Because 2011 was basically pleasant. We got stuff done around the house; we saw our friends and family on a regular basis and we're in good health as are almost all of our friends, family and our pets. We have enough money for the odd splurge on an expensive meal ...and while none of these things are unusual in any way, it's just the comfortable rhythem of every day life. And I'll take as much of that as I can get!
Hope you're the same and a very happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to you!
Please remember that tonight is "Amateur Drunk Night" and plot your course accordingly.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tournament of Roses Trivia
On Monday, January 2, 2012, millions of television viewers and quite a few in-person, on-the-ground spectators will have a chance to watch the Tournament of Roses Parade, one of the bigger total wastes of time, money and effort in the entire United States.
There will be:
43 floats competing for 24 awards, sponsored by corporations and various California cities
21 marching bands
18 equestrian events involving 400 horses
500 gallons of glue used to attach 18 million flowers to the floats.
The Tournament of Roses is the largest consumer of flowers in the world. One square foot of float covering requires: 20 daisies or 30 roses or 36 marigolds. It takes 60 volunteers working 10 hours a day for 10 days to decorate one float.
And then there is the small matter of dissing God Himself. Which is more beautiful in your eyes? Flowers as they are naturally in a garden or vase or flowers used to construct such as:
A working roller coaster
A car that turns into a spaceship
A group of dinosauers standing around a 20 ft. volcano that spews flames 10 ft. into the air
A nearly 100 ft. tall Twilight Zone of Terror
If you voted for these dubious-sounding floats, you will probably have sufficient time to study them in their infinite detail -- one or more floats always break down, spewing pollutants (and sometimes fire) and wasting gas as any others behind the break-down sit idly, engines on and running.
There will be:
43 floats competing for 24 awards, sponsored by corporations and various California cities
21 marching bands
18 equestrian events involving 400 horses
500 gallons of glue used to attach 18 million flowers to the floats.
The Tournament of Roses is the largest consumer of flowers in the world. One square foot of float covering requires: 20 daisies or 30 roses or 36 marigolds. It takes 60 volunteers working 10 hours a day for 10 days to decorate one float.
And then there is the small matter of dissing God Himself. Which is more beautiful in your eyes? Flowers as they are naturally in a garden or vase or flowers used to construct such as:
A working roller coaster
A car that turns into a spaceship
A group of dinosauers standing around a 20 ft. volcano that spews flames 10 ft. into the air
A nearly 100 ft. tall Twilight Zone of Terror
If you voted for these dubious-sounding floats, you will probably have sufficient time to study them in their infinite detail -- one or more floats always break down, spewing pollutants (and sometimes fire) and wasting gas as any others behind the break-down sit idly, engines on and running.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
TBA
I got curious about the number of tourists Redondo Beach gets during the Rose Bowl events. The Crowne hotel always has buses out front at this time of the year and I'm sure that taking the tourists to Pasadena is their job.
I must say tourists are cute to see --dotted all over the sand, in their little shorts and beach tops -- shivering.
I put a line out to our councilman Steve Diels to see if he has any city figures and when he gets back to me, I'll get back to you.
I must say tourists are cute to see --dotted all over the sand, in their little shorts and beach tops -- shivering.
I put a line out to our councilman Steve Diels to see if he has any city figures and when he gets back to me, I'll get back to you.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Jacques, You Don't Know Jack About Making Chili!
The Jacques in this instance refers to Jacques Pepin, noted French chef. I believe the rest of us already know what "jack" stands for, don't we?
Richie's newest enthusiasm is for Jacques' recipes. I came across "Essential Pepin" by the above and it claims to have more than 700 all-time favorites from his life in food. What follows should be removed from the book ...Look at this list of ingredients ...
FIERY CHILI WITH RED BEANS
2 lbs. dried red kidney beans *
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1-in. pieces
8 oz. bacon
2 large onions, diced
8 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 T jalapeno pepper, chopped
1-28 oz. can of whole Italian tomatoes and juice**
2 teas. coriandor seeds, crushed ***
2 teas. ground cumin
2 teas. dry mustard
1 teas. hot pepper flakes
1/4 cup chili powder
* The International Chili Society contest rules order NO beans or pasta in your chili.
