Can we talk about the City schools stalemate? This week's Style cover story certainly shone a light on the policies and practices that have perpetuated our city's ongoing gridlock where public education is concerned. (full discloser: I have volunteered a bit with the Build Schools Now initiative and will probably continue to do so).
In the story, we see Tichi Pinkney-Eppes, the president of the Richmond City Council of PTAs maligned for pushing obstinate officials to do better for Richmond's children. We see PTA groups pitted against each other for existing in a modern-day version of a separate/unequal school system. We see children receiving the misguided punishment of frustrated administrators. And, we don't see nearly enough about the need to change the systemic pattern of neglect in the significant portions of Richmond where poverty is rampant; neglect: between parent and child, parents and teachers, local government and low-income citizens, and between citizens with common interests. It's a vicious downward spiral of suspicion and simmering hostility that keeps our city in a constant state of toxicity.
Seriously, read that Style piece and see if you learn something, get mad about behind the scenes behaviors, or the misdirected focus on infighting, and an overall lack of hope. Take your pick of an issue. I think this story warrents your attention, speculation, and participation. And, in lieu of hope, maybe there is inspiration to act. We can pick apart the story, the actors in the drama, or their charicterization, and we can update the story with recent developments. I'm interested, not as an expert or an insider (I'm neither), but because I've got a kid on the way and I want him to feel good about my public school options. I'm not hoping to use this space to put my platform forward (although I hope to voice some more opinions in the comments section). I'd rather see some dialgue among those who've read the article and care about our schools and our city.
Richmond, the ball is in your court.
--------------
More required reading: James River Maven's Letter to the Mayoral Candidates
Thursday, March 13, 2008
My Quickfire Cocktail Challenge during Top Chef
During the first commercial break in the Top Chef 4 season premier, I raced into the kitchen with the task of making a rusty nail (my favorite drink), but without the Drambuie. RVA Foodie, you have 3 minutes to complete this quickfire challenge. "Yes, chef." Starting... now.
Introducing a new drink: Shiva's Liquid Linga (aka a Henna Tattoo)
By the way, I'm a Top Chef junkie and now that The Wire has abandoned me, I'm happily rebounding with my other TV love. This space will not, however, be a TC4 blog (although maybe in the comments of this post). There are experts that you can consult for such needs, if you have them.
In my cupboard, all I had was scotch, having run out of the overpriced Drambuie liqueur during the week. Several bartenders have informed me that there is no suitable alternative for the mysterious scotch derivative cordial. I had only a moment to concoct something sweet to cut thru my Dugan's Dew scotch (always on sale for much less than Dewar's).
I'm thinking notes of licorice, mint, maybe a more mellow flavor to smooth those out. I pulled some prepared simple syrup (sugar water) from the fridge and pictured a box of fennel or anise tea that I could brew and reduce quickly. My tea drawer had no such box, so I grabbed some Yogi brand Indian Spice Tea (basically chai): complex, spicy, and featuring the flavors I needed , but kicked up several notches. A tea bag went into a cup with 1-2 oz of water and I microwaved it for one minute, removed and squeezed the bag and microwaved it for another 30 secs to reduce it. Then, I mixed this with roughly the same amount of simple syrup.
With a minute left on the clock, I made my drink as I always make my rusty nails (1 part sweet liqueur, and 3 parts scotch with two ice cubes). On my way back to the couch, with the Top Chef theme music starting up, I'm making a short list of names for my new drink (whether it's drinkable or not). Hmmm, a rusty nail with an Indian twist... liquid nails? a rusty chai? um, henna...
The drink isn't bad at all. I hate scotch by itself, but this concoction, like a rusty nail, makes the liquor go down without a hint of yuck face. My drink was a little watery, cuz the tea didn't reduce enough. It's also not as strong as a rusty nail, because there's no alcohol in my cheap imitation Drambuie liqueur. However, the chai spice loved the sugar and together they put a smile on my face (or maybe that was the scotch). The chai competes with the scotch a bit instead of complimenting it (like Drambuie), but what do you expect for a substitution that costs pennies on the dollar in comparison.
What shall I name this drink? A Henna Tattoo or (Shiva's) Liquid Linga?
If you're familiar with Hindu symbols, you'll know that the Linga is the representation of the phallus or male reproductive energy. Shiva uses this "symbol" to tame wild goddesses, or so the story goes. I wanted to stick with the "liquid nails" idea, and this is where I wound up (being a lover of alliteration and mysticism). The Henna Tattoo idea just seems like it'd go over bigger at Beach Week than my literary creation.
How's that for an impromptu 3 minute challenge?
Introducing a new drink: Shiva's Liquid Linga (aka a Henna Tattoo)
By the way, I'm a Top Chef junkie and now that The Wire has abandoned me, I'm happily rebounding with my other TV love. This space will not, however, be a TC4 blog (although maybe in the comments of this post). There are experts that you can consult for such needs, if you have them.
In my cupboard, all I had was scotch, having run out of the overpriced Drambuie liqueur during the week. Several bartenders have informed me that there is no suitable alternative for the mysterious scotch derivative cordial. I had only a moment to concoct something sweet to cut thru my Dugan's Dew scotch (always on sale for much less than Dewar's).
I'm thinking notes of licorice, mint, maybe a more mellow flavor to smooth those out. I pulled some prepared simple syrup (sugar water) from the fridge and pictured a box of fennel or anise tea that I could brew and reduce quickly. My tea drawer had no such box, so I grabbed some Yogi brand Indian Spice Tea (basically chai): complex, spicy, and featuring the flavors I needed , but kicked up several notches. A tea bag went into a cup with 1-2 oz of water and I microwaved it for one minute, removed and squeezed the bag and microwaved it for another 30 secs to reduce it. Then, I mixed this with roughly the same amount of simple syrup.
With a minute left on the clock, I made my drink as I always make my rusty nails (1 part sweet liqueur, and 3 parts scotch with two ice cubes). On my way back to the couch, with the Top Chef theme music starting up, I'm making a short list of names for my new drink (whether it's drinkable or not). Hmmm, a rusty nail with an Indian twist... liquid nails? a rusty chai? um, henna...
The drink isn't bad at all. I hate scotch by itself, but this concoction, like a rusty nail, makes the liquor go down without a hint of yuck face. My drink was a little watery, cuz the tea didn't reduce enough. It's also not as strong as a rusty nail, because there's no alcohol in my cheap imitation Drambuie liqueur. However, the chai spice loved the sugar and together they put a smile on my face (or maybe that was the scotch). The chai competes with the scotch a bit instead of complimenting it (like Drambuie), but what do you expect for a substitution that costs pennies on the dollar in comparison.
What shall I name this drink? A Henna Tattoo or (Shiva's) Liquid Linga?
If you're familiar with Hindu symbols, you'll know that the Linga is the representation of the phallus or male reproductive energy. Shiva uses this "symbol" to tame wild goddesses, or so the story goes. I wanted to stick with the "liquid nails" idea, and this is where I wound up (being a lover of alliteration and mysticism). The Henna Tattoo idea just seems like it'd go over bigger at Beach Week than my literary creation.
How's that for an impromptu 3 minute challenge?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Dust Off Your Bicycle, Richmond (and get it fixed up)
As the weather is starting to warm up, maybe it's time to dust off that bicycle of yours and see the city from the two wheeled perspective. Before you ride, I think you would be well served to take your bike in for a tune up at either of my two favorite bike shops in the city. Snappy breaks and a cleaned and oiled drive train make the ride so much smoother, carefree, and safer* (please see the safety disclaimer/dedication at the bottom). Already a bike rider? Chime in with a comment about why you find bicycling so satisfying.
Misunderstanding the machine can make biking a chore. Luckily there is help available. Sure, you could do some of those pesky maintenance tasks yourself, but bike grease is really messy. Nothing gets it out of your clothes. Wouldn't you rather help some of Richmond's most competent grease monkeys to stay in business by letting them do the work for you? Let me entice you with some details. But first, let me explain this picture. My office threw me a baby shower yesterday (oh yeah, Karen too) and these balloons were presented. At quitting time, I tied them to my bike and rode the 2.5 miles home, a little pudgy from too much cake. But, you don't gotta be shaped like bike to ride one. Did anyone spot my balloons trailing behind me through the Museum District and Carytown?
Bunny Hop Bicycle Shop
A cute little shop gets a fittingly cute name. But, you don't need a chic bike to fit in here, cuz the proprietor, Luke, will turn anything you've got into a high performance machine. VCU students seem to think he's a guru of single speed track bikes (because he is, simply by meeting the high demand for trendy two wheelers). But the Luke that I knew prior to his bike shop proprietorship was all about cobbling together high quality parts into a sweet ride WITH GEARS, lots of gears! Bring Luke your old 10 speed and you'll make his day. Or better yet, dust off your mid-80's Italian steel frame with a full set of Campy components, cuz he'd probably enjoy working on that one too. Either way, when you get on your new and improved bike after he's finished with it you'll be pedalin' thru butta on your ride home (on W. Grace, across from Ipanema).
Richmond Re-Cycles
This place is more than a bike shop. It's a multi-platformed campaign for bicycling accessibility in Richmond. Although they started in 2005, turning old used bikes into ridable bargains, today they're an expanded storefront treasure trove of used and new parts and accessories. Amid the menagerie of salvaged wheels and handlebars, two or three mechanics are always busy working on repair jobs. Bikes for sale are fewer and far between these days compared to their initial few months, but a call ahead will let you know if they're going to have what you need (located at Cary and Robinson). Is there another bike shop in town that lets the neighborhood kids hang out all day? Surely a sign of wholesome goodness.
In my humble opinion
By this point, you might be asking what makes these two bike shops "Richmond's Best?" Considering that there are more than 15 bike shops in Greater Richmond, it's a wonder that they've all found a niche even though the city is not particularly bike friendly. Well, I'm not saying the other 13 places aren't worthy, it's just that these two shops have given me good service, and they tend to support my world view. By that, I mean that they share in common a couple attributes that are really important to me and bicycle ethics in general.
First, they don't try to sell you high end stuff that you don't need (hi, Agees!), or crappy parts that won't last. Instead they're likely to find cheap replacements to help you keep your bike riding hobby relatively inexpensive. Second, in the spirit of community service, they teach the do-it-yourself approach, if you're interested. When these shops aren't slammed, they'll often show you how they're fixing your bike so you can maintain it yourself between visits. That kind of personable skill sharing builds community and, possibly, a more bicycle conscious city.
Safety first: Wear a helmet, please
*I want to dedicate this post to Ronnie Graham and Jonny Zanin, two young men who died in bicycle crashes in the past year. I knew them both and they were similarly extroverted, generous, and full of energy. Both died in bizarre freak accidents, which makes it hard to present some kind of moral. But, another parallel should be highlighted. I don't think either of them were wearing a helmet when they wrecked on their bikes. Here's the helmet that I recommend, cuz it doesn't look like you're off course from the Tour de France. I know that Ronnie and Jonny would smile knowing that I promoted bike riding (and safety) in their honor, even though I clumsily affixed their invocation. With that, all I ask is that you enjoy the ride, and don't let the stress of sociopathic car culture ruin your still point.
Misunderstanding the machine can make biking a chore. Luckily there is help available. Sure, you could do some of those pesky maintenance tasks yourself, but bike grease is really messy. Nothing gets it out of your clothes. Wouldn't you rather help some of Richmond's most competent grease monkeys to stay in business by letting them do the work for you? Let me entice you with some details. But first, let me explain this picture. My office threw me a baby shower yesterday (oh yeah, Karen too) and these balloons were presented. At quitting time, I tied them to my bike and rode the 2.5 miles home, a little pudgy from too much cake. But, you don't gotta be shaped like bike to ride one. Did anyone spot my balloons trailing behind me through the Museum District and Carytown?Bunny Hop Bicycle Shop
A cute little shop gets a fittingly cute name. But, you don't need a chic bike to fit in here, cuz the proprietor, Luke, will turn anything you've got into a high performance machine. VCU students seem to think he's a guru of single speed track bikes (because he is, simply by meeting the high demand for trendy two wheelers). But the Luke that I knew prior to his bike shop proprietorship was all about cobbling together high quality parts into a sweet ride WITH GEARS, lots of gears! Bring Luke your old 10 speed and you'll make his day. Or better yet, dust off your mid-80's Italian steel frame with a full set of Campy components, cuz he'd probably enjoy working on that one too. Either way, when you get on your new and improved bike after he's finished with it you'll be pedalin' thru butta on your ride home (on W. Grace, across from Ipanema).
Richmond Re-Cycles
This place is more than a bike shop. It's a multi-platformed campaign for bicycling accessibility in Richmond. Although they started in 2005, turning old used bikes into ridable bargains, today they're an expanded storefront treasure trove of used and new parts and accessories. Amid the menagerie of salvaged wheels and handlebars, two or three mechanics are always busy working on repair jobs. Bikes for sale are fewer and far between these days compared to their initial few months, but a call ahead will let you know if they're going to have what you need (located at Cary and Robinson). Is there another bike shop in town that lets the neighborhood kids hang out all day? Surely a sign of wholesome goodness.
In my humble opinion
By this point, you might be asking what makes these two bike shops "Richmond's Best?" Considering that there are more than 15 bike shops in Greater Richmond, it's a wonder that they've all found a niche even though the city is not particularly bike friendly. Well, I'm not saying the other 13 places aren't worthy, it's just that these two shops have given me good service, and they tend to support my world view. By that, I mean that they share in common a couple attributes that are really important to me and bicycle ethics in general.
First, they don't try to sell you high end stuff that you don't need (hi, Agees!), or crappy parts that won't last. Instead they're likely to find cheap replacements to help you keep your bike riding hobby relatively inexpensive. Second, in the spirit of community service, they teach the do-it-yourself approach, if you're interested. When these shops aren't slammed, they'll often show you how they're fixing your bike so you can maintain it yourself between visits. That kind of personable skill sharing builds community and, possibly, a more bicycle conscious city.
Safety first: Wear a helmet, please
*I want to dedicate this post to Ronnie Graham and Jonny Zanin, two young men who died in bicycle crashes in the past year. I knew them both and they were similarly extroverted, generous, and full of energy. Both died in bizarre freak accidents, which makes it hard to present some kind of moral. But, another parallel should be highlighted. I don't think either of them were wearing a helmet when they wrecked on their bikes. Here's the helmet that I recommend, cuz it doesn't look like you're off course from the Tour de France. I know that Ronnie and Jonny would smile knowing that I promoted bike riding (and safety) in their honor, even though I clumsily affixed their invocation. With that, all I ask is that you enjoy the ride, and don't let the stress of sociopathic car culture ruin your still point.
