tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89962824664168784012024-03-05T12:39:56.112-08:00Hail to the ChefLaw, Soccer, and Food. A wife, three kids, and fish named Paco.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-3508876779290444342009-09-13T19:13:00.000-07:002009-09-13T19:47:33.579-07:0030 Minutes or Less -- Or the Downfall of Modern (Pizza) Civilization<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/en/7/73/Avoid_the_Noid_Coverart.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 297px;" src="http://wpcontent.answers.com/wikipedia/en/7/73/Avoid_the_Noid_Coverart.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />One of the first slogans I remember from my childhood is "Avoid the Noid." Weekend nights would roll around and every once in a while, my parents would spring for pizza to be delivered. Us kids would wait anxiously and check the clock, because if that sucker was delivered one second after 3o minutes, it was free.<br /><br />I always loved the idea of making a call and a short while later, a pizza would magically appear at my doorstep. A fact that a quick glance at my bank statements during my college years would easily confirm. But lately, I've grown a little sorrowful for my (and, I'm assuming, the rest of the country's) reliance on delivery to satisfy my pizza needs.<br /><br />It used to be that whenever you wanted a slice, you'd head down to the local pizzeria, grab a booth, a pitcher of your favorite soda, and wait for it to come steaming out of the oven and straight to your table. How often do we do that any more? Pizza parlors have become a dying breed. They have an unmistakable scent. Walk inside and you're instantly reminded of friends' birthday parties in elementary school. Or celebrating the final game of little league. Sure, it's not as convenient (or miraculous) as having it show up at your doorstep. I'm willing to bet it's a heck of a lot better. Everything is fresh and there's no cardboard taste from those horrible boxes.<br /><br />Do yourself a favor. The next time your craving some pizza, grab your family or some friends, flip through your phone book and look up your local place. It's probably named Tony's or Giuseppe's or Lucy's -- mine is called Maxie's. Head on over and get a fresh pie, you'll be happy you did. Who knows, if all of us do this every once in a while, we won't be stuck eating chain-store pizza from a cardboard box for the rest of our lives.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />* Dominos has since done away with the 30 minute or its free policy. Allegedly because their drivers were causing too many accidents trying to beat the 30 minute mark. Dominos got sued so much, it eventually undid the guarantee. Stupid lawyers -- ruining all my pizza delivery fun.</span>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-28720618775505395962009-03-07T08:32:00.000-08:002009-03-07T09:00:36.344-08:00Food Crush<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/food_love460.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 134px;" src="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/food_love460.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Let me start of by making it clear that I love my wife. She is a wonderful person and I am thankful everyday that she settled for me.<br /><br />With that in mind, let me tell you about a little crush I have. For a long time I saw a link on my sister's blog that said "<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/">Pioneer Woman Cooks</a>." Now, while I enjoy cooking, I am neither a pioneer or a woman, so I did not click.<br /><br />A few months ago, out of boredom, I decided to give it a try. What I saw astounded me. The food looked amazing, with step-by-step photos, instructions, and even some humor thrown in. I went through dozens of recipes in the archives. Before I knew it, I had spent hours on this website. I started to feel guilty. So I called my sister and asked if it was weird that I had a crush on this fabled "Pioneer Woman" given that 1) I am a happily married man; and 2) I had never even seen her. In fact I didn't even know if it was a single "her." It could have been a conglomerate of pioneer women who ran the site. The truth is, I didn't care, and neither should you.<br /><br />The Pioneer Woman Cooks captures how I feel about food. Fancy when it should be, but more often than not, just down-and-dirty good food.<br /><br />So go give it a read. You probably already have. It would have been time better spent than reading this dribble about my not-so-secret food crush. If you haven't, now's a great time to start -- She just updated her<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/category/all-pw-recipes/"> recipe index</a>.<br /><br />There goes my weekend.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-71326349890509504102009-01-05T19:07:00.000-08:002009-01-05T20:09:37.622-08:002008 Year in Review: The Food Edition2008 was been a pretty big year in the BSucio household. New baby, a move, a new job, and much, much more. Those topics have mostly been covered on Mrs. BSucio's blog. Gastronomically speaking, 2008 was pretty good as well. So, I thought I'd review the year's best meals, month-by-month, to recap the tastiness of the last twelve months.<br /><br />JANUARY:<br /><br />New Years Eve Cioppino -- Technically, this was a 2007 food, but since it would have still been digesting in 2008, I'll give it a pass. A great seafood stew, made with my brother-in-law. It was tomato-based with crab, shrimp, halibut and a lot of other good stuff. Served with some good bread.<br /><br />FEBRUARY:<br /><br />Pork Lo Mein/Potstickers: Old Peking, Moscow, ID. What a great way to celebrate Chinese New Year. As if I needed an excuse to eat Chinese food. This place was great. Surprisingly, Moscow had an abundance of Chinese places, but this one was best.