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I have long been a proponent of meat, often expounding on the virtues of pig fat and beef cheek. However, I do not hesitate to declare, in black and white, that there is very little more delicious than a perfectly ripe pear or local ear of corn in season. In an interview with "60 Minutes" last year, my friend and constant inspiration, José Andrés, called meat "overrated." He added, "I believe the future is vegetables and fruits."

Forty three years is a long time. That's how long my parents, who celebrated their anniversary this week, have been married. I wonder - more in amusement than in awe - how two people can put up with each other for that long and be as content as they are.

The holiday festivities seem long past and most of us have settled back into our regular work routines. This is a great time to think about where to place your new calendar to minimize the risk of neck and back strain. The more often you need to look at the calendar, the more important it is to place it where you can easily see it without twisting, leaning or straining.

Rocca's Market is adding a little surf to its turf.

Dear readers, I present to you, Mr. Charles Dickens, a man of his time, the time of the Victorians - and also a man of our own modern time. Allow me to have the portentousness to suggest that Mr. Dickens, that titan of Victorian literature, if he were alive today, would find in our age a blend of social commentary and larger-than-life characters to fill a hundred great novels.

OK, I splashed my face with ice-cold water in attempt to shake off the pain still lingering from the San Francisco 49ers NFC title game overtime loss Sunday. My face is cold and I'm still bummed. Oh well. Perspectively speaking, it was a special season in that a new life was breathed into a storied franchise after nearly a decade of frustrations. It was refreshing to be so invested in the Niners again. Losing stings, but the promise of things to come acts like Neosporin on the burn. Plenty of wins to look forward to during the Jim Harbaugh regime.

Kyle Williams isn't holed up underground. He's not sobbing in a dark room, the curtains cinched tight. He's not cowering over death threats he received on Twitter.

SAN FRANCISCO – The New York Giants advanced to their fifth Super Bowl, causing fumble on a punt return and converting it into a field goal five plays later to defeat the San Francisco 49ers, 20-17, in overtime in the NFC championship game.