By Bob Tagert

     Well…we made it into spring even though as I write this, the high is barely going to hit the mid 40’s. At least the sun is out and it is Cherry Blossom season. Peak bloom was predicted for March 14^th, a record, and then the cold hit and destroyed half of the bloom, also a record. The basin is still beautiful so don’t let the lack of blossoms keep you from taking a trek to check them out.

It just goes to show that you can’t always count on the norm. For years Chester Simpson has profiled a chef each month, but due to his visit to San Francisco in March and a scheduling conflict, getting the photo shoot scheduled and the Q&A squared away didn’t happen. We will be back on track next month but in the interim check out the Easter lamb shank recipe provided by our former “Let’s Eat” writer, and author of “The Accidental Chef”, Chef Charles Oppman.

For this month’s Road Trip I stayed home and our friend Glenn Morel and his brother Adam made the trek to the island nation of Cuba. Adam has written a very descriptive piece on Centro Habana and the colors you see in his writing is as vivid as Glenn’s photographs…”You can read all the books, look at all the photographs, watch all the documentaries. Nothing prepares you for Havana-or reveals its true nature.”

            Doug Coleman gives us a rare look at Union officer, Fitz John Porter. Pay particular to the last paragraph…we should learn from history. Speaking of which, Sarah Becker writes about the approaching Centennial of World War I in her A Bit of History column. We decided to get a little nostalgic with the Dining Out column and write about an old favorite, the Royal Restaurant. I am sure many of you have fond memories of a breakfast or two there.

April is a great month to take a springtime drive to Virginia Wine Country and enjoy the budding vines, the wine, the countryside and the people. For me, it is also time to de-winterize my boat and get out on the water. See you soon Solomons!

I hope everyone has a wonderful April and to those of you who celebrate Easter I wish you a very happy one. Here Comes Peter Cottontail……