Rural Route 1

What starts as a solo turns into a chorus in the mouth

2009-11-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

I’d love to see college football coaches wear coat and ties. Many of these guys are making bank and shouldn’t look like they just rolled out of bed. Bo looks terrible. Tressel is ok but I’m thinking along the lines of Bear Bryant.

I had a run in with a lady on the Tennessee Valley Trail whose sister I know I met on Whidbey Island. I’m still having a hard time shaking the venomous vitriol the women was spewing. She must be a terribly unhappy person, hasn’t been boned in 20 years and probably is paying too much on car insurance.

I love watching Matty talk cars. I bet his kids will have go carts. He and the lady will be the pit crew complete with outfits and those special kicks that look like wrestling shoes.

This guy might be certified but I like his honest, no nonsense reviews (he’s a fan of Drive-by-Truckers) and the read on his history of rock music is fascinating.

For a push present, I think Mitch should get Kat a Vanagon.

Zin Alley is putting out the most interesting and delicious Zinfandel in Paso Robles for sure and possibly California. I just had the 06 Zin again and it was delicious. It is all the things that you would expect in a Zin – spicey, peppery, with a hint of berry flavors but what separates 06 Zin from the rest is the supple tannins and super long finish. If you are in Paso and have the means, I highly suggest it. It is soo choice.

I know I’m late to the party but “The Wire” is a great series. I just got through first season and cannot wait to get thru the remaining four. It is gritty, real and has a ton of character development. It’s hard not to think of the series “Barney Miller” when the team is in the basement. McNulty feels like a train about ready to come off the rails but he has enough talent, huevos and luck to keep him on track and moving forward. Damn, its good!

I know I’m getting old as I have a Ch-ch-ch-chia of the Nose and Eyebrows going on. Pdiddle does too.

I typically read two things on the throne…Huskerpedia and this site, Arts & Letters Daily. I get my sports and intellectual fix while dropping off the kids. I walk out feeling enlightened from top to bottom.

Mader Fakerrr!!!

2009-10-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Any player should get the Heisman regardless of the side of the ball he plays. That said, the Heisman is the NFL kiss of death and I’d like to see Suh make the transition to Sundays. Tebow or Spiller can have it.

Eff you E-l-e-c-t-r-o-n-i-c Software Delivery.

I don’t need to necessarily hear about my single friends escapades. What blows my hair back is connecting the dots or creating an environment where it happens.

I’m loving this brew-ha-ha between Bourdain and Waters. SF vs. NYC. East Coast vs. West Coast. Biggie vs. Tupac. If you want a really inventive, cutting edge meal that you won’t soon forget, go to Chicago.

Modern Family is a great show…..surprise!!!!

If SF doesn’t work out, my buddy Gene should set up camp in Chicago and blog about gastronomical hi-jinks.

If you would have told me 5 years ago that in October 2009 I was going to be married and watching primetime TV in the evenings I would have kicked you in the shin.

The wineries in the Calaveras County at the base of the Sierra Foothills are impressive – Hatcher, Twisted Oak, Tanner and Lavender Ridge immediately come to mind. Think Paso Robles 10 years ago with all the history of the gold rush.

I can now say that getting off the road and making the move out West in 2006 is paying off. The house, wife, job are great and I’m truly blessed but I’ve been able to fish and hunt like I’m a kid again. Oh hells yeah!! Eff you Premier Exec and Hilton Diamond VIP.

My Russian network colleague that sits on the other side of the pubical should get a room. He loves putting his crackberry on speaker for the entire southwest corner to hear. I now know all the ins and outs of my companies network. Like Kasparov on the chess board, I envision him manipulating the network with all its routers, switches and servers. Ipconfig here, ping there!!! I can tell the difference between a Sev 1 or Sev 2 issue by his disfluency. When this shit is hitting the fan, he is at a loss for English words and his accent gets stronger and that’s when I start to giggle. Think John Malkovich in Rounders.

I don't believe my buddy JP ever took his dip out during the entire wedding, even during the meal.

I feel like I need a month to decompress on all the ‘09 happenings. I’m thinking a tepid (to be on the safe side) sweat lodge with plenty of vihta…

My cousin Ken... Kendall, from Indiana, he got high once, and you know he started eating like really weird foods.

2009-09-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

The VT game was a lot of fun to watch. Yeah we lost but the boys played hard. I don’t remember feeling a sting of loosing like that for a few years. Maybe this means the mediocrity of the Callahan Era was worn off.

“There's one sure way to stop us from scoring (a touchdown) — give us the ball near the goal line.'' – SMU coach Matty Bell

I have a whole new respect for what it takes to plan a wedding. Knowing what I know now, I’d have sent my RSVPs in a lot sooner back in the day.

RIP Dalton from the Double Deuce.

The rifle foot junior from Omaha Alex Henery will have a great career in the NFL. I always thought long snappers had it good but being a place kicker and punter would be nice as well.

If I were a Russian billionaire, I too would want to buy a sports franchise to launder all of my money and give me enough of a profile so I wouldn’t be fish food. Brilliant! Especially if I actually enjoyed the sport I was buying into. Double brilliant!!

There was a couple of months it seemed that many of the folks who figured prominently in my childhood died – Michael, Farrah, John Hughes, Patrick, etc. I would have been especially crushed if Ron Popeil took the dirt nap. I’ve caught some lunkers with that Pocket Fisherman.

I’ve probably seen “The Breakfast Club” more times than any other movie. That’s saying much as there was an impressive run with “Caddy Shack” with Garcia. For me, Hughes captured the essence of my high school experience in that movie. It got me thru it actually. That and Weiland repeating every line in class. Great stuff.

I feel like our generation needs a movie like “The Big Chill”.

I love that fact my youngest nephew asks for the “Chewy”. His "Vader" isn’t too bad.

If those don’t work out with the lady, I might ring Cat Deeley. The lady feels the same way about Eric of True Blood.

Don't Horse It!

2009-09-22T11:39:00.001-07:00

Things have been a little busy leading up to my big day but wanted to post a few pics from my recent bachelor party on Whidbey Island. Good times... More posts and pics to come.

Where's the damn door Doug?

2009-07-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

You occasionally hear of an off-duty cop getting in a fight or scuffle. You never hear of an off-duty meter maid getting in a fight. Shame really. There is a meter maid in San Rafael that could use an ass kicking. Thanks for the tow buddy.

Read a great book over the last weekend – “Heat” by Bill Buford. I’ve been told I need to check out "Among the Thugs" by him as well. In due time now I’m really getting into “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet”.

