ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?… Sometimes, while expectorating this weekly slop-sink-full of fluff (don’t remember having ever seen a double-hyphenated doozie like that before), I’ll engage the radio option on my trusty Dell and let my fingers dance to melodic missiles launched from various cyberspace silos. Haunted by ghosts of jungle drummers trapped deep in my DNA, I can often, especially if my intellectual self sits backstage, simply let the musical connective tissue link me to The Creative Mind through my fingers playing the keyboard. If I don’t try too hard, out comes Food Chain (Well there ya go, Martha, that explains everything).

Tonight’s episode is coming to you courtesy of a cyber-station that plays only BEATLES music and its accompanying trivia. It’s always fun to be reminded just how profound that simple music turned out to be and how prolifically proficient the boys were at generating it.

LOVE, BABY… Two Saturdays past, L’Escargots in Carmel transformed into a beautiful outdoor/indoor party house, host to the wedding of its proprietor, one KERRY LOUTAS and his lovely bride ALLISON BOHNEN. Family and friends celebrated this union built across the fence adjacent to the restaurant, when Chef Loutas wooed and wowed Maiden Allison with his gastronomic goodies.

Encountering their families and friends made it obvious where both Kerry and Allison get their warm, soulful sense of hospitality. It was a good old-fashioned party, just like weddings are supposed to be. Congratulations to them both, now everybody make reservations so Kerry can make up for the week he closed for his honeymoon (hey, it’s a tough business).

Two of my favorite people around these parts, JULIO AND MARIE RAMIREZ, are off on their (un)usual adventures. The originators of Turtle Bay Taqueria and Fishwife are embarking on a new phase in their life. By now you may be aware that long-time partner Jefferson Seay took over sole ownership early this year, continuing the tradition of excellence at the restaurants. Marie and Julio have been Lewis and Clarking it all over this and other continents. Their food consulting business, The Food Wranglers, focuses on giving restaurant owners the tools to take their restaurants to the next level through menu development, staff training (English and Spanish), cost controls, food service efficiency, safety, etc.

Meanwhile they’ve left for Africa to explore local markets there, to get inspiration for new menu items, flavors twists and cuisines. As Marie so aptly put it: “It’s a good excuse to eat your way through a culture.” Yum yum, baby.

GET ON IT… Hey, I just realized you’ve got to act immediately—Thursday June 29—to possibly still get into Grasing’s Costal Cuisine in Carmel for the Talbott Vineyards Dinner featuring a mouth-watering multi-course extravaganza designed by KURT GRASING to accompany the wines from Talbott Vineyards. I counted about four courses plus apps on a menu that includes Kurobuto Pork Shortribs with currants and horseradish paired with 2004 Logan Pinot Noir…call on the way, 624-6562.

THE KID’S ALLRIGHT… Hit the links at Laguna Seca with the one, the only, JOE “JOE CINGARI” CINGARI last weekend. Since we were a deuce, the starter tried to throw in another twosome, a gentleman and his tiny little son. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for kids learning golf, but I don’t want to be forced to have to play with them as a rule. In fact, I’m not big on playing with people I don’t know because of the potential for incompatibility (I know I need help) and since most of my life involves trying to be harmonious with my fellow humans, it feels like I’m working when I have to play with strangers.

Anyway, there was just no way around it, plus our usual obnoxious behavior did nothing to deter them, and I’m glad. The kid turned out to be a precocious little 8-year old Tiger wanna-be named SUNNY YAN. He played from the red tees and didn’t miss-hit a shot all day, ending up with a 95, primarily because of a normal 8-year-old’s occasional wandering concentration.

He was a delightful playing partner, laughing at my pitiful sculled bunker shot that flew the green on 12. We both became big-time fans of this kid, for his unabashed love of the game combined with prodigious talent. He is currently studying under BEN DOYLE, the highly regarded teacher at Quail Lodge, and is making his father Peter extremely proud in junior tournaments, including a victory at the recent US Kids Golf World Junior Championships qualifying event in Sacramento. Hope we get to hook up again soon, while we can still out-drive him.

NEW NEWS… Got a message from someone recently telling me that Monterey Joe’s is now Point Joe’s. The centrally located restaurant on Fremont is under the stewardship of new owners TIM FISHER, who was the executive chef at the Aquarium for 18 years, along with Francisco Nellado. They’re featuring sustainable seafood on a seasonally changing menu and will hang local artists’ works as a way to integrate the community. Give David Lang a call at 224-0399 for more info, or just go.

Paraiso Vineyards is the next winery on tap at The Duck Club at Monterey Plaza’s monthly series of wine dinners. Enjoy a special menu created by “SMILING” SAUL ROMERO to accompany the featured wines…AIWF is having its 9th annual Gourmet Golf Tournament at Pasadera on Monday, July 24. For more, call 624-0830 or 655-0970…July 6 it’s DAN TUDOR at Cielo Restaurant at Ventana Inn in Big Sur. Join Dan along with his wonderful hand-crafted wines singing along with the delicious cuisine of CHEF ANTHONY CALAMARI—call 667-2331…My man Terry Teplitzky, the Victor Borge of MoCo chefs, is throwing a party to celebrate four years of Wild Thyme Deli in Marina on Saturday July 1st, with a barbecue, music, wine and his wild dancing (don’t tell him I said that, just call 884-2414)…so much stuff, so little time…take care y’all, be happy.