WEST SIDE ARTISTS REACH NEW HEIGHTS. “Down Home: Downtown” the new cookbook by Newman’s Jeff Mall and his friend Josh Silvers (also a chef in wine country) is worth your consideration as a holiday gift this year. Last week I wrote about my experiences in New York City where Mall, his wife Susan and Silvers showcased their cooking while Rodney Strong Winery served up some surprisingly good wines. It was one of the best dinner meals I’ve eaten, and I travel somewhere every week. This week, I also want you to know that (in the cookbook) Mall writes about his Newman experiences and how Las Flores Café inspired him. He includes his own Las Flores adapted recipe in this book. His website www.zinrestaurant.com also features his cookbook:

“This cookbook was created to showcase Sonoma County’s bounty through recipes that include the County’s vast selection of ingredients, images of our landscape’s beauty and wine country flair, all from the juxtaposed perspective of two local chefs, our own Jeff Mall of Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar and Josh Silvers of Syrah Bistro, and two life-time residents of Sonoma County: photographer Alan Campbell and Rodney Strong spokesperson Robert Larsen.”

SOME AMAZING ART AND A WEST SIDE STYLE.  Newman artist Katherine Crinklaw continues to paint and create some remarkable art from her R Street studio; and today you can see her work in Modesto, Turlock and Marin County. While continuing her work in Modesto’s McHenry Village “Portico” home store and Turlock’s First Street Gallery, she has now entered the Bay Area art market as well... “Marin Magazine” asked her to present her art in their new catalog “The Marin Store.” This catalog is part of their November issue (fall and winter catalog) which is featured through February. Check her work at www.themarinstore.com and click on “art,” then “paintings” or “originals.” Crinklaw is the only artist with original paintings in the catalog. You can also see Crinklaw’s work at the sixth annual Miniature Show at First Street Gallery in Turlock, Nov. 9 through Dec. 11. Her website is www.crinklawfineart.com.

WEST SIDE THEATRE ONE OF THE BEST.  Sold out performances continue at the West Side Theatre thanks to many of our readers here and the hundreds of friends who travel to Newman from Modesto, Turlock, Hilmar and other area cities. David and Farris Larsen and a group of volunteers who go to great lengths to see that our theatre is a success are doing a remarkable job for all of us. West Side theatre and art is a good thing, and our neighbors know how special it is for a community to have a theatre with so much excellence. Add to that the local performances inside the theatre and we have a lot going for us. Remember the West Side Theatre in your holiday donations as well. Its success not only improves business here but adds to the value of our homes. And the Lord knows that is healthy!

HEALTH CARE DEBATES RESUME NATION WIDE. Lots of questions remain whether President Barack Obama will win a health care battle in Washington, D.C. If the legislation makes it to his desk, it won’t be the bill he really wants, but any win is something he wants and needs. Today, it’s debatable whether both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate will pass legislation that Americans really want. “If you like the government’s H1N1 flu program, then you will like House Speaker Pelosi’s health care bill.” That’s the word from Republicans who say government can’t even run the business of the day, so how can any of us think they can run health care. Democrats are saying that argument is rubbish and Republicans don’t want anything changed. I know one thing. If the health care program will denigrate our current Medicare programs, we ought to be very concerned. Ask your doctor what he or she thinks.