Saturday...

I love visiting Ikea but I am not a fan of the Ikea in Schaumburg just west of Chicago. The building is shaped like an giant octagon and is rather confusing at times. I loved the Ikea in Dallas (well, Frisco) because it was enormous and very easy to get around in. But we needed bedside tables and we wanted to get out of the city for a few hours. Because we hate parking the car in Chicago (we do not rent a parking space...yet) we decided to utilize Zipcar. We splurged and got the BMW 328xi and loved it! Anyway, we drove out there and remarkably enough it was not packed so we took our time walking around. One think I loved about the Dallas Ikea was the model apartments that were set up showing you what it was like decorating a place of anywhere from 250 to 700 sq. ft. But we got what we needed and decided to cruise around in our spiffy Beamer. We then headed back to Chicago and traffic is always a bitch. Pressed for time we decided to take Diveresy instead of going around downtown and back up Lake Shore Drive. Well that took forever but we dropped the car off with two minutes to spare. If we ever decided to get a new car we are definitely adding that BMW 3 series to the list cause it was fun to drive, beautiful, and most importantly I looked pretty damn good driving it. Really we can live without a car here but it is really nice to know that we have the Tanry in waiting if we need it. Once we rent a parking spot then we will use the car more and not rely on Zipcar so much. But finding a parking spot on the street can take a small miracle and can be a very frustrating experience. So we pay Zipcar to ease our minds and frustrations. Next time we may opt for the Audi. Overall, it was nice getting out of town for a few hours and getting my mind off the job situation.

Seriously...

Still no word. I have called and left my recruiter 2 messages and 2 emails today and it is now 5:15 on a Friday so I am fairly certain that I am screwed and have to wait the whole weekend. I don't understand why recruiters do this cause this has happened to me before in Dallas. On the bright side...Ron and I got out lat night and visited Cocktail and Roscoe's. Cocktail is nice but my gin and tonic tasted fruity. They use the measurement machines like you see in airport bars. I don't like that. After that then we visited Roscoe's for the first time and it was ok. It seemed somewhat like JR's back in Dallas. It was a really nice evening. Then Ron is working a later shift this evening so I am sitting here not doing much of anything. We walked around the Andersonville area and it is rather quaint.

Still No Word...

This is really beating me down. It seems my recruiter and the company I am hoping to go to work for are playing phone tag. She told me yesterday that she is getting frustrated with them. I have a bad feeling about this. I am perfect for that job but if they want to rehire someone that once left then that will be their mistake. I am just getting very impatient and annoyed. So much so that I think I am unintentionally being mean to Ron* and meaner than usual to everyone else. Sorry about all that :)

Job Search...

So the job search is still going on and I am getting really frustrated with the entire process. At the moment I am being considered for a Loan Operations/Underwriter position at a Chicago based Investment Management firm. I was contacted by three different recruiters for the same job because of my experience in the syndicated loan industry. There were four other candidates that interviewed and they narrowed down the group to just me! Great right? Well, it was great until my recruiter told me that there was a former employee that was wanting to come back the the firm. Mrs. Recruiter seemed really pissed at this and I was none-to-happy either. Why did this person leave in the first place and why are they wanting to come back? We both thought that the individual left for greener pastures and realized they made a mistake. I would always be reluctant to rehire someone that left like that even if they were eligible for rehire. One of the guys is on the same page as myself and Mrs. Recruiter so he trying to get the hiring manager on board with me as well. So now I just have to be patient and wait for the answer.

Done with Face Book...

So yesterday I decided once and for all to deactivate my Face Book account. I have been thinking about it for a long time now. I am just so fed up with the privacy issues and people ranting and raving about shit that doesn't mean anything to anybody. I had already deleted 75% of my friends and was down to about 40. If I want to talk to my friends then I will pick up the phone or write an email. I am going to give my FBing a rest for 30 days to see if I can break the habit. I can always reactivate the account if I want but I deleted the links from my computer and the app from my iPhone. I will keep twitter only because I follow 6 people and only 6 people follow me. I think I have made one tweet this entire year.

So far so good...

I guess I should blog since i haven't in a really long time. I would love to do a CWK but my kitchen is really to small. Anyway, it has been 5 months since I left Dallas for Chicago. My time off has really done me some good. Ron and I are really loving it here although I would really like it if spring came a little early.

The move went off pretty easy. Had a little issue getting the truck but we got it. Loading in the rain is never fun as well. t rained the entire day! From the time we woke up to the time we arrived at our hotel in St. Louis...it rained. The next day was nice and the trip into Chicago was effortless. We unloaded and dropped the truck off the next day. After moving from 1500 square feet into a space about 700 or less was a bit of a shock. But luckily we have a storage unit. The apt looks good. I like the apartment. I am used to more luxury but it is a century old building. It is a good place to start.

