Mike's Short Attention Span Theater

Someone stole our steering wheel - oh, wait -- it's over there!

2012-02-14T13:04:00.002-05:00

Yes, I am recycling the same lame joke that I'm sure every American makes when they first pick up their rental car in New Zealand, but it is very disconcerting to realize that everything you learned about driving back when you were 16 gets thrown out of the window. And that was just the perspective from the back seat - I've not yet had the opportunity to drive. Mark was the first victim/volunteer and did a great job and was a good sport about me and Peter who kept yelling "Stay left! Stay left!" And we did have a laugh when he kept turning on the windshield wipers when he tried to signal a turn.

Off to Queenstown

2012-02-14T12:46:00.000-05:00

So anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, we left Auckland yesterday for Queenstown, on the South Island of New Zealand. It appears to be the city of superlatives, if our guidebook and the brochures we picked up at the Auckland airport are considered trusted sources. "The ultimate year-round alpine destination", "voted as the friendliest place in the world by Conde Nast Traveller magazine", "from mild to wild and relaxing to invigorating".

Compared to the 12.5 hour flight from Los Angeles we survived the other day, the hour-and-a-half flight to Queenstown was a breeze. As we descended through through the clouds toward our destination, it was abundantly clear that we were slicing through a dramatic mountain range. These photos aren't so great, perhaps because I was worried that I was going to get my iPhone slapped out of my hand by an overzealous flight attendant, or because out-of-the-window airplane photos usually kind of suck generally, but I hope they give you a sense of the terrain. I could not see out of the right side of the plane, but several times, it looked as if the left wing tip was going to scrape the brown mountain face. Obviously, it did not and we landed safely in Queenstown.

Move aside, iPad...there's a new kid in town

2012-02-14T12:33:00.000-05:00

OK, so I've figured out that it wasn't actually the internet connection that was screwing me up...it was trying to use the "blog by e-mail" feature on my iPad. To make a very long and boring story short, the iPad doesn't play nicely with the program (Blogger) that I use to create posts. So I had to sneak in the back way, and update this blog via e-mail. This presented several limitations, including no control over the size of photos. So I've transferred all of my photos from my phone and camera over to Peter's Mac, which I'm supremely happy that he decided to bring along, so now I'll blog from a "regular" computer. See? I told you it was a boring story. But hopes are high that my blogging issues are behind me. Onward and upward!

Damn internet connection!

2012-02-14T04:41:00.000-05:00

Am having heaps of problems getting any blog post with photos loaded tonight. Before I lose my mind, I am calling it a night. Will try again in the morning. We had an awesome day in Queenstown today -- hope I can show it to you soon!

A big (mostly) healthy breakfast

2012-02-14T04:18:00.000-05:00

We left Auckland this morning, after a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and a jaunt up the street to drop some postcards in the mail, arriving at the airport with plenty of time to spare for our noon departure to Queenstown. Happy Valentine's Day from New Zealand!

A tree grows in Devonport

2012-02-13T12:19:00.000-05:00

Actually, a LOT of beautiful trees grow and prosper in Devonport, the little village across the harbor that we visited yesterday. We pretty much stayed on the main drag, loaded with cafes, bookstores, and other nice little shops. We did enjoy our ice cream in a beautiful park, where I took the photo of the majestic tree below. In addition to being a lovely town, Devonport is also home to a naval base and fortresses built into Mt. Victoria and North Head. According to our trusty Lonely Planet guide, both have gun embankments, and North Head is filled with secret tunnels that were built in the 19th century in response to the Russian threat, and then extended during the two World Wars. The second shot below is a "picture of a picture" of old-time Devonport that was hanging in the ferry terminal.

Some more photos from our Auckland Harbor cruise

2012-02-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

Another shot of the harbor bridge framing the city skyline The second photo does not do justice to the true blueness of the water nor the fresh lime greeness of the grass on these harbor islands.

More scenes from our Auckland Harbor cruise

2012-02-13T11:24:00.001-05:00

Cruising around Auckland Harbor

2012-02-13T03:05:00.000-05:00

Once caffeinated, and walking up the street to get a quick sandwich, we headed over to the harbor where we enjoyed two excursions: the first was a 90 minute harbor cruise, a great chance to get a peek at the Auckland skyline from the water, and to get some sun and feel the wind on our faces. A highlight was crossing under the harbor bridge and having the captain telling us to look up, just as a daring bunjee jumper took a leap from a platform under the bridge's traffic lane. We passed under the bridge, where there is a sign posted to warn harbor traffic about objects suddenly falling from the sky (the bunjee jumpers) and circled back just in time to see someone else take the leap.

Our ship pulled back into port at just before 3:00 pm, and we hurried right onto the ship at the next berth for a quick ten minute ride to Davenport, a little village right across the harbor from downtown Auckland. Our blogger friend Gwan had suggested we make the trip and get an ice cream while we took in the views. Not wanting to disappoint Gwan, we did exactly that, enjoying lovely breezes and the warm sunshine that long-range forecasts had said would be hidden behind rain clouds all week. So much for worrying about things you can't control anyway...

The hotel hosts a cocktail hour in the "drawing room" on the second floor in about 45 minutes, so I have just enough time to clean up and change. Our plan is to find a nice, easy place for dinner and call it a night. We fly to the town of Queensland on the South Island tomorrow at noon.

Stay here: Hotel DeBrett in Auckland

2012-02-13T00:12:00.000-05:00

We are staying tonight at Hotel DeBrett on High Street in Auckland, a fun little boutique hotel just a couple of blocks from the harbor. While we waited for our rooms to become available, we enjoyed a coffee on the second floor of the hotel. It was the perfect "wake us up" potion and gave us renewed energy to go explore iur host city.

We have arrived in Auckland

2012-02-12T23:47:00.001-05:00

It was a perfect touchdown this morning at the Auckland airport after our 12.5 hour flight from Los Angeles. As hard as we tried, we were unable to score exit row seating on the plane, kind of important as we're both well over six feet tall, and on long flights, ALWAYS manage to sit behind someone who feels they must recline into our seats. The "extra leg room" seats had already been snapped up so we ended up in Row 26 A & B, window and aisle.

But the airplane karma gods were with us. As we got on board and waited for the folks in front of us to take their seats, we struck up a quick conversation with a group of flight attendants. Very friendly guys. So after settling in and taking off, one of the stewards came back and offered us a Champagne toast. Cheers! We both dozed off pretty quickly, as it had been a long day exploring Los Angeles. When we woke up, the flight was already halfway over, and once again, the steward came back, this time treating us to an ice-cold mimosa! Over the next six-and-a-half hours, we were totally spoiled and treated like VIPs. It made the tiny lady in front of me who was sprawled out in my lap that much easier to bear. Thanks to a great flight crew!!!

Goodnight, Los Angeles

2012-02-12T00:48:00.000-05:00

We spent the latter part of the afternoon in Redondo Beach, taking in some fresh air and sunshine, and enjoying the strong breezes as we watched the sun sink into the Pacific. At LAX now, had a bite to eat, and now waiting at gate #48 for our 11:30 pm departure. Next stop: Auckland.

Driving along Mulholland

2012-02-12T00:32:00.000-05:00

After an awesome lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Studio City, we drove up Mulholland Drive, a twisty road with lush landscapes, mega-mansions, and beautiful views of Las Angeles, including the famous Hollywood sign and the Hollywood Bowl.

Not $540, mind you. $541.

A picture of Mark taking a picture.

A nice meal, a drink, and a great movie - the only way to fly cross-country

2012-02-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

So my proposal is that everybody gets to fly First Class at some point in their life. Our friend Mark from Chicago, who is meeting us here in Los Angeles later this morning, very graciously used some of his airline points to upgrade our flight from Boston last night to the "front of the plane". (Thanks again, Mark!) What a treat!
From the moment we got on board and the flight staff helped us stow our bags, we were pampered, starting out with a lovely Champagne toast. Once airborne, I told Peter I was surprised there weren't individual TVs at each seat (my favorite airline is JetBlue because of the TVs, which I tune to The Food Network and never switch the channel). No sooner had I spoken than the flight crew brought us each a little suitcase containing a touch-pad entertainment system, complete with Bose noise-cancelling headphones. With dozens of movies, TV shows, and music soundtracks to chose from, I couldn't have been happier! I felt like a little kid the first time he gets to be in charge of the TV remote control!
Cocktails ("Beverages are available continously throughout the flight" our menu informed us) were delivered shortly thereafter, so with my gin and tonic firmly in hand, I decided to watch the classic 1955 film "Picnic", starring William Holden, Kim Novak, and Rosiland Russell. It was wonderfully campy and oh-so-dramatic, with Holden playing Hal Carter, a down-on-his-luck drifter who jumps off a train in a small Kansas town, just in time for its annual Labor Day picnic celebration. All of the ladies in the town are smitten, including Madge, played by Kim Novak, whose boyfriend and presumed fiance, is heir to his father's grain mill business. Madge is distracted by Hal's "joie de vivre" and his habit of doffing his shirt while doing chores for the elderly spinster next door.
Here's some great dialogue between Madge and her overprotective mother, played by Betty Field, who is starting to worry that her daughter, at 19 years of age, should seriously consider settling down with her rich boyfriend before she gets "too old":
Madge, with Alan, you'd live in comfort the rest of your life Charge accounts at all the stores, automobiles and trips. And you'd belong to the country club.
Mom, I don't feel right with those people
Why not? Your grandfather was in the state legislature. You're as good as they are. When a girl's as pretty as you are, she doesn' have to...
Oh mom. What good is it just to be pretty?
What a question!
Maybe I get tired of only being looked at.
You puzzle me when you talk that way.
Madge, does Alan ever make love?
Sometimes we park the car by the river.
Do you let him kiss you? After all, you've been going together all summer...
Well, of course I let him...
Does he ever want to go beyond kissing?
Oh mom...
Well, I'm your mother for heaven's sake. These things have to be talked about. Do you like it when he kisses you?
Yes...
Well you don't sound very enthusiastic...
Well what do you expect me to do? Pass out every time Alan puts his arms around me?
No, you don't have to pass out. But there won't be many more opportunities like the picnic tonight, and and it seems to me that you could at least...
What?
Nothing. Oh nothing.

Talk about a stage mother! It's a beautifully filmed movie, although Holden is a little long in the tooth to be playing a young Lothario. He was probably better suited to playing Madge's father rather than her love interest, but it all works in the end. Rosiland Russell is a hoot as Rosemary, the lonely hearts school teacher who works herself up into a lather at her every glance at Hal, at one point even drunkedly pulling his trousers up to his knees so she can see his legs. Awkward!
I'm composing this post by e-mail, so don't think I can embed the video below, so be sure to click the link to see a great dance scene at the Labor Day picnic where Hal and Madge finally connect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xj5p1Ob_ho&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Our first new time zone

2012-02-11T09:59:00.001-05:00

Just woke up in our room at the Holiday Inn Express, two miles outside of Los Angeles International Airport. Had a pretty restful night, after all that pampering on our flight from Boston (more about that later). We'll soon be heading down for our complimentary breakfast -- fingers crossed for eggs Benedict and freshly squeezed OJ. Hope Holiday Inn doesn't let me down!

And we're off...

2012-02-10T18:51:00.000-05:00

Who will win at this year’s Academy Awards?

2012-02-09T21:29:00.001-05:00

So the Oscars will be presented with much hoopla in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 26. And although we’ll be back in Boston by then, "fresh" from our trip to New Zealand, I can’t guarantee that having just flown across 18 times zones, that I’ll be in any shape to get my Oscar guesses formalized. So here, a few weeks early, are my guesses for who will bring home the gold. If there are any readers out there who’d like to make this interesting (Hi Blobby!), feel free to comment below or post your predictions on your blog and let’s see how we stack up.