Monday, March 10, 2008
OpiNIONated Restaurant Listings
I have finally listed all of the restaurants that have received my attention in a convenient clickable list in this blog's template (for now, only shown on the homepage). It was an hour or so of laborious HTML manipulation, but it's finally done. Many of the older "reviews" are still representative and timely and others may need updating. So, I hope that you'll feel free to round out my OpiNIONS with your own comments. We've all got our points of view and I'm hoping that consumer advocacy will increase as a community ethic through this kind of online discussion. Or maybe, "I just wanna see something different every day and write a story about it." (from the Wire's final episode)
A minor programming update like this is probably a trivial development for most blogs, but it was hard for me, SO BACK OFF! Yeah, I just stole that joke from Billy Madison, my favorite Adam Sandler movie. In the spirit of irreverence, I included a few ALL CAPS exhortations that aren't actually restaurants, per se. Those are just bonuses from the archives that were relevant, but hard to categorize.
There are other online listings of Richmond restaurants, like Richmond.com, or Style Weekly, and eventually the new RVA Eats. All of these are probably more informative than what you see here, but they may not include consumer feedback.
With that backhanded comment, let the clicking and schticking commence.
Mangia!
RVA Foodie
A minor programming update like this is probably a trivial development for most blogs, but it was hard for me, SO BACK OFF! Yeah, I just stole that joke from Billy Madison, my favorite Adam Sandler movie. In the spirit of irreverence, I included a few ALL CAPS exhortations that aren't actually restaurants, per se. Those are just bonuses from the archives that were relevant, but hard to categorize.
There are other online listings of Richmond restaurants, like Richmond.com, or Style Weekly, and eventually the new RVA Eats. All of these are probably more informative than what you see here, but they may not include consumer feedback.
With that backhanded comment, let the clicking and schticking commence.
Mangia!
RVA Foodie
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Cajun Bangkok REVISITED
When Karen said she wanted Thai for lunch after errand running I suggested Cajun Bangkok. "Are you sure? I thought you -". "Toasted coconut platter, Karen. We have to go try it." "Do they even have Thai food?" "Yeeesssss, c'mon. Trust me."
Dear reader, you may have seen my "Heaven and Hell" piece about having smelly fish after a couple awesome starters. This was our only real reason for trepidation. Since then, everyone's talking about the appetizer where you make your own little wraps out of collard greens, toasted coconut, etc. So, I had to satisfy my curiosity. In the end, we agreed that we'd had one of our best lunches out in a long time. Here's the boiled down play by play.
We stared at the menu and told the charming server that we KNOW we're starting with the Toasted coconut platter. Meanwhile, we sifted through the options looking for Thai food. Because this place is an attempt at fusion cuisine, there are a lot of funny concoctions that lean toward either Thai or Cajun and always avoiding authentic tried and true recipes. But this day was not for experimenting. We wanted a sure thing.
"Everything is either noodle, meat, or sandwich," said Karen, who is currently prohibited from eating noodles due to some medical hocus pocus about her blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Since we were going to share, and I'm a vegetarian, that ruled out most other options (noodles evidently being the standard replacement for meat). And, of course, sandwiches are not Thai. We wondered if we wouldn't have been better off at our old standby, Mom's Siam, getting some tofu dish that we've had a hundred times.
We decided to go with what we know to be delicious at Cajun Bangkok: Thai she-crab soup and southern fried Calamari. That's right, three appetizers and no entree. As we ordered, we were presented with the cutest platter of separated ingredients I've seen in a while. It was a ramekin of toasted coconut in the middle, surrounded by lightly browned peanuts, diced red onion, green chili pieces, fresh ginger, dried shrimp, tiny lime pieces, and perfect little circles of collard greens. There's a picture that almost does justice to the artfulness of the platter in the February RTD review. Everything was in miniature, to the point that my initial reaction was to feel slighted by the small portion.
Feeling famished, we dug in, making our little wraps, squirting them with a the provided sauce (really understated and smooth), and scarfing them down. For a few minutes, there weren't many words spoken. Then Karen proclaimed, "This is the perfect salty, spicy, sour, sweet." I agreed. And, to my amazement, when Karen gave up, there was still lots left and I had to race to finish it as the next two plates arrived.
Our soup and calamari were just as before: amazing. The rich and spicy she-crab was again spiked with curry and coconut milk. And the light and tasty breaded calamari came with the same inexplicably delicious dipping sauce (which we had to request more of). What the heck is it, anyhow? Thai spiced... tomato based... whatever. There's a drop on my shirt that I'm tempted to lick right now. This meal was now at three layers of perfection.
We decided to forget the blood sugar fear-mongering and ended with mango and sticky rice. As in any Thai place, it was beautifully presented. But the flavors were a cut above. "This is the most perfectly ripe mango I've ever had," gushes Karen between mouthfuls. And the sticky rice was not overpoweringly sweet, despite the coconut creme glaze that oozed around the plate. We gobbled with gusto.
The level of satisfaction at our table was positively post-coital. Both of us were mildly euphoric as we praised the server and paid the tab (which consisted of $5+$6+$7+$8). Looking around the dining room which had remained empty for our entire visit, I asked how business was going. You could see a little trouble in our server's face. But he perked up, saying that things had improved since the 3 outta 4 stars in the RTD review.
I felt bad for having dissed the stinky tuna that we got a few months back, and hoped that they truly were bouncing back. As far as I know, fish may not be their strong suit, or it was just a bad night. For my household, ordering will be a little more fun if they would add a tofu option to some of the entrees (and after the starch ban is lifted in a month and we can order noodles again). But either way, from here on out, we're gonna head back to this place often as long as they can overcome the skeptics (like me) and keep the lights on.
Dear reader, you may have seen my "Heaven and Hell" piece about having smelly fish after a couple awesome starters. This was our only real reason for trepidation. Since then, everyone's talking about the appetizer where you make your own little wraps out of collard greens, toasted coconut, etc. So, I had to satisfy my curiosity. In the end, we agreed that we'd had one of our best lunches out in a long time. Here's the boiled down play by play.
We stared at the menu and told the charming server that we KNOW we're starting with the Toasted coconut platter. Meanwhile, we sifted through the options looking for Thai food. Because this place is an attempt at fusion cuisine, there are a lot of funny concoctions that lean toward either Thai or Cajun and always avoiding authentic tried and true recipes. But this day was not for experimenting. We wanted a sure thing.
"Everything is either noodle, meat, or sandwich," said Karen, who is currently prohibited from eating noodles due to some medical hocus pocus about her blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Since we were going to share, and I'm a vegetarian, that ruled out most other options (noodles evidently being the standard replacement for meat). And, of course, sandwiches are not Thai. We wondered if we wouldn't have been better off at our old standby, Mom's Siam, getting some tofu dish that we've had a hundred times.
We decided to go with what we know to be delicious at Cajun Bangkok: Thai she-crab soup and southern fried Calamari. That's right, three appetizers and no entree. As we ordered, we were presented with the cutest platter of separated ingredients I've seen in a while. It was a ramekin of toasted coconut in the middle, surrounded by lightly browned peanuts, diced red onion, green chili pieces, fresh ginger, dried shrimp, tiny lime pieces, and perfect little circles of collard greens. There's a picture that almost does justice to the artfulness of the platter in the February RTD review. Everything was in miniature, to the point that my initial reaction was to feel slighted by the small portion.
Feeling famished, we dug in, making our little wraps, squirting them with a the provided sauce (really understated and smooth), and scarfing them down. For a few minutes, there weren't many words spoken. Then Karen proclaimed, "This is the perfect salty, spicy, sour, sweet." I agreed. And, to my amazement, when Karen gave up, there was still lots left and I had to race to finish it as the next two plates arrived.
Our soup and calamari were just as before: amazing. The rich and spicy she-crab was again spiked with curry and coconut milk. And the light and tasty breaded calamari came with the same inexplicably delicious dipping sauce (which we had to request more of). What the heck is it, anyhow? Thai spiced... tomato based... whatever. There's a drop on my shirt that I'm tempted to lick right now. This meal was now at three layers of perfection.
We decided to forget the blood sugar fear-mongering and ended with mango and sticky rice. As in any Thai place, it was beautifully presented. But the flavors were a cut above. "This is the most perfectly ripe mango I've ever had," gushes Karen between mouthfuls. And the sticky rice was not overpoweringly sweet, despite the coconut creme glaze that oozed around the plate. We gobbled with gusto.
The level of satisfaction at our table was positively post-coital. Both of us were mildly euphoric as we praised the server and paid the tab (which consisted of $5+$6+$7+$8). Looking around the dining room which had remained empty for our entire visit, I asked how business was going. You could see a little trouble in our server's face. But he perked up, saying that things had improved since the 3 outta 4 stars in the RTD review.
I felt bad for having dissed the stinky tuna that we got a few months back, and hoped that they truly were bouncing back. As far as I know, fish may not be their strong suit, or it was just a bad night. For my household, ordering will be a little more fun if they would add a tofu option to some of the entrees (and after the starch ban is lifted in a month and we can order noodles again). But either way, from here on out, we're gonna head back to this place often as long as they can overcome the skeptics (like me) and keep the lights on.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Getting Rid of the Byrd Park Geese
As an animal rights oriented Byrd Park resident, I was a little ambivalent about the plans for goose herding using trained dogs. Apparaently, this is set to take place on Monday. However, I got an email from a civic-minded nature-buff that won me over (see below). And I thought I'd contribute my own thoughts.
First, here's the announcement, from my Civic League prez:
On Monday the City's Parks Department with its contractor will be running the trained Border Collies through and around the Roundhouse and Swan Lake. These dogs are specially trained to chase ONLY THE CANADIAN GEESE. The domestic geese and ducks will not be chased. These dogs are highly trained to simply being used to push the nuisance Canadian geese out of the Park. This "chasing" will be occur again on a regular basis with the goal of encouraging the Canadian Geese to begin to migrate.
NO GEESE WILL BE HURT IN THE PROCESS. Please remember that these geese are SUPPOSED to migrate and have been living park now for several years.
My thoughts in brief:
First, my house had pigeons roosting (and popping) all over the eves of my porch and windows for years. We constantly heard their racket inside. One day, I brought home a tube of "tangle foot" pigeon deterant and squirted the stuff on every window sill. I've never heard from them since! And I have no remorse. They've got wings and can make their home almost anywhere. I wouldn't kill a bird for food, but I'll put some sticky stuff on the bottoms of their feet if it means less poop and more peace. The Moral: Deliver your message to the birds in a language they can understand and they'll change their behavior.
Second, I walk my dogs around the lakes in Byrd Park, mostly sticking to the sidewalk. The whole way, the dogs have their nose to the ground, scooping up disgusting green goose poop with gusto. Blech! I hear that the birds can sometime have parasites that can be passed through their feces. Either way, it can't be healthy dietary supplement and it's just bad form for a house dog. Of course, my little black pug would probably trade his poop scooping habit for a chance to chase some birds in Byrd Park. The moral: Byrd Park will be soooo much better when you don't have to watch your every step to avoid stepping in slimey green pile of crap.
From Byrd Park's resident naturalist:
Just a brief comment for the people who are concerned about harsh or discriminatory treatment of our Canadian geese with the border collies. I'm not representing any group, but am writing this strictly on my own. This issue hasn't received much full attention yet in our media, so many people haven't received much relevant info. We had a helpful in depth presentation at a recent Friends of Wm Byrd Park meeting by Christy Everson from Rec & Parks on how and why this program with the border collies will help get the 300 Canada geese out of our park. The number of these geese has increased dramatically in recent years as they've stopped and stayed here instead of migrating south. Each goose leaves 1.5 lbs of droppings per day. Do the math for 300 geese X 365 days and you'll see this amounts to 164,250 pounds of rather large droppings per year, on sidewalks and grass, which are unhealthy and messy. One example: I've recently been talking with people over at the VA Home on the east side of WBP and when their residents go out on the nearby sidewalks near VH and next to Swan Lake, when they come back inside the treads of their wheel chair tires are often full of goose droppings.
Last year I attended a presentation by the owner of a local professional group of border collies who do precisely this type of work. The border collies are highly trained to chase them until they persuade the Canadian geese to leave the park and live somewhere else. They do not harm the geese in any way. Many cities with geese problems have used border collies to deal very effectively with this problem, like Manhattan to get the canada geese out of Central Park. Search the Internet for "border collies and canada geese" and you'll find many examples.
I hope some of this info helps put this topic in a bit of perspective.
First, here's the announcement, from my Civic League prez:
On Monday the City's Parks Department with its contractor will be running the trained Border Collies through and around the Roundhouse and Swan Lake. These dogs are specially trained to chase ONLY THE CANADIAN GEESE. The domestic geese and ducks will not be chased. These dogs are highly trained to simply being used to push the nuisance Canadian geese out of the Park. This "chasing" will be occur again on a regular basis with the goal of encouraging the Canadian Geese to begin to migrate.
NO GEESE WILL BE HURT IN THE PROCESS. Please remember that these geese are SUPPOSED to migrate and have been living park now for several years.
My thoughts in brief:
First, my house had pigeons roosting (and popping) all over the eves of my porch and windows for years. We constantly heard their racket inside. One day, I brought home a tube of "tangle foot" pigeon deterant and squirted the stuff on every window sill. I've never heard from them since! And I have no remorse. They've got wings and can make their home almost anywhere. I wouldn't kill a bird for food, but I'll put some sticky stuff on the bottoms of their feet if it means less poop and more peace. The Moral: Deliver your message to the birds in a language they can understand and they'll change their behavior.
Second, I walk my dogs around the lakes in Byrd Park, mostly sticking to the sidewalk. The whole way, the dogs have their nose to the ground, scooping up disgusting green goose poop with gusto. Blech! I hear that the birds can sometime have parasites that can be passed through their feces. Either way, it can't be healthy dietary supplement and it's just bad form for a house dog. Of course, my little black pug would probably trade his poop scooping habit for a chance to chase some birds in Byrd Park. The moral: Byrd Park will be soooo much better when you don't have to watch your every step to avoid stepping in slimey green pile of crap.