<br /><br />MARCH:<br /><br />Pancetta-Wrapped Meatloaf: Nectar, Moscow, ID. Normally, you wouldn't expect to find meatloaf on a list like this, but Nectar's use of mostly local, fresh ingredients made this my favorite from its menu. Served with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled young carrots.<br /><br />APRIL:<br /><br />Korean BBQ Beef: Loco Grinz, Moscow, ID. Spicy, tender and served quick. It also came with sides of rice and tasty macaroni salad. It was quick food that became a family staple.<br /><br />MAY:<br /><br />Steak Dinner: Gritman Memorial Hospital. Ok, in reality, the steak was tough and over-cooked. But having the opportunity to sit down with my wife and sleeping one-day old baby, made for an unforgettable meal. If only it hadn't been cut short because of a Secured Transactions final the next day.<br /><br />JUNE:<br /><br />Prime Rib: Prime Rib, Washington, D.C. Hands down, best meal of the year. My friend, Cheesy Mac, and I were in D.C. to present papers for a conference on nonsmokers rights (sounds thrilling, I know). The stipend paid for our meal on Saturday night. We asked the concierge at the hotel for the best prime rib in town and they got us a reservation at this place. It was fancy -- jacket and tie required, but it didn't disappoint. It was the most delicious piece of beef I've ever eaten. I also had some jumbo shrimp as an appetizer.<br /><br />JULY:<br /><br />Patty's Special Burrito: Patty's Kitchen. I was alone throughout this month and had no hardware to cook with. So my meals were considerably terrible. I stopped at Patty's one night because I couldn't take one more Lean Pocket. This burrito could have single handedly helped me pass the bar. It kept me studying when I could have easily given up. A good meal can do that.<br /><br />AUGUST:<br /><br />Cowboy Ribeye: Chandler's, Boise, ID. My first week at my new job, I was taken along to a mediation on a big case. We had several attorneys on our side and they all got together to celerate (we had alreay partially won the case) and strategize for the mediation. The steak was cooked perfectly and served with a great blue cheese sauce.<br /><br />SEPTEMBER:<br /><br />Trout Almondine: Canyon Crest, Twin Falls, ID. My firm bought dinner for me and my wife on the day I found out I passed the bar. The meal was really good, but the relief of hearing the news was even better.<br /><br />OCTOBER:<br /><br />All-I-Could-Eat Sushi: Sushi Ya, Twin Falls, ID. Cheesy Mac and I hit this place not knowing what to expect. We were surprised at the freshness and quality. We had yellowfin, ahi, crab, shrimp, octopus, and a lot more.<br /><br />NOVEMBER:<br /><br />Thanksgiving Dinner: BSucio's house. I was assigned the turkey. I brined it and cooked it with some aromatics insided. It turned out great. And best of all, I made a decent gravy. Something I had never accomplished before.<br /><br />DECEMBER:<br /><br />Christmas Ham: BSucio's Mom and Dad's house. A Falls Brand, bone-in ham. It was scored with garlic cloves stuffed in it. We put a great mustard glaze on it. It was the best ham I've ever had.<br /><br /><br />So there they are. The best meals of the year. Some months were better than others, but they were all memorable. What were your best meals of the year?bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-68938428752894018182008-12-17T20:36:00.001-08:002008-12-18T10:02:26.213-08:00Shrimp --- It's What's for BreakfastWe had a Christmas Party at our office yesterday. About 75 people showed. We had enough food for about three army battalions. That meant plenty of leftovers. I brought home the shrimp platter to refrigerate overnight and then take back today. This morning I thought I'd keep some at home for myself and take the rest of the platter back to the office.<br /><br />My daughter, who had just rolled out of bed, flew down like a vulture to roadkill.<br /><br />"What are those?"<br /><br />"Shrimp."<br /><br />"Are they good?"<br /><br />"Yep."<br /><br />"Can I have one?"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mother from the other room</span>: "It's 7:30 a.m.! No!"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Me</span> <span style="font-size:78%;">(at about the same time)</span>: "Sure."<br /><br />One went down, then two, then three. Pretty soon she had devoured half a dozen shrimp before 8:00. I was proud.<br /><br />Then I turned my back for half-a-second. When I turned back the cover was off the plate of summer sausage and she was halfway through a huge chunk. Breakfast of champions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdh8u5wOxu1FGTl19eu4Khs0g-QcBpGirk1YIJ6xTBGF4gc77CypCAoGo6SmTQYkK6KXjezhDtTooYkbZkVhEUNknifEgct8Pvw2JLRKxMAqvdcvVpEsKENfy6rJqt4nvIL6X5Zdge8s/s1600-h/IMG00077.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdh8u5wOxu1FGTl19eu4Khs0g-QcBpGirk1YIJ6xTBGF4gc77CypCAoGo6SmTQYkK6KXjezhDtTooYkbZkVhEUNknifEgct8Pvw2JLRKxMAqvdcvVpEsKENfy6rJqt4nvIL6X5Zdge8s/s200/IMG00077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281191504558398114" border="0" /></a>She's definitely MY daughter.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-5718755287004386972008-11-18T19:51:00.000-08:002008-11-18T20:20:23.092-08:00Dancing with the Star .... umm Flakes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/2/polar-bear-dancing-on-snow_2928.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 238px;" src="http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/2/polar-bear-dancing-on-snow_2928.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> There a few other things I enjoy in this world besides soccer, cooking, and my family. When my family moved to my town 18 years ago, I saw an old snowboard in a thrift shop. I grew up in California and had never seen snow before and certainly never skied. I thought I would give snowboarding a shot. I convinced my parents to get me the board and long story short; it grew to be a passion and fairly time consuming throughout all of my high school and college years.