In reviewing the full list of nominees, I must admit that I’ve seen NONE of the films nominated for “Best Picture” nor any films features in the the acting categories. Hell, I’ve not even seen this year’s “Short Films, Animated”! My enthusiasm for going to the movies has really dwindled over the past few years, maybe because of folks like these. Or maybe, as the name of my blog suggests, I really do suffer from short attention span. Or just maybe it's become way too easy to plop on the couch in the comfort of my own home and watch what I want when I want. So I had to do a little online research to try and figure out who the winners might become Oscar night. When it got to the more obscure categories, I ended up picking the nominees whose names I can best imagine being called out loud.

So here goes nothing. May the best man/woman win. With no further ado, may I have the envelope please…

Best Picture: The Artist
Actor in a leading role: George Clooney, The Decendants
Actress in a leading role: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Actor in a supporting role: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Actress in a supporting role: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Animated feature film: Rango
Art direction: The Artist
Cinematography: Tree of Life
Costume design: The Artist
Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Documentary feature: Paradise Lost 3
Documentary short subject: The Tsumami and the CherryBlossom
Film editing: The Artist
Foreign language film: A Separation
Makeup: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Music (original score): The Artist
Music (original song): Man or Muppet
Short film (animated): La Luna
Short film (live action): Pentecost
Sound editing: Hugo
Sound mixing: Hugo
Visual effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Writing (adapted screenplay): The Decendants
Writing (original screenplay): The Artist

The transition to vacation mode begins

2012-02-09T06:19:00.001-05:00

Step #1: Otis will be delivered to our friend MaryLynne's house for love and caring by her and her son Ian while we are away. I think I annoyed him a little this morning with an extra dose of affection but hope I made up for it with two "good-bye" biscuits.

In about a week. we'll be cruising on Doubtful Sound

2012-02-07T21:51:00.000-05:00

So our trip to New Zealand edges ever closer. Have been working long hours at the office, trying to wrap up or hand off projects so I can take a break from job responsibilities and enjoy this adventure.

On Sunday, we called our friend Mark from Chicago, with whom we’ll be making this trip. We asked him what he’s most looking forward to, and without missing a beat, he said it was an overnight stay on board a cruiser in Doubtful Sound.

Doubtful Sound is a large fjord (a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity – yup, I had to look it up) located in Fiordland National Park in the far south west of New Zealand. It's said to be the country’s most famous tourist destination (#1 is Milford Sound, a smaller but more accessible fjord in the park) and is home to bottleneck dolphins, seals, penguins, whales (!!), and a wide variety of sea creatures.

I’ve learned that one thing that makes Doubtful Sound unique is that it contains two layers of water: fresh water that cascades down from the surrounding mountains is on top; underneath is a layer of heavy, cold water from the sea, which serves as the perfect host to deep-sea species.

On Thursday, February 16, the Real Journeys tour company will pick us up from our hotel and escort us on a 45-minute boat ride across Lake Manapoui. Then we take a bus ride through a rainforest over Wilmot Pass to Deep Cove, where we board The Fiordland Navigator for a tour of Doubtful Sound. It’s an overnight stay on the cruiser, which sleeps 70, and we’ll have the opportunity to kayak, enjoy other water-based excursions, or just stay safely on board and watch for wild beasts! And of course, enjoy meal and cocktails with the other passengers.

Here's a sneak peak of what we might expectwhen we visit Doubtful Sound.

Producers behind ‘Jersey Shore’ confirm Southie reality show

2012-02-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

From today's "Boston Globe"

"The production company behind 'Jersey Shore' confirmed today that it's producing a South Boston-based reality series for TLC. The show, titled Southie Pride, will offer 'an insider's look at the faith, hard work, and family that make this blue-collar enclave Beantown's beating heart,' according to 495 Productions. It'll focus on five South Boston women and their families. That said, 495 Productions is best known for the MTV series 'Jersey Shore,' so prepare yourselves for anything. 495, which is run by SallyAnn Salsano, says the show will premiere this fall.

Focusing only on South Boston women only? Does this mean I miss my shot at being America's next reality TV sweetheart?

Now really, wouldn’t you adopt either one?

2012-02-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

Check out these really great public service announcements from The Shelter Pet Project. The project’s goal is to spread the word that pets in shelters are wonderful and lovable, and encouraging potential adopters to consider the shelter as the first place to find a new best friend.

"You are the worst at hide-and-go-seek!"

"Poop already! You're making me nervous!"

I’ll take Rose Marie to block

2012-02-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love TV game shows…always have, always will. And the bestof the breed are the old classics: “Joker’s Wild”, “Concentration”, “To Tellthe Truth”, “Liar’s Club”, “What’s My Line?”, “Password”, “Truth orConsequences”, and “High Rollers”. Before we switched cable providers, we usedto have access to The Game Show Network, but sadly, it was filled with modernremakes, not the old chestnuts. If GSN ran wall-to-wall classic game shows, I’dbe all over it.

One of the best game shows I remember was “HollywoodSquares”, in which contestants battled for prizes and cash, aided by the ninecelebrities stacked up, Brady Bunch style, in a big Tic-Tac-Toe board. PeterMarshall headed up the show, and although it’s common knowledge that thecelebrities were provided the funny answers by the show’s team of comedywriters, it was still great entertainment.

My friends Dave and Michelle recently forwarded me an e-mail that containedsome of the best bits from Hollywood Squares. Brought me right back to sittingcross-legged in front of the big console TV in our living room, my dog at myside, waiting for me to share a handful of buttered popcorn, and laughing out loud with my family.

Q. Paul, what is a good reason for pounding meat?

Paul Lynde: Loneliness! (The audience laughed so long andso hard it took up almost 15 minutes of the show!)

Q. Do female frogs croak?
Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at leasthow high should you be ?
Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000years.
George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.

Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are youprobably a man or a woman?
Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmopolitan, if you meet a stranger ata party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out andask him if he's married?
Rose Marie: No. Wait until morning.

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as youget older?
Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than threewords to say 'I Love You'?
Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Q. What are 'Do It,' 'I Can Help,' and 'I Can't GetEnough'?
George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment.

Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking?

Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old questionPeter, and I'll give you a gesture you'll never forget.

Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?
Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries.Are you going to get any during the first year?

Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growingstrawberries.

Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score?

Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q:. It is considered in bad taste to discuss twosubjects at nudist camps. One is

politics, what is the other?

Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or inthe closet?
Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom.

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls

Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. Whatwill a goose do

Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you givebirth to?

Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid ofthe dark.

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrongwith getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?
Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body,what is it?

Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn'tneglected.

Q: Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa puthorseradish on his head, what was he trying to do?

George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, yourwife or your elephant?

Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?

Q. When a have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?

Charley Weaver: I'll lend him the car, the rest is up tohim

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmlybelieves in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What arethey?

Charley Weaver: His feet.

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you shouldnever do in bed?

Paul Lynde: Point and laugh

Enjoy these classic clips:

Is there a big football game today?

2012-02-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

I heard there’s an important football game taking placetoday. Hope it’s not on the same time as the Madonna concert…

So I went into work early this morning, trying to wrap uploose ends before our trip to New Zealand (five days and counting until weleave). And because I needed to treat myself for getting up early on a Sundayand going into the office, I stopped at the local Dunkin’ Donuts for a largecup of joe and a bagel with peanut butter. If I were REALLY treating myself, I wouldhave gotten a Patriots-themed donut (red, white and blue frosting, donchaknow?).

As I was waiting for my bagel to be toasted, a young guystepped up to the counter next to me. “What can I get you?” asked the nice ladyin the pink and orange smock. “I’ll have an extra large iced coffee with twoSplenda, one sugar, and a turbo shot. And I’ll have two chocolate glazeddonuts.”

Sounds like a chemistry experiment. And the way he ordered it - so robotic, so practiced - led me to believe that this was his "regular" order, every morning. As Jackie Gleason would say, “How sweet it is!”

Two takes on Maori pride

2012-02-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

Our new blogger friend, Gwan, who we were introduced to by our friendMary Kay, who blogs from Paris, has come up with some great recommendations ofthings to do and see while we’re in New Zealand. Gwan, who lived in Wellingtonfor a year, got into an email exchange with Peter about music tohelp get us into the Kiwi spirit.

One of those songs, called Poi E, is now stuck in my head (thanks, Gwan!). It’s performed by The Patea Maori Club, and Gwan says that although it’s not a traditional Maori song, it was a hugely successful one-hit wonder in the mid-80s. In fact, it was on the charts for 22 weeks in New Zealand, including four weeks as the #1 song in the country. “It was written to encourage Maori pride... you should watch the video - very 80s!” said Gwan. And very 80s it is!

With no further ado, may I present Poi E. (Check out the kid at about 1:07 - a proud face, or what?)

And on YouTube, because one thing always leads to another, Peter and I found this video of JGeek and The Geeks performing Maori Boy, a little more contemporary slice of the Maori culture.

Anybody else out there have any recommendations on music to listen to (or books to read or movies to watch) to get ready for our big trip?

Try this: Martha Stewart's Roasted Applesauce

2012-02-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

I think I've said it before, but love her or hate her, that Martha Stewart knows how to write a recipe. Case in point: a delicious batch of roasted applesauce that I made tonight. It's probably the 5th or 6th time I've made this recipe. It's perfect when you've got lots of apples hanging around the house and you feel too lazy to peel and core them.

Note: I have no idea what "3 lbs. of apples" looks like. I just filled the 9x13 baking dish. To compensate, I doubled the rest of the ingredients. The applesauce came out great.

Roasted Applesauce

1/4 cup water

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

pinch of coarse salt

2 tablespoons butter

3 lbs small assorted apples

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of grated nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in 9x13 baking dish.

2. Add butter (chopped into small pieces) in dish and top with apples.

3. Roast until apples are very soft, about 30-40 minutes.

4. Working in batches, pass apples through a food mill*. Stir in spices. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.

* Martha says if you don't have a food mill, you should core the apples before roasting, and after the're cooked, puree the apples in a food processor, and strain before adding the spices.

** I'm hoping that my friend Blobby has recovered from "The Great Sausage Debacle of 2012" and will once again try one of my recipes.

Otis asked me to post this

2012-02-01T15:36:00.000-05:00

Tori Spelling has really aged

2012-01-31T20:55:00.001-05:00

Best invention ever: Arnold Sandwich Thins

2012-01-30T19:35:00.000-05:00

Not a big fan of typical sandwich bread (the cardboard they use for roll-ups at the cafeteria at work is atrcious) so was so happy to find these Arnold brand Sandwich Thins at Stop & Shop yesterday. Multi-grain: check! 100 calories: check! Delicious: check! Paid endorsement: not yet! Do you see me, Mr. Arnold?

Our winter vacation will take us to the other side of the world

2012-01-29T18:29:00.000-05:00

Twelve days and counting. On Friday, February 10, we leaveBoston for what’s sure to be an unforgettable two-week vacation to adestination that’s on many people’s “bucket lists”. We’re heading to NewZealand, one of the last lands to be settled by humans! When we arrive inAuckland, we’re going to start a fast-paced tour of this island nation, seeingand experiencing and eating and drinking as much as we can.

We’re travelingwith our friend Mark from Chicago, who has made all of the travel arrangements– for which I am eternally grateful. He’s planned all of our flights, ourhotel reservations, our car rentals, and some excursions that soundunbelievable. Peter’s been studying the Lonely Planet Guide to New Zealand thatI got him for Christmas, and is making a list of options for things to see ineach location we visit.