From Byrd Park's resident naturalist:
Just a brief comment for the people who are concerned about harsh or discriminatory treatment of our Canadian geese with the border collies. I'm not representing any group, but am writing this strictly on my own. This issue hasn't received much full attention yet in our media, so many people haven't received much relevant info. We had a helpful in depth presentation at a recent Friends of Wm Byrd Park meeting by Christy Everson from Rec & Parks on how and why this program with the border collies will help get the 300 Canada geese out of our park. The number of these geese has increased dramatically in recent years as they've stopped and stayed here instead of migrating south. Each goose leaves 1.5 lbs of droppings per day. Do the math for 300 geese X 365 days and you'll see this amounts to 164,250 pounds of rather large droppings per year, on sidewalks and grass, which are unhealthy and messy. One example: I've recently been talking with people over at the VA Home on the east side of WBP and when their residents go out on the nearby sidewalks near VH and next to Swan Lake, when they come back inside the treads of their wheel chair tires are often full of goose droppings.
Last year I attended a presentation by the owner of a local professional group of border collies who do precisely this type of work. The border collies are highly trained to chase them until they persuade the Canadian geese to leave the park and live somewhere else. They do not harm the geese in any way. Many cities with geese problems have used border collies to deal very effectively with this problem, like Manhattan to get the canada geese out of Central Park. Search the Internet for "border collies and canada geese" and you'll find many examples.
I hope some of this info helps put this topic in a bit of perspective.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Cheap-O Kitchen: the Herb Keeper
Buy a bag of cilantro/basil/parsley and stick it in the crisper. By the end of the week, the stuff is not crisp; it's brown and maybe growing mold. That's not a good return on your $2.19 investment. The solution: the Herb Keeper. Now, you can opt for fresh herbs over dried more often.
What's it for? You put your weed in it! Okay, I got that comment out of my system. Seriously, it's as simple as putting fresh cut flowers in water and changing the water every so often (plus the refrigeration extends the herbs' freshness). You're really just keeping the stems submerged. There's even a little bottom area that unscrews so you can leave the herbs undisturbed while you replace the water. I've had parsley that was usable for as long as three or four weeks. And, it's also great for asparagus. I've picked up a couple of these over the years at Marshalls ($7).
Okay, I'm having trouble singing the priases of the Herb Keeper effectively, so I'm just going to hand over the reins to the professionals. I often calibrate my preferences against Cooks Illustrated or Consumer Reports. In this case, I'm just going to go ahead and paste in the official word from the master kitchen experimenters themselves (cuz it would cost you to subscribe to their site yourself). They're usually pretty down on gimmicky gadgets, but this one is simple enough to get approval.
------------------
Herb Keeper
Written: 12/2004 in Cooks Illustrated
We tested the Herb Keeper against our preferred herb storage method: wrapping the herb in a damp paper towel and refrigerating it in a plastic bag to see which was better.
Because stores sell fresh herbs in larger bundles than called for in most recipes, we are always interested in finding new ways to maximize storage time. The Herb Keeper is an acrylic canister that holds long-stemmed herbs upright in water. It has a rubber lid and a removable bottom segment that can be unscrewed to refill with fresh water every three to four days. The jar fits inside refrigerator door shelves, making it easy to store.
Using parsley, we tested the Herb Keeper against our preferred herb storage method: wrapping the herb in a damp paper towel and refrigerating it in a plastic bag. After 10 days, the parsley kept in the bag was noticeably more wilted than the parsley in the Herb Keeper. It's important not to crowd the herbs in the keeper; some of the outer leaves were damaged. We also tested basil and found that the leaves in the Herb Keeper were noticeably fresher than the bagged basil even after one day. They survived another four days in excellent condition.
We think the Herb Keeper is an excellent option for storing leftover herbs, especially if you need to conserve refrigerator space. It can be bought for $12.99 at www.chefscatalog.com, item #20351.
--------------------
Don't put it in the dishwasher, cuz ours developed cracks from the high temperatures. But, if you do, you can probably find a new one in the clearance section of your favorite discount store.
Other Cheap-O Kitchen installments: immersion blender and mandolins slicers.
What's it for? You put your weed in it! Okay, I got that comment out of my system. Seriously, it's as simple as putting fresh cut flowers in water and changing the water every so often (plus the refrigeration extends the herbs' freshness). You're really just keeping the stems submerged. There's even a little bottom area that unscrews so you can leave the herbs undisturbed while you replace the water. I've had parsley that was usable for as long as three or four weeks. And, it's also great for asparagus. I've picked up a couple of these over the years at Marshalls ($7).
Okay, I'm having trouble singing the priases of the Herb Keeper effectively, so I'm just going to hand over the reins to the professionals. I often calibrate my preferences against Cooks Illustrated or Consumer Reports. In this case, I'm just going to go ahead and paste in the official word from the master kitchen experimenters themselves (cuz it would cost you to subscribe to their site yourself). They're usually pretty down on gimmicky gadgets, but this one is simple enough to get approval.
------------------
Herb Keeper
Written: 12/2004 in Cooks Illustrated
We tested the Herb Keeper against our preferred herb storage method: wrapping the herb in a damp paper towel and refrigerating it in a plastic bag to see which was better.
Because stores sell fresh herbs in larger bundles than called for in most recipes, we are always interested in finding new ways to maximize storage time. The Herb Keeper is an acrylic canister that holds long-stemmed herbs upright in water. It has a rubber lid and a removable bottom segment that can be unscrewed to refill with fresh water every three to four days. The jar fits inside refrigerator door shelves, making it easy to store.
Using parsley, we tested the Herb Keeper against our preferred herb storage method: wrapping the herb in a damp paper towel and refrigerating it in a plastic bag. After 10 days, the parsley kept in the bag was noticeably more wilted than the parsley in the Herb Keeper. It's important not to crowd the herbs in the keeper; some of the outer leaves were damaged. We also tested basil and found that the leaves in the Herb Keeper were noticeably fresher than the bagged basil even after one day. They survived another four days in excellent condition.
We think the Herb Keeper is an excellent option for storing leftover herbs, especially if you need to conserve refrigerator space. It can be bought for $12.99 at www.chefscatalog.com, item #20351.
--------------------
Don't put it in the dishwasher, cuz ours developed cracks from the high temperatures. But, if you do, you can probably find a new one in the clearance section of your favorite discount store.
Other Cheap-O Kitchen installments: immersion blender and mandolins slicers.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
!Hola! Jalapeño (w/queso fundido recipe)
One of the books that we were given at the baby shower was "Hola! Jalapeno," by Amy Wilson Sanger (who wrote a bunch of foodie kids books). We got such a kick out of reading it, that I decided to post the words here. Also, I'm going to include a little report back on a couple of the latin flavored dips I served at the party (and I'll include a recipe and a recommendation).
Hola Jalapeno!
I say, hello my chile friend.
Seniorita Quesadilla,
cheese is melting out your end.
Here's la cocina en mi casa
(that's the kitchen in my house),
where I eat a big burrito,
almost wider than my mouth.
Corn tortillas make my tacos,
my tostada,… and my chips.
Tomato salsa, por favor,
and guacamole dip!
Gracias, tamales, for your
masa dough surprise
wrapped up tight in leaves of corn
a present in disguise.
Dance frijoles negros,
with rice we call arroz.
Roll on, enchiladas
in your bed of cheese and sauce!
Chicken in a mole bath
is my special dinner treat.
Then flan! a caramel custard
that's silky smooth and sweet.
Stir a cup of cold horchata
with a stick of cinnamon spice.
Adios! my green amigo
I can't eat another bite.
Reading this little book makes me hungry. In fact, right now, I could go for some handmade tortilla temptations from Taqueria del Sol along with some horchata. Which brings me to my baby shower dips. As usual, the jalapeño pesto continues to impress (and I'm as surprised as anybody, cuz I invented the stuff). Karen is now saying it's her favorite dip on the planet. There's never any left when I put it out. The recipe is on this blog, but I think I added a bit of lemon juice and tamari as I tinkered with it.
My mole flavored cheese dip got altered a bit when I started looking for a recipe that would help me get the technique down for making the cheese dip creamy and smooth. The answer, I think, is to start with a roux and whisk in some milk before adding the cheese. Here's Bobby Flay's famous queso fundido from Mesa Grill (a chi-chi Mannhattan restaurant that I gave a mixed review). Oh, by the way, I wouldn't put mole in my cheese dip again. Try roasted poblano vinaigrette instead.
Queso Fundido
-------------
1 tbls unsalted butter
1 tbls flour
1 cup milk
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (12 oz)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
8 ounces goat cheese cut into 8 slices
1. Preheat the broiler
2. Melt the butter in an over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Jack cheese and salt and pepper.
3. Scrape the mixture into an 8 inch cast iron pan (or whatever) and lay the goat cheese slices on top. Broil until the cheese is golden brown on top.
This is where I added some mole sauce, but I think you're better off sticking with Bobby Flay's directions. So, make this sauce and drizzle it on top of the cheese (and maybe drop some chopped cilantro on top too).
Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
---------------------------
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tbls red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspon honey
1/4 cup veg oil
salt and pepper
Combine and blend in the food processor, blender, or using a hand blender.
Hola Jalapeno!
I say, hello my chile friend.
Seniorita Quesadilla,
cheese is melting out your end.
Here's la cocina en mi casa
(that's the kitchen in my house),
where I eat a big burrito,
almost wider than my mouth.
Corn tortillas make my tacos,
my tostada,… and my chips.
Tomato salsa, por favor,
and guacamole dip!
Gracias, tamales, for your
masa dough surprise
wrapped up tight in leaves of corn
a present in disguise.
Dance frijoles negros,
with rice we call arroz.
Roll on, enchiladas
in your bed of cheese and sauce!
Chicken in a mole bath
is my special dinner treat.
Then flan! a caramel custard
that's silky smooth and sweet.
Stir a cup of cold horchata
with a stick of cinnamon spice.
Adios! my green amigo
I can't eat another bite.
Reading this little book makes me hungry. In fact, right now, I could go for some handmade tortilla temptations from Taqueria del Sol along with some horchata. Which brings me to my baby shower dips. As usual, the jalapeño pesto continues to impress (and I'm as surprised as anybody, cuz I invented the stuff). Karen is now saying it's her favorite dip on the planet. There's never any left when I put it out. The recipe is on this blog, but I think I added a bit of lemon juice and tamari as I tinkered with it.
My mole flavored cheese dip got altered a bit when I started looking for a recipe that would help me get the technique down for making the cheese dip creamy and smooth. The answer, I think, is to start with a roux and whisk in some milk before adding the cheese. Here's Bobby Flay's famous queso fundido from Mesa Grill (a chi-chi Mannhattan restaurant that I gave a mixed review). Oh, by the way, I wouldn't put mole in my cheese dip again. Try roasted poblano vinaigrette instead.
Queso Fundido
-------------
1 tbls unsalted butter
1 tbls flour
1 cup milk
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (12 oz)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
8 ounces goat cheese cut into 8 slices
1. Preheat the broiler
2. Melt the butter in an over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Jack cheese and salt and pepper.
3. Scrape the mixture into an 8 inch cast iron pan (or whatever) and lay the goat cheese slices on top. Broil until the cheese is golden brown on top.
This is where I added some mole sauce, but I think you're better off sticking with Bobby Flay's directions. So, make this sauce and drizzle it on top of the cheese (and maybe drop some chopped cilantro on top too).
Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette
---------------------------
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tbls red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspon honey
1/4 cup veg oil
salt and pepper
Combine and blend in the food processor, blender, or using a hand blender.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Bodacious Brunch at Bacchus (on a budget)
Since moving to Byrd Park in 2004, I assumed that the closest restaurant, Bacchus, was an overpriced eatery intended for young aristocratic swilling and $25-30 entrees. The cheap half-portions of pasta almost inspired Karen and me to walk the seven blocks for dinner, but something about the place just turned me off. Maybe it was the knowledge that one of the worst restaurants in Richmond had flourished in that Main and Meadow location before graduating to Broad Street bistro status. Surely, more overpriced underachieving had followed in its place.
Last week's Style noted that Bacchus is now offering Sunday brunch. Our recent weekend morning stroll to Cirrus was sorta underwhelming. But this trip was shorter and it gave me an excuse to peek inside an eatery that I've always found foreboding. I just hoped that this treat wouldn't be too expensive. The day after our babyshower, Karen and I walked to Bacchus for Sunday brunch (they don't do Saturday, btw). (it turns out that Style broke the news after 7-8 weeks of Bacchus brunches)
First of all, I don't consider myself a brunchaholic. I don't muncha buncha bruncha while downing bloody maries. Hair of the dog? No thanks. But I do jump at the chance to eat fancied up eggs in a relaxed setting. In my opinion, most Richmond brunch menus consist of the same boring line-up and feature unadventurous flavors. One exception is Kuba Kuba, and another is... of course, Millies. While I'm not ready to rank Bacchus with those two, I do think the brunch scene just gotten a little more interesting.
The mouth-watering 34 entree menu begins predictably with four varieties of eggs benedict, a simple dish that's too labor intensive for most of us to make at home. These feature a variety of meat and seafood that help justify the $10-12 price. From here, the fare launches into the Mediterranean with a list of inspired flavor combinations and very affordable prices. Read that last line over again, please. It's the one thing I want you to take away from this story and probably what's going to lure me back into Bacchus.
The next section of the menu involves polenta; with eggs, or sausage, or shrimp, all between $5-9. I had to try it. Luckly, polenta can also be had as a side, with marinera, for an extra $2. So, despite my curiosity, I kept looking. Below the polenta is a curious heading "Egg dishes with breakfast potato." What the heck is a breakfast potato? Well, they're homefries spiked with fennel, but the real excitement is generated by the additions to the eggs: gorganola, spinach, saffron, or olive oil fried (from $4-6). Karen got the eggs carbonara with basil: creamy, meaty, herby eggs. She loved finding something on the menu that she hadn't heard of and plans to roll her leftovers in a tortilla for the next day's breakfast on the go. For an extra two bucks, she got a side of perfectly cooked asparagus.