<br /><br />In anticipation of each coming season, my buddy and I, after drooling over the new <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.burton.com/default.aspx">Burton catalog</a>, would anxiously await the first snowfall of the year. Not just because it meant the resorts would be open soon; it also meant that it was time for our sacrifice to the snow gods. That night, when the first snow fell, we'd strip down to our skivvies and run and slide through the snow for 10 minutes or so. This tradition became known as "The Snow Dance." Each year we did this, we were able to enjoy long and prosperous winters that included many, many (we're talking "going-on-academic-probation-many") trips to the mountains.<br /><br />Life caught up to us, and eventually we were getting married, graduating, getting real jobs, having kids, and continuing education, and somehow the Snow Dance got lost in the shuffle (pun!). Coincidentally, our time spent on the mountain dramatically decreased (went downhill -- double pun!) as well. Some might blame the decrease on the "real life" factors mentioned previously, but there's a small part of me that thinks the snow gods are punishing us for our sins of omission. So to my buddy (you know who you are - and I don't think you read this anyway, but whatever) and to the rest of you, I say when the first <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> snow falls -- not this freakishly-early October junk-- we make our sacrifice in hopes of spending a little more time on the slopes this winter.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">As a side note and <span style="font-style: italic;">caveat</span> -- I will not be providing any free legal service should you happen to get picked up for indecent exposure. So be forewarned.</span>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-1974696029407593972008-10-27T20:26:00.000-07:002008-10-27T21:25:11.881-07:00A Long-Awaited ReunionThe following conversation between my blog and me was recently captured and I gained exclusive publication rights. So consider yourself lucky, my loyal readers (which may be down to 1 or 2 now); only a select few are privy to this information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hail to the Chef:</span> What's up, bro? Where you been? It's been, like, forever.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BSucio:</span> Oh, not much. I've been busy and stuff. You know how it is.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>No. I don't. You see, I'm a blog. I don't get out much. So please, elaborate.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS </span><span style="font-size:78%;">(</span><span style="font-size:78%;">yeah, I know)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Well, work has been keeping me busy. Being a lawyer is tough. Who knew? I did get sworn in before the state supreme court. That was cool. The next day they made us go to this class to tell us how to be lawyers.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />HttC:</span> And how was that?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>Fine, I guess. Really, it was 8 hours of "Don't sleep with your clients," "Don't steal your clients' money," and "Don't lie in court." Do we really need to have "rules" for that sort of thing? Shouldn't those be a given?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>Enough about being a lawyer already; I get it. Seen any good movies lately?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>Nope, but the new Fall lineup of shows has been decent enough. Mrs. BSucio and I have been watching Chuck and the Office. I think<a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://sothereyouhaveit.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-monday-nights-are-not-just-for.html"> she may have a crush on Chuck</a>. It's cool though, cuz the ladies on that show aren't hurtin', if you know what I'm saying.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>For sure, for sure.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>What about you? Anything new.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>Not really. I mean, you know, I hang with Wikipedia every once and a while. Soccernet.com and I are still friends. Oh, I did make friends with<a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/"> <span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">these guys</span></a>. Have you ever met them?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>LOL. ROTFL. Those cats are crazy-funny.<br /><br />Speaking of funny stuff; I drove by Sonic tonight. Their sign said "Try our new Sausage Biscuit Dippers." There's a whole lot of jokes to be made there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>For realz. Biscuit Dippers?!? Sausage Biscuit Dippers?!?!? Someone in marketing overexaggerated their resume.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>Yeah. Oh and along those lines...the Independent candidate for the Idaho Senate race?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>You talking about <a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);" href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/19/national/main3949353.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_3949353">Pro-Life</a>?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>That's Mr. Pro-Life to you. I mean, I'm all for getting behind a political cause you believe in. But changing your name to reflect said cause...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>No kidding. Insane.<br /><br />Any good soccer news out there?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span>Well, Manchester United have started out a little rough this season, but Rooney seems to be hitting his form, scoring goals almost at will. And Real Salt Lake Scored a goal with 30 seconds left on the clock in the last game of the season to put them into the playoffs for the first time.<br />I went a little nuts, running around the house, screaming and such.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>You're weird.