Intellectuals, Inc.

Oktoberfest 2011

2011-10-09T15:46:00.005-04:00

Vacation this year started in Munich, on our way to Salzburg and Venice. By happy coincidence, Oktoberfest was in full swing, and my travel companion, Catherine, and I decided to have lunch at Bavaria's centuries old celebration. The only comparison I can make for those who have not been is to a state fair, but bigger and with significantly more beer.

A gigantic beer for a guy who prefers scotch, bourbon, and wine. It was delicious though.

Catherine's first beer ever. She did quite well.

A standard litre of beer at Oktoberfest.

Lunch included a wurst salad, rye bread, and veal sausages.

One of the many "tent" where eating, drinking, and general merriment takes place.

Inside the tents; each is different, according to the brewery that runs it.

Chocolate covered peppers.

The only thing on a stick that I saw was this fish, roasting whole like a rotisserie chicken.

The crowds of Oktoberfest.

I hate Nancy Grace, Susan Moss, and all the rest of them

2011-07-08T11:17:00.002-04:00

I'm tired of all the Casey Anthony ridiculousness. Worse, I find Nancy Grace to be a waste of space who thinks she knows all. She had the nerve to tell George Stephanpoulos of Good Morning America that she "Only speaks the truth" after calling the jury kookie. How is that the truth?

I think James Wooten got it right in his piece for Vanity Fair. The best quote: "Look, I don't know if Casey Anthony is guilty or not, but neither does Nancy Grace or any of the performing seals brought in as expert commentators to bark and clap their fins, and maybe if they acknowledged they [sic] lack of godly omniscience they might be a little less 'shocked' and 'stunned' the next time around. Barring exorcism, I don't expect Nancy Grace to change, she being the only person whose nose seems tilted into a permanent sneer."

Here's the British Perspective from The First Post, which calls the jury's decision legitimate. US media in apoplexy as Casey Anthony acquitted | People in the News | People | The First Post

Supreme Court Victory for Video Games

2011-06-27T12:07:00.000-04:00

Today SCOTUS decided that California cannot ban sale of violent video games to minor. The ban would have carried a $1,000 fine for violators.

Supreme Court overturns California ban on violent video game sales or rental to kids - The Washington Post

What makes this one of the most interesting SCOTUS decisions of the year for me is that Justice Scalia and Justice Thomas are on opposite sides of the the decision. I love when they split, as it shows that there is still principled discussion and difference at the Supreme Court, even on the right.

Spell Check Poem

2011-06-24T11:03:00.002-04:00

Thanks to my friend Jerry for this. As a grammar lover, a teacher, and massive fan of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, this struck my funny bone. Enjoy!

Eye halve a spelling chequer

It came with my pea sea

It plainly marques four my revue

Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word

And weight four it two say

Weather eye am wrong oar write

It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid

It nose bee fore two long

And eye can put the error rite

Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it

I am shore your pleased two no

Its letter perfect awl the weigh

My chequer tolled me sew.

--Anonymous--

JJ Abram's Super 8

2011-06-23T21:12:00.010-04:00

Hollywood has been incredibly disappointing for the last few years, or maybe I'm just getting old and jaded. Or both. JJ Abrams is one of the few bright spots left in Tinsel Town, and his latest effort, Super 8, brought me out to the movies again.

Take a father-son relationship story, fold in first love and a coming of age tale, and top off with an angry alien that just wants to go home and you have a quality summer outing. Abrams is a story-teller, and this semi-autobiographical yarn recalls the innocence of youth, the purity of love, the joy of friendship, and all that we risk losing once we grow up.

Set in the summer of 1979, Super 8 is the story of five friend making a zombie movie. Charles (the Abrams character played by Riley Griffiths) is the writer and director; Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) is his best friend special effects and make up guru; Carey (Ryan Lee), Martin (Gabriel Basso), and Preston (Zach Mills) round out the main gang. The introduction of Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) as the wife of the detective changes everything. When they sneak out to film a scene and unexpectedly witness a train crash, their lives will never be the same.

Best of all are the performances of the young actors. Ryan Lee was my favorite, probably because he reminded me of so many of my students from my teaching days. He's the kid with the energy to make the battery powered bunny look lazy. His infatuation with fireworks, guns, and cars is the very definition of boy-ness. Its just one example of Abrams' deft touch with his writer's pen.

Super 8 is part ET, part Stand By Me, part Goonies, and all fun. Bring the kids or leave them at home, either way you're sure to enjoy the show.

Wolverine is a Union Fan

2011-06-23T09:09:00.004-04:00

So it would seem that Wolverine aka Hugh Jackman is a fan of the Philadelphia Union. Last night he was at the game, kitted out in home jersey and SOB scarf, standing right below the River End. A ripple went through the crowd when he arrived, and we started chanting "Wolverine...Wolverine." It might have been the best thing about the 0 - 0 draw.

More on Jackman and other celebs attending the game at The Brotherly Game.

DHS in a nutshell

2011-06-02T17:36:00.002-04:00

This is my new favorite quote regarding everyone's favorite Federal bureaucracy, the Department of Homeland Security. Too bad it is from a fictional POTUS, in the novel The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry.

"'The monstrosity of government called homeland security,' the president said, 'is absurd. I have yet to find anyone who knows how much it costs, how many are employed, how many programs there are and, most important, how much duplication there is. Best I can tell there are nearly 1300 separate organizations working homeland security or foreign intelligence. That's on top of nearly 2000 private contractors. Nearly 900,000 hold a top secret clearance. How could anything possibly be kept secret with that many eyes and ears?'"

