Alright, well, as any of the Vennegut faithful know, the true breakfast of champions is a martini, but we didn't have any dry vermouth lying around the house. Instead I substituted two poached eggs over a bed of Roma tomatoes, spinach and caramelized onions on a waffle. I thought it was pretty tasty and looked quite photographable.
This all corresponds with a new direction I am trying to take in my blog, which is a chronicle of the things I cook up in an attempt to push myself to create new and interesting things while expanding my cooking repertoire. Hope you all enjoy the photos and if you have any cooking/recipe ideas or techniques, please do share!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Hello and greetings interfolks~
I should mention that while I write this I am watching an episode of The Colbert Report featuring the inventor of the Segue strapped with a robotic arm. He is playing videos of soldiers who have lost arms strapped using these bad boys to do things like pick up grapes, eat with chop sticks and feed themselves cereal without spilling a drop. It is pretty incredible to watch and certainly gets to the heart. One important thing to know about the project is that it is code named (internally) "Luke" ... as in Skywalker. Yeah. At least he has finally contributed something useful to society.
Now I am just waiting to finish the Duke vs. Butler game which we had taped for our later enjoyment. Excitement shall ensue. Unfortunately for us, a Butler win grants us $400. The unfortunate part is they are playing Duke. Not sure if they have it in them. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. More to come...
Alright, so I know I don't have any April trickery up my sleeve, but stay with me on this one. In light of lots and lots of things happening in and around my life I realize I have been letting my blog entries slip through the cracks. Argh! No more, no more. I have revamped my commitment to offer up (moderately) quality insights into the life and times of a 20-something post-grad living in the digital age. That being said, it feels as if my life is right on the precipice of a major shift that will eventually take me out of my parent's house and on to greater and grander things. For one, this coming (Easter) Sunday will mark the last of my handbell performances with the Wesley Ringers handbell choir, to which I have been indebted for the last 6 months or so. The large gap left in my schedule will be filled with packing and sorting my life into compartments that can be moved about the west coast. Liberation through mobility! I mean, it worked for Kerouac, right?
The next stage of my journey occurs two weeks (14 days!) from today when I shall spring forth from Nevada County and hop on a jet plane up to Seattle to visit the oh-so-lurvely Moorea Ashley Seal in her natural habitat (or at least her adopted habitat). There are kayaking and symphony plans intermixed with Moroccan foods and other such endeavors. Very exciting stuff.
Upon my departure from Seattle I will have a few days to pack my things and head into the woods near Yosemite where I will be setting up camp in the shanty-town of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp. Last summer brought months of exploring in the woods, growing close with a group of phenomenal people and pushing myself in ways I had not previously considered (for example, reading bed time stories to children). Hopefully the coming spring, summer and part of fall will bring with it a further exploration of myself and help me to grow into the parts of my being that I feel are missing from my life here in Grass Valley. One can only hope...
On a less dramatic note, I am also excited to taste test my new kombucha batch that has been growing on top of my fridge for the last few weeks. I fostered the scobi from a bottle and the first batch proved to be quite weak. With any luck, as the culture has grown significantly larger it will yield a much more suitable drink. More on my slimy little buddies (with pictures!) soon to come.
While you're waiting, you may as well pop over to my flickr where I have uploaded a few batches of photos found lying around my collection from the last couple of years. There are some photos from Nisene Marks in Santa Cruz, some from the Outside Lands festival this last summer in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco as well as a few choice snapshots from my New Year's Eve extravaganza. All things good, all things good.
If that doesn't do it for you, I feel obligated to share the following with you all since it is just about the funniest and most heartbreaking thing I have seen as of late. Until next time, please do enjoy:
Well, it appears I can no longer hide from the Spring (although at current there are heavy-looking clouds moving in over the tree line). All yesterday the sun was shining and Nevada County was full of good tempers. Sitting outside Flour Garden I encountered a pair of 8-week old Great Pyrenees puppies that looked like squirmy, wriggling teddy bears. I would seriously have considered buying one except for the fact that in just under three weeks I am going to be beginning my trek up to the great Pacific Northwest and then down into the woods of the Stanislaus National Forest to begin my summer job at Berkeley Tuolumne Camp. In light of my quickly approaching departure, I wanted to focus this post on some things that are home grown and share a few shiny objects around the house.
First, we have a little beauty I discovered last night in town. I think I have found my new favorite way of bringing in the spring with Lagunitas Brewing Co.'s "Wilco Tango Foxtrot" Ale. This spring ale is, just as described, hearty, malty and smooth with a chocolaty finish. Although the brewers deny a link between the beer and Jeff Tweedy's mellow rock band, they both derive their names from short wave radio lingo (as evidenced by the band's classic album "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot") and the recording from which the name comes from. The beer packs a pretty solid punch at 7.3% alc. by vol., and weighing in at nearly 1.5 pints, each bottle will is enough to have you singing in the streets (or on the disc golf course, as the case may be). I suppose this is why they subtitle it a "jobless recovery ale". While researching this beer I uncovered what is perhaps the best piece of Lagunitas drinking advice I have yet discovered. Each beer comes with a unique story/explanation printed sideways on the sides of the label. Thanks to Pitchfork for suggesting we empty the contents of the bottle before trying to read its label! For more on Wilco-related things, go here!