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS:</span> Yeah, but now that I'm a lawyer, it should be pretty easy to change my name to Mr. Manchester RSL.<br /><br />Well, I better run, I've got to get into the office early tomorrow.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HttC: </span>Cool man. It's good to talk to you. Are you going to be gone forever again?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BS: </span></span>I<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span> hope not. I should be able to get into a routine sometime soon and I'll be back more often. If I'm not back in a while, it's Guitar Hero's fault.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-38449080557297255712008-09-15T19:35:00.000-07:002008-09-15T20:27:27.959-07:00Never Say Never: Denim's RevengeMy mother used to tell me this whenever I would say "I'm never going to..." or "That will never..." For the most part, she was right, but I always thought there would be a few things I could bank on.<br /><br />Turns out, she was right.<br /><br />When I left home over 10 years ago, I NEVER thought I would return to my home town. I always liked it and always enjoyed coming home for a visit, but I could never fathom a set of circumstances that would bring me back here full time.<br /><br />I now live in my home town, and I couldn't be happier about it. Despite just about every new person I meet asking me if my mom is "Mrs. BSucio" or if "Mr. BSucio" the former FBI guy, was my dad, we are really enjoying ourselves here.<br /><br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />When I had kids, I was excited. Sure, I was nervous, but I had always looked forward to being a dad. With that said, I swore up and down that I would NEVER drive a minivan. I have friends who have made this statement (you know who you are), and it's a common sentiment among new fathers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5EboHliCFqJ0lwZncoQsTPxOZx4Bc0YtsDH329vk42zXcTjD5rJhUJDIIp60HQHUc7EP51THM_5RAuW4MhdhnYSRG-kO7-4cEhs5z2dwz-7-FPgpTksYWrjC1ambMnX0qNqk-NWxgFs/s1600-h/DSCN1023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5EboHliCFqJ0lwZncoQsTPxOZx4Bc0YtsDH329vk42zXcTjD5rJhUJDIIp60HQHUc7EP51THM_5RAuW4MhdhnYSRG-kO7-4cEhs5z2dwz-7-FPgpTksYWrjC1ambMnX0qNqk-NWxgFs/s200/DSCN1023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246455169149021538" border="0" /></a><br />This is our family car. The other day, in a moment of testosterone-driven glory, I was at a red light and needed to cross three lanes of traffic in about 50 yards to get to Costco. There was a jacked-up truck and a sporty little car in the two lanes to my left. The light turned green and I hit the gas. The tires squealed and my daughter started to cry because we were going so fast. I left the other two cars in the dust and was the proud driver of a kick-ass minivan. Just you wait my minivan-rejecting friends; just you wait.<br /><br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />I have my quirks. I admit this openly. I like "weird" sports like soccer. I couldn't tell you who won the Super Bowl last year, but I can tell you how to deglaze the pan after searing halibut to make some of the best sauce known to man. And those of you who have known me for some time, know that I NEVER wear jeans. I don't think they're comfortable and so I've always worn khakis or some other option.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ceostylefile.com/my_weblog/images/2007/11/10/nudie_jeans_regular_ralf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 106px; height: 106px;" src="http://www.ceostylefile.com/my_weblog/images/2007/11/10/nudie_jeans_regular_ralf.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, after 4 years in college, 2 years in Panama, 4 years getting some "real-world" experience, 3 years of law school and almost two decades of avoiding jeans and I have finally started my career. I show up on Day One and what is everybody wearing? You guessed it -- Denim City. My first act as a lawyer was to head to Old Navy and pick out a couple of pairs of jeans.<br /><br />That, my friends, is why you NEVER say never.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-52567272215537329362008-09-01T10:01:00.000-07:002008-09-01T10:18:29.894-07:00Oh TFCF&R How Do I Love Thee?Let me count the ways:<br /><br />I love thee for your Tater Pigs. Quite possibly the greatest thing to ever happen to fair food.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoSJlZCOEmQmM5E_EhbSW6hI_yBQc78EvuxSBBuSAm4lBYgeJDUeXy4MUQozEsefOKUUzDeC0Pz4UXUvzMbMHaa-I51vGyhuEuMBtQ3q7IiQzIHtAcS3CDY004m012UIPEMABhE_fLCk/s1600-h/DSCN1648.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoSJlZCOEmQmM5E_EhbSW6hI_yBQc78EvuxSBBuSAm4lBYgeJDUeXy4MUQozEsefOKUUzDeC0Pz4UXUvzMbMHaa-I51vGyhuEuMBtQ3q7IiQzIHtAcS3CDY004m012UIPEMABhE_fLCk/s200/DSCN1648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241100266646944034" border="0" /></a><br />I love thee for your curly fries, made fresh and on the spot. Curled and fried right be fore your eyes.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzi2RA8EEgRakbC9igpSfNXJs4tUzA5Vl5IuwUmH3ifuYlXFCRHMWLvLBAGU6uCb1aSaYb3pZtIBpU-hwxcyQXqmz-yLhA2FRAB2l4fHEraSmenjZUSXxK_oYXoAk28IjzcRAYM4AnQE/s1600-h/DSCN1649.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzi2RA8EEgRakbC9igpSfNXJs4tUzA5Vl5IuwUmH3ifuYlXFCRHMWLvLBAGU6uCb1aSaYb3pZtIBpU-hwxcyQXqmz-yLhA2FRAB2l4fHEraSmenjZUSXxK_oYXoAk28IjzcRAYM4AnQE/s200/DSCN1649.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241099929448303186" border="0" /></a><br />Oh how I love thee for your corn dogs. Hand-dipped and brushed with mustard. Your golden crunch surrounds a delicious hot dog.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEax-csczea2K-PlwnWsyMe0wL1lUj1yvfjpA_NVydskTKvsL6A_FjDwzNuhDhoYoGzhNoYtxIv93urIGEoqRHRGzFWuWpphlnv6o1qoSXDqUOxkQLhXrDb-Dq0Y3mlIrc3byR3zw2b8/s1600-h/DSCN1650.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEax-csczea2K-PlwnWsyMe0wL1lUj1yvfjpA_NVydskTKvsL6A_FjDwzNuhDhoYoGzhNoYtxIv93urIGEoqRHRGzFWuWpphlnv6o1qoSXDqUOxkQLhXrDb-Dq0Y3mlIrc3byR3zw2b8/s200/DSCN1650.