I’ll be posting more details of our trip as it gets closer,but here’s a map of New Zealand showing where we’ll be hopping.

We start in Auckland, way up on the North Island, wherewe’ll stay for one night before flying to Queenstown on the South Island. Wethen drive to Lake Te Anau in Fiordland National Park (where we’ll spend onenight on a boat cruising Doubtful Sound) before we drive back to Queenstown fora night’s stay. From there, we fly to Wellington, the southern most tip of theNorth Island, where we’ll stay two nights before driving to Napier for twonights, and then continuing on to Rotorua. “With bubbling mud pools, explodinggeysers and surreal-coloured mineral terraces, the 'Sulphur City' andsurrounding region never fails to impress,” says The Lonely Planet Guide. Wefinish our trip by driving back to Auckland where we’ll spend our last nightbefore flying back to Boston via Los Angeles.

We are doing a crash-course in getting to know New Zealand,because we don’t want to miss a thing.

I’d be interested in any and all ideasand suggestions (books to read, websites or blogs to visit, food, drink and/or expedition suggestions, "must-see" attractions, etc.) whether you’ve been to New Zealand or have just always wantedto go. I’ll also be bringing my laptop with us and hope to post photos andrecount our adventures on this blog. More details coming soon!

Even Boston Sports Club is slapping Paula Deen over her diabetes confession

2012-01-29T10:37:00.000-05:00

An ad for the Boston Sports Club that appeared in today's Boston Sunday Globe.

I read this week that Food Network star Paula Deen continuesto be shocked at the volume of negative buzz about her confession that she wasdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes several years ago, but only came forward withher story after she had scored a big payout as a paid spokesperson for adiabetes drug.

I guess I’d have more sympathy for Paula – known forcreations such as deep-fried butter balls and her hamburger served on a “bun”of glazed donuts, topped with a fried egg and bacon (see video below) – if shehad come clean with her diagnosis three years ago – and then adapted some ofthe recipes she features on her TV program. Think of the powerful message shecould have helped spread to her millions of fans if she had spoken up earlier. Knowingwhat she knew, continuing to feature “heart attack on a plate” food on hershow, and then waiting until she had a big contract with a drug manufacturerbefore spilling the beans about her diagnosis seems like dirty pool to me.

Working from home. Discuss...

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hilarious stuff over at The Oatmeal -- check out why working from home is both awesome and horrible.

Getting ready for our retro dinner party tomorrow night

2012-01-25T18:52:00.000-05:00

Fireplace project 2012 nears a conclusion

2012-01-25T07:04:00.000-05:00

You may recall that a few weeks ago, we were still struggling to get our new gas fireplace up and running. Well we took a big stepforward last week, as the stonework was finally completed. The next (andhopefully final) steps will be to install a mantle (we’ve got a few options inmind), re-painting the walls surrounding the fireplace, and getting thatpicture up on the wall. Anyone wanna come over for s’mores?

Jonny McGovern is doing it modified. And really, shouldn’t we all be?

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve been watching this great new video featuring comics JonnyMcGovern and Nadya Ginsburg. It’s about a lady in their aerobics class (playedby former Saturday Night Live regular Melanie Hutsell – love her!) in LosAngeles who does everything a little “modified”. But it also drives home animportant reminder that if something ain’t working in your life, modify it! AsJonny and Nadya sing, “Pressures of the world may make you scared inside. Butyou’ve got the power to do it modified.” Amen to that.

Try this: The Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Chicken

2012-01-24T19:24:00.000-05:00

Yup, I'm on a Barefoot Contessa kick. You may recall my recent post about Ina's incredible coconut cake. Well, at the same dinner we served that cake, we also made her Lemon Chicken, which is so good and so easy, it's now on my list of "go-to" recipes.

I was so eager to eat this dish that I forgot to snap a photo, but I did grab one from the Barefoot's website.

Note #1: Because we had a bunch of people over for dinner, I tripled this recipe and it worked great.
Note #2: I also used bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts as well as boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cooked them all together for the same amount of time.

Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Chicken

1/4 cup olive oil  
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)  
1/3 cup dry white wine  
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)  
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice  
1½ teaspoons dried oregano  
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves  
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper  
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on*
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.   

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat,add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turnbrown.

Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice,oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish.   

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up overthe sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberallywith salt and pepper.

Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces ofchicken.   

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of thechicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. Ifthe chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to restfor 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Picking a presidential candidate is snot what it’s cracked up to be

2012-01-23T11:30:00.000-05:00

In an effort to appeal to the senior citizen voting block, Newt playfully starts a round of “Whose Gotcher Nose?” at the Sleepy Valley Older Adult Living Center in Charleston, SC.

Add your own caption in the comments section!

Try this: roasted sausages with onions, bell peppers and potatoes

2012-01-22T17:35:00.000-05:00

Nothing against a vegetarian entrée now and again, buttonight, it’s all about comfort food. And to us, that means meat. Peter recently foundthis recipe in The Boston Globe, and it was so good, that we’re making it forthe second time this week. We just popped it in the oven and I can alreadysmell the garlic roasting. The recipe says “Serves 6”. I say “ha!”

2 large onions, thickly sliced
3 large ripe bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into½-inch-wide strips
1½ pounds redskin or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inchcubes
8 fresh sweet or hot Italian pork sausages (about 2¾pounds), cut in half crosswise
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Set oven rack in lower-middle position and heat oven to 425degrees.
In a large bowl, toss onions, bell peppers, potatoes, sausages,garlic, rosemary, oil, and 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
Spreadmixture in large roasting pan and roast for about 1 hour, stirring after 30minutes. If necessary, remove pan from oven and spoon off excess fat.
Addorange juice and vinegar, return pan to oven, and continue roasting untilsausages are well browned and the vegetables tender, 20 to 30 minutes longer,stirring once or twice.
Add most of the parsley and stir to mix. With a slottedspoon, transfer mixture to a large serving dish, sprinkle with remainingparsley, and serve at once.

UPDATE: Blobby tried this recipe and has less-than-perfect results (Sorry, Blobby) Oven temperatures may vary - you might want to start checking for doneness at about the hour mark.

Anemic grilled cheese? Spare me...

2012-01-22T15:16:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, we made good on our Christmas gift to ourfriends MaryLynne and her 12-year-old son, Ian. “Mom” was sent off to Etant, our favorite spa in Boston’s South End to get a 90 minute massage (finally making use of thegift card we gave her a few year’s back). Note: If anyone is inclined to giveme the gift of a massage, I promise I will be on the phone making anappointment before I’ve finished saying “thank you”.

While MaryLynne was doing all that relaxing, we took Ian toJillian’s, a bowling alley / billiard hall / nightclub that stands in theshadow of Fenway Park. We decided to get a bite first, and the lady at thefront desk told us that there was no table service yet (it was just after 1:00pm), but we could sit up at the bar. So we dropped off our coats, and we justclimbing up on our bar stools when the bartendress, an overly-tanned brunettewearing too much make-up and a big fake flower in her hair, sneered at me. “Howold is he?”, she said, nodding toward Ian. When I said he was 12, she told usin no uncertain terms that we couldn’t sit at the bar. “But that’s where thelady over there told me to sit,” I said. “He can’t sit at the bar,” she saidagain. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll bring it over to a table.”

Ian ordered a grilled cheese sandwich, and although he saidit was “fine”, my concept of a grilled cheese would include actually grillingthe bread so it takes on a golden hue with a crusty exterior (sort of like thebartendress). There should be a crunch and the cheese should be melty andoozey. In an ideal world, there’d be a piping hot bowl of Campbell’s tomatosoup that I could dip the edges of my sandwich in.

But at Jillian’s, Ian got a pale, sad imitation of a grilledcheese sandwich (with edges of unmelted cheese peeking out from between the anemicslides of white bread). It was not “grilled to perfection” (as my friend Julie likesto say). It’s a fuzzy picture, but is that the saddest grilled cheese you've ever seen?

But enough about the lackluster lunch. It was time to bowl!So we slipped into our rental shoes, grabbed some bowling balls, and headed forlane #1. It had been awhile since any of us had hit the alleys, so it took afew frames to get our groove on. Ian did great – one strike in each of the twogames we played. I started out strong, but lost my mojo pretty quickly (someexcuse about the ball being too heavy and my shoes being too slippery blah,blah, blah). Peter won both games, improving with each ball he threw.

Anyone of my blogging friends up for some bowling? I’d behappy to bring you over to Jillian’s for a few games and perhaps somecocktails, but we’ll pass on the grilled cheese.

Snowy solitude in Southie

2012-01-21T12:27:00.000-05:00

I’m sometimes amazed that even though we live in the city ofBoston, we have such easy access to a 22-acre park a few blocks from ourhome. And on snowy Saturday mornings like today, we pretty much had the placeto ourselves. There were a few brave joggers and a couple of otherdog-walkers around Castle Island this morning. And while I wouldn’t want it anyother way, it does surprise me that the park is not filled with other visitors enjoying our first "real" snowfall of the season. The ocean was a flat steely grey, looking more like a lake than theAtlantic, and dry, fluffy snowflakes were blowing in every direction. Save forthe occasional planes arriving at and departing from nearby Logan Airport, itwas quiet and quite peaceful. Otis, who never met freshly-fallen snow that hedidn’t love, was in his glory, chasing his “Soft-Bite” flying saucer andbarking with doggy joy.

Snowy morning = hot chocolate with marshmallows

2012-01-21T08:33:00.001-05:00

More snow on the way for Boston

2012-01-20T16:50:00.001-05:00

We got a few inches of white, powdery snow last night, which made for a beautiful morning landscape from the top floor in my office building. (That's downtown Boston off in the distance.) Forecasters say we might get another few inches tomorrow and then some more Sunday night. Sounds like a hot chocolate weekend to me.

Pay no attention to that man singing in front of the screen door

2012-01-19T21:55:00.000-05:00

Remember that song, “Just When I Needed You Most”? It was abig (only?) hit for Randy VanWarmer back in 1979. Its simple chords andrepetitive structure makes it one of those songs that, once heard, will getstuck in your head for the rest of the day.

So with that warning, I invite you to watch the video below.It’s not Mr. VanWarmer, but a fellow who calls himself “Hick-In-The-Woods”, whorecorded the video at his dad’s 80th birthday party back in 2005. I stumbledupon this a few days ago, featured on the Awkward Family Photos website. Mr. H-I-T-Wdoes a respectable job; heck – he even hits the high notes. What makes thisvideo interesting is the commotion going on behind the singer.

As AwkwardFamily Photo asks, “What exactly is happening behind that screen door?” Any guesses, fair readers?

Betty White and I have something in common

2012-01-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

It's not our glowing complexions, our love for TV game shows, or our semi-regular guest shots on Mama's Family. Today, Betty and I are celebrating birthdays (one of us is 90, the other is a youngish 49). I've always loved me some Betty White, even before I knew we shared a birthday bond. I like to think that we're both almost always kind, have a soft spot in our hearts for animals, and are really good at Password.

But of course, Betty and I aren't the only one whooping it up today. Also celebrating birthdays are Muhammad Ali, Jim Carrey, Kid Rock, James Earl Jones,Michelle Obama, Zooey Deschanel, Susanna Hoffs, Maury Povich, and VidalSassoon.