I have started looking for work and it kinda sucks. Really I would love to have a part time job somewhere and look for a corporate job at the same time. So that is what I am working toward. I cannot get recruiters to call me back or return emails which is kind of discerning to think about. I have good experience with JPMorgan and Markit. I don't know. I would like to give something else a try. I have been enjoying playing the housewife roll. Moses certainly loves it cause I am home for him all day.

So far so good...

Key Lime Pie

Chicago...

Been a long time since I last blogged. There have been a lot of things going on! Ron and I have recently moved to Chicago, IL. Ron was offered a good job here and so I decided to quit my job in Dallas and move. Right now I am unemployed and have started applying for jobs. It has been a really long time since I have looked for a job so this should be interesting. I am not being picky though! I have applied at Old Navy, The Gap, Bed Beth and Beyond, and World Market. I will be sending my resume out to corporations this week. Lots to do and looking forward to it!

I bet there is an iPhone app for that!...

This man's cell phone turns his oven on!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/nyregion/23about.html?_r=3

Linguine with roasted shrimp and cherry tomatoes...

This was light and yummy...

Serves 2
Linguine
10 Peeled and deveined shrimp (I used bay shrimp but prefer gulf)
2 tbs Unsalted butter
1/4 cup (about 5) Yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup (about 5) Red cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tbs Parsley, chopped
1 tbs Basil, chopped
Shards of Parmesan cheese
2 tbs Olive oil
1 tsp Salt plus more for pasta water
1 tsp Pepper

Preheat oven to 400

Place shrimp on baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange shrimp so that they lay flat and are not touching each other. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil water. Place linguine in salted boilg water and cook according to package instructions. Drain.

Combine all reamining ingredients in large bowl and toss together making sure butter coats the pasta. Serve with shards of parmesan. Enjoy.

Pasta Making...

Last weekend I decided that I was going to make pasta and I did just that! Making pasta is actually easy and you already have the stuff to make it in your pantry. Flour, eggs, salt, water. I do not have a pasta making attachment for my stand mixer...yet...so the process was a bit labor intensive but totally worth it! The Italians have been making pasta for centuries by hand so I think I can handle it! Last night I really wanted to make ravioli. So I did. The process was the same except I processed the pasta dough in the food processor and it was MUCH quicker and I ended up with a softer dough! I rolled out my sheets of dough very thin and then created the filling: ricotta cheese and leftover pesto sauce. I just could not believe how easy and fun making pasta is! It is almost zen-like. Then when you taste your creation....absolute splendor!

Doing things a little different...

I have decided that I am going to devote this website to cooking related stuff! Facebook kinda killed the ninja but I am still doing the cooking show and trying new things in the kitchen all the time!

Salmon Part 1

Black Beans Part 2

Coming Soon..

The season premier of Cooking with Karen! Filming is saturday and it should be posted sunday!!!

Facebook killed the Ninja...

You all may have noticed that I have not posted anything in months! Oops!! I blame myself and I blame Facebook. I have several Cooking with Karen’s just waiting to be posted and I just haven’t done it! I am going to be better at blogging and such!

We are leaving for Colorado on Friday so I will be posting thoughts, happenings, pictures, etc throughout the trip. I am going to try and slow my Facebook roll for a bit. Those FB people just make it so darn easy. Plus there is a quick and handy little app for iPhone.

Anyway, we are headed to Colorado on Friday and cannot wait the get the hell out of here for a week! We will be driving to Amarillo and spending the night and getting up early Sat and finishing the drive to Denver. Moses is going with us so it should be interesting. I am starting him on Melatonin to calm him down in the car. Hopefully he will just sleep most of the way instead of standing and panting.

In June I am planning a trip to London to see my friend Chad. I feel like a heel cause I have not yet gone to see him since he moved there about 2 years ago. Unfortunately, Ron can’t go….work, school, and not enough vacation time. I have to get my passport renewed pronto!! The damn thing expires 6/6/09, right before I am leaving!

I always hate the week before I take vacation. I am ready to go NOW.

test blog

This is a test of iBlog iPhone app

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

The Rural Juror*...

*if you get the reference then I'll buy you a drink!

