Went here, got these:
That’ll teach those fuckers…
Archive for category food
I scored a 12-pack of Pepsi Throwback last night. Today I tried it. You should probably quit reading this and go immediately to your nearest retailer and get you some of that shit.
That commercial for Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies where the kid spazzes on his dad for eating the cookies they left for Santa, makes him whip up another batch and then chastises him further before finally going to bed…
…yeah, I’d knock that kid stupid.
Is there any thing that varies in quality as much as gift baskets? Depending on where you send one from and what product(s) you choose the range of value can be enormous. I’ve seen my share of baskets from both ends of the spectrum.
This is the time of year we tend to get saddled with our share of gift baskets, but not from friends and family who are too lazy to take the time for a more thoughtful gift (guilty), but mostly from Jamie’s various work relationships.
We got the first one today from the County CVB (yep, I’m doing someone on the board of the CVB – or something like that) and it was very middle of the road. Some stuff to like (chocolate, black peppercorn crackers) and some stuff we’ll never touch (english tea) along with CVB propaganda stuff like a X-mas ornament, a mug, a clippy magnet thing and stuff like that.
I do think it’s fun to dig through a gift basket and see what’s there. Here’s to many more this season.
Tyler linked to this one. Absolutely awesome read.
Increasingly, I was struck by how much impact the experience was having on me. Surmounting this challenge night after night was actually giving me a certain self-assurance, a feeling of having grown up. Some might find this disillusioning: “You mean life is not first-come, first-served?”
Got caught up feeling nostalgic and watching old 80’s commercials on YouTube. These two from Dominos and Pizza Hut caught my attention though. Mostly because the entire commercial tries to sell you on the quality of the product, not the price. Not sure what to make of it, but for whatever reason I consciously noticed the lack of “LOOK HOW CHEAP THIS IS!”
Just happened across the story about the $175 burger that will undoubtedly be passed along to you shortly via e-mail by someone amused or amazed or outraged by such things and noticed that one of the toppings on the burger is foie gras.
Immediately, the little light went on in my head – I know what that is!
Just two days ago Tyler passed along a story about 8 forbidden delicacies on his blog and foie gras was one of them.
I learned somthing and was able to turn around use it in a matter of days. God bless the internet – even my evolution is more efficient now.
We had a lot of fun tonight.
Morton’s was quite awesome (if not expensive – I’m trying to remember and I think this is the most we’ve ever spent on one meal) and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at dinner. We were one of the first in for the evening with 5:30 reservations and got an awesome booth-style table that let us watch the room fill as the evening progressed. Definitely glad I got to experience the place. I did the Porterhouse and I do believe that’s the most red meat I’ve ever stuffed into myself at one sitting… no idea how big it was exactly, but I’m still feeling it. Jamie had the Prime Rib – the waiter did mention that it was 26-28 oz…so that should put the sheer size of their steaks into perspective. She didn’t even come close to finishing it.
The restaurant is on the 2nd floor of Carew Tower, which is an interesting building in it’s own right.
From there we walked the 3 or 4 blocks to Taft Theatre.
It was our first time in downtown Cincy and it was surprisingly nice. I think we just dig city-type stuff.
The theatre was an awesome old building and our seats were better than I imagined. The place a was sold out and they’d added ‘orchestra pit’ seating to try to fit more people in. I still insist that Eddie Izzard is one of the funniest people around and the show didn’t disappoint one bit. Jamie wasn’t too familiar with his stuff, but I found her laughing quite a bit. The crowd reaction was ridiculous – the volume of cheering didn’t seem possible from a 2500 seat house. Definitely see the tour if it comes to your town.
Izzard speaking about this tour:
“The heels got too high on the last two tours. Now I’ve just gone back to blokey mode, so I’ve got all this movement back which I couldn’t do before. The set is leaner, what I’m wearing is leaner and just focusing on what I’m talking about. I keep talking about God and I come to all these different conclusions. I’m talking about the whole civilization, trying strip that back, as well. The last 5,000 years we did everything. I put out my idea what we’re doing here. I think it’s all random. If there is a God, his plan is very similar to someone not having a plan.”
This afternoon we decided to take care of some of the gazillion things that need done but no one seems to find the time. Jamie had to pick up a PC from the corporate office in Cincy, we needed to deposit some checks we’ve been sitting on for way too long, we needed to get our Kings Island passes, we needed haircuts, we had to take the PC to the hotel.