** I was horribly dismayed to learn that the Society accepts canned or bottled tomatoes. As it happens, I can't stand canned tomatoes and I truly don't think they belong in chili.
*** After we went to the supermarket where Richie bought a bottle of coriandor, and was about to try to crush them, I finally saw the lightbulb and looked up "coriandor" which is nothing more than cilantro flowers! He could have used his frozen cilantro cubes from Trader Joe! And, in fact, when the coriandor proved impossible to chop or to be turned into dust in the mini-Cuisinart, he did.
Stewing beef is not an appropriate meat for this dish. Hamburger would have been a helluva lot more palatable.
Despite 1/4 cup chili powder, there was no "heat" at all. In fact, it was vaguely sweet tasting and I put that down to the beans.
Pepin is French. Despite living in this country for many years, he apparently has never tasted real chili, and simply scanned winning recipes and then put together what he THOUGHT went into chili. I believe many of the good citizens of the great state of Texas should band together and send him a bowl of real red (and soon - Pepin isn't getting any younger.)
Richie's newest enthusiasm is for Jacques' recipes. I came across "Essential Pepin" by the above and it claims to have more than 700 all-time favorites from his life in food. What follows should be removed from the book ...Look at this list of ingredients ...
FIERY CHILI WITH RED BEANS
2 lbs. dried red kidney beans *
2 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into 1-in. pieces
8 oz. bacon
2 large onions, diced
8 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 T jalapeno pepper, chopped
1-28 oz. can of whole Italian tomatoes and juice**
2 teas. coriandor seeds, crushed ***
2 teas. ground cumin
2 teas. dry mustard
1 teas. hot pepper flakes
1/4 cup chili powder
* The International Chili Society contest rules order NO beans or pasta in your chili.
** I was horribly dismayed to learn that the Society accepts canned or bottled tomatoes. As it happens, I can't stand canned tomatoes and I truly don't think they belong in chili.
*** After we went to the supermarket where Richie bought a bottle of coriandor, and was about to try to crush them, I finally saw the lightbulb and looked up "coriandor" which is nothing more than cilantro flowers! He could have used his frozen cilantro cubes from Trader Joe! And, in fact, when the coriandor proved impossible to chop or to be turned into dust in the mini-Cuisinart, he did.
Stewing beef is not an appropriate meat for this dish. Hamburger would have been a helluva lot more palatable.
Despite 1/4 cup chili powder, there was no "heat" at all. In fact, it was vaguely sweet tasting and I put that down to the beans.
Pepin is French. Despite living in this country for many years, he apparently has never tasted real chili, and simply scanned winning recipes and then put together what he THOUGHT went into chili. I believe many of the good citizens of the great state of Texas should band together and send him a bowl of real red (and soon - Pepin isn't getting any younger.)
Monday, December 26, 2011
An All-Around Good Christmas
We woke up at 6 to sunshine (and 44 degrees.) Since it was Sunday, I had both crossword puzzles (NY and LA) which is a never-failing treat every Sunday.
The bird was still sleeping, under her cover, when Richie picked up a music box of Santa twirling to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and started it playing. From under her cover, Lady Bird began to warble along with the music box! (Naturally we then uncovered the cockatiel.)
Richie likes to make Sunday breakfast and his pancakes were their usual good selves and really well done bacon is good for you - something about the carbon. We got good presents; useful, fun, interesting things. Then we straightened out the house for an Open House from 3 to 7 p.m. We had a good turnout - 12 in total, but not all at once which is the best part of an open house. Arrivals are magically staggered.
I followed Michelle's dictum that you always have something salty with drinks and loaded the coffee table with:
Pretzel crackers, water crackers and grissini-sized bread sticks for the two cheeses.
Brie with dried cherries or a dab of fig jam for it.
Tinterm Welsh cheese which has leeks and scallions inside it and an Edam-like green peel-off rind. Slightly sour back taste; could be creamier but overall, good.
