My anniversary...

Today is the 33rd anniversary of my birth! To celebrate I slept in then transfered to the sofa to drink hot chocolate and watch Divorce Court. There are really no plans for the rest of the day. At some point this evening Ron and I will have our Christmas. He is leaving early tomorrow morning for Kansas to be with his family. While he is out I will be packing up the loft for our move on 1/3/09 into our new town house! That is about all that is going on for now. I am considering a quick Cooking with Karen at some point before I pack up the kitchen!

TV Shows...

I am really pissed. ABC went and cancelled two great shows that I love: Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money. This has somewhat baffled critics and viewers alike. Both shows are getting decent ratings and PD has won all kinds of awards. I blame the strike that occurred which put these shows on hiatus. DSM keeps getting better and is really a guilty pleasure to watch. I know that ABC is not the only one canceling good shows. They get rid of the good stuff but keep shit like Nanny 911, Survivor, Extreme Home Makeover (how many of those homes have gone into foreclosure, huh?), and other useless bullshit that, unfortunately, people watch. If, for whatever reason, 30 Rock is cancelled I think I will just stop watching TV!

This is rare...

It is is freaking cold ya'll. Our temp is just above freezing with a wind chill of 13!! WOOT!

For sale...

Update:

The closet has been sold!

Hey everyone! We are moving at the end of the month and would like to sell our closet. Please see pics below. There are 3 sections and the doors are glass. This is a very nice closet. I hate to part with it but we just will not need it after we move. I paid around $1000 for this and it has been worth every penny! The center has 4 drawers and each side has 2 hanging rods each. As you can see there is plenty of space. The very top of each section has a slot of a light. If you are interested please let me know. We are moving at the end of the month but will still have the loft until the end of January. I am asking a very reasonable price.

We have a townhouse!!!

Well, we are now in the process of getting our new place. The fabulous leasing agent at Verona called us yesterday to tell us that there was a townhouse in the midrise available. We took a look at it and decided to take it. We got a smokin deal on it too. We will be moving out of Interurban right after the first of January and it cannot come soon enough. Will post more about it later.

The Jumper...

My mother called me this morning freaked out. Rightfully so. She was sitting in her car headed north on Central Expressway when a woman jumped from the Lover’s Lane overpass and into traffic. Actually the 18 wheeler broke her fall and essentially splattered her across the freeway. My mother was about 9-10 cars back from all this. She said that she did not see the woman jump but did see her body on the ground. When she jumped the big rig carried her right up to Mockingbird before it was able to come to a complete stop. Needless to say the woman was dead and north-bound central became shut down. It seems she steered her car into the wrong direction (like she was turning around or something) on Lover’s Lane, came to stop on the overpass, got out of her car and jumped.

stink...

I cannot wait to be able not to use dart on a daily basis. Yesterday I boarded my usual bus home and it stunk....bad. It smelled of a gerry curl smeared port-o-potty on a 100 degree day in Texas. It was horrible. Now I am on my way in to work and the dude behind thinks he is the next P-Diddy. Oh well. Just about another two months on dart then afterwards no more commute!

Costco...

On Sunday we decided to check out Costco. I had been thinking about a membership for a while anyway. Well, behold the Mecca that Costco is!! We spend a good two hours covering the store from top to bottom. You can get power tools, wine, underwear, veggies, gas, and appliances all under the same roof!! I think that we are going to get our washer and dryer from there as well. I was actually really surprised at the wine selection….HUGE! They have many of the specialty food items we like to use at deep discounts. Once we really start running out of certain things then we are going back to stock up!

Quick update...

Guess I should say that I have been busy and such as the reason for my lack of posting but honestly I have just been lazy. Work has been a bit stressful, the air is getting cooler, and with the time change...the light ends just as quick as it started. So I have just been coming home and watching TV. Oh well.

The Holidays are approaching rather quickly. The Christmas tree has been put up at Interurban and the Galleria is working on theirs. Neiman Marcus has been working on theirs for a month already. Their window unvieling is this weekend. I am already dissappointed in NM because they are using those stupid butterflies AGAIN. We have been debating putting up a tree. I know Ron really wants to so I guess we will, doesnt really matter to me. Although next year I want us to get a bigger pre-lit tree! We also have a move coming up sooner than we think. The lease is up in January but we are hoping to perhaps get out of the Titanic/Interurban at the end of December. We will soon see.

Officially I am now a Markit employee and unfortunately I have no access to my JPMorgan financial stuff. I cannot access my 401k or my retirement plan. So I need to figure out what the heck to do there.

Moses is feeling much better. His medication makes him spontaneously pee everywhere but he is getting better.

Moses is one pricey dog...

This morning Ron took Moses to the vet to get his annual shots and such. We even decided that he would get groomed. A day at the spa was ideal since he has been a good little boy. I decided to have them run some blood work. I did this because I am terrified that he will get/has gastroenteritis. It isn't pretty...trust me! So then vet calls me with some bad news. Moses has heartworms. I ran out of his heartworm meds and completely forgot about it. Well my forgetfullness just slapped me in the face via my wallet. The medication they use to treat this is very expensive. All the blood work and test plus his grooming and annuals and such is going to run me a cool one thousand dollars. I instandly became sick to my stomach. This will be the last vet visit without pet insurance.

Forkboy on Grimaldi's...

Recently we stumbled upon a pizza place located at the West Village. We love gourmet pizza pie so we decided to give a try. We arrived early, around 11:30am and very glad we did. The place was packed by 12:15!

It has been a long time since I had a coal-fired pizza that was made to order. I have really gotten to the point were I just won’t eat Domino’s or Pizza Slut. We usually like Sal’s, Carmines, and Campisi’s. Of course the best pizza I have ever had was at Charlie’s in New York City. I mean words just cannot describe the heaven Charlie’s is! Anyway, Grimaldi’s has several locations but the closest to downtown is the one in the West Village. The restaurant is pretty much what you would expect from any other in West Village. Brand new construction, tanned people, leased BMW’s, and designer clothes. Grimaldi’s is new but they try to give it a more authentic pizza parlor feel. Every pizza is handmade when ordered and you could watch it being made since the guys making them are in the middle of the restaurant.

Since every pizza is handmade to order then there is a wait but trust me…it is totally worth it. On our first visit we each ordered a small and we both had leftovers. On our second visit we ordered one large and could barely finish it. I had ordered a small with tomatoes and basil and it was fantastic. The thin crust is crunchy all over and toppings are cooked perfectly in the coal oven. Ron had a small white pizza with garlic, pepperoni, and Italian sausage. One bite of his and I was jealous. His was fabulous. I usually do not care for sausage on pizza but this was perfection. On the second visit we ordered this in a large. They have an ok wine list but I noticed that you can order the house wine by the carafe which is much cheaper than ordering the same thing by the glass. It ain’t the best wine but it goes very well with the pizza and for a carafe at 9 bucks…we will take it! We also signed up for their newsletter and received a coupon good for a large for Ron’s birthday! The pizza is not the cheapest. However, the ingredients are good quality and fresh. A large with a carafe of house wine will run you about 25-30 dollars. Of course the more toppings you get the higher the price. I ordered an iced tea there once and could not drink it. It was that instant Nestea bull shit. It was nasty. They better up the ante on the tea…this is Texas after all!

We love Grimaldi’s and will be going back very soon


Food: 4.0
Service: 3.5
Atmosphere: 3.0
Health Score: Currently unavailable…will update soon.

Grimaldi’s
3636 McKinney Ave. Ste 190
Dallas, Tx 75334
214-559-4611
www.patsygrimaldis.com

A rough night

Last night we went to bed around 10:30. At 2am we awoke to the sounds of much commotion in the parking garage. It seems that the parking jackasses have decided to allow our garage to be used by the valets. So when the downtown bars and clubs started closing the fun began. We heard them yelling at each other, screeching tires, etc. What was the worst part was they were activating the cars alarms from their remotes to help them find the car. Everyone on the backside of the building probably did not get any sleep. I would bet a 100 bucks that we get to go through it all again tonight.

Also...this is my first posting using my new iPhone. So freaking fabulous!

Basic economics...

I have largely steered clear of discussing the economy because the economy is what it is. So why beat a dead horse? I keep hearing from people that this just might be the next great depression. Someone asked me this morning why on Earth I would spend the money on a new iPhone when the economy is in the crapper? What I spend my own money on is my own damn business. Anyway, I keep hearing all this talking about how the economy is going and analysis from so-called economy experts. The media, of course, is making things worse on a daily basis by reporting/twisting all this. They get people's hopes up only to crush them. I am looking at the bigger picture here. The basic economic fact is that the economy runs in cycles. Recessions happen and they will continue to happen. The government may be able to slowdown the onset but you cannot prevent it no matter how hard the efforts. In my opinion, the harder a recession is prevented the worse the actual recession will be. As far as another great depression...it happened once and it will happen again. I doubt this will cause a depression but I suppose we will soon see what happens. I think this bail out of the banks is going to royally mess things up in the long run but that is a different blog. Overall, life has it ups and downs and so does the economy. Just deal with it the best you can.