The plan was to get the PC, slide by Kings Island, hope to hit the bank before it closed, score haircuts, drop off the computer and get home.
We headed out at about 20-to-4 and had to get there before 5. Naturally, it started pouring rain about 10 minutes into the trip…then we hit the Cincy area rush hour traffic. Along the way we noticed a PNC branch relatively close to our destination. We figured we had a better chance of getting back to this one rather than going to Kings Island and then hitting the one we normally stop by on Tylersville Road.
At this point I had to piss like mad and just wanted to find a place to pee. Still getting to the bank in time was more important.
We made it to pick up the PC with 15 minutes to spare and began backtracking in the increasingly intense rain and equally thickening traffic. We pulled into the bank a hair after 5pm and I thought for sure they’d be closed. They were, but they helped us anyway. PNC is cool like that.
Still no pee, but at this point I figured I’d just wait until we get to the park.
From there we hit 71 north (a route I’ve taken maybe twice in my life and never to Kings Island) and I got stuck in a traffic pattern I couldn’t break free from and was forced off the interstate one exit too soon and it was the mother of all exits – backed up, people trying to shift lanes in all directions a big truck honking and trying to scoot over. I was jacked that I got caught up in the wrong lane and even more jacked that I hadn’t pissed yet. I spotted a Speedway and as the light off the exit turned green forced my way across three lanes and whipped into the gas station.
We get out of the HHR and are hit up by a FOX19 news lady and her cameraman wanting to talk about the fucked up exit/intersections. I sort of weaseled myself out of it and Jamie into it. They talked to her for like 45 seconds and we were off.
I finally got to pee (and scored a frozen Coke). We left to find them still outside interviewing people and laughed about having to watch the news on 19 this evening. We got back on 71 and were at Kings Island in a few minutes.
How quickly can one part with $600 – in a matter of seconds! That’s how fast.
Actually, the weekday evening pass purchase/processing thing they have going on is fabulous. It was no more than 10 minutes to part with our money and leave with passes in hand. Good stuff.
We made our way back to our neck of the woods and stopped by for a couple of haircuts and got in with no wait – nice. The chick doing my hair wouldn’t shut up though. I’m not a talker and I hate how no matter who I get, they always point out that this isn’t my real hair color. Yeah, I know it’s not, lady.
After that we dropped off the computer and I hooked it all up and booted it up and everyone rejoiced because the corn was saved. (part of that sentence is true and part is not – you decide)
By then it was going on 8 and there was no way in hell any of us were cooking so we stopped by Olive Garden. The place gets a bad rap sometimes I think, but I dig their Mixed Grill and tonight was no exception.
We got home and watched the stoner dude (who I hated until last night) get booted from American Idol.
After that I flipped to the FOX 19 news. What’s their lead story? The fucked up intersection. They used two clips of Jamie. I was dying – too funny. We’ve never been at that intersection in our lives and probably never will again and she’s on TV going, “This intersections sucks. We almost got taken out by a truck. They need to do something about it.”
Then we watched a little of an Eddie Izzard DVD (getting psyched for Friday’s show) and I played Mario Kart for a while…and now I’m typing this.
I should probably go to bed.
Back when I was a kid, Sesame Street was awesome. There’s so many classic 70’s Sesame Street moments that I couldn’t even begin to list them.
One that has always stuck with me was the short “Milk” film that ran over and over during my youth. To this day I still find myself singing the haunting, “Milk, Mi-ilk, Milk” thing (about 40 seconds into the video) when I pour a glass of milk. So much so, that my family knows that little bit.
I thought I was the oddball as I’ve yet to meet someone who truly knew and remembered that clip.
So this afternoon has been particularly boring and I was getting little man a bowl of cereal and started singing the “Milk” thing and figured I’d do a search. Turns out the film is indeed on YouTube in all 4 and a half minute of its original glory – just as I had remebered. Watching this makes me 4 again:
Even better, in the video info a link is provided to an interview with the composer of the song. Which begins with:
“Milk” is one of the most strange and powerful episodes to come out of the Children’s Television Workshop. It is impossible to imagine this film being made now. Here’s the pitch:
“Yeah…Jim. Look, I thought we would show how milk gets made with no script and no dialogue. Yeah. Let’s just go shoot footage of farmers and the milk truck, maybe throw in a crying baby and some weird, monotone music crafted by some composer who likes jazzy stuff played by a chamber ensemble. Sunny day? Nah. Let’s not make it cheerful or happy. We should make it gloomy and unsettling. Oh, and Jim? To do it right, we need some crane shots, a huge decal for the truck, and about four and a half minutes running time.”
