The Closet

via joemygod

“Headlights” and “melons” may also be used.

I use WordPress to blog and it provides a variety of rather interesting statistics about the volume of people clicking through to my blog, along with information as to what brought them to my site, e.g. a link from another site or the use of a search engine.

In my current list of “search engine terms used to find your blog” was the following:

other words for boobs coconuts

I just hope my blog provided this visitor with the information he (I think it’s pretty safe to assume it was a “he”) was looking for… Though I suspect it wasn’t Neely O’Hara singing “It’s Impossible”.

Va-va-veep

McCain picks Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running-mate, leading Wonkette to re-christen her VPILF (an upgrade from GILF)…

I also love the fact the DailyKos keeps referring to her as Quayle Palin.

Our Next President

“You make a big election about small things.

And you know what? It’s worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn’t work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it’s best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don’t fit the typical pedigree, and I haven’t spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don’t understand is that this election has never been about me. It’s been about you.” -  Barack Obama, August 28, 2008

All I can say is that every bit of my cynicism evaporated last night.  Most of it’s back today, but I cannot wait to cast my vote for this man.  In the meantime, I’m sending what money I can – won’t you join me?

It’s Funny Because It’s True! Also, It’s Kinda Really Scary Because It’s True!

“Join Senator John McCain and Cindy McCain for a Road to the Convention Rally, Friday August 29, 2008, at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.”

Apparently, the Crazed Rage-a-holic Old Coot Dome in Sandusky was already booked.

Thank you! I’ll be here all week…

The Democrats Are Making Me Fat…

Seriously, I haven’t been to the gym all week, since I have to race home to get my fill of inspiration and pathos at the DNC – and getting home early also means an uptick in my already copious wine consumption…  And the wine certainly makes me weepy – though if it’s good enough for Michelle Obama, it’s good enough for me…  The weeping that is…

At any rate, I found last night to be pretty amazing – though of course I’m part of the choir to which they’re preaching.

Hillary Clinton – I missed seeing her motion to nominate Obama by acclimation live during the roll call.  But even the rerun was stirring…  Yes, it’s an old saw, but I really felt like I was a witness to history…  Something to tell the grand-cats about when I’m an old man…

And to think, there was some doubt in my mind as to whether she would do this – I think it really drove home to me that the supposed bitterness that exists between the Clinton and the Obama camps is being made up by the 24-hour news channels, who simply need to fill time and manufacture controversy.  Boo, MSM!  Stop hurting America…

Bill Clinton – I wish I knew how to quit him…

Beau Biden -  His introduction of this father was compelling, sincere and moving without being maudlin.  And props to him for being so discreet about his upcoming deployment to Iraq…  I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from him in years to come.  And a Biden dynasty is so much more appealing than the monstrous and destructive Bush dynasty.

Joe Biden – Way to go, dude… John McCain is wrong.  And I think Senator Biden’s argument to that effect was convincing.  Keep those knives sharpened…

Oh, yeah, and then there was that Obama fellow I’ve been hearing so much about.  He looks like he’s going places…  Apparently, he’ll be speaking tonight.

If you missed any of these, here’re links:

Hillary Clinton
Bill Clinton
Beau Biden
Joe Biden

It’s true! It’s true!

How can anyone not love the gays?

I Don’t Vote on the First Date Either – But I Don’t Mind Being Polled.

We watched this last night…  I couldn’t help but ask Chris, “I wonder how many cats she has?”

And is it just me, or is she talking about her “precious” vote in the terms similar to those used in days of yore when discussing one’s maidenhead?  “I’m a good Catholic girl and I don’t vote on the first date.” WTF?

Sigh…  The thing is, I can see someone having legitimate concerns about Obama – but the fact that his supporters didn’t “reach out” to you in the hotel lobby is not convincing.  Sounds more like the opening scene of an after-school special entitled, “The Girl Who Voted for Hillary and Didn’t Get Asked to the Prom.”

And per his usual M.O., Larry King asks the most predictable softball questions – yet Ms. Joyce still can’t come up with a reasonable answer.  That’s right, she is flummoxed by LARRY KING!  Asking completely reasonable and predictable questions!  I mean it’s one thing to be left sputtering by Mike Wallace  – but LARRY KING? Oy gevalt…

Yes! Yes! Yes!

There was still that little piece of me that worried she’d be triangulating or thinking about politics or her next campaign.  How delightful to have my concerns shown to be so completely wrong…  She proved that her love of our country and her genuine care for the lesser among us is just that – completely genuine and part of her life’s mission…  She hit it out of the park – and I couldn’t be happier or prouder.  Go Hillary!  Go Obama!