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241100548364078050" border="0" /></a><br />I love thee because of your freshly-squeezed lemonade. The perfect compliment to fried foods and pork.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrK_jhXFSUSgrWC0ZJZy4a8Xcl9ojeYUCtjyE0uEE5h6fbieBU0z-xhb5RogqyeQTFkBeGa8j-owhI1UNI41wFT4I51VtZ7-QnZgTHBLKqTG9YCBDYbyvlguhnP4uQLHxzpi6hVHMxUI/s1600-h/DSCN1651.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrK_jhXFSUSgrWC0ZJZy4a8Xcl9ojeYUCtjyE0uEE5h6fbieBU0z-xhb5RogqyeQTFkBeGa8j-owhI1UNI41wFT4I51VtZ7-QnZgTHBLKqTG9YCBDYbyvlguhnP4uQLHxzpi6hVHMxUI/s200/DSCN1651.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241099923030246770" border="0" /></a><br />I love thee because of the gloriousness of the mini-donuts. So small, yet so big all at the same time.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPu_bnrNMn5VJmhM3XM9t5iyi3xYs621Nr7_88ORoN02wzvBjnWOzOOejbbaea55UToct8ILov53eE5qQ6Qt-OZJAVjTBX4qVdriH7m2xPUmErwxGM3gklVkmlzdtrYU_6w61BTvN9U4/s1600-h/DSCN1652.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPu_bnrNMn5VJmhM3XM9t5iyi3xYs621Nr7_88ORoN02wzvBjnWOzOOejbbaea55UToct8ILov53eE5qQ6Qt-OZJAVjTBX4qVdriH7m2xPUmErwxGM3gklVkmlzdtrYU_6w61BTvN9U4/s200/DSCN1652.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241099920065472882" border="0" /></a>I love thee for your root beer floats. Foamy, creamy, delicious.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzu73Ag0-P1wE3gn-fTEpjrW_b-WZNOQKwTMqxJm3u5n-8PGJhXkM9fegrK7NDkVM8GoOdl2693P7mFQwP5U_q9tUTlBn2gwAMx547GMLNF-olyh3i0NwfmhcyXotAnO9ppxPbvRs_iE4/s1600-h/DSCN1665.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzu73Ag0-P1wE3gn-fTEpjrW_b-WZNOQKwTMqxJm3u5n-8PGJhXkM9fegrK7NDkVM8GoOdl2693P7mFQwP5U_q9tUTlBn2gwAMx547GMLNF-olyh3i0NwfmhcyXotAnO9ppxPbvRs_iE4/s200/DSCN1665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241099912578506546" border="0" /></a>And let me not forget of my love for your elephant ears. Crusty and sweet, not to mention that your bigger than my head.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOuzP7Vp9pmMI-SLqyhRX2SJoJ35Z9kU6nZGf3fZ4W2AlZqgZ16Jn9aOsm5TCL7dMQOCFgqvQWKfGIey4G0VFQozi22OnQZbwIoce8oHeN9Gsz84MMLMT9ycoORPbStVQocsr8HnxJr0/s1600-h/DSCN1666.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUOuzP7Vp9pmMI-SLqyhRX2SJoJ35Z9kU6nZGf3fZ4W2AlZqgZ16Jn9aOsm5TCL7dMQOCFgqvQWKfGIey4G0VFQozi22OnQZbwIoce8oHeN9Gsz84MMLMT9ycoORPbStVQocsr8HnxJr0/s200/DSCN1666.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241099909553906434" border="0" /></a>'Til next year my love. 'Til next year.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-40004152986346190232008-08-09T09:18:00.000-07:002008-08-09T09:36:51.542-07:00Welcome Back, Me!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://assets.hulu.com/shows/key_art_welcome_back_kotter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 146px;" src="http://assets.hulu.com/shows/key_art_welcome_back_kotter.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm Back! After a nearly three-week hiatus, I have time and an internet connection to resume my blogging escapades. Let me apologize to the three of you that read this for not giving you fair warning of my departure.<br /><br />I have so much to tell you: the bar exam; slip-n-slides in the city park; loading three U-Hauls in one day; leaving Moscow; A new house, which means new kitchen; seeing my totally-tubular family after several weeks away; the upcoming Manchester United season; a new Featured Artist of the Week; and so much more.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I've still got some boxes to unload, so that will have to wait. Until then, I'll leave you with these three:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ_hD8gz6_ATZBZbh7EUZeXTRQWzftH-dF9WOOE0cvtrXfQ3elzkfyC6QbE-gSIwfw6nXh8YW9yGdXdKiYaaYm3TgsgcdegXSbIi2DNtzleBofoy8bcX6J1oY1j4ZRsEYWn5nf_Ea168/s1600-h/Kids.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ_hD8gz6_ATZBZbh7EUZeXTRQWzftH-dF9WOOE0cvtrXfQ3elzkfyC6QbE-gSIwfw6nXh8YW9yGdXdKiYaaYm3TgsgcdegXSbIi2DNtzleBofoy8bcX6J1oY1j4ZRsEYWn5nf_Ea168/s200/Kids.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232556333901412818" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I hope you enjoy seeing them even a fraction as much as I did.<br /></div>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-59814795104700690322008-07-24T17:58:00.000-07:002008-07-24T18:59:38.576-07:00Pun-derful<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/mediaUS/20080721/soc_all_star_skr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 314px;" src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/mediaUS/20080721/soc_all_star_skr.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The MLS All-Stars took on West Ham United of the English Premier League tonight (MLS won the game 3-2). I don't care much for All-Star games in general, but after seeing this picture, it became even more unbearable.<br /><br />ESPN, never one to pass up an opportunity to make a jackass of itself, must have paid an intern in college credit to spend hours coming up with this one. You see, West Ham's nickname is the Hammers. Get it? Hammers -- Hammer Time? You know; the 90's guy with the funny pants that could dance circles around any of those chumps on those dancing shows so prevalent on TV these days.<br /><br />Anyway, that's only part of the problem.<br /><br />Why is it that David Beckham's, ahem, "manhood" always finds it way to the front and center of just about any picture he manages to get in? I get it. He's a good looking man; but seriously people, I like the soccer, I don't need the whole package (get that one?).<br /><br />Truly crazy.<br /><br />Or should I say Nuts?bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-72284565459379421022008-07-22T20:08:00.000-07:002008-07-22T20:26:07.419-07:00Thou Shalt Not...Since I'm in the habit of stealing (online-borrowing?) lately, I thought I'd pass off other people's posts as my own. Besides, the bar is in less than a week; I've got studying to do people.