Had a great start to my birthday. We woke up early (5:30 am) and Peter gave me a nice card and a new shirt from Patagonia that we'll be taking on our "Great Vacation Adventure of 2012" (details coming soon). Then we hustled to get out the door so we wouldn't be late for 6:30 am yoga class at the Boston Sports Club. A great workout - but ay yi yi -- did i mention the puddles of sweat on my mat? You'd think that I spent the weekend eating and drinking with family and friends (hahahahahaha). I was happy to pretty much score a yoga position I thought was impossible, a low crouch with one leg extended behind me and the other leg balanced on my right arm. It was kind of like the pose in this picture, except that:

I'm a guy
I didn't do it on a log at the beach
I wouldn't be caught dead in that (color of) unitard

After that, it was a low-key birthday. Went to work, met a fellow here in South Boston who's going to help us prepare our taxes this year, took Otis for a quick walk around the block in the rain, and then settled in to watch the Golden Globe Awards from Sunday night which I thought were pretty boring and waaaaaay too long. The highlight of the evening was a hazelnut pastry from Flour Bakery that Peter surprised me with - delicious, creamy, and sweet. That's not how I'm going to lose a few pounds, but hell -- I'm sure Betty White would have done the same thing.

Discovering Violetta Villas

2012-01-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

Have you ever heard of Violetta Villas? I hadn't until the other day, when my friend Robb forwarded me the following clip of her singing "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" (or as she says "My Heart Belongs to Dead-dy".)

Villas, who died just month at the age of 73, was born in Belgium, and made a name for herself as a cabaret singer, actress and songwriter. She starred at the Casino de Paris in Las Vegas in the late 1960s, performing in as many as nine language (take that, Meryl Streep!). She also acted in several films, including the musical "Paint Your Wagon". Her life was filled with highs (performing duets with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Charles Aznavour, etc.) as well as extreme lows (alcoholism, morphine addiction, as well as what's termed a "delusional disorder").

Enjoy this clip of Violetta - be sure to take in her crazy mane of hair, the stilted choreography, and her back-up singers who who just can't seem to stay on the beat.

Try this: the Barefoot Contessa's coconut cake

2012-01-16T13:52:00.000-05:00

So my goal to lose ten pounds before the "Great Vacation Adventure of 2012" (details to come shortly) were thwarted by this cake. But 49th birthday celebrations happen only once in a lifetime, so I'll just be eating dry lettuce leaves for the next few days to make up for my transgressions. Mom and dad drove out from New York State for the long holiday weekend, and on Saturday night, we hosted them, and our friends Julie, Tom, MaryLynne, and Ian for a big dinner, topped off with the aforementioned cake.

Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) is one of my favorite cooks to watch on the Food Network, and even though we've made this cake a few times (and have also made the same batter to make some out of this world cupcakes), I think this particular cake took the prize: moist and delicious. Hmmm...could it be the five sticks of butter? If you're celebrating a special occasion or just feel like treating yourself to this impressive-looking but easy-to-make dessert, might I recommend this recipe?

The Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cake

For the cake
3 sticks of butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.5 teaspoons almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
2 sticks butter at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, then line them with parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. With mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look a little curdled.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixture on low speed, alternatively add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in three parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in four ounces of coconut.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 45-55 minutes, until tops are browned and cake tester comes out clean. Cool on baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, use a mixer to combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' surgar and mix until just smooth. Don't whip!

To assemble, place one layer of the cake on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

One of these things is not like the others

2012-01-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

A burning desire to wrap-up our last big house project

2012-01-11T05:16:00.001-05:00

We seem to be getting closer to the truth with our fireplace project. When we moved into our new condo in September, we sought and got approval to extend a gas line over to an area of the loft where we wanted to install a new gas fireplace. After we got settled in, we contacted a contractor we had worked with in our previous property, as well as a local fireplace showroom, to get the ball rolling. Our intent was to have the fireplace installed and finished by Thanksgiving. "No problem," we were assured.

Let's see...what's today's date?

To be fair, we have made progress as you can see in the series of photos above. But it's been a path of mis-steps and delays, including weeks of waiting for the City of Boston to process the approval certificate for the project. Once our paperwork was in place, our carpenter built-out the fireplace framework several inches wider than the agreed-upon architectural plans, which meant we had to go back and order more stone for the wrap-around. Then once the burner unit was put in, we had the little issue of a leaky gas valve. And did I mention that when the contractor finally got here to put on the stonefront (on January 2nd), the stone he and his coworker lugged up here to the fifth floor was the wrong color? They gamely repacked all of the stone and promised to correct the mistake, and they did, but now we are looking at a stone install date of January 19-20.

Here is the good news...we've been able to use the fireplace for several weeks now. And Peter did an awesome job picking out the burner unit. He did his due diligence and selected a unit that not only throws off great heat but looks like an actual woodburning fireplace.

And so while it may not yet look as pretty as it will (hopefully) very soon, we DO have a working fireplace, just like we had planned. I will look forward to letting you know when we finally put a big, fat checkmark next to "get fireplace installed" on our to-do list.

Another reason to feel sorry for (and confused about) old John McCain

2012-01-10T21:53:00.001-05:00

According to a report on The Huffington Post, Arizona Senator John McCain says has no regrets about the most controversial decision of his unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign. Speaking to Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening in New Hampshire, McCain said naming Sarah Palin his running mate was "still the best decision I've ever made."

Unless, of course, he was serious about wanting to be president.

Black olive nose

2012-01-10T21:11:00.000-05:00

There is no particular reason for posting this close-up photo of our dog's face. Other than, I guess, to show off his unique handsomeness.

Trying to save a runaway dog

2012-01-09T20:30:00.000-05:00

As I was driving home tonight and taking the final corner onto the street where I live, I saw what I thought was a skunk in the middle of the road. But as I got closer, I realized that it actually a small black and white dog, running out from the entrance of the big ship freight yard on the corner. He crossed in front of my car and started running at full speed down the street. I was on the phone with my mom, so I quickly ended the conversation, flipped on my car’s hazard lights, and tried to catch up with the dog, who was now sprinting down the opposite side of the street, right in the path of oncoming traffic.

When I caught up to the dog, I rolled down my window and called to him, snapping my fingers, doing whatever I could think of to get him to stop. He glanced over at me a few times, a petrified look in his eyes, but I could tell that there was no stopping him. Three times, cars barreled toward him, and I furiously flashed my headlights -- bright to dim, bright to dim -- to warn them that there was a dog in their direct path. Directly behind me was a city bus, at one point blaring his horn at me, as he tried to get to his next stop to drop off passengers. (Really? A car in front of you has its hazards on, and the driver is flashing headlights half-hanging out of the window, calling to a runaway dog, and you need to blast your horn?)

I followed the dog all the way down my street and my heart sank as he approached a busy intersection. I pulled over to the side of the street, gripped my steering wheel and closed my eyes, waiting to hear the dreaded squeal of brakes. But when I opened my eyes two seconds later, I saw that the dog had miraculously made it through the intersection unscathed. Across the street, I could see him, still running, before he was enveloped by the darkness.

I considered continuing my pursuit, but was facing a red light at the intersection and knew that the dog probably would not stop for me even if I were able to catch up with him again.

I think the dog was wearing a collar because I could hear what sounded like metal ID tags clanging together as he ran down the street. So tonight, my heart is heavy but hopeful that this little dog can find his way home, and that his owners can rest easy, knowing that their little friend is back where he belongs.

Too hot for my high school yearbook

2012-01-08T11:21:00.002-05:00

Perhaps you’ve seen the story about the Colorado ~~trollop~~ teenager whose yearbook picture was rejected for being too racy. Future chemical engineer Sydney Spies wanted to use a photo of her wearing a short yellow skirt and a modified black tube top as her official senior portrait in the Durango High School Yearbook. But the co-editors of the book (all students) said the photo was inappropriate.

“We are an award-winning yearbook. We don’t want to diminish the quality with something that can be seen as unprofessional,” said editor Brian Jaramillo.

Poor Sydney. If an innocent girl can’t use her high school yearbook to flaunt her curves in a come-hither pose that’s more suited to some dime-store skin magazine (a photo, by the way, that Sydney’s mom supports) then I ask, how have we as a society progressed in the past 30 years?

It was way back in 1981 that I also fought to get a racy photo of myself posted in my senior high school yearbook. “His goggles are too sexy,” said the protesters, marching outside the principal’s office. “And the way he’s feathered his wispy hair, the inappropriate spread of his collar over his polyester sweater, and those devil-may-care sideburns make Mike’s photo too ‘hot’ for the yearbook.”

In the end, my photo was published, but it was not without a lot of heartache and for weeks, I suffered jealous stares from my classmates who had opted to pose for more subdued, less seductive photos. But as Sydney and her mom would surely agree, what choice do we have? If you’ve got the sexy, flaunt the sexy. Full steam ahead, Sydney! (That means “go for it”, honey.)

A tale of two dinners

2012-01-08T10:43:00.000-05:00

Exhibit #1: I came home from work on Thursday evening to find a French feast. Peter, inspired by a recipe in French Feasts by Stephane Reynaud, a book I got him for Christmas last year. It’s a delicious (and easy) dish, and Peter paired it with homemade egg noodles we picked up from Sauders, a Mennonite market in Seneca Falls, NY, during our trip to visit my folks at Christmas, and freshly-steamed broccoli. Here’s the recipe:

Poulet de Bresse au Vin Jaune

1 whole chicken
7 ounces morel mushrooms (Peter couldn’t find, so he used a mixture of Portebello and Shitake)
1.25 cups Vin Jaune (sherry-like white wine)
1.25 cups heavy cream
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bouquet garni
¾ cup chicken stock
4 teaspoons flour
2.5 tablespoons butter
oil
salt and pepper

Cut the chicken into eight pieces. Peel and slice the shallots
Saute the chicken in a mixture of butter and oil. Add the shallots and mushrooms and drain off the fat
Return the chicken and shallots to the pan and coat with the flour. Add the wine and chicken stock.
Add the peeled garlic and bouquet garni and cook at low simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream and cook and additional 15 minutes.

Exhibit #2: I came home from work on Friday evening and both Peter and I quickly agreed that it was cocktail time. We put a call into our friends downstairs, Robb and Salvador (and for Robb, who claims I don’t mention his name often enough on this blog: Robb, Robb, Robb, Robb, Robb and Robb), and invited them upstairs. While we awaited their arrival, I prepared a classic recipe that we had intended to make for our New Year’s celebration up in Maine. But then Peter got bogged down with some debilitating, high-temperature-inducing illness, so we never made it to Maine. He’s all better now, and we decided it was high time to break out the Lipton onion soup mix and make some French onion dip. And let me tell you, it was delicious! Here’s the recipe:

Pour pouch of Lipton onion soup mix into a bowl.
Stir in cold, fresh, delicious sour cream.
Stir and serve with greasy, salty, crunchy potato chips of your choice.

A Peruvian feast at Rincon Limeno in East Boston

2012-01-02T18:53:00.000-05:00

It was definitely a case of our eyes being bigger than our stomachs. But what a feast we had this evening at Rincon Limeno, a Peruvian restaurant in East Boston, just on the other side of Logan Airport from our home.

We each started with a Pisco Sour, a traditional cocktail from Peru, made from Pisco brandy, lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and a dash of bitters. It was my first, and it was very sweet, but had a interesting texture, with the egg whites forming a light merigune floating in the top of my glass.

Next up was Papa a la huancaina, an appetizer consisting of sliced boiled potatoes with a cheese sauce flavored with peppers and olives.

And because we can never pass up a good ceviche, we had to get the (large) platter of Ceviche Misto, a delicious platter of fresh seafood “cooked” in lime juice with onions and fresh herbs. The flavors were outstanding and the texture was just right. Our friend Salvador makes an awesome ceviche in the summertime - so this was a great mid-winter treat for us.

