twomartinis and such

SCOTCH, PINE, ROCKS

2010-12-17T10:29:00.001-08:00

SCOTCH, PINE, ROCKS
Originally uploaded by The_real_twomartinis.

Wait a minute, I thought Todd English was the real deal chef?

2009-06-27T21:19:00.000-07:00

I was cruising the "what's on" directory and saw Todd English on, so I punched in channel 73 on the remote. It tunes to HSN... Momentary confusion... Subtle horror sinks in... Another pillar falls...

Why is a heavy hitting chef like Todd English peddling wares on the home shopping network? Does he need the money? Does he need the fame? Is he jealous of Mario and Rachel?

Does Todd know he's not only endorsing but subsidizing our downfall? I was going to go into a long-winded diatribe about why the global economy is no good for us, but this article on www.theonion.com sums it up best, despite the parody

Still had it with China

2009-03-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

I've still had it with China, even though we bought a stroller MADE IN CHINA today. Not that we had a choice, as far as I could tell they all are... DRATS

TLC is irresponsible

2009-02-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

So I was watching an episode of "Moving Up" on TLC and keep wondering what they'll stoop to next to retain ratings. The particular episode involved some couple moving into a new house (duh!); and of couse they had every intention of bestowing their individual stylings upon it through the miracle of remodeling.

The fun begins when the husband proceeds to take an axe to the kitchen cabinetry for expedient demolition and high drama. After several near decapitations and many splinters, he manages to destroy only a few cabinets, rather than appear as the manly lumberjack we all know he isn't. Cut to next scene! Turns out, many of us laymen would opine that an axe would be the *least effective* tool for cabinetry demolition. The preferred "weapons of choice" of course are the lowly prybar and the somewhat menacing reciprocating saw. Maybe a short 6# sledge if you were really in the thick stuff...

Now before I stray too far off topic, here's my beef: In the episode the guy is whacking out cabinetry that is maybe 5 years old tops, and they are obviously in good working order. Wouldn't it have been better all around to donate these cabinets to, say, Habitat for Humanity? Not only would they given them new life in a home that needed them (instead of taking up landfill space), they would have come out to the jobsite and removed them gratis!

It comes down to fundamental TV land debauchery: slime sells ratings. Ken Rockwell deals out a much better take on this topic than I muster, not to mention with more scathing wit.

I though TLC would have all the publicity they wanted after the host's drunk driving arrest

buck nasty weather going to tap buffalo

2009-01-21T20:40:00.000-08:00

had to post this >> from the new shelton wet/dry

I've had it, China!

2008-09-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Wow. I've finally had it. No more stuff from China, for me at least. I know it will be like crossing a minefield; but when I saw the "Cadbury Egg" chocolate laced with melamine scare that was it.

English confectioner gone and forced to stay afloat by big-muscled-fist-of-cheap-labor-or-else, well you get the point... It's chocolate for pete's sake! Is there no company left that can survive, let alone make a buck without being making their wares in China? Last time I checked, China was not known for their prowess as chocolatiers.

Now if you want to talk about tea eggs, red-cooked pork and other Chinese things that I love because they are Chinese I'm all ears. But when I have to double check the box on a quintessential French piece of cast iron cookware only to find that it is made in China, I get pissed.

So I am going to actively pursue my part-time abhorrence of Chinese imitation goods full-time. Ahhh, what is wrong with this crazy world? And why don't people know any better?

Kitchen's Done!

2008-02-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

This is really a maintenance post, because the kitchen has been mostly complete for a while now. Sure there are a few odds and ends that need to be wrapped up,
but it is in full swing!

From this:

To this:

Other photos are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74108677@N00/sets/72157603944544871/

Now onto the bathroom!

The Honeymoon is over!

2007-10-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

Er, I mean the honeymoon has just begun! Anyway, we're back in the states and are trying real hard to assimilate back into normal life. Believe me, it's tough not popping a bottle of Vino Nobile de Montepulciano at lunch; to go with your simple-but-exquisite Tuscan bread, proscuitto, pecorino and maybe some olives or roma tomatoes. Man, I'm getting reaaaaaaly hungry now - or should I sto morendo di fame...

In the meantime I will be working diligently getting all of our photos up onto the Flickr site for your viewing pleasure. I have created a honeymoon photo collection, separated by city:
http://flickr.com/photos/74108677@N00/collections/72157601892871557/

Ciao for now!

Honeymoon!

2007-09-08T02:39:00.001-07:00

We're on our honeymoon!

You can see what we are up to a our honeymoon blog
http://nolljosie.blogspot.com/

Ciao for now!

2007-09-08T02:39:00.000-07:00

We're on our honeymoon!

You can see what we are up to a our honeymoon blog
http://nolljosie.blogspot.com/

Ciao for now!

Hiatus-a-coming

2007-08-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I must apologize for the abysmal post consistency. Too much wedding planning, too much work, too much kitchen remodeling makes for an inefficient twomartinis.

C'est la vie, the quick skinny is: the kitchen's nearing completion and the wedding is just around the corner, then its off to europe! So I can guarantee that there won't be much (if any) activity over the next 8-10 weeks. Well, no activity on the blog...

In the meantime, check out this great blog I got turned on to: frenchkitcheninamerica.blogspot.com

Algae, the only Biofuel that has a Chance

2007-06-27T07:53:00.001-07:00

Looking for a clean fuel that grows anywhere, needs only sunlight and water, and could produce enough oil to free the U.S. from its petroleum addiction? Here’s one start-up’s plan for converting oil from algae—yes, algae

read more | digg story

Those crazy Deutschlanders

2007-05-28T11:53:00.001-07:00

While working on honeymoon planning, I came across this story while seaching for maps of Germany.

It seems that a gigantic piece of scientific test equipment (mass spectrometer) needed to be delivered to it's new home about 250 miles away, but the logistics of the transportation required a small detour of 5580 miles...

Read the article about it at the main website page. Scroll past the techno jargon if you're so [dis]inclined, the fun starts when you see the photo of the freakin' monster!

The video of this thing being driven through a small Bavarian town is hilarious! Transport video

The weather project

2007-05-03T20:31:00.001-07:00

weather project
Originally uploaded by *-*-*-*-*-*.

Olafur Eliasson exhibition - an awesome experiment/installation of a hemishperical cluster of low pressure sodium lights and a mirrored ceiling.

http://www.via-verlag.com/1348.0.html?&L=1
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/eliasson/about.htm

Ode to bacon and the royal swine family

2007-04-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

Ahh, bacon.

I think it should succeed from the 4th USDA food group (meat) and charter a 5th food group of pork-based products.

As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind seeing the dollar bill replaced with proscuitto bills. Talk about being broke! At least your wallet would smell great.

With whole, americanized proscuittos now available online, online, perhaps we are becoming suave like the Spaniards and thier Jambon.

So read on, fellow susophiles, I have found a couple of good reads for you:
The wonders of bacon grease
American proscuitto and Redneck proscuitto

I'm also going to add a bacon pane to the right side of this blog, woo-hoo-oink

I love the skylights, I got to boogie

2007-02-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

Oh, I ... Ohhh I ... I love the nightlife, I got to boogie on the disco 'round, oh yea. -Alicia Bridges

I managed to get these puppies in last weekend - a two day job that makes you sleepless, worried of rain, for one night. Other than that, it pretty much went off without a hitch. Kudos to Velux for detailing everything to the nines!

