Thursday, September 20, 2012
Autumnal is my new favorite word.
Saturday is the "Mid-Autumnal Festival" for us English speakers. Or as my friend calls it "the New Moon Festival." But I have sources that call it the festival of Lanterns, the Mooncake Festival, even Zhongqiu Festival. Whatever you call it, this festival coincides with the Autumnal Equinox on planet earth. This means the sun will rise directly in the east, and set directly in the west. As with most terrestrial things, this equinox is relative. In the southern hemisphere it is the Vernal Equinox as they are entering into spring. So all you witches, sailors, farmers, campers, vagabonds, and stargazers enjoy your place in the universe.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Praise for lawyers by lawyers.
I just ran into this article which depicts lawyer like this:
"tell phantasmagorical stories of power and achievement in the legal profession. Big law firm associates haul in big bucks while mentored by legal bigwigs in fancy skyscrapers. Trial lawyers perform on stage to an admiring audience of jurors. Prosecutors save the city from dangerous criminals and are treated as community super heroes."
When I grew up we told jokes about lawyers being scumbags.
"tell phantasmagorical stories of power and achievement in the legal profession. Big law firm associates haul in big bucks while mentored by legal bigwigs in fancy skyscrapers. Trial lawyers perform on stage to an admiring audience of jurors. Prosecutors save the city from dangerous criminals and are treated as community super heroes."
When I grew up we told jokes about lawyers being scumbags.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Autumn smells like chili.
I'm always hesitant to get excited about cool weather, especially when its only the first cool front of the season. But cool weather invokes thoughts of hot chocolate, fall colors, pumpkin pies, sweaters, and holding loved-ones close to stay warm (the imagery is good, but I'm not sure it ever gets that cold around here). One thing I love about the cooler weather is cooking soups, stews, and especially chili.
Chili has got to be the easiest dishes to prepare. Ground meat, onion, a couple cans of beans, a couple cans of diced tomatoes, add heat, and season to perfection. The great thing about chili is that it can be as simple or complex as you want. When I first started cooking I used the recipe in The Joy of Cooking. That is, until I found a few simple ways to make my chili more exotic.
For example, I add a couple cloves of garlic, a 1/4 teaspoon of cumin or coriander, 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon or cayenne pepper, and of course a good bit of chili powder. Sometimes I'll add turmeric just for the cancer fighting properties, and some paprika for schlitz and giggles (both are relatively mild spices, so they don't add much flavor). Lately I've been using three different beans (blackbeans, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.), and we call it "Three Amigos Chili." Really, the possibilities are endless.
If you're still reading, here is a pro tip for you chefs out there. I ad 1 oz. of dark chocolate at the end for a smooth texture and a little thickness. While you won't see this on Wiki's page on chili, I once read in an anthropology class that the origin of chili has been traced to ancient Greece. Accordingly, the Grecian chili was not considered "true" chili if it was not sweet to the palette.
So there you go, another crazy post from a guy who likes to eat.
Chili has got to be the easiest dishes to prepare. Ground meat, onion, a couple cans of beans, a couple cans of diced tomatoes, add heat, and season to perfection. The great thing about chili is that it can be as simple or complex as you want. When I first started cooking I used the recipe in The Joy of Cooking. That is, until I found a few simple ways to make my chili more exotic.
For example, I add a couple cloves of garlic, a 1/4 teaspoon of cumin or coriander, 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon or cayenne pepper, and of course a good bit of chili powder. Sometimes I'll add turmeric just for the cancer fighting properties, and some paprika for schlitz and giggles (both are relatively mild spices, so they don't add much flavor). Lately I've been using three different beans (blackbeans, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.), and we call it "Three Amigos Chili." Really, the possibilities are endless.
If you're still reading, here is a pro tip for you chefs out there. I ad 1 oz. of dark chocolate at the end for a smooth texture and a little thickness. While you won't see this on Wiki's page on chili, I once read in an anthropology class that the origin of chili has been traced to ancient Greece. Accordingly, the Grecian chili was not considered "true" chili if it was not sweet to the palette.
