven Seas’ fleet to dock on the West Coast. Grandeur’s local visit may be fleeting with just a single itinerary out of California, but here’s some good news if you miss the boat: Grandeur returns to San Pedro the following winter for two exciting voyages. The first, leaving Dec. 29, 2024, is a 10-night Mexican Riviera cruise that makes calls in rarely visited Manzanillo and La Paz. That’s followed by a 16-night voyage to Miami through the Panama Canal, and it just so happens to begin on the one-year anniversary of Grandeur’s first cruise from the Pacific. Talk about grandeur.

​ Orange County Register 

Santa Ana unveils refurbished basketball court, new mural

• April 5, 2023

A basketball court at a local Santa Ana park got a makeover, and community members came out to celebrate Tuesday, shooting hoops and munching on free food.

Santa Ana unveiled a refurbished basketball court and a new, large-scale mural at Portola Park. The city teamed up with the nonprofit Project Blackboard and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, which funded the $75,000 basketball court project.

The existing court at 1700 E. Santa Clara Ave. got a new blacktop, nets and backboards as well as a new mural depicting colorful silhouettes of youth playing ball.

The mural was done in collaboration between the city, Project Blackboard and Media.Monks, a digital-first marketing, advertising and technology services company.

Two of the companies have roots in Orange County: Project Blackboard and BJ’s Restaurants. BJ’s, known for its deep-dish pizza and “Pizookie” dessert, opened its first location in Santa Ana in 1978.

“I want to thank BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse and Project Backboard for making this magnificent basketball court possible,” Mayor Valerie Amezcua said in a statement before the event.

“I love that it serves not only as a recreational resource that will be greatly enjoyed by the community but also a work of art that will beautify the neighborhood.”

More Santa Ana news

Santa Ana’s zoning laws discriminate against homeless, lower-income people, lawsuit alleges
After Santa Ana’s crackdown on taco stands, council asks California to amend its street vendor laws
Are Southern California students and teachers breathing clean air?
1 killed, another injured in Santa Ana hit-and-run
Santa Ana mayor hired private security after receiving death threat

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​ Orange County Register 

CashApp creator stabbed to death in San Francisco

• April 5, 2023

A man who was fatally stabbed early Tuesday in San Francisco’s Rincon Hill neighborhood has been identified by his employer as Bob Lee, creator of the CashApp payment service and an executive at MobileCoin.

Police said a 43-year-old man was attacked at 2:35 a.m. in the 300 block of Main Street, near Folsom Street. He was taken to a hospital and died there.

His name was not released by the police, but San Francisco news outlets cited unidentified sources as saying the victim was Lee, and MobileCoin CEO Josh Goldbard confirmed that in a statement.

Lee had been chief product officer at MobileCoin, a cryptocurrency and digital payments startup, since 2021. Previous posts included chief technology officer at Square — where he created CashApp, originally known as Square Cash — and software engineer at Google. He also invested in and advised numerous startups.

No arrest has been made in the case, and police have not released any information about a suspect.

​ Orange County Register 

What’s on the menu for Pechanga Resort Casino’s Sushi and Sake Festival

• April 5, 2023

The Sushi and Sake festival is headed back to Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula on Saturday, April 8.

Guests can expect to sample more than 40 kinds of sake including daiginjo, ginjo, junmai and sparkling varieties, as well as eight different types of Japanese beer.

Ray Jalili, manager at Umi Sushi and Oyster Bar on the property, has previously worked on pairing wine and food for other events, but said that pairing sushi with sake provides a unique experience.

“It’s more about trying to pair it with the different rolls because you have more flavor combinations,” Jalili said. “Sake is a wonderful medium because you have a citrusy and flowery tone that goes with most fish.”

Jalili said some fresh-cut fish dishes include sashimi tuna, yellow tail and Hamachi Crudo. Attendees will also witness a 100-pound tuna fish cut and sliced into sushi rolls by Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar.

“Guests should come hungry and ready to enjoy lots of sushi, sake and Japanese beer together and see what appeals to them,” Jalili said.

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The event also includes live music from a traditional Japanese Taiko drummer, a Japanese guitarist and a harpist, as well as a silent auction that will benefit Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley. Items up for auction include travel packages, designer handbags and sports memorabilia.