My new phone

Every two years I get a new mobile phone whether I need one or not. I have had my Blackberry for a little over two years now so I decided that it was time to get something else. I love Apple products because they are high quality, simple to use, and very attractive. So last night I purchased an Apple iPhone 3G. OMG! I love this phone and I have had it less than 24 hours! All I did was plug it into my MacBook and everything updated instantly. All of my contacts, my email settings, my internet bookmarks, everything! The only thing I had to update manually was my music but that took all of 10 seconds. I was worried at first that I would not like the keyboard but I have gotten used to it very quickly. One of the coolest things I love is the fact that I do not have to call my voice mail to listen to the message. The iPhone creates a list of your voice mails and lets you select which ones you want to listen all by touching the voice mail contact on the screen. They call it reading your voice mail. What I really love about it is that it is a phone and an iPod all-in-one. There was nothing wrong with my iPod. It is two and half years old and works as well as the day I bought it. However, I was becoming annoyed with carrying both a phone and iPod. Sometime the Blackberry's signal would interfere with the iPod and the volume would go crazy. Now I no longer have those problems. There is just so much this phone can do that it is almost unbelievable! I can't wait to learn it all!

Christmas...

On Sunday we noticed that Neiman Marcus has begun the process of covering their downtown building with Christmas cheer. Hopefully those stupid butterflies they have used the past few years will be replaced with something new and fresh. Then we went to target and saw that the Christmas decor is already out and just waiting for the Halloween stuff to move out of its way. So I guess it is only a matter of time before the Galleria starts setting up their tree. Ugh, I am so over it already.

The battle of the signs...

The new manager of the Interurban Building, Jennifer Owens, has been instructed I’m sure, by the powers that be that all residents must take the freight elevator and must use the dock doors when taking our dogs out. Recently signs went up in the passenger elevators that instruct us that we must abide by this new rule. Just as soon as the signs are put up they come down (I have not taken any). This has got to be the dumbest thing ever and not very well thought through. I refuse to use the freight elevator. First of all, we live on the opposite end of the building and it is completely out of our way. Second, our part of our rent goes into the maintenance of the elevators so we will take whatever elevator we damn well please. Third, we are not some hired help required to stay out of the general public. Fourth, it is just a stupid rule thought up by stupid people. If she thinks that the dog owning residents are going to follow this stupid rule then she is out of her damn mind.

Mrs. Ed...

I came across this photo showing two ads. On of Sarah Jessica Parker and another of a horse. Coincidence??? Her dress does look like a salt lick. I am just sayin.....

Ummmm....No...

PETA has recently asked Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream to stop using cow milk. The substitute.....human breast milk. They say that moving to human milk would lessen the suffering of dairy cows. Last time I checked, dairy cows that have given birth must be milked anyway. What about the suffering of milking humans? I can see it now....rows upon rows of women hooked to breast pumps...yuck. I am not a big milk drinker anyway. I prefer soy milk and still I don't drink much of that. I am not sure I could stomach eating ice cream made from human milk.

http://www.wptz.com/news/17539127/detail.html

Tollway...

Just an FYI for those of you who drive on the Dallas North Tollway...the construction at Wycliff is pretty much done and so they are raising the rates to match the other toll plazas. For tolltag users the rate will be .70 and 1.00 for non users.

Nice obit...

I do not normally read obituaries but sometimes like to scan them just see if there is anyone on it that I know. I cam across this obit that I felt I just needed to share. The link will only be available for a short time so I posted it below:

Merritt, Edward "Bruce" Born April 3, 1951 in North Carolina. He was one of eight children. His older sisters regularly beat him up, put him in dresses, and then forced him to walk to the drugstore to buy their Kotex and cigarettes. After graduation from high school he went on to lead a life of luxury in the United States Air Force. After excaping from the government he spent most of his life as a mechanic, husband, and father. Bruce Merritt never met a stranger, and in many ways was stranger than most. He is survived by one daughter, two grand- children, two ex-wives, unpaid taxes, and many loyal loving friends. Services will be held on Tuesday, September 23rd at 2:00pm. Eastgate LBJ @ Northwest Highway 972-270-6116 www.eastgatefuneralhome.com

Busy...

It is quarter end here at work and that means I will be putting in some major hours! My posting will probably slow dow this week and next but I will try to sneak something in here when I can.

Forkboy on Porta di Roma...

I love good Italian food and am usually very disappointed in most of it. Having eaten my way through Italy I now know better. Many years ago I found the love of my life...Nero's Italian. I went into mourning when they closed after 30 years. I discovered Porta di Roma after I moved downtown. The restaurant sits in a large corner retail space in the Wilson Building. The place is nice but a little to faux Italian in their decor. Walls have been sponge painted to resemble ancient Roman architecture and that kinda bothers me...a little tacky. But the lights are dimmed low with candles on the tables and the large windows open up to a nice view of Neiman Marcus. So there is a little romance there, even if a somewhat contrived. The service has always been great with the exception of last night. The usual waiter is super nice and a great waiter, however we did not have him last night. This woman served us and she was awful! We placed our orders and our food took 30 minutes. I wanted to leave after 20 minutes but Ron said shut up and wait. We ordered the Stromboli and when it arrived I asked why it took so long. She responded that these are made from scratch. Bull shit. We have ordered them many times before and they came within 10-15 minutes. I wanted to ask if they were made from scratch and shipped in from Italy but I thought best not to be a smart ass.

The Stromboli is really good, despite the wait. They are full of sausage, pepperoni, cheese, and mushrooms. I love mushrooms and I could tell these were from a can, not fresh but oh well. These are served with a side of marinara. Normally Porta di Roma has a really nice and thick marinara but this time it sucked. It has the consistency of a watered down tomato soup. Ron said his was slightly cold.

What I believe is their best dish is the Lasagna. Oh my goodness! Now their Lasagna is made from scratch as well but I have never had to wait a lifetime to get it. Anyway, their Lasagna is really the best I have ever had. It is not that heavy crap you get in other restaurants. The garlic bread is divine!! Although it comes with the meal last night must have been an exception because the waitress failed to bring it. We were afraid to ask about it since we figured that it would be next Tuesday before it was brought to the table.

Over all I was really pissed and disappointed in both the food and the service last night and that was reflected in our tip (which was less than 5%). I will go back but I will demand to be served by someone else. I think that last night was just not in the cards for us.

Food: 3.0
Service 3.5 (although last night would have been -3.5)
Atmosphere: 2.0
Health Score: 89 (Good)

Porti di Roma
1623 Main Street
Dallas, Tx 75201

A coup d’état…

Yesterday I sensed a great disturbance. I emailed Brittny and she said not to email at her office address anymore. I could tell that something was up. So finally I found out that the powers that be that own the building have fired Capstone Management hence ending the tenure of fabulous management that we have come to rely upon and love….effective immediately. I have already drawn up our notice to vacate. This change will ruin the building and that is really sad. People are really pissed and I know that we will not be the only ones to move out.

Pumpkin Spice Latte…

Every fall Starbucks places its Pumpkin Spice Latte back on the menu. Normally the only thing I get at Starbucks is green iced-tea but I love the PSL. It is certainly a hearty beverage. It is basically pumpkin pie in a cup! LOVE it!

El Fenixican...part bleh...

Last night we went to El Fenix downtown to have the wednesday special which they were offering at .90 for their 90th birthday. It was awful. El Fenix is certainly not four stars but after last nights dinner I think they should burn the place down. I don't believe that my dinner has yet to fully digest! I am not sure that I really would ever want to go back. I am going to update Forkboy on El Fenix.

New look...

I became tired of the color scheme on here so I decided to change it up a little. I really like the blue against the grey!! Hope ya'll like it too.

Need a tissue?...

The J. Erik Jonsson Library located in downtown Dallas (and next door to my residence) is full of everything a great Library is known for…and then some. Now, for the price of FREE, one can watch a peep show. I am not talking about those penny peep show machines from the early 1900’s. I am talking a live peep show. The other day there was a man who, while surfing internet porn on the fifth floor, pulled down his pants and began to masturbate. After a woman turned him in he disappeared and not even the cameras could find him. I am guessing he needed a little “me” time.

Gay Pride...

This weekend is the annual gay pride parade and festivities. As a gay man I have been criticized for not wanting to participate in theses festivities. I let that criticism wash right on over me. I have many reasons why I just don’t care. Call me a prude or whatever you like but I just do not wish to be around a bunch of half, or mostly, naked and drunk queens. A little gayness goes a long way in my book. Of course, the media is quick to find the most girlish, shirtless, guy with a cocktail in one hand and a dildo in the other…not to mention the harness he is wearing. I am serious about that as I have seen it on TV every year (minus the dildo-I added that for effect). I think this is tasteless and only aims to perpetuate the gay stereotype. I have attended the parade on several occasions hoping to find some sort of quality about it that would have made it worthwhile. Sadly no. I was miserable in all aspects. I decided right then and there that I would never attend another parade. Hell, I rarely go to the gayborhood as it is.