At least in the fictional world someone in government understands what a disaster George W. Bush authorized after 9/11.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Book of Mormon, The Musical

2011-05-29T09:10:00.006-04:00

The Book of Mormon, the Broadway musical by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, is the most offensive thing I have ever witnessed. If Avenue Q was irreverent, The Book of Mormon is down right blasphemous, a scandal the likes of which Broadway has never known. It is also the funniest thing on Broadway in decades; the best thing I have ever happily paid $400 to see. If you are easily offended, move on, but for those with a taste for the perfect balance of potty humor, biting satire, and old time song and dance, The Book of Mormon is for you.

Fans of South Park know that Matt and Trey have an incredulous fascination with religion, and the peculiar beliefs that underpin all religions. Whether it is the perceived cannibalism of Catholicism ("This is my body, this is my blood...") or the auditing and thetan levels of Scientology, South Park has lambasted just about every known religion. There is a special place in the hearts of Matt and Trey, though, for Mormonism, the story of Joseph Smith and the Golden Plates. Mormons themselves whose credulity and politeness combined with the practice of a two year mission to preach the Word make them a perfect target for the guys' unique brand of satirical humor.

The musical version of The Book of Mormon tells the story of two young missionaries, Elder Kevin Price (Andrew Rannells) the super star trainee whose only desire in the world is to do something incredible. His mission brother is Elder Arnold Cunningham (Josh Gad), a spaz and pathological liar desperate for a best friend. Ehen everyone else heads off to vacation destinations like Norway, France, and Japan, Price and Cunningham are assigned to Uganda, Matt and Trey's shorthand for the worst place on earth where women are circumcised, war lords kill indiscriminately, the poverty is soul crushing, and hope is displaced by fear (and maggots).

In Uganda Elder Price faces a crisis of faith and Elder Cunningham preaches a unique version of Mormonism in order to convert the Africans. Among the Ugandans, Kevin and Arnold meet Nabulungi (Nikki M. James) who risks stealing the show with her sweet performance. She dreams of escaping the misery of Africa for gold thatched rooves of Salt Lake City.

"The Book of Mormon" may be Matt and Trey's greatest achievement. Filled with running jokes about texting, Nabulungi's name, and maggots, the show has all the humorous trade marks the South Park duo are known for, including a big flashy scene from hell with dancing demons and assorted mass murderers. It is also filled with a deep look at faith and the meaning of being a person of faith in the modern world. Ultimately, though they might poke fun, I think the guys deeply respect people who believe and at a minimum believe people should have the freedom to believe as they want.

Robert Lopez, Tony Award winning creator of Avenue Q, is easily lost in the sycophantic praise of Stone and Parker, but he is certainly the reason why this show hits all the right Broadway notes. Partnering with Lopez was an inspired choice as he brings experience and buckets of talent to the team. What is most amazing is how seamlessly the three collaborated to create "The Book of Mormon."

Kudos, by the way, to the Church of Latter Day Saints for its incredibly measured response to what many may find to be hurtful. In response to the opening of the Broadway show, the Church issued the following statement: "The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ." This is the perfect answer...no protests or boycotts, no fatwas or excommunications.

No one but Matt Stone and Trey Parker could pull off "The Book of Mormon." I don't see it being revived in ten years, but if we are lucky, it will still being running even then. To learn more about this genius show, check out Matt and Trey's interview with Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air.

Trump, Birthers, & Obama

2011-04-25T20:39:00.007-04:00

My friend Carey recently referenced Charles M. Blow's opinion piece from the NYTimes on Donald Trump's opportunistic embrace of the birther argument and asked why more Republicans are not standing up to the ugliness that is birtherism. At the time I offered that many Republicans do not want to lend credence to the idiocy of questioning President Obama's birth certificate. I am happy to say that none other than Karl Rove has called Donald Trump a "joke candidate" since he has made the birth certificate issue central to his candidacy.

Let me add my weak little voice to that of Darth Karl. First, my bona fides. I have been a member of the Grand Old Party since I was sixteen years old and made my first donation to the Republican National Committee. That same year I worked for Bob Dole in the 1988 Republican primary, meeting one of my heroes Jeanne Kirkpatrick. I have voted in just about every election, local, state, and federal since I was eighteen, having the pleasure of voting against the likes of Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, and Ed Markey multiple times. A natural conservative, I was a Reagan Republican from the very beginning, a small government libertarian with foreign interventionist leanings.

I am no supporter of President Obama. I disagree with him on just about every policy decision he has made or supported, but as to the birther issue, there is no issue. First and foremost, the State of Hawaii, through its appropriate officials, have attested to and produced a birth certificate for Barack Hussein Obama. At FactCheck.org, researchers were able to examine the birth certificate, and provide excellent photographs of the raised seal, official signature, and certificate number. Secondly, researchers have found the original birth announcement from August 13, 1961 Honolulu Advertiser and the Star-Bulletin. Finally, snopes.com notes a witness who knew and discussed the birth of Barack Hussein Obama with the obstetrician who delivered him and later taught him in prep school. This is more than enough for me. I hate conspiracy theories, and this is one of the wackiest I have heard in a long time.

For those who wish to play Constitutional scholar, a quick lesson. Even if President Obama had been born in a foreign country (for which there is NO evidence at all, as all evidence is to the contrary), his mother was an American citizen, born in this country, and thus her progeny are American citizens by virtue of her citizenship. American Consular Offices around the world regularly record the births of Americans abroad.

President Obama's citizenship is a non-starter. Donald Trump is an opportunistic douche bag catering to crazies, cranks, and Glenn Beck's army of wing nuts, but I repeat myself. There are plenty of reasons to vote against President Obama in 2012--from both the right and left--but questioning his citizenship is just a distraction from important policy debates. The birther issue may win Trump early support, but it will ultimately cost the GOP the election, which explains why Karl Rove jumped into the fray.