<br /><br />My wife has put up a lot of super-awesome pictures of my kids lately. Check them out out <a href="http://www.sothereyouhaveit.blogspot.com/">here</a>. They're cute; I know this. I miss them a lot.<br /><br />And my sister posted this instant-classic picture/post with my daughter and my grandma. Sneak a peek <a href="http://sixstewarts.blogspot.com/2008/07/sweet-generations.html">here</a>. My daughter has now almost been away from me longer than she has been around me. That's not right and I'm looking forward to that changing -- very much.<br /><br />On a side note:<br /><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/mls/standings"><br />RSL managed to stay in first place in the Western Conference after their draw in Chicago on Saturday. </a>Is that a good omen for the bar? Magic 8-ball says: "Signs point to yes."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/8ball1.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 128px;" src="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/8ball1.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Excellent.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-56844119287363483622008-07-19T19:51:00.000-07:002008-07-19T20:48:16.665-07:00Not Quite What You Might ExpectI stole an idea from a friend's blog (stealing is OK if it's online, right?). Instead of having the handy playlist that everybody has to show off their favorite music, she had a "featured artist of the week." "What a great idea", I thought. So now I'm stealing it.<br /><br />I thought I might take it a bit further though. I'll give you a little background to the music, why I like it, some humorous anecdotes, etc. Some weeks it may be a new band; some weeks may have an old classic. Who knows? Please let me know if you like it, hate it, rushed to iTunes to get it, or busted your speakers trying to make it stop. Any thoughts will do.<br /><br />I'll also be giving it minivan ratings on a scale of 1-4. One minivan means that if you play this music in front to your kids it will make them dumb and secure your eternal damnation; four minivans and your talking about a family roadtrip sing-a-long classic.<br /><br />The inaugural selection is:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://tashed.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/vamp1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 154px;" src="http://tashed.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/vamp1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Vampire Weekend<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">It's been a long time since I've been all geeked up about a new band, but these guys have managed to consume my ipod for several months now. Don't let the name deter you; I've yet to square the dark image of vampires in my mind with the upbeat, lively, creative music this band puts out.<br /><br />They mix African beats with string quartets. Flutes with indie rock. Reggae with pop. You name it, it's probably in there. It's impressive and, well ... Fun. The entire album is pretty solid top to bottom, yet they manage to mix up their style in some new way with each song. Lots of bands that try to pull that much off usually end up with a sound that's busy and cluttered. Not the case here.<br /><br />So, give it a listen. If you don't like one song, try another. Odds are you'll probably find something you like. Let me know what you think.<br /><br />Minivans:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.vanandcardesks.com/images/large_minivan.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 87px; height: 48px;" src="http://www.vanandcardesks.com/images/large_minivan.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.vanandcardesks.com/images/large_minivan.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 87px; height: 48px;" src="http://www.vanandcardesks.com/images/large_minivan.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.vanandcardesks.com/images/large_minivan.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 87px; height: 48px;" src="http://www.vanandcardesks.com/images/large_minivan.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />You'll have to skip one or two songs for language, but they'll enjoy singing and dancing to most of the album.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-34135474066950317292008-07-17T18:25:00.000-07:002008-07-17T18:44:26.518-07:00Who?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/z0302a1700/anonymous.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 139px; height: 116px;" src="http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/z0302a1700/anonymous.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So there was this kid at my law school. He was always hanging around wile we ate lunch, talked, watched tv, played pong, essentially all the times we were taking breaks.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">He never said anything.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Everybody liked him, but he just chose to not speak all that often. He became known as "Anonymous Tom". Kind of oxymoronic if you think about it, but anyway. Eventually he began to talk more, but the name stuck for the next three years.<br /><br />Great story, right?<br /><br />Anyway, sometimes people like to remain anonymous, at least to a certain degree. This could be for various reasons. Like if they enjoy feeling mysterious or they just want to avoid all the weirdos out there. Whatever.<br /><br />That leads me to my (way over-introduced) point. If you link to my blog, or more importantly, to <a href="http://www.sothereyouhaveit.blogspot.com/">that of my super-hot wife</a>. Please do so by using first names only. For me, I just don't need some future boss reading of my weird affection for pepperoncinis or knowing just how much of my life I devote to watching soccer.