Well, time is running short so I will leave you with some photos sans descriptions. I'll let your imagination do the work on these trinkets I found around the house. Enjoy the Springtime weather!
... dirty men with dirty dreads and dirtier dogs are walking around outside my window. Alright, there are other people walking up and down the street too, but these fellers are the most noticeable. Other noticeable things? The sun for one, which has been making its presence known in authoritative fashion the last several days. I have been sporting shorts for the first time in 2010 the last three days and am hoping a trip to the Yuba might be in order before the week is out. All around town dogwood trees are in bloom, daffodils on the sides of the highway are flowering and people are dressed in Spring dresses, t-shirts, sandals and the likes. While waiting here, watching as life passes to and fro in front of the cafe window I have started wondering whether it is some instinctual change occurring in us all leading us to shed our extra clothes and brave the still lingering winter breezes. Or, could it be that it is our defiance of the truth of the season and our insistence to rock the shorter sleeves that instills in our minds that the Spring is indeed here. Either way, I suppose the call to the outdoors is too great for me. I have been sitting behind this computer screen for too long and the time has come for me to head out into the world. I hope wherever you are you have a chance to enjoy the weather, one way or another. Take a walk and smell a flour, yeah?
To all of you and yours from me and mine, Happy St. Patty's Day - just one of the days each year where I pretend that the true origin of my name (McDaniel) is Ireland. It just sounds so much cooler than having to tell people "Well, my great grandfather was Hungarian ..." I suppose it is a technicality. Regardless, enjoy your green things today - hope your mouths don't turn green from all the excess food coloring!
The reason I decided to grace you with my literary presence this morning is a post I found on the failbook relating to a struggle I continually find myself, er, struggling with. Please enjoy:
Hello and greetings, friends. First and foremost I would like to extend a warm and heartfelt Happy Pie Day to you all! I know, 3/14 was in fact yesterday, but seeing as the circumstances of my schedule didn't much allow time to blog, I figured delaying the post a day wouldn't hurt anybody too much. Mid-March this year in Grass Valley has brought with it some serious sun and I now find myself sitting and roasting away at a coffee shop as the sun pours through the large storefront windows. Life is good in the warmth! Other news: new glasses came in today, hereby marking my transition from wire-rimmed skinnies into some thick(er) framed and ultimately more stylish specs.
Also, made an appointment with our local Arthroscopic surgeon to check out my left menial meniscus, which I think has a good chance of being torn. Apparently the surgery isn't that big of a deal so I am not too worried. I might even get ice cream out of the deal!
In music-related news, the two CDs in rotation in my car stereo are the Mumford and Sons album and the James Mercer/DJ Danger Mouse collaboration Broken Bells. Sounds a lot like the Shins with a distinct electro-funk reminiscent of the Gorillaz. I would defin
itely recommend checking it out, if the fact that James Mercer is involved is not enough. The most exciting thing, for me at least, about this project is that Broken Bells' touring ensemble includes two Nevada County natives, one of which is responsible for the majority of my devotion to Nevada City's music scene. Dan Elkan, singer/guitarist for Pocket for Corduroy, Hella, Them Hills, et al was tapped by Mercer to strum and sing backup and can be seen in this video of the band performing on Letterman's Late Show. He's the feller behind and to Mercer's right. I always get excited when musicians get big breaks and can make a living doing something that they love. I hope it all works out for you, Dan.
In other news, I am now shopping for a flash to be used in conjunction with my Canon 40D for general illumination purposes and to have the ability to conduct a moderately professional portraiture set-up if need be. This comes following a commission by a friend to do some promotional photography for her dance studio. The initial date had to be postponed due to snow but hopefully the shoot will commence in the next couple of weeks, new flash included! I am leaning towards the Canon Speedlite 270EX, feeling that the higher models slightly exceed my comfortable price-range to necessity ratio. The 270EX seems like a good compromise between affordability and quality and will hopefully serve me well. If anybody has thoughts/feelings on this matter, please, I am looking for guidance.
This morning I had coffee with Christopher Seal, rector of Trinity Church in Nevada City and, coincidentally, my girlfriend's father. We always have good conversations and he
encouragement and assurance that the place I am at in my life right now is completely acceptable and normal for a 23-year-old is welcomed and generally leaves me feeling quite content in my endeavors. As per usual, I am now feeling at ease with myself and my surroundings. The unfortunate side-effect of these meetings is that, almost without fail, Christopher gives me some new book or piece of literature effectively adding the the massive pile of a reading list cluttering my desk. Alas, the perils of a literature student! I suppose I should probably spend some time on them
there books rather than typing away or hunting for a new camera gadget. Other options: take a walk by the river. The whether's lovely. That being said, I'll now sign off. Hope wherever you are the sun is shining, or at least the day is going swimmingly. Until next time...
Alright, well, as any of the Vennegut faithful know, the true breakfast of champions is a martini, but we didn't have any dry vermouth lying around the house. Instead I substituted two poached eggs over a bed of Roma tomatoes, spinach and caramelized onions on a waffle. I thought it was pretty tasty and looked quite photographable. 
