Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Just a little mish mash of things...

I know I still have Thanksgiving food pics to get to...patience my friend....you'll get em before Hanukkah...I promise. Besides, I'll have to make latkes (potato pancakes) for Hanukkah and I'll have to post those.

I saw Beowulf in 3-D on Monday...I recommend it. It was visually stunning and they did justice to the story...just the dialogue was a bit meh but I was so wrapped up in the visuals that I was ok with it. So yeah..see it...in 3-D though. I went with an old friend....which is a story I'll share now...

My dad dated a woman after my parents got divorced. He was with her for a while but in May of 1990, she passed away. She had lukemia and went for a bone marrow transplant but it was not successful. She had a daugter who was like my sister. There's an 8 year difference between us and for a while she was annoying as hell and I was just kinda mean to her. I used her as my toy. I would do her hair and play with make up on her...she was my life sized doll. It was great...in fact, she's not even scarred by it...so that's good. Well, after her mom passed away, she was 5 at the time, she went to live with her father in LA and I didn't see her as often but I travelled out there a lot and she came her to NY a lot so we kept in touch. She's a great girl and there are patches where we didn't talk too often but nothing really ever changed. I still think of her as a part of the family and always will. Well, she's the one I spent all day Monday with. I haven't seen her in a while and this is the first time I didn't think of her as a kid...she's 23 now and I felt like this is the first time I was actually hanging out with an equal. It was fantastic. We had a great time. At the moment, she's living in FL with her father (he moved there a few years ago) but she'll be coming back to NY in Jan to take classes and will be here for a while. I CAN'T wait! So, that's that story.

Now, today...I went to Home Depot Expo and I swear, I fell in. It was like I was there for a week. I went to help my father pick out his shower for the master bedroom in his house. (most of you know but I guess not all that my dad has been renovating a house for what feels like forever). So, yeah...shower head...easy, right? yeah....NO! My father had to go for a huge ass shower head from the ceiling that rains down on you and then there are the body spray things that come at you from all angles AND the hand held shower head. geez.....it's insane. The guy printed out the itemization of everything...there were about 15 things on the list. So much for shopping for something simple. I also helped him pick out a ceiling fan...that wasn't too bad....the one eyed guy helped and he was really nice. Creepy to look at eye to eye....but nice. Oh and Ram is the guy who helped with the shower stuff. Soon I get to go back with him to look at sinks and....toilets! WOOOHOO...I KNOW you're all jealous.

After fun times at Home Depo Expo, had to go to Lowes to just get some phone wire...not so bad...but right around the corner is Gasho...a habachi steak house like Benihanna. So, since we hadn't really eaten all day....perfect place. YUM. Had Filet Mignon with all the veggies and fixins you get, habachi rice, salad and soup....I ended it all with some rainbow sherbert....I was a bit piggish but I was still hungrey. It was good....but....there was a nasty fat guy at the next table and he kept blowing his nose REALLY loudly in his CLOTH napkin. I was having some issues with this. I think it's fucking NASTY. *shudders* I just kept hearing HONK HONK....and I was just thinking about the napkin on my lap and where it's been. Yeah..my mind wanders. Sorry for the bad visual...if I had to suffer...so do you. :)

OK, I rambled enough. I'll post those food pics tomorrow or Fri. I also have lots of pics of the house from way before to what it looks like now so I'm gonna get that together too. Problem is...a lot of the pics are on my phone. I'll get there. I will. Work with me. Hope everyone had a good hump day. Ciao for now...

OK I have a P.S...I forgot....so, Beowulf was in 3-D so it cost $3 more...fine. I always had to give the glasses back at the end so when the movie was over, I asked an usher where the glasses go...he said they were mine to keep. Just what I needed....my very own pair...the usher told me that the reason I paid the extra $3 was for the glasses. Great....so I asked him if that means that if I keep them and bring them to the next 3-D flick I see, I'll save $3. His answer....of course...no, I won't save $3. Well, it seemed logical to me. I guess the movies aren't logical. Oh well. Now I'm done...for real.

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Saturday, November 24, 2007

Post Thanksgiving...

Well, Thanksgiving is over and it was fun. I spent 2 days cooking and I had good company on Thursday night. This weekend is a weekend to relax. I refuse to shop...I can NOT deal with the crowds...they would turn me homicidal. There is nothing that would get to me go shopping with hordes of people at 4am and I love to shop.

For Thanksgiving dinner, I made everything but the stuffing. I HATE stuffing and I refuse to make it. I would do Thanksgiving without it if it was up to me but it wasn't up to me so I bought the stuffing at the same place I got my Turkey. I used a fresh Turkey and I gotta say, it's totally worth it. It tastes much better. I also found the original Caesar Salad recipe on wikipedia so I tried that...well...don't...it was AWFUL, just terrible. Everything else was great though. I have to download some pics I took and that will be my next post. I'm just being lazy this weekend since I can't download them on to my laptop, I have to use the desktop. So you will get pics. I think I got pics of most things...I tried to at least.

One of my guests brought a bottle of wine for dinner but it was warm (it was white wine) so it was suggested that I put it in the freezer to chill...whoops...forgot about it till 4am. It was totally frozen solid and the cork had popped out right through the foil top. Oops. There was absolutely no alcohol at dinner...go figure. My dad is diabetic and doesn't drink because of that and adverse reactions with some of his meds. One of the other guests is also a diabetic and doesn't really drink. Others were driving and they didn't want drinks so...there was no drinking. We're just not a big drinking family. To be honest, I have 2 bottles of wine in my apt and 1 is the one I got on Thursday. I generally cook with wine I have in the house. Just not a drinker in the house. Anyway...that's really it. Once I download the pictures, I'll be back and I'll tell ya what I made. :)

Hope everyone had a great Holiday and a nice long weekend. :)


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Sunday, November 18, 2007

It's Official...