UPDATE: Today (April 26, 2011) CNN is reporting that RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has joined Darth Karl and I in declaring birtherism dead. "'Trump and the candidates can talk about it all they want, but my position is that the president was born in the United States,' Priebus told reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor."

UPDATE: Not that it will make any difference, but today (April 27, 2011) the White House has released the long form birth certificate from Hawaii. I think any candidate who panders to the crazies with this should be roundly booed and then promptly ignored until they crawl back in the hole whence they came.

UPDATE: One final addition, Politico is reporting that former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Tuesday stated unequivocally "I think the citizenship test has been passed. I believe the president was born in the United States."

A Discovery of Witches

2011-04-17T16:38:00.008-04:00

Any one who knows me, knows of my love of vampires. A fan of Anne Rice's oeuvre, when I met the Mayfair witches for the first time I was equally enamored. Unfortunately, writers who choose to relate tales of vampires and witches rarely have any real insight into this alternate reality, and scarcely do they advance the genre.

Truth be told, the last few years have yielded some very interesting vampire literature, despite the sparkly vegetarians of teen fiction. Justin Cronin's The Passage was a wonderful modern re-imagining of the vampire origin myth, and Elizabeth Kostova brilliantly continues Bram Stoker's tale in The Historian. Both not only bring something new to the vampire genre, but their writing is as strong as the story-telling.

Finally, the world of witches may have found a narrator to succeed Anne Rice in her retirement from the occult. In A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harkness asks a simple but worthy question: What would the world be like if it were filled witches and vampires and daemons? The simple answer is, we could easily be living in that very world right now.

Harkness chooses of her book the perfect place that could easily be inhabited by otherworldly creatures, Oxford. Dr. Diana Bishop is an American scholar from Yale doing research on alchemy. A descendant of Bridget Bishop, the witch who died at Salem during the witchcraft trials, Diana is a reluctant witch who avoids her powers. When she discovers a magical manuscript in the midst of her research, she is forced to confront not only her own magic, but the magical world and all its denizens, who appear out of no where in search of the long lost manuscript. Along the way, Diana will come face-to-face with Matthew Clairmont, a vampire born in the time of Clovis, and she will learn that there is much she does not know about herself, her people, or the strange world to which she belongs.

The writing in this 592-page novel is wonderfully overflowing with references that easily send the reader scurrying to the internet to learn more about Harkness' narrative, whether it's history or genetics or wine. This kind of story telling is the sign of excellent research but an even more exceptional mind. More than anything, it is writing worth reading. One of my favorite passages is a description of the vampire Matthew Clairmont:

"The vampire who entered the salon was not the Matthew that I knew. He was not the elegant, charming creature who had slipped into my life with a mocking smile and invitations to breakfast. Nor was he the scientist, absorbed in his work and preoccupied with the question of why he was here. [...] This Matthew was cold and impassive. The few soft edges he'd once possessed—around his mouth, in the delicacy of his hands, the stillness of his eyes—had been replaced by hard lines and angles. He seemed older than I remembered, a combination of weariness and careful remove reflecting every moment of his nearly fifteen hundred years of age."

There is so much to love about A Discovery of Witches, not least the fact that no matter who the reader, they are bound to learn something new. A literary novel intended for those who just love to read, it is also a gift to all of us who love to imagine a world filled with otherworldly creatures. When I neared the end of the book and realized this was just book one of a trilogy, I was filled with both exasperation and excitement. I hated that I didn't know how things were ending, but I was thrilled to know there are two more worthy tomes on the way.

Supper in Philadelphia

2011-04-13T21:28:00.013-04:00

Last night my friend was visiting from out of town. Of course an out-of-town visit is reason enough to explore what's new in the Philadelphia food universe, but it also happened to be her birthday. My choice of Supper--open for a few years but gaining in popularity in the last year--was a perfect choice for food obsessed friends.

Supper bills itself as Seasonal American Cooking, sourcing incredibly fresh produce from Blue Elephant Farms in Newtown Square where chef Mitch Prensky is part owner. Prensky creates dishes with incredible depth of flavor, with whimsy and grace. His willingness to work bacon into so many of his dishes speaks of his brilliance.

We decided to start with four of the small plate starters. First were soft pretzels with beer mustard. These were the lightest pretzel I have ever tried, airy with losing consistency. The beer mustard was pungent and tangy.

Next were the warm cheddar and sage cheese puffs; think cream puff but savory. Tiny bite-sized bursts of flavor, I never discovered the sage, but the bacon mornay sauce more than compensated.

The crispy squid with sriracha aioli was delightful; not your typical calamari with marinara, but elevated to something special. Dusted with corn meal, the squid were crunchy without the eggy batter that so often masks the sweetness of the calamari. Chef Prensky accentuates this sweetness with matchstick thin peppers that sing with sweetness.

Finally, we shared the dish that Supper has become justly famous, the deviled eggs. I have such great memories of these delectable little treats from childhood that I really wanted all four for myself, but since it was my friend's birthday, I relented and let her pick first. Every night, the chef delights his diners with a different selection. We were presented with four deviled eggs like nothing from my childhood. My dinner companion was enchanted by an olive and feta selection and Old Bay flavored; I was more than pleased with the bacon with pork rind, and the truffle egg was just plain special.

The starters were fun, but the best was yet to come. Our next course was the smoked sweet potato soup with cinnamon marshmallow, apple, and sage. A perfect evocation of the Thanksgiving side dish, with a balance of comfort food raised to the next level. The smokiness, while subtle, brought complexity while the homemade marshmallow provided sweetness and the apple supplied texture and crunch. Finally the sage lent an air of the savory that pulled the entire dish together. This was a treat to be savored, lingering to enjoy every last drop.