SF needs a great kebab stand. There are many things that I miss about living in Europe and this is one of them. Lamb meat or some meat from unknown origin with thin, not too doughy wrap with various fresh and pickled vegetables topped with a white garlicky sauce and spicy chili sauce. The one near Iroquois in Zurich was hands down the best. I’ve given some thought of flying that guy over here to get me started. I’m loving this trend of people cooking and selling food off a cart of truck. The food is usually cheap and most of the time delicious. I might have found my new calling.

Conversely, I missed good Mexican food in Europe. That said, I’ve had some of my best tacos from a taco truck in SF. The truck near Best Buy is delic and gives La Taqueria a run for its money.

The new Wilco disc is excellent. “One Wing” is this summer’s “Weird Fishes”.

# of times LL Cool J licks his lips in a hour interview = # of times my buddy Pine checks his black berry in a hour.

I have seen James Hetfield of Metallica driving up and down Hwy 101 in Marin on my commute. I would expect to see him in a supped up cherry red ’72 Nova with nitrous, wearing a cut off black t-shirt, cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth and windows down rockin out. Instead, he is rolling in a loaded S-Class Benz. My brain doesn’t get any of that. I wonder what the “cliquey” group that hung out on the corner opposite of my junior high and smoked would think about that.

Fishing Holes

2009-07-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

I came across a list of fishing places when doing research for my upcoming bachelor party thanks to my friend Trav. I'd like to do a few of these before I take the dirt nap:

-The South Fork of the Snake – Idaho, South Fork Lodge
-Montana, Henry’s Fork Lodge - Gallatin, Madison and Yellowstone Rivers
-The Twin Bridges area of Montana, Big Hole River
-British Columbia would be sick, but far away, expensive and rugged
-New Mexico is very cool but a little off the beaten path
-Cast and blast in Louisiana for redfish and birds - party in NO every night and then hit the field every morning

Fish On

2009-05-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

Is there anything better than a bite or nibble on the end of the line? I don't care if it’s a bluegill or a tarpon that "tug" blows my hair back. I was in Florida for the Memorial Day weekend to celebrate my recent engagement with family. We hadn’t seen family since I popped the question. We also had the chance to chase one of Florida’s coveted big game fish. The day after we got into Florida, I landed a 125 lbs 70 inch tarpon. Fun!!! She gave me a 45 minute fight with a few jumps. I was spent. This is 45 minutes on heavy tackle – 80lbs test and one of those old, massive Penn saltwater reels! I couldn’t imagine using anything lighter and you wouldn’t accordingly to the Captain who took the lady and I out that afternoon. Having a sturdier outfit, as he called it, allowed you to fight the fish, get out of the gaum that can be tarpon fishing for that part of Florida at that time of the year and not exhaust the fish so he can recover to fight another day. A father son combo, the Captain and Scooter were part of the old Florida contingent - inboard engine, heavy tackle, 4 AM fishing, squirrel fish for bait, relying on depth charts, not following the crowds and very serious. Everything you would want in a guide actually. It was interesting to hear about the good ol’days when “you could walk across the bay on the backs of the tarpon” and “these tournaments, no respect for the fishery, light tackle and two stroke outboards are ruining it for everybody. I hope my grandson will be able to catch a tarpon one day.” I do too! All in all, any fishing is fun especially tarpon and I’m fired up I can say I’ve caught a tarpon; however, I don’t want to deal with all the crowds especially the douche bags with the matching outfits, tricked out boats and enough rods and gear for a Calvary. Based on what I saw, I could see a "Best in Show" type of movie about tournament tarpon fishing. Even the lady said it was a bit of shit show at times and took away from the Zen of fishing. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

She's a big one and she's gonna be a lotta

2009-05-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

If you would have told me five years ago that I’d be pig hunting I wouldn’t have believed you. A lot of people hunt in Nebraska but it wasn’t something my folks really pushed. By my late twenties, I had done some bird hunting and thoroughly enjoyed it but no “big” game hunting. My interest in bigger game was piqued in early 2006 on an airplane flight back to San Francisco to start a job with my current company when I read this article in the NYTimes. After reading it, I knew I wanted to hunt pings for all the same reasons Pollan describes and the fact it all went down in Northern California made it possible for me.

Pan to last month, my buddy Dan called and said there was a chance for a pig hunt up near Humboldt State Park and wondered if I was interested. Screaming like a little girl, I shrieked, “oh hells yeah”. It was a fantastic trip for a lot of reasons other than the pig hunting. First things first, we were in God’s country. Imagine a gazillion acre logging ranch that had no developments to speak of save a hunting lodge and a hardly used, dilapidated homesteader house. There was not another human except our crew within a five mile radius. The place was ours...all of the green hills, forests, clear rivers and streams, blue skies, etc. The air was so fresh I slept like a king despite the howling winds and 30 F nights. I don’t remember sleeping that well since I was up the middle of Norway. Other members of the hunting group were four older guys who took Dan and I under their wings and showed us the ropes. Those guys knew the ends and outs of the land and were more than willing to share their knowledge. Their largess made the trip! I got the feeling these guys were deer hunters who like to get a pig every now and then. Not uncommon, I’ve come to understand wild pigs are low on the big game quarry list of CA.

We got to the hunting lodge around 5 PM on Friday. Before we driving onto the property, we stopped at the gate and had a celebratory beer. I was thinking these guys were alright. To get in the country mood, I selected Drive-by-Truckers for the ride in which took us about 30 minutes on logging roads. Once at the lodge, everybody emptied their trucks and got to the business of drinking beer, practiced shooting at a make shift range and strategized about possible areas to hunt. At roughly a hundred yards, Dan and I both nailed an empty Corona bottle and steel hanging shooting target, respectively. Not bad for two guys relatively new to this sort of hunting and using guns that were new to us. So as not to waste the remaining sun light, we jumped on the ATVs and rode around the hunting lodge. On a ATV, Dan is happier than pig in shit. Who knew a Rochester boy would embrace country livin? It was great to see. JHead, who would be our guide on Saturday, suggested we head up to this ridge. Once there, we walked down the opposite side we came up on and spotted a pig. Unfortunately, we were too busy talking about shed antlers to really get a good shot on it. But, seeing a pig so fast into the trip gave me hope. We headed back to the lodge to a great campfire and food a la Pierce and son. I have to mention the camp fire which was probably the best one I’ve been around. The masonry in this fire pit was such that all of the smoke was drawn up and back so the smoke was never in your face but you got all of heat. Apparently, an old German mason laid the brick a long time ago. Clearly, the work of a master. There wasn’t much talking at the dinner table as we all were pretty hungry. One of the guys asked, “I wonder what the poor people are eating now”. We all just smiled and laughed and kept on eating. We went to bed with our bellies full and a nice pile of empty beer cans.