Continuing on the musical bent, I will narrate the installation to the tune of SNL's "Dick in a box"

Step 1: Cut a hole in the roof

Step 2: Put your junk in that roof

Step 3: Get her to open the roof
Ok, that doesn't make sense, but read on:

These ain't your pappy's skylights, take a look under the hood:

Add motorized blinds:

And a remote control:

And that's how I roll.

Saw recon, Part 1

2007-02-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

I picked up two old, neglected cross-cut saws that I'm going to recondition and resharpen. They were rusted and covered in pitch, essentially left for dead.

I figured that I would breath some life back into these old hand tools. There is something great about translating the rotation of the shoulder into a pile of sawdust. Rhythmically, you are at once both tool guide and the tool's power plant. I'll spare you on the finer metaphysical ramblings of sharpening; that will get covered in Part 2. Turns out there is a website (surprise!) with an article on reconditioning old saws.
Vintage Saws

Step 1, start scraping. A little scraping with a razor blade yeilded a mound of rust powder.

Or for those of you relate better to lines of powder {;^)

Processes always seem to evolve quickly for me; and it didn't take long for the razor scraper to get stuck onto a reciprocating saw.

Monogram Walk-In Wine Vault

2007-02-24T15:00:00.001-08:00

"If you’re considering the fit-out for your next luxury home and you’re one of those wine enthusiasts who anxiously awaits each November for the Beaujolais Nouveau to arrive, then feast your eyes on General Electric’s latest - a complete, turnkey walk-in wine vault."

read more | digg story

Noll says:
Hmmm. I'll take one for my wine, one for my cigars, and another for my fromage! Can someone spot me $105k???

A La Carte

2007-02-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

How on earth have I failed to stumble across Peter Hertzmann's website A La Carte?!? Have you not found it yet, either?

I only managed to come across it through an innocent spur-search on blood sausages (boudin noir) as part of a larger search to replace my destroyed copy of Cottenceau's Professional Charcuterie.

The articles are great one and all; and I've only scratched the surface while perusing over lunch. Some articles even have helpful rollovers with definitions and conversions.

Don't even get me started on mussels!!

Coffee cupping at home

2007-02-17T09:21:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Saturday morning and I woke up to a horrific discovery: there weren't enough beans to make coffee. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!! A lone tear trickles down my left cheek.

Alright enough melodrama. All I had to do was drive over to the Common Market - they sell my beloved Counter Culture Coffee. I browse through their coffee cache: Bolivian Cenaproc - naw, Mexican La Trinidad - naw, Honduran El Puente - huh? Honduran? Have I had that? I take a whiff, mmmmmm, I'll take a pound of that please. And a carton of milk.

When I got home and began to make it it dawned on me, it was the Purple Princess! This stuff is great; and when I hit Rocky's switch my mental notes on the aroma were telling me that I was cupping! So I figured I'd follow through with the impromptu cupping, french press style:

Signs 'O Life

2007-02-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

Even the freak "snowstorm" can't stop the perpetual greenery.

Last Thursday we woke up to a fresh dusting of snow. Can you believe that most of Charlotte was closed down because of this? I can still see the grass!

But it melted so fast this was left:

Overhaulin'

2007-02-05T22:39:00.000-08:00

Time to overhaul the 'ol Craftsman 100 table saw. This beast was in storage for 5 years, so I had some rust to deal with. I think this is circa 1967 or so, back when men smelled like 3-in-1 oil and table saws were made out of cast iron. Then there was the summer of love and quality tools went straight into the crapper. The drugs make me digress... The ground, cast iron top cleaned up (eventually) and my $$$ pre-crappy-turned-home-improvement-store-making-garbage-out-of-third-world-countries 10" Delta saw blade made it virtually unscathed.

Cheap-ass Congress cast aluminum pulleys. Not worth a damn. This is the cheap way to balance the pulleys - take some weight off of the heavy side.

Much smoother after balancing the pulleys and adding the linkbelt.

Ahh, screw the old aluminum pulleys. I upgraded to a robust transmission with dual-belt, statically balanced cast iron pulleys from Grizzly. Huzzah!

Side note: these pulleys weigh too much for thier single set screw, as I found out during a 45 degree miter cut. The f#@&!ng pulley fell off of the motor shaft! A quick trip to the machine shop (basement) added a second, 1/4-20 set screw beneath the rightmost belt... So far so good.

The shocker (not to be confused with "one in the poo, two in the goo")

2007-02-02T22:22:00.000-08:00

Time to rewire! 225A panelboard, 225A service disconnect and a box of breakers. Now where is that wire??

There's that pesky wire! The service conductors are 250kCMIL - Southwire's MC Feeder, plus ground rod & conductor, fittings, etc. Hey, I do this shit for a living, *ahem* design this shit for a living. You think I'm going to cheap out on my own pad, sucker?

Yea? If you kept on talkin' I'd slap your goddamn mouth!

The best haircut

2006-12-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

Antonio's Barbershop in Larchmont, NY

It was a gorgeous day; and after a little altitude adjustment we got down to business. I got a burly little barber just back from break; and this guy played me like a piano - like the way a good pianist can sit down at an unfamiliar keyboard and still bang out a good tune. My chair never moved during the whole cut; instead this guy just danced around my head like a hummingbird with scissors exchanged for wings.

I seem to recall Paul Newman's description of Jackie Gleason's portrayal of Minnesota Fats in The Hustler, something to the tune of: "look at the way his fat fingers hold that cuestick, it's like he's playing a violin or something."

My hairstlyle was obviously longer and shaggier than the average patron (this is a barbershop after all) so my guy went after my hair with a kind of abandon, as if to say "how dare you walk into my domain with that mop!" so he showed me what he thought of my stylistic tendencies - in short order.

Nevertheless, I got what I consider to be one of the best haircuts of my life. Not the best haircut, mind you, but one of the best haircut experiences of my life. Even the payout was classy, I paid, he handed me change, I folded the change in half and put it right back in his hand.

Grazie Antonio's

Music Machine

2006-12-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

My new favorite rube goldberg (its an animation - not real)

This is the text circulating along with it:
This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa . Amazingly, 97% of the machines components came from John Deere Industries and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft Iowa , yes farm equipment! It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment, calibration, and tuning before filming this video but as you can see it was WELL worth the effort. It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.

Honda Accord Cog Commercial

2006-12-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite rube goldbergs.

Bob Burnquist -- on the big ramp

2006-12-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Wow! Bob Burnquist skates on the biggest ramp... ever

Doonetta! Pizzeria

2006-11-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

So here's the premise: over Thanksgiving break Josie's mom Antonietta makes some pizza, for which she is legendary. Josie proffers that her mom should open up a pizzeria because her pizza is so good. Josie even goes so far as to bequeeth it "Doonetta! Pizzeria" since her dad's nickname for her mom is 'Doonetta' and I latch right on to suggest that all of the pizzas be named after his Italian-influenced one-liners.

So the pizza menu might read something like this:

"I Know"meat lover's pizza
"Those Bastards"3-cheese pizza
"Acqua Puzza"cheese pizza
"You Gotta Be Shittin' Me" sheet pizza
"You No Listen" wrong topping pizza
"Be careful" pizza with hot peppers
"Little Bit" personal pizza

Did I forget any?

2006-11-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

I ran over to the local Harris-Teeter to pick up a case of wine- they had a grand/re-opening/remodeling wine/cheese/fisting/tasting/sale and I wasn't content with cleaning them out of PG Pinot, I made them backorder another case for safekeeping.