Getting down there is a hassle. The streets are closed and they charge a fortune for parking. If you want a good spot overlooking the parade route then you better get there at the crack of dawn. I think a lot of this is due to the fact that it is parade—plain and simple. I have never been a fan of any kind of parade, unless I am in it. Screaming kids, pushy adults, traffic, etc. Not my idea of a swell time.

I have been accused of not having pride in my "gayness," whatever the hell that is supposed to mean. My sexuality is not a big deal at all to me. I am who I am and I take pride in the life I have made for myself and the relationships that I have with my friends, family, my career, and I take pride in the love I share with Ron. Being gay has nothing at all to due with any of this. I am not the kind of person who stands on the front lines with a picket sign. I am the kind of activist that writes a check. I certainly do not need a parade to justify the fact I am a homo. I know, I know…it is about working through discrimination. It is about equality, blah, blah, blah. That is all well and good and I will continue to support the community by donating cash. I just prefer not to be seen and the pen will always be mightier than the picket sign.

Get out of my seat…

Every morning, for the past year and a half, I have been sitting in the same seat on my DART bus. I take the 7:39am 205/183 express and I always sit on the right side, third row isle. Not today. This idiot woman takes my seat because I am nice enough to let the ladies on first. Well this woman is now on my shit list. She didn’t even say thank you when I said “after you!” It just frustrates me. Luckily the weather this morning was beautiful. I woke up in a great mood and fully rested and ready to go. So I was not about to let her ruin my morning.

Moron...

I came across an article in the DMN and just shook my head. This moron was riding in the back of a pick up “holding” a mattress. The pickup hit a bump and sent the moron and the mattress flying. The moron is in serious condition. Guess he didn’t land on the mattress.

I thought that it was illegal to have someone in a pickup bed going faster than 35 mph. I was half right. It is illegal to have someone under the age of 18 in the pickup bed while traveling faster than 35 mph. The people in the cab must wear their seat belts but those in the back are shit out of luck. I call it natural selection.

Ike part 2...

The hurricane has come and gone. Unfortunately it did not bring the rains Dallas needed. We got some but nothing to write home to mamma about. Even the wind was disappointing. I was hoping for more but was denied! Oh well. What we do have is fabulous cool weather. We will be sleeping with the bedroom doors open and the air conditioning off. We are looking at a low this evening of around 58.

Ten items or less...

Yesterday we were in Target. We needed just a handful of things. Well Target has what seems like about 25-30 registers yet they only have what seems like 5 open at any given time. We go to the express lane where everyone has way more than ten items. This ruined my day. Normally I would have said something but usually I would expect the cashier to say something. I just stood there and said nothing. I was so frustrated by this point I was ready to kill so I thought it best to leave the situation alone. Ten items or less means exactly that!

Fools rush in, just like a 17 foot tidal wave...

I was reading some articles today about Ike and the evacuations for the Texas coast. Even in mandatory evacuation orders people refuse to leave. This storm is speeding up and could possibly be an category 4. I would have left by now. Period. What causes someone to refuse to leave a life threatening situation like this? Do they think they can save their own homes? They say God will watch over us…well…God is about a category 3 right now. These fools will wash away with their homes. The images of people stranded on top of their homes waiting for rescue have been burned into my head after Katrina. Pretty powerful stuff. I believe that those who refuse to obey a mandatory evacuation order and end up waiting on top of their homes for rescue (at tax payer expense) should be left there. Those who do not heed the warnings will be left to recover by themselves and not eligible for assistance. There is no reason why my tax dollars should be used to save a fool.

El Fenix at 90...

OMG!!!! I am SO there!!! El Fenix will be turning 90 this year and to celebrate they will be offering their traditional Wednesday special (two enchiladas, rice, and beans) for 90 cents!!!!! Holy crap!! That means more margaritas!!!! Ole!

Ike...

Wow, this is rare for Dallas. We are under a Tropical Storm Warning. If the storm shifts a little toward Corpus then Dallas will really get a good chunk of the storm. We are somewhat on the edge but still expecting major winds 40+mph and lots of rain. This storm is huge.

Oh, I need...

Perhaps I am just double thinking things here. The past few days I have really been concerned about our upcoming move out of downtown. Ron said that we didn’t have to move but I said I wanted to. But still, I keep wondering how things will change for me, I am not worried about Ron-he is incredibly adaptable. I am anticipating my adaptability to having to do without certain creature comforts that I have come to know and love in and around downtown. Theses thoughts actually frighten me. I have gotten so used to living above the Urban Market and being within walking distance of restaurants, bars, etc.

I like to call this problem the “oh, I need…” factor. “Oh, I need….a lemon” “Oh, I need…a light bulb.” “Oh, I need…cat food.” “Oh, I need…a gin and tonic.” It is like having a vending machine with everything in it at my finger tips or better yet, one of those replicator things from Star Trek. Everything is within instant reach. I cannot “Oh, I need…” while living at the Verona.

I know I bitch and complain about the homeless and in some ways I really shouldn’t. They have certainly made downtown living interesting. Some are nice and some are not. Some are crazy and some are not. I could say the exact same thing about downtown residents and in some cases I would much rather be around the homeless than with those who are not.

There was a man last night getting cozy in front of DP&L. He had cute dog with him. The man was in the same spot when I left for the office and the dog was sleeping on his lap. I am not sure who I empathized more for, the dog or the guy. The man was very nice and his dog was cute as a button. Last week there was a incredibly intoxicated woman, clearly not homeless, that decided she needed to empty her bladder on the Browder Street entrance to DP&L. She pulled up her dress and urinated right there for everyone to see. So in this instance I would much rather befriend the homeless man and his dog and kick that drunken bitch in the face.

Once I really pissed a homeless man off to no end. He had a clip board with “official” looking papers on them. He said he was from some church and soliciting donations for an AIDS charity. I could tell this man was full of crap. I told him I already give to the Resource Center of Dallas and tried to walk away. He said “there are children DYING and you DON’T care.” I told him that people die everyday and I donate to official charities and not to harassing beggars on the street. About a month later whilst pounding down gin and tonics on the patio of Urban Market the same guy came up and this time his sad story was children with cancer. I guess it is always something.

I never give money to beggars but the other day while waiting on my bus in front of the Kirby and man approached me and asked me if I could please spare a bus pass. I said no. He said he was trying to get to parkland. For some reason I felt the need to ask why he needed to get to Parkland. He said that he had gotten into a fight and that his hand might be broken. Then he showed me his hand. OMG! I said “you’re serious about needing a pass!!” I gave him 1.50 for a one way pass and made sure that he got on the 44 to Parkland. His hand was a bloody and swollen mess. He thanked me about 20 times.

Basically I am seriously going to miss downtown but I feel it is in our best interests to move out. I will just have to adapt the best way I can.

Of course, there is no telling what lies ahead.

Jumbo Hostel...

I came across an article about a new hostel/hotel at an ariport in Stockholm, Sewden. I really like this idea and wish something like this would be done here in the U.S. Basically a guy had the idea to convert a 30 year-old 747 Jumbo Jet into a hostel.

http://www.jumbohostel.com/DynPage.aspx?id=64660&mn1=5291

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/11/Jumbohostel/index.html#cnnSTCPhoto

Young McCain...

I came across some pictures of John McCain back in his early years and I gotta tell ya…he is kinda sexy!

Spicy...

I came across this news article this morning and had to read it twice to make sure I was not crazy. Some whacko in California breaks into a house of two men and steals some cash. Before he left however, he decided that he would rub one man with spices and then hits the other man with an 8-inch sausage. Something seems a bit fishy here. I am just wondering what spices were used.

Click on the title to view the article.

I am published!!!...

Really nothing at all to get excited about. I frequent the Dallas Morning News Eats blog. I posted a comment a few weeks ago on "The best Italian food in Dallas." DMN emailed me and asked if they could use the comment and I said most certainly! Unfortunately the quote was published in the print only Guide section of the DMN newspaper. The food critics published the best, and most expensive, Italian restaurants in Dallas. The public spoke! No one really agreed with the critics, mainly because the places they chose were so expensive. The DMN asked the public what they thought. I offered up Porta di Roma downtown as the best lasagna as well as saying Sal's was great. I also mentioned that I missed Neros Italian. Although the quote was small I am very happy that they used my opinion! Hopefully there will be more to come.

200th post!!...

This is the 200th post of IBIN!! Not much to say except that it certainly won't be the last!

Cookbook...

For those Cooking with Karen fans, and myself, I have starting to work on the first edition of my cookbook. This is not going to be some thrown together piece of crap in a three ring binder. Nope, this will be a nice hard bound book of exceptional quality. I have also learned that doing this is no cheap endeavor. I have earmarked just a small handful of books as gifts and am figuring out what to do from there. I hope to have this completed by mid november.