I chose from a list of eight delicious sounding frittatas ($6-9). These things are big and pretty and it had me wondering if there was any difference between the Italian frittata and the Spanish tortilla. They don't come with breakfast potato, but there are usually spuds embedded. The wild mushroom and ricotta frittata sounded good, but I had a lot of trouble choosing. One of them simply says "spaghetti". Chef Chris (who looks familiar, but I'm not sure where from) says it's eggs, potatoes and spaghetti. Maybe one of you will have to order it and leave a comment to clue the rest of us in. I got the smoked salmon, roasted red pepper, and cream cheese frittata and I was very pleased to see that it was wearing some tasty saffron creme. Before I was halfway done, I was full and picking through the potatoes and egg for the remaining salmon and peppers.
For many, brunch doesn't stop at eggs, and at Bacchus, there are a dozen or so salads ($5-7), pancakes ($6-7), a steak ($12), seafood dishes ($12-16), and an Iron Chef impressing Kobe beef burger ($12). Some of these incorporate eggs and all of them sound like a good way to start the day. Can you tell that I lifted one of their menus?
A note on the eating environment. Karen and I had a some time to take in the surroundings because we got there just as they were getting slammed. Chef Chris may have been in the weeds, but you wouldn't know it. His kitchen sits in plain view of the diners and the dude looked stoic. It also seemed that help was on the way, as another employee seemed to be apprenticing - watching his every move. Meanwhile, our server answered my every question, keeping us supplied with cornbread and butter and always refilling my coffee.
Along the bar sit a row of posh looking cushioned high-backed bar stools. I could see why people flock to this place for a cocktail on a cold night, because it does look like a comfortable setting. Personally, I'll probably stick to the brunches, but you never know. For me, there's more to Bacchus than I would have predicted. You can bet I'll be trying the saffron eggs or the fried goat cheese salad on my next visit.
Last week's Style noted that Bacchus is now offering Sunday brunch. Our recent weekend morning stroll to Cirrus was sorta underwhelming. But this trip was shorter and it gave me an excuse to peek inside an eatery that I've always found foreboding. I just hoped that this treat wouldn't be too expensive. The day after our babyshower, Karen and I walked to Bacchus for Sunday brunch (they don't do Saturday, btw). (it turns out that Style broke the news after 7-8 weeks of Bacchus brunches)
First of all, I don't consider myself a brunchaholic. I don't muncha buncha bruncha while downing bloody maries. Hair of the dog? No thanks. But I do jump at the chance to eat fancied up eggs in a relaxed setting. In my opinion, most Richmond brunch menus consist of the same boring line-up and feature unadventurous flavors. One exception is Kuba Kuba, and another is... of course, Millies. While I'm not ready to rank Bacchus with those two, I do think the brunch scene just gotten a little more interesting.
The mouth-watering 34 entree menu begins predictably with four varieties of eggs benedict, a simple dish that's too labor intensive for most of us to make at home. These feature a variety of meat and seafood that help justify the $10-12 price. From here, the fare launches into the Mediterranean with a list of inspired flavor combinations and very affordable prices. Read that last line over again, please. It's the one thing I want you to take away from this story and probably what's going to lure me back into Bacchus.
The next section of the menu involves polenta; with eggs, or sausage, or shrimp, all between $5-9. I had to try it. Luckly, polenta can also be had as a side, with marinera, for an extra $2. So, despite my curiosity, I kept looking. Below the polenta is a curious heading "Egg dishes with breakfast potato." What the heck is a breakfast potato? Well, they're homefries spiked with fennel, but the real excitement is generated by the additions to the eggs: gorganola, spinach, saffron, or olive oil fried (from $4-6). Karen got the eggs carbonara with basil: creamy, meaty, herby eggs. She loved finding something on the menu that she hadn't heard of and plans to roll her leftovers in a tortilla for the next day's breakfast on the go. For an extra two bucks, she got a side of perfectly cooked asparagus.
I chose from a list of eight delicious sounding frittatas ($6-9). These things are big and pretty and it had me wondering if there was any difference between the Italian frittata and the Spanish tortilla. They don't come with breakfast potato, but there are usually spuds embedded. The wild mushroom and ricotta frittata sounded good, but I had a lot of trouble choosing. One of them simply says "spaghetti". Chef Chris (who looks familiar, but I'm not sure where from) says it's eggs, potatoes and spaghetti. Maybe one of you will have to order it and leave a comment to clue the rest of us in. I got the smoked salmon, roasted red pepper, and cream cheese frittata and I was very pleased to see that it was wearing some tasty saffron creme. Before I was halfway done, I was full and picking through the potatoes and egg for the remaining salmon and peppers.
For many, brunch doesn't stop at eggs, and at Bacchus, there are a dozen or so salads ($5-7), pancakes ($6-7), a steak ($12), seafood dishes ($12-16), and an Iron Chef impressing Kobe beef burger ($12). Some of these incorporate eggs and all of them sound like a good way to start the day. Can you tell that I lifted one of their menus?
A note on the eating environment. Karen and I had a some time to take in the surroundings because we got there just as they were getting slammed. Chef Chris may have been in the weeds, but you wouldn't know it. His kitchen sits in plain view of the diners and the dude looked stoic. It also seemed that help was on the way, as another employee seemed to be apprenticing - watching his every move. Meanwhile, our server answered my every question, keeping us supplied with cornbread and butter and always refilling my coffee.
Along the bar sit a row of posh looking cushioned high-backed bar stools. I could see why people flock to this place for a cocktail on a cold night, because it does look like a comfortable setting. Personally, I'll probably stick to the brunches, but you never know. For me, there's more to Bacchus than I would have predicted. You can bet I'll be trying the saffron eggs or the fried goat cheese salad on my next visit.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
RVA Blogs, I cheated on you
For nearly an entire weekend, I didn't think about my RVA Foodie persona or the popularity of my posts on RVABlogs. Instead, I embraced another hobby (mixed martial arts) and at 2am on Sunday morning, my closeted fight fan met up under a streetlamp with the side of me who likes to write. The resulting story was published today (warts and all) on an increasingly important MMA news site, Fiveouncesofpain.com. You are welcome to take a peek, and let me know what you think.
I know what you're thinking. Nowhere in the description of my blog does it indicate that I like to watch muscular half-naked men beat on each other and roll around on the ground. Well, this isn't going to be a forum for future writings about MMA/UFC/WEC/etc. Don't you worry. I just thought you deserved to know about this other interest of mine that I've relegated to the shadows for a couple years now. This was my first time writing for a MMA blog, but I'd be happy to do it again and try to put together a more newsworthy or laugh inducing bunch of paragraphs. However, please don't laugh at my MMA blog nickname. I picked it up in college, and until today, "RVA Foodie" and "JayDog" were never supposed to meet. It'll probably be a case of ships passing in the night. Supposedly, I'm going to get a t-shirt out of the deal.
Nonetheless, it was an honor to help out the Five Ounces guys get some attention for their first sponsored fighter, Virginia Beach based LeVon Maynard. The guy is a really talented striker and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and a heck of a nice guy. Word has it that he's headed for the big time. If he competes again in Virginia, you might consider checking it out. Or, if you're the kenesthetic type, you might try to learn some moves yourself. In the past, I've taken classes at with my black belt buddy, Eric Burdo at Richmond Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If you're interested in self-defense and fitness, that's a great place to start.
Comments are encouraged, especially if any of you want to come out as fight fans yourselves.
I know what you're thinking. Nowhere in the description of my blog does it indicate that I like to watch muscular half-naked men beat on each other and roll around on the ground. Well, this isn't going to be a forum for future writings about MMA/UFC/WEC/etc. Don't you worry. I just thought you deserved to know about this other interest of mine that I've relegated to the shadows for a couple years now. This was my first time writing for a MMA blog, but I'd be happy to do it again and try to put together a more newsworthy or laugh inducing bunch of paragraphs. However, please don't laugh at my MMA blog nickname. I picked it up in college, and until today, "RVA Foodie" and "JayDog" were never supposed to meet. It'll probably be a case of ships passing in the night. Supposedly, I'm going to get a t-shirt out of the deal.Nonetheless, it was an honor to help out the Five Ounces guys get some attention for their first sponsored fighter, Virginia Beach based LeVon Maynard. The guy is a really talented striker and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and a heck of a nice guy. Word has it that he's headed for the big time. If he competes again in Virginia, you might consider checking it out. Or, if you're the kenesthetic type, you might try to learn some moves yourself. In the past, I've taken classes at with my black belt buddy, Eric Burdo at Richmond Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. If you're interested in self-defense and fitness, that's a great place to start.
Comments are encouraged, especially if any of you want to come out as fight fans yourselves.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Cheap-O Kitchen: Playing the Mandolin
The mandolin slicer may seem like a professional chef's tool, but don't be intimidated. The mandolin that I'm going to recommend is NOT a big shiny metal contraption that requires an instruction sheet to set up and operate. In this case, we're going to skip the bells and whistles and go for utility. In most kitchens, clutter equals frustration, so less is more.
Why do you need a mandolin? Well, you may not. If you've got Iron Chef Morimoto knife skills, then you might be able to cut uniform razor thin zucchini chips. Or, you might know how to julienne the perfect match-stick veggies for an immaculate salad of winter CSA produce. If you can't do those things easily with a knife and cutting board, then you need a mandolin. In fact, you may need a mandolin just in case you want to make scalloped potatoes that aren't from a box for once. To heck with the high brow cuisine. Hell, let's just make quick work of the onions for once in our lives.
The Swissmar Mandolin is super minimalist; all sturdy plastic except for some very deadly sharp German steel blades. When I bought mine, it $21.99 with free shipping. Some days, Amazon has it on sale, and other days it's full price. Either way, the purchase is worth every penny. It's the most popular mandolin on Amazon.com and the reviews are stellar. Now, you can get a lesser brand for under $10, but the reviews say it isn't sharp enough.
Sure, it's dishwasher safe, but all you have to do is rinse it and it's clean. There's even this thingy that holds the veggie (or meat product, if you must) so you don't mandolin the tips of you fingers off (really important!). And when you're not using your mandolin, just slide it into its plastic sleeve and toss it into the forgotten appliance cupboard.
So, is this hand operated slicer adjustable for thickness? Right, like you're really gonna use that feature. But, since you asked, it can be set for 1/8" or 1/4" slices and there are two widths of julienne sticks. Here's a little recipe to make you jump up and smack yourself that you've never done this before now:
MF'n Tater Chips
That wasn't hard, was it? Aren't those the best potato chips you've ever had? Next time, try sprinkling your favorite spices (pepper, cayenne, garlic powder). This is coming from a guy who thinks tortilla chips are for the mensa select and potato chips are for everyone else. These fresh skillet chips are amazing and they'll keep you from dropping $4 per bag of even less healthy Kettle Chips. Feel free to call them by another acronym than the one I've chosen.
In a bonafide food blog, a foodie crowed about her mandolin. One of the commenters chimed in with a suggestion that I'm fixin to whip up at my house. Tell'em bout it Erika from 2004:
By the way. In case you noticed that I've chosen to drop the "e" from mandonline, I've seen it both ways (sometimes in the same product description) and I think every little bit counts in the attempt to take this kitchen gadget down a few pegs and bring it into the common kitchen. The professional grade metal monster is a "mandolineen", but the plastic thing from Amazon or Marshalls is your favorite slicer. Remember that.
Why do you need a mandolin? Well, you may not. If you've got Iron Chef Morimoto knife skills, then you might be able to cut uniform razor thin zucchini chips. Or, you might know how to julienne the perfect match-stick veggies for an immaculate salad of winter CSA produce. If you can't do those things easily with a knife and cutting board, then you need a mandolin. In fact, you may need a mandolin just in case you want to make scalloped potatoes that aren't from a box for once. To heck with the high brow cuisine. Hell, let's just make quick work of the onions for once in our lives.The Swissmar Mandolin is super minimalist; all sturdy plastic except for some very deadly sharp German steel blades. When I bought mine, it $21.99 with free shipping. Some days, Amazon has it on sale, and other days it's full price. Either way, the purchase is worth every penny. It's the most popular mandolin on Amazon.com and the reviews are stellar. Now, you can get a lesser brand for under $10, but the reviews say it isn't sharp enough.
Sure, it's dishwasher safe, but all you have to do is rinse it and it's clean. There's even this thingy that holds the veggie (or meat product, if you must) so you don't mandolin the tips of you fingers off (really important!). And when you're not using your mandolin, just slide it into its plastic sleeve and toss it into the forgotten appliance cupboard.
So, is this hand operated slicer adjustable for thickness? Right, like you're really gonna use that feature. But, since you asked, it can be set for 1/8" or 1/4" slices and there are two widths of julienne sticks. Here's a little recipe to make you jump up and smack yourself that you've never done this before now:
MF'n Tater Chips
- do a bunch of 1/8" potato slices
- heat a couple table spoons of olive oil in a skillet
- lay the slices on the pan and sprinkle with salt
- flip the slices when they're golden on one side (and sprinkle more salt)
- place slices (now chips) on a paper towel when they "look good enough to eat"
That wasn't hard, was it? Aren't those the best potato chips you've ever had? Next time, try sprinkling your favorite spices (pepper, cayenne, garlic powder). This is coming from a guy who thinks tortilla chips are for the mensa select and potato chips are for everyone else. These fresh skillet chips are amazing and they'll keep you from dropping $4 per bag of even less healthy Kettle Chips. Feel free to call them by another acronym than the one I've chosen.
In a bonafide food blog, a foodie crowed about her mandolin. One of the commenters chimed in with a suggestion that I'm fixin to whip up at my house. Tell'em bout it Erika from 2004:
I use my mandoline all the time to make julienned zucchini. The thin julienne, sauteed very briefly (just until the skin turns bright green and it starts to relax, 2-3 minutes at most) is a wonderful spaghetti substitute, especially in tomato or cheese sauces. It's also good if you add in some thinly sliced onions. It's pretty good with sesame-peanut sauce, too.
By the way. In case you noticed that I've chosen to drop the "e" from mandonline, I've seen it both ways (sometimes in the same product description) and I think every little bit counts in the attempt to take this kitchen gadget down a few pegs and bring it into the common kitchen. The professional grade metal monster is a "mandolineen", but the plastic thing from Amazon or Marshalls is your favorite slicer. Remember that.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Can you see the real me, Blogthing? BLOGTHING!
It's funny how these online assessments reduce a person to a category. As I answered the 25 questions, I thought I was painting a picture of the consummate renaissance man; part philosopher, part socialite, with a real Emersonian naturalist streak. I guess saying that I would enjoy a long walk in the woods on one question negates all of the answers that should have indicated my diplomatic and well adjusted tendencies. Well, I guess the BLOGTHING has somehow seen the real me, and this is it:
Thank you, Earth2Karen, for "intrapersonal" inspiration. Now, I dare you all to try and get this song by The Who out of your head!
