SO SWEET… A 20-ounce Starbucks Caffe Mocca with whipped cream has 490 calories, equivalent to a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese. (Hey man, you know what they call a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in France?). A 24-ounce Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino with whipped cream is equivalent in calories to a standard cup of coffee…plus 11 creamers and 29 packets of sugar. Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest’s September issue of Nutrition Action Healthletter. You deserve a break today.

How y’all doing. Just thought I’d lead off with a little bit of caffeine-edged factola, kinda get the juices flowing, know what I mean? Nothing like a double shot of eye-opener to sting the senses into feeling, even if only for a split-second. I’m not gonna go all preachy on you today, but let’s face it folks, we need a serious overhaul of our dietary habits. And that’s just the tip of the ice-bergher.

MORGAN CHRISTOPHER understands this. MARK C. ANDERSON, my good friend and colleague at the Weekly, will lay out Morgan’s deal for you right here:

A peek at the Ol’ Factory Café on Sand City’s main street, Contra Costa, is the surest sign that the industrial hub/artist colony is evolving—and in a high-concept sustainable kinda way. Morgan Christopher (of the former Morgan’s and current Café Noir) has some serious karmatic momentum going with this new place and its forward-looking philosophy. Great ingredients are already in place: a welcoming high-ceilinged space made from devoutly eco-friendly materials, a great chef in prodigal-son-returned RICK EDGE, a stud behind the bar in wine-beer maestro THAMIN SALEH, a sly art savant in curator LISA COSCINO.

Then there’s the cool modern wall sculpture by JILL CASTY, killer coffee, a promising juice bar, and above all a commitment to leading the onrushing need for eco-savvy practices, spearheaded by the peeps at Blueline Power. At a peek-ahead reception Wednesday, March 21, the loft-like spot was abuzz as much with the biodynamic wines and Edge-engineered snacks as talk of the getting the county thinking about thriving in concert with the environment rather than in spite of it. Christopher announced the opening is tentatively scheduled for April 1…so keep an eye out. I’ve got a good feeling about this place—and little Sand City in general.

There you go.

PARTY FOR THE KIDS… Get your dancing shoes on for CASA Monterey’s 10th anniversary fundraising gala, Lighting the Way, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey. They’ll be reproducing the Cotton Club with a 17-piece big band led by DENNIS MURPHY, a great dinner prepared by MARK AYERS of the Highlands and CLAY PURCELL of Hyatt. Monterey County wines, booze, broads, dancing, auctions, fun and most importantly, fundraising for an organization that helps kids get out of the revolving trap of the juvenile dependency system.

CASA Monterey, which is in urgent need of volunteers as well, is currently assisting 207 children, its largest caseload ever and expecting to take on more, so think about coming to this wonderful event, and/or becoming a CASA volunteer. There is a training session coming up on April 17, so call 455-6800, visit casamonterey.org or get down to the party.

A TRUE NAPOLITANO… Hey, here’s a great true story that I just have to get in. It stars the general manager of Cantinetta Luca Restaurant in Carmel, SIGNORE GIUSEPPE PANZUTO, and was graciously sent to me by his wife JULIA: Giuseppe and his three buddies, Giuliano, Davide, and Jacopo, weren’t your ordinary 6-year-olds growing up in Naples, Italy. Their love of salumi and formaggio, Italian meats and cheeses drove them to take extraordinary risks. While the four boys were playing one Sunday in the back of the condo building where they were living, they noticed a strong scent of meats and cheeses coming from a window that connected to the deli next door.

Soon the boys couldn’t resist. They pried open the window and climbed in and lo and behold found themselves in the middle of the meat and cheese aging room. They were in paradiso! The boys started to eat all they could get their hands on (without using any knives). They continued their snacking every Sunday for years to come, scouring the room and eating such delicacies as mortadella, ricotta, olives, parmiggiano, prosciutto cotto, and provolone.

One day Giuseppe’s mom went into the deli and spoke to the owner, as she did on a daily basis. The owner complained that he thought he had rats in the meat room and had called the exterminator (and fixed the window). The boys’ fun had to stop. But to this day Giuseppe’s passion for his native Italian meats and cheeses continues in his work.

Tell me that’s not a great story.

HERE AND THERE… So Mister CAL STAMENOV and his guests will be enjoying Easter Brunch at Bernardus, with a buffet full of local organic produce, naturally-raised meats and traditional brunch favorites. Not that I’m feeling left out in any way. I’ll be enjoying a lovely Easter Sunday Brunch at Traffic School. If I were you, I’d choose Cal’s, 658-3550.

Chef ALESSIO GIANNUZZI (I love that name) of Il Fornaio leads food and wine tours in his home town of Pistoia in Tuscany. His family owns and operates Il Pianaccio, a beautiful four-hundred (yes, four) year-old restored villa in the hills of Florence. It was just awarded the highest honor by the National Tourism Institute in Italy. It’s Tuscan magic time. In fact, I’m leaving for the airport right now and seeing if they’ll let me work there, maybe as an apprentice pasta cook. If you can’t get there, find out how Giannuzzi does it at one of his cooking classes…call, 238-5553, or check out foodwineandfun.com…food, wine and fun…finito.