Every year my friend Margaret hosts a Thanksgiving Potluck and it really marks the beginning of the holiday season to me. This potluck has been going on about 12 years so it's definitely tradition. This picture was a bit of a requirement. It's a picture of all my college friends who were at the party. I guess it's been decided already where the baby will go to college...I guess since mom and dad had such a good time, she should too. ;) I know I'm kinda hiding in the pic but that's because I was only in it under protest. As I was getting dressed to go, I realized that I only own like 1 pair of pants that actually fit. Most of the time when I'm in the house or just running errands, I wear jogging pants or something really comfortable so I guess I just didn't see that this happened. Well, I was greatly disturbed and I'll soon be sewing my mouth shut.

Anyway, as this was a Thanksgiving potluck, the fare was traditional Thanksgiving: Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes etc...someone even made a green bean casserole (gross)...sorry if you actually like that thing but I can't stand it. Canned green beans and that cream of mushroom soup and fried onions in a can (shudders). So there was just basically food, drink, friends and fun. It was a nice time. Next up....another friend is making xmas dinner though it's on Dec 29th...it's when we could all get together. This is another tradition that's been going on about 7 years. I guess it could be said that my friends and I just love food and getting together. Nothing wrong with having fun but I gotta watch that food. I need my clothes to fit.

We had a fun announcement last night...my friend Michele, the one front and center in jeans got engaged. I'm so excited for her and I really want her to be happy. Though there are some issues with the whole thing...I just hope it works out and the couple is happy. She has asked me to be a bridesmaid which I gladly accepted. That was some fun news and added to the cheer of the evening and it meant that there was some Champagne....nothing ever wrong with a little bubbly.

Monday, November 12, 2007

I Have No Words....



It's really rare that I have nothing to say and this is one of those times. My friend sent this to me and well...I cracked up but the sad this is...I've seen this in the flesh and it does exist.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

2 things....


First...the vehicle in this pic perplexes me. It's a Lincoln pickup truck. Now...being from NYC, I don't really see the need for a pickup here but I do understand that there are many reasons to have them. I can respect that. I just do not understand why Lincoln makes one. Who is this geared towards? When I think Lincoln, I think gypsy cab or some rich person being driven by their driver but this is in a town car...not a pickup. So, if you have any insights on this monstrosity...let me in on it. I'd appreciate it. I keep seeing them here and I just don't get it. Also, my friend in LA tells me they are ALL over there. I also don't get the need for this in LA.

Second...yesterday was election day and I was #19 to vote in my district. I voted around noon. I walked into the voting booth and I actually laughed. The only thing to vote for were a few judges and there were the same names running unopposed in the Democratic and the Republican lines. I had NO idea who any of them were. It kinda felt like a bit of a waste but it is my right to vote so I will continue to do so. I've never missed an election. I once missed a primary because I had the flu. I think it's really important to vote. I know a lot of people think that their vote doesn't count but I can tell you...they do. During the 2000 election, I was entrenched in my boss' race (NYS Senator) and I was so involved in it, I was having a hard time keeping track of the Bush/Gore debacle. I'll say this...those results were finalized before the results of my boss' race. It was intense. It went to paper votes and it really showed me how much each vote really does count. The election came down to a difference of votes in the double digits. There were a total of about 20,000 votes and it was THAT close. Anyway, I don't want to babble too much.

Well, those are my 2 things. :)

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Steak and taters....




I decided to take the lead from some other people and post some of my cooking. I love to cook so I'll post some of my creations though it may not happen too often so don't get too used to it. If you want to see a real food blog that is updated often and maintained well...check out Alosha's Kitchen.
She makes some sweet stuff. I'd be inviting myself for dinner often if I wasn't 3000 miles away.

Anyway...I made broiled skirt steak and mashed potatoes tonight. I am a huge fan of the skirt steak and of potatoes so well...it's a good match. Normally I would make a vegetable too but I bought a pretty big steak so I decided to forgo the vegetable....potato is a vegetable...right? I'll post some pics. I don't know how to post pics in a particular order so you'll see some pics of raw steak before broiling and raw potatoes before steaming and then of the finished product. Pretty easy. First I'll tell ya what I did.

Steak: just put on some kosher salt (it's all I really use), garlic powder and some paprika. (it's how mom and grandma did it. Then I just put it under the broiler. Probably a total of about 15 minutes or so for a medium rare. I flip it in the middle.

Potatoes: I just used some California white potatoes and leave the skin on. I cut them up a little and steam them. About 20 mins or so. Just till fork tender. Sometimes the time varies depending on the size. I just add some butter and kosher salt then mash. If I'm feeling indulgent, I'll add some cheese sometimes. I like deli sliced white american sometimes.

Simple meal. Sometimes I pull out all the stops but this is just an easy simple meat and taters meal. Also, I'm not the hugest fan of pepper and that's why I don't use it too much in seasoning. I use it if I'm making a soup or stew or something where it's more hidden. I don't usually use it on my meat directly and to tell ya the truth...never had any complaints. :)

I took the pics with my phone so they kinda suck but well, deal with it. Also...I gave you the plate raw and uncensored and I fully admit that I ate the steak with ketchup. Now, I happen to like skirt steak with ketchup. I know a lot of chefs would cringe but whatever. I WILL NOT eat any steak with ketchup in public and if anyone ever said I eat steak with ketchup, I'd deny it. I also won't eat a filet mignon with ketchup...that gets my special home made bernaise sauce.