Peter, who was an exchange student in Lima, Peru, for three months when he was 16 years old, went with his favorite dish, Lomo Saltado, a mixture of seasoned steak tips with onions, tomatoes and cilantro, all served on a bed of French fries.

And just so I could try everything that looked good, I got the Plato Montaniero, a sampler plate offering up a grilled steak, crispy pork, rice topped with a fried egg, fried plantain, a bowl of beans, and a green salad.

This was our second visit to Rincon Limeno, and we’ll definitely be going back. It’s an easy ride, and the food is outstanding and reasonably priced. And there is so much more I want to try on the menu.

Rincon Limeno

409 Chelsea Street

East Boston, MA 02128

SIgns to ponder

2012-01-01T11:08:00.001-05:00

Do these signs outside the public restrooms at Castle Island in South Boston mean that no ugly people can use the facilities? Seems pretty outrageous to me...

What did I do wrong, Christopher Kimball?

2011-12-31T15:53:00.000-05:00

Ultimately, it was nothing a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder couldn’t fix. But imagine my dismay when today’s attempt at the chocolate pound cake recipe from Cook’s Country magazine, the know-it-all source for sure-fire recipes that have been tested and re-tested in the “America’s Test Kitchen” right here in New England, oozed over the top of my loaf pan, and then promptly deflated while cooling!

As you can see in the “before” shot below, it was an overflow of volcanic proportions. The cake hadn’t been in the oven for five minutes before I smelled something burning. When I opened the oven door, I saw my delicious, buttery batter running down all four sides of the loaf pan and dripping onto the oven floor. After a quick clean-up, I put the loaf pan on a foil-lined baking sheet and it went back into the oven. Here’s what it looked like:

After it cooled and I removed the big hunks of bubbled-over cake (actually crunchy and delicious) from the edges of the pan, I turned the cake onto a cutting board and began carving. After a few strategic slices and the aforementioned sugar dusting, here’s what we ended up with:

If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that I usually post recipes for dishes I’ve tried. And although this chocolate pound cake is moist and delicious (it does, after all, contain two sticks of butter), I won’t be reprinting this recipe. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even hear from Christopher Kimball or his staff, telling what my mis-step might have been. I’ve re-read the recipe twice and it seems I followed it to the letter.

In any case, my carved and sugared chocolate pound cake will on the menu tonight as we’re hosting some friends for dinner. Here’s hoping the meatloaf and baked potatoes come out OK. I can only handle one kitchen disaster a day.

A perfectly ducky Christmas

2011-12-25T22:47:00.000-05:00

We had our big homemade Christmas feast yesterday…a nice roasted duck (crispy-skinned thanks to a ‘low and slow’ afternoon in the oven), a potato gallatte (which I believe is French for “falls apart when you try to transfer to a serving platter” – but was delicious nonetheless), roasted Brussels sprouts with a balsamic syrup and dried cranberries, tart cranberry sauce, and a mincemeat pie (homemade crust and a heavily doctored-up bottle of Irish mincemeat from the grocery store).

Here’s the recipe for the Brussels sprouts, courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

3 pounds Brussels sprouts

1/2 cup olive oil

salt And pepper

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup dried cranberries

Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole). Arrange on two baking sheets and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.
Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.

After dinner, it was time for a quick shower and a meet-up with our friend Marcia (a self-proclaimed “little Jewish girl with no plans for Christmas eve”) at Taj, formerly known as the Ritz-Carlton. Located right across the street from Boston Common, the oldest city park in the United States, the Taj was beautifully decorated for the holidays, and the main bar was surprisingly full, considering it was Christmas Eve. After a round (or two) of cocktails, we walked two blocks to the Arlington Street Church, for its Unitarian Universalist Christmas Eve service.

I’m pleased to report that I was not struck down by lightning as I crossed the threshold into the church – you might say it’s been a while since I found myself in a house of worship. The service was lovely and was highlighted by a spirited sermon by Reverend Kim Crawford Harvie, all about finding the joy and miracles that happen around us every day, and by several performances by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, including a rousing take on Katy Perry’s “Firework”.

This morning, we slept late (any time after 6:30 am is “late” for us), had a delicious breakfast with lots of hot cups of coffee, read the Boston Sunday Globe, and then opened a few presents. Peter got me a DVD of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, a sweet holiday movie based on a story by Dylan Thomas of a grandfather sharing his favorite Christmas memories with his grandson. He also gave me the “James Taylor at Christmas” CD, which I love. Check out his take on “River”, a hauntingly beautiful rendition of a Joni Mitchell song from the early 1970s.

We then took a nap and later visited to Castle Island so Otis could work off some of his Christmas energy by chasing a tennis ball. In pursuit of one wayward toss, Otis ran smack into an elderly gentleman on the paved walkway, knocking him down to his knees. He was surprised, luckily unhurt, and extremely gracious.

We ended the holiday at our friends Julie and Tom’s home with lots of good food, drink, and sweets, and caught up with their families, including Julie’s mom, who we hadn’t seen in three years.

And that, folks, is what I did on my Christmas vacation.

A dog named Beau

2011-12-22T22:58:00.000-05:00

I hadn't seen this in a couple of years, but my buddy who blogs over at "Spirit of Saint Lewis" posted this clip of Jimmy Stewart on "The Tonight Show" reading a poem he wrote about his dog, Beau. I've never been able to watch this lovely tribute without tearing up. Excuse me while I go give Otis a hug.

Holiday weekend on the horizon...full speed ahead!

2011-12-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

Four days. Count ‘em. Four whole days. That’s what lies ahead of me. No alarm clocks. No to-do lists. No meetings. No nothing but relaxing, grabbing naps, trying to catch up with some reading, and of course, enjoying a long holiday weekend with Peter and Otis. Four days off – this has been a long time coming.

To kick the holiday off, we watched one of my guilty pleasure movies -- "Die Hard". It's one of those movies that if I catch while I'm flipping channels, I have to stop and watch. But Peter had never seen it and it does take place at Christmas time, so I guess it's technically a holiday film. Yippee Ki Yay!

Out of my control

2011-12-21T08:14:00.000-05:00

So I am here at the local Toyota dealership bright and early for the 30,000 mile service on my car. And while I am doing my best to take advantage of this time away from desk, it is hard to concentrate with the louder-than-needed Christmas music playing in the waiting room. Seems like all of the other folks waiting for their cars are reading their Kindles and tapping their feet along with the music. To top it all off, they just played Springsteen's "Santa Claus is coming to town". That is what I call "cruel and unusual" punishment. Bah humbug indeed. Maybe I should cut back on my coffee consumption?

You gonna pay for that steak, honey?

2011-12-03T18:09:00.000-05:00

‘Tis the season for making chocolate-dipped biscotti and White Trash Christmas Nuggets, listening to “Christmas Portrait” by The Carpenters…and shoplifting? According to a report in Ad Week, more and more people are letting their (sticky) fingers do the shopping this year – an unbelievable 1 in 11 people walks out of a store with at least one item they haven’t paid for. The report claims 75 percent of shoplifters are adults, and that using that five-finger discount has been on the rise for the past five years due to the rocky economy.

I was also surprised to learn that the #1 most shoplifted item is …drum roll, please… filet mignon! Now I love me a good steak, but I can’t imagine sticking a couple of filets under my arm and not having my guilty-looking face or full body sweat give me away to the cashier.

Other things on the list of most purloined items?

Jameson whiskey (delicious with filet mignon)
iPhones (you think those geniuses at the Apple store would figure out how to fix that problem)
Gillette Mach 4 razors (these thieves must be engineering majors. I recently spent five minutes trying to wrest a pack of razor blades from a security system at my local Rite-Aid that would put Fort Knox to shame. Yes, a little swearing ensued.)
Axe body spray (does any guy over 12 really wear this stuff?)

I must say this list surprised me and made me a little sad. Seventy percent of shoplifters say they didn't plan to shoplift, says Barbara Staib from the National Association of Shoplifting Prevention, “but add a sense of desperation because of the economy and holiday pressures, and you have the recipe for theft soup."

So if you saw someone at your local supermarket stick a package of filet mignon under their jacket, would you report it to the store manager? Would it make a difference if the thief were a hungry-looking old lady? A nicely-dressed businessman? A kid?

Go elf yourself

2011-11-30T17:48:00.000-05:00

OK, yeah, so it's been a while. Yes, I'm still alive. But between buying a new house, moving in and getting settled, and the heat being turned up at work, my blogging has fallen by the wayside. And I decided that since blogging was a "fun" thing to do, I wasn't going to pressure myself and feel guilty if I couldn't sit down on a regular basis and keep "Mike's Short Attention Span Theater" updated.

So I didn't.

Which doesn't mean I didn't miss writing and keeping in touch with my blogging friends. (Blobby -- you still out there?)

So this is just a note to say "hey" and that I'm alive and kicking in South Boston.

Oh yeah, and to share this with you. "Elf Yourself" is a great online project put out by OfficeMax, and every year, I upload photos of friends and family (and Otis, our Portuguese Water Dog) and get a laugh out of seeing them dance around in a silly elf outfit. One year, we "elfed" Peter's mom -- and we watched it over and over again while she was visiting for the holidays. Every time we watched it, we laughed harder, until we all had tears on our faces. A fun memory.

So anyway, here's Otis as our 2011 elf. And in the holiday spirit of sharing, I'll try to be better about updating this blog on a more frequent basis. But in case I don't, MerryChristmasHappyNewYear!

“Can’t Stop the Music” was theme of 2011 Carnival parade in Provincetown

2011-08-21T07:32:00.004-04:00

We are back from our annual sojourn to Provincetown, another in a series of relaxing summer vacations on the beach at the tip of Cape Cod. For the past seven years, we’ve taken at least a week enjoying slow mornings that don’t start with alarm clocks, lazy afternoons reading and napping on the beach, and the luxury of just slowing down for a few days.

We always visit during Carnival, a week-long summer celebration featuring dance parties, concerts, other sponsored events, and it’s all capped off with a parade down Commercial Street on Thursday afternoon. The theme of this year’s Carnival was “Can’t Stop the Music”: here are some shots from this year’s parade.

Yup, that's Charo, the Grand Marshal of this year's Carnival Parade. Cuchi Cuchi! No disrespect to the lady because she looks great, but there was some healthy debate going on in our gang about how old she is. She claims to be 60. Is that even possible? I seem to remember her "Cuchi Cuchi-ing" way back when I was a kid.

I'm guessing Richard Simmons?

Bruce Vilanch, best known for writing the gags for all of the Hollywood award shows, has been at the parade the last several years.

Our favorite Provincetown performer, Miss Richfield 1981. You can catch her show at the Crown & Anchor.

The last float in the parade proclaimed that the theme of next year's Carnival bash will be "A Space Odyssey".

Check out my friend BosGuy's blog for his video from this year's parade.

Here's my new favorite joke

2011-08-14T20:36:00.000-04:00

I was reading a back issue of Esquire magazine at the beach yesterday and came across their feature called "Funny Joke From A Beautiful Woman". In every issue, some scantily-clad actress or musician or model relates her favorite joke, and this month's joke was a doozy. Apologies to my blond friends; it's a "dumb blond" joke, and I have to admit I didn't get it at first (maybe I'm part blond?). But then I started snorting with laughter and read it out loud to Peter, who snorted out loud with me. Here goes:

After robbing a bank, a blond, a brunette, and a readhead duck into an alley where they hide in potato sacks. The cops first go to the sack with the brunette in it and kick it. The brunette says, 'Meow'. They go to the sack with the redhead in it and kick it. She says 'Woof, woof'. Last, they kick the sack with the blond in it and she says 'Po-ta-to'.

