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Hybrid Envy

An Editorial by Suzanne Turner

Hybrid Envy

Envy is a formidable enemy, and one which I am usually devoid, that is until gas prices began to climb with such alarming rapidity. Until recently, I used to find satisfaction in the little pleasures in life: driving on the road in my luxury car, favorite tunes blaring from the CD system, comfy leather seats, automatic everything. I used to feel quite smug. Lately, however, I have begun to feel a little foolish. Daresay, even envious. Now, trudging along in bumper to bumper traffic, I wince as the hybrids buzz past me in the carpool lane, their bright carpool stickers mocking me. Even worse, my stomach turns at the thought that they could be getting 40, 50, even 60 miles per gallon!

Well, hybrids are ugly, I say, placating myself, with their utilitarian looks, shiny metallic finishes, emasculatingly small wheels, and disproportionately large and unflattering hind ends. They have no style, make no noise, provide no statement. They’re just small, unassuming, quiet, Japanese cars. Nothing to be envious about. Cars that save their drivers hundreds of dollars every month, thousands of dollars per year.

I hate them, hate them all.

So recently, after sending in my luxury car payment, I began to ponder my options. Googling the internet for transportation with the highest miles per gallon, I discovered that, to my amazement, motorcycles can achieve 70 mpg. Yet there are so many to choose from. The Harley, while chic and trendy these days, also unfortunately requires a singular commitment to...

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Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar: A Feast for the Senses

Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar is located at 376-378 Camino Estrella and can be contacted at 949-248-4925...

There’s a rare jewel nestled within the quiet bluff town of Capistrano Beach. Until now, it’s been a local’s best-kept secret. Gourmands and wine lovers, locals and visitors, feast your senses, and your palates while dining in the tastefully decorated and casually sophisticated new eatery in town. Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar offers the subtle elegance and flavor of fine wine country cuisine, leaving a taste for more.

A deliciously well-rounded menu makes it a challenge to settle on an entrée, and the soups and salads are as creative as they are tasty. Specializing in seafood, the roasted sea bass has already become a local favorite and the house-made lobster ravioli appetizer is an indescribable delicacy. Filet with bordelaise, herb-roasted chicken, and Sonoma duck in pinot noir sauce are just a sampling of the fare for those who prefer meat and poultry, and then of course there’s the wine. The wine bar boasts an extensive and diverse menu, with select wines by the glass and a vintage to please either the budding or the expert connoisseur.

Some restaurants skimp when it comes to the bread, writing it off as fool’s gold or an appetite squelcher. Sonoma’s fresh rolls rival a baker’s best, with a crunchy crust and perfect consistency that only enhance an already flawless culinary experience. It takes guts to serve irresistible bread and the confidence that it will serve only as a compliment to the rest of a superb meal. The service is impeccable and gracious. All in all, at Sonoma, amiable ambiance and taste treats abound.

Helmed by proprietor Raymond Hamedany, Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar is a gastronomic gem and a product of the heart...

 

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