Finally, we were ready for our entrées. I opted for the Scottish salmon served with salmon roe, buttered baby spinach, sunchoke hash browns, and lemon jam. Beautifully presented, the salmon was cook rare, and the lemon jam was one of the most original accompaniments to salmon I've ever had. The sunchokes were a nice change of starch, and the roe brought the needed saltiness to the dish.

The other entrée was day boat scallops with fresh sweet peas, pea sprouts (the hottest new green around), and with pearl onions, bacon strudel and creme fraiche. These perfectly caramelized scallops were sweet and juicy, but the peas are the star of this dish, plain and simple. Fresh plucked that morning I'm sure, these green little gems were combined with the smokiest bacon lardons ever. I'm convinced that while the bacon was in the smoker, someone nearby was smoking and then lit the building on fire.

Dessert seemed overkill at this point, but we were celebrating. I opted for the Stumptown Coffee Tres Leche Cake with almond biscotti crumble and lemon whipped cream. The hint of coffee cuts the sweetness of this traditional Latin dessert. The Antebellum Coconut Cake with mango mousse and roasted pineapple celebrates the flavors of the Caribbean, and the mousse was so light and airy the mango came through in spades.

Supper is worth the trek into City Center to sample the creative cuisine of Chef Mark Prensky. If you are into exploring flavor and bacon, Supper is for you. I will certainly be back, especially for happy hour with deviled eggs. I'm curious to try the weekend brunch and Sunday Supper too. In other words, I'm hooked!

Marc Chagall at Philadelphia Museum of Art

2011-04-06T15:17:00.011-04:00

Currently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a wonderful exhibition on the work of one of my favorite artists, Marc Chagall. "Paris Through the Window: Marc Chagall and His Circle" is at the Perelman Building now through July 1, 2011. With over seventy works of art from Chagall himself, his teachers, and those artists with whom he surrounded himself, this exhibition allows you to see both the influence on Chagall and his influence on others.

What I have always loved about Chagall's work is his ability to transport the viewer to a different world, one where the laws of physics are slightly off. His universe is filled with floating people, anthropomorphic animals, interiors on the outside, and colors that at times arrest the viewer while at others coddle and comfort. In the painting above, from which the exhibition takes its name, Chagall literally captures his first impressions of Paris. The influence of cubism which he discovered up arrival can be seen, while his use of color is drawn from his days studying in Saint Petersburg.

Leon Bakst, a costume designer for Les Ballet Russe, was one of

Chagall's most important influences in Saint Petersburg, and quite possibly one of the reasons Chagall chose to journey to the City of Light. In the painting "The Pilgrim" to the left one can glimpse the palette of expressive colors that Chagall adopted to create much of his dream world.

The sculpture to the right, "Sailor with Guitar" is by Jacques Lipchitz, a Lithuanian-born artist of Jewish descent who was in Paris when Chagall arrived. A friend of cubist John Gris, Lipchitz brought cubism to Chagall's world, though the Russian would never fully adopt the style. Both this statute and Lipchitz other "Woman with Braid" were two of the gems of the show.

Possibly my favorite of the non-Chagall works were those by Amadeo Modigliano. While Chagall was only just beginning his time in Paris and his career as a painter, unbeknown to everyone, Modigliano was coming to the end of his. Though he would die in 1920 at the age of 36, the works he left behind are hauntingly beautiful, with a style unique and wonderful. In "Blue Eyes" one sees the elongated neck and flat eyes that denote a Modigliano portrait, capturing both African sculptural portraiture and more traditional techniques.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has assembled a brilliant show

worthy of a world class museum. Maybe the best part is the fact that all of the paintings are from the museum's own collections. This is not a gathered exhibit, but rather this is the museum showing off it own wonderful holdings. Bravo! In truth, I might not have been interested in anything but the Chagalls and Modiglianos, but seeing the other in context as Chagall's circle made me appreciate them in an unexpected way.

If I had any complaint at all, it was about the cell phone tour. It found that is was simply a substitute for reading the placards. Personally I am not looking for the curator to read to me what I can read for myself. Instead, I want to hear him tell me more than what I can read there on the wall or under the painting. When they did that, the cell phone tour was worth the minutes, but most often it was a waste of my time and cell minutes. Thank God I have roll over.

All in all, every one in Philadelphia who cares even s little about art should see this show. And those who don't give a fig about art, maybe you need to see this more than anyone!

Historically Hardcore

2011-04-01T12:14:00.003-04:00

If you have not seen the Historically Hardcore posters that have gone viral, here they are. I love them! They were a student project done for and rejected by the Smithsonian Museums. I guess they were not the image the Smithsonian wanted to maintain. Why would a museum wish to be hip and relevant to young people? Geekosystem has the full story. As a history educator, I definitely see the value of this kind of edginess to capture the imagination of high school students.

Enjoy.

Mary Poppins on Broadway

2011-03-23T21:55:00.005-04:00

I do not understand why people rave about Disney on Broadway. Case in point, Mary Poppins has received ridiculously good reviews, but having seen it last night, color me unimpressed. Let me start by saying that the Disney movie Mary Poppins is a childhood favorite, which means I am predisposed to dislike any kind of remake. In truth, though, the Broadway remake suffers from weak, amateurish direction like the very worst of community theater.

First, let me acknowledge that the cast was supremely talented. It is impossible to hear such classic songs as "Spoonful of Sugar," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," and "Chim Chim Cheree" without hear Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Unfortunately, as talented as the cast was, they were only a shadow of Andrews and Van Dyke. So why remake it, other than to make money off of the tourist who visit NYC but don't know theatre.