Your Dominant Intelligence is Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence |
 You are naturally athletic and coordinated, good at making your mind and body work together. Sports are fun and easy for you, especially those requiring good hand - eye coordination. There's also a good chance you're a great dancer, or good at expressing yourself through body language. You learn best by doing, and you feel like you've always got to be moving (even if it's just your hands). You would make a good athlete, physical education teaches, dancer, actor, firefighter, or artisan. |
Thank you, Earth2Karen, for "intrapersonal" inspiration. Now, I dare you all to try and get this song by The Who out of your head!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Cheap-O Kitchen: Immersion blenders
Some of the best kitchen gadgets, appliances, and cookware can be had for cheap. With this sporadic installment piece, I'm going to compile an annotated list of some of the items that I reach for in my kitchen almost every day, and I'll include instructions on where/how to get these must-haves without breaking the bank. (plus a few recipes)
The immersion blender: Fewer dishes to clean, more sauces to slurp, silky soups, forget all bottled salad dressings.
I hate cleaning my countertop blender, transferring soups into and out of it, taking it apart, and trying to find all the pieces in the dishwasher. I get all the more irritated when I'm only making a little bit of puree and I have to involve an enormous complicated appliance. With an immersion blender (or hand blender), I blend without hesitation, making smoothies right in the cup I'm going to drink from, and with the satisfaction that this appliance was less than $14.
I was an immersion virgin until I went to my grandmother's house and saw that she had a Thunderstick. Remove thoughts of innuendo from your brain, please. She had purchased it from an infomercial that I'd seen a few times (and I've got this compulsion to try everything that I see on TV). When I cooked a hippy-dippy vegetarian feast for my family, she let me experiment with this nifty blender.
At the end of that visit, I was trying to convince her to let me take the Thunderstick home. The next Christmas, she sent it to me cuz she never really used it. Over the course of two or three years, I wore the Thunderstick out. It was powerful and had loads of curious attachments (mostly unnecessary). When I needed a new one, I considered the high end and low end, and everything in between (but not the Thunderstick, cuz it had been discontinued).
Emeril calls his immersion blender a "boatmotor" and makes a big production every time he uses it. But the best thing about immersion blenders is that using one at home is not a big production at all. My favorite technique is to grab a tall and slender plastic measuring cup (at least 2 cups in volume - see the Thunderstick pic) and throw my sauce/dressing ingredients in (try tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt). Then I just stick the blender down in the cup and wiz it around, moving the blade from bottom to top and back. After it's done, I can pour the smooth sauce straight out of the cup and simply hold the dirty end of the blender under running water for a second and it's clean.
The next best use for an immersion blender is to stick it into a pot of soup (or a sauce that's at least an inch or so deep - hint: you can tilt the pan to submerge the blender blade) and a few pulses will turn your concotion into a smooth puree. But be careful to keep it submerged so you don't spray hot soup everywhere. Also, if you get an immersion blender with a metal blade-cage, then you can't use it with a non-stick pan or enameled cast iron. But, the Proctor Silex and the Braun model are both plastic and safe to use with teflon. Some say the plastic models can't be used over heat (but you can afford to turn the burner off long enough to blend, right?).
Here's a suggestion for a quick and simple mock-stock:
Other uses:
The immersion blender: Fewer dishes to clean, more sauces to slurp, silky soups, forget all bottled salad dressings.I hate cleaning my countertop blender, transferring soups into and out of it, taking it apart, and trying to find all the pieces in the dishwasher. I get all the more irritated when I'm only making a little bit of puree and I have to involve an enormous complicated appliance. With an immersion blender (or hand blender), I blend without hesitation, making smoothies right in the cup I'm going to drink from, and with the satisfaction that this appliance was less than $14.
I was an immersion virgin until I went to my grandmother's house and saw that she had a Thunderstick. Remove thoughts of innuendo from your brain, please. She had purchased it from an infomercial that I'd seen a few times (and I've got this compulsion to try everything that I see on TV). When I cooked a hippy-dippy vegetarian feast for my family, she let me experiment with this nifty blender.At the end of that visit, I was trying to convince her to let me take the Thunderstick home. The next Christmas, she sent it to me cuz she never really used it. Over the course of two or three years, I wore the Thunderstick out. It was powerful and had loads of curious attachments (mostly unnecessary). When I needed a new one, I considered the high end and low end, and everything in between (but not the Thunderstick, cuz it had been discontinued).
Emeril calls his immersion blender a "boatmotor" and makes a big production every time he uses it. But the best thing about immersion blenders is that using one at home is not a big production at all. My favorite technique is to grab a tall and slender plastic measuring cup (at least 2 cups in volume - see the Thunderstick pic) and throw my sauce/dressing ingredients in (try tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt). Then I just stick the blender down in the cup and wiz it around, moving the blade from bottom to top and back. After it's done, I can pour the smooth sauce straight out of the cup and simply hold the dirty end of the blender under running water for a second and it's clean.
The next best use for an immersion blender is to stick it into a pot of soup (or a sauce that's at least an inch or so deep - hint: you can tilt the pan to submerge the blender blade) and a few pulses will turn your concotion into a smooth puree. But be careful to keep it submerged so you don't spray hot soup everywhere. Also, if you get an immersion blender with a metal blade-cage, then you can't use it with a non-stick pan or enameled cast iron. But, the Proctor Silex and the Braun model are both plastic and safe to use with teflon. Some say the plastic models can't be used over heat (but you can afford to turn the burner off long enough to blend, right?).
Here's a suggestion for a quick and simple mock-stock:
- saute onions, celery, carrots until tender
- add water and simmer while adding some seasoning (bullion? garlic powder?)
- turn off the heat and put the immersion blender in and blend all around the pot until every lump is gone and it's a uniform consistency
Other uses:
- Froth your hot chocolate. Mmmmm...
- Arthritic? Use this to beat eggs, etc.
- Smooth out your chunky salsa.
- Mix up your protein shakes and infuse them with supplements.
- Give your ears a break. This thing is quiet and blenders are awfully loud.
- Whipped cream! I hate the stuff. But this will whip it for you.
- Mashed potatoes. Go ahead and cheat yourself out of a tricep workout.
- Don't try to crush ice with it. That's was this is for.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Bargain Hunting in Anna Nicole's Footsteps
A couple weeks ago, I went to the Vitamin Shoppe* and raided their clearance section. Before I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed two bottles of Trimspa Ultra. "Hey, why are these only $0.50?" Then I checked the expiration date. "Oh, they expire tomorrow." The clerk raised her eyebrows. "Well, I guess I'll just have to take them all tonight then."
The clerk knew I was joking and answered my questions about their reduced price whey protein, saying that the clearance section is made up of discontinued items and expired items. When it's expiring soon, the discount is really high (usually 75%). If it's discontinued, then they start at 25% and slowly work their way up until it's all gone. We haggled for a minute and then I took eight bottles of Muscle Milk away for $4.
The Muscle Milk is all gone now. I actually mixed it with cold coffee and pretended it was a coolata, or frappaspresso, or mochachino, or whatever. Not bad stuff, curbed my appetite, and I actually did some exercise to direct the amino acids in the right directions. In fact, I'm tearing through several different supplements that were deeply discounted, expired, and/or simply unproven to result in any health benefits.
*The next time you need a supplement, or an expensive natural item (besides produce), you might want to resist the temptation to go to Ellwoods. I bought 0.45 oz of Oreganol at Ellwoods for $33, but the Vitamine Shoppe had it for $22, plus their own store brand in a larger size for $16. Um, can you say, "Goodbye snobby hippies." The local store vs. big box chain debate will be saved for another time.
This Trimspa is wacky stuff. Something is clearly going on as a result of each pill that I've taken. First of all, I am not the slightest bit concerned about the expiration date. That's just a gimmick to make you throw it out and go by more at the regular price of $34.99 per bottle. No thanks. At $0.50 a bottle, I'd be losing money if I didn't take the stuff. Besides, it's really a sell-by date and not a use-by date, right? So, after reading up on some Amazon reviews, I popped one before breakfast. And then before lunch, dinner and... well, I've gotten off schedule about these "little purple pills" (they're pink, actually) because they kinda sent me into orbit around Saturn. But, I'm back now.
The results? First of all, this Trimspa includes Hoodia. I think that's a South American cactus derivative that's supposed to make you eat less. And the list goes on. These pills have a slew of "natural" appetite suppressants and fat-burners, like green tea extract (increases metabolism by 4%), as well as grapefruit extract (no idea), and caffeine (about a 1/2 a cup of coffee's worth). Basically, I'm experiencing intermittent bouts of low-level mania, constant teeth grinding, and a strangely fluctuating appetite (instead of simply gorging myself three times a day).
The biggest trouble for me is figuring out when I can afford to spin like top after a a Trimspa pill and when I need to hold onto my inner still point. And then there's the coffee. I can't stand to combine stimulants, so I won't take Trimspa in the AM too often anymore. Which means that I'm basically taking one pill every other day or so, which is probably for the best. Of course, the reviews all conclude that you only see results if you take three per day like clockwork. Even though I'm bucking the system a bit, it's not a bad thing, cuz many of the potential side effects listed here are kinda serious and I don't wanna follow in Anna Nicole's footsteps. One thing's for sure, I'm not going to weigh myself and give you a status report. You'll just have to go out and do this experiment yourself if you're really curious. But, do be careful.
Until then, BEEFCAKE!!! Ommmmmmmm... BEEFCAAAAAKE!!!
The clerk knew I was joking and answered my questions about their reduced price whey protein, saying that the clearance section is made up of discontinued items and expired items. When it's expiring soon, the discount is really high (usually 75%). If it's discontinued, then they start at 25% and slowly work their way up until it's all gone. We haggled for a minute and then I took eight bottles of Muscle Milk away for $4.
The Muscle Milk is all gone now. I actually mixed it with cold coffee and pretended it was a coolata, or frappaspresso, or mochachino, or whatever. Not bad stuff, curbed my appetite, and I actually did some exercise to direct the amino acids in the right directions. In fact, I'm tearing through several different supplements that were deeply discounted, expired, and/or simply unproven to result in any health benefits.
*The next time you need a supplement, or an expensive natural item (besides produce), you might want to resist the temptation to go to Ellwoods. I bought 0.45 oz of Oreganol at Ellwoods for $33, but the Vitamine Shoppe had it for $22, plus their own store brand in a larger size for $16. Um, can you say, "Goodbye snobby hippies." The local store vs. big box chain debate will be saved for another time.
This Trimspa is wacky stuff. Something is clearly going on as a result of each pill that I've taken. First of all, I am not the slightest bit concerned about the expiration date. That's just a gimmick to make you throw it out and go by more at the regular price of $34.99 per bottle. No thanks. At $0.50 a bottle, I'd be losing money if I didn't take the stuff. Besides, it's really a sell-by date and not a use-by date, right? So, after reading up on some Amazon reviews, I popped one before breakfast. And then before lunch, dinner and... well, I've gotten off schedule about these "little purple pills" (they're pink, actually) because they kinda sent me into orbit around Saturn. But, I'm back now.
The results? First of all, this Trimspa includes Hoodia. I think that's a South American cactus derivative that's supposed to make you eat less. And the list goes on. These pills have a slew of "natural" appetite suppressants and fat-burners, like green tea extract (increases metabolism by 4%), as well as grapefruit extract (no idea), and caffeine (about a 1/2 a cup of coffee's worth). Basically, I'm experiencing intermittent bouts of low-level mania, constant teeth grinding, and a strangely fluctuating appetite (instead of simply gorging myself three times a day).
The biggest trouble for me is figuring out when I can afford to spin like top after a a Trimspa pill and when I need to hold onto my inner still point. And then there's the coffee. I can't stand to combine stimulants, so I won't take Trimspa in the AM too often anymore. Which means that I'm basically taking one pill every other day or so, which is probably for the best. Of course, the reviews all conclude that you only see results if you take three per day like clockwork. Even though I'm bucking the system a bit, it's not a bad thing, cuz many of the potential side effects listed here are kinda serious and I don't wanna follow in Anna Nicole's footsteps. One thing's for sure, I'm not going to weigh myself and give you a status report. You'll just have to go out and do this experiment yourself if you're really curious. But, do be careful.
Until then, BEEFCAKE!!! Ommmmmmmm... BEEFCAAAAAKE!!!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
FREE Yoga Class Ruined by SUV
This is a story of serenity... interrupted. My wife is attending prenatal yoga classes and she's really liking it. She tells me that she wishes that we could take class together, but no boys allowed among the bulging babes. Luckily, Karen forwarded an email to me about FREE yoga classes at her school, where in-training instructors hone their skills while penny-pinching bohos, like me, contort ourselves into a connection with our inner deities.
No, I'm not going to tell you where/when the free yoga class takes place. The room was filled to the brim and I hope to find a space next week. However, a little web sleuthing will probably lead you to the low down (or you can go to my profile and email me). The real news here is that YOGA IS GOOD and probably worth the $8-12 per class (even with a student teacher). I have pushed dietary advice and exercise in this space before, but yoga is something that can truly expand your horizons, if you haven't experienced it before.
As our trainer in-training made her way to the front of the class, I couldn't help noticing that she was a nearly featureless toothpick of a person, clearly one with the practice of asceticism. For a free class, I probably shouldn't complain about only getting 1/3 of an instructor, but how is this lady supposed to relate to me when her waistline is the square root of mine? Seriously though, she paced the class nicely, gave insightful instructions, skipped a minor detail here and there, and ultimately brought us all to the height of nirvana (more on that later).
Since I'm perpetually on the brink of unhealth, even though this was an intro class, the poses made me sweat, fall over, slouch instead of lengthening my spine, and I almost farted like three times. Yes, all of that updog, downdog, and twisting of the core is not only invaluable to your respiration and circulation, the movements will aid in digestion - public be damned. This kind of thing isn't a problem when following along with a DVD of Rodney Yee in my living room, but face to face classes offer more community interaction and impetus to suppress bodily functions.
Fortunately, after about 45 minutes of connected breathing and challenging the elasticity of my muscles, I had transcended many of my usual worldly distractions (and bathroom humor) and achieved a meditative state not unlike exhaustion. This was when the instructor had each of us unfold a blanket over our yoga mats. Yes, it was time for "corpse pose" (also known as nap time).