That’s so true. Something like this would never get made these days. It’s weird…almost creepy. Haunting and bleak, really. The opening shot of the man and the ominous chord as it cuts to the cow – that’s right out of horror film 101. I cannot express how much I love this.
I feel like the Bee Girl in Blind Melon’s “No Rain” video when she finds all the other bee people. I had no idea so many people my age remembered this. Too awesome!
If you weren’t born in the early 70’s your life must suck.
So I read this article and just HAD to comment on it.
The part that gets me is:
Gina Pierson, a music teacher in Columbia, Mo., buys her family’s staples at local grocery stores but makes regular trips to Wal-Mart to supplement the weekly shopping list. Like many families struggling to get by, Pierson and her husband, a public school teacher, are adjusting their approach to buying, cooking and eating food. Restaurant meals are now almost a luxury.
What was that last line?
Restaurant meals are now almost a luxury.
What!? What the fuck!?
Is it just me or haven’t restaurant meals always been a luxury? Did I miss the day things changed so that your rights in this country included a meal in a nice setting cooked and served by someone else?
The even worse part of that line?
Using ‘almost’ as a qualifier.
Oh, this bitch and her family aren’t there yet, but things are sooooo bad (insert baby voice and pouty face) that restaurant meals have almost become a luxury. Like other ’struggling families’ they actually have to cook food for themselves sometimes now.
Fucking puh-leese.
I hate people.
Scored some sweet tix.
Floor, Center, Row D, seats 1 & 2.
Yeah, I rock.
Should be cool. I’m a big Eddie Izzard fan. Like most, I first got turned on with the Dressed To Kill special that ran on HBO back in 1999. Been following him ever since. If you don’t know his stand-up you might know him as Roman Nagel in Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. Or before that as Tony P. in Mystery Men. Maybe you recognize him from My Super Ex-Girlfriend or Across the Universe. If none of those ring a bell, how about The Riches currently running on FX?
The dude is hilarious. A great sense of humor that’s silly, intelligent and british all at the same time – dare I say Python-esque…but conversational in delivery…seemingly improvisational…definitely stream-of-consciousness. At the very least, he’s an Executive Transvestite.
I’m pretty excited to see my first live show.
To make a date of it, we’ll probably stop for dinner at Morton’s. It’s only a couple of blocks from the Taft Theatre and we got a gift card for X-mas that should (after looking at the FAQ’s) cover around half the bill or so…sheesh.
Good stuff! Yay for me!
(I signed up at Facebook just to steal that picture from Jeff)
And in case you’re wondering, that’s two gigantic slices of pizza covered with a heaping handful of potato chips and a side of fudge…welcome to my heart attack!
I’m not a coffee person. I hate coffee. I really, really dislike coffee. I just don’t get it.
With that said it should come as no surprise that I just don’t get Starbucks. I don’t understand the allure, I don’t understand the big deal about the whole coffee scene.
Maybe I should say “didn’t” rather than “don’t” …
Last night we stopped by Barnes & Noble. The kids like to check out books and I find a great (admittedly egotistical) joy in finding books that have my photos in them lying in bookstores.
Since we’re there my wife wants to hit the cafe and score a Double Chocolate Chip thingy that she always gets from Starbucks. The kids each wanted a Hot Chocolate. I passed. It’s fucking Starbucks and I don’t do coffee based drinks.
So the kids working the counter are just WAY too personable and friendly. While they’re getting the drinks, they’re making conversation and just being cooler than kids working Starbucks should be. All the while I’m just sizing things up. One of the things that caught my eye was the collection of flavors (are they syrups?) that they use. One was Cinnamon. I dig cinnamon…a lot.
So everyone gets their drinks and the kid making them asks, “Are you sure I can’t get anything for you, Sir?”