So anyway, I drop the case in the trunk and as we pull out to leave Josie says "hey look" and out of the car I spring- some boob had left their 12-pack of Miller in the bottom of their shopping cart. At least they were nice enough to bring it back to the little cart corral, mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Aida's Grand Reserve

2006-11-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Friday's cupping seemed to take forever to arrive, because we had a special treat awaiting us: Aida's Grand Reserve

A hand-sorted collection of peaberry-only coffee beans from El Salvador, this is Peter Guiliani's proverbial masterpiece. The cupping was a great time and the Grand Reserve was the hands down favorite. There was much discussion about the cost. Sorting and selection most certainly plays a significant role in developing any lot of coffee; but this is different. Just as cupping itself used to be for detecting defects, but now is largely used for quality evaluation; so are we now to the point that bean picking and hand culling is the "next wave" of pushing the quality barrier? As is the same with audiophilia, there are many, many tweaks between breakthroughs.

Each of us were lucky enough to get 2oz. of this 'blend' for our own evaluation. Man, I sweated the preparation, taking the extra time to make sure I had everything ready; mise-en-place. With a French press freshly decanted into a Nissan thermos, here we go:

Fragrance: berry explosion, chocolate, caramel, savory - even bordering on umami-like
Aroma: chocolate, the lighter spectrum of red wine pinots, less savory now/sticky sweet
Taste: wine sharpness, 72% chocolate, peas/asparagus
Body: round, instant salivation
Aftertaste: more, I want more - and a nice chocolatey linger

This coffee makes me think of a finely-tuned prize fighter corollaries, with all the power, quickness, grace and swagger that I could expect from a coffee. I'm thinking about someone like Evander Holyfield in his prime - beautifully unstoppable.

The only thing is... the price. At over $53 a pound, price is certainly this coffee's Waterloo. I was alluding to boxing because this type of thing gets me thinking about Friday Night Fights and the like. How would the Grand Reserve compare to other heavyweights like Misti Valley or my boy Tegu (that just sounds like a boxing name...)? There would be no knockouts here; but I think for my palate the Grand Reserve would get the split decision in the 12th round...

Smashing Pumpkins

2006-11-12T12:29:00.000-08:00

Ahh, smashing pumpkins... Always a good time.

Ooooh, look out Mr. Smiley! She's gonna wipe that shit-eating grin off of your face!

Shut up and get back in the car!

Stocks, sauces & soups at JWU

2006-11-10T22:37:00.000-08:00

Johnson & Wales put on a stocks, sauces & soups class for our Slow Food convivia. I was pretty stoked when Chef Gallaugher said most of our class was going to be held in the kitchen. I was digging this and revving my engines, so to speak. The other members seemed to have a mix of awe and trepidation. Definitely hands on, which is not just practical for the learning & memory curve; but essential for culinary techniques. Not that there was time for discussion on particular techniques, but there is always time to snatch tips & tricks through studied observation.

Observations:

Induction cooktops still aren't quite there for real cookery
Cheesecloth is too expensive for bouquet garni, just tie it up
You can't make 2 ounces of roux in standard pans; although I gave it the old college try
Brown roux is characterized by a nutty/popcorn smell, not color

Quibbles:

I think it would have been better on JWU's end to plan for normal batch sizes instead of small recipe-sizes.
Although mise en place was explained to us, it wasn't practiced on JWU's end. Whether or not this rests on the reliability of first year students looking for extra credit ("like herding cats" as Chef Gallaugher said), is tough to determine; but at least they were eager to fetch things for you...
It was readily apparant that the attempt at french onion soup was beyond salvage, but it was still finished and plated. In the real world it would have been tossed. If you want to demonstrate what goodfrench onion soup is for a class, make that one ahead of time.

All in all an enjoyable evening, we followed it up with some bar food and a Macanudo at Sullivan's.

Ciao.

Ring the bell school's back in, break it down, stop Header-time

2006-11-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

A decent milestone was hit, one that really give a bit of foresight as to what this monumental kitchen remodel has potential to be...

Here is the division between the kitchen proper and the sitting room, load-bearing wall is braced and ready to receive the header

I saved the removed columns and organized them for maximum capacity (mind you, I am not a structural engineer) by using the heartwood at the top where it is only in compression; and keeping the stronger sapwood in tension. The beam on the left will be on the bottom.

Like this.

The first beam in place.

The second beam in place. The beam clamps were necessary to correct a little camber in the upper beam...

The clamps are used to pull the cambered beam into place, then I'll toe-nail the two beams together...

I used cut-nails to join the beams. The rectangular cross section of the nails really holds the alignment tight.

And there you have it, a 7 foot opening.

Thanks JR! Miss Ellie would be proud of you...

2006-11-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

"I wouldn't give you the dust off my car" and other JR Ewing quotes at Ultimate Dallas!

Ha Ha, I love Dallas, but this tid-bit is a thanks to JR Cigar. In a recent order I got some incredible Fonseca #3 maduros on special and there was supposed to be a 4 pack of #4's included as a bonus. Instead, JR sent me a full box of #4's (25 cigars)!! Perhaps they ran out of sample packs? Or did they just get the order wrong? Who cares!!

The Fonseca #4 is a fantastic cigar, for me a two hour delightful journey. Fonseca is making some great cigars, I've had the 2's, 3's, 4's - always smooth and tasteful to the end, great construction, burn, smoke & ash.

Thanks JR!

Mmm, mmm, bones

2006-11-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

My love of bones-in-cooking has been a long, lovingly cultured relationship. Raised from a hearty lineage of Deutschlanders, I fondly remember way back to when I was 6 or so, begging my father for the leftover bone of his round steak. The marrow would dissolve in my little mouth; such a creamy, intense, tongue-rubbing experience. One of those basic, primordial moments of my childhood that seems so natural to me; but dissapointingly out of context with today's mainstream culture.

Which brings me to my point. I just began reading Jennifer McLagen's Bones,
and I got all the way to the top of page 3; where the first paragraph stopped me in my tracks, like some gastronomic mission statement:

Restoring bones to their deserved place in our kitchens will not be easy. First, we must fight against the current fascination with fast and quick, boneless food. Then we need to familiarize ourselves with the whole animal, its essential structure. When we understand where the bones are, we will be able to cook the meat attached to them. And, in a world where resources are increasingly limited, we must learn to value the entire animal. A cow isn't just tenderloin steaks, and there is more to a chicken than boneless breasts. We pay for the bones that are, or were, part of each piece of meat, poultry or fish we, whether we use them or not, so why not benefit from them? Finally, we must seek out knowledgeable, caring suppliers and support them, badger them , and implore them. The more we ask for different cuts, the more they will become available again.

Halloween 2006

2006-10-31T21:52:00.000-08:00

"It's so cold, when it hits your lips"

The ladies

The gents

And out to the bars

I say my good man, fancy a spot of tea?

Hairway to Steven

2006-10-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

With the ongoing renovations, it was time to get the hell out of the way by moving our bedroom upstairs. While technically the upstairs/bedroom renovation is planned as Phase IV or V, these things never travel a linear path. Case in point, to facilitate moving our box spring and headboard up a tight staircase with a 90 degree turn in the first three steps; a planned Phase VII project instantly became Phase II.

Calculate geometry, then begin the layout

Connect the dots (man, reciprocating saws are handy)!

Obligatory Lucy snapshot...

Ahh, play it smart though. Work from the crappy side first. Crappy you say ?!? I just applied that wallpaper last week! Seriously, it would make for a great hidden door... Or a bad acid trip...

What the fuck is all that racket?

And there you have your basic hole in the wall

Shit, I cut the hole too high! Now what??