I have been working on new episodes but the last one turned out awful so I scrapped it for later. I will be working on two new episodes this week and will alert everyone when they are up and running.

Another reason...

Last night as we walked Moses I looked over and clearly saw a non-homeless female squatting in the Browder Street entrance at DP&L relieving herself. The woman was so drunk. There are trees and bushes and restaurant bathrooms she could have hidden herself in. Instead she pees right there for everyone to see. I came incredibly close to saying something but it would have done no good. There was pee everywhere. WTF? If it was a homeless person I dont think I would have really been so peeved or suprised and honestly, probably would not have cared. But this was a woman, about my age, and clearly not homeless (and not very pretty if you ask me). If I lived at DP&L and walked out the door to only have to step over her...I think I would have beaten the crap out of her for what she was doing.

Cooler weather...

I am so happy that cooler weather is arriving here in Dallas. Today's high is 92 instead of 102. Thanks to hurricane Gustav we have been getting into the upper 60s at night. I expected the temps to get higher after the hurricane but nope! We are holding steady at around 90.

There is always something else…

My mother alerted me yesterday to some news she saw on TV about the health risks of granite counter tops. I went and did some googling and came across an article in the New York Times about this. Apparently granite emits radiation and radon that can give us cancer. This is just something else to get people all in a tizzy and start ripping out their counters and floors to save their lives. Of course those doing that will stop periodically for a brief smoke break but I digress.
I am in my kitchen everyday touching the granite and I shower everyday while surrounded by it. I think the only way your granite counters are going to be harmful is if you eat them and if that is the case then you should be in a straight jacket by now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&oref=slogin

A leisurely day in the ghetto...

Today I took my mother to the dentist. She had some major surgery in her mouth. So I had a few hours to kill. Her dentist is in DeSoto and I had not been down that way in years. After dropping her off I decided that I would go to Dairy Queen for lunch. I was in a really ghetto area so when in Rome, right? I already stood out like a sore thumb. I walk into Scary Queen and order a steak finger basket. Miss Ghetto Fabulous behind the counter could not have cared less about her customer service skills. I placed my order and of course it was wrong. I am not quite certain how one could screw up a steak finger basket. Perhaps she thought I was speaking french or something. I got a chicken finger basket "to-go." I guess they didn't want me there. So I took it back and they gave the right order. No sorry, my bad, kiss my ass or anything. Oh well. I ate about half of it. There were not that many people in the place but I certainly was the odd man out. The clientele were East Texas Dairy Queen/pool hall types. After leaving I still had more time to kill so, in keeping with the ghetto motif, I wandered into a Dollar General where nothing really of use costs a dollar. I bought four things and spent 20 bucks. I walk in and the cashier (who needed to visit my mom's dentist) was reading her large print Bible and offered me a "hi there, God bless." So kind of her. I went down every isle and studied the merchandise. I really wanted to buy Ron a pair of faux Crocks but was not able to find his size. The velour pull-over was tempting but I passed. I was really surprised to find Glad Wrap for $2 but could not find a collar for Moses. They also had the old school flammable plastic Halloween costumes. I remember those from my childhood. I was so excited when I was young to go to Moses 5 & 10 and pick out my costume. I remember the the Casper costume like it was yesterday. Plastic powder blue cape/dress thing with a white plastic Casper mask. Over all I could have just put on a shower curtain since the costume smelled like one anyway. I eventually found my way into the kitchen gadget section. This ain't no WIlliams Sonoma. Over all there are things there that are way cheaper like laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, and paper products. All name brand stuff too! I purchased a 5 year light bulb, a new scrubber for the kitchen sink, and 2 packages of razor blade refills. Luckily my mother's appointment went shorter than expected and we left DeSoto. I had fun on my excursions but not really wanting to return anytime soon. May have to check out a Dollar store closer to home!

It is time to go...

I have lived in downtown Dallas for almost 6 years. I am considered somewhat of a "pioneer" being here that long. I really have loved living here but life brings changes and we have decided to leave downtown. When Ron and I moved in together in February I transferred into a much larger loft because two people in 600 square feet was not that appealing to me. We have been very happy living in the new loft but we decided that, as a couple, perhaps downtown was not for us. We talked about renting or buying a house but decided that we were not really ready for that just yet. We did not even consider another place downtown or even uptown because the rent is getting ridiculous and the homeless issue is getting worse. We are sick and tired of stepping over the homeless and right into dog shit. We are also wanting to save money and with paying high parking rates, high rent, my DART pass, and other expenses and issues incurred living downtown we figured that this was more money than we really wanted to spend and getting to be way to much trouble than it is worth.

Finding a new place was easy. I have become incredibly spoiled to high-rise living and it just so happens that there is a 16 story building across the street from my office (literally, across the street). I looked there a long time ago and loved it but decided that I wanted to live downtown. Well, now I am ending up back there. Ron and I went over to look and he really liked it as well. Our lease is up in January so we still have a little time left here. This move will probably be a big adjustment for me but I am certainly looking forward to it.

Our future new home:

Olympics are OVER!...

I am so happy that the Olympics are over!!!! If I heard Michael Phelps name one more time I was going to shove the TV out the window. I just thought I would share.

Calatrava Bridge update…

DELAYED. Shocking. It seems the Italian steel company will be unable to deliver the steel bridge expanses by the deadline. 10 month delay. Shocking. Take a look at the “artists rendering” below. It looks like there is a bridge in the middle of nowhere (which is not that far out of bounds). The picture should have been done with the downtown skyline in the background. Where is PhotoHazard when you need him?

Mommie Dearest...

Sunday we did nothing. We didn’t even leave the apartment (taking Moses out does not count). Of course there is nothing on TV. Eventually I found Mommie Dearest on the soap network. HAD TO WATCH! MD is such a bad movie but it is so over the top and campy that it has turned into a cult classic and most of the gays have scenes memorized! I know I do! This movie is so bad that it earned the Razzie award for worst movie of the 1980’s. The movie is based on a novel by her oldest adopted daughter who then whored it into a movie. I don’t believe Christina Crawford’s take on her famous mother, in its entirety. Joan Crawford was known to be obsessive compulsive who loved her vodka and, in my opinion, borderline manic. I have read interviews and accounts from her other adopted children and they paint a pretty nasty picture of Christina Crawford. Also, victims of child abuse are usually not known to make the dirty laundry so public. I think she was pissed that she was cut out of the will, which she and Christopher contested and won about 28K each. Either way, I doubt that the accounts of abuse in the movie and book are 100% accurate. It certainly makes for a fabulous cinematic experience. Who wouldn’t love a movie about a boozed up drag queenish movie star going around slapping people with wire hangers? When this movie is played at the Lakewood Theater people come dressed as Joan Crawford in kabuki-style makeup wielding hangers yelling “Don’t FUCK with me fellas!” Gotta love it!

Hitting the sheets...

Last night I was far to engrossed in watching Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. So Ron said he would put the sheets on the bed. After the movie was over I went into the bedroom and saw that the bed looked great! It was fully made with decorative pillows in place. Just like I like it! So then I go to pull the sheets back and was surprised at how tight they were. I had to yank to pull them down. Sometimes I am reminded that Ron was indeed in the military. Any drill sergeant would have been envious. They teach you to make a bed where you can bounce a quarter on. Well, you could have bounced a person on these. They were so tight that when I got into bed I felt like I was strapped down like that kid in Mommie Dearest.

Nutty ad...

I came across this ad (thanks Gawker.com) and it made my day.

Creatures of the night...

I love my animals. Ms. Kitty is by far the best pet I have ever had. She is getting older and a little sweeter. Ms Kitty is about 11 years old and really is aging well. Still spry and alert. But every so often she gets ill. Last night I awoke to the sounds of Ms Kitty hawking up her meow mix in several places in the bedroom. About a moment later Moses jumped from the bed and I heard him cleaning up the mess. I got up and graciously stepped in kitty hurl. I didn’t want to wake Ron so I cleaned it up in the dark. As I washed my foot in the sink I was cursing the day I got her but it isn’t her fault. She just got sick. What is gross is that Moses wants to eat it! I just don’t understand it.

RuPaul...

On Wednesday nights I indulge in Project Runway. I would have to say that this group, so far, is not as good as the talent from season 4 and 5. But so far so good. Last nights episode was about dressing drag queens and the guest judge was the grand dame RuPaul. I had not seen her in a really long time. YIPES!!! Sista has had some work done! M’kay.!














Last night her cheeks looked sunken and her hair not so fierce. Think Sarah Jessica Parker. Overall it was good to see the old girl still kickin.

Hallmark...

Hallmark has announced that they are selling gay marriage cards, in addition to the coming out cards they already have had on the market for about year or so. Kudos for them. People have been asking me what I think about it all. I really don’t care. Nor do I care about getting married. Ron and I have already discussed this briefly and both agreed that marriage is just not for us. We like things just the way they are. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

I really like this ad. The photgraphy is fantastic and I just really like to watch water balloons burst in super slow motion!