I don’t know why I didn’t give him my usual shitty attitude (probably because they were so friendly), but I asked innocently enough what they made with that cinnamon. Still at this point just being curious – not wanting anything. He named something or other and I made with a half-interested, “Oh.”
The kid followed up with, “Can I get you one?” and I passed but he persisted, “Are you sure. Come on, they’re really great” or something to that effect. So in a totally uncharacteristic moment I gave it.
The kid makes me a Cinnamon Spice Mocha and gives me a tall. (which in Starbucks-land is actually a small) To make matters worse, he gives it to me on the house.
What can I say? It was pretty fucking good. So good in fact, that I actively sought another one for myself today – making it Venti (large to us English speaking, non-coffee drinking types).
It was indeed good…again.
I think I’m hooked and the bastards at Starbucks did it drug dealer style – they gave me the first one for free knowing damn well they’d sell me a gazillion more. Arrrrgggh!
I’m now one of the mindless masses paying way too much for warm milk mixed with coffee and a squirt or two of cinnamon flavor with some whipped cream on top – at least I think that’s what it is. I don’t care if it’s boiled horse piss with snot on top…it’s good.
I suck and I hang my head in shame…but only to take another sip of my Cinnamon Spice Mocha.
Time for another weekend update.
Thursday night Rebecca (third photo down on the left) got to town. Rebecaa is one of our best friends of all time – we describe her as our third kid and my second wife. Haven’t seen her since last September.
Friday afternoon was a whole lot of nothing. Early evening we headed over to TGI Friday’s and beat the Friday evening crowd. Nothing special – cheap food. Then we stopped by the mall for a bit. Basically just checking out stuff and picking up things here and there.
I scored a sweet new coat.
Let me backtrack. I haven’t owned an actual coat in ages. Like seriously since I was a kid. I’ve always managed just fine, but this past winter I found myself saying, “I need a coat” on one too many occasions. I never got around to it. Fast forward to this past Friday.
We’re strolling the mall and stop by Wilsons Leather. They’re having all kinds of goofy-ass sales and the girls want to stop. So I’m wasting time in the back of the store nosing through a rack of coats that are clearly still here in June and marked WAY down for a reason. Then right in the middle there’s a great one…in my size even. I check the tag and it’s not marked as a clearance item. I found my wife and confirmed that the coat wasn’t as hideous as it’s neighbors and pointed out the lack of a clearance sticker on the price tag. She grabbed it and headed for the counter.
The girl working the store not only confirmed that it was indeed included in the 60% off sale, but that it was an additional 30% off the clearance price. Damn!
It was still more than I really was sure I wanted to drop on a whim, but it was a hell of a deal. I tried it on and it was good. I figured what the hell.
I now own a coat…and a damn sweet one at that. It even has a crazy iPod pocket on the inside with cutouts for the screen and control wheel thingy. Things like that amuse me. Now it’s just going to be another 6 months before I can wear it.
Went home, mixed up some drinks and hung out for the evening.
Saturday the girls took the kids to The Greene for some early school shopping. Supposedly some decent sales there too. I dunno. I slept in and enjoyed the solitude.
They brought back food – including the greatest Doritos ever. It’s some promotion they’re running. A plain black bag with the Doritos logo and a big, plain text X-13D on it. There’s some contest to name to Doritios or some stupid shit like that. All I know is that they’re easily the most addictive Doritos yet – and they’re super yummy. Even better than the Black Pepper flavor that I almost sent death threats over the potiential discontinue of.
We made some pizzas and watched a couple of movies. I slipped out back with the kids and kicked a beach ball around until it got dark. Then we used the Wii internet channel to watch crap on YouTube. After the kids crashed we had fun dissing the ridiculous ‘after dark’ movies on Cinemax, SHO and the such. They were just pathetic.
Spent Sunday afternoon getting my Geauga Lake pics together (hope to have them online before we take off this Friday) and the girls took the kids to a pool party my daughter was going to.
Threw together a dinner of hot sausage and corn on the cob. Worked for me. Just chilling, BS’ing until we happened to notice that The Devil’s Rejects was on again. Watched the whole damn thing and still wished they’d bust through the roadblock and ride into the sunset at the end.
Caught the west coast feed of the final Sopranos (even though I don’t watch) and enjoyed the dude’s head getting crushed by the SUV.