Have some fun, that's what.

Crema debunked

2006-10-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

I just read a great article about crema on the Coffeegeek website - a detailed, partly scientific rational behind the mysteries of crema, why it occurs, what it means and how it can (or cannot) serve as a quality evaluator.

I definitely connected with the point of crema bubbles acting like tiny packages ready to unleash the aromatics as they burst on your tongue. To me, CO2 is acting as a sublime transporter of flavor; and the surface area aspect is proof of that. It occurs in cupping too, especially at the break, when you unleash that waves of aroma and flavors that are trapped in those tiny suspended bits of goodness. I'm also one of those guys that gets off on smelling the back of the spoon after you are finished adulterating the crust - that increasing surface area thing again...

As to the grinding aspect relating to the range of grinds, I think this is inevitable for now and always. No matter how razor sharp any particular grinder's burrs are there is going to be fracturing as well as cutting action present in the grinding, which will create uncontrolled particle sizes smaller than the intended grind size, not to mention the continued mechanical/friction of the grinds as they are dosed, distributed and packed.

Great article James, spot on.

Staub cookery - expensive but worth it

2006-10-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

So I bought a Staub dutch oven - I'd been ogling over these prodects ever since I saw one of their mussel pots. They're pricey, but very well constructed. The lids have concentric rings of little tits, basting spikes, as Staubs calls them. Yeah, yeah, more gimmickery right? Well yes and no. In the oven, you should see even temperatures at all points on the dutch oven; it acts as a sort of oven within an oven. No temperature differential = no condensation = no basting. But on the stovetop you will have a cooler lid and cooking vapors will condense off and return to the pot.

Check out the basting marks left in this carrot bisque:

Smells like fall & I'm ready for it

2006-10-15T18:44:00.000-07:00

Behold my newest acquisition:

Just in time for the falling leaves, not to mention the compact car-sized brush pile I've been building!

The chipper/shredder/vac has been near the top of my "things to get" list for a few months now; with all the white and willow oaks, not to mention the star magnolia, dogwoods, pecans and crepe myrtles. Needless to say, we're going to have a lot of leaves hitting the ground pretty soon. The past few years here at 1250 had little, if any maintenance of the grounds, so we've been playing a lot of catch-up just getting the place back to square one.

So I've been researching for a while, reading up on the Troy Builts, BCS, Merry Macs and so on. Troy Built seemed to be the likely contender with a 3" chipper/shredder/vac, but their reviews are hit and miss, with some "they used to make great stuff" thrown in. Then I found an ad for this Cougar/Echo. This thing is a beast! At full speed it is a deafening roar waiting to devour branches in the blink of an eye. And it came with an extra chipper/flail plate, bonus!

The blades, stout, sharp and with a decent relief:

Alright, time to take out the old chipper/flail plate and put that new one in. Since I didn't have a pulley puller handy, I had to improvise. After some frustration trying to find the right place to apply enough leverage to crack the plate free of the shaft, I noticed that the extra chipper/flail plate had threads on the mounting hole; and it dawned on me that Cougar had built the puller into the plate. Great engineering forethought, now all I had to do was get the right bolt. Hey, I wonder if that 1/2-13 bolt holding on the front wheel would work? Bingo! Coincidence? Methinks not.

New on left, old on right

Espresso Porn

2006-10-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Wowzers, my bros are getting fuckin' tight at capturing stellar crotchless pours. See "the best post ever" link on the sidebar for the full story...

Espresso Porn

First chili competition, no dice...

2006-10-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

I entered my first "official" chili competition today; and I'm sorry to say that I came up sans guerdon. I'm a transformed, turned die-hard disciple of the Texas-style chili camp: just top notch beef and seasoning, no vegetables or bean-based protein allowed. I strive for that special style of chili that is really too hot to eat, yet is so tasty that you need to take another bite.

What I have developed this far is an amazing concoction that builds heat in such a way that you don't sense the heat until the third or fourth yummy spoonful. Then it hits you, that woodsy chili powder burn that begins to build. Yet the meat, which is two different cuts of beef each processed differently: a chuck that is coarsely ground through a grinder and a loin that is variably 'blitzed' in a food processor for texture, is the star performer acting out the tender role of substance and flavor. To that are added varying stages of aromatics, earthy spices and heat components. To each it's individual part, they must add their qualities at the right time in the right proportion. Heat components are mostly dependent on the strength and time of addition. Hotter, insane peppers can be added at the early stages to create that building, additive burn that I search. Milder, tasty peppers can contribute to the latter stages for a rounded heat-flavor component.

Well, I was placed in a lineup at position 25 or so out of 30 contestants. By the time the tasters got to my chili they were pretty well chilied-out. I did get a bunch of reprisals, culminating with some refreshing comments such as "that's some good heat" and "wow, that's tasty...and hot." But no bone at this doggy show.

I'm sticking with the "heat is a stair that we all must climb" chili philosophy. There may not be any popular rewards coming my way anytime soon, but I'll still be cruising the road to Valhalla, Texas-chili style. Perhaps I'll make it to Terlingua someday after all...

"BUBBA, DO I SOUND LIKE A WOOKIE?"

2006-09-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

"BUBBA, DO I SOUND LIKE A WOOKIE?"
Originally uploaded by Doggies Are From Heaven.

Love this photo!

Kale and white bean soup

2006-08-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

I just posted my recipe for a Kale and white bean soup on Flickr and thought I'd cross-reference it here. Its based upon an Italian recipe that I learned somewhere a while back - I usually wing the recipe these days...

Word of the day: CrackBerry

2006-08-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

I know I am one of the fortunate ones to remain relatively untouched by CrackBerry addicts. These awesome little tools allow productive people to "stay connected" at a level that causes mere mortal's craniums to explode with all of the supercomputing, multi-tasking demands placed upon their swollen medullas.

The problem I see with this crap is that it reduces the user's attention spans to a sliver of what it should be. The next time you are in a big meeting, see if you can identify anyone doing the "BlackBerry Prayer ". Once you spot one (preferably when you have the floor) go out of you way to reel then back to reality with a well-timed "what are your thoughts on that, Meyers? You want me to repeat that? Perhaps if you paid more attention to this meeting than your CrackBerry you would be a productive architect."

Don't get me wrong - I looked into these a few years back when I got my pocketpc and I've been eyeing pocketpc phones for two years (damn two year contracts). I will no doubt have mobile email & surfing within my powers soon. Will I use it compare prices at antique stores? Sure will. That last second bid on eBay? Definitely. Will I jam up your inbox with worthless one sentence replies? Probably not, that's what text messaging is for.

Pretty soon I'm sure we'll see signs and placards indicating "BlackBerry Free Zone" or some such nonsensical bullshit. It boils down to being respectful, which along with thrift, focus and ingenuity are quickly becoming "olde timey" notions.

Milk processing

2006-07-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

So I got a gallon of fresh, raw whole milk from an Amish market in South Carolina. That's right, unpasteurized milk. Let's face it folks, we all have Louis Pasteur to thank for getting the dairy industry through a rough time (the dirty mid-1800's) but nowadays dairy cows are kept in pretty good condition in healthy clean environments. Especially from farms that sell raw milk! Pasteurization is controlled heating to kill pathogens, baterial and such; and while this is noble it also kills milk proteins and enzymes right along with it, leaving you with less milk than you had before.

So what, right? Well if you could taste the milk I'm drinking you just might see where I'm coming from. The other benefits are: more nutrition, higher yeilds if you make cheese; and more often than not you will have cream to skim off of the top! We have been drinking pasteurized, homogenized milk for so long that we lost our connection to real milk.