Electrifying…

I wish I were articulate enough to express the inspiration, the excitment and the joy I felt watching Michelle Obama speak tonight.  Granted, she was preaching to the choir – but I was so sincerely moved by her words…  She reminded me that we should aspire to be better than we are…  Corny as it sounds and though it seems insufficient to describe how I feel, tonight I am proud to be an Obama supporter; a Democrat; and, above all, an American.

Get your hands off me, you damn dirty ape!

From today’s New York Times, an article looking at the difficulty of teaching evolution to slack-jawed religious fanatics the skeptical in (surprise!) Florida.

Bryce Haas (pictured, center): “I can see something else, too,” he said. “I can see that there’s no way I came from an ape.”

A Teacher on the Front Line as Faith and Science Clash via Gawker

“You’re right – it is an exciting business.” Especially if you’re a necklace…

WTF is going on with that necklace?  First it’s all, “Hey left boob, I love you – you’re the only boob for me.”  Then it starts flirting with right boob a little…  And then, at 1:58, all hell breaks loose – necklaces and boobs everywhere!

Seriously, did no one notice this during production?  Was it intentional?  Did they re-take the scene over and over and over until Patty Duke was finally able to catch each of the necklaces on each boob?  Did they consider making her juggle some flaming batons once she caught those necklaces with her boobs?  And who taught her those dance moves – me?  And where’re my dolls?

Biden? I’m kinda down with that choice…

Yes, he’s a potential “gaffe machine”…  But he’s smart… and I actually like the idea of a VP who says what’s on his mind (though, in Biden’s case, not always in a manner considered politically correct). And I read a rather interesting take on his “gaffes”, especially the ones about race – namely that they’re kind of what a lot of blue-collar Democrats may actually be thinking…  In other words, some of his statements may actually be helpful, even though no one can admit it…  I’ll link to the post if I can find it…

Anyveep, I’ll wait until the text message is sent tomorrow before I think about all this too much…  UPDATE: The choice is official; I never got my text from the campaign…  : (

Oh, but I should add that I really hate Biden’s hairplugs… And I have since they were first installed.  Embrace your baldness, dude…

But, on the other hand, I love this response from the debates – it’s both pithy and 100% accurate.  Mr. Gun Nut is clearly deranged…

Keeping My Eye on The Sentinel

Barbecue Brisket Sandwich

Grabbed lunch at The Sentinel again both yesterday and today (yes, I am a glutton – but that shouldn’t be news to anyone)…  Wow, it’s good.  Yesterday there was a barbecue brisket sandwich.  The thinly sliced brisket was beefy and yummy, with just enough barbecue sauce to add some heat and tang without overwhelming the meat (or making a mess).  And served on house-made flat bread – crunchy crust with a soft interior.  Really good…

Coconut Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Also ordered coconut panna cotta with strawberries – which was tasty enough (strawberries were excellent – and I’m not the biggest fan of strawberries…), but didn’t seem to me to be panna cotta (except perhaps in the literal sense that it was cream and had likely been cooked).  But I was anticipating a traditional very-soft-pudding-like dish; what I got was strawberries in cream – the panna was essentially the texture of heavy cream…  So I was a bit disappointed, mainly because the dish wasn’t what I’d expected it to be based on the name…

Today, I thought I’d try the chicken salad (made with pine nuts, raisins, hot mustard and cilantro – my eyes are rolling back in my head just a bit, thinking about how delicious this sandwich must be…).

Corned Beef Sandwich

But as I was waiting in line, I spied one of the corned beef sandwiches being prepared…  Strips of very lean red meat peeking out from the sides of the still-warm bread… I’m not made of stone – how could I resist this sandwich?  So that’s what I got…

It was a wise decision – the meat was tender yet still a bit chewy, the coleslaw on top tangy enough to almost pass for sauerkraut, the Gruyere gooey and nutty-tasting – and again on that amazing flat bread.  This bore little resemblance to the corned beef I’d had on my previous visit (though I believe that was corned beef brisket…  Is there a difference?  Don’t know…).  Today’s selection was my favorite sandwich to date…

Chef Leary hard at work...

And per usual, Chef Leary behind the counter, methodically assembling his amazing sandwiches and calling out names for pick-up.  All I have to say is “keep it up” (please!) as your sandwiches are quickly becoming a delicious staple of my diet.