Realized I didn’t have any Coke left and ran over to BP real quick to grab some. (3 8-pack’s for $4.99 – yay!) The girl who works the night shift over there loves me. I’m the only one who makes Coke & Cigarette runs in the middle of the night. I think she’s just happy to have some conversation to break things up. According to her, Coke has quit with the 12-packs and the 8-pack is the new standard. We’ll see, I guess. Not that it really matters.
And now I’m sitting here typing this weekend recap. Sounds boring on paper, but it was one of those weekends where you just chill and have a good time.
I dig Runts. You know the little overly-sweet, fruit flavored, hard candies.
I haven’t had any in a few years, at least. So we’re at Sam’s Club (I know, I know – but the nearest Costco is like 40 miles away) and on a whim I grab one of those ridiculous 5lb bags.
A couple of days later I decide to break into it. I open the bag and am appaled to see little blue candies in there. WTF!?
Turns out the candy has changed a little since I last enjoyed it. Back then it was banana, orange, cherry, strawberry and lime candies. Now it still has the banana, orange, cherry and strawberry, but green has changed flavor from lime to watermelon and they added the blue ones which are blue raspberry.
They still rock, but the current combo isn’t as good as the old mix was. If they really wanted the added color/flavor, then why not grape? Actually that sounds good. Switch green back to lime and make the blue a purply grape and we’re back in business.
Until then I can only begrudgingly eat my 5 pounds of runts…
(Plus, each individual ‘runt’ is approximately 5 calories. Based on a 2000 calorie diet, if I drink nothing but water and eat nothing but Runts, I can enjoy 400 a day – which is about the pace I’m on.)
So I checked the UPS site again just a few minutes ago. The damn package is back on schedule and left Kentucky just a couple of hours ago. That’s one well traveled DVD burner! Looks like I will end up getting it tomorrow:
I did get back out to the garage with the flashlight again last night. I dunno. I don’t think my garage is the place most conducive to creativity. I still love the concept, I just need to get out and find some where/thing to really make a great photo. I did this one simple trace of the car interior:
And I did this just for Clint:
And the other night I discovered that DQ now has Kit Kat Blizzards. Damn good stuff.
I’m not normally a person who gets too affected by the weather, but even I had a case of ‘get out and do something no matter how trivial’ this past weekend.
We’ve been planning to do opening day at Kings Island since we got our passes back in December, then at the beginning of the week my daughter got invited to a birthday party the same day. Luckily it was in the morning (11am-12:30) and it was on the way to the park. No biggie, we’d just get to the park around 1pm.
Everyone was pretty exicted about finally getting back to the parks after such a slow season last year. We were up and ready to roll with little effort. We stopped by and picked up one of my daughter’s friends who was also going to the party and hit the road shortly after 10:30. The party was at a place called The Magic Castle. The place was just a dumpy little fun center with an arcade, tickets games, mini-golf and crap like that. Clearly a low rent operation. The funniest part to me was that it shared a parking lot with a driving range. So here on a Saturday morning you had beat up mini-vans pulling in and frazzled moms and snot nosed kids heading one way and pulling in beside them was the uppity, executive types getting the golf clubs out of the back of the Mercedes. There was a contrast there that I found humorous.
So to blow time while my daughter was hanging at the birthday party we stopped in a Morris and checked out furniture for an hour or so. Some decent stuff and great prices. Stopped in briefly at the Thomasville store right next door as well. It was one of those things where you start realizing what utter crap you have in your home. In fact, we have been talking new couch for a while now. The one we have is 7 years old and has taken quite a beating over the years. So by the time we have to leave, we’re convinced we need a new couch. (and sadly, we probably do)
We made it to the park and had a great day. Not a ton of rides, but just a good time being out in the spectacular weather.
Got home a little before nine and made some kind of Turkey Mignon wrapped in bacon thingy that turned out to be really yummy. Played a couple of games of Uno with the kids (my kids dig Uno for some reason) and they crashed shortly after leaving me to play with some of the pictures I took at the park.
Slept in Sunday morning, but soon enough everyone was itching to get out again. The bright idea to go check out couches came up and we decided to see what else was out there. Turns out that there’s a Midwest Clearance Outlet right near us, so we went to see what they had. Decent deals if they happened to currently have something that worked for you, otherwise not much to be excited about.