In addition to the talented cast, the set was brilliant, nothing less than what you would expect from Disney. I also liked the addition of Mr. Banks' nanny Miss Andrew and her wicked number "Brimstone and Treacle." Because she is only on stage for a few minutes, Nanny Andrew can be a two-dimensional character. The problem is every character is two-dimensional. They are all over-the-top in their performances, like the director decided since he could not have the cartoon segments from the movie, he would turn the entire performance into a cartoon.

Mrs. Corry, Neleus, the Bank Chairman, Admiral Boom, even the Banks family themselves are really flat characters with no depth. Bert and Mary are hardly any more developed. On the flat screen of movies and television, this works, but on stage it's a disaster. Changing the order of the songs and adding new music does nothing for developing the characters, and this is what is missing. To make this work on Broadway, Mary Poppins needs to be more than the movie.

If ever there was a director with the experience to develop these characters, it should have been Richard Eyre of the Royal National Theatre. This is the guy who directed The Crucible on Broadway and the film Notes on a Scandal with Dame Judy Dench. Instead of exploring the emotional depth with humor and fun, Eyre give treacle with no brimstone.

On a final note, what should have been the show stopping climax, "Step in Time," proved only that tap is dead. Though the uninitiated crowd thought it was the greatest dance performance ever, I know better. I honestly think my high school musical theater troupe would have been far superior. At least I can still claim to never have paid to see Disney on Broadway.

Philly Flower Show, odds and ends

2011-03-09T22:43:00.007-05:00

Orchids and more flowers from the 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show.

Philly Flower Show, part deux

2011-03-09T20:59:00.012-05:00

Here are more picture from the Flower Show. These are more about the flowers themselves rather than the arranging, which was covered in my first post. We begin with my favorite, the calla lily, those colorful trumpets.

Gerber daisies, another favorite, namely because they are so colorful and spring-like.

2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show

2011-03-08T22:58:00.016-05:00

Today I went to the Philadelphia International Flower Show for the first time. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, this is the world's largest indoor flower show. The theme this year is "Springtime in Paris," and they really nailed it. With its own Eiffel Tower that lights up on the hour and carousel animals constructed completely of flowers, the show captured in a multitude of ways, the many things that make Paris one of my favorite places to visit.

The following are my photographs from the event. Congratulations to all those who created these marvelous works of art.

First are a series of carousel animals created by local florists at Valley Forge Flower in Wayne, PA. They are in fact very near where I live.

From the Paris Underground exhibit at the flower show, riffing on graffiti art and the macabre.

Each of the pictures below was created solely out of flower petals. Magnificent work!

Teresa's Next Door in Wayne

2011-02-20T19:13:00.007-05:00

I love a good Belgian Tavern because the beer is in a class of its own, and the food, starting with moule frite, is always so good. Last night at Teresa's Next Door in Wayne, PA was a delightful discovery, and not having to schlep into Philadelphia means I will be back.

Maybe the best thing about Teresa's Next Door is the service. From the moment we sat, our server was there to take care of us, whether recommending a beer, delivering the courses in a timely but not rushed way, or whatever else was needed. There was a real genuine desire to make this a great experience for all the diners. At the table next to ours, our server brought out a flight of typical Belgian beers for a patron to educate her palate to the differences in styles. It

was a nice touch.

At Teresa's cheese is half off on Sunday, so how could we resist starting with a couple. First was a beautiful artisanal cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia. Green Hill is made from cow's milk. Soft with a bloomy-rind, it is a beautiful Camembert-like double cream with a buttery flavor, and mild grassy undertones which come from the cows' grazing habits. The second cheese was from Cabot Creamery in Vermont, their Clothbound Cheddar. Made from pasteurized cow's milk, this is a mild, slightly nutty, buttery example of cheddar with just the slightest hint of caramel, which makes it a perfect accompaniment to my favorite Belgian brews. The final item of cheese course was possibly the best salami I've ever sampled. The Argumi from Salumi in Seattle is a new pork salami with citrus and cardamom. This may have been the porkiest thing I have ever tasted, reminiscent of good quality gaunciale, and the addition of the spices is with such a practiced hand, I would venture to say this is maybe the best cured meat maker around. I would expect nothing less from the father of Chef Mario Batali. Teresa's sourcing of the very best cheeses and salamis is just an hint of their commitment to deliciousness.

Moule frite--mussels and fries--is one of the quintessential Belgian dish with the mussels cooked in a broth composed of beer or wine, herbs, and if your adventurous porky deliciousness in the form of bacon. The frite must be crispy with plenty of potato taste accompanied by a mayo based dipping sauce. Teresa's pulls it all together with panache. The Drunken Mussels immediately caught my attention. There is nothing subtle in this preparation, it is all big flavor. The base of the broth is Abbey Dubbel--a dark beer--which will bring lots of flavor tot he party. Add to that chroizo, red pepper flakes, shallots, garlic, and chervil, and you have a broth that is slurp-worthy. The mussels were plump and meaty, and in this drunken style I could have eaten a bushel of them.

Mussels were not the main course, but they would be a hard act to follow. I opted for another classic, Schnitzel. This pounded and breaded pork loin chop, was sauteed to golden but remained juicy. It was accompanied by a mustard cream sauce that blew my mind. Another over the top flavor burst with bacon and caper. Mushrooms on top, the schnitzel sat on tasty potato pancake with a dilled cucumber salad on the side. This was not the shoe leather schnitzel I have had from other restaurants. Like every other dish, Teresa's made this with competence and love of good food.

The night was topped off with a peanut butter and chocolate chip bread pudding topped with a fluff gelato. A happy twist on my favorite fluffer nutter, and there was no complaint from me.