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks for listening. And, if you'd do me this little favor, I'd sure appreciate it.<br /><br />Also, if you know an "Anonymous Tom" -- Talk to them. You'll be happy you did.<br /></div></div>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-43270111936941236162008-07-15T18:56:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:45:42.460-07:00Peter Piper was a Genius<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/40/Pepperoncini.jpg/200px-Pepperoncini.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 130px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/40/Pepperoncini.jpg/200px-Pepperoncini.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Pepperoncinis are like little slices of heaven. I'm serious. These pickled peppers taste great, store well and can be added to just about anything. They're not hot and make anything they accompany taste better.<br /><br />If you're unfamiliar with these, please give them a try. They can be rinsed in cold water if you're adverse to the brine flavor. Try adding them to a sandwich to give it extra flavor and a crisp bite. They can be tossed into a pasta dish to add salt and great color. I personally love them on top of pizza because they provide great balance to the sometimes heavy toppings.<br /><br />Speaking of balance, you might also try stuffing them with some sort cheese/veggie/herb mixture... Alright, now I'm just making stuff up, but such is the versatility of the pepperoncini. So please, next time you want to try something new, or give your staple dish a twist, throw some pepperoncinis in there. I promise you won't be disappointed.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-55252511790408291362008-07-13T21:05:00.001-07:002008-12-14T13:55:52.947-08:00Who's on First?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lovecomm.net/brand/logo-real.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 133px;" src="http://www.lovecomm.net/brand/logo-real.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />My boys (who you are sure to hear plenty more about in the future) won their game last night putting them in first place in the western division.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeuZy9vl277dUItV1KgoKpbNI4uMJ4WtIuK38GGTA_cpF-3HByV3qUzc69Rr38FdEoX8-BOwVMUB03IU1mcGaVxL_Tbv9tznssCUcQCZd_1iEkIeciFeABmo5L9khfZwW8e6RACQrs6M/s1600-h/Findley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfeuZy9vl277dUItV1KgoKpbNI4uMJ4WtIuK38GGTA_cpF-3HByV3qUzc69Rr38FdEoX8-BOwVMUB03IU1mcGaVxL_Tbv9tznssCUcQCZd_1iEkIeciFeABmo5L9khfZwW8e6RACQrs6M/s200/Findley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222716777512958882" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Congrats and keep it up!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:78%;">P.S. Man Utd started their preseason yesterday win a win. Soon it will be my favorite time of year, when the EPL and MLS overlap. I'm sure my wife is thrilled.</span><br /></div></div>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-91014180241983356092008-07-11T22:15:00.000-07:002008-07-13T19:37:40.147-07:00Food -- It's What's for Dinner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.erinrehil.com/Page%20Components/foodie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.erinrehil.com/Page%20Components/foodie.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />What is it about a meal that makes it good?<br /><br />I mean, obviously the food has something to do with it, but there's got to be something more than that. I've been fortunate to eat at some really great restaurants, but the great meals I have eaten haven't always been at the fanciest places. The best sandwich in the world (in my humble opinion) comes from a place that would face certain condemnation if the health inspector ever came for a visit.<br /><br /><a href="http://hailtothechef.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-feel-kind-of-laos-y.html">My last post</a> got me thinking of this; one of the best meals I have eaten came from Les Halles in Washington D.C. There was nothing particularly fancy about this place and I ordered the classic Steak Frites. Maybe it was the awesome french waiter who looked utterly astounded when my daughter cleared her plate of Parisian Ham. Maybe it was just simple food, made really (REALLY!) well. Either way, the meal was great.<br /><br />Sometimes its the food, sometimes its the company, sometimes its the occassion. Regardless, here is my list of my best five meals (in no particular order):<br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.leshalles.net/">Les Halles</a> -- Washington D.C. -- Steak Frites<br />2. Milletti's -- Park City, Utah -- Pork Medallions in a berry reduction <span style="font-size:78%;">(Sadly, Milleti's is no longer in business)</span><br />3. <a href="http://www.theprimerib.com/">Prime Rib</a> -- Washington D.C. -- Prime Rib*<br />4. <a href="http://www.snakeriver-grill.com/">Snake River Grill</a> -- Hagerman, Idaho -- Stuffed Dover Sole<br />5. <a href="http://www.cafeasean.com/">Cafe Asean</a> -- NYC -- Lemongrass-Crusted Snapper<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Honorable Mention</span>: <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/restaurants/M18460">Nectar</a>, Moscow, Idaho -- Pancetta-Wrapped Meatloaf<br /><br /><br />So, what was your favorite meal?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*Here's an eating out tip from me. If you go to a place that's named for a particular dish -- order that dish. You don't go to a place named Prime Rib and order a chicken cesaer salad; that's just wrong...and sad.</span>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-31247259406928783142008-07-08T19:29:00.000-07:002008-07-08T19:56:23.423-07:00I Feel Kind of Laos-y<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/maps/wg-laos-2032-400x300.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 187px;" src="http://static.