Thank you South Carolina, for not restricting raw milk to animal consumption only.

Pops in the park (Southpark that is)

2006-07-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

A bunch of friends got together to go see "Pops in the Park," the local symphony puts on free shows thoughout the summer. You bring a blanket, booze & food. The July 4th special was great since Josie's Bday was close...

Candice made a All American cake for Josie!

Night mode on my cell phone, not too bad...

We got a fireworks treat afterwards.

Ooooooooooooo

Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh

New digs

2006-06-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Check out the new casa, guided by the one and only Miss Lucy

Fresh & Local on Commonwealth

2006-06-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

I just found out the there is a farmers market just down the street from our new house. And this one touts being a market that actually purveys local produce, unlike other farmers markets that will peddle you stuff from California without origin disclosure! Now I'm not singling out any particular market; but thier name rhymes with Brings Jive Farmers Market.

Anyway the website is Charlotte Tailgate Farmers Market and the blog is here. Check it out.

The disclaimer is short, sweet and without any grandiloquence "You won't find resellers, chemicals, or pesticides here. Only local growers and producers, committed to sustainable agriculture and educated consumers."

Green arrows and the pole position dilemma

2006-06-08T05:42:00.000-07:00

When you have pole position at a turn, you are obligated to watch the light like a hawk and stomp on the gas the exact moment it turns green. Otherwise we might begin the cascading effect of each individual emerging from their own personal red-light hibernation.

Theoretically, we all should be doing this in unison: watching for the green arrow, then all stomping on the gas. What a beautiful sight that would be! A line of cars leaping to life like some water ballet maneuver...

For further reading on the "pinch effect" read this article from the Journal of Physics. If that is too elementary a more detailed version is at the Science Hobbyist.

Metropolitan Development and the war of German cars

2006-06-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

A new Dull-velopment is getting built in Charlotte on the barren wasteland of what once was Midtown Square. We'll forgoe the irony that the age of the plaza would have placed it in the penultimate days of metropolitan-shopping-by-foot.

I think a more fitting name for the development would have been Deutscher-Autokrieg, given status of the symbols in the parking lot. These were snapped over the course of several mornings on my walk to work:

Cup, cup and away!

2006-05-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

What "normal" people would surely find odd is that it's a beautiful Saturday morning; and here I sit practicing my cupping slurp with my new cupping spoon. Yesterday's cupping ended with surprise gift giving: Lell had purchased some antique sterling silver bouillon spoons and rewarded her, as she loves to call us, "serial cuppers."

Cupping slurp you say?! WTF is that?

Yes, 'tis true. Amazingly, the geometry of a spoon's bowl turns out to be a sensitive parameter. Change it a little bit by swapping to a different spoon and lo, you might just see a seasoned cupper slurping like a newbie.

Dribbling.
Coughing.
Skwlerping

I am amazed by the thermal properties of sterling silver. The handle gets really warm, not hot, just this cozy warmness like holding onto a hot beverage when you're out in the cold. The bowl of the spoon appears to be a spherical section; and is surprisingly easy to cup with, once you get the hang of it. I'm finding that coffee is aspirating more evenly with a great consistent spray into the mouth. I also can't get all of the coffee out of the bowl; there always seems to be a bit left in the spoon. I think it's deepness of the bowl that is causing two things to happen simultaneously: there is more coffee in the bowl and my slurp doesn't have enough 'vacuum' to clean out the deeper bowl.

So here I sit - half cupping, half drinking my morning coffee: Counter Culture's COE Bolivia Carrasco Pico del Tucan (the Toucan's beak). F'in-A amazing, I get a sweet milk chocolatey aroma with wafts of Bit-O-Honey, a pleasant-but-firm brightness and a little savory pinch in that back of the nasal passage and jowls that makes me reach for another cup!

Airless tyres?

2006-05-04T06:42:00.000-07:00

Michelin is working on some tires that might just change the way we drive. Since they don't rely on air pressure for structural support, ride comfort and performance aren't necessarily tradeoffs anymore. You could design this as a cushy tire for bumps (vertical) but still be stiff around a corner (lateral).

Read the article on Engadget or the entry in Wikipedia

It's about time Mr. Bento

2006-04-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

My asian pursuasion has kicked in lately, check out today's lunch box:

Further reading: Mr. Bento Porn

One hundred things about me

2006-04-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

These lists seem like popular blog fodder. Okay, here goes.

From the top:
001>Born in a heat wave in August, an overdue baby, I weighed 8lbs-10ozs.
002>I was born with 6 toes on my right foot. I still have it in a jar. Just kidding (about the jar).
003>I bit my first human arm at age 3.
004>I was known in my neighborhood for running around the front yard, naked!
005>I was the biggest kid around until age 6.
006>My brother and I got Dutch-Boy haircuts until we complained.
007>I jumped, fully clothed, into a pool at 6. My cousin saved me.
008>My uncle had a cottage on Seneca Lake in NY; but I've never been crazy about water.
009>I loved soccer as a kid.
010>I loved being in the Scouts. I can't wait to be involved as a parent.
011>My father held a master diver's license.
012>I love dogs. Cat's are okay, depends on the cat.
013>At 8 I wanted to become a wine taster, those guys know a lot.
014>In 2nd grade I would day-dream a lot. I got put into the Gifted and Talented program and got to go on a lot of field trips.
015>My first job was paperboy. What ever happened to paperboys?
016>Arcade games consumed most of my paper route money.
017>I set my backyard on fire at 9. Practicing for a scout badge...
018>I used to play Dungeons & Dragons.
019>My parents were probably worried that I wouldn't "turn out okay."
020>At age 14, my IQ was tested at 153.
021>I am a goal oriented person.
022>I haven't spoken to my father since I was 16.
023>One night at Josh Kenny's house someone put out a cigarette in my beer unbeknownst to me. I puked and slept in his bathtub.
024>I got A's and D's throughout high school. A few F's too.
025>I became interested in survivalism around this time. Mostly just a love of the outdoors.
026>I couldn't live for long without music.
027>I've always been good at taking tests.
028>I take my tomato juice with pepper, Worchestershire and horseradish.
029>People that light campfires with lighter fluid are pussies.
030>I was "this close" to becoming a forester. I was accepted to Paul Smith's University.
031>I went "on tour" with the Grateful Dead for a while in 1992.
032>I have three tattoos.
033>I've hiked over Mt. Marcy with a full backpack through 40mph wind and driving sleet in early May.
034>I won a half scholarship to RIT in a competative test. I'm that cheap.
035>I drank more than my share in college.
036>I hit a deer on the Interstate in downtown Rochester.
037>I like to accomplish things by myself.
038>I bought my first house before I turned 30.
039>I wish I could draw/sketch better.
040>I respect nature.
041>I've pissed in the canals of Amsterdam.
042>My great grandfather's name is Adolf.
043>People say I have a great memory.
044>I really want to make wine.
045>I lost my typing skills. I am trying hard to get them back.
046>Glass engraving is in my heritage. I'd love to learn how to do it.
047>People that surf while on the telephone. I want to punch them in the face.
048>I proudly label myself a "coffeegeek."
049>I despise disposable things.
050>I moved to Charlotte, NC in 2001.
051>I followed the love of my life here.
052>You can't find grocery coupons in Charlotte.
053>I miss the woodshop-in-progress I had at my house in NY.
054>Young people aren't thrifty and this concerns me.
055>I want to hike the Appalachian Trail. All of it.
056>I absolutely love tinkering with things.
057>I had a near death experience white water rafting on the New River in West Virginia.
058>I've brewed beer.
059>My favorite singer/songwriter is Virgil Shaw.
060>The New York Yankees are the best baseball team ever, period.
061>I hate repeating myself, pay attention!
062>I want to go bird hunting more often.
063>If you have to ask, boxers.
064>I hold zero patents; and this is driving me mad.
065>I love Ohio Blue Tip matches.
066>I want to learn to cut sashimi.
067>I miss the New York farmland.
068>I miss the 4 seasons. There is no winter here.
069>I'm 25% complete on the South beyond 6000 hiking challenge.
070>I drink bourbon, preferably Knob Creek.
071>I've only had 5 cars, 2 VWs and 3 Audis. I had a 1967 Ford F100 first, but never got it on the road.
072>I'd love to visit my friend Matt in Australia.
073>My apartment building burned down last year. I had too much stuff anyway.
074>Email is mostly a waste of time.
075>The school system in Charlotte is fucked. You could live 1 block from a school and get bussed across town.
076>I really wish I could compost in a small apartment.
077>I've had more dental work than you, guaranteed.
078>Cellphones are invading my personal space.
079>Slowfood.org is the key to fine food.
080>I'm LEED certified and I'm concered with sustainability.
081>I just squashed a bug.
082>Machine shops are cool.
083>I lost a priceless journal full of ideas.
084>I've never boken a bone in my body.
085>I'm worried about American culture and where it is heading.
086>I recycle. I wish I recycled more.
087>I love to cook at home.
088>I wish coffee farmers made a better living.
090>I like cigars, lately Fonseca #2's.
091>I love to develop and master new techniques.
092>I look for hawks while going down the Interstate.
093>I have more than a dozen chef's knives.
094>I read Cradle to Cradle by Bill McDonough and there may be hope for us after all.
095>Somehow I know exactly what Grandaddy is saying.
096>I wish I had the motivation to network our 3 computers and printer together.
097>I'm fighting time-compression with all of my might.
098>Today I weigh 155lbs
099>I'm 32.
100>I didn't mind accents until I began hearing "hundred" pronounced "hunderd"