Saturday I woke early to a cold wind and Dan bitching about how sick he was. A few cups of cowboy coffee and standing near the fire warmed us up and we were ready to go. Dan and I jumped into JHead’s truck and we were off. We got the full tour of the property in search of pigs. I reckon we saw about 10 different microclimates in our pursuit – grasslands, redwood forest, above the tree line rocks and scrub, oak savannas, chaparral, coniferous forests, wetlands, etc. About three hours into the drive as we rounded a bend, JHead slammed on the breaks and said, “Pigs”. Quickly, we all got out of the truck to take a look. 500 yards away where three wild hogs – two rust colored medium ones and a big black one. These pigs were more domestic then Eurasian. I didn’t really know the difference until my second pig hunt. More on that later... Standing there, JHead told us which one we should go after. The smaller of the three would be our target as it would be easier to haul out and taste better. With that and yours truly leading the way, we stalked those pigs for over 300 yards straight down the mountain hiding behind trees, bushes and rock outcroppings as cover. It was the longest and quietest 300 yards of my life. My heart was coming out of my chest. I wanted to bag a pig. I got to 180 yards away and decided we couldn’t get any closer without spooking them. Dan was behind me and he finally caught up with me. We got on our bellies and inched a few yards closer to the lip of a ridge overlooking the pigs. Safeties off. “1….2…wait.” “It is on 3 or just before?” “Ok, let’s practice.” “1, 2, shot.” “Got it?” Got it.” We waited about a minute, which felt like an hour, until the target pig got into position. It never really did though. Plus, to make matters worse, the pigs were getting skittish because cows were slowly encroaching. “Ready?“ “Ready”. “ 1, 2” Bang! We both missed. I saw my bullet hit the mud just below the chest and almost behind. I don’t know how close Dan’s shot was. The pigs scattered and we got to our feet pissed but fired up. JHead was planning on meeting us around the mountain we just walked down. The entire walk back to the truck, Dan and I were kicking ourselves for missing that pig. Lessons learned – when you got shot on any pig, take it. Counting down with your buddy never works.

The rest of the afternoon was spent driving back and retelling our stalk and miss. JHead was impressed with our stalk. Dan and I were still riding the high of having the chance at a pig. We caught some shit from the other guys about missing but was consoled by the fact 180 yard shot is no layup. Beginners luck I guess. After a bite and some rest, we decided to make another go of it. From the bottom of the hill of the lodge, Dan and I walked in one direction and Deike and J going in the other. After another hour or so of walking, Dan and I didn’t see another pig or fresh tracks so we headed back to the lodge. After a beer, we got a call from J saying they got a pig. JHead and I got jumped back into his truck to go help J out. J’s was a perfect 150 lbs boar cleanly shot. We helped to dress it and schlepped it back over a mile to the truck. We all got packed up and started to head back to the lodge. I was in the first car back to the lodge and when we got there, we heard three quick shots. Jhead and I immediately turned around to meet the rest of the crew. Deike bagged one. J said he hit one. With light fading fast, everybody helped J find what would have been his second pig. They never found it. I stayed with Dieke. A butterball of a pig - 180 lb cleanly shot sow with plenty of fat. I found out that it was his 69th birthday that day as well. What a present! I helped him gut it and carry it out of the ravine. He had a bad back so I ended up carry it out of the ditch. I was exhausted but floating from all the adrenaline.

Back at the lodge, the group was in a great mood. The beer was flowing as quickly as the retelling of the hunts and shit talking. The fire was roaring. The boys found some already cut madron earlier in the day. I never seen grown men excited about cut wood. I come to find out that is great wood for a fire. It burns super hot and leaves little ash. But it is almost a shame to burn as it makes for beautiful cabinets. I digress. All was right with the world. It was time to skin the hogs. With a separate cleaning shed and hanging hooks, the property is dialed in to handle large game. With two man to a hog, we got it done in no time in about 45 minutes. J asked for some help and I dug right in. It was about 45 F out but I didn’t notice as I was on point to clean this hog. It feels good knowing I can properly clean and dress a hog or deer now. The last thing I remember of the evening is JHead telling me to go to bed. He said I had a beer can in my hand and a smile on my face asleep in the chair near the fire.

On Sunday, I got Dan to the airport without incident. Back at my place as I was getting the smoke and dirt off me, I wasn’t thinking of why I didn’t get a pig. Rather, I was thinking of when I was going to be able to have the chance again and how great it is to get Dan out of Manhattan. It was a bang up experience and the fact that I shared that with my friend Dan and new friends J, Pierce, Deike and JHead made it all that much better. I hope I’ll get to hunt with those guys again.

Father Lee!

2009-05-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

I’m giving serious consideration to having my buddy Gene ordained in the State of CA to conduct my nuptials. The stoic face, black robe, white collar, smell of Coors on the breath, rubbing his chest as he reads the vows and instead of saying "I do" he'd have the lady and I purse our lips together and do a quick double nod.

Hard not to think of Gilch when I see Jason Segel.

I have a Plant Earth segment idea - man encroaches on the wild and the wild thrives. My office building invades a nice swath of beautiful wilderness. I see turkeys, deer, hawks, coyotes, kestrels, vultures, etc on a weekly basis. My cube mates and I have been keeping tabs on a particular hawk. A red tail hawk we think. This hawk is a stud and seeing him rebuff two large crows in mid-air and winning is good stuff. My personal favorite is when he perches on the window ledge with the days fresh catch. I'd want Keith David to do the voice over.

Last time I did sake bombs the sushi restaurant burned down that night and has since not reopened. Last time my buddy Drew did a sake bomb he ended up with a spark plug. Not sure what the morale is there.

RIP Wayman Tisdale.

Michael Vick deserves another chance in the NFL. He is no saint but I would be pressed to find any saints in the NFL. Madden, maybe?

Not entirely sure why the Catholic Church has its panties in a bunch over President Obama speaking at Notre Dame. Aren’t there bigger fish to fry? If I was in the Catholic Church, I’d be more worried about the Pope’s comments about condoms and AIDS in Africa. Terrible.

Really Neat Stuff

2009-05-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

Why do freshwater boats have carpet and saltwater boats don’t?

Perfect Sunday morning = reading Sunday NYTimes, Major Dickinson’s Blend from Peets is starting to kick in, fire in the fireplace and Versus marathon of fishing shows on the tele.

The new career direction my buddy Gilch is on sounds promising. I hope it’s a fruitful one.

What’s up with the gladiator revival in women’s shoes? I didn’t particularly like them in junior high and my feelings haven’t changed since.