So there you go, another crazy post from a guy who likes to eat.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Music À la carte: Revolver by the Beatles
Since the internet is fair game for being trite and unoriginal, I'm going to tell you why you should like the Beatles album Revolver. This album seriously changed the way I look at music. The story allegedly goes that Revolver was the first time the Beatles sat down in the studio to collaborate and record an album. The "first studio album" as they say. Very generally speaking, most releases before that were singles, jingles, or pop covers that may or may not have been recorded while on tour.
But Revolver marks the beginning of a musical arc for the Beatles. It is the second step on the band's way to releasing Sgt Peppers, and we all now how wonderful Sgt Peppers is. Arguably, the album Revolver is evidence of the band's evolution from a pop group to legends of rock. Adherents to Lennonist/McCartneyism will argue that "Revolver is the album from which all modern rock, metal, punk, is derived." To avoid utter banality, I leave you with these words of wisdom friends. Experience Revolver for yourself. Listen to it a thousand times if you have to, then listen a thousand more. Any sentient being that does so will be thanking me later.
But Revolver marks the beginning of a musical arc for the Beatles. It is the second step on the band's way to releasing Sgt Peppers, and we all now how wonderful Sgt Peppers is. Arguably, the album Revolver is evidence of the band's evolution from a pop group to legends of rock. Adherents to Lennonist/McCartneyism will argue that "Revolver is the album from which all modern rock, metal, punk, is derived." To avoid utter banality, I leave you with these words of wisdom friends. Experience Revolver for yourself. Listen to it a thousand times if you have to, then listen a thousand more. Any sentient being that does so will be thanking me later.
Not too serious.
Now that this blog is public world wide, I want to give a better first impression. So, the downside to being an internet celebrity is that you are fair game for anyone to come creep your blog or your page. That's cool with me though. There is a large body of mediocrity out there, and everyone wants to be an internet celeb. By the way, I'm being silly again because I don't think I'm a celebrity at all. In fact, if the internet didn't exist, I'd probably crawl into a hole somewhere and never come out. But, the internet does exist. People are going to read this. People will hate me, and that's just what I have to deal with. In short, I'm not particularly unique from the million other guys out there "doing the internet." I'm here to be silly, sometimes inappropriate, and to have fun. Don't take yourself too seriously, and I'll do the same.
Monday, September 10, 2012
How To Hypnotize a Chicken
A fellow blogger recently posted a how-to guide on removing blood stains. While this is not a self-help website, it is sometimes-attempt-to-be-humorous website. Thus, I will continue on how to hypnotize a chicken, as our elders have passed down for centuries.
While there are many ways to hypnotize a chicken, we will only consider one method. The first step is to gently restrain the chicken and place it on its back on your lap. About an inch or two from the chicken's beak wave the flattened palm of your hand in a gentle circular motion. Between five and ten circles the chicken will go limp.
Now you have successfully hypnotized a chicken, please do not harm any animals if this is attempted at home. Be nice to chickens and don't eat them. Only use them for their eggs, and always give chickens at least one acre of space per chicken for adequate space to freely roam.
This is an attempt at humor. I think it has failed miserably.
While there are many ways to hypnotize a chicken, we will only consider one method. The first step is to gently restrain the chicken and place it on its back on your lap. About an inch or two from the chicken's beak wave the flattened palm of your hand in a gentle circular motion. Between five and ten circles the chicken will go limp.
Now you have successfully hypnotized a chicken, please do not harm any animals if this is attempted at home. Be nice to chickens and don't eat them. Only use them for their eggs, and always give chickens at least one acre of space per chicken for adequate space to freely roam.
This is an attempt at humor. I think it has failed miserably.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Billy Participates at Church
So my neighbor Billy is a great guy. I hope that he never thinks my "Billy Stories" are meant to disparage him. Labor day weekend we sat around drinking beers and eating burgers from the grill. After showing me his Hot Wheels collection, he started telling me about how short the mass was on Saturday.