Left there and passed a nice little subdivision/neighborhood we’d noticed had several houses for sale and that we’d seen before and thought looked pretty nice and slipped in to see what the deal was. The area was great, and the houses were nice upper-mid range homes. There were a few for sale and a couple had open houses happening later in the day. Blew a few minutes and decided to continue on our couch quest.
Hit up Value City Furniture next. Some so-so couches. Nothing really grabbing our eye, but some decent beds at great prices. (we’ve been wanting a new bed as well, but we don’t really need one)
After that we hit up Sofa Express and found tons to love. Two couches in particular stood out. The only problem was the sheer size. Big monster sectionals that curve around. We’re just not sure our living room can handle them. We plan on going back later this week and getting some sizes and seeing if it’s possible.
At this point the kids were kinda bored with furniture gazing, but it was too nice of a day to go sit at home. Aside from furniture, we’re also due for car upgrades. Just not right now. Our actual time frame is within the next year-ish. But still on a nice day like this, why not just continue our daydream/preventive shopping and hit up some dealerships and see what’s out there and what we like. The first baby steps towards a future purchase.
We hit up the Wendy’s Drive-thru for Frosty’s and continued on. Coasted through the Ford dealership first. Not big Ford fans, but the Edge is an interesting vehicle. Next up was Nissan. We spent the most time here. We’re pretty loyal Nissan customers (for 8 years now) and are familiar with their line-up, but nothing beats getting out there and kicking tires. Good times. My wife is hooked on the idea of a Murano. Admittedly, they’re nice little vehicles. The damn salesman was intent on pushing the fully loaded one our way. It was fun to check out, but I’m not sure I’ll be dropping 39k on a loaded Murano anytime soon. Still, it was pretty nice.
Stopped by Chevy & Toyota that were nearby as well. Nothing of interest in the Chevy lot and the Toyota lot was small. I’d still be interested in hitting a better Toyota dealer. Cut back across town to a Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealer. I’m a big fan of the Chrysler 300’s and after toying with a few still am – probably even more so than before. The big surprise was the new Sebring. They’re actually pretty nice and the base price was under $20,000. Definitely a consideration for a ‘cheap’ new vehicle. But man, I really dig the 300.
Nothing of interest on the Dodge and Jeep fronts.
Next door was a used car lot so we figured we’d nose around there. Used car salesmen are so sleazy. Nothing too interesting there either and honestly, with the prices of used cars anymore, I’d just rather stick with a new vehicle. Who knows?
Finally headed back home to make dinner, only to realize that we were feeling too lazy and everything seemed like it would take too long to make. So we got back in the car and finished the day with a stop at Abuelos. I hadn’t eaten there yet, but Jamie had been in a few times. Good stuff. Got a huge platter thingy with all kinds of different tacos, tamales, tortillas and other “T” foods. Wouldn’t want to do Mexican all the time, but as an occasional stop, it’s now in the rotation.
Got home and considered the couch thing some more. I’m convinced the couch we saw at Sofa Express is WAY too big for the room and that it just seemed smaller in the showroom setting. My wife thinks I’m insane. We do plan on going back in the next couple of days to get actual measurements.
Caught the Simpsons and did a few little things around the house. At 10pm logged on and did this week’s podcast with Jeff. Good fun as usual. Tucked everyone in afterwards and sat down here to check on some stuff and write this post.
I had a really good time this weekend. Yay me!
I always enjoy coming back home. I’m one of those weirdos who gets along famously with his parents. It’s nice to get to see everyone.
The only problem is that I seem to always be working on my weight/diet when I visit and I always kill it when I’m here. I just can’t pass up those friggin’ Wise potato chips. It’s also the first time in almost a year that I’ve had Dew Red. God, it’s like crack.
Oh well, I’ll get back on track when we get home.
Also, this is the first visit since the parents got the new TV. It’s a 60 inch Sony. Not sure of the actual model, but it looks like this one…I think:
It fucking destroys. I’ll be up until the wee hours watching. (it’s 2am already)
We were kind of on the fence about getting a big ol’ HDTV ourselves, but this has convinced us it’s worth it. It’d make a great family gift this X-mas. Good stuff.
Family, food and oversized HDTV. Why the hell would I want to leave?