Below is a super cheap, environmentally safe and effective cleaner for just about anything. This recipe is from Dave Letterman's mom which my madre swears by. Cleans almost all surfaces. The alcohol kills germs and makes if dry fast. You can cut recipe in half to make a small bottle. Otherwise, pour in a large spray bottle.
4 cups distilled water
1/4 c rubbing alcohol
1/4 cup white vinegar
Couple drops Dawn dishwashing detergent

Fun Guys Hunt Funghi

2009-02-28T16:54:00.001-08:00

The lady and I had a great weekend in Carmel this past weekend. We went with our friends Jas, Jac, Ben and Lucia to do some mushroom hunting, hiking and wine tasting. Despite the inclimate weather, we managed to do all three . Check out the chanterelle bounty below. We ended up filling almost three of those baskets. Jac's found a bunch of candy cap mushrooms. I've had those in ice cream but our guide described a cookie recipe that sounded good. I digress...I learned chanterelle has a mycorrhiza relationship with oak trees. Honey hole = oak trees, a wood rats nest, bay trees and wet lowland areas. This 'shroom hunting is something I could get into. Apparently, the Spring after a fire is when it goes off. Morels mycorrhiza relationship is with pine trees. I bet in April and May after the snow melts, Northern California will be flush with Morels especially after the fires from last year.

My temporary South Carolina non-resident fishing license just expired so I guess it’s time to renew. I’m still not convinced there are any fish at the dock despite the hoopla and pictures. With the advent of Photoshop and the like it’s hard to trust anything but your own eyes.

I have found a great pizza dough recipe below that is a no brainer. With a good tomato sauce and fresh or shredded mozzarella and a dash of parmesan, this pizza makes a delicious, homemade Neapolitan which is really all I eat. I’ve tried making my own red sauce and that works fine, however, I must admit Boboli original pizza sauce is pretty damn good and quick. Against the ladies wishes, I try to use the least amount of cheese as possible. Once out of the oven, I top it with freshly dressed greens and sliced grilled chicken. My version of CPK’s tri-colore. Or, I top it with just rocket. Or drizzle with it truffle oil. Also, a Neapolitan makes for a good base for leftovers. My favorite concoction was a cut up bone in pork chop, sliced fennel and diced jalapeño.

In a large bowl, combine 1 ¾ cup unsifted, unbleached all-purpose flour, one ¼ ounce package quick-rising yeast, one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt (sea salt is the best, but regular salt will do) and one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. To that, add ¾ cup very warm water (120 degrees F). Mix it all with fork or hands until soft dough forms. Add flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hand but be careful not to add too much flour. Shape the dough in a ball and place in an oiled bowl, turning so an oiled surface is up. Cover with dish towel and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 30 mins. Spread it over a pizza sheet with holes. I've used a cookie sheet and the underside never gets crisp so I wouldn't recommend using that but in a pinch you could. Add your sauce and toppings and cook for 15 mins or so at 500 degrees F.

In Carmel Valley, I love Parsonages everyday drinking red Snosrap Cyrano Red. It’s a steal at $20. The Friday we get into Carmel, we usually have it at Café Rustica in the valley. A wine like that goes well with food and without. I wish more of this type of wine was available in California. Everyday drinking wines are a dime a dozen in Europe and it was fun sussing out $15-$20 wines that were absolutely delicious. These wines didn’t come from behemoths like Gallo or Blackstone but from small, family run vineyards who would usually have a good vintage. I’m surprised you are not able to find more of these types of wines in CA. I’m scratching my head at the dearth of wine bars in the city. I would expected there to be more of them seeing how it’s in the middle 15 distinct wine growing regions.

Also in Carmel Valley, I was real impressed with the 2007 Pinot Noir from Boekenoogen. The lady and I picked up a few bottles. From our generous tasting pours, I got a big wine with layers of fruits of the forest, strawberries and damp earth. Another year or two in the cellar and this bottle will be singing. I love Pinot’s from the St. Luica Highlands as they remind me of wines from Burgundy. This is the type of wine that my friend Colleen who is a Zinfandel slut would like. This vineyard is close to another one of my favorites vineyards Gary’s vineyards.

Spare a dime?

2009-02-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

I’d love to see Vil Kilmer in another comedy. Movies like Real Genius and Top Secret are classic’s. I hope running for governor of New Mexico doesn't get in the way to the sequel of Real Genius.

Listening to Randy on Idol is like watching football with the J Hesster, aka Weiscamp. He lays it down with vernacular that is from the street yet insightful and relatively articulate. We cook, then we chillllll.

I recently had Folly River select oysters for the first time over the weekend as a part of a bachelor party celebration for my buddy Herr Lee. Those oysters were prolly the best bivalve experience I have ever had. It’s giving a plate full of fin-de-claire N. 12 with bubbly a run for its money. The scene resembled eight lions after a kill when Drew dumped the succulent steamers on the table. Ummm, Aquaman.

I see some Benski in Simon Cowell.

Nobody knows what is going on with the economy. Let’s just all agree to that and get on with it. It starts to concern me when States start mumbling they'll not be able to refund state income tax. It is just a question of time before banks become nationalized.

Yes, I watch Idol. You heard me. That is what a lady and TV have done to me. Mushy, mush. I don’t like the new format this year of bringing in the family though. Equally awkward, they never a pan to the ugly family member.

I’m tired of hearing older folks say this economic malaise is good for our generation. Listen, I’ve been off the tit since 20, working well before that and have good saving habits. Heck, many of my friends have been off the tit since 18. Funny, as the folks that say that belong to the generation that got us into this mess.

I love the fact that my sister is grooving to Beirut.

Eggcellent

2009-02-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

No one writes a sad song that gets you thinking about shit like Ryan Adams except maybe Neil Young. Live at Massey Hall DVD sounds great but the weird grainy pans to a reel-to-reel on the chair I can do without. Someone grab me a tissue.

Plastics is so 20th century…vermiculture is the next big thing.

Why is anybody surprised with A-Rod’s admission? He is still a bitch but at least he’s honest. That is saying more than Raf or McGuire. Maybe Madonna talked some sense into him. I’m ready to get on with baseballs dark days. Just outside…..Jones 2-2!

Top Chef would beat the piss out of Hell’s Kitchen.

Like Anthony Bourdan, I’m also an egg slut. They’re a great way to start the day in their many forms. Poached is my favorite however. A hard boiled mid-day stops hunger in its tracks. Pickled eggs are tasty too. I like a sunny side up on my chili. One of the best pizza’s I’ve ever had was in a small town near Montpellier in the Languedoc area of France. It was called “Pizza Thon” – tuna and soft boiled egg on this amazing New York style pizza lathered with fresh tomato sauce. I washed it all down with luscious Bandol Rose. All was right with the world.

How did we manage before wheels found their way onto luggage?

Trav and Elle should spearhead Obama’s initiative around digitizing medical records after what they did in Abu Dhabi for the Sheik.

Where was Israel during the genocides since WWII - Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur?

Universal fact…all dudes fart when pissing at the urinal.