Hurricane Isaac had knocked out power to the surrounding area, so church had to be held in the gymnasium. On a typical Saturday Billy brings his wife and MiL to church, but he waits in the car because he doesn't believe in all that "voodoo bullshit." But this was different, this time he participated by directing traffic to the auditorium where mass was held.
As Billy puts it, the people would drive up and he would say:
Billy: "park over there, church is in the auditorium today"
Churchgoer: "is there AC?"
Billy: "nope!"
Then each churchgoer would swing the car around and promptly leave, skipping church. Billy wants to know "what are they going to do when they get to hell?"
Hurricane Isaac had knocked out power to the surrounding area, so church had to be held in the gymnasium. On a typical Saturday Billy brings his wife and MiL to church, but he waits in the car because he doesn't believe in all that "voodoo bullshit." But this was different, this time he participated by directing traffic to the auditorium where mass was held.
As Billy puts it, the people would drive up and he would say:
Billy: "park over there, church is in the auditorium today"
Churchgoer: "is there AC?"
Billy: "nope!"
Then each churchgoer would swing the car around and promptly leave, skipping church. Billy wants to know "what are they going to do when they get to hell?"
Friday, June 8, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Who wants to talk food?
Whatever you do don't bring up the topic of food in my presence unless you really want to talk about food. Once I get started it's hard for me to stop. I'm always looking for new information about nutrition, health, cooking, and anything else food related. The current state of our food is a topic that is very near to my heart, and it is often that I ruminate over things that most people may not even consider.
My journey into food began around the year 2001 with the book Eat Drink and Be Healthy. Besides re-learning what I'd heard as a child when my dad started Sugar Busters: eat a balanced diet, mostly vegetables, lean forms of protein, eat whole wheat pasta and bread, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. I also learned about sugar and fat, and it was the first time I'd ever heard of a trans fat.
From that point on my life was changed. Trans fats mesmerized me. It was a secret that no one cared to know about, and the topic was rarely discussed, and very quickly dismissed. But the words "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" would leap out at me on every list of ingredient. It was unavoidable. How can you know that something is that horrible for your body and just ignore it? The stream of products containing the ingredients seemed overwhelmingly ubiquitous.
One thing I still remember to this day, is an article about trans fat in Europe. When the EU learned the dangers of the fats it passed a law banning the substance. When the news reached the US our industry leaders did not press to ban the substance, but hired PR teams and attorneys to get the industry message out. Since then I've felt that I've been deceived. The companies that are trying to save pennies on the dollar, I get it. But what about the government's duty to protect and inform our citizens? These questions, and more, opened up a Pandora's box of information. Since then we've had the food pyramid changed a few times and the threat of obesity has grown ever more dangerous.
So, you wanna talk food?
My journey into food began around the year 2001 with the book Eat Drink and Be Healthy. Besides re-learning what I'd heard as a child when my dad started Sugar Busters: eat a balanced diet, mostly vegetables, lean forms of protein, eat whole wheat pasta and bread, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. I also learned about sugar and fat, and it was the first time I'd ever heard of a trans fat.
From that point on my life was changed. Trans fats mesmerized me. It was a secret that no one cared to know about, and the topic was rarely discussed, and very quickly dismissed. But the words "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" would leap out at me on every list of ingredient. It was unavoidable. How can you know that something is that horrible for your body and just ignore it? The stream of products containing the ingredients seemed overwhelmingly ubiquitous.
One thing I still remember to this day, is an article about trans fat in Europe. When the EU learned the dangers of the fats it passed a law banning the substance. When the news reached the US our industry leaders did not press to ban the substance, but hired PR teams and attorneys to get the industry message out. Since then I've felt that I've been deceived. The companies that are trying to save pennies on the dollar, I get it. But what about the government's duty to protect and inform our citizens? These questions, and more, opened up a Pandora's box of information. Since then we've had the food pyramid changed a few times and the threat of obesity has grown ever more dangerous.