Stop whining!!

2005-11-11T14:40:00.000-08:00

The wine par-tay began innocent enough.

The hors d'oeuvres were c'est magnifique!

The ladies were in high spirits

Then this guy shows up with a bag of balloons and his Swedish balloon pump

And all hell broke loose!

I went on a rampage, destroying any moving object (made of latex)

Mr. Smurfy McKnight was trying to defend the Chalice of Zagnut or some shit; so I feigned right, stepped back, wound up and rolled a 3 on my 12-sided die

...and I got pistol whipped by the old misdirection "hey, your shoe's untied"

Did it get dirty? That balloon is five feet long...

Somehow, re-enacting the scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where the cops roll in on the Griswolds after they abducted bossman Frank Shirley and yell "Freeze!" just doesn't seem quite right here...

We broke the Guinness record for balloon-sword swallowing

I tried to immediately break that record, but it went horribly awry

The party pretty much broke up after that

Jeng-o-ween

2005-11-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Guess what I was for Halloween this year. I literally put this together Friday, the day with all the parties...

I put in a trap door for those of who only know this game as drinking Jenga. Social!

My big game pieces scared the shit out of this German kraut. It didn't even faze Anthony Michael Hall though...

I got a cheer

Rocky was going to kick this guy's ass until I blocked the punch. We all had a chuckle afterwards.

NEIN! NO SAUERKRAUT IN HERE MEIN SPAETZLE!

Then Kenney Rodgers managed to put a chair on my head; and I didn't know it!

Woop Woop

Alas, all good things come to an end--- at a house party. How can you deny the mezmerizing chants of "Jenga - Jenga - Jenga"

Sinonara Jeng-o-ween!!

Charlie Hunter, baby

2005-09-12T01:19:00.000-07:00

I've seen Charlie Hunter many times over the years; and just like your favorite winery, he gets better with every visit while continually evolving and refining his style. It's pure amazement listening to the layers of sound that pours out of that Novak guitar.

This was the first time I had heard or seen John Ellis; and man, this guy is a musician's musician. Multitasking between many horns, keys and melodica! I've been to a few MMW shows where John Medeski whipped out the melodica; it always reminds me of listening to Stevie Wonder when I was young in the 70's...

The trio on a groove. Derrek Phillips had great speed and touch on the drums, wafting effortlessly from whisper quiet to headache inducing cacophony. Had me thinking of Tony Williams, illyB, Stanton Moore.

2005/6 SERBC

2005-09-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday. A gorgeous day for a roadtrip.

The Murkey dojo was strong. The baristas were focused.

Actually, given my vantage point some 30 feet away, only Ryan's white shirt gave me enough illumination to meter a decent exposure. Ah, the trouble with point and shoot digi-cams. I need a decent camera with shutter priority so I can lock at 1/60 and deal with the EV in post production.

Check out ninja Jay Caragay blending into the background.

PeterG stunned the audience early on by spontaneously breaking into Cracklin' Rosie on a dare; and I managed to snap this one just before he closed the show with Kentucky Woman.

One roaster's compassion may just save us all

2005-09-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Master roaster Tony Sciandra has conjured up his own vehicle to assist others in the wake of hurricane Katrina: he is donating Caffe Fresco's net profits for the month of September!

What does this mean to you? It means you can help others in need and treat yourself at the same time.

Huh?

Trust me. The treat is that in a few days some incredible coffee is going to land on your doorstep. So trot on over to Caffe Fresco and order up a bag or two. If you enjoy coffee you'll be staring into an empty bag before too long.

Good for you. Good for Tony. Good for us all.

Piece of cake!

2005-08-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

Peace of mind?
Piece of cake!
Thought control!
You get on board anytime you like

I had un unsuspecting mini-birthday party. It was great. Lots of cake. Lots of things I need were bestowed upon me. Socks. Ties. Shirts. Underwear.

My biological birthday is Saturday. I hope my friends bestow lots of shots upon me.

Take a picture, here in the daylight
Oh, ho!
And it's a wild, wild life

Magic and Loss

2005-08-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

When you pass through the fire
you pass through humble
You pass through a maze of self doubt
When you pass through humble
the lights can blind you
Some people never figure that out

I was trying to think of an appropriate song for yesterday's post. It was eluding my thoughts so I skipped it. This morning it came to me like a flash.

Lou Reed. Magic & Loss.

The lyrics throughout this whole album are as powerful as they are frightful and daring. I haven't listened to it in a long while since the topic matter is pretty bleak: cancer, death, reticence, anguish, loss. Not the most upbeat songs. Yet powerfully beautiful in their expression. A bent similar to Beck's Sea Change, just not as languid. Quite fitting for me right now, actually.

I think you need a good downer as a point of perspective, an anchor if you will. Life is full of highs and lows. Physical and spiritual. I've been on top of mountains out west, I've been happier than one man should be. I've been sucked underwater with the cracks of death anonymously close; and now the comforts of my physical world have been destroyed.

You have to be very strong
'cause you'll start from zero
over and over again
And as the smoke clears
there's an all consuming fire
lying straight ahead

I'm not going to say that they were only material things that can be replaced, because not one day goes by that I wish it never happened. I would not care about the indifferent things: books, music, clothes. Buy new things, that's what you do. Except that I still feel like I got raped and left for dead in some dark alleyway. Wounds may heal, but scars last forever.