Ping Ping Pong

2009-02-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

My buddy Tim says Lagunitas (lah-goo-KNEE-tuss) IPA is the mother’s milk. It beats Iron Springs (barely) and Marin Brewing Company. I would have to agree…not to sweet, rich hops, mild bitterness and clean finish. Classic California beer.

When I was living in Zurich, I came across this DJ by accident. GPal. I remember the record store proprietor pawning this off on me. He was going out of business and in broken English said “Life” was the best bargain in the store. I didn’t believe him but I bought it used for something like 12 Swiss Francs. The first five tracks are tight and reminds me of my time in Switzerland and all of the clubs. I worked as hard as I played.

This just came to me last night…a combination of Gilvar’s Swedish background (inhale….yah!) and jumping capability will more than likely produce this.

One of the best moments of XMAS was my youngest nephew coming up from the basement asking what a penth was and who Lou Holtz was. Seven to nine!

It is amazing to see my oldest nephew grow. Now almost 13, he is becoming strong, smart and sensitive. He has these huge hands that are not unlike suction cups. He catches everything I put up…football, baseball, nerf vortex, canned goods in grocery isle, etc. Props to my sis and brother-in-law and not just for his catching ability.

I wonder how much a song like this would cost nowadays? This was released just before the clamor of old vs. new school and East vs West coast. Purists would say this was probably new school. Anyway, I miss those beats and the fun in the mixing, hooks, loops and samples. The Cool Kids and People Under the Stairs are close to capturing this. I digress, hearing this song throws me back to the summer of 91 – Twin Hype, Bush-Lite in a can, the Honda Civic, waterskiing at Wagon Train, Marilyn, stick and spades with Born and Benski – yeah dope!

Soups On

2009-02-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

When do you stop saying “Happy New Year”?

I love the smell of rain. Especially if it hasn’t rained in awhile because you get the infusion of soil/soot/dust with the moist air. What is even better is walking thru the pan handle of the Golden Gate Park and smelling the mixture of rain, eucalyptus, and soil. Divine!

Speaking of smells….does anything smell better than mirepoix and sautéed butter? Or with browning ground beef?

For a significant part of my early years, I was raised by a single mom and a sister. A farm girl with a healthy work ethic, my Mom was in printing sales and was away from home quite a bit. In fact, the road the family farm is on is called Rural Route 1 which is the name of my blog. Anyway, that absence was tempered by her cooking. She always ensured dinner was available for my sister and I. To this day, I can chince on breakfast or lunch but I need a hot meal for dinner. The pièce de résistance is when it’s served up by the little lady.

Whew, I finally digitized my music library in FLAC format. Damn, that took the better part of three months. I’m still adding the album art and correcting the metadata which feels like a full time job in and of itself. I’m using SqueezeCenter to pipe the music from my computer into my stereo. I’m then able to use Squeezebox Duet and manage the music that way. It sounds pretty good and great for parties. To my humble ears, nothing beats the sound from playing a good old fashion CD....Zepplin's, "How the West Was Won", makes my Dynaudio's dance.

Safety’s off

2009-02-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

I can boogie to Hercules and Love Affair. Nice house/disco beats matched nicely to that falsetto voice of Antony.

As long a Siduri doesn’t lose the Van der Kamp vineyard, I along with Eddie Veder will be happy. So long Amber Ridge. Sniff, sniff. Drew and Mitch like a good Oregon pinot as much as anybody and should try their Chelalem Mountains on for size.

It has been a good year hunting for me. Pheasants, turkey, duck, goose, and feral pig. What started out as a mere interest (almost every male in Nebraska hunts or is close to it somehow and I did a little of it growing up) has started into a passion. Fishing has always been there for me but I have to say hunting is getting there as well. Thank you Michael Pollan. More on that later…

Ton Kiang on Geary is the best dim sum I’ve ever had. That is not saying much coming from me but this reverse banana thought t’was damn good. Next time, I want to bring my own and pair the meal with a nice Barolo. The almost two hour meal was a good segue into the ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) festival at Fort Mason last Sunday. Thanks Matty & Jenna.

I have the same good feeling about Mike Singletary as I do with Bo. I like the fact they put the team first in their approach to recruiting, coaching, staff, etc. Not unlike the Steelers. Diametrically different than the Cowboys.

Wanted

2009-01-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

Short, stocky Korean male b/w ages of 30-35. Must drink copious amounts of Coors Light and be into post partying late night sessions of non-gayish dance parties. Benefits include – ton of eating and drinking, groovy music listening, hikes out in the mountains and day trips in wine country - haters need not apply.

Chin, Chin

2007-01-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

I rose my glass to MLK over the weekend at the Russian River Wine Road Winter Festival. Say that five times after a few glasses. $25 got you access to about 50 vineyards. We went to six with Sidirui, Bella and Ridge the highlights. Sidirui, in a working warehouse nestled in an industrial park, opened up what seemed like their entire line up from their various vineyards...Santa Lucia Garys', Santa Rita, Close Pepe, Van der Kamp (my fav), Keefer Ranch, etc. All classic California Pinot Noirs. Clearly, Sidirui puts their money into the wine and not a fancy smancy tasting room.

On the other end of the spectrum, the tasting room/space at Ridge is trendy and chic (not as good as a Lynmar or Duckhorn) but what made that experience was the college footballer who allowed us to taste wine not on the festival list...Monte Bella Santa Cruz, Lytton Estate, etc. For me, he gained additional cred by admitting the Coors Lite in the back had his name on it.

The Zin at Bella is one of my recent favorites and their tasting cave has this great vibe to it...unassuming, chill, positive vibe. I joined their wine club. So there!

I feel I haven't fully recovered from my flu over the holidays in terms of weight or strength. I felt like I got it as a result of not touching the sauce for a week before going home. Last time I do that!

Federer is unstoppable this year and should win the Grand Slam if he can master the clay. If he does that, he will tie Pistol Pete with 14 majors. Roger IS the best tennis player...period.

The match up of Roddick and Connors is classic and I hope a successful one. Connors looks like a wise stallion ready to teach the youth the errors of its ways. It has the makings of "road warrior" Gilbert and "come back kid" Agassi . A die hard 'skers fan, Andy was on the sidelines at the CU game in Lincoln over the Thanksgiving Break and it appeared enjoying himself while the Hus whipped some buffalo butt.

Great Teutonic meal at Suppenkucken with Matt and Jenna last Friday. Good times. I hadn't had Koenig Pilsner, Jaegersnitzel, and Spatzle in many moons. Great atmosphere and food and a restaurant I'll keep in my rotation when I get a hunkering for the fatherland.

2006 Tunes

2007-01-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

A random list of a few of the heavily rotated tunes I bought in 2006...