Try this: Dorothy's summer shrimp salad

2011-08-14T16:23:00.001-04:00

We're in Provincetown, the furthest you can get out on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for a few days of R&R. And for the past couple of days, amidst all of the packing and organizing and wrapping up projects at work, I've had one thing on my mind: a salad that my mom used to make. It's really simple, and one taste takes me right back to summertime when I was a kid. So this morning, I got up early, and after a cup of steaming hot coffee at The Wired Puppy on Commercial Street and a quick walk on the beach with Otis, I came back to our apartment and started working in the kitchen. Right before sitting down to type this, I ate an overflowing bowl of salad - and it tasted just like mom's. Delicious -- and exactly what I was looking for.

Dorothy's summer shrimp salad

Boil one pound of small pasta in salted water until al dente. I used a bag of funky, small curly pasta things I bought at an Amish market a while back, but any small noodle (i.e. elbows, wheels, ears, etc.) will do. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and let drain again until all extra water is gone.

Chop the following into small pieces:

1 large onion

1 large green pepper

4-5 stalks of celery

one jalepeno pepper (not in mom's original recipe, but I wanted to throw a little kick into the salad)

two cans of small shrimp, drained
mayonaise
salt and pepper

Mix all in a bowl with enough mayonaise to moisten. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like lots of pepper.

See, I told you it was simple. Excuse me while I go get another bowl.

Otis the Portuguese Water Dog catches air at Castle Island

2011-08-08T22:04:00.001-04:00

What’s that, you say? You want even more blog posts about Otis?

The morning we closed on our new condo, we took the day off from work and grabbed some breakfast at the local Au Bon Pain. It was a stunning morning, and since we had a few hours to kill before signing all of the paperwork that comes with buying a house, we headed over to Castle Island with Otis.

The pooch was in rare form. At nearly seven years old, one might assume that Otis might show signs of slowing down. But flash a tennis ball in front of his nose and it’s turbo booster time. Over and over again, he raced across the grassy lawn at Castle Island, expertly catching the tennis ball in mid-air, or bouncing it off his snout and catching it on the rebound. His athleticism and determination are to be admired; we often comment that if we ran as hard as Otis does twice each day, we’d be contenders for the next Olympic games.

Here are some photos of Otis in action:

"Yup, looks like a good morning to go catch some tennis balls."

"We there yet?"

"Let's go!"

"Time out at the water fountain"

We're now officially homeowners in South Boston

2011-08-07T20:11:00.001-04:00

A couple years back, we sold our home in Boston’s South End and moved to South Boston (better known as “Southie”). Just a few minutes out of downtown Boston, this once predominantly working class, Irish-Catholic neighborhood has lots to offer to its growing and diverse population. Many times before on this blog, I’ve written about our love for Castle Island, just a short walk away, which offers a 22-acre park right on Boston Harbor. We’re also right around the corner from the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and the city’s Seaport district, home to great new restaurants and hotels, the Institute for Contemporary Art, and the Moakley Federal Courthouse, where “alleged” mobster (and South Boston native) James “Whitey” Bulger will soon be facing the music after his 16 years on the run.

We’ve really come to enjoy South Boston, our neighbors, all of the green space, and easy access to downtown, the airport, and major highways. And on Friday, we made it official, passing papers on one of the penthouse units in the building where we’ve been renting since 2009.

We’re very excited about our new place, a two bed/two bath home with a deck that offers great views of downtown Boston, the Black Falcon Terminal (where more than 200,000 cruise passengers sail in and out of the city each year), and the harbor. And no rest for the weary: tomorrow morning, we’re kicking off a series of small projects to get the place ready for move-in by the end of the month: painting, sprucing up the hardwood floors, and construction of some new closet spaces. No, we’re not doing the work ourselves – my plan is to stay out of the way!

Right after the closing, we rushed home to our new place for our first photo on the deck. That's a ship at Boston's Black Falcon Cruise terminal behind us.

Otis joined us for some summer air on the deck Friday evening.

A shot of our new place. Lots of natural light and tall ceilings. It'll be a few weeks until we officially move in.

Is Sarah Palin stalking me?

2011-08-02T21:31:00.000-04:00

OK, 'fess up, Sarah....I see in my "Live Traffic Feed" that a visitor from Wasilla, Alaska, visited my blog today.

Sorry if you're feeling ignored -- I haven't written about you in a while. I was tempted to write a post mocking your recent mangling of the Paul Revere story, but I figured that would just be piling on. But perhaps you were just here looking for some of my older posts about you, like this one, or this one (one of my favorites), or this one, or this one, or this one, or maybe this one?

You can't handle the truth

2011-07-31T08:37:00.000-04:00

I must give my blogging buddy “Blobby” a shout-out for turning me on to my latest obsession. It’s called Songify, a free iPhone app that turns your spoken word into auto-tuned masterpieces. Check out Blobby’s first single, “A Promise Is a Promise”, in which he “sings” the welcome card that was left in his room at the Farifield Inn during a recent business trip.

So as I pondered joining the ranks of the cast of “Glee”, who have every sound that comes out of their collective mouths bent, folded, and perfected by auto-tuning, I had to decide which song to release as my first single. It had to be big. It had to be epic. I turned to the movies for inspiration, and found a well-known monologue that I thought would be perfect for Songify-ing. I selected Jack Nicholson’s “You Can’t Handle the Truth” speech from “A Few Good Men” (wow, it’s been 20 years since that movie came out).

So without further ado, may I present my first single, “You Can’t Handle the Truth”. I eagerly await your comments and calls from big-name music producers.

A killer performance on "So You Think You Can Dance"

2011-07-25T22:00:00.000-04:00

Don’t know if you’re watching this year’s “So You Think You Can Dance”, but this routine by contestant Sasha and her partner, “all-star” Twitch, is one of our favorite routines of the season. A beautiful, steamy, perfectly synchronized performance.

Are you a cheap first date?

2011-07-23T17:08:00.001-04:00

I attended a conference this past week about the convergence of e-mail marketing, social media, and customer relationship management. One of our keynote speakers talked about the meteoric rise in popularity of web-based coupon programs like “Groupon” and “Living Social”. These sites have become so ubiquitous, he said, that it would be perfectly OK to take someone a first date to a restaurant and pay for dinner with a Groupon. But take that same date to the same restaurant and use a coupon you clipped out of the newspaper? A huge social faux pas, he claimed.

Mike’s Rule: No coupons – from online or printed sources – are allowed on a first date. A first date is not designed to be an exercise in extravagance or frugality. So it would be just as wrong to go to the fanciest restaurant in town and whip out your Groupon, as it would be to use your loyalty card at the local Taco Hut so we’d save $1.50 on my combination plate.

Don’t misunderstand: I love my Groupons and use them all the time. But when it’s all about first impressions and getting to know someone, I maintain that using any kind of coupon on a first date is kind of cheap and tacky. Your thoughts?

This Brady Bunch photo needs a caption

2011-07-17T09:46:00.000-04:00

Last week, in honor of the passing of Hollywood producer Sherwood Schwartz, I posted a photo from his classic TV show, "The Brady Bunch" and asked for your creative captions. I got such funny responses that I thought I'd post another photo and see what happens. So here goes: please have at it!

"I’ll have to call you back, Cousin Oliver. My dad needs to call the caterer; his men’s group meeting starts in 10 minutes, and the crust-less salmon tea sandwiches and Cherries Jubilee haven’t showed up yet."

Try this: Blueberry Crumble Pie

2011-07-17T05:45:00.000-04:00

The picture was taken on my iPhone and doesn't do this dessert justice, so you'll have to trust me - this pie is really, really good.

One of the sweetest tastes of summer is a fresh fruit pie. Here's a delicious, easy-to-make pie that would be perfect for a weekend cook-out or a neighborhood potluck. The crust is foolproof (and buttery), and the zing of the lemon zest and juice really balances out the sweetness of the blueberries.

This recipe was featured in recent issue of Bon Appetit, and we made it while staying with friends in Maine over the Fourth of July holiday. The recipe calls for fresh blueberries, but we used frozen, and the pie turned out just fine. If you're using frozen blueberries, don't defrost them beforehand.

Blueberry Crumble Pie

Crust

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for surface
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling and topping

2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 cups (1 pound 10 ounces) fresh blueberries
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, melted, cooled slightly

For crust

Pulse 1 1/4 cups flour, butter, and salt in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces remaining.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is dry.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, use the heel of your hand to smear each portion of dough twice in a forward motion to distribute butter. Gather all 4 dough pieces into a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13" round. Transfer to pie dish, gently pressing dough onto bottom and up sides of dish. Fold overhang under and crimp edges decoratively.

Pierce bottom of crust in several places with a fork, then chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and place on a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and pie weights. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 12 minutes longer. Transfer crust to a wire rack; let cool.

Filling and topping

Whisk 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add blueberries and lemon juice; toss gently to coat and evenly distribute. Let filling stand, tossing occasionally, until berries release their juices, 20-30 minutes.

Whisk flour, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter; mix topping with fingertips to blend.

Preheat oven to 375°. Spoon blueberry filling into crust, then sprinkle topping over. Bake pie until filling is bubbling and topping is golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cover with foil after 30 minutes if browning too fast.

Let pie cool on a wire rack. Let stand at room temperature.

Rest in peace, Sherwood Schwartz

2011-07-12T21:32:00.002-04:00

Sherwood Schwartz, the man responsible for creating both "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island" died today at the age of 94. I can’t even imagine trying to calculate how many hours of my formative years were spent watching these two TV programs. Thanks for the years of entertainment, Mr. Schwartz!

Think you’re funny? Hit the “Comments” button below and write a caption for this photo from The Brady Bunch.

"Damn it Alice...I asked you to make pork chops and applesauce!"

"Alice, I don't know how you do it, but That. Cake. Looks. AMAZING!"

Our Portuguese Water Dog avoids the leap of faith

2011-07-12T20:38:00.000-04:00

Our dog Otis is a Portuguese Water Dog, a breed of working canines that are originally from – you guessed it – Portugal. We’re told that back in their homeland, this breed was invaluable to local fisherman because the dogs could be trained to herd fish into nets, retrieve objects from the water, and even act as ship-to-shore messengers.

There’s no place on earth that Otis is happier than on the beach, which is why we so enjoy his company during our annual summer vacation in Provincetown, located on the tip of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Like us, he’s content to spend his day on the sand, relaxing, eating, and occasionally going into the water to play. But despite his breed’s long history with all things water-related, the one thing Otis just won’t do is jump into the water from a dock or any kind of platform.

A couple of summers ago, we went for a walk around the lake at nearby Ashland State Park. Otis was in and out of the water all day – but when we went to the end of a long dock and tossed his tennis ball into the drink, Otis went bonkers. First he tried to reach out with his front paw and coax the ball closer to the dock. Then he tried another angle. And then he shifted again, clearly getting frustrated. Finally, he broke into a full gallop back to shore, where he splashed into the water and swam like crazy to snap up the ball. Time and time again, we brought him to the end of the dock and threw the ball into the lake. And without fail, Otis would run back to the beach and then swim out to his ball.

So I was reminded of Otis’ reluctance to jump into the water today when I saw this video of this pooch who was bound and determined to get his rock out of the water and make it “stay”. The dog seems to have no qualms about jumping into the water or sticking his whole head under the surface.

So is it just Otis, or are most dogs reluctant to take a running leap into water?

The cast of Friends has really aged

2011-07-10T20:37:00.000-04:00

Source: DailyDawdle.com

Steal my bike once, shame on you. Steal my bike twice, shame on me.