So, you wanna talk food?
Saturday, May 12, 2012
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shades they know they shall never sit in"
According to the Internet it's a Greek Proverb.
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Vintage Garden Kitchen
The Vintage Garden Kitchen is one of those places that could easily fly below the radar. I'm not sure where I heard about it, but I've known about the VGK for quite a while now. It has a very robust website, but there was always an air of mystique surrounding this business. I remember calling and leaving messages but never received a returned telephone call. This week I made a diligent effort to find out what this place is all about. Now I'm hooked.
There are a few things about VGK that make it unique. First, it is not a restaurant but a "soup to go" establishment. It offers limited delivery to certain zip codes. The location is a little out of the way, on Labarre south of Airline Highway across the railroad tracks. There is a big sign that says "We Make Soups" which points in to a fenced off parking lot. The soup can be picked up between 8am-4pm Monday through Friday. The pick-up is located in a nondescript building that looks more like an office building than a soup vendor. The staff is very nice and enthusiastic. Not to mention the menu is filled with many different options including meat and vegetarian friendly.
The soup is sold in pint and quart sized mason jars. If you keep the jar and return it you get a punch card. For every 10 returned jars you receive a free pint of soup. I decided on the Moroccan Chickpea Stew, the Fiery Shitake Mushroom and Barley, and the Rustic Vegetable and Bean. It didn't take long to finish off a jar of soup, and the remaining soup will likely be eaten within a few days. The VGK grows most of its ingredients on its organic farm. What it doesn't grow it obtains from local producers.Another great aspect of the VGK is it that it is partnered or working closely with Arc of Greater New Orleans which is a 501(C)(3) organization. Arc is dedicated to the empowerment of adults and children with intellectual disabilities and supplies labor to the VGK for farming and producing the soups.
In my opinion the VGK gets a high score for several reasons. First, the soups are absolutely delicious, seasoned to perfection, and prepared with fresh, hearty vegetables. Another plus, the ingredients are mostly organic which makes me feel better about eating it, and which means VGK is dedicated to sustainable practices and outputting the highest quality of foods. Additionally, its cooperation with Arc of Greater New Orleans is a great way of empowering those with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, the VGK is not only producing great soups but it is doing it through positive social impact and change. A little out of the way, but well worth it.
There are a few things about VGK that make it unique. First, it is not a restaurant but a "soup to go" establishment. It offers limited delivery to certain zip codes. The location is a little out of the way, on Labarre south of Airline Highway across the railroad tracks. There is a big sign that says "We Make Soups" which points in to a fenced off parking lot. The soup can be picked up between 8am-4pm Monday through Friday. The pick-up is located in a nondescript building that looks more like an office building than a soup vendor. The staff is very nice and enthusiastic. Not to mention the menu is filled with many different options including meat and vegetarian friendly.
The soup is sold in pint and quart sized mason jars. If you keep the jar and return it you get a punch card. For every 10 returned jars you receive a free pint of soup. I decided on the Moroccan Chickpea Stew, the Fiery Shitake Mushroom and Barley, and the Rustic Vegetable and Bean. It didn't take long to finish off a jar of soup, and the remaining soup will likely be eaten within a few days. The VGK grows most of its ingredients on its organic farm. What it doesn't grow it obtains from local producers.Another great aspect of the VGK is it that it is partnered or working closely with Arc of Greater New Orleans which is a 501(C)(3) organization. Arc is dedicated to the empowerment of adults and children with intellectual disabilities and supplies labor to the VGK for farming and producing the soups.