Now, I've never experienced savasana with a blanket over top of the tacky rubber mat, but I was grateful to be in a deeply relaxed state no matter where I was. As we each assumed the death position on our backs, with our arms at our sides and palms facing up, my mind wandered to sights and sounds of the recent past. One the images that lingered in my mind was the serene face of Marlo Stansfield as he closed the eyes of his mentor, Proposition Joe, just as his hitman Chris prepared to fire a gun into the back of Joe's head. If you've seen this episode of The Wire, you know how haunting that moment was. Yes, I was certainly slipping away into oblivion; hopefully a round trip.
There were other dreams and epiphanies that rose to the surface and faded away, but none so creepy. After some time passed, I began to be conscious of my breath (was I snoring?) and I heard my instructor's voice again. She told us to hold onto the "still point" that we had discovered within ourselves and to try and carry that with us into our day. For me, the combination of physical exertion and meditation created a mild euphoria and increased value for my fragile mortality. In other words, it felt like I'd found my still point for the first time. Having ridden my bicycle to the yoga studio, I was really looking forward to the sensation of pedaling and floating along with my newfound inner peace.
On my way home, my still point and I turned onto Robinson Street and I carried that fragile thing carefully like a carton of eggs atop a grocery bag. We were both really looking forward to a blissed out conversation with my wife and some mindful eating of leftovers. At Robinson and Idlewood, I stopped at the red light, hoping for a break in the cross traffic to slip through the intersection. But, I had to patiently wait for some cars to turn in front of me as I eased into the intersection. Behind me, a SUV creeped up on my back tire, sending an intimidating message. There was only one lane, so I stood in the way of the SUV's right on red. They'd have to wait until the coast was clear for me to proceed through the unorthodox intersection (somewhat illegally, although I'm not a geeky bike rider who thinks he's a car). Then, the SUV driver layed on the horn just as I got out of their way. A woman leaned her head out of the SUV cursing up a storm as she turned right onto Idlewood. I snapped out of my trance and instinctively responded with a middle finger and upped the ante on her swear word salad.
Goodbye still point. Hello car culture.
What a welcome back to the real world. I'm won't go into a justification for the defensiveness of bicyclists trying to fend for themselves amid blaring horns and tons of steel flying every which way. It's not a human rights campaign that we relish waging, although the joy of bike riding is worth fighting for. It's just a disappointment, because I thought my transcendent state would at least make it through lunch. But, it's a temperamental world and I can only expect to declare my independence from hot-headed social interactions intermittently. This was no Piccola's debacle, but it was a little bit jarring.
If you've read this far, then you deserve something more substantially insightful (and uplifting to boot!) than what you've found here. Check out Frank Rich's NY Times breakdown of an election between McCain/Obama and it includes loads of Virginia history references. If you want to comment about it, please put your two cents onto the ongoing primary debate going on here.
No, I'm not going to tell you where/when the free yoga class takes place. The room was filled to the brim and I hope to find a space next week. However, a little web sleuthing will probably lead you to the low down (or you can go to my profile and email me). The real news here is that YOGA IS GOOD and probably worth the $8-12 per class (even with a student teacher). I have pushed dietary advice and exercise in this space before, but yoga is something that can truly expand your horizons, if you haven't experienced it before.
As our trainer in-training made her way to the front of the class, I couldn't help noticing that she was a nearly featureless toothpick of a person, clearly one with the practice of asceticism. For a free class, I probably shouldn't complain about only getting 1/3 of an instructor, but how is this lady supposed to relate to me when her waistline is the square root of mine? Seriously though, she paced the class nicely, gave insightful instructions, skipped a minor detail here and there, and ultimately brought us all to the height of nirvana (more on that later).
Since I'm perpetually on the brink of unhealth, even though this was an intro class, the poses made me sweat, fall over, slouch instead of lengthening my spine, and I almost farted like three times. Yes, all of that updog, downdog, and twisting of the core is not only invaluable to your respiration and circulation, the movements will aid in digestion - public be damned. This kind of thing isn't a problem when following along with a DVD of Rodney Yee in my living room, but face to face classes offer more community interaction and impetus to suppress bodily functions.
Fortunately, after about 45 minutes of connected breathing and challenging the elasticity of my muscles, I had transcended many of my usual worldly distractions (and bathroom humor) and achieved a meditative state not unlike exhaustion. This was when the instructor had each of us unfold a blanket over our yoga mats. Yes, it was time for "corpse pose" (also known as nap time).
Now, I've never experienced savasana with a blanket over top of the tacky rubber mat, but I was grateful to be in a deeply relaxed state no matter where I was. As we each assumed the death position on our backs, with our arms at our sides and palms facing up, my mind wandered to sights and sounds of the recent past. One the images that lingered in my mind was the serene face of Marlo Stansfield as he closed the eyes of his mentor, Proposition Joe, just as his hitman Chris prepared to fire a gun into the back of Joe's head. If you've seen this episode of The Wire, you know how haunting that moment was. Yes, I was certainly slipping away into oblivion; hopefully a round trip.
There were other dreams and epiphanies that rose to the surface and faded away, but none so creepy. After some time passed, I began to be conscious of my breath (was I snoring?) and I heard my instructor's voice again. She told us to hold onto the "still point" that we had discovered within ourselves and to try and carry that with us into our day. For me, the combination of physical exertion and meditation created a mild euphoria and increased value for my fragile mortality. In other words, it felt like I'd found my still point for the first time. Having ridden my bicycle to the yoga studio, I was really looking forward to the sensation of pedaling and floating along with my newfound inner peace.
On my way home, my still point and I turned onto Robinson Street and I carried that fragile thing carefully like a carton of eggs atop a grocery bag. We were both really looking forward to a blissed out conversation with my wife and some mindful eating of leftovers. At Robinson and Idlewood, I stopped at the red light, hoping for a break in the cross traffic to slip through the intersection. But, I had to patiently wait for some cars to turn in front of me as I eased into the intersection. Behind me, a SUV creeped up on my back tire, sending an intimidating message. There was only one lane, so I stood in the way of the SUV's right on red. They'd have to wait until the coast was clear for me to proceed through the unorthodox intersection (somewhat illegally, although I'm not a geeky bike rider who thinks he's a car). Then, the SUV driver layed on the horn just as I got out of their way. A woman leaned her head out of the SUV cursing up a storm as she turned right onto Idlewood. I snapped out of my trance and instinctively responded with a middle finger and upped the ante on her swear word salad.
Goodbye still point. Hello car culture.
What a welcome back to the real world. I'm won't go into a justification for the defensiveness of bicyclists trying to fend for themselves amid blaring horns and tons of steel flying every which way. It's not a human rights campaign that we relish waging, although the joy of bike riding is worth fighting for. It's just a disappointment, because I thought my transcendent state would at least make it through lunch. But, it's a temperamental world and I can only expect to declare my independence from hot-headed social interactions intermittently. This was no Piccola's debacle, but it was a little bit jarring.
If you've read this far, then you deserve something more substantially insightful (and uplifting to boot!) than what you've found here. Check out Frank Rich's NY Times breakdown of an election between McCain/Obama and it includes loads of Virginia history references. If you want to comment about it, please put your two cents onto the ongoing primary debate going on here.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Five Dips for the Baby Shower (w/recipes)
Karen is busy constructing party favors and activities for our upcoming March 1st baby shower and just when I started to feel guilty, she asked what kind of food I wanted to serve. "Uuuuummmmm, finger food, right?" Her head nods with condescending eyebrows raised. "Ummm, I'm going to make... five different dips." Genuine surprised expression. "Any requests?"
There's no need to continue the dialog. I know what my wife likes, so let's cut to the chase. Here's what I'm probably going to make:
Jalapeño pesto
-2 cups of raw almonds
-3 jalapeños (no seeds)
-1/2 red onion
-1 cup nutritional yeast
-1/3 cup olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste
Blanch the almonds to loosen the skins. Squeeze each one and toss the brown almond skins. Place everything in the food processor and blend just short of a puree. Pray that the onion you chose isn't overly strong. This is the only vegan dip on this list. Serve with crackers.
Olive hummus
If you don't know how to make hummus, go to this link for a traditional recipe. Half-way through the blending, toss in a 1/2 cup of your favorite flavor of pitted olives (green, black, kalamata, whatev) and a few dashes of tamari or soy sauce (maybe a minced chili as well, if spicy is your thing). Cut a bunch of pita pockets into eighths and bake for 6-7 minutes at 250. Dip away and win over some hummus doubters with this tasty perversion of a classic.
Parma-fennel spread
Steam a chopped up fennel bulb for 20 minutes. Throw it in the food processor with a half cup of grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup of olive oil, a couple cloves of roasted garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. If it's too think, add some dairy (cream, milk, half'n'half). Serve with thinly sliced baguette (maybe toasted).
White salsa (La Casita R.I.P)
In Vino Veritas posted about having withdrawal from this mediocre restaurant's exceptional white salsa. Since Karen and I have also always liked the stuff, we posted a breakdown of our version of that dip in Vino's comments section. Serve with chips and try to resist pouring it on everything.
Mole flavored cheese dip
Put a 16 ounce bag of shredded "mexican cheese" (jack, cheddar, etc) into a bowl and stir in part of a jar of mole sauce (any that looks good to you from the local latino grocery or southwestern section of the big chain supermarket. Here's a couple examples.) Don't overdo it. A couple tablespoons may be all you want. Stir it all together and microwave it. Have tortilla chips at the ready. It will be ugly as sin, but ponderously palatable. If it's not runny enough, stir in a little sour cream.
Let me know if you try any of these recipes. I typed most of these from memory, so adjustments and/or improvements are always appreciated. I'll let you all know how it goes on March 1st. There's a good chance I might get lazy and replace one of these dips with a jar of delicious Frontera salsa and make something like this.
-----------------
Now, I know that the grandparents are supposed to distribute baby registry info, but I don't play that. We're registered at Amazon.com. Perpetually unrealistic, I had the nerve to put an expensive Blendtec blender on there (like a Vitamix) for making babyfood and green smoothies to ensure that my son and I live forever. Assuming that no one buys the blender for us, I'm probably going to attempt some kind of fund raiser (like a cookbook sale - thinning our our stockpile, and maybe a follow-up smoothie brunch for investors). See my profile for my email address if you want to help me work through these ideas.
There's no need to continue the dialog. I know what my wife likes, so let's cut to the chase. Here's what I'm probably going to make:
Jalapeño pesto
-2 cups of raw almonds
-3 jalapeños (no seeds)
-1/2 red onion
-1 cup nutritional yeast
-1/3 cup olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste
Blanch the almonds to loosen the skins. Squeeze each one and toss the brown almond skins. Place everything in the food processor and blend just short of a puree. Pray that the onion you chose isn't overly strong. This is the only vegan dip on this list. Serve with crackers.
Olive hummus
If you don't know how to make hummus, go to this link for a traditional recipe. Half-way through the blending, toss in a 1/2 cup of your favorite flavor of pitted olives (green, black, kalamata, whatev) and a few dashes of tamari or soy sauce (maybe a minced chili as well, if spicy is your thing). Cut a bunch of pita pockets into eighths and bake for 6-7 minutes at 250. Dip away and win over some hummus doubters with this tasty perversion of a classic.
Parma-fennel spread
Steam a chopped up fennel bulb for 20 minutes. Throw it in the food processor with a half cup of grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup of olive oil, a couple cloves of roasted garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. If it's too think, add some dairy (cream, milk, half'n'half). Serve with thinly sliced baguette (maybe toasted).
White salsa (La Casita R.I.P)
In Vino Veritas posted about having withdrawal from this mediocre restaurant's exceptional white salsa. Since Karen and I have also always liked the stuff, we posted a breakdown of our version of that dip in Vino's comments section. Serve with chips and try to resist pouring it on everything.
Mole flavored cheese dip
Put a 16 ounce bag of shredded "mexican cheese" (jack, cheddar, etc) into a bowl and stir in part of a jar of mole sauce (any that looks good to you from the local latino grocery or southwestern section of the big chain supermarket. Here's a couple examples.) Don't overdo it. A couple tablespoons may be all you want. Stir it all together and microwave it. Have tortilla chips at the ready. It will be ugly as sin, but ponderously palatable. If it's not runny enough, stir in a little sour cream.
Let me know if you try any of these recipes. I typed most of these from memory, so adjustments and/or improvements are always appreciated. I'll let you all know how it goes on March 1st. There's a good chance I might get lazy and replace one of these dips with a jar of delicious Frontera salsa and make something like this.
-----------------
Now, I know that the grandparents are supposed to distribute baby registry info, but I don't play that. We're registered at Amazon.com. Perpetually unrealistic, I had the nerve to put an expensive Blendtec blender on there (like a Vitamix) for making babyfood and green smoothies to ensure that my son and I live forever. Assuming that no one buys the blender for us, I'm probably going to attempt some kind of fund raiser (like a cookbook sale - thinning our our stockpile, and maybe a follow-up smoothie brunch for investors). See my profile for my email address if you want to help me work through these ideas.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
This is a Comments Mandatory Blog
On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, this blog received between 100-120 visits per day. For me, this is exciting. Even better: My most recent post about the VA primary produced an avalanche of comments and has fueled some stimulating (and ongoing) dialog between Richmonders. However, rather than simply rejoicing in increased traffic and the stimulating exchange of ideas, I tend to focus on the voices who are not present and pine for their participation (is that you?). Maybe, my inner busybody just wants to know who's reading. Yeah, I know, yall have jobs and can't contribute to every site you peruse. I'm the same way. But, what if you had no choice? What if you had to pledge to leave a thoughtful comment every time you entered a blog or at least leave a rating for the quality/utility of the content?
Welcome to my fantasy: A comments mandatory blog.