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/maps/wg-laos-2032-400x300.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So, I was anxiously awaiting the season premiere of <a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain">No Reservations</a> last night. For those of you that haven't caught this show, I recommend you do so (you might also really enjoy his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Confidential-Adventures-Culinary-Underbelly/dp/0060934913">book</a>; for that matter, you might try the <a href="http://www.leshalles.net/">restaurant </a>as well).<br /><br />Anyway, in the episode last night, he went to Laos. Before the show, I knew next to nothing about this country other than where it was on the map. As it turns out, this may be one of the coolest countries out there, and it definitely made its way on my list of places to visit.<br /><br />But let me tell you what sucked about the episode last night. Apparently, American bombers during the Vietnam War were encouraged to dispose of the their unused explosives in Laos when making their way back from bombing missions in Vietnam. As a result, the Laotian people were forced to deal with in excess of 400 million bombs dropped in their country. 15% of those remained active (didn't blow up). So now there are over 60 million live bombs all around the country. The Laos government had to create a special organization that goes around with metal detectors to try and find them before the farmers accidentally do.<br /><br />Then he visited the home of a small family. The father was missing an arm and a leg after detonating a bomb with a shovel while making repairs to their home and dug a 2 foot hole for a new post. Thirty years after the war, some guy who wasn't even alive while the fighting was going on, in a country that wasn't even "involved" in the conflict has to live his life with half of his appendages because soldiers from our country were ordered to "litter."<br /><br />Then, when an American shows up on his doorstep, he, his wife and three kids, put together an elaborate spread of fish, vegetables, fruits, and rice to share with him on their dirt floor.<br /><br />I hope I can learn to be that forgiving in my life.bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-73399829360196848212008-07-06T17:14:00.001-07:002008-07-08T20:03:45.799-07:00Necessity is the Mother of InventionI haven't been able to "cook" in a couple of months now. Sure, I've made some dinners, but I haven't had the chance to come up with something new or exciting in a while. Finals, a new baby, graduation, and bar study all kind of got in the way of kitchen creation. Now that I'm alone and have been living off of frozen dinners and Lean Pockets (don't, by the way. Just, DON'T), I've been forced to be a little more resourceful if I want a break from a Marie Calendar's chicken pot pie. Besides, it helps use up all the food we had on hand before we move.<br /><br />Seriously, it's like him:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.macgyveronline.org/control/macgyver.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.macgyveronline.org/control/macgyver.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>and her: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper932/stills/41411ab5d3b06-88-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper932/stills/41411ab5d3b06-88-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>got together and had some sort of freaky love-child.<br /><br />Anyway, when I found a package of chicken breasts behind the bag of frozen meatballs in the freezer, it was like a goldmine. I put together a Korean BBQ chicken on the grill and some Asian rice. In the process, I used up the last of the rice and peas. Plus, I made enough so that I have leftovers for tomorrow.<br /><br />Suck on that, Lean Pockets!!!bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996282466416878401.post-92197554066346929742008-07-03T14:23:00.000-07:002008-07-03T18:53:01.685-07:00The Bachelor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kara.allthingsd.com/files/2008/03/080807bachelor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 201px;" src="http://kara.allthingsd.com/files/2008/03/080807bachelor.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kara.allthingsd.com/files/2008/03/080807bachelor.jpg"> </a><br />No, not that one, although I did have a mustache that was just as bad as that one for a short time for a contest.<br /><br />No, I mean like this:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_-QGW_6PFG8I/RfHFBSu_BoI/AAAAAAAAAkc/PprWg05fMBM/IMG_1872.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 197px;" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_-QGW_6PFG8I/RfHFBSu_BoI/AAAAAAAAAkc/PprWg05fMBM/IMG_1872.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a> Now, I have no idea who these guys are, but nothing says "I'm a bachelor" like showing the horns and overflowing garbage cans.<br /><br />My family has left me for a month while I study for the bar exam. It has its pros and cons. It has been nice to only have the bar to focus on and no other worries. At the same time, after spending 10+ hours at the library, coming home to an empty house (literally empty; my wife packed up the house before she left) is a little depressing. I'm used to coming home to screaming, crying, laughing, and general craziness for over five years. It's a bit lonely.<br /><br />So last night after being at school for over twelve hours, I decided to pick up some Chinese food on the way home. After thoroughly enjoying my Pork Lo Mein and Potstickers, I bust into my fortune cookie and read this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"The road to success<br />is often a lonely one"<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>That Confucius knew everything, didn't he?<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div></div>bsuciohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05594113606064037407noreply@blogger.com2