Drive-by Truckers - A Blessing and A Curse – Time and time again, DBT consistently deliver southern rock-n-roll with great, down on your luck lyrics. They deviate a bit with this one in sound but it still holds true to porch drinking (Coors Lite, preferably) on a warm summer evenings in Dixieland.

John Mayer - Continuum - Great songwriting, picking and white boy pipes. I had written this guy off after Heavier Things. Props to Gene for playing "Stop This Train" during his west coast tour.

Wood Brothers - Ways Not To Loose – Great Sunday morning listening with the NYTimes. Interesting combo of blues, jazz and country toped with soft lyrics.

Beirut - The Gulag Orkestar – Cool melodic Eastern European beats and arrangements. It's even sweeter knowing that it comes from a 19-year-old from Albuquerque

Gomez - How We Operate – Not a great album as a whole but the first four tracks show what these guys are capable of…gritty vocals, complex layers of folk and pop, using different instruments and the unmistakable UK sound.

Matt Pond PA - Several Arrows Later – This was released late in '05 but I love the somewhat dark, rocking pop melodies and confessional lyrics.

Damian Marley – Welcome to Jamrock – Again, late ‘05 release (last one I swear) but have to mention it. Just a right mix of tight Jamaican grooves combined with R&B and hip-hop. After this a few times, I found myself spinning Burning Spear, Marcus Garvey…”do right, do right, do right”. Solid gold mon!

Bob Dylan - Modern Times – The master was hit by some fresh wind. To me, this album sounds new and is a great listen as a result.

Brett Dennen – So Much More – Combine the best parts of John Mayer and Jack Johnson and you have Brett Dennen. Very catchy album with a lot of positive energy. I hear he is great in concert and I definitely need to check out his first disc.

I have to mention the first two tracks of Sonic Youth Rather Ripped kicks some butt and immediately brings me back to my high school days and MTV's “120 minutes”.

Because of the move, I feel it was slow on the music front this year. Send any and all suggestions my way.

What we play is life - Louis Armstrong (1900 - 1971)

Let's get ready to rumble!

2007-01-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

Would my "reverse twinkie" moniker get revoked if I admitted I didn’t like shark fin soup?

Last week, I had an unbelievable bottle of wine as a late birthday celebration with a co-worker at Rick's Wine Bar in Corte Madera. Great wine bar, btw. Alban Vineyards, Reva, Alban Estate Syrah 2004. It was a gorgeous wine...very dark and intense with balanced notes of pepper, wild berry, earth, coffee and tobacco and what seemed like a 10 minute finish.

I had a dream the other night that my two college roommates had it out. Toto beat the piss out of Bafaro. I was on the top bunk and my buddy Mitch, in his coaching attire complete with plaid tie, khakis, docs and clipboard, stood in the corner during the dismantling. Crazy dream! I can still feel the thuds of Toto's fists landing. Bafaro never once connected.

The BCS Championship Game was a yawner. Got to hand it to Urban Meyer, he bitched and moaned about the system and then stuck it to Ohio (who didn’t even show up). With the Chargers doing well and Florida winning, Marshall must be dancing in his recliner.

Divisadero would beat out any street in Chicago as the worst to drive on. I don’t understand it because it’s not like SF has the winters like Chicago does. I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking any vehicle except a SUV on it. “4 Wheel, 4 Real”

It might be due to the fact that I don't have a TV but is anybody watching the pro bball?

Council-tucky

2007-01-03T21:42:00.000-08:00

XMAS ’06 was a good’un. I love being in the Hus land during this time...the sunsets are unreal, the whole place smells like wet earth, mom cooks heavier meals and everybody is in good spirits. The snow kept us from hunting this year (highway was closed) unfortunately. But, I was able to see my grandparents and spend some time on the farm up in Beemer. That drive from Lincoln to Beemer would be the best “101 course” or introduction to Nebraska. I know I am biased but that route is gorgeous and has it all...old Czech/German churches and cemeteries, gravel roads, family farms, valleys, bluffs, rivers, farm ponds, small towns, etc.

Thanks to my oldest nephew, I received what is possibility the most practical Christmas gift ever…a duct tape wallet. Hats off to the stud as he made it from scratch (no specs, directions or CAD) complete with a coin purse and licenses window (minus the clear plastic). Real tight addition to my camping and fishing ensemble!

There is a distinct difference in clientele at Bass Pro Shops (just over the river) in Council Bluffs and Cabela's in south Omaha. I felt like I just stepped into truck, gun rack and flannel country. I also noticed all waist lines grew. I would be willing to bet that all the customers at BPS made up a full set of teeth (barely). I’m being kind. Damn, throw some chlorine in that gene pool.

I have to admit that I'm fired up about my wader (one of those three ply, breathable jobs) and shoe combo (felt sole) I picked up for under 2 bills at Cabela’s. I anticipate they will be put to good use over the next year.

The worst airline is the one you fly the most.

Personal photographs should not be allowed in any company directory. Apparently, exceptions can be made at my company with NASCAR themed snaps or Diana Ross impersonation glamour shots.

My scrabble skills are improving. "Omelette" gave me 28 points, cleaned out my tiles and gave me the lead (only briefly). I regularly get trounced by a gorgeous vixen I play with from time to time. The wine and fireplace seem to sharpen her word building skills while only sharpening my woodrow.

The Cotton Bowl gave the kid some hope. We could have won that game. Real proud of the Blackshirts. Auburn is good but they were beatable (I got the same feeling during the USC game). Next couple of years should be interesting with this ’07 recruiting class.

I can’t wait until Coor’s gets on the bandwagon and comes out with a 16 oz aluminum bottle for its nectar of the gods like Budweiser did. Damn, that keeps the beer cold.

Greased Lightning

2006-09-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

I ran the 3.5 mile JP Morgan Corporate Challenge last Tuesday in 24 mins. That is roughly a 6:51 mile. No Roger Banister but respectable especially given I ran the first two at a 7 minute clip. I got a text message from Billy right before the race telling me to "CRUSH" it. I couldn't get Phil Hartman's voice out of my head it..."Crush it, yeesss", during the entire race.

There, There

2006-08-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Throwing rocks as a wee boy is as good as it gets. If you have a little bit of country in ya, that’s universally known (so says my Tuesday running group). Until, you smash the neighbors’ glass table, but that is just a blimp in what was otherwise a stellar career.

I miss my five weeks of vacation I had when I was working in Europe. To be honest, I felt like I got just as much done and was never sick during those 5+ years.

More on that…when I was living in Europe, I felt like I could turn up the volume (work, fun, etc) and have the option to turn it down, whenever. Living in the US, I feel like, the volume is turned up and somebody has kicked the knob off…forever stuck in the high position.

Why do I always feel ripped off when I go to the car dealership?

