Took some people to Darbar Indian today on the west side of Wisconsin Avenue (between Mason and Badger on the south side of the road, next to Mr. Cinder's). Amazing! I've been there for dinner a couple of times and love the place, but the buffer really shines as far as lunch options go. Very large number of dishes to choose from, and they were fabulous. The chili chicken was amazing, and the chicken makhani, a favorite of many people, was superb. Very nice mix of chicken and vegetarian dishes, delightful mango ice cream, fresh naan bread, and a variety of richly flavored dishes that will make you want to come back. Service is also very professional and helpful.

As of today, Indian Danbar is my vote for the best lunch in Appleton. Will that title last? We have so many great restaurants in town, but Indian Darbar is soooo good - is there a better place? I'm accepting nominations - and guest passes (why not?).

The Cat Clinic off of Midway Road, as viewed from Highway 441 on the south side of town, appears to be offering a handy climate-controlled storage service. Cold storage, I wonder?

On Friday I was at the Fox River Mall for an errand and tried to get a bite in the food court. I tried to eat at Sarku Japan, a Japanese fast food place. I order the vegetarian soba noodles dish and then watched the two cooks making food on the cast iron grill right in front of the waiting customers. One cook on the left was busy throwing raw pork on the grill to create a big batch of cooked meat, while the other cook tossed my noodles and veggies on the grill on the right. The guy cooking the pork patted it down, pressing it onto the grill and causing it to scoot closer and closer to my noodles. The cook handling the noodles tossed them and I noticed that some of the noodles landed on the raw meat. Just a small portion of a few noodles, but there was definitely contact of my noodles with raw pork. I thought I wouldn't worry about it if he kept the noodles cooking a little longer to hopefully kill of any bacteria that might have been picked up, but just seconds after the noodles contacted the raw meat, they were scooped up and put on my plate.

At this point I protested to the cook, saying that I wasn't happy with what just happened because my noodles touched the raw meat. He didn't look at me and just uttered something like "no problem," though it was hard to hear. I repeated my concern and explained carefully and slowly to him what had happened - I don't think he spoke much English, unfortunately. "The noodles touched the meat - the raw meat. It can have germs, and that can put them on the noodles. That's not safe." He still didn't look at me and just ignored what I was saying. I explained to the guy at the cashier what had happened - I think he was the manager, and asked for a refund, which he did politely but without comment. OK, maybe I'm one of those intolerant anti-bacteria lunatics, but having had a bout or two of food poisoning in the past, I'm not interested in repeating the experience. Sloppy practices are an unnecessary risk. I'm sure Sarku will be more careful in the future and that cooks will be trained to watch where the raw meat is, where it goes, and what it touches.

Cooked food should never touch raw meat right before being served. So if you get food there, be sure to keep your eye on the grill.

Although the College Avenue bridge on the east side of town won't be fully shut down for broadening until Aug. 11, traffic is already painful in that area due to construction. Best to begin finding alternate routes if you use that bridge.

The bridge will be demolished and a new four-lane bridge will be built. Personally, I don't think we need it, but we're going to get it - and it's going to hurt until it's done. My condolences to those who rely on that route now.

Brett Favre rethinking retirement? I hear there are plans for another retirement party in 2010 as well as 2012. The 2008 eulogies just weren't convincing enough, I suppose.

A gifted Fox Valley violinist that I know, Becky Johnson, is turning to the community for help in starting a scholarship fund for string musicians to help more students go to summer violin camps. Here is her written request, shared with me by her father and quoted with permission:

Dear Friends and Family:

The reason for this letter is to ask for your help in starting a scholarship fund for string musicians from east-central Wisconsin to be able to go to summer camp if they wouldn’t otherwise be able for financial reasons.

As you may know, it has been a goal of mine in the past to excel in music in many ways. One of these ways is to go to music camp in the summer. Unfortunately, I have a lot of friends that are musicians like me that aren't able to go to camp at all due to financial need. I would like to offer them, and others, this opportunity as well as other musical learning experiences out of the Fox Valley area. In order to apply to receive a scholarship, the musician will have to submit an application form with information of annual family earnings and the reason that the learning experience is unaffordable. An advisory board and I will look it over and the take the second step which is to interview and audition the applicant. Some things that will determine if they get the scholarship are if they are at a professional playing level, if there is anything that they would be able to afford that would benefit as much, and their love and dedication to their music.

My passion to help inspired a school project that involves starting a fund called the Soulstrings High School Music Scholarship Fund. I will be working with a foundation called the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region. They will be in charge of keeping the money and investing it for me. My job, along with an advisory board, will be to make decisions about the fund like who will get the scholarship. The way that you can help is to give a tax exempt donation (the Community foundation is qualified as a 501(c)(3) charity so is fully tax deductible). In order to start the endowments fund I must raise $1000 so that it begins to earn interest to gift as scholarships. I also have a long term goal of being able to give out my first scholarship in 1.5 years which means I must raise $10,000. In the near future I will be designing a series of fundraisers to accomplish this goal. I will keep you informed of these events.

If you choose to donate now, checks can be made out to Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region and can be sent to me directly at,

5255 Grandview Rd
Larsen WI, 54947

I will deliver the checks to the Community Foundation.

If you have any questions you may contact me at (920)836-3482 or (920)205-6751.

Sincerely,


Becky Johnson

P.S. In addition to your gifts being tax exempt, there are incentives for $200 or more if you live in Wisconsin. I will play with a quartet for 45 minutes if you donate $200- 499 and an hour if you donate $500- 999. If you give more than $1000 I will play a private solo recital for you and a couple guests.

I hope this scholarship fund takes off and helps many people.

I can hardly wait: Art in the Park, Appleton's premier and free arts festival, is coming July 27, 2009, in City Park. It starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 4:30 p.m., with dozens of fabulous artists from many states, along with food, entertainment, and loads of interesting people set in one of the most beautiful city parks anywhere.

I just came back from a large arts festival held in Salt Lake City, also featuring artists from many states. It was cool and very big, but still not as fine as Appleton's popular arts festival. The Salt Lake festival had an admission fee of $10 for adults, versus absolutely free in Appleton. And the setting was not as pretty and comfortable as on the grass of City Park.

Art in the Park is one of many Appleton traditions we can really be proud of.