A Good Reminder

Via http://www.anothersomething.org/

BP Spills Coffee

CSA Week 2

Here's what we got this week. I gave Andrea (we share the CSA with our neighbor) the catnip so we didn't get as much veggies as we got last week. We learned that you break the scape of right before it gets "woody" and cook the tender part (the squigly part of the scape). We got another bok choy which hopefully I'll get the hang of cooking, because my first bok choy experiment didn't turn out great.

Wordless

Who Murdered Robert Wone?

In August 2006, Robert Wone spent the night at an old college friend, Joseph Price’s house after working late that evening. Wone, a heterosexual male, lived with his wife in the outer DC suburbs.
Price lived in DC near Dupont Circle with his partner Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward, with whom Price had a relationship with. Price, Zaborsky, and Ward considered themselves a family and Zaborsky and Ward knew Wone fairly well.
According to statements given by the three men, Wone arrived at their DC row house about 10:30 pm. Wone had a glass of water in the kitchen, then everyone went to bed. At 11:49 p.m., Zaborsky called 911 and Wone was found dead with three stab marks in the chest and various needle punctures in his body.
The statements the three men gave about the murder have been contradictory, and it was clear to the police officers and first responders that Price was dictating the story the other two were telling. The defense is trying to prove that Price was obstructing justice because his brother actually killed Wone with the other two going along with Price because they love him.
By late 2008, DC charged the three men with obstruction of justice. The trial is going on right now, and although it’s not a national story, many people in DC are following the day to day trial, partly because of the salacious lives the roommates led.

The summary above has been edited somewhat, but here’s some links if you’re interested in learning more. The best place to learn as much or as little of the details of this case is: http://www.whomurderedrobertwone.com/

The Washington Post also is following the story daily on their local crime page: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/crime/?hpid=newswell

Learned this Weekend

1) 2 hours at the beach makes up for 7.5 hours in a car.
2) When you remember a restaurant, but can't remember anything else...don't eat there.
3)Tuna Steak should never be the same texture as well-done beef steak.
4) Kelli can sew (as long as I thread the needle for her).
5) Don can push Betty over the edge on "Mad Men."
6) "It's Complicated" isn't bad.
7) Knitting hats is actually pretty easy...with a basic pattern.
8) Bicycle shopping in 90+ heat? Not recommended.

CSA Scramble Week One

Our first CSA delivery came yesterday. After going through what we had, I realized I didn't just have a parcel of vegetables, I'm in a creative race against time.
This week we received:
Garlic Scapes
Cauliflower
1 basil plant in pot
spearmint
Mixed lettuces
Bok Choi
chives
I've never cooked with garlic scapes or bok choi. I need to use the garlic scapes tonight, and haven't figured out what to make quite yet. The cauliflower will either be roasted or cooked with marinara sauce. Bok Choi? Luckily one of my cookbooks is obsessed with this stuff.
I think the spearmint will be used in ice cream. The mixed lettuces is already being eaten (yum, arugula) and the chives will be pretty easy to eat.
All I can say, is thank heavens for the Googles!

Definition of CSA: A farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

Mason Salad (originally salad de maison--)

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¾ cup vegetable oil
3 Cloves of garlic crushed

Salad:
2 heads romaine
1 cup grated Swiss Cheese
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup almonds toasted

Combine lemon juice (no seeds), garlic and salt and pepper. You can mix it with a fork, adding the vegetable oil last, mixing well, combining the ingredients in a mason jar, place the lid on tightly and shake well or simply use a mini food chopper (what I do). Let stand for 3 hours, knowing the longer the ingredients have to marinate and blend the better the dressing will be. The dressing keeps for 2 weeks.

Once the romaine lettuce has been washed and dried and the salad dressing has had some time to marinate, combine lettuce, cheeses and then add salad dressing to taste. There will be left-over dressing which could be used over any salad greens or vegetables. I sometimes cheat and just use pre-made salad .

I’ve nick-named this salad dressing, “Salad-Crack” as I will eat it any time, and crave it when I have it in the fridge.

Review: Crazy Heart

Sometimes redemption doesn't turn out the way you want it, but it doesn't make it less sweet.

I finally watched "Crazy Heart" last week, and it's a movie that actually exceeded my fairly high expectations. The story is about an alcoholic country singer/songwriter who gets a second shot at life.

Although the supporting acting is all solid, Jeff Bridges astounds in this role. Reportedly, he was told to be the "6th Highwayman" and he evokes memories of both Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. Playing a drunk suits "The Dude," and Bridges is completely available as an alcoholic who still has a way with women. The film ultimately is a character study, with the supporting actors acting as foils for Bridges.

A film about a singer-songwriter wouldn't be complete without music, and the music in "Crazy Heart" is stellar. From Colin Farrell as a believable country artist (Ferrell could have easily been a Nashville star) to Jeff Bridges singing exactly like you think he might. The movie would fall flat if the songs themselves were lousy, but most of them are solid and a couple are even memorable ("Fallin' Feels like Flyin'" and "The Weary Kind"). Ryan Bingham (the composer for many of the movie's songs) is one to watch.

Although the film is gritty, it's one I'd recommend.

Ryan Bingham performing "The Weary Kind"

Weekend Update:

1) Four? I'm on antibiotics for strep and what I thought was bronchitis. However, I've been feeling worse and was running a temp. of 100 last night which leads me to think I've got a virus on top of the strep, possible bronchitis, and conjunctivitis.

2) I spent the weekend at our apartment watching movies and taking it easy. I finally watched "Crazy Heart" which actually exceeded my expectations. I 've always loved Jeff Bridges, but I forgot about my crush on his hair. The Dude always has nice hair (except when it's stringy because he's playing a drunk)

3) Forgiveness is good. However, this sign cracked me up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickdouglas/3828360668/

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a Stop Sign?

Reason 135 I love Brooklyn. Via Ready Made

These United Plates

Artist John Holcomb has imagined each of the United States as food items. South Dakota? A chocolate bar, Idaho? A sundae? Sound crazy? Check out the states I've lived in below:

Who knew Utah looked like a chocolate cake with a slice cut out of it?

Montana? Lasagna and a side salad

Idaho? A sundae with a cherry on top!

Virginia? Mashed Potatoes and gravy. That's about right.
The whole series can be found here.

Wordless

Weekend Roundup

Backpacking: A couple of friends decided to get a group together and go backpacking over the long weekend in West Virginia. 16 of us hiked in 7 miles (we took the wrong trail in) stayed two nights and then hiked 3.5 miles out on Monday. Absolutely Gorgeous, and a great time to be had by all. Completely chill trip, but then that's kind of nice sometimes.

Strep: My roommate Kelli, has had a cold for almost a month. I've been a little sick, but haven't gotten the full blown cold. She went to the Doctor initially, but didn't go again after the cold persisted.
Last night as I was lying in bed, Kelli came in asking for me to look in her mouth for spots on her tonsils. Needless to say, I'd be surprised if she tells me this evening that she doesn't have Strep Throat. After sleeping in the same tent as her for three nights, I think I'm coming down with it too, but I hope not. Darn these health professionals when they get sick.
Update: Kelli has strep and pink eye.

True Love. So Al and Tipper Gore are splitting? I don't have really strong feelings about either or as a couple, but it's still sad when couples call it quits. Especially after 40 years.

Fishing with Moses.