When I first saw the debate sparked by Preston Yancy about certain bloggers refusing comments on their sites (overflowing with raw opinions to make you cry, unlike the caramelized variety), my reaction was that it's a matter of prerogative or personal property. A person's soapbox is his/her castle. Nuff said. Don't like it. Don't read it. However, after laboring over a few posts, receiving minimal feedback, and not feeling content in the act of creation alone, I'm wondering if there is any way to maximize feedback, debate, and discussion. I mean, there is no subscription fee for any of the RVABlogs that I'm aware of. So, how do any of us know if our blog is legitimately popular, an utter disappointment, or a service to the community? Disallowing comments may be the ticket to an insider job under a likewise undemocratic despot, but what about those of us who prefer two-way (or multi-directional) communication? Or better yet, there's something to be said for just standing back and letting better informed readers fill in the blanks. (JB, I know you can take that ribbing)
Unlike Ebay, where sellers/buyers are critiqued through a reputation system, Craigslist users generally operate on trust in humanity (counterbalanced by a profit motive), despite a high level of vulnerability. Is that what we have to accept as bloggers: that our sentiments are likely to garner minimal unmeasurable returns in the exchange? The democratic system of voting empowers us only so often. Shouldn't we consider it our obligation to weigh in early and often whenever a public forum is made available? Are you all not as compulsive about this as I am? Okay, some of you are and I wish you'd cease and desist, but attention getting behavior is a double-edged sword, ain't it?
Opinions are like... blogs. Everyone's got one. Well, almost.
In reality, blogger traffic in Richmond is really unrepresentative of the City's population. And then there's the hard to pin down "unique" visitor factor, which further diminishes our relevance. I mean, does anyone read blogs besides bloggers? I'm beginning to wonder. Can you expect a fellow blogger to chime in on your post if they've already got their own soapbox?
Personally, I'm in no position to turn the mandatory comments blog into a reality. I don't even know how to install the appropriate widgets that would make this site more user friendly. If I had a listing of all of the restaurants mentioned on this site, I'd probably be motivated to get back to the frugal food-blogging idea that gave birth to the RVA Foodie pseudonym and grow that list of eateries.
WILL WORK FOR COMMENTS
Okay, before I trail off into mumbling, I'd like to point out that my unique invention: Grilled Ramen has been the biggest attraction to this site to date (thanks to consistent international traffic from a feature on "the Official Ramen Homepage."). However, I have not quit my job to retire to the Bahamas thanks to revenues from my tender-crisp creation (cuz there are none to speak of). In fact, as of today, I've only attracted 11 comments to that post, and two of them were my own. Using the How much is your blog worth tool, it turns out that Caramelized Opinions is worth $9,597.18. I have no idea what that figure means (how many packages of ramen is that anyway?), or where I might go to cash in, but I'd actually trade every penny of that potential in exchange for your two cents. That's right. I want to virtually lift every voice in Richmond through this site's many comment sections.
Has there ever been a more earnest post than this one? I'm sure that I've left numerous openings for your criticism, included confounding contradictions, and maybe inspired a few laughs. But, I did it all for the comments. Kid gloves are called for here. But, if your hackles aren't all the way up, maybe there's something worth saying in response. You make the call. But remember, if you have 10 thoughts, give one thought, and comment 'til it hurts.
ps: The comment Nazi says, "No blog for you!"
Welcome to my fantasy: A comments mandatory blog.
When I first saw the debate sparked by Preston Yancy about certain bloggers refusing comments on their sites (overflowing with raw opinions to make you cry, unlike the caramelized variety), my reaction was that it's a matter of prerogative or personal property. A person's soapbox is his/her castle. Nuff said. Don't like it. Don't read it. However, after laboring over a few posts, receiving minimal feedback, and not feeling content in the act of creation alone, I'm wondering if there is any way to maximize feedback, debate, and discussion. I mean, there is no subscription fee for any of the RVABlogs that I'm aware of. So, how do any of us know if our blog is legitimately popular, an utter disappointment, or a service to the community? Disallowing comments may be the ticket to an insider job under a likewise undemocratic despot, but what about those of us who prefer two-way (or multi-directional) communication? Or better yet, there's something to be said for just standing back and letting better informed readers fill in the blanks. (JB, I know you can take that ribbing)
Unlike Ebay, where sellers/buyers are critiqued through a reputation system, Craigslist users generally operate on trust in humanity (counterbalanced by a profit motive), despite a high level of vulnerability. Is that what we have to accept as bloggers: that our sentiments are likely to garner minimal unmeasurable returns in the exchange? The democratic system of voting empowers us only so often. Shouldn't we consider it our obligation to weigh in early and often whenever a public forum is made available? Are you all not as compulsive about this as I am? Okay, some of you are and I wish you'd cease and desist, but attention getting behavior is a double-edged sword, ain't it?
Opinions are like... blogs. Everyone's got one. Well, almost.
In reality, blogger traffic in Richmond is really unrepresentative of the City's population. And then there's the hard to pin down "unique" visitor factor, which further diminishes our relevance. I mean, does anyone read blogs besides bloggers? I'm beginning to wonder. Can you expect a fellow blogger to chime in on your post if they've already got their own soapbox?
Personally, I'm in no position to turn the mandatory comments blog into a reality. I don't even know how to install the appropriate widgets that would make this site more user friendly. If I had a listing of all of the restaurants mentioned on this site, I'd probably be motivated to get back to the frugal food-blogging idea that gave birth to the RVA Foodie pseudonym and grow that list of eateries.
WILL WORK FOR COMMENTS
Okay, before I trail off into mumbling, I'd like to point out that my unique invention: Grilled Ramen has been the biggest attraction to this site to date (thanks to consistent international traffic from a feature on "the Official Ramen Homepage."). However, I have not quit my job to retire to the Bahamas thanks to revenues from my tender-crisp creation (cuz there are none to speak of). In fact, as of today, I've only attracted 11 comments to that post, and two of them were my own. Using the How much is your blog worth tool, it turns out that Caramelized Opinions is worth $9,597.18. I have no idea what that figure means (how many packages of ramen is that anyway?), or where I might go to cash in, but I'd actually trade every penny of that potential in exchange for your two cents. That's right. I want to virtually lift every voice in Richmond through this site's many comment sections.
Has there ever been a more earnest post than this one? I'm sure that I've left numerous openings for your criticism, included confounding contradictions, and maybe inspired a few laughs. But, I did it all for the comments. Kid gloves are called for here. But, if your hackles aren't all the way up, maybe there's something worth saying in response. You make the call. But remember, if you have 10 thoughts, give one thought, and comment 'til it hurts.
ps: The comment Nazi says, "No blog for you!"
Monday, February 11, 2008
Why and How RVA MUST VOTE in the Primary
Where to vote and why I'm voting. First, here's the how to: a link to your poling place where you go to vote. Do it early and prepare some zingers for the exit polling people. Tell them that you are most motived by both the war AND the economy, because they're the same issue. See if that tiny bit of complex thought registers in the media.
Here's a primer on Virginia's primary from the Daily Press.
Below, you'll find my thinking about the two races (with a surprise ending, stay tuned).
REPUBLICANS:
Although I am diametrically opposed to the Republican platform, I've tried my best to pay attention to their machinations. McCain has it locked up, they say. Personally, I'm having trouble seeing how that happened. At age 72, he's really not very inspiring anymore - barely able to belt out a slogan, much less a stump speech. His days of pushing a reform agenda to the forefront of the Republican party, really seem behind him. I mean, considering all of the backsliding he has done under Bush, who is John McCain anymore? Under his presidency, I think we'd see many of the same faces in his cabinet as we have currently (Iran-Contra insiders and their ilk). McCain no longer projects a strong vision, following his misdirected party, rather than fighting for his principles from within. So, a vote for McCain, is a vote for more of the same, in my opinion.
Now, I understand if people have been voting for McCain this time around because it's finally his turn and maybe the right wing feels guilty for not having given him a chance while he was young enough to survive a term as president. It's sort of a tribute send-off in a general election that Republicans know they deserve to lose. So, letting McCain take the hit makes sense, because he's the ghost of Republican past; what could have been. Why waste Romney on a losing election when his perfect tan still has as decent shelf life? Now, I don't know how all of them got the memo on this strategy, but it seems like they've made the best play, while using this primary season to rearrange the identity of their party. I'm afraid, that McCain's landslide represents the perspective that everything is going hunky-dory and so, why not vote for the most familiar guy who's proven he can carry water for party ideologues.
DEMOCRATS:
Back in 1992, I worked on the Clinton campaign in Fairfax County and wore a campaign shirt that said, "Clinton: The Cure for the Blues." Ever since then, I've been slowly backing away from Bill, feeling sorry for Hillary, and wondering if the Democratic party would ever find its spine. Now, I'm glad that Hillary Clinton has transcended the debacle of her public domestic snafu, and took her place in the political history of the US as a leader, independent of her two term president husband. And I'm not one who would begrudge her the presidency because of her relationship to Bill. Nonetheless, Hillary is not the future of the Democratic party. She is too far removed from her own ideals (in bed with big pharma and insurance companies, etc), and her public beatings at the hands of the right wing mark a low point in American politics. Let's not go there again (as we most certainly would see if she headed up the Dem's ticket).
When Obama/Clinton showed up in Richmond this weekend, Barack had taken the momentum from Hillary with three Saturday primaries and I found myself ready to post an Obama yard sign out front. I didn't attend the event. Obama-mania has been a feeling that I've felt coming on since Edwards' campaign failed to get off the ground. I dunno how to put my finger on it, but Obama seems to have a big picture about politics that I don't think you'll find in the other candidates. He can and does see disputes from both sides, uses his arguments to straddle the "two Americas" that Edwards talks about, and seems most equipped to repair the damage done by the two Bush terms (and maybe Bill's mistakes with wellfare reform, etc). Hillary Clinton was too much a part of too many past messes for me to feel excited about her.
The media likes to say that Clinton is "polarizing", but if that's true, then Obama is too. Obama/Clinton's positions on most issues are about the same. So, what's the difference? It's almost as if the media just learned this word. Clinton isn't polarizing. She just inspires negativity (although, I don't share the common knee jerk reaction about her). Obama is more of a diffuser and a motivator. Not only are these better leadership qualities, they will deliver a bigger margin of victory in the general election. And isn't that what this whole primary business is about? Putting together a winning ticket?
No. It's about ideas. Vote your hopes, not your fears, right? That's what the Nader campaigns of the past always said. The 1000 plus people who attended the Nader speaking event at the Byrd on Sunday would probably attest that he's got more ideas for changing America for the better than both Democratic candidates put together. But, who's gonna work with him at this point? As much as I like the guy, I'd rather him focus on informing the grassroots where people can trickle-up their awareness to BOTH parties. In other words, "Ralph, please try a new strategy for the 2008 election."
Speaking of ideas, here's one that may be a little half-baked and over-simplified, but I believe it all the same:
RICHMOND NEEDS BARACK OBAMA.
Why? The City of Richmond, a Democratic party stronghold, is divided on racial lines, lives in two (if not more) separate universes, and we desperately need to pull together and find common cause. A black democrat for president can be a catalyst for collaboration - not a panacea - but I believe Barack Obama's campaign for president can make a difference in the racial dynamic of Richmond. Imagine if Richmonders were all saying "Yes, we can" instead of looking sideways at each other.
Call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
----------------------------------------------
Now that the results are in and Obama has won Virginia with 65% of the votes (more than Clinton, McCain, and Huckabee combined!): I am going to compile some of my favorite local analysis right here:
Here's a primer on Virginia's primary from the Daily Press.
Below, you'll find my thinking about the two races (with a surprise ending, stay tuned).
REPUBLICANS:
Although I am diametrically opposed to the Republican platform, I've tried my best to pay attention to their machinations. McCain has it locked up, they say. Personally, I'm having trouble seeing how that happened. At age 72, he's really not very inspiring anymore - barely able to belt out a slogan, much less a stump speech. His days of pushing a reform agenda to the forefront of the Republican party, really seem behind him. I mean, considering all of the backsliding he has done under Bush, who is John McCain anymore? Under his presidency, I think we'd see many of the same faces in his cabinet as we have currently (Iran-Contra insiders and their ilk). McCain no longer projects a strong vision, following his misdirected party, rather than fighting for his principles from within. So, a vote for McCain, is a vote for more of the same, in my opinion.
Now, I understand if people have been voting for McCain this time around because it's finally his turn and maybe the right wing feels guilty for not having given him a chance while he was young enough to survive a term as president. It's sort of a tribute send-off in a general election that Republicans know they deserve to lose. So, letting McCain take the hit makes sense, because he's the ghost of Republican past; what could have been. Why waste Romney on a losing election when his perfect tan still has as decent shelf life? Now, I don't know how all of them got the memo on this strategy, but it seems like they've made the best play, while using this primary season to rearrange the identity of their party. I'm afraid, that McCain's landslide represents the perspective that everything is going hunky-dory and so, why not vote for the most familiar guy who's proven he can carry water for party ideologues.
DEMOCRATS:
Back in 1992, I worked on the Clinton campaign in Fairfax County and wore a campaign shirt that said, "Clinton: The Cure for the Blues." Ever since then, I've been slowly backing away from Bill, feeling sorry for Hillary, and wondering if the Democratic party would ever find its spine. Now, I'm glad that Hillary Clinton has transcended the debacle of her public domestic snafu, and took her place in the political history of the US as a leader, independent of her two term president husband. And I'm not one who would begrudge her the presidency because of her relationship to Bill. Nonetheless, Hillary is not the future of the Democratic party. She is too far removed from her own ideals (in bed with big pharma and insurance companies, etc), and her public beatings at the hands of the right wing mark a low point in American politics. Let's not go there again (as we most certainly would see if she headed up the Dem's ticket).
When Obama/Clinton showed up in Richmond this weekend, Barack had taken the momentum from Hillary with three Saturday primaries and I found myself ready to post an Obama yard sign out front. I didn't attend the event. Obama-mania has been a feeling that I've felt coming on since Edwards' campaign failed to get off the ground. I dunno how to put my finger on it, but Obama seems to have a big picture about politics that I don't think you'll find in the other candidates. He can and does see disputes from both sides, uses his arguments to straddle the "two Americas" that Edwards talks about, and seems most equipped to repair the damage done by the two Bush terms (and maybe Bill's mistakes with wellfare reform, etc). Hillary Clinton was too much a part of too many past messes for me to feel excited about her.
The media likes to say that Clinton is "polarizing", but if that's true, then Obama is too. Obama/Clinton's positions on most issues are about the same. So, what's the difference? It's almost as if the media just learned this word. Clinton isn't polarizing. She just inspires negativity (although, I don't share the common knee jerk reaction about her). Obama is more of a diffuser and a motivator. Not only are these better leadership qualities, they will deliver a bigger margin of victory in the general election. And isn't that what this whole primary business is about? Putting together a winning ticket?