After my visit to Teresa's Next Door, I have a new favorite Belgian brew for the moment, Bosteel Pauwel Kwak. A unique beer with 8.4% alcohol, this dark ale is has great sweetness in caramel notes with fruit like pineapple and banana and yeast and great maltiness. I'm looking forward to trying Bosteel's Tripel Karmeliet and DeuS when the chance arises.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Wayne, PA

An Ode (of sorts) to Fernando Torres

2011-02-20T11:02:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry you lost faith. I understand that you came to Liverpool FC to
advance your career, bringing glory to yourself and the club. You were our idol, and under Rafa you flourished. Of course, things were complicated by Hicks and Gillett. They were terrible stewards of the club, and ultimately did not support you or Rafa, much less the supporters.

Fernando I understand that you see you career and your legacy in grand terms, winning everything. Though you won the World Cup with Spain last year, your contribution was in getting there, but not at the three weeks where the world watched to see if Espana could finally succeed where other failed. On top of that, you had only to look forward to returning to Anfield with the lackluster Roy Hodgson at the helm.

With only three or four years left to make your mark and win the Premier League, I realize that the clock is ticking, and then Chelsea came calling. You turned them down once, but after the miserable start Liverpool suffered through, a ridiculously overpriced offer to both LFC and your personally became irresistible. Not only would the club make a tidy profit (which you knew) but your family would never want for anything again. You saw the Champions League calling, and maybe the EPL too.

I wish you could have had faith in King Kenny. In just days he worked his magic and your form began to return. Imagine what might have happened with half a season, and then another and another. By then though, you had already lost faith. Daglish was (and still is) only the caretaker manager, and you future would have still been uncertain. There is no guarantee of the Reds finishing top four and returning to Champions League football. So the cacophony of voices and arguments convinced you to leave the Kop behind.

I wonder, two weeks later, if you have begun to regret your decision yet. I believe eventually you will. There are few guarantees in life. Roman Abramovich may be more dedicated to his plaything than Hicks and Gillett were to theirs, but who know if Carlo Ancelotti will even be at Chelsea at the end of this season. The top four is looking very difficult for you new team as they are in free fall. It is quite possible that next year you will have no Champions League football, not premier league title, and no adoring fans.

There are few guarantees in life, but here's one. Stevie G will always be a Liverpool legend. He too was wooed by Abramovich's billions and promises of glory, but Captain Fantastic chose to remain true to the Kop faithful. Should he never score another goal, he would still remain in the football pantheon of Reds glory. El Niño, you were on your way to join the pantheon, but now you are just another tragic figure like Michael Owen.

There is one other guarantee I want to share with you. John W. Henry is committed to winning. Though he might not have been able to say what you needed to hear, he speaks loudest with action. My beloved Red Sox won everything twice within four years of his takeover. Do not be shocked Nando, should Liverpool win the League for the nineteenth time while you are still at Chelsea.

I do not hate you Fernando. I will not burn your kit or send it to young footballers in Africa as some of my fellow Reds have. No, I will pity you for your loss of faith. Good luck. You are one of the world's best, and for a little while, you were one of us. YNWA.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Stay Classy, TSA

2011-02-17T21:50:00.000-05:00

From Time's Swampland blog. I love that metal detectors are the standard, unless you choose the wrong line, then a pat down is necessary.

Stay Classy, TSA

No Cash for You, Kentucky

2011-02-16T09:44:00.000-05:00

Paul Begala, with whom I rarely agree, has a great piece in today's Daily Beast. He analyzes the schizophrenia of Kentuckians hating taxes but being addicted to Federal spending in their state. His suggestion of defunding Kentucky certainly makes a point.

No Cash for You, Kentucky

Marc Vetri's Osteria

2011-02-12T09:04:00.007-05:00

Recently I had dinner at Osteria, Marc Vetri's casual Philadelphia restaurant featuring thin-crust pizza and homemade pastas. I was privileged to eat at Vetri this summer, and Osteria had been on my radar for a while. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

Everything about Osteria was just wonderful, from the silky pastas to near perfect service. I opted to start with pasta, but being unable to make up my mind, the waitress suggest I do half portions to sample different flavors. I opted for two, first one of the evening specials, a pappardelle with a light tomato sauce flavored pig trotters. Never having eaten pig's feet, I couldn't resist. The meat from the smoked trotters was shredded and added to tomato and herbs, melding with enough parmigiano to become something much greater than the sum of the parts.

I'm a sucker for short rib (I will often order it as a way of judging a chef's abilities), so my second pasta dish was a regular off the menu, the canestri with braised short rib. These little shell-like noodles are perfect for holding onto the sauce, which again was simplicity itself--short rib meat, stock, herbs, and cheese to bring in all together. I enjoyed the short rib, but it suffered by comparison to the dish that magically appeared on my table in place of the canestri.

At exactly the moment that I expected my canestri to appear, a food runner placed the candele with wild board bolognese in front of me. I had actually debated ordering the wild board instead of the short rib, and for a second I thought my waitress was privy to my internal dialog and chose for me. Instead I learned that my short rib had gone missing just as it was about to come out, so the chef sent the wild boar as a place holder less I begin to starve. A simple explanation would have sufficed in any good restaurant, and many would just let you wait, but at Osteria, they just feed you, the way your nonna might. The wild boar was delightful, it was a perfect moment of kismet, and I was never happier to have someone misplace my food.

My third course was pizza, the other reason I was here. I love pizza, but rarely do I have it as I am most often disappointed. Osteria does not disappoint. I ordered the pie I have heard the most about, the le pizze napoletane mortadella. This thin crust beauty is topped with fresh mozzarella, a pesto made from Sicilian pistachios, and of course, mortadella--the Italian bologna that includes eye-popping chucks of lard and gorgeous green pistachios. I was in heaven. No pepperoni pizza ever tasted this amazing.