Crying about your ex on the first date is commonly agreed to be a poor 1st (or 20th in my book) date move. If it does happen, however, hope for the end of the entrée and not appetizers/first drink.

I’m not much for white wine but the Mason 2004 Sauvignon Blanc is right up my alley; grass and fruit flavors, no oak, well made, clean finish, and cheap.

Down...set...

2006-08-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

I'm impressed with today's Pop Warner football. I've been to a few of John's practices and it is clear sports science has caught up. What I have seen so far, those practices are highly technical and disciplined. And, they play on what appears to be fairway grass. More to do with it being in Marin County than anything else I bet. I hate to sound old, but we were lucky to have a continuous line of grass any where on our practice (or playing) field. I find it hard not to think about my days playing midget for Leon's (the local grocery store that sponsored us) in south LNK. Compared to what I have seen with Pop Warner, we were just playing smear the queer for two hours. I still remember a few pops from Hesse.

"Tackle the man with the football" just doesn't sound as good.

Between men and women there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship. -Oscar Wilde, writer (1854-1900)

I have passed more people on the right than on the left while driving on the California highway. I hate to say it but it’s a lot of AWD who are the culprits. Camping in the left lane wouldn't fly in Germany!

Last night, I went to see Spoon and Death Cab for Cutie at the Greek Theatre at UC Berkeley. Great outdoor venue and entertaining show! I wasn't expecting much having seen DCFC in a sub par performance on SNL a few months back and was pleasantly surprised. They, along with Spoon, were on top of their game. All the camera phones in the audience looked like a field full of fireflies on a warm Nebraska summer night.

I could be described as rangy (RAYN-jee) adjective.

1 Slim and long-limbed.
2. Inclined to roaming.

[From Middle English range (row), from Old French rangier (to arrange).Ultimately from Indo-European root sker- (to turn or bend), the source of ranch, rank, shrink, circle, crisp, search, ring, curb, ridge, and curve.]

Go 'skers!

2006-08-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

What ever happened to “Take your Sons to Work” day?

I’ve been running during my lunch hour on Fridays to the nearby levee. The five mile run is an excellent way to forget about work for 45 minutes and be around nature. What I also enjoy is the constant smell of licorice. Wild fennel grows all along the levee trail and is literally baked in the 90F plus temps. This heady elixir makes me think of Good & Plenty (I’m the only person my age still buying it as told to me by the Long’s Drugs check out clerk) or Stomach Ease Tea from Yogi Tea. Great stuff, both of ‘em.

Wouldn’t a child from one black parent and one white parent also be half white?

Sure glad I didn’t buy anything fancy for my nephews when my sister and her family came recently. The 4 X 4 box my chair came in and the bag of 40 clothes pins (for the chips) were a HUGE hit. Who knew?

I’m looking forward to another season of Hus (and college) football. That is one thing I missed when I was living in Europe. The Blackshirts are going to be tight with the return of Carriker, McKeon, and Moore. Now, if the O line can cowboy up and Taylor rounds the learning curve, we could be in for some fun (especially with Kenny Wilson at I-Back and Terrence Nunn returning punts). And, it looks like I’ll be spending some time at the Final Final, the NE bar in SF, as I won’t be getting a TV anytime soon. I’m blaming the stereo on that one.

No longer a virgin

2006-08-02T22:22:00.000-07:00

Earlier this evening, I experienced my first quake. Crazy! I later read the epicenter was up near Santa Rosa (40 miles from the city) with an estimated magnitude of 4.4 to 4.6. I was drinking a beer with an old friend Billy and his son Cole (apple juice for him) at his parents place when it went off. It was quickly followed with laughs and high fives. It was the first quake for the three of us.

Saturday night ramblings

2006-06-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Some work friends and I went to see the Boss on Tuesday in Concord at the Sleep Train Pavilion. Bruce puts on a helluva show and I like his new Pete Seeger stuff. Without fail, every time I hear “Mrs. McGrath” I get goose bumps...hot damn! The one criticism I have of his latest offering is all the extras. Last Tuesday's show had 17 musicians! Pete's songs don't need much dressing up, the words and emotions (chutzpah?) stand for themselves. I also find it hard not to think about 2nd grade music class when I hear "Old Dan Tucker" or "We Shall Overcome".

Earlier today, I went on an 8.3 mile hike in Butano State Park. This park is 16 miles south of Half Moon Bay, in the middle of no where and situated in some of the most fertile land (outside of Beemer, naturally) that I've been in. This hike didn’t offer great views of expansive ocean, sweeping vistas, etc but the diversity and abundance in the flora, fauna and wildlife was amazing. I had a hard time looking at the trail at times because I was busy checking out the surroundings.

After the hike and lunch at Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero (the best cream of red pepper soup), I did a little surf fishing near Santa Cruz. The surf perch weren't bitting but I did learn how to find and catch sand crabs from a local. I'm due for a good day of fishing.

We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is thesame. -Carlos Castenada, mystic and author (1925-1998)

I agree with my friend Drew about the new Dixie Chicks CD. It's also good music.

I'm prepping myself for the Haight Street Fair this Sunday. I like mid-day drinking but usually half way thru it I get this primal hunger. I'd bitch slap my Momma for one of her pork butt sandwiches or a bowl of her tortilla soap. Sorry ma.

What does it take to be a mystic?

Silence s'il vous plait!

2006-06-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

The 2006 Men’s French Open final has all the makings. Passing of the touch? Dunno. Nadal owns Federer on clay and I think he’ll prevail again on Sunday. I'll be rooting for Federer, however. Nadal is simply unbeatable on this surface but I don't buy into the hype. I've not seen much of his grass or hard court game. While I'm at it, he could also loose the capris.

Martella 2003 Fiddletown Grenache. I drank it slightly chilled (as recommended) and it was delicious. This bottle had a ton of fruit (strawberry), pepper notes and nice, firm tannins. The juice worked well with my pork chop, cous cous and corn on the cob dinner.

The new Drive By Trucker CD “A Blessing And A Curse” is a good’un. Listening to that or any southern rock nowadays makes me want to go camping. Tarver!?

I’m going to get my friend John to catch a football by summers end.

Bordeaux Night

2006-06-06T14:16:00.000-07:00

St. Julien specifically. Clos du Marquis 1995. My old man and I split a case a few years back when I was living in Europe. During the move out west, I took a bottle with me. A medium body, complex wine with smooth edges, depth, ripe plum and cherry notes, great nose, hints of dust and a long, long finish. Well made and fun to drink! This wine has a few years in her for sure.

That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes...

2006-06-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

I saw the Artic Monkeys last night at the Warfield. What a show! I was impressed with the lads (all around 18 I believe) work ethic and approach to the music. I was expecting (mistakenly) an Oasis Show (of which I've been to two) with the brattiness and swagger of the Liam brothers. Nope, these kids laid it all out-no break, no encore just an hour plus of biting, punk rock. I bought the CD awhile back but I don't listen to it much honestly but I would definitely go to their show again. Fittingly, the boys ended the night with Fake Tales Of San Francisco. Thanks Waller for dragging me to the show.