2011-07-09T23:18:00.000-04:00

There are eight million stories in the naked city; this is just one of them. My bike was stolen today. I had a weird feeling as I chained it to the light pole outside my gym near Boston’s South Station at about 3:00 this afternoon. I was using one of those long, curly wire locks encased in hard plastic with a four-digit combination. But I figured it was pretty safe, as it was on a busy city street, right across from the train station, and directly in front of a taxi stand where there are always at least a half dozen cabbies waiting for a fare. But when I came out of the gym at about 4:30, my bike had vanished.

About six years ago, my bike was stolen from in front our home. I was using the same type of lock, and had chained my bike to our front fence while I ran inside. About 10 minutes later, I came outside to run an errand and my bike were gone. A few days later, Peter surprised me with a new set of wheels. He had gone to our local bike shop, picked out a new model, and had it waiting for me when I got home from work. It was a wonderful gesture, and I loved that bike.

Now I’m bike-less again, but I’ve learned my lesson. When I get my next bike (tomorrow, I’m going shopping at our favorite bike shop, Community Bike Supply in the South End), I’m going to buy a sturdier lock. While I don’t know for a fact that Boston is the bike theft capital of the United States, I do know that I’m not anxious to be victimized again.

Fireworks, stools, and Bristol Palin...Oh my!

2011-07-07T21:05:00.003-04:00

A couple of random items:

I work for a safety organization, and over the years, I’ve seen enough photos and heard enough stories to have a healthy respect for fire and the damage that can occur when it’s misused or otherwise out of control. Ditto for consumer fireworks. I’ve always been leery of folks – usually in a crowd of people and usually with a beer full of belly – lighting off firecrackers and bottle rockets. For me, that’s way too much potential for disaster. So with the Fourth of July now behind us, I was dismayed to read about a young father in North Dakota who literally had his head blown off by a firework he lit during a family party earlier this week. Witnesses say they heard a ‘boom’ and when the smoke cleared, they found the guy on the ground, “empty” from the shoulders up. Very sad story, indeed. But what struck me about the news article was the last line that said the victim’s body was being transported to the morgue so that an autopsy could be conducted. Really? They think maybe he died from pneumonia?

My friend Julie is traveling this week for work, and forwarded me this snapshot of a sign she saw in a local window. Anyone guesses where she is, or what she might have picked up in this shop?

This one’s for all the moms out there. How many of these classic lines did your mom pull on you?

An ~~edited~~ article from The Huffington Post:

“During an appearance on ABC's ‘The ~~Cluckfest~~ View’ on Thursday, Bristol Palin was asked by ~~The Cryptkeeper~~ Barbara Walters about her suggestion that Levi Johnston, her ex-boyfriend and father of her son, stole her virginity. ‘I'm not accusing him of date rape or anything with that,’ said the 20-year-old ~~victim~~ daughter of former Alaska ~~rocket scientist~~ governor Sarah Palin. ‘I just use that analogy of losing your virginity. That's why it's called losing your virginity.’ She later added, ‘If I wasn't ~~so stupid~~ drunk, no that night wouldn't have happened.’”

Love the comment from “LiberalDawg”: “Did he spike her drink? Did he force her to drink those wine coolers? Did he kidnap her? She's just like mama, always the victim.”

Screening a potential badminton partner

2011-07-06T21:41:00.000-04:00

Here's an idea for a housewarming gift for someone lucky enough to have a yard...a badminton set. We brought one to Bill and Andrew's house in Ogunquit over the weekend, and it was a big hit. It's easy to set up, simple to learn, and the game can be as relaxing or aggressive as you want it to be. Here's my artistic shot of Peter and Andrew in the backyard. I was in the kitchen on "cocktail duty" and snapped this image from inside.

Try this: Summer potato salad

2011-07-06T21:29:00.001-04:00

So we were visiting our friends Bill and Andrew up at their new home in Ogunquit, Maine over the holiday. Bill’s an avid reader and has a huge collection of cookbooks. Since I love to cook and am addicted to pretty much anything that’s broadcast on "The Food Network" (sorry Guy Fieri…I said “pretty much anything”), it’s a given that I also enjoy flipping through a good cookbook.

I’m sorry to say that I can’t give proper credit for the following recipe. The book it printed in was sitting on Bill and Andrew’s staircase and as breakfast was being prepared, I found this recipe for potato salad that I quickly transcribed onto my iPad. I had to make a few adjustments, but it still turned out great, and is now my favorite summer potato salad. Even Peter, a potato salad snob, termed this one a winner.

Summer potato salad

1 red onion (I used a vadalia)
1 teaspoon salt
31/4 lbs waxy potatoes (I used small, red bliss)
3 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup chopped parsley
juice of 1.5 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup black olives, roughly chopped (I used green. A combination of black and green would probably be even more delicious.)
1 can anchovies packed in oil

Slice onion very thinly and cover with ice cold water and salt. Let soak for 30 minutes and then drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water for 20-25 minutes. Drain well and cool slightly, cut into bite-size chunks.

Whisk together lemon juice, chopped up anchovies, and olive oil.

Add all other ingredients to the potatoes. Pour lemon juice mixture over the potatoes and mix gently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

A weekend visit to Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor

2011-07-05T21:50:00.000-04:00

We had a terrific Fourth of July weekend, New England style. Hard to believe that I had five days off from work, and that it's over already -- boy, that went fast.

On Friday, we rode our bikes over to the Moakley Federal Courthouse in South Boston (yes, that's where all of the pre-trial proceedings are being conducted for captured fugitive/mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger) where we caught a boat headed out to Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor.

The island is home to Boston Light, the first lighthouse built in the United States. The original structure dates back to 1716, but was destroyed by British forces as they withdrew from Massachusetts in 1776. The tower was re-built in 1783, and in the mid-1800s was raised to its present height of 89 feet. If you can stand one more piece of trivia about the lighthouse, I will tell you that it’s the only lighthouse to still be actively staffed by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Once on the island, we were pleasantly surprised that despite its historic importance, visitors are still allowed to climb to the top of the lighthouse (in small groups, via 76 steps and two steep ladders). It was pretty tight quarters at the top, but offered a great view of the harbor.

The folks staffing the lighthouse are really into their jobs. In fact, the lady who currently serves as the civilian lightkeeper dresses in garb from year's past - long checked dress, big bonnet -- and greeted us as our boat pulled up dockside, a big smile on her face and waving her white handkerchief. After sharing a brief history of the island, she sent us on our way to the lighthouse where other staff members guided us to the top. On our way back to the boat, the lightkeeper gave us all homemade chocolate chip cookies, and with a big, authentic smile on her face, thanked us all for visiting the island.

If you're ever in Boston with a couple of hours to spare, I'd recommend a visit to Little Brewster Island and Boston Light, especially if you're a history buff.

A celebrity sighting (or two) in Provincetown

2011-07-02T22:10:00.002-04:00

Hey, remember me? Summertime is finally here and I’m hoping that with a bunch new work projects launched, I can get back to this blog periodically. That being said, I probably wouldn’t be writing a blog post at nearly 10:00 pm on a Saturday if it weren’t for a little peer pressure from a fellow blogger.

If you read down the right side of my blog, you’ll see that one of the blogs I regularly follow is written by “BosGuy”. I don’t remember how I stumbled across his blog, but I started reading it about two years ago. Then when I joined a local gym, I met BosGuy “in the flesh”. He’s one of the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet, always quick with a smile and something charming to say. He’s also made quite a name for himself with his blog, with lots of followers and pick-up in local media.

Anyway, Peter and I drove down to Provincetown today with our friends Robb and Salvador, and who do we run into at the Boatslip for after-beach cocktails but BosGuy. We all chatted for about 15 minutes, during which BosGuy asked me if I had fallen off the blogging train. “Just a little sabbatical,” I assured him. Then I thought the easiest way to get back into blogging was to post a photo, so here’s a shot of me and BosGuy on the deck of the Boatslip.

BosGuy wasn’t the only “celebrity” at the deck…we also spotted Reichen Lehmkuhl. Memba him? He and his former partner won season 4 of the reality game show The Amazing Race. He went on to date singer Lance Bass and recently starred in another reality program called “The A-List: New York”, which I’ve never seen but has been described as the gay version of the “Real Housewives” franchise. This afternoon, we saw Reichen and his posse strut through the crowd at the Boatslip. As Salvador pointed out, Reichen has very white teeth.

No, THIS is the funniest video I've ever seen...

2011-05-05T19:53:00.001-04:00

Yes, it's another dog video...but if you've not yet seen this video that's gone wildly viral, may I please present the "Ultimate Dog Tease".

Gizzards and all

2011-05-04T19:48:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been in line at the supermarket, looked down at the items on the conveyor belt, and thought, "I am the only person in the entire history of the world to buy this group of items"? Yeah, I was that guy tonight.

low-fat cottage cheese
a half gallon of 2 percent milk
a dozen eggs
five cans of cannellini beans
two pears
a package of chicken hearts and gizzards (don't judge)
a Mother's Day card

Two dogs enjoying some fine dining

2011-04-27T09:02:00.000-04:00

This has got to be one of the funniest videos I've ever seen!

Farewell, Phoebe Snow

2011-04-26T21:13:00.000-04:00

If you asked me what singer best embodied the “sound of the ‘70s”, Phoebe Snow would certainly be at the top of my list. So I was saddened to learn that Phoebe died this morning in Edison, NJ, from complications of a brain haemorrhage she suffered over a year ago. She was only 58 years old.

Who can forget her biggest hit, the sultry “Poetry Man”?

You are a genie

All I ask for is your smile

Each time I rub the lamp

When I am with you

I have a giggling teenage crush

Then I'm a sultry vamp, yeah sultry vamp

Talk to me some more

You don't have to go

You're the poetry man

You make things all right, yeah, yeah

Who was the real-life poetry man? In 1989, Phoebe went on the record to say that despite rumors to the contrary, it was not singer/songwriter Jackson Brown. "No, no. It's somebody you wouldn't know. People just thought Poetry Man was Browne because he was the first act I toured with," she told USA Today.

Phoebe’s career ended about as quickly as it began. In 1975, she gave birth to her daughter, Valerie, who suffered from serious build-up of fluid in her brain. Not expected to live for more than a few years, Valerie lived 31 years, and Phoebe gave up her musical career and dedicated her life to caring for her daughter.

"She was the only thing that was holding me together," she told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2008. "My life was her, completely about her, from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed at night."

Phoebe did eventually return to the recording studio, but her later material never matched the success of “Poetry Man”. She also sang the theme song for “A Different World” (a spin-off of The Cosby Show that starred Lisa Bonet as a college student at the fictional Hillman College) as well as the TV commercial jingle for General Foods International Coffees (remember “Celebrate the Moments of Your Life”?).

I thought you might like to hear a lesser-known performance by Phoebe Snow. This is from her 1979 appearance on Saturday Night Live, where she sang “The Married Men” with Linda Ronstadt. I love Linda too, but I think Phoebe blows her away in this clip.

The best burger in Boston?

2011-04-25T21:16:00.000-04:00

Thanks to a Groupon that entitled us to $50 worth of food for just $25, we really enjoyed our dinner tonight at Sel de la Terre on Boylston Street in the Back Bay of Boston. (What would have made it even better would be if Massachusetts still allowed Groupons to be applied toward alcohol. Last month, the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission decided that Groupon dinner discounts were no longer in compliance with state liquor laws and regulations. For real? How disgustingly puritanical are we here in New England?)