I had not planned on dessert, but I rarely turn down the chance to read a dessert menu. I was quickly won over by the meyer lemon torta soffice with poppy seed gelato. Tart, creamy, it was your average morning muffin deconstructed and then reassembled but so much better.

Marc Vetri and his partner, Osteria Executive Chef Jeff Michaud, are demiurges of the delectable, creating flavorful offerings from the simplest ingredients. Osteria will be a regular stop for my friends who come to Philadelphia.

For those who cook, I recommend Marc Vetri's cookbook, Il Viaggio. He shares not only recipes from his restaurants, including signature dishes and pasta secrets, but the story of his journey as a chef, including his time in Bergamo, Italy. I have it and love it. I might even cook something from it this weekend.

The King's Speech and Black Swan

2011-01-22T14:56:00.002-05:00

Since Christmas I have been trying to get to the movies, and finally, in the last week, I have seen two of the movies on my list, "The King's Speech" and "Black Swan." Both are worthy of the Oscar buzz, and both are worth seeing, but I must admit that the story of King George VI's speech impediment wins the prize for most enjoyable of the films.

First, the actors in both films are brilliant. Colin Firth is so believable with that stammer, he seems to drown in silence as he tries to form the words that prove entirely elusive. Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue--the unconventional therapist who audaciously addresses the soon to be king as Bertie, using the familiar family name that no commoner should dare speak--is a joy to watch. Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth is just too perfect, and it is a nice change from the strung out, mentally deranged witch from Harry Potter.

In the "Black Swan" Natalie Portman gives the performance of her career. This is no Queen Amadala. She embo

dies the fragile and frigid dancer Nina Sayers who cannot dare to lose herself in the dance. She is nearly broken, until she allows herself to be momentarily transformed into the Black Queen. It is in those momentary flashes of confidence and brilliance that Portman displays the range and depth of her talent. Vincent Cassel as the caddish director Thomas Leroy and Mila Kunis as the potential rival Lily bring realism European gravitas to the ballet.

Of the two, "The King's Speech" is the most watchable and uplifting, and thus much more my cup of tea. "Black Swan" is an intense exploration of the dark majesty of the human psyche. Though both main characters overcome their deficits, but whereas King George is a greater person for overcoming his stammer, Nine is destroyed when she loses herself in the perfect dance.

I love a movie that makes me feel better about the often dark and ugly world which we inhabit. I am not looking for treacle, but stories of heroic strength in the face of struggle make the me feel better about all the ugliness I'm forced to read about in the news daily. Explorations of the darkest parts of obsession, though worthy of recognition of great praise, never make it onto my desert island DVDs. "Black Swan" is brilliant, but I don't need to see it again.

"The King's Speech" on the other hand I could watch again and again. It is filled with an array of emotions, but it is especially good at the humorous and the poignant. A favorite scene: Queen Elizabeth is sitting at Lionel's kitchen table having tea while the therapist works with his kingly patient when Mrs. Logue returns home to find the new Queen of England sitting there. As the poor woman begins to stammer as she tries to greet her monarch, Elizabeth breaks the tension saying, "It is your highness the first time, then Ma'am. That's ma'am not mum." Those of us who grew up with Elizabeth the beloved G&T loving Queen Mum could not help but laugh heartily.

Go see both films. They are worn your time and money.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Quote of the week

2011-01-14T09:11:00.002-05:00

This is from Henry Kissinger's piece in today's WaPo on US-Chinese Relations.

"Each [United States and China] assumes its national values to be both unique and of a kind to which other peoples naturally aspire. Reconciling the two versions of exceptionalism is the deepest challenge of the Sino-American relationship."

The New Love Story

2011-01-03T09:04:00.002-05:00

I wish I knew whence this came. I received it in an email from a friend. It is the funniest thing I have read in the new year, so here's to a happy 2011. Enjoy. PS just read it to the end.

The New Love Story

He grasped me firmly but gently just above my elbow and guided me
into a room, his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were
alone.

He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low,
reassuring voice close to my ear.

"Just relax."

Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused
hands start at my ankles, gently probing, and moving upward along my
calves slowly but steadily. My breath caught in my throat. I knew I
should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so
experienced, so sure.

When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and
partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing
fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage. And then, as he cupped my firm,
full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply. Probing, searching, I just
knew what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid
them down my tingling spine and into my panties.

Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and
expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A
man not used to taking `no' for an answer. A man who would tell me
what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say ...

"Okay, ma'am, all done."

My eyes snapped open and he was standing in front of me, smiling,
holding out my purse.

"You can board your flight now."

Open Letter to Alex Beam of the Boston Globe

2010-12-08T11:16:00.004-05:00

Dear Mr. Beam and Globe Editors

You owe every Liverpool FC fan the world over an apology. More importantly, you owe the families of the ninety-six men, women, and children who died at Hillsborough a massive apology for your insensitive and boorish editorial that labeled one of international football's greatest tragedies a 'soccer riot,' essentially committing the same crime as The Sun did more than two decades ago, blaming the fans for their own deaths. This was not a riot, and to call it one is unacceptable and disgraceful.

Not only is this simply wrong, it is shoddy journalism. The Taylor Report exonerated the fans and blamed the local police force, which has never admitted its culpability nor punished those who failed so spectacularly in their duty to serve and protect. It was obvious to any footie fan than you know nothing of the sport. Your comments have garnered words of support from fans of Manchester United and Everton, our greatest rivals in the game, as well as fans the world over. Having been faculty advisor to a local high school newspaper, I must say your execrable skills as a journalist would not have been tolerated by any of the student editors with whom I worked.