My New Toy...

Whenever I am at Target I must always go and visit the kitchen appliance isles. I always would gravitate to the stand mixers. I have wanted one for so long but just did not want to spend the money. Yesterday while pawing over the white Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Ron said “we might as well get it.” The frugal part in me said “no, I did not need it” and the selfish part said “get it, use it, love it.” It was speaking to me and calling my name. I did tell Ron that I would not be baking anything until I got a mixer because of the mess I create. So I think he wanted me to have it partly because he has been itching for brownies. So we bought it. We get it home and open it up. Beautiful. The angels were singing and the clouds parted to rain sunbeams down in glorious celebration of this addition to our family.

I had some eggs that probably needed to be thrown out so I added the egg whites into the machine and added a little sugar. 30 seconds later I had meringue. I was super excited. So, as promised I started on the brownies. Now, B.M. (before mixer, not bowel movement-get your minds out of the gutter) I would have had every bowl out and a mess that would make me want to move instead of clean. A.M. (after mixer) I had one bowl that needed cleaning and the mixer bowl itself, a spoon, and rubber spatula…that was it. Chocolate stayed where it was supposed to and there was not a cloud of flour hovering over the kitchen. There was hardly any mess and I was not worn out. Cleaning the mixer was even easier…rinsed in soapy hot water and towel tried the bowl and attachment came clean instantly. After the brownies I made a spicy goat cheese dip that we both love. Then after dinner we sat down to indulge in a brownie. Ron made fresh whipped cream. So far the wire whisk and the paddle attachments have proven fabulous. All I need to use now is the dough hook. I have been looking at other attachments and I want them all! 

We did not go all out for a big pricey machine. We all know that these mixers are quite expensive. Target, the store of eternal happiness, has a 4.5 quart, white stand mixer by Kitchen Aid for $199.00. I am looking forward to a nice long life with the mixer and I cannot wait for its debut on Cooking with Karen.

Speaking of…I am working on a new CWK. I will have one posted by mid next week.

Fort Worth...

This past Saturday Ron and I decided to break from our tradition of doing nothing and took the train over to downtown Fort Worth. The trip was about an hour and not very scenic. There were unruly children on the train. Cute but I pictured them being thrown from the train over an overpass.

We visited the lovely water gardens. My first thought was “this is where all those people drowned a few years ago…lets check it out.” The gardens were actually very interesting. After our fill of water we decided to find food as we were both starving. We make our way to the Sundance Square area and I was shocked at how nice everything was. There were people everywhere and businesses were thriving. There were restaurants, coffee shops, and clothing stores galore. I just could not believe it. Downtown Fort Worth made Downtown Dallas look like the beaten step-child one would keep in the cabinet under the stairs. It was almost embarrassing. Dallas is a huge fan of tearing down old historic buildings where FW has renovated them and turned them into businesses and residences. It was all just so beautiful. We definitely plan on returning soon to explore more.

Olympics blah blah blah...

I have not been paying much attention to the Olympics but I do know that I am sick and tired of hearing about Michael Phelps. Everyone is talking about how great and amazing he is. Eh, whatever. Yeah, he broke records blah blah blah. I don’t care. I am just tired of it all. I am more interested in how China is lying to the world about their contestants ages, how they are covering up the murder of two American citizens, how the cute little girl who sang at the opening wasn’t really singing cause the not-so-cute girl was to ugly to represent China except to use of her voice, and how the IOC is saying “oh well” to it all. The Olympics have greatly degraded their credibility in my book.

New Glasses...

In anticipation of a change in health insurance due to a company change I decided to go out and utilize my eye insurance before it ended. Within the next few months FCS is being acquired by a London based financial services firm called Markit from JPMorgan. We will still have vision insurance but I was told that it would suck. So I went in and had an exam at my $10.00 co-pay and then went and bought new glasses. My frame allowance is 130.00 and 20% off any amount after that. What would have been 495.00 cost me (exam included) 120.00 (I also added an anti-glare coating). I decided to get the fancy designer frames and LOVE them. I have gotten many great comments on them. Honestly I wanted them because it said Karan on each side (Donan Karan actually but I was all about the Karan part!) They are super comfortable and super light. I don’t think that my new insurance will be as good as what I have had so might as well use whatever I can before time is up!

Rachel Ray has sold her soul...

I cannot stand Rachel Ray. She has whored herself out (thank you Oprah) to no end. Forbes just released the top ten celebrity chefs in term of income. Rachel is number 1 with an astounding 18 million dollars earned this year. I am not shocked really. Oprah has been pimping her out like crazy. I just wish they would both go away.

Top ten:

1. Rachel Ray 18 Million
2. Wolfgang Puck 16 Million
3. Gordon Ramsay 7.5 Million
4. Nobuyuki Matsuhisa 5 Million
5. Alain Ducasse 4.5 Million
6. Paula Deen 4.5 Million (also whoring herself out)
7. Mario Batali 3 Million
8. Tom Colicchio 2 Million
9. Bobby Flay 1.5 Million (can’t stand him)
10. Anthony Bourdain 1.5 Million (Love him!!!!)

Olympic pity party…

It is almost time for the summer Olympics to start. Big woo. The only event I watch during the summer games is the swimming. But now they have taken away the biggest reason for watching. The swimmers have decided to put on full body suits to shave off a few milliseconds. WTF are they doing?? They are depriving us of gawking at their well sculpted, wet, bodies. Ugh. Oh well, guess I will just deal with it. I love the winter Olympics because I am addicted to the ice dancing and the Luge. I was totally misty-eyed when Torvill and Dean skated the Bolero in Lillehammer and was pissed when they didn’t take home the gold (they took bronze).

What kills me to watch the Olympics are the sad stories of hardship, sacrifice, loss, sickness, and devotion of the contestants. It all sounds like a Lifetime movie special done entirely in a country song. I don’t give a damn that you got up at 4am every morning to travel 100 miles from bum-fucking Egypt to the big city to practice your skills. I don’t give a damn that you took care of your cancer stricken grandmother because your crack whore mother is in her 9th stint of rehab and your father hasn’t been around since you were two. But you have held on to your dreams of one day being an Olympian and bringing home the gold and then only to loose your metals because of performance enhancing drugs. Boo-fucking-woo.

Seriously? Unfortunately most folks eat this shit up. Most of the time they go on to loose anyway, perhaps bringing home a bronze or silver. Devastated that they are not bringing home the gold! I say it is high time for the Tonya Harding’s of the Olympic world to stand up, grab a crow bar and destroy some dreams. Now that is real drama.

Hello 911? I would like....

I came across a story this morning were a Florida man was not to happy that his Subway sandwich was missing the sauce. He called 911 twice. First to complain about his sandwich and that he wanted the police to make sure it was made correctly. The second call was to complain that the cops were not fast enough in getting to the store. He was arrested, or course.

I like subway and although I do not eat there much I do know how to order a sub there. Everything is in front of you. You watch your sub being made! If they missed the mayo and mustard then he should have said something. But knowing from experience they always ask if I want mayo or mustard or other varieties of sauces.

I included the link to the CNN video. It is amazing what 911 callers ask for.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/crime/2008/08/05/spivey.911.call.sandwich.wtlv

Nosey Bitch...

I was walking Moses the other morning before heading to work and as I was crossing the street this woman was crossing in the opposite direction. She told me, sternly, that I should not be dragging that poor dog. I informed her to mind her own business and kept walking. Moses gets distracted and there a times when I need to nudge him along. Who the hell does she think she is? I wanted to put the leash on her and drag her fat ass across the street. Stupid hooker!

Play Girl...

I remember Play Girl just being really cheesy but enough to…..well you know. I had looked at Play Boy before and it all pretty much looked and did the same for me. But then I discovered PG and thought, wow! Love it! Of course I was not old enough to know better (probably a good thing). Now there are many publications out there for the gay man/straight woman (perhaps the occasional straight guy). I have graduated from dirty magazines to more respectable periodicals such as GQ and Details but occasionally the latest issue of Inches Magazine is kinda fun.

AT&T...

AT&T recently announced that they will be moving their corporate headquarters and 700 employees to Downtown Dallas. This marks the second HQ move in a year. Recently Comerica Bank moved into the former Bank One Tower. The City of Dallas is giving AT&T about 6 million in tax subsidies to move here. To me that does not make much sense because they already have 4 sky scrapers downtown (all of which are right next door to where I live). I guess they have their reasons. But overall, it is very nice to see more businesses moving into downtown.

I am back!

Sorry everyone but I have been on haitus for a while. I have many things to post about! I also have a new Cooking with Karen in the works!

Hello Dolly...