When you pass through
anger and self deprecation
and have the strength to acknowledge it all
When the past makes you laugh
and you can savor the magic
that let you survive your own war
You find that that fire is passion
and there's a door up ahead not a wall

I need to reconcile these events; and realize that things will get better but they will never be the same. Layer new things and new memories on top of the cracks, fill in the gaps, salvage what you can and reconstruct the rest.

And if the building' burning
move towards that door
but don't put the flames out
There's a bit of magic in everything
and then some loss to even things out

From Lou Reed's Magic and Loss

Memory and Loss

2005-08-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I began to tackle books. I consider myself an avid reader, so there is considerable volume to process. In general, my engineering, music, photography, art and nonfiction books faired pretty well; the cookbooks are shot (I had them in the kitchen); the fiction, gardening/horticultural, and historical books are all goners.

My personal gutshot was losing Larousse's Gastronomique, a tome I loved not only as a reference, but as an idiom of what cookery and cuisine are all about. I would sometimes read through it on Sunday mornings, when I had all I had planned for the day was "play time" in the kitchen. This baby will be one of the first replacements.

A dime for a cup of coffee

2005-08-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Old man down, way down down, down by the docks of the city.
Blind and dirty, asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee.
I got no dime but I got some time to hear his story.

Subject: CG'er TWO MARTINIS could use some help
Coffeegeeks one and all, I don't know what to say except thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

My coffee and espresso time will obviously be on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time. Some of my equipment made it; but most was trashed. I saved some cups, but of course my Rufus Willis cups were MIA. I don't know if my FF!X5 works or not. My Super Jolly isn't jolly anymore, it got super-trashed:

And here's a fitting end to Illy beans:

But don't fret CG-ers, I'm drinking a wonderful cup of Kenya AA (french press) from the one and only Counter Culture Coffee! These beans rock the casbah: black cherries, citrus and a winey brightness that I love (I'm a brightness freak).

I'm trying to keep my head up. I didn't lose my sense of humor either because I need it now more than ever! Perhaps I'll be one of the first guys with a Synesso for home use!

But I'll get back on my feet again someday,
The good Lord willin', if He says I may.
I know that the life I'm livin's no good,
I'll get a new start, live the life I should.
I'll get up and fly away, I'll get up and fly away, fly away.

Pork roll egg cheese and bacon

2005-08-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

I got an awesome sound, goin' down
Got an awesome sound, goin' down
Got a pork roll egg cheese and bacon

Hit me again! Stop it. Hit me again! Oh yeah. Hit me again! Stop it. Hit me again!

All of my stuff reeks of smoke, of course; and you can even tell which mini-storage unit is mine just by walking past it. The funny thing is, the particular strain of smoky scent conjures up visions of bacon! A distinct bacon-esque component is laden in my stuff.

"Mmmmm, bacon" (Homer Simpson)

Here's my theory: the building was circa 1912, when lumber was real lumber and walls were made of plaster. A common component of lath & plaster walls was hickory lath boards. Yes hickory. Very stong and resiliant, even when split into thin strips. Also great for barbeque and various smoked meats...

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco

2005-08-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco - this ain't no fooling around - No time for dancing, or lovey dovey, I ain't got time for that now...

More up-to-date information about the "fire inside" or whatever you want to call it. I've more or less got my stuff into a mini-storage and am proceeding from that standpoint. Tonight was laundry night; Josie and I laundered five triple loader's worth at the local laundromat. I think I managed to save about 25% of my clothing.

Speaking of Josie, I don't know what I would do without her. She's a rock! Having someone you can count on through a shitty time makes it a whole lot less shitty.

Thanks babe!

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down

2005-08-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

Letting the days go by/water flowing underground

Make that: seeing the carpet stained/water squishy underfoot

That was my first impression when the firemen let us back into our apartments. Just walking up the stairs gave us preamble to the soak-a-rama that was coming. Or, as Don Martin would have put it: SHKWITZ SHKWITZ SCHKLURT, SKLORK SKLORK SKLOOSH.

Man, all my sacred belongings were trashed! I mean, I know I had a lot of shit; but how can all of it be trashed?? WTF?? The coup de grace was that my Resto couch and chair were summilarily executed, instead of merely being tortured by smoke, water and char...

Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...Same as it ever was...

Burnin' down the house

2005-08-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

Three, hun, dred, six, ty, five, de, grees, burnin' down the house!

Well folks, not only am I a transplanted Northerner, now I am a homeless transplanted Northerner. In an amazing bong-related mishap that involved 16 squatter-hippies, a ball of hash and a bit too much falafel; Scooby, Shaggy and the whole happy-go-lucky crew managed to torch a vacant unit in my apartment building.

The irony here is that when I pulled out of my lot at work, I thought I caught a whiff of a little barbeque action as I passed Ericsson Stadium. Then as I got closer to my place I saw the plume of smoke. At first I thought to myself, "whoa, that's in my neighborhood; and what's up with that helicopter?"

So a bunch of us sat and watched the pyrotechnics until the fire chief told us to go get a good night's sleep; because tomorrow would be a long day for us.

The Charlotte Observer newspaper articles are here:
Multimedia | Photos from the Dilworth fire
Hot day, blaze spark biggest crew since '94
Aftermath: Scorched and soggy

NRA baby! (that's New River Adventures)

2005-07-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

Holy Toledo did I have a blast this weekend!

A mess of friends traveled up to West Virginia to raft the lower New River. Class IV's and a few Class V's, but the most adventure was when I got dumped at the head of Miller's Folly, a lengthy Class IV+ rapid. It began with the raft slamming into a rock, then three of us getting pitched off of the front of the raft, going through a hydraulic that kept me under for 5-6 seconds, then a whole lot of wave skipping, gasping for air, bumping bottom rocks, swimming, more bumping, etcetera for 500 yards or so. Not fun. No time to be scared. Could have been worse. A long swim will give you perspective, the long view.

All in all a supreme adventure. Our raft didn't flip, others did. Truck back to camp for fun and mis-adventure. The highlight of the night had to be the guides introducing us to Edward 40 Hands. How on earth I have never heard of this penultimate drinking game is lost on me. Too much fun, I still chuckle just thinking of it.

William Tell was a riot as well. Every close throw, the crowd would gasp "OHHHHH" like Tiger Woods just missed a 60 foot putt. Hilarious.

The entire set can be viewed here:
NRA trip

Vincenzo's Wedding

2005-07-02T21:38:00.001-07:00

Josie's cousin Vince and fiance Cynthia were gloriosly married on this beautiful day. Much celebration, regailia & libation ensued immediately.

Look at this lineup. Within seconds the chatter was thick enough that you'd swear you were at an auction; and the bidding is furious!

The next day had a lower key gathering of friends and family.

Replete with solo accordian, courtesy of Armando Pasquale.

This guy also makes some great wine!

L-R: Josephine (figlia), Antonietta (mamma), Giuseppina (nonna) and Nancy (figlia)

The day after that another party was thrown for Josie's birthday. The feast commenced and the celebration was invigorating for most, but proved to be tiring for some.

Do you really think I'd pass up an opportunity like this? Not under my watch soldier!

Bellisimo!

In the doledrums

2005-06-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

No posts lately because, well I pretty much broke the toe next to my big toe during volleyball playoffs. I leaped up at the net a bit off kilter, managed to smackdown the ball; but in the process involuntarily kicked my right leg out for counterbalance. Turns out I kicked the guy across from me right in the kneecap!

