Ron Holborn -Fullerton,Orange County,Ca

This is our family dog Olive. In case you find it hard to read, here is her story: Her photo and story will appear on a lovely bottle of 2007 Santa Barbara County Mataro

She is one of seven pups abandoned at birth by their mother. Olive and her siblings were blessed to have a surrogate mom take them into her care. This sweet dog began to feed the young pups until they were strong enough to be available for adoption. Not born into the best of beginnings, Olive, a Maltese-Australian Shepherd mix now lives the sweet life after being adopted by a wonderful loving family in Southern California. Every day it seems, is a literal day in the park for this pup as Olive and her human siblings venture to the neighborhood park for an hour or two of socializing with 20 other neighborhood pups. This group of pups known as the "Park Posse" come together for a buffet of joyous barking, tail wagging, sniffing, rolling in the grass and running and running and running! Now, that's the good life !

Dog Lovers Wine Club by Carivintas Winery proudly supports animal shelter, service, therapy and rescue groups across the country.

Bottled by Carivintas Winery Santa Maria, CA.

Custom Labeled Wine

They can put anything on a wine label (within reason, of course!) Great for weddings, birthdays, and corporate gifts!

Email them a photo of your pet or anything else and Poocher Fetch, their resident artist, will create a digitally painted label for your wine! Or just have them design a label using your photo. Either way, your purchase becomes a wonderful personal wine experience- great for yourself, a wedding gift, memorializing your pet or any special occasion.

Choose from a wide assortment of wonderful wines and colorful labels. Their wines are sure to brighten any table and compliment any gastronomic endeavor. Not to mention they're a great conversation piece-before, during and after a meal. A toast to Dogs! and Cats, Horses, or Whatever you choose !!

http://www.dogloverswineclub.com/index.cfm?method=homepage.showpage check out their website !!

Vietnamese Street Food Cooking Class with John Luong of CSUF - 5 part Series

Saturday, Feb 28 10:00a to 1:00p at Fullerton Arboretum, Fullerton, CA

If you're anything like me I love foods from all over the world, especially Pho. This should be a really fun event. I don't think I'd be very good at cooking it, but I love to eat it.

Come join in the unforgettable learning and cultural experience including a savory lunch of your own delicious Vietnamese street food creations!

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its common use of fish sauce, soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Vietnamese recipes use many vegetables, herbs and spices, including lemon grass, lime, and kaffir lime leaves. Throughout all regions of Vietnam, the emphasis is always on serving fresh vegetables and/or fresh herbs as side dishes along with dipping sauce. The Vietnamese also have a number of vegetarian dishes, influenced by their Buddhist beliefs. The most common meats used in Vietnamese cuisine are pork, chicken, shrimp, cockles and various kinds of seafood. Beef is used less commonly, save for pho and the famed Bò 7 món ("Seven-course beef"). Duck and goat are used even less widely.

Grab your gloves and come get dirty !!

The popular weekly outdoor "Fullerton Market" returns to downtown Fullerton Thursday, April 2, offering farm-fresh produce, arts and crafts, handmade apparel, live entertainment, food booths, and activities for young people.

The market, located in the Downtown Plaza on Wilshire Avenue, between Harbor Boulevard and Pomona Avenue, will be open from 4-8:30 p.m. Thursdays through October, when it will close for the winter.

Admission is free to the market, which is in its 18th year of operation.

Fullerton Market "creates an atmosphere similar to a European-style open air market, where shoppers meet their neighbors and get to know their community a little better, as well as find lots of bargains," said Ashley Glass, special events coordinator for the city.

In addition to the produce vendors, the market will feature a live band each Thursday. The bands, which will range from rock to country, will perform from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Along with the entertainment, the market will feature a beer and wine garden for adults and a Kids' Korner, which will offer special activities to keep children happy while their parents shop. During warm weather, the Plaza's pop jet fountain provides a great cooling-off spot for youngsters who are welcome to wear their swim suits.

Applications are still available for local farmers, artisans, merchants and community organizations wishing to operate booths in the market.

The market is open to certified farmers, artists and crafters, Fullerton businesses, nonprofit organizations and food vendors. Applications must be completed at least seven days prior to the desired date of participation in the market.

Booth applications and further information may be obtained at the Fullerton Museum Center, 301 N. Pomona Ave.

Applications may also be obtained on market days at the information booth.

Parking for the market may be found in any of the free downtown lots or in the parking structures at Wilshire (enter from Harbor); Lemon Street and Chapman Avenue; and in the Transportation Center on Pomona and Santa Fe Avenue.

Further information about Fullerton Market may be obtained by calling Glass at (714) 738-3338 or the Fullerton Museum Center at (714) 738-6545.

Bigger loans available to O.C. home buyers

Homeowners and shoppers in Orange County will get lower rates on larger mortgages according to an announcement today by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO).

Folks in Orange County can borrow up to $729,750 to buy a home or refinance and still enjoy the lower rates available on loans that are sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Such loans are dubbed "conforming loans."

Citing the stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama last Tuesday, OFHEO published a list of high-cost areas getting the larger loan limit, which is the same as last year. This year the limit was initially lowered to $625,500 in Orange County and other areas.

However, to borrow up to $729,750, borrowers must meet other qualifications of Fannie and Freddie. And brokers say in practice the lowest rates are for loans up to pre-stimulus conforming limit of $417,000. Rates are a quarter of a percentage point or so higher on loans from $417,001 to $625,500.. or soon to be $729,750.