In my opinion the VGK gets a high score for several reasons. First, the soups are absolutely delicious, seasoned to perfection, and prepared with fresh, hearty vegetables. Another plus, the ingredients are mostly organic which makes me feel better about eating it, and which means VGK is dedicated to sustainable practices and outputting the highest quality of foods. Additionally, its cooperation with Arc of Greater New Orleans is a great way of empowering those with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, the VGK is not only producing great soups but it is doing it through positive social impact and change. A little out of the way, but well worth it.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Downton Abbey
After taking note of the online buzz regarding Downton Abbey (available on Netflix Instant Watch) I decided to give it a whirl. Admittingly, it isn't a show I would normally watch. However my wife is an avid lover of British Literature, the Elizabethan era, and the United Kingdom as a whole. Additionally, our upcoming travel plans include a trip to London, England. My past experience with TV shows is hit or miss. Some shows immediately draw me in (Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Eastbound & Down, etc. etc.) while other shows take a while to steep (Seinfeld, How I Met Your Mother). However there is also a category of TV shows that are very popular, and I feel that I should like them (Ancient Aliens, Madmen, Walking Dead, The Tudors) but it just doesn't pan out.
My first impression was that Downton Abbey would be a dry period piece with too many characters and plot lines that quickly transcend my attention span. However, I made a good faith effort to watch the entire first episode uninterrupted, without picking up my iPhone or going on the internet. Turning on the subtitles was a big help, since the dialect could make it quite difficult to understand at times. As it turns out, the show proved me wrong and captivated me within the first twenty minutes. The variety of characters and the plot was entertaining, and the cinematography is absolutely stunning. With TV series I tend to get oversaturated and grow tired of it if I try to watch too many at once. We have decided to watch the show in moderation and only together, while paying complete attention. PBS has done a stellar job with this show, and I am grateful that Netflix has picked it up. I'm looking forward to the remaining episodes in season 1 and I hope season 2 is a success as well.
If you don't have Netflix and you don't mind watching TV on your computer you can watch the show for free on the PBS website.
My first impression was that Downton Abbey would be a dry period piece with too many characters and plot lines that quickly transcend my attention span. However, I made a good faith effort to watch the entire first episode uninterrupted, without picking up my iPhone or going on the internet. Turning on the subtitles was a big help, since the dialect could make it quite difficult to understand at times. As it turns out, the show proved me wrong and captivated me within the first twenty minutes. The variety of characters and the plot was entertaining, and the cinematography is absolutely stunning. With TV series I tend to get oversaturated and grow tired of it if I try to watch too many at once. We have decided to watch the show in moderation and only together, while paying complete attention. PBS has done a stellar job with this show, and I am grateful that Netflix has picked it up. I'm looking forward to the remaining episodes in season 1 and I hope season 2 is a success as well.
If you don't have Netflix and you don't mind watching TV on your computer you can watch the show for free on the PBS website.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
100% certainty.
One thing that always intrigues me is cross examination. As a lawyer I can't stand trials. It's not the stress of preparing for trial, because every single case must be assumed to go to litigation. But it's the mental games that you begin to play with yourself. Rather than thinking about everything that I have done, I tend to think about every detail that I haven't thought of yet. I wander if the other side is holding cards that have yet to be dealt. But anyway, enough about my anxieties and back to cross examination. One thing that I personally find as very effective in cross examination is asking the witness if they are 100% certain of X. I think it is rare that anyone can say anything with 100% certainty, so inevitably you can raise at least a modicum of doubt. I think this trick works well in front of a jury, since they are (should) be hanging on every word. A judge has seen it a thousand times over again so he wouldn't be impressed. But I will tell you this with 100% certainty, no one is ever 100% certain of anything:)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wandering Buddha: Is NOLA becoming more veg-friendly?
It seems as if there has been a sudden growth of vegetarian-friendly restaurants in New Orleans. For years we used to complain that there was no "healthy" options (besides getting a salad at Cafe Raine for $40) for dining out. There is no doubt New Orleans has an eclectic dining scene that produces delicious, original, and thoughtful, plates of food. But until recently there did not seem to be much by way of vegetarian options. I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan, but me and my wife both prefer to eat mostly a plant based diet. So now the prospect of veggie dining in New Orleans that isn't just mushrooms sauteed in butter, or steamed broccoli, or cheese pizza, makes me quite excited.