Tickets for the 21-and-older only, single-day event held at the Pechanga Summit include a sampling of sushi, sake, beer and desserts and are $120 for general admission; $160 for VIP; and $75 for those sampling food only.

Here’s a list of the different stations and food options offered at the Sushi and Sake Festival.

Yasai Station (Vegetables):

Asparagus gomaae served with sesame dressing; Kinoko oroshi with wild mushrooms served with grated daikon, ponzu and truffle oil; and Nasu agebitash, a crispy eggplant marinated in dashi soy with ginger, green onion and sesame oil.

Zensai Station (Appetizers):

Buta shabu shabu pork with cucumber, celery, shiso and ginger vinegar; Takoyaki (octopus ball) with green onion, itoyori bonito & okonomi sauce; Yakitori chicken with spinach; and Crispy wakasagi with kaiware, smoked paprika and sansho pepper and salt.

Hibachi Station:

Scallops with pea shoots, bean sprouts and ginger sauce; Shrimp with pea shoots, bean sprouts and ginger sauce; Wagyu striploin with Napa cabbage, ponzu and yakiniku sauce.

Shokuji Station (Hearty Snacks):

Soy ramen with pork, fish cake, green onion, garlic & green onion oil; Salmon teriyaki rice with micro chive and shiroteriyaki takuan; and Gyudon served with rice and beef.

Sushi Station:

Sashimi plate served with toro, tuna, salmon & yellow tail; Spicy tuna rolls; California rolls; and vegetable rolls.

Sushi and Sake Festival

When: 11 a.m. for VIP and 1 p.m. for general admission Saturday, April 8

Where: Pechanga Summit, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula

Tickets: $120 general admission; $160 VIP; $75 food-only (no alcohol) tickets are available at pechanga.com.

​ Orange County Register 

Passover and freedom from oppression

• April 5, 2023

“Why is this night different from all other nights?” Thus, at sunset begins the ritual of questions during the Seder meal with which observant Jews start the celebration of Passover, or Pesach, which commemorates the deliverance of the Israelite slaves from bondage in Egypt. The youngest child at the table is expected to answer the questions, fulfilling the commandment, “And thou shalt tell thy son.”

According to tradition, as related in the book of Exodus, the Israelites were made slaves in ancient Egypt. But Yahweh, the Hebrew God, instructed Moses to demand of the ruling Pharaoh that His people be released. Pharaoh refused, and Yahweh brought 10 plagues down upon Egypt. The final plague was the death of the firstborn son in every household. The Jews were instructed to sacrifice a lamb or kid and smear its blood on the house’s lintel or doorpost. Seeing the blood, the Angel of Death would pass over that house. After this plague Pharaoh relented and allowed the Jews to leave.

Why do we eat only unleavened bread, or matzoh, on Pesach? To remember that when the Jews left Egypt there was not time to allow the bread to rise, so the dough was baked into hard crackers.

Why do we eat bitter herbs? To remind us of the cruelty the Jews suffered.

Why do we dip our foods? We dip bitter herbs into Charoset made of apples and nuts, which resemble clay for bricks, to remind us how hard the slaves had to work. Parsley is dipped into salt water; the parsley symbolizes that spring is here, and new life will grow. The saltwater reminds us of the tears of the Jewish slaves.

Why do we lean on a pillow? To be comfortable and to remind us that once we were slaves, and now we are free.

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Passover is typically celebrated for seven days in Israel and among Reform Jews, and for eight days among diaspora Conservative and Orthodox Jews. It recalls the birth of a Jewish nation, freed of Egyptian oppression and able to serve Yahweh, or God, alone. The first and last days are full festivals, marked by abstention from work, special prayer services and holiday meals. Jews eat only unleavened bread during the entire observance.

Passover commemorates the birth of a Jewish nation consecrated to serve Yahweh, or God, not the Pharaoh. It is a time to be humble and to remember what it was like to be a slave. Most of all it is a celebration of freedom, of the joys and opportunities available when we are not forced to serve others.

The story of the Jewish Exodus from Egypt has inspired countless peoples suffering in slavery or oppression, notably black slaves in America during a shameful part of our history. It is a reminder to all of us that freedom is invaluable, that God wants us to be free of human oppression. You don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate that blessing.

This editorial was originally published April 4, 2007 in the Orange County Register.

​ Orange County Register