I heard a click and before I hit the sand I knew my volleyball chances were running slim. My toe was pointing South, unfortunately I was pointing Southeast...

Laying low, gaining weight, healing well. Ciao.

Black Sheep movie night

2005-06-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

A bunch of friends gathered at a local bike shop, Black Sheep Cycles, last night to watch a classic flick, Flash Gordon, outdoors on the side of the shop wall. Much excitement, suspense and melodrama ensued - mainly proprtional to alcohol intake....

Hola Amigos:

You gonna roll on my chrome??

Oh no you don't Ming

I seem to have lost my appetite

Shining Rock Ledge, check...

2005-06-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I must acclaim that my return to Shining Rock after the rain-out was triumphant, to say the least. I managed to motor out to the Western boonies of North Carolina again this weekend to retackle what mother nature had unrightfully denied me.

The Shining Rock Ledge proved to be an absolutely wonderfull, secluded space. I was amazed at both the remoteness and the granduer of the range. Essentially a cascading set of 8 peaks beginning with the tallest of the bunch: Black Balsam and ending at the majestic Cold Mountain, the rolling range was complete with open grassy balds, rhododendron obscured peaks, rock outcroppings and the pine covered quartz top of Shining Rock. Even though I managed to forget the SD card for my Nikon, I still managed to collect a decent set of photos; albeit selective low rez ones with the onboard memory, doh!

I found myself repeatedly comparing the easy going nature of these Appalachian hills to the euro-alpine ruggedness of the Adirondaks. While I could stand and gaze with complete content at the 360 degree vistas of seemingly endless ranges and ridges of Appalachia, why was my mind making a mental check of the in-your-face trails, timberline and 'holy crap' vistas of the 'Daks? Did I think the Blue Ridge was too easy going? I mean, Most of the trails I've hit so far are easily accessible from a road, have moderate vertical gains and generally find me whistling care-free down the trail. Contrast this to the inky-black muck 'n' boulders trails in the High Peaks of the 'Daks; where you #@!$!@& curse your way all the way up the climb, only to relent with complete exhaltation once at the top. I don't know, it just seems like the reward is a bit sweeter if the road to the top is a bit sour.

Anyway, 8 down, 32 to go.

Sunset of the gods:

The Catawba Rhododendron in full effect:

Yeehaw!

You can view the entire albumn here:
Shining Rock Redux

Still I wonder, who will stop the rain?

2005-06-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

For two consecutive weekends now, my hiking desires have been dumped on by mother nature. Don't get me wrong, being outdoors in the pouring rain is better than being stuck inside on a sunny day. This past weekend was supposed to include a 10 mile hike on the Art Loeb Trail in western North Carolina. The loop includes 5 peaks above 6000 feet, with the main attraction being Shining Rock. Josie and I pulled up to the trailhead as the light was fading and got our hike on as soon as we could toss on our packs.

A quarter mile later brought the monsoons; and we were forced to hurry-up pitch under a tree for the night. While I tried to toss and turn around the tree root that was beneath me, the rain still came down steadily. I finally faded off to a decent night's sleep and the morning brought a quasi rainy morning.

The day ended up worthless for hiking and we bagged it, only to see the weather clear up somewhat... All in all the day turned out great, driving along the BRP, stopping in Asheville, picking up fixings at a local market, then heading back out on the BRP for a little picnic...

Traveling through time on the BRP:

The many stages of the Catawba Rhododendron:

A hidden secret:

If you look close, the blowup will reveal the hidden nugget.

South Beyond 6000

2005-06-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

After last weekend's glorius hike and with this past weekend's hike botched (work, weather & timing); I've had time to decide to undertake the South Beyond 6000, a tour of 40 of the highest [41] peaks East of the Mississippi. I even ordered the guide book for it.

All of this got me looking up lightweight backpacking (well, mostly reading the ultralight websites with a grain of salt). I've never weighed stuff out to optimize weight, I go by feel and a modicum of common sense. I've never minded carrying a 35-ish pound pack. My pack is comfortable, the workout is good and packs always get lighter as you hike... Now I'm gearing up to do the weighing thing with a scale. My goal is 10% base pack weight reduction without elimination, i.e. I can't cut anything out, I can only make stuff lighter: like I'm still bringing the 7oz of Knob Creek, but the steel hip flask has got to go. Time to begin drilling holes in the toothbrush!

Hopefully I will be able to view a decent chunk of the list this season, including some bushwhacks and out of the way peaks. I made the mistake of doing all of the 30 or so popular peaks of the ADK's 46r; and that's about as far as it got.

Anyway,

3 down,

37 to go.

2005-05-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend turned out to be more than one could have hoped for. I scored a new, single-wall ultralight tent at a local store's sale, then headed out to the NC/TN border for some Appalaichan Trail fun!

What blew me away was the delicacy of the alpine-esque tundra, complete with grassy fields at 6000+ feet, midget pines and meadow flowers.

Tundra

Meadow flowers

These mountains are wonderful, and the AT is reasonably gentle throughout this stretch, at least to a hiker used to the ADK trails. The rhododendron gardens near Roan High Bluff are supposed to be in full bloom at the end of June; and judging from the amount of rhododendron thickets I saw, it should be mindblowing! I'm planning the return trip as I type...

The full photo album is on my Yahoo photo page

Smack Down! kicked some serious you know what

2005-05-26T22:42:00.001-07:00

Well, tonight my volleyball team, Smack Down! kicked some serious ASS, so celebration was in order. Three games out, all solid winners. All of us just gelled, and beautiful bump-set-spikes ensued. Afterwards we toasted the town and I enjoyed many an Old Speckled Hen at the local pub; and polished off the evening with a well deserved Macanudo.

Cheers, huzzah!!!

Caffe Fresco roasting wizardry

2005-05-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

The Daterra rant, it turns out, had less to do with the actual origin than the man behind the wheel so to speak. It also turns out that this particular batch is not 28 days out of roast; but 34! Amazing yet true.

Caffe Fresco roaster Tony Sciandra describes his roasting technique as encasing each and every bean with a sugar-brown enamel. What this apparently boils down to is roast batches that are essentially unusable for 6 days of degassing, as opposed to the normal 2-3 days. The upshot to this, obviously, is that the usable duration of the average bag exceeds most everything else. I think Tony should be knicknamed "magic fingers" because he's doing something to coffee beans that is heretofore known as impossible by my account.

Aging Daterra pulling too well?

2005-05-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight's espresso was from "old stock" Caffe Fresco Daterra Reserve that I had on hand, unfortunate or so I thought, since I had just run out of Counter Culture Toscano. I jumped on the Caffe Fresco bandwagon a month ago, mainly to try out the famed Ambrosia blend (suh-wheet) and got a bag of Daterra as well because I had heard good things.

Normally I would shy away from using month old beans and wait for a new delivery, but founder Tony Sciandra has this roasting technique that prolongs the lifespan of a roasted coffee bean, to quote Tony:

"My slow, gentle roast style yields a bean with most of its outer cell structure intact and incased with a sugar-brown enamel. You'll see. The beans are dark in color and dry. I feel the prime flavor window is between days 6 through 10 after roast. Some customers like it all the way out to day 14. I even have had customers tell me that an unopened bag was good out to 20 days after roast."

True enough, and I'm here to tell you that 28 days out of roast works in a pinch. Certainly the blend has lost some of its subtleties, yet when I pulled it as a ristretto I still found it to be luscious and chocolatey, with hints of dried fruit that were suprising (I couldn't peg the flavor) and a bright candy-sweet finish on the last sips.

Bravo Tony.