At the concert, there was a 12 or 13 year old boy standing across the aisle from me. The little skater must have known all the lyrics. He minded me of yours truely at the REM Document Tour at Pershing Auditorium a few years back.

The odometer reads 7867 and I can honestly say I love my car. GM needs to take some lessons from Toyota. I don't believe a $1.99 a gallon cap is going to do it. That's just a fart in a windstorm.

The reverse commute is fantastic over the Golden Gate Bridge. One of my best commutes yet! What kills me, however, is the 30 degree drop in temperature from San Rafael to the City. Almost Africa hot to Baltic in 30 minutes or less!

Good Pickin'

2006-05-29T21:17:00.000-07:00

The new Gomez CD, How We Operate, is good. The CD is definitely a departure from their past work of edgy or experimentation rock and more pop and production. I miss that guy with the gravely voice (I don't know his name). It's as if he is singing through saran wrap or something on this disc, like he’s pulling his punches. Good but not great.

I basically hiked and fished all weekend. I was doing more fishing than catching and came up short. We call that a "bagel" in tennis. Anywho, the hiking was tip top! Cataract Trail on Mount Tamalpais was the best of the weekend jaunts. My trip started from the Rock Spring Trail head and was roughly a 6 mile out-and-back trip. I'm not sure what was more attractive, Alpine Lake, the waterfalls, or the view from the hill on the Fairfax-Bolinas junction (the city, GG bridge, Muir woods, Stinson beach, the ocean, etc). That was one of the best hikes I’ve had in a while. I silenced my stomach and liver at the Sand Dollar on Stinson beach. I had two Mirror Pond Pale Ales and a burger with all the fixins while listening to some great country/blue grass from a local band. They covered everybody from Woody Guthrie, Chet Atkins, The Carter Family, etc. Then, I topped that off with an hour nap on Stinson Beach. What a day!

My step brothers would be proud. I recently walked into another women’s bathroom on accident. They have seen me do it a few times at the NE football games. I didn't realize it until mid stream and noticed a nice pair of women’s shoes facing the opposite direction in the adjacent stall. I started to laugh and as did she. I finished up, washed my hands, and b-lined it out of there. I ate at the bar, which was near her table, and over heard her telling her girlfriends what just happened. They laughed for five minutes. My job was done.

Gene, how’s the grammar?

The Sax Was Great!

2006-05-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

I was impressed with last night’s attendance for V for Vendetta. Entertaining. I believe the release date was early March? So, it has been some two months after its release and obviously still strikes a cord with many folks. George has few friends nowadays but I wonder if history will be kind to him. I’m not soo sure.

Short hair or not, Natalie Portman is hot. She gets me right in my Lois Lanes.

I'm not sure what's worse, the person (usually short) who reclines his/her chair all the way back (without looking) or the woman who drapes her two feet of hair over the back of the chair. In all likelihood, these folks fly maybe one time a year, if at all, and usually wear their beach attire to/from their destination. In either case, they get a pair of knees in the back for the entire flight. I don’t miss being in a plane twice a week.

1999 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. My last bottle which I picked up for $20 at Gomers in KC four years ago. The wine is finally all together with a lovely garnet hue, mild tannins, and long finish. The beak picked up dried berries, cedar, and soil. This Honig went perfect with my chicken and tater (new potatoes, avocados, clover sprouts, olive oil, sea salt from Jamie Oliver) combo I wiped together. This is a reason to cellar as I tasted the wine a week after I bought it and was not impressed (I managed to drink it, begrudgingly (sigh)) but was told it needed time. "They" were right.

I must be getting old because I look forward to my Sunday mornings with my NYT and coffee. During the same time, I've also enjoyed CBS Sunday Mornings with Charles Osgood. For me, that show makes me want to go out and buy a TV...tonight. They often do a sketch of something in the Heartland. God bless'em.

I can safely say I've recovered from last Sunday's Bay to Breakers. I was part of the Plinko crowd. Good times, good times. I saw too much in the way of naked dudes. I realize I'm living in SF but please. My Scottish friend, Stevie said it best, "For f!#K sakes, what are you walking around proud for man, give it a rub".

I’ve read a number of reviews regarding the new Studs Terkel CD with all his past interviews with musicians is fantastic. I guess I also need to get a stereo.

During the unpack, I recently went thru boxes of old clothes and found all my fraternity tees. Damn, it was a trip down memory lane. I could use a summer of jacking around, drinking canned beer, 5 movies for $5, hanging out on the porch, borrowing Gene’s (and everybody’s for that matter) car, eating Ben & Willa’s food, and wearing nothing but shorts, tees, and flips.

These are a few of my favorite things

2006-05-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

I caught my first striper the other night. She was tagged (#262317) and a real beaut, weighing in at just under 8 lbs and 28 inches long. I was using a 4” Storm Wilde Eye Shad Bait in Chartreuse. I’m going to send in the tag and see what I get from CA Fish & Game. I gave the fish to the guy (Tim) who helped haul her in.

I celebrated that momentous occasion with a BLT. The key ingredients in any BLT are smaller ripe tomatoes, real bacon, and mayonnaise. The bread and lettuce (iceberg) are secondary. In fact, cheap white bread is the best. Ever since I got back from Europe, I use mayo on my BLT. There were some years I was on a health kick and avoided it like the plague. I find, however, that mayo ties everything together and keeps it moist. I'm not opposed to a few drops of Tabasco either. Aggressive but tasty!

Finally, I washed that down with a few Anchor Summer Beers. Move over Stella (at least for the summer)! This has all the taste and back bone of a Stella and crispness of my beloved Coors Lite. This is a post mowing or tennis beer, hands down. If you do have the means...

Here we go...

2006-05-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

During my travels, I kept a small hard cover book where I logged all things of interest to me. It was dark blue and had 50+ pages of new songs/artists, great restaurants, books I was told I should read, tasting notes, cool spaces, people I met, random thoughts, trails hiked, words/quotes, history bits, countries I needed to visit, foreign flicks, recipes, etc. Much of these morsels were picked up during conversations with friends and random folk. I shared much of this knowledge and felt like I got a lot in return. “Take a penny, leave a penny”.

Anyway, I have since lost the book thru numerous moves (sucks!) and I’ve always thought I should pick it up again. What better time than now! Especially given I have recently shifted gears and settled in a new town with plenty of new adventures. So, the way I see it, these hi-tech vignettes are a modern day extension of my travel chronicles. Now, with a little hope, I won't lose this one. More to come...