The storm is here. Hurricane Dolly is now a category 2 . Luckily the power here is still on. However the itensity is getting worse. What is worrying us is that Dolly has stalled and it just might head slightly north of Brownsville. If that happens then we will probably leave Port Aransas. We are already in the red zone and the surf is at 12' and expected to be 18'. There are tornadoes in Corpus Christi. So, we are going to stay for right now. We have had one major band come in and the rain was sideways and doors inside the house opened by themselves. The pressure was really bad. But now it has let up for now.

A Storm is a-brewin'...

Oh lovely, a hurricane is headed our way! Right now it is tropical storm Dolly. It is expected to be a category 1 hurricane before it hits this afternoon. Port Aransas is under a hurricane warning but there are no evacuation being ordered. We are staying. Actually we can't wait! All the bars here are thrilled as it should be a huge party. Some businesses are closing and boarding up. The clouds are coming in and we will head down to the beach in a while before the rain hits. A few years ago we were here during hurricane Emily and we had a blast.

Vacation Time...

I know I have not been very diligent with the blog lately. There has been many things going on at work that have kept me from my ninja duties. We had our quarter end and it was a mess, I have finally finished the after effects of the quarter end and now I am interviewing for a promotion at work. Second interview is tomorrow!

Fortunately I will be on vacation all next week. I will be in Port Aransas for my yearly trip to the beach. No computer, no phone (minimal actually), no tv, no nothing!! Just me, a book, beer, and sand. I cannot wait to get recharged. When I get back I will definately have new Cooking with Karens in the works, food reviews, and trip memories to share.

The Invasion Has Begun...

Every year the ladies in pink arrive in late July to attend their annual cult meeting at the Dallas Convention Center. Yes folks, the Mary Gay Kay convention has arrived. For three weeks there will be nothing but perpetually smiling ladies (and a few men) dressed in shades of pink all over the place. Downtown will look like it was washed in Pepto Bismal.

Although slightly annoying as it is the Mary Kay convention does pump lots of cash into the local economy. This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Dream”—blah blah blah.

There are more than 35,000 attendees with 6 million in prizes to be given away. These folks rent 46,000 hotel rooms (this number is odd since there are only 35,000 attending). 829 lucky Mary Kayers will take home the pink Cadillac. Last night we went to El Fenix for dinner and the waiters were all wearing pink ties and the tables all had signs welcoming the convention. So for the next three weeks, downtown will be tickled pink. And I cannot believe I just wrote “tickled pink.”

Forkboy on Hook, Line & Sinker

I love fish. I love catfish. I especially love catfish when it is deep fried. The best catfish I have ever had was in Colorado. We would catch the fish ourselves in a creek behind the house and then fry it up that evening for dinner. Nothing like catching your dinner! What comes somewhat close is a quaint little urban-esq hole-in-the-wall called Hook, Line, & Sinker. The restaurant has a “fishing hut” feel about it. When I am eating there I get disappointed that when I look out the window there is not a large body of water staring back at me. There are misters on the patio but that isn’t really the same thing as a lake. Oh well.

The Food:
I just love when 90% of the menu is fried! I usually get the 2 piece fillet basket ($6.25). This includes two fresh catfish filets, four hush puppies, and fries. Nothing is cooked until you order it. The fish, fries and pups all come out steaming hot! The fish is flakey, moist, and has been deboned. The hush puppies are good but taste a little starchy. They could use more seasoning. That does not keep me from eating all of mine and all of Ron’s. I love hush puppies! You can also get the same basket with fried shrimp. The shrimp are huge, juicy and full of flavor. Anything you get fried will not be greasy. I don’t know how they do it but there is not an ounce of grease anywhere. And when I am feeling really in the mood to eat I order the Snow Crab and Boiled Shrimp (market price but usually around $18-$20). You get a pound each of the crab and shrimp with new potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. This is a lot of food and is perfect for sharing.

The Service:
The service is easy but can get really crowded. You order at the counter (from which you can see the entire kitchen), take a vibrating coaster and find a seat. During peak times HLS is so packed that I refuse to go. I will go at 11AM for lunch and be the only one in there. If you eat outside then you order inside and pick up your food outside. The service is overall friendly and fast.

The Atmosphere:
This place is very simple with a nice open and comfortable feel. HL&S is nothing fancy at all. Just about all walks of life dine here. Go during off-peak times because the place is packed!

Food: 3.5
Service: 3.5
Atmosphere: 2.5
Health Score: 94

Hook Line & Sinker
3103 Lemmon Ave.
Dallas, Tx 75204

Coors beer bottles...

Coors Brewery has come out with new packaging. You know your beer is cold when the mountains on the bottle turn blue. I know another way to tell when my beer is cold…..by touching it. How God damn lazy can one be? This new gimmick only benefits those few individuals with no sense of touch. The only other people who just love this are those who buy sofas with coolers built into them. This is truly one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I guess I should not complain since I don’t drink Coors considering it tastes like pee.

White Hole...

There is a Dallas City Hall blog over at the DMN that I love to read. This particular blog entry has to do with John Wiley Price. Yes, the ignorant jack-ass is still at it. It seems that the county commissioners were discussing issues with the central collections office (think traffic tickets):

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections "has become a black hole" because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.
Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud "Excuse me!" He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a "white hole."
That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

I cannot believe that someone has not buried JWP, who is black, somewhere in the Trinity River. The blog did not say whether or not Mr. Mayfield, who is white, apologized and if he did then shame on him.


7/9 UPDATE:
Commissioner Mayfield has no intentions of apologizing!! Good for him!!!!

Mayfield remains unapologetic about his use of the word.
"Anybody who's offended by that statement needs serious psychiatric help,"

It seems that everyone else is on Mayfield's side. Which means that about 95% of Dallas County believes that Joh Whitey Price is a fucking idiot.

No Longer Loyal...

In just a couple of weeks I will be headed to Port Aransas for my yearly week of sitting my ass on the beach and drinking cheap beer and boxed wine. I am flying to Austin then heading down from there. I will not be flying on American Airlines. The airline as discontinued its service from Love Field to Austin. I would have to fly out of DFW. It takes longer to drive/train to DFW from downtown than it does to actually fly from DFW to Austin. I am also fed up with the lateness of AA. But the largest factor here is the price. Booked 2 weeks in advance the round trip on AA is $445.00 for a 30 minute flight. Sorry American, but it is time for a divorce. So I will be flying Southwest from Love Field at a price of $150.00. I still think that is a little high but I think that coming back on a Friday is what is causing the price increase. Oh well, at least it isn’t 445.00.

Pink Eye...

My poor beloved has a raging case of pink eye. I feel so sorry for him because he is in pain and miserable. He even got an eye patch and looks like a pirate! Due to his prolonged conjunctivitis his eye is the color of blood and is so swollen. Every time he blinks or basically moves his body his head pounds. When looking at him I ask myself, “I wonder when he had his Borg implants removed?” He is getting better. I threatened to kill him in his sleep if I got pink eye. I am headed to the beach (sans RonStar unfortunately) in a few short weeks and if I get pink eye I am just gonna open fire. Really though, it isn’t his fault. I think that he caught the bug when we went to the Choctaw Casino. But how seriously cool would it be if all of a sudden some Borg nano thingie popped out of his eye!

Just too damn lazy...

Some lazy kids in Salt Lake City decided to start their own protest over high gas prices. The reason? The family needed to cut back expenses in order to pay for gas so they cut the cable television and now their two daughters are protesting. The last time I checked it was summer in Utah and school is out. Why not get off your lazy asses and go play?

When my brother and I were their age we were outside all the time: playing, swimming, shooting each other with bb guns, climbing trees, and riding our bikes all over the city. In fact, I would sometimes walk or ride my bike to the movie theater and watch .50 cartoons or I would find some creek to go play in. I guess by today’s standards the actions I listed are completely dangerous and will cause irreparable harm to children. Whatever, I turned out just fabulous. Most kids (and some parents) today are just total wussies!

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_KID_PROTEST?SITE=TXDAM&TEMPLATE=STRANGEHEADS.html&SECTION=HOME

The Bridge...

Well I cannot believe it! After what seems like an eternity, the City of Dallas has finally started on the new Margaret Hunt Hill bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava. The Mayor wasn't kidding around when he said it was time to get this Trinity River Corridor started!

Cooking with Karen...

Hey all,

CWK will be on hiatus for a couple of weeks. We are in the middle of an incredibly busy time at work and I will not be getting home until very late. I will get right back to it as quickly as I can!

Karen

Adios Reunion...

Reunion Arena will soon be a pile of ruble. The City of Dallas has decided to demolish the 30 year old arena. I have fond memories of going to the circus, hockey games, the ice capades, and numerous other events. Since the American Airlines Center opened the traffic over at Reunion has been slowly trickling down to nothing. The only events lately booked there were religious gatherings and a Barak Obama rally. I speculate that the arena will be torn down before summers end. People are speculating what they are going to put there. I am pretty sure that it will be apart of the new Trinity Toll Way bull shit. You know, they are putting a freeway in the Trinity River but that is an entirely different blog.

So long Reunion Arena! You have had a good life but now you are just the ugly step child of AAC.