Swifter, Higher, Stronger, Fatter

Is it just me or is this McDonald’s ad especially offensive?

There’s something particularly unsavory (hah!) about what appears to be a bunch of aspiring Olympians turning out to be McDonalds customers eagerly awaiting the introduction the of the company’s latest fat-and-carb delivery system delicious sandwich.  And I’m sorry, but six-pack abs are not a typical byproduct of consuming McDonald’s Southern Chicken Sandwiches…  (though they really do look kind of delicious… or so says your shame-faced Jack In The Box eating blogger).

I mean, I get it – it’s advertising, the goal of which is to sell me something.  But the juxtaposition of the perfect physical specimens cast as athletes in the commercial and their their subsequent ingestion of this fried “chicken” sandwich is horrifying – it seems to suggest that this new sandwich is part of a healthful diet; that it may actually encourage, rather than inhibit, the development of the aforementioned six-pack abs.  Had there been a little humor, maybe it wouldn’t have been so awful – but the message seems to be completely earnest and free of irony…  Bleh.  Though I guess the fact that McD’s is an official sponsor of the Olympics is pretty gross in and of itself…

Oh well – I don’t suppose as a wine-guzzling, Whole-Foods-shopping, trans-fat-eschewing, locally-sourced-overpriced-produce-buying pretentious foodie that I’m one of McD’s key demographics.

And, in a sidenote, kudos to McDonalds for being down with the gays.  But can you please cut it out with the Olympians scarfing down junk?  So not lovin’ it…

What Is Love?

This shuffled onto my iPod today – sweet/bittersweet lyrics and a catchy pop tune that sounds just as good today as it did twenty-five years ago…

And it was in this video that I first laid eyes on the Stravinsky Fountain next to the Centre Pompidou in Paris – still one of the most delightful sights in a city brimming with the amazing and the charming.

Sorry, no snark.  Anytime I see Paris, I’m immediately transported back to the wonderful time I spent there with my honey…  Thanks, Howard Jones, for putting a smile on the face of this semi-crotchety old grouch…

Ouch!

From an article in the NY Times about 99¢ stores:

The stores have fallen back on a bait-and-switch trick, luring customers with the sign, only to reveal, amid more expensive items, a grim 99-cent row of little-girl barrettes, shiny stickers and single rolls of toilet paper perhaps best suited for sanding furniture.

The Cost of Retail Survival – 99¢. Or Maybe 99¢ Plus.

It’s a Sofa!

André, delivered Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 1:10PM.  89″ long; weight unknown.

Just say no to karate-chopped pillows...

After having our eyes on André for the last year, Chris and I finally decided to take the plunge – and we couldn’t be happier.  André is a lovely replacement for the the-only-somewhat-mourned Brown Sofa.  As is often the case, André is rather similar to his predecessor – essentially a younger, thinner version of Brown Sofa…  Dare I say a trophy sofa?  Oh yes – I dare…

And I must say, kudos to Room & Board.  They use their own delivery service, and the delivery men were courteous and extremely conscientious, being very careful not only of the sofa (which they schlepped up three flights of stairs) but of our apartment and our belongings, as they gently maneuvered André through the living room door.  The whole delivery process completely pain-free.

André's ouchy...

Of course, the one fly in the ointment was the minor flaw I discovered after they’d left.  The piping on the arm rest had not been sewn properly.  And if it had been anywhere else, I might have overlooked it (or more likely Krazy Glued it).  But the armrest gets so much wear-and-tear, I knew it wouldn’t hold up unless repaired professionally.  Not to mention that Calvin (the cat) would likely think the straggly bits were some fun new toy to sink his claws into.

At any rate, we popped into Room & Board on Sunday, showed the picture of the damage to our sales person, who immediately placed an order for a new sofa to be delivered to us in a couple weeks. Completely easy, no Spanish inquisition, “handling” or restocking fees or any other nonsense – which is all exactly as it should be, but was refreshing nonetheless.

And a special shout out to groovy design lady at Crate & Barrel.  We had a our new pillows all picked out – but she could tell that I wasn’t loving one of them in particular (the golden baby-poo colored one…).  So, on her way back from the stockroom with our selections, she also brought along the sea blue one.  As you can see in André’s picture, it was the perfect choice…  She also indicated that the fuchsia throw was a good match (Chris had his doubts, as did I).  But we couldn’t be happier with our new sofa accessories.