Last night we had the joyful opportunity to try the Wandering Buddha. It is operating out of the back of the Hi-Ho Lounge with the efforts of only two people. The menu does not suffer from "too many" options, as so many restaurants are oft to do. The server is one of the geniuses behind this operation (his girlfriend is in the back cooking) and he does an excellent job of explaining the dishes. For appetizers we had seaweed & rice rolls and the scallion pancake. The former was like sushi rolls but without the sushi. The latter was a savory pancake cooked until the onions caramelized and the cake is a golden brown. Both were delicious.
For entrees we had stir fried glass noodles and braised tofu. The stir fried glass noodles was similar in taste to a vegetarian pad thai. The noodles are actually made of sweet potatoes, but you would never know unless told. The braised tofu was prepared more thoughtfully than any tofu I have ever tasted. It was accompanied with seasoned spinach, spicy cucmbers, and kimchi. Overall the food was exceptional. If you're in to trying different ethnic foods and you enjoy vegetarian this is the place for you.
The real gem about this place is that you are eating vegan and you're not sacrificing the flavor or satisfaction. This is a place you could bring your parents and they probably wouldn't realize it was vegan unless you told them. Of course, assuming they enjoy Korean food which is spicy and consists of many pickled dishes. The Wandering Buddha gets a good review because the food was spectacular. The negative to this place is the location, it is in a bar and there was smoking. I imagine that soon this place will outgrow itself and find another location. Finally, they accept cash only, and do not accept the restaurant.com coupon that everyone has been talking about.
Last night we had the joyful opportunity to try the Wandering Buddha. It is operating out of the back of the Hi-Ho Lounge with the efforts of only two people. The menu does not suffer from "too many" options, as so many restaurants are oft to do. The server is one of the geniuses behind this operation (his girlfriend is in the back cooking) and he does an excellent job of explaining the dishes. For appetizers we had seaweed & rice rolls and the scallion pancake. The former was like sushi rolls but without the sushi. The latter was a savory pancake cooked until the onions caramelized and the cake is a golden brown. Both were delicious.
For entrees we had stir fried glass noodles and braised tofu. The stir fried glass noodles was similar in taste to a vegetarian pad thai. The noodles are actually made of sweet potatoes, but you would never know unless told. The braised tofu was prepared more thoughtfully than any tofu I have ever tasted. It was accompanied with seasoned spinach, spicy cucmbers, and kimchi. Overall the food was exceptional. If you're in to trying different ethnic foods and you enjoy vegetarian this is the place for you.
The real gem about this place is that you are eating vegan and you're not sacrificing the flavor or satisfaction. This is a place you could bring your parents and they probably wouldn't realize it was vegan unless you told them. Of course, assuming they enjoy Korean food which is spicy and consists of many pickled dishes. The Wandering Buddha gets a good review because the food was spectacular. The negative to this place is the location, it is in a bar and there was smoking. I imagine that soon this place will outgrow itself and find another location. Finally, they accept cash only, and do not accept the restaurant.com coupon that everyone has been talking about.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Welcome to this world!
Recently I've entered into the world of blogging for professional purposes. In the past I've had more than one fledgling effort to start a blog but nothing that really panned out. It wasn't until I started blogging for work and using the multitude of social networks that I began to really enjoy. I found myself thinking about things that would make great blog posts, but don't exactly fit into the professional sphere of things. So, what this will be is a forum for the dregs of my thoughts and opinions. Perhaps that will be the name for the blog. Anwyho, this is where I can talk about food, economics, health, exercise, books, movies, poetry, or whatever else I want. Essentially, this is the "blog about nothing." (another possible title). But for now, I will keep this name "staircase wit" which is the English translation of l'esprit de l'escalier, for all you other dorks out there who know what I mean: the jerk store called, they're running out of you! You have been forewarned.
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