Click the link below for pictures from the DMN:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/pt/slideshows/2008/06/pho_22reunionarenahistory_2008/

Ron the strong arm...

No question about it, Ron is a big strong man. I fear not when I am with him. His commanding presence is felt by all. I am worried though that he will eventually break everything we own. At times it seems that he does not know his own strength. My gentle nudge does nothing. His gental nudge sends me on a collision coarse with the wall. There is also likely to be an antique of some sort in my way as I desend. Why, just the other morning his alarm goes off at 5:30 am.
His push of the snooze button sends the alarm sailing off the night stand waking the neighbors both next door and under us and me.

Garden & Gun...

Last week I had dinner at the Urban Cafe and there, on the bar, were two magazines. The first was Dwell and the second was Garden & Gun. I had seen Dwell before but had never heard of G&G. Curious, I began to thumb through it and found it to be entertaining. It was certainly southern. There was a special article on Sweet Iced Tea. I just knew that I had to read it. After reading it I was a bit dissappointed that there was no mention of a gun but I certainly had a hankerin' for a tall glass of tea. The next article was a riveting black and white photo spread of the Water Women of Cedar Key. Apparently these women make a living digging for clams and oysters. And finally, there was the article about Beauregard Turner, the son of Ted Turner (you know, Jane Fonda's ex-husband). He looks totally gay and even gayer with a 100 year old 12 gauge shotgun flung over his shoulder. The article was very dull. It went on and on how he runs land acquisitions and his love of children and hunting and hunting with his children at his home Avalon Plantation. Perhaps we should name our loft, something dramatic would work. I am certainly not going to hurry out and order a subscription but I did enjoy the magazine.

Williams-Sonoma = Porn…

I become giddy and wide-eyed as a little school girl every time I walk into a Williams-Sonoma. I could do some serious damage in that store. Why do I have such an addiction to kitchen ware? Luckily I have my wits about me enough to not buy crap. I hold out for the higher-quality appliances and wares. I want my stuff to last! I was in there earlier today just browsing and found at least 4-5 things I want NOW! Unfortunately the 4-5 things would run a grand total of around 800-100 dollars. I want to complete my Wustoff knife collection, add a Kitchen Aide stand mixer, several cookbooks, several small specialty gadgets, etc. Oh well. There is no need to stock up on stuff I really don’t need. Perhaps I could write it all off as a business expense for Cooking with Karen. Eh, probably not.

Cutting back...

I have been complaining about my growing waist. Lack of exercise, work, bad food choices, work, getting married, work, etc have contributed to my weight. Well, this past week I have been really cutting back. For breakfast I eat wheat toast, for lunch I have been eating less (portions the size of my fist) and for every diet coke I have I drink 2 large glasses of water. For dinner I do the same, eating better choices, eating out less, and no alcohol. I had a greyhound on Monday because it is low in calories and sugar. Well the grapefruit juice in the beverage has broken my mouth out in sores to the point it hurts to drink or eat. Anyway, I am now able to button my pants and shorts!! I am going to continue this although I would kill for a margarita!

Cooking with Karen...

Caesar Salad with Pancetta

2-4 servings

Salad:

1 head romaine lettuce, washed

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup pancetta, cooked

Dressing:

1 egg yolk, room temperature

1 tsp dijon mustard (country style preferred)

1 clove of garlic

3 anchovies-optional

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Dice pancetta in 1/2 inch cubes and cook over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes until brown and crisp.  Drain on paper towel and set aside.

Wash romaine lettuce and cut into cubes

Dressing:

Combine egg yolk, mustard, garlic, cheese, salt, and pepper in a food processor. If using anchovies then omit the salt.  Pulse the machine several times until the mixture is combined through.  Add olive oil and pulse until mixed through.  

Toss salad with dressing until leaves are coated.  Add pancetta and 1/2 cheese and toss.

Enjoy!

Forkboy...

Forkboy has been kinda dormant lately.  Actually he has been eating at home-mostly.  Look for a new review on Hook Line & Sinker soon!  

This is so going to pass...

The Dallas city council is overwhelmingly in favor of a total smoking ban and I say get that bill passed pronto!! Dallas already has a smoking ban in place for most public spaces but now they want to extend it to bars and clubs. I can't wait! This goes in front of the council in August and will probably be law if it passes by the end of this year.

Choctaw Casino...

We felt the need to get out of town. Even if for just a few hours. We were supposed to attend a birthday party but decided instead to head north to Durant, OK with some friends to gamble at Choctaw Casino and Resort. I am not certain just what their definition of "resort" is.

We left around 6:30 and we were starving. We stop in Sherman, I think, at McDonalds because everything else looked just way to "k"ountry. Have you seen that video with the retarded kid singing "Ding, fries are done....would you like an apple pie with that?" If not then click the link at the bottom. Well, the dining experience was like that. I ordered a quarter pounder with cheese, dry and got blank stares from William who looked like and sounded like a girl but had one of those chins reserved for morbidly obese, which he wasn't, or someone like Corky from that tv show whose name escapes me.

Anyway, after eating at the special McDonald's we get to Durant, OK. We go in and the place was packed! This place ain't Vegas. If you do not smoke then a few moments spent in this casino now qualifies you as a chain smoker. Luckily there was a non-smoking room however, it resembled the special kids table in high school. Ron and I set a high-rolling budget of 20 bucks each. We work hard for our money and would rather not flush it down the drain. I love playing the nickel and quarter slots so that is what I did. On my first bet I won $17 and was content on being done for the evening. Overall, I lost it all. The biggest disappointment/relief was that this was a non-alcohol serving casino. Had there been booze involved then I am sure we would have had a better time while dropping next month's rent payment. Since there was no booze served then we left after about an hour. At this point we just could not breathe with all the smoke. Unlike Shreveport and Vegas this place did not have the nice air filtration systems.

Overall, we had a good time. We consider our losses a mere donation to the Choctaw tribes of Oklahoma. Now I am off to buy Nicorrette.

Ding! Fries are done:

Getting by without a car...

There was a CNN poll that asked “Can you get by without a car?” 15% said yes and 85% said no (out of 53,393 votes). What they should be asking is “Do you WANT to get by without your car?” I have a feeling that the percentages would stay relatively the same. Living in cites with mass transit is really a blessing. Cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco have it made! Dallas and Atlanta have very sophisticated, young mass transit systems that, while not near the scale of NYC or Chicago, get people to and from many destinations stress free, quick, and cheap. I know many people who would rather die than give up “their God given right to drive.” And these are people who cannot really afford $4 gasoline (really $3). Why spend 200+ dollars a month when you can spend 50 a month for a DART pass? Just makes no sense to me to live in a city with busses and trains and not use them. Everyone complains about gas prices and I admit that they are high for the United States. But take a look at how much money it takes to fill up a tank of gas in Europe. They pay in upwards to 10 dollars a liter. That’s right, a liter, not gallon. Basically all I am saying is that if you live in a mass transit city then use it and stop bitching about how much gas is. Gas is high, that is a fact that isn’t going to go away.

Cooking With Karen...

Episode 2 of Cooking with Karen! Enjoy!



Next week: Ceasar Salad

I was a bit inconsistent with the cooking time on the video: 1 hour, 20 minutes @ 400 degrees.


Turkey Meatloaf:

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup good beer
1/8 cup Worcestershire
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1 small clove garlic, minced
3 slices of bacon (optional)

preheat oven to 400˚

combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and mush all together until well mixed.
place turkey mixture in a loaf pan
place pan in oven and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
optional-add bacon after 1 hour of cooking and return to oven for remaining 20 minutes.

Waist size...

Every since I started at FCS I have gained weight. Which is perfectly fine. I needed to gain a few pounds as it was. I started in July 2007 and was 140. Last month I weighed myself and I was 162. Now I am probably pushing 170 if not already. The problem I have is that my clothes do not fit. I broke down a month ago and bought two new pair of Jeans. The jeans were 31 waist. I threw on a pair this morning and they didn’t fit-both pair!! I was in NYC a few weeks ago. I brought a pair of dress pants with me. There was NO way I could fit into them. So now I am having to wear my pants-that remotely fit-unfastened with a rubber band through the button hole and wrapped around the button. WTF? I am done buying new pants to accommodate my growing wait line. I am hitting the gym. People also tell me that part of this is married weight. Well, crap. I am hitting the gym today!

Texas Govna's Mansion...

Why in the hell would someone set fire to the the Texas Governor's Mansion??  I know Rick Perry, along with every other governor in the nation, has their haters but WTF?  There is just no reason to burn down the 152 year old house.  

Before:

After:

Sex and the City...

This as a fabulous movie! I LOVED it! I was kinda worried about the 2.5 hour running time but forgot all about that. The only disappointment was that the movie ended. It was certainly the Miranda and Carrie show but the funniest moment went to Charlotte and I certainly hope that I look as good at 50 as Kim Catrall does (not that I want to look like her...that would require some therapy). If you are a fan of the show then you will love the movie. Highly recommended!!

