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4 classic cocktails, with variations for spring and summer entertaining

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

By J.M. HIRSCH, Christopher Kimball’s Milk StreetThe arrival of spring means summer entertaining season isn’t far behind, which is an excellent excuse for a home bartending refresher. Because like changing a tire and ironing a shirt, crafting a cocktail is one of those skills adults should have at least a passing familiarity with.Equipping yourself is simple. Mid-shelf bottles of the basics — vodka, bourbon, rye, gin, white and aged rums, and blanco tequila — will get you on your way. Add some inexpensive dry and sweet vermouths, maybe an orange liqueur and a bottle of Angostura bitters, and you’ll be set.The gear is minimal and affordable. A shaker, a stirring glass, a long-necked spoon, a strainer and a 2-ounce measuring cup are all you need. The whole lot can be had for under $50.As for the recipes? Try a two-for-one approach that iterates on the classics. This means learning a few classic cocktails as they traditionally are made, but also mastering an easy twist on each, a simpl...

Meghan Markle has ‘warped sense of reality,’ isn’t ‘on the level,’ Vanity Fair writer says

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

A Vanity Fair writer who was “ahead” of the curve for American journalists doing critical examinations of Meghan Markle opened up this week about what she’s learned since profiling the American Duchess of Sussex in 2018.In a conversation with ex-BBC journalist Andrew Gold for his On the Edge podcast, Vanessa Grigoriadis explains why Meghan is the product of her upbringing in a dysfunctional family on the fringes of Hollywood, the world’s so-called dream factory.As Grigoriadis explained in the podcast and in her Vanity Fair story, the wife of Prince Harry is an ambitious “striver” who has long sought to be “a household name” and to rise above her family’s middle-class but unconventional “shaggy-dog tale” existence. To do that, she worked hard in high school and college, struggled to make it in Hollywood, aggressively courted press attention as a B-list cable TV actor and crafted narratives about her life that are not n...

Los Gatos’ Pelio, San Jose’s J. Lohr among wine competition winners

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

The 30th annual Monterey Wine Competition, held March 11 in King City, saw a 2018 Pelio Vineyard Chardonnay, from a vineyard and brand owned by Los Gatos residents Les and Nini Pelio, crowned Best White of Show and Best Chardonnay. Garnering 95 points, it was a real head-turner.The vineyard is in sandy and limestone studded soils off Highway 68, at the very western edge of Carmel Valley. Winemakers Greg and Chris Vita, who also make Caraccioli Cellars, Dawn’s Dream and Galante wines, are to be commended for the balance and nuance of this wine, which exhibits that perfect touch of French poise and elegance in a California chardonnay. Scoring a medal for every wine entered, including golds for the 2017 chardonnay and 2018 Lindsey Cuvee Pinot Noir, Pelio was also awarded Best Monterey County Winery for 2023.Pelio wines can be found at Enoteca Direct in Los Gatos, Artisan Wine & Spirits in Mountain View and Robert’s Market in Woodside. Pelio will open its first tasting room in Carme...

Bay Area storms: Scattered thunderstorms possible Wednesday before dry conditions return

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

A thunderous end to the latest atmospheric river storm is likely for at least some parts of the Bay Area on Wednesday, setting up what’s expected to be at least a few dry days heading into the weekend.National Weather Service predictions Wednesday morning called for possible thunderstorms scattered around the Bay Area. Those scattered storms could contain short bursts of stormy weather boasting roaring clouds and brief, intense rainfall. Small bouts of hail and lightning could be a symptom of such an event.“Lightning’s going to be kind of infrequent with most of these, though there might be some that become over-performing compared to others,” said NWS meteorologist Brayden Murdock. “It’s definitely going to be a case-by-case basis with most of these individual storms.”Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected today. Watch out for lightning, locally heavy rainfall, and small hail. Stay weather aware and remember when thunder ...

South Bay lawmaker’s bill aims to bolster hate crime charges

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

A South Bay assemblymember is looking to expand the state’s definition of a hate crime, a pursuit he says will ensure that crimes targeting populations like Asian Americans and LGBTQ+ people are fully prosecuted when bias is evident but not demonstrated explicitly enough to satisfy existing legal thresholds.Evan Low, D-Campbell, is pushing Assembly Bill 1064, which would add “bias motivation” and “selective targeting” components to the statutory description of a hate crime. He says the idea is to empower law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue hate crime investigations by making it more likely that charges get in front of juries rather than get dismissed in pretrial stages.“Our community has been suffering,” Low said in an interview. “Many of the cases we’ve seen, the individual did not shout out a specific slur, but we know by the consistency of the targeted individuals that selective targeting exists. That evidence of bias is...