My only regret is that I really thought this was it.  I thought, “Finally, I’m buying that sofa.  This is the thing that will really give my life meaning – make things complete…  The last piece of the puzzle, as it were, in the quest for happiness.”  But I pretty much feel the same as yesterday…  I guess I’ll just have to buy something more expensive next time…

Rest In Peace, Brown Sofa

After over six years of faithful service, we bid a fond farewell to Brown Sofa, the first major piece of upholstered furniture that Chris and I acquired as a couple.  Purchased from Busvan for Bargains, in its final days of business, it has served admirably in its various roles such as primary TV watching location; afternoon napping spot; cat lookout; and, until the recent arrival of Gate Leg Dining Table, dinner guest seating.

O Sofa! My Sofa!

From the beginning, we did our best to pamper Brown Sofa.  The day it arrived, we attempted to dissuade Norton the cat from perching on the back of the new sofa, using the old squirt bottle trick.  To our great and long-lasting chagrin, we discovered that Brown Sofa’s fabric did not take kindly to water…  In other words, mere minutes after the sofa was delivered, we had stained it permanently.  And many of you who knew Brown Sofa remember how we would lovingly cover the seats with bubble wrap when we left the house, to keep Norton from using the sofa on the down low.

Of course, eventually the novelty wore off…  We got lazy with the bubble wrap…  Other liquids were spilled…  Cushions lost the spring and vibrancy of youth… and Norton got the last laugh, by secretly vomiting onto Brown Sofa when Chris and I weren’t home.  But Brown Sofa remained steadfast and true, offering comfort and relaxation to the very end.

I’m happy to report that Brown Sofa is now living on a farm in the country with a bunch of other sofas…  Well, OK – not quite.  It’s in Oakland, at the home of a colleague and her husband and son (though apparently they do have three other sofas…  in their one house…  Um, OK…) where I’m sure it’ll provide many more years of comfy service.

So long, Brown Sofa, and thanks for the memories…

Oh, one more thing: Chris says that Brown Sofa isn’t brown; it’s green.  Please help me show him the error of his ways… Or not.

Dosa Do

Finally made it to Dosa last Sunday. Wait was only about ten minutes, which we spent at the bar having an aperitif.  A quite charming space, modern with high ceilings and spinning fans (which were not as effective as one might hope in cooling down the quite warm room).

Started off with a special of heirloom tomatoes, a stack of six slices of different varieties of tomatoes atop coconut flavored noodles, dressed with a bit of mint chutney.  The tomatoes were perfectly ripe, which pretty much guaranteed that this dish would satisfy.  The coconut and mint added a surprising bit of dimension to what could’ve been a tasty but ordinary dish – and there was a bit of heat to the chutney, giving the tomatoes a distinct Indian signature.  Really loved this…

Next were spinach and cauliflower vadas (a type of fritter), napped with a bit of spicy tomato chutney – almost like an aioli.  The vadas were crispy without a trace of grease; and while quite yummy, most of the flavor came from the chutney – I didn’t taste much spinach or cauliflower.

Our third course was a pea-and-paneer dosa, the Indian flatbread for which the restaurant is named, served with three different chutneys.  It was serviceable.  Not being a dosa connoisseur, I don’t really have a good yardstick with which to measure the dosa (though a colleague at work who is of South Indian descent advised that Udupi Palace makes a better dosa) – but it was a bit dull.  And I didn’t find any of the three chutneys to be especially interesting.  Don’t get me wrong – the dosa was fine; just found it to be on the bland side.

Lamb and Lentil Curry with Coconut Rice

For our main course, we shared the special for the evening, a lovely lamb and lentil curry served with coconut rice.  Substantial chunks of tender lamb in a thick and savory brown curry made with four kinds of lentils; very nice heat and a wonderful texture.  The lamb was excellent, full of flavor, with just the slightest hint of gaminess playing off the heat and spices.  The accompanying rice was a perfect foil, adding a touch of sweetness to the zippy curry.

Finished off with gulab jamun (fried milk dough balls in syrup) which were well-executed; balls were light and fluffy and suitably soaked with syrup.  However, there was little complexity – no cardomom pods or other spices added to livent things up.  And the syrup was quite hot temperature-wise – more so than I thought necessary.  Chris had a very tasty dish of pistachio ice cream.

Our waitress was very good, making a couple of recommendations to us as first-time visitors; and serving our courses as ordered and at an unhurried pace.

We quite enjoyed our meal at Dosa and plan to be back – though, surprisingly, are unlikely to order the dosas which are there specialty.  But with their extensive menu of curries, vadas and idlis, I don’t anticipate having any difficulty ordering a great meal.