Sex and the City...

Unless you are living under a rock on the Pacific Ocean floor then you know that Sex and the City opens today! I proudly admit that I am a fan of the show and I can’t wait to see the movie. It is a must for me to love the show—I’m a homo! And I know that there are closeted SATC straight guys who will sneak off to see the movie. I just purchased my ticket for a 10:15AM showing at Northpark tomorrow. I can’t wait!! The reviews are pretty good and I keep hearing that the movie is heavy on Carrie and Miranda. I love me some Miranda so I am sure to be happy with the outcome!!

Relationshipy…

Yesterday Ron informed me that we had received our first “relationshipy” mail. I could not figure out what in the hell it could be. When I got home I discovered that it was our new visa cards for our joint checking account. There it was-a solidification of reality. The small blue card with lots of numbers and my name. You see, I have done a nice little budget for us that will allow both of us to pay our bills and save more money than what we were doing. So we went over to Chase and opened a joint account from which we will pay or “relationshipy” bills (rent, car, utilities, etc). We sleep in the same bed, we eat off each others plates, we do “relationshipy” adult things and now a certain percentage of each income is our income. I guess I have officially grown up and no remnants of bachelorhood (except Ms. Kitty) remain. Not that I am complaining about it, quite the contrary!!

Cooking With Karen...

Ok everyone! I have finally got all this worked out and now the first episode of CWK is ready for your viewing pleasure!!!!

Beeping...

There is a beeping noise that has been going on ALL NIGHT LONG!  We even walked around last night to find out where it was coming from.  It is almost like morse code!  Three long beeps followed by a pause (--- --- ---).  It is seriously driving us both crazy and now the parking people are power washing the garage.  So we have the sound of that motor and sprayer and --- --- ---.  Oh the joys of urban living!  Ugh.

Forkboy on A Casa Fox...

There are few restaurants that really rock my world. Nero's Italian, Cafe Charbon, Monica's, and a few others really inspire my taste buds. Not everything is about the food. The atmosphere, the people, the location, etc can really make a place special. Over the weekend in New York City, instead of the old standby Cafe Charbon, The Hazard's introduced me to A Casa Fox. Like Nero's Italian this restaurant made me feel at home, like sitting around my own dining table. I felt just as responsible for the food as the chef did. If the food was not perfect then there was something wrong with me, not the food. The restaurant is tiny, not shocking considering some of the eateries of New York. I once had Pad Thai in a restaurant the size of my bathroom. A Casa Fox is new and the brain child of Melissa Fox, a New York girl with some serious Nicaraguan roots. She is just as cute as a button. Don't let the cuteness fool you. Melissa is one tough cookie. She put that restaurant together herself and when the contractor screwed up the fireplace (I believe he eventually stopped showing up) she added stone and brick masonry to her resume. She rebuilt it herself and it looks beautiful. We walk in and she greets us heartily like she was expecting good friends for dinner. The Hazard's have already been there and she new them by name. 

Atmosphere:
The space is small and cozy. There are two large tables that seat large parties and small tables for that more intimate feel. She does not have her liquor license yet so it is BYOB, which is the best way in my opinion. Mr. Hazard selected two fine bottles from his collection. He handed over the bottle of white wine to chill. That was for the white wine sangria. The sangria is homemade with a "special ingredient." Fresh cut fruit (apples, mangos, etc) were plentiful in each carafe we had. The beverage was the perfect ending to a somewhat stressful afternoon and the perfect beginning to a relaxed and beautiful evening. The tables are set with a bottle of salsa and the silverware is wrapped in traditional red/white or blue/white bandanas (which I could not stop smelling because I could smell the fabric softener!).

The Food:
We began with a few Empanadas ($5 each). I started with a Portobello Mushroom and Smoked Gouda Empanada and it basically melted in my mouth. Her Empanadas are not fried, rather they are baked. I had never had a baked one before and I will probably never have another fried one for as long as I live. Instead of tasting the fried dough, you actually tasted the inside-which is were it counts. The combination of the mushroom and gouda is brilliant. It had just the right amount of cheese. I mean, this ain't a Totino's pizza roll I am talking about-full of grease. In fact there was nothing greasy about it at all. I ended up ordering two more; another Mushroom and Gouda and one Chorizo and Manchego. I am not usually a fan of Chorizo but this one was tasty and not to greasy. I was tempted to try the Black Bean and Queso Blanco but didn’t want to fill up. Served on the table is a wonderful spicy salsa. It was tangy and quite spicy and went well with the Empanadas. After stuffing ourselves with Empanadas, and still enjoying our Sangria, we tried the fried plantain chips with three sauces: fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, and black bean molido. The guacamole and pico were fairly standard but the black beans were excellent. People either screw up black beans by adding too much spice or not enough. This was just right. The plantain chips were thinly sliced and not greasy.

Now it was dinner time.

I cannot believe I kept eating. I ordered the Costillas de Cerdo ($24). It was worth every penny. Pork ribs marinated 24+ hours and slowly braised in their own juices until they become lightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The meat literally fell off the bone. This was served with Spanish fried rice (which apparently looks just like white rice) and black beans in a clay pot. Perfect portions all around. Although I really could have done without the dollop of sour cream on the beans. Mrs. Hazard enjoyed the Pollo Machada ($16) which is shredded herbed chicken and seasonal vegetables marinated in spices and slowly simmered. It to was mighty tasty.

Service:
Our waitress seemed a bit off that evening and kind of slow and clueless. Mainly Ms. Fox was the one who took care of us. She even sat down and shared some wine! Then she brought more wine-it seemed someone couldn’t finish their sangria! We all sat there and talked and enjoyed ourselves. Then she insisted we have desert. So she ordered someone in the back to put an apple crisp in the oven. This was served with crème fraiche. So decadent and tasty it lasted all of about 2 minutes. The bill was paid we got up to leave and she came over to hug our necks. When visiting I recommend you bring an appetite! We left stuffed to the gills.

Bottom line:
I simply cannot wait to return.

Atmosphere: 5.0
Food: 5.0
Service: 4.0 (based on our waitress, not Ms. Fox)
Health Score: Who cares (the place was spotless)

A Casa Fox
173 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
212.253.1900

www.acasafox.com

Photo credits: Eric Hazard

New York in Spring...

Isn't there a song about New York City in the spring?  I think there is and if there isn't then there should be.  I just recently was in New York City to visit my friends and fellow BP's The Hazard's.  The weather was absolutely fabulous!  I just could not believe it.  I arrived Friday night, delayed of course.  I walked out of the airport to locate my car service and it was somewhat misting/raining and all I wanted to do was to rip off my glasses but then I would not be able to find my car if it was two inches from me.  I make my way into Manhattan chauffeured in a silver Town Car/Indian restaurant whose special that evening was beef kabobs-heavy on the curry.  The only English I could understand of my turban clad friend was "car 970, cross street, thirty-four dollars."  I lost interest in his musings as we crossed into Manhattan.  That view should be one of the wonders of the world!  When I arrived I declared that I MUST EAT NOW!  The rain had stopped and Ms. Hazard and I walk over to Charlie's Pizza.  Look for a review of Charlie's soon from Forkboy.  

The next morning I awoke from the light of a thousand suns and it was only 5am.  Lying on the sofa I should have brought my sunscreen.  Saturday was such a beautiful day that it would have been a crime to stay inside.  Our purpose that morning was to get ready and head over to a memorial service of a friend who passed away way to soon.  The memorial was very nice and there were a ton of people there.  She will be missed by many and I only wish I had known her more. 

So, afterwards we head back to the apartment to change clothes and head out to an early dinner.  In true Hazard fashion we walked to the East Village.  I am starving and searching out a pretzel with none to be found.  We end up at A Casa Fox, a Nicaraguan restaurant that had recently opened.  It was so fabulous that it is difficult to speak!  Look for a review soon from Forkboy.  Afterward we head over to a friend of the Hazard's for drinks and a courtyard viewing of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Sunday we head on out to Madison, New Jersey.  We take a train out of Penn Station and honestly I was not all thrilled with the swampy scene.  As we got further from New York the scenery turned lush and green.  Unfortunately it began to rain when we arrived.  What I saw of the town reminded me of my grandparents town in Arkansas.  The quaint little houses, quiet streets, and super lush greenery really took me back to my childhood.  We here there for a BBQ.  Now being from Texas I get a little skeptical of BBQs outside of Texas but Mr. Hazard's friend from South Texas now lives in NJ and had a bunch of mesquite wood shipped to him since you can't get it up there.  He also had cases of Shiner Bock that is apparently almost impossible to find.  The grilled food was so good and the company was even better.  

Now I am back at home.  I go from 60 degree weather to 99 degree weather.  Damn the humidity!!!  

Overall, I had a wonderful time and can't wait to get back there soon.  I think Ron and I will be making a trip up there late summer or early fall.  I ain't going when it is 5 degrees outside again!