I have been a registered voter since I was 18. Not once have I ever been called for jury duty. I got home yesterday to find a “summons for jury service” in the mail. It is weird though, I am “on call” from 2/6-2/20. I have to call in every business day after 3pm starting on 2/6. On 2/6 I am on a plane at 3pm. I called Dallas County and they and told them that I was traveling. Fortunately she said that it was fine. I have to call in sometime after 3 and if I am selected then the message would tell me to report the next business day. What is really annoying is that I have lived 6.5 years downtown, just a few blocks from the courthouse. Not once have I been summoned. I move out of downtown and not a month later I get a letter. This is also in federal court, not district so I am not certain what is going on here. It will be my luck I will be placed on a jury and sequestered for 6 months with no computer or phone. Guess we will see!

Moses' new bed...

Last week we bought Moses a new bed! We had been talking about it for a while. We found a very inexpensive doggie bed at target for super cheap and he loves it! It took him a little while to warm up to it but now he sleeps there all the time. At night he will start out in bed with us then later move to his bed. I was worried that he would not like it and ignore it but I was proven wrong.

Fleetwood Mac...

A few years ago I had the pleasure of seeing Stevie Nicks in concert. We sat 8th row dead center. It was one of those life experiences to be that close to a living legend. Then toward the end we were able to be right down at the stage and could seriously feel her breathe! Well, on April 30th Fleetwood Mac is coming to AAC in Dallas! We again got fabulous seats. Not as good as the last time but we are center on the floor but just further back. CAN"T WAIT!!!


In front of stage


8th row center

The washer and dryer...

Thursday I purchased my very first washer and dryer. Well, they were delivered today...finally. Lowe's called me to tell me they would be here between 11 and 1. After several phone calls they finally showed up at 5! I was really pissed but once they arrived I was happy. They are beautiful machines with lots of lights! Instead of an annoying buzzer at the end of the cycle there is a pleasant little song it does. Not kidding folks...these suckers sing to you! I have done two loads of laundry and am so pleased that I now longer feel apprehensive with the price tag. Yes, they were not cheap but I have no worries about it anymore! Of course Ron will be the person to most enjoy them since he does all the laundry while working from home but oh well!

Annoyed...

Last night Ron and I went to dinner at Cantina Laredo. A waitress spilled a pitcher of water on me. I felt like I had peed in my pants but luckily a lot of the water went into the seat. It really was not a big deal but I normally do not like to eat while I am wet. They were nice and paid for our food so I can't really complain that much. After dinner we decided that we needed some booze so we went to Sigel's. Ron picked up some vodka and I grabbed my Bombay gin. When we got home Ron asked if I had already poured a drink. I was like "no, we have only been home five minutes!" Well, it appeared that the bottle had been opened and about 3/4 of a cup had been removed. I took the bottle back to Sigel's and luckily the manager let me exchange the bottle. So I suppose not all was bad but darn it, I was tired, wet, and not in the mood.

Appliances...

UPDATE 1/15: The machines have been purchased and will be delivered on Sunday!


I love appliances. I get distracted every time I walk through a Best Buy, Lowes, Sears, etc. I have to touch the shiny household appliances and day dream. I have never needed to purchase any until now. This week I will be buying my very first washer and dryer. I could go cheap and get basic models but I like to have the best! I knew I wanted a front loading washer and dryer. I set out to research. I found some very nice machines that cost an absolute fortune. I just cannot fathom spending 3000.00+ dollars to wash my clothes. I really like the idea of the steam cleaning and steam refresh features. I have clothes that need to be dry cleaned and that gets pricey and really isn't that great on your clothes. After reading reviews and looking at machines and doing all the research I could do I have decided that the Samsung front loaders is the way to go. Although still a bit pricey I think that these are a good deal for both the steam washer and steam dryer. I am buying the white ones because they are cheaper. It is amazing to me that people will pay, in many cases, hundreds more for the color of the machine. I would LOVE to have the red or blue ones but the damn things are going into a closet. They are not pieces of furniture. Once they are delivered I will post a picture!

No More DART...

My DART pass expired at the same time we moved. I gotta tell you that I don't miss riding DART....at all. I don't miss getting up early and waiting in the heat or the cold or the rain for my bus. I don't miss late busses or people throwing bleach on each other. I don't miss smelly people and crazy people. But I will miss talking about them! My commute is across the street!

This ain't right...

I love the Golden Girls! Love em!!! But this picture just bothers me. It looks like Dorothy is about to choke Sophia. (Thanks Brittny!!)

Happy New Year...

Happy New Year everyone!

My year is off to a good start. We got moved and are settling in nicely in the new town house. After 6 years of living on concrete and hard wood floors it is taking some getting used to living on carpet. But I like it! Now that things have settled down I will certainly be posted more often. I am also working on a new Cooking with Karen!

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.