Anyhow, I did manage to enjoy my dinner without a frosty beer or dirty gin martini to wash it all down. We started with the charcuterie plate, which offered up a selection of duck liver mousse, pig ear terrine (yes, “pig ear”), bresaola (dried beef), blood sausage, served with pickled onions, jam, mustard, and delicious grilled bread. We also split an appetizer portion of grilled razor sea clams served with savory, salty lardons. As if we were still hungry (hey, we had to spend $50!), we each got the house burger, cooked medium, and topped with Vermont cheddar, spicy aioli, and a slice of crispy pancetta. Oh, did I mention the fries? Thin shoestring cut potatoes, perfectly crispy and salty, dusted with fresh rosemary. YUM. How do you think my sodium-free diet is going?!

Next time you’re in Boston, check out the burger at Sel de la Terre. In addition to their Back Bay location, they also have restaurants on Long Wharf (near the Aquarium) and in the town of Natick.

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T16:48:00.000-04:00

My friend Meri-K featured on the TODAY show

2011-04-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

Meri-K Appy, my very good friend, and former work colleague, was featured on this morning's TODAY show on NBC. Meri-K, who's a bigwig with the Home Safety Council/SAFE KIDS USA in Washington, DC, talked with Natalie Morales about the five major dangers in our homes: falls, poisoning, fires/burns, choking, and drowning. Meri-K is the quintisenntial "safety nerd" -- we used to joke that she'd happily strap on a helmet to make a conference call! Years ago, she was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show and was demonstrating what to do if your clothes caught on fire - the classic "stop, drop, and roll" technique. I remember laughing because the overzealous cameraman zoomed in to show Meri-K covering her face with her hands and got an up close and personal view of her nostrils! Meri-K is also a great sport, so I'm using this blog to tease her a little bit, but to offer my hearty congratulations on a job well done on the TODAY show.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sarah Palin says Obama is "over his head"

2011-04-20T22:41:00.000-04:00

I guess she can relate. And she's a fan of Donald Trump. How about she and Mr. Trump stop all the noise and distraction and let serious politicians step up to the plate? She makes me want to barf up my linzertorte.

Try this: the Von Trapp family linzertorte

2011-04-20T22:05:00.000-04:00

Yup, I admit it. I can't stand "The Sound of Music." (I know...bucking the stereotype and all.) But despite my disregard for "My Favorite Things" and a gaggle of stern nuns with hearts of gold, I would have to admit that the Von Trapp family sure know how to make a tasty dessert. This past winter, we visited Stowe, VT, twice (for skiing), and during both visits, we stopped by the Trapp Family Lodge, the American homestead of the warbling brood. During our first visit, we stopped by the bakery on the property and picked up a delicious apple struedel. The second time we visited, we did a quick tour of the resort and gift shop and we purchased a postcard that featured the recipe for the linzertorte they sell in the bakery.

We've got family visiting this weekend and thought a delicious linzertorte would be a great finale to our giant casserole dish filled with homemade choucroute that we're serving for dinner tomorrow night. (Peter spent the afternoon pulling together this famous Alsacian dish featuring sauerkraut with sausages, ham hocks, frankfurters, aromatic vegetables, juniper berries, potatoes, and other sultry ingredients.)

Anyway, I thought I'd share the recipe for the linzertorte with you. Strangely, the postcard calls it "Marshall's World Famous Linzertorte" with no reference to Maria, Louisa, Friedrich, Kurt, Doc, Sleepy, Sneezy or any other character from the movie. But I really don't care -- the torte sure does smell great, and I'm expecting rave reviews when we serve it Thursday night.

Note: this recipe makes TWO tortes.

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 pound butter (softened)

1 egg

1 1/2 cups ground walnuts

3 rounded cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup each of currant jelly and raspberry jam

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, ground walnuts, flour, and spices. Work into dough.
Divide dough into quarters.
Press one of the quarters into the bottom of a greased and floured 8 inch pan (we used one of those cheesecake forms with the removable sides)
Using another quarter, roll the dough flat and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Use a few to line the sides of the pan (you don't need to go very high -- just a nice little edge).
Mix the jelly and jam and spoon half into the crust and spread evenly.
Use the remaining strips and place on top of the torte in a weaving design. Sprinkle top with 1/8 cup of the almonds
Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and the jam mixture is bubbling.
Remove from the oven, let cool, and remove from the pan.
Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
Repeat above steps using the other two quarters of dough, remaining jam mixture, and almonds.

Our lamb has been shorn for spring

2011-04-20T21:33:00.000-04:00

Otis got his spring bath and grooming just in time. Peter's sister, brother-in-law, and niece are coming to visit for the weekend, and the pooch was in dire need of a clean-up so he looked and smelled clean. His groomer Michelle did an awesome job, as usual, giving him a "high and tight" cut. And all bias aside, I would have to admit that he's looking quite dapper and ready for company. Below are his "before" and "after" portraits.

Try this: Martha's New Spinach Salad

2011-04-18T19:28:00.000-04:00

I tried out a great new recipe from the latest issue of Martha Stewart's magazine tonight. Both Peter and I love to cook - but I was especially inspired when I saw some of my online friends Blobby and Bo were posting tales of their latest, delicious-looking adventures in the kitchen.

So over the weekend, I clipped out Martha's recipe for "New Spinach Salad", her modern take on the classic mixture of spinach, hard-boiled egg, and bacon. It was my first time poaching eggs, and I must admit that they came out quite beautifully. In fact, once I had composed the salads on our plates for dinner, I was so taken by their beauty that I commenced chowing down without snapping a photo. So you'll have to believe me that I actually made this recipe.

It's pretty simple...and looks great on the plate. Very sophisticated, don't you know? If you try it, let me know what you think.

Martha's New Spinach Salad

For the poached eggs
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 large eggs

For the salad
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 (or more) fingerling potatoes, blanched and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices
5 ounces baby spinach
one link of cooked (not dried) chorizo, sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices

For the dressing
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
salt and pepper

Poach the eggs. Add white vinegar to a large saucepan of simmering water. Crack eggs into water, 1 at a time. Poach until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate using a slotted spoon.
Make the salad. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook potatoes until golden, about 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl using a slotted spoon and add spinach. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet. Cook chorizo until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add to bowl using slotted spoon.
Make the dressing. Remove skillet from heat. Add shallot and let cook for 30 seconds. Swirl in vinegar.
Pour dressing over salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Divide salad among four plates. Top each with an egg.

Follow the bouncing heads

2011-04-15T19:33:00.000-04:00

Bobble-headed children playing guitars. My sister-in-law had the funniest comment: "I thought cloning was illegal!"

Chicken pot pie roadtrip

2011-04-15T19:26:00.000-04:00

Last night, after some recent ribbing that Peter and I never venture past the northern border of Boston city limits, we joined a convoy headed to the seacoast town of Winthrop. There were eight of us, all who live here in our South Boston condo building, and we piled into two cars: one filled with ladies and one filled with the guys. Our destination was the Winthrop Arms Hotel, a blast from the past with a huge lobby with checked white tile floors and big comfy couches which were perfect for enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail.

As we headed into the dining room, the manager/maitre d’ told us to enjoy our dinner, and to be sure to visit the restrooms, “the cleanest in the city!” There was a full menu but there was no doubt about what I was ordering. Our friends had been talking up the homemade chicken pot pie, and being a self-proclaimed pot pie affecianado (and snob), I eagerly ordered my dinner. I was not disappointed. The buttery crust completely enveloped a huge bowl of delicious pieces of roasted chicken, rich gravy, and assorted fresh vegetables. Not a dish for the diet-conscious, but hey, life is short, right?

Even better than my delicious dinner was a chance to hang out with Peter, Mary Ann, Jan, Joanne, Robb, Phyllis, and Salvador. It was the first time we’d all been together socially and we had a lot of laughs. In fact, we decided that our next get-together would be a retro (circa 1955) potluck dinner. Think tuna noodle casseroles, pretty Jello molds, cheese balls, deviled eggs, and olive loaf. Am I making you hungry?

PS: Here’s a gratuitous photo of Salvador – not from last night’s dinner – but in response to his complaints that I never run photos of him on my blog. The nerve…

A crappy story

2011-04-11T19:02:00.000-04:00

When I started this blog nearly a year ago, I promised myself that I’d never resort to “potty humor”. I’m not sure this entry exactly qualifies as “potty humor” but I thought this particular story was certainly blog-worthy.

This morning at work, I visited the men’s room. As I entered, I heard a woman’s voice. It sounded tinny, sort of like the voices you’d hear coming out of your favorite AM station on those little transistor radios we all had in the 1970s. I could make out a few words here and there, and then suddenly, a man’s voice jumped in, just as tinny as the woman’s voice. And then I could make out their words. They were arguing whether it was right or wrong to demand President Obama to hand over his birth certificate for public review. Yes, someone was in one of the stalls in the men’s room at work, listening to talk radio at full volume!

Really? Was the “Man Behind Door #2” (pun intended) so engrossed in the conversation about birth certificates that he couldn’t tear him self away to take care of his own business? Has he never heard of earphones? And the bigger question: would it have been appropriate for the man behind door #3 to ask for a station change? Perhaps something with a beat that was easy to dance to?

Not too long back, I was in the locker room at my gym and heard a man carrying on a business conversation while he was on the can. All around him, toilets were flushing, showers were running, guys were yelling back and forth – so it must have been pretty obvious to the people on the other end of the line where Mr. Multitasker had chosen to take this phone call.

Have you ever brought your radio into a public bathroom, or made a business call while you were otherwise indisposed? If so, please share your story. This I gotta hear…

One Dog Night

2011-04-09T19:57:00.000-04:00

I would love to train Otis to do this. He's a natural ham, so it may not take too much work!

It's been a while

2011-04-09T19:55:00.000-04:00

It's been nearly a month since I last posted. It's been a particularly hectic few weeks at work, with several new projects on my desk. We also took a vacation with my folks -- traveled to Amsterdam with a quick overnight side-trip to Paris. It was a wonderful get-away -- and I'll be posting some photos soon. Just wanted to check in and put a paragraph up here before someone filed a "missing person" report.

It was a beautiful spring day here in Boston. Here's a shot of Otis and me at Castle Island this afternoon. We had just taken him to the 'dog spa' where we gave him a bath, so we figured a visit to Castle Island, where he could run off all of the trauma associated with bath time, was in order.

My golden boy

2011-03-11T17:59:00.001-05:00

As a long, hectic work week draws to a close, I'm taking time to appreciate the beauty of the sun peeking out from behind rain clouds that have been hanging over Boston all day, and the beautiful golden light that Otis and I enjoyed at Pleasure Bay. Life is good.

The science of cat ladies

2011-02-25T08:37:00.000-05:00

While cats have plenty of male admirers, a new study in the journal "Behavioural Processes" (one of my favorite magazines -- I kid, I kid) shows that women tend to interact with their cats more than men do.

The study, which analyzed interactions between 41 cats and their owners, shows that felines attach to humans - particularly women - as social partners. It says the dynamics surrounding cat-human relationships are nearly identical to human bonds, with cats sometimes even becoming a furry "child" in nurturing homes. And get this: researchers determined that cats and their owners strongly influenced each other, such that they were each often controlling the other's behaviors. The study also concluded that cats also seem to remember kindness and return the favors later.

Next up for the researchers? They're taking on a long-term study of the relationship between humans and dogs. Count me in!

So if you know a "crazy cat lady", go knock on her door. And once she stumbles through the maze of litter boxes, empty tuna tins, and giant furballs than line the pathways of her subterranean, rent-controlled apartment, give her a hug. Crazy cat ladies need love too!

What is our baby going to be?

2011-02-22T12:46:00.000-05:00