No. It's about ideas. Vote your hopes, not your fears, right? That's what the Nader campaigns of the past always said. The 1000 plus people who attended the Nader speaking event at the Byrd on Sunday would probably attest that he's got more ideas for changing America for the better than both Democratic candidates put together. But, who's gonna work with him at this point? As much as I like the guy, I'd rather him focus on informing the grassroots where people can trickle-up their awareness to BOTH parties. In other words, "Ralph, please try a new strategy for the 2008 election."
Speaking of ideas, here's one that may be a little half-baked and over-simplified, but I believe it all the same:
RICHMOND NEEDS BARACK OBAMA.
Why? The City of Richmond, a Democratic party stronghold, is divided on racial lines, lives in two (if not more) separate universes, and we desperately need to pull together and find common cause. A black democrat for president can be a catalyst for collaboration - not a panacea - but I believe Barack Obama's campaign for president can make a difference in the racial dynamic of Richmond. Imagine if Richmonders were all saying "Yes, we can" instead of looking sideways at each other.
Call me a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
----------------------------------------------
Now that the results are in and Obama has won Virginia with 65% of the votes (more than Clinton, McCain, and Huckabee combined!): I am going to compile some of my favorite local analysis right here:
- Frank Rich explains in the NY Times about McCain, VA, George Allen, "massive resistance," and the inevitability of Obama-mania.
- F.T. Rea gives his personal perspective on this political moment.
- Petersburg People's News compiles Board of Election results (including a RTD pdf).
- Jason Kenny rejoices that McCain received about 1/3 as many votes in Virginia as Obama (Ha! I kid. Just a joke between Jasons), and then turns his analysis toward the Dems.
- Sisyphus contributes his usual thoughtful, grounded, eloquence along with something from the Guardian.
- James River Maven dissects the Dems in leiu of a viable Richardson candidacy.
Friday, February 08, 2008
V-Day Alternatives to Richmond's Restaurant Romance Racket
My coworker was telling me about the difficulty of getting a Valentine's Day reservation for dinner. She feels like she needs to decide now to beat the rush and start budgeting for the big splurge, ehem, I mean, outpouring of love. For me, this doesn't quite compute, because I usually cook something (and I hate holiday gimmicks). Last year, I made heart shaped tuna carpaccio (pink!), a la Eric Ripert.
Regardless of whether you stay in or go out, I feel like the specialness of the night is enhanced by the right combination of food n'tude and not by how much you spend or how fancy you dress. After all, V-Day is about being together rather than buying distractions.
So (if you're not a stickler for ambiance) here are a few places that may inspire sentimentality while steering clear of the romance racket.
-Royal India
This place may be the best Indian restaurant in Richmond (if you're not hung up on India K'Raja) and it might even have a degree of romantic atmosphere. Be sure to try one of the many paneer (cheese) dishes and anything with a sauce that sounds creamy (like shahi). Another fave is the fish pakora appetizer.
-Cool Breeze Chaathouse
A few doors down from Royal India, the same owner runs the Cool Breeze Chaat House. Never been to a chaat house? Here you can casually lounge inside or out sampling little plates of snacky Indian treats and swilling lassi libations. Lots of potential for eye-gazing and hand-grazing while digging into shared jumbles of curried goodies. A nice informal prelude to a movie or a good strategy for leaving room for ice cream or gelatto.
-Vietnam One
If you've tried one pho noodle house, you've tried them all, right? That's what I thought until I visited Vietnam 1 (having tried many of its' previous incarnations). The inside is tidy, but not appropriate for "setting the mood." What is special here is the food. The real discovery for me are the jicama rolls. It's the ubiquitous (and awesome) soft rice paper wrapped "summer roll," but the noodles have been swapped for threaded jicama. How very Atkins appropriate. The grilled meats (or tofu) over broken rice is beautiful, delicious, and plentiful. Of course the pho is good too, but it's not date food, unless your really comfortable together (slurp!). Plus, you don't have to wait in the always crammed Pho So 1.
-Taqueria del Sol
If I'm a broken record about this, then I've finally gotten it right. Start with an horchata and two straws. Then, split a shrimp cocktail and a side of guac. If you're not prim and propper eaters, dip a chip into the guac and then plunk a shrimp down on top with a bit of that coctail gazpacho soupiness. Mmmm, this might just be an aphrodisiac. Next, order a couple homemade tortilla sopes or gorditas of different varieties (meat or grilled veggies or mix'n'match). Your other half might order the ceviche or the enchiladas con mole poblano or tacos al pastor (although you'll be getting kinda full at this point). Theses dishes will be so successful as to deplete almost all of your erogenous energy right there at the dinner table. Taqueria del Sol even makes fried ice cream better than everywhere else.
-The Phoenician:
This place has bonafied romantic ambiance: Lebanese in the casbah. Plus, they're brand new (eager to please) and it'll feel good to spread the love by throwing your support to a new food endeavor. You can go cheap with a couple apps and split an entree or splurge on an enormous mezze spread. If you hit it up, lemme know how you liked it. I can only vouch for the hummus and falafel. (4400 block of W. Broad)
-8 1/2
Get some take out and get on the couch with your sweetie. If you both get garlic breath, neither of you is allowed to act all offended.
-Cajun Bankok
This place is gonna make you swoon with their thai style she-crab soup and their coconut appetizer. Beyond this, you'll get things heated up with etoufee on just about every main dish. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Again, share the love with a fledgeling Carytown restaurant and finish with a stiff drink at Can Can.
Even as I write this, my wife is trying to convince me that "girls want ambiance on Valentines Day," but the amor does not have to be all about the benjamins. Nonetheless, if these options strike your fancy, put yourself in the hands of Ms. Timberlake at Style. I think you'll be back here eventually, but that weekly rag often has stuff that you really oughta read. Of course, please feel free to post your ideas here as well.
Regardless of whether you stay in or go out, I feel like the specialness of the night is enhanced by the right combination of food n'tude and not by how much you spend or how fancy you dress. After all, V-Day is about being together rather than buying distractions.
So (if you're not a stickler for ambiance) here are a few places that may inspire sentimentality while steering clear of the romance racket.
-Royal India
This place may be the best Indian restaurant in Richmond (if you're not hung up on India K'Raja) and it might even have a degree of romantic atmosphere. Be sure to try one of the many paneer (cheese) dishes and anything with a sauce that sounds creamy (like shahi). Another fave is the fish pakora appetizer.
-Cool Breeze Chaathouse
A few doors down from Royal India, the same owner runs the Cool Breeze Chaat House. Never been to a chaat house? Here you can casually lounge inside or out sampling little plates of snacky Indian treats and swilling lassi libations. Lots of potential for eye-gazing and hand-grazing while digging into shared jumbles of curried goodies. A nice informal prelude to a movie or a good strategy for leaving room for ice cream or gelatto.
-Vietnam One
If you've tried one pho noodle house, you've tried them all, right? That's what I thought until I visited Vietnam 1 (having tried many of its' previous incarnations). The inside is tidy, but not appropriate for "setting the mood." What is special here is the food. The real discovery for me are the jicama rolls. It's the ubiquitous (and awesome) soft rice paper wrapped "summer roll," but the noodles have been swapped for threaded jicama. How very Atkins appropriate. The grilled meats (or tofu) over broken rice is beautiful, delicious, and plentiful. Of course the pho is good too, but it's not date food, unless your really comfortable together (slurp!). Plus, you don't have to wait in the always crammed Pho So 1.
-Taqueria del Sol
If I'm a broken record about this, then I've finally gotten it right. Start with an horchata and two straws. Then, split a shrimp cocktail and a side of guac. If you're not prim and propper eaters, dip a chip into the guac and then plunk a shrimp down on top with a bit of that coctail gazpacho soupiness. Mmmm, this might just be an aphrodisiac. Next, order a couple homemade tortilla sopes or gorditas of different varieties (meat or grilled veggies or mix'n'match). Your other half might order the ceviche or the enchiladas con mole poblano or tacos al pastor (although you'll be getting kinda full at this point). Theses dishes will be so successful as to deplete almost all of your erogenous energy right there at the dinner table. Taqueria del Sol even makes fried ice cream better than everywhere else.
-The Phoenician:
This place has bonafied romantic ambiance: Lebanese in the casbah. Plus, they're brand new (eager to please) and it'll feel good to spread the love by throwing your support to a new food endeavor. You can go cheap with a couple apps and split an entree or splurge on an enormous mezze spread. If you hit it up, lemme know how you liked it. I can only vouch for the hummus and falafel. (4400 block of W. Broad)
-8 1/2
Get some take out and get on the couch with your sweetie. If you both get garlic breath, neither of you is allowed to act all offended.
-Cajun Bankok
This place is gonna make you swoon with their thai style she-crab soup and their coconut appetizer. Beyond this, you'll get things heated up with etoufee on just about every main dish. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Again, share the love with a fledgeling Carytown restaurant and finish with a stiff drink at Can Can.
Even as I write this, my wife is trying to convince me that "girls want ambiance on Valentines Day," but the amor does not have to be all about the benjamins. Nonetheless, if these options strike your fancy, put yourself in the hands of Ms. Timberlake at Style. I think you'll be back here eventually, but that weekly rag often has stuff that you really oughta read. Of course, please feel free to post your ideas here as well.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Debating Style Weekly's Environmentalism Tactics
At J's Notes, I chimed in with my disapproval about Style pulling their support from the Richmond's Environmental Film Festival. Then, Jason Roop, of Style Weekly clarified the position of his paper here and here. And today, Style cover story is a feature about John Wade. This dust-up is certainly getting it's due. I'm hoping that the main idea isn't lost in the shuffle, because Richmond has a chance to start an annual tradition and deepen our city's environmental ethics.
Other media also focused on Wade. He's featured on Richmond.com. For those concerned about supporting a "terrorist", I think you can see that the man has chosen a campaign of ideas, words, and images - powerful tools that should not inspire fear. If you want to support education over property destruction as a tactic, your attendance at one of this weekend's movies is a great way to weigh in. When the mountains of Southwest VA are having their ridges detonated and laid to waste in pursuit of coal, taking in a movie and/or speaking event is probably in order.
Oh yeah... Ralph Nader is going to be at the Byrd too. Another man who inspires mixed emotions because of the kinds of campaigns he's chosen. He is also generally without remorse (I discovered this when I urged him not to run for prez in 2004, after having supported him in 2000 - don't hit me). And yet, the "green giant" is still a hero of mine. We parted ways on some stuff, but there is still plenty we can agree to work on together. Hopefully, Richmond will grant John Wade the same consideration or at least a bunch of us will decide to look at "The Biggest Picture" rather than focusing on one man.
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After reading the the Style feature story "Wade's War," I want to recommend it. It's an informative story that contributes important context for those who are pining for the details of our beloved Short Pump under seige. For the time being, I would prioritize reading the epic piece right behind hearing Larry Gibson speak (on Sunday 3:30pm at the Byrd) about the mountain range around his home being leveled by Dominion Virginia Power.
Other media also focused on Wade. He's featured on Richmond.com. For those concerned about supporting a "terrorist", I think you can see that the man has chosen a campaign of ideas, words, and images - powerful tools that should not inspire fear. If you want to support education over property destruction as a tactic, your attendance at one of this weekend's movies is a great way to weigh in. When the mountains of Southwest VA are having their ridges detonated and laid to waste in pursuit of coal, taking in a movie and/or speaking event is probably in order.
Oh yeah... Ralph Nader is going to be at the Byrd too. Another man who inspires mixed emotions because of the kinds of campaigns he's chosen. He is also generally without remorse (I discovered this when I urged him not to run for prez in 2004, after having supported him in 2000 - don't hit me). And yet, the "green giant" is still a hero of mine. We parted ways on some stuff, but there is still plenty we can agree to work on together. Hopefully, Richmond will grant John Wade the same consideration or at least a bunch of us will decide to look at "The Biggest Picture" rather than focusing on one man.
------------------------------------
After reading the the Style feature story "Wade's War," I want to recommend it. It's an informative story that contributes important context for those who are pining for the details of our beloved Short Pump under seige. For the time being, I would prioritize reading the epic piece right behind hearing Larry Gibson speak (on Sunday 3:30pm at the Byrd) about the mountain range around his home being leveled by Dominion Virginia Power.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Trader Joe's in Richmond: CONFIRMED
According to the Trader Joe's website, Trader Joe' s is "coming soon to Richmond, VA." Thanks to my coworker's sleuthing, I broke this story a week or so ago before TJ's updated their coming soon list (and before the Times-Disgrace).
My previous piece, and its fruitful comments section, brought up a lot of speculation about sprawl, consumerism, UKraps, ecstatic hooting and hollering, and questions about how far is too far to travel for a bargain. Let's continue that discussion, because we've got at least a few months until we need to further congestify Short Pump with our gourmet fetishism.
By the way, we're not the only ones on I-95 clamoring for our Trader Joe's fix with a side of Whole Foods. Another big box monstrosity called Central Park is lobbying hard in Fredericksburg. They say Charlottesville was supposed to get one too. Maybe Short Pump was a compromise. I'm wondering if it'll even be the same old Trader Joe's by the time we start seeing one between every Five Below and Kohls. Anyhow, just wondering. No more negative nancy from me. Back to the party.
(can you tell that my spell checker is broken?)
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Update: The RTD has finally gotten the scoop: summer/fall opening, "fragmentation" of grocery store market, disintegration of civilized society, and healthy/tasty products at unholy affordable prices (sorry Ukrops).
My previous piece, and its fruitful comments section, brought up a lot of speculation about sprawl, consumerism, UKraps, ecstatic hooting and hollering, and questions about how far is too far to travel for a bargain. Let's continue that discussion, because we've got at least a few months until we need to further congestify Short Pump with our gourmet fetishism.
By the way, we're not the only ones on I-95 clamoring for our Trader Joe's fix with a side of Whole Foods. Another big box monstrosity called Central Park is lobbying hard in Fredericksburg. They say Charlottesville was supposed to get one too. Maybe Short Pump was a compromise. I'm wondering if it'll even be the same old Trader Joe's by the time we start seeing one between every Five Below and Kohls. Anyhow, just wondering. No more negative nancy from me. Back to the party.
(can you tell that my spell checker is broken?)
---------------------------
Update: The RTD has finally gotten the scoop: summer/fall opening, "fragmentation" of grocery store market, disintegration of civilized society, and healthy/tasty products at unholy affordable prices (sorry Ukrops).
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