Roadshow: Do I have to pay a toll invoice that didn’t arrive for a year?

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

Q: I received an invoice on March 22 for $7 from FasTrak, showing that I was on the Benicia-Martinez Bridge on March 21 a year ago, almost to the day. Must I pay an invoice that old?Nanette Haile, PleasantonA: You’d be smart to pay. To ignore these tolls could lead to significant penalties. I understand your frustration with a billing delay that long.Q: I read the March 26 article about the people who owe huge sums for unpaid tolls. While I am very sympathetic to those who incurred undeserved charges as a result of toll agencies’ mistakes, I have no sympathy for those who intentionally abuse the system. The fees and penalties incurred by Brenda Angulo were entirely avoidable. If you can’t afford the tolls, or don’t want to pay them, don’t use the toll lanes.As for the claim that toll lanes can be confusing, it’s true that a lack of uniformity can sometimes be confusing, but anyone capable of getting a driver’s license should be able to figur...

Will this winter’s megastorms end the Bay Area’s toxic algae problem?

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

In recent years, thick layers of cyanobacteria—commonly known as blue-green algae—have closed popular local swimming spots Lake Anza and Lake Temescal for weeks at a time.Last summer, a toxic algae bloom in the San Francisco Bay killed thousands of fish.Although algae is always present in some quantity in lakes and the bay, higher temperatures, stagnant water, and excessive nutrient levels can cause the algae to multiply.If the particular species has toxins in it, such as blue-green algae or the Heterosigma akashiwo species that bloomed in the bay last summer, the water can become unsafe for humans and animals.Algae blooms and cyanobacteria have become state and nationwide problems. In the Bay Area, water managers were beginning to wonder if the extreme drought conditions of recent years had pushed the problem into a dangerous new phase in local waters.But the steady and sometimes torrential rainfall this winter means that the bay’s waterways could avoid a repeat of last year’s out-...

“FEMA help is actually on the way” — Gov. Newsom takes key step to bring FEMA aid to California flood victims

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

Gov. Gavin Newsom took a key step on Tuesday in getting FEMA aid to California communities recovering from devastating damage caused by recent atmospheric river storms, including the small town of Pajaro where about 3,000 residents were flooded out of their homes.Newsom’s request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration comes two weeks after an aging neglected levee broke and flooded the small farmworker community and aims to bolster emergency response and recovery in Calaveras, Kern, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Tulare and Tuolumne counties.The Presidential Major Disaster Declaration request encompasses the communities impacted by flooding, snow, mudslides, avalanches, and debris flows that resulted from storms beginning February 21.“Over these past months, state, local and federal partners have worked around the clock to protect our communities from devastating storms that have ravaged every part of our state,” said Governor Newsom. “We will ...

As the Bay Area urbanizes around it, Livermore is one of the last ag cities standing

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

From certain places on Darrel Sweet’s ranch near Altamont Pass, the world looks no different than it did 150 years ago. Wildflowers blanket the hillside. A ranch dog named J.J. chases squirrels across a muddy dirt track. Cows stand near a cattle pond, looking out at a range of rolling hills that seem to act as a bulwark against time.But from one of the ranch’s hilltops, it’s clear that much has changed. Towering wind turbines dot every mountain. To the west are sprawling developments in Dublin. To the south, the suburban center of Livermore.“When you’re in downtown Livermore, you’d think this place is all developed,” Sweet said. “But it’s not.”The construction site of an upcoming apartment complex on Railroad Avenue in Livermore. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)Livermore is the home of San Franciso Premium Outlets, which houses over 180 store brands. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption of ExpandAs cities around it have undergone explosive growth, residents say Livermo...

Governor Newsom signs gas price gouging law

Published Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:01:09 GMT

(KRON) -- California Governor Gavin's Newsom's bill to hold oil companies accountable is now a law. According to Newsom's office, this bill will go into effect on June 26, ultimately giving officials the power to penalize California-based oil companies for making too much money.This bill is the first of its kind and was put together by Democratic Senator Nancy Skinner of Berkeley. It was backed by Attorney General Rob Bonta. More rain means more money for East Bay MUD customers. See how. This new law provides an independent watchdog that will root out price gouging by oil companies and gives the state more information than ever before, including data from last year when the governor's office said it appeared oil companies suppressed supply to drive up prices and brought in record profits.Republicans with opposing views have long argued that the proposal could lead to higher prices. But this week the bill cleared the State Assembly with only one Democrat voting against it.Governor ...