A bowl of mixed olives and dried cherries
Peppered salami slices, jars of cashews and peanuts.
Half of the dining room table held: Spice Thai Shrimp Bao (didn't sell at all well, but they're very good)
Bacon-wrapped scallops (only one left)
Shrimp Corn Dogs - went very quickly. Children like them, too.
Feta and Onion Pastry Bites
Crab Rangoon won tons - they're even good cold the next day!
Mushroom Raviolis in a Mushroom-Truffle Sauce.
Why, yes! I did have my head in the oven most of the afternoon! How did you know?
The other half was for dessert (which we totally over did, sadly)
Richie's Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Ice Cream and chopped candied pecans (one taker)
Cannoli (none left)
Buche de Noel, the French caken - went over well.
A chocolate-covered panneton with a cream sauce running through the cake underneath - no one!
A couple of trays of mixed, decorated holiday cookies (and kids like them, too)
A dozen vanilla or chocolate macaroons - I think maybe three are left.
A Whitman's double-decker Sampler and a box of chocolate-covered cherries.
CATERED BY TRADER JOE'S except for the candies.
I intend to have some tasty lunches because Himself won't countenance leftover apps as a full dinner. More for me (shrug)
He also made me participate in the annual December 26th event called "Boxing Day" in Great Britain, but "Hellfire and damnation day!" by me. He makes me go to Hallmark with him and buy next year's Christmas cards. How the hell can I know what kind of mood I'll be in a full year away?!
The bird was still sleeping, under her cover, when Richie picked up a music box of Santa twirling to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and started it playing. From under her cover, Lady Bird began to warble along with the music box! (Naturally we then uncovered the cockatiel.)
Richie likes to make Sunday breakfast and his pancakes were their usual good selves and really well done bacon is good for you - something about the carbon. We got good presents; useful, fun, interesting things. Then we straightened out the house for an Open House from 3 to 7 p.m. We had a good turnout - 12 in total, but not all at once which is the best part of an open house. Arrivals are magically staggered.
I followed Michelle's dictum that you always have something salty with drinks and loaded the coffee table with:
Pretzel crackers, water crackers and grissini-sized bread sticks for the two cheeses.
Brie with dried cherries or a dab of fig jam for it.
Tinterm Welsh cheese which has leeks and scallions inside it and an Edam-like green peel-off rind. Slightly sour back taste; could be creamier but overall, good.
A bowl of mixed olives and dried cherries
Peppered salami slices, jars of cashews and peanuts.
Half of the dining room table held: Spice Thai Shrimp Bao (didn't sell at all well, but they're very good)
Bacon-wrapped scallops (only one left)
Shrimp Corn Dogs - went very quickly. Children like them, too.
Feta and Onion Pastry Bites
Crab Rangoon won tons - they're even good cold the next day!
Mushroom Raviolis in a Mushroom-Truffle Sauce.
Why, yes! I did have my head in the oven most of the afternoon! How did you know?
The other half was for dessert (which we totally over did, sadly)
Richie's Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Ice Cream and chopped candied pecans (one taker)
Cannoli (none left)
Buche de Noel, the French caken - went over well.
A chocolate-covered panneton with a cream sauce running through the cake underneath - no one!
A couple of trays of mixed, decorated holiday cookies (and kids like them, too)
A dozen vanilla or chocolate macaroons - I think maybe three are left.
A Whitman's double-decker Sampler and a box of chocolate-covered cherries.
CATERED BY TRADER JOE'S except for the candies.
I intend to have some tasty lunches because Himself won't countenance leftover apps as a full dinner. More for me (shrug)
He also made me participate in the annual December 26th event called "Boxing Day" in Great Britain, but "Hellfire and damnation day!" by me. He makes me go to Hallmark with him and buy next year's Christmas cards. How the hell can I know what kind of mood I'll be in a full year away?!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Holiday wishes
Merry Christmas!
Happy Channukah!
A Terrific Kwaana!
And, cheer up, Atheists, this is about the end of all the religious celebrating!
Happy Channukah!
A Terrific Kwaana!
And, cheer up, Atheists, this is about the end of all the religious celebrating!
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