Having spent eighteen wonderful years living in Boston, starting with my undergraduate years at BC, I was ecstatic to learn that my beloved Red Sox and New England Sports Ventures under John Henry would be purchasing Liverpool FC from the disaster that was Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Now to see my adopted hometown's newspaper of record committing the nearly unforgivable sin of blaming the Hillsborough 96 for their own deaths, for that is what you did in calling this tragedy a riot, is heart breaking. After all we local LFC fans--especially members of the Boston Liverpool Supporters Club--have done to promote Boston as a sports town to our European compatriots, I am completely deflated. In a town that boasts the Red Sox, the Celtics, the Bruins, the Patriots, and the Revolution, I would expect a soupçon of understanding and compassions for sports fans who died supporting their hometown team.

I call on all Liverpool FC fans and all sports fans of good will to join me in boycotting the Boston Globe and its advertisers until an official apology is offered by you Mr. Beam and you editors. Freedom of speech and the press does not give you the right to distort history nor insult a city and it inhabitants, a football club and its fans, or the biggest international sport in the world.

To the Hillsborough 96 and their families, on behalf of my adopted hometown, I apologize. Please do not let Mr. Beam represent in your mind this wonderful city of passionate sports fans. You deserve better than this. You'll Never Walk Alone.

Sincerely,

Jason L. S. Raia

Follow the naked scanner money

2010-11-30T09:19:00.006-05:00

So for those who are still interested in the TSA naked body scanner story, here's a great piece from FoxBusiness. (My thanks to Jim for sending me the link.) Essentially it names names of those in Congress who are invested in the scanner tech company L3. Leading the pack is Senator John Kerry, the senior senator from Massachusetts. His wife owns between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in stock. Seven other members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats are invested.

More interesting to me is the is the little known fact that Michael Chertoff, former head of the Department of Homeland Security (just writing that name now puts me on a list somewhere in the bowels of this bureaucracy) under George W. Bush is the number one lobbyist for RapiScan, another naked scanner company. I do wonder how many members of Congress were swindled by this guy telling them naked scanners will protect the nation? How many asked him what he was getting out of the deal?

I would hope that when a former Secretary of Homeland Security or Director of the CIA testifies before Congress, he would present the truth and not a pimp a product to enrich himself. Such is my political naivete. Ah well, back to reality. We are now no more safe (see Cato's analysis), a little poorer as a nation, and much more harried as a traveling public for the sake of $150,000 machines that make members of Congress and former DHS secretaries wealthy beyond imagining.

Birthday dinner...count them three of them.

2010-11-22T11:22:00.009-05:00

Since I was turning thirty-nine this year, I decided that the prevalence of the number three in this year's anniversary of my birth required three birthday dinners. Really, it just happened to turn out that way. As usual, I was away from home for my actual birthday weekend, attending the National Council for the Social Studies in Denver this year. I have to express my thanks to Littleman on the Chowhound Mountain States Board who recommended both Rioja and Colt & Gray for dinner in Denver. I decided to go to both. Why miss the chance at a good meal while away?

The first birthday dinner was at Colt & Gray, a couple days before the big day. I joined my friends Kim and Donna--who celebrated with me last year in Atlanta as well--and we tucked in. First, what a cozy, fun restaurant. With a table right next to the fire place on a cold night, I

was primed for a good meal. I could not resist starting with the foie gras rillettes with toasted raisin brioche and apple gellee, and a little green salad. One of the things I like about the menu was the fact that there was a offal selection that included marrow bones, sweetbreads, head cheese, and blood pudding in addition to the foie.

For the main course, I had the pork three ways, because three pigs is always better than one. First was a butter poach tenderloin that was luxurious and almost unctuous. This was joined by a house-made that nicely highlighted the porkiness of the link without burying it in spice. Finally, the piece d'resistance was a braised pork cheek served on grits. This gorgeous little bite melted in my mouth, offering a flavor explosion that reminded one why pork is on of God's gifts to humanity. For dessert, a tasty olive oil-thyme cake with blueberries and lemon-buttermilk ice cream. I love olive oil cake, because savory as sweet is so unexpected and wonderful. The buttermilk ice cream was an

eye opener and capped off the evenings fun.

Rioja, I'm quite sure, has to be the best restaurant in Denver. Chef-owner Jennifer Jasinski is a super star. A disciple of Wolfgang Puck, she uses local ingredients in her culinary palate to create bold flavors and unexpected delights. Mine began with the Water Buffalo Cheese Plate. Starting with traditional buffalo mozzarella combined with a tomato bruschetta, the plate progressed to a light and creamy Casatica de bufala with honey and pear. Next was Quadro di bufala served with olives and finally a blu di bufala with a fig tartlette. The progression of cheese, all starting from the same exact, if unusual, milk was something of a revelation.

One the night though, the next dish was probably as close to perfect as possible. Referred to on the menu as "fresh bacon," this is pork belly at its finest. Starting with Berkshire pork from Japan, the belly is rubbed with cardamom, my favorite spice (because it works in both sweet and savory) and cooked low and slow, rendered out all the fattiness to flavor the meat. Served over a Madras curry garbanzo bean puree, this is certainly the finest pork belly I have ever had, and I've had my share. It was a perfect plate; I cannot think how to make it better, except to have one waiting for me at least weekly, if not daily. My entrée, though almost unnecessary after the pork belly, was something I had never sampled before, veal cheeks. These slow-braised beauties were simply delicious. For dessert, we had the lemon yuzu sabayon tart; with pine nuts, cornmeal, confit lemon and accompanied by pine nut brittle ice cream and a pucker worthy lemoncello granita, how could this not be the beyond expectation?

Finally, my last dinner was at one of my favorite restaurants, Pigalle in Boston, with two of my favorite people, Tori and Be. We opted for the tasting menu, which is never easy, as Be is the pickiest eater that I am still friends with. I mean dear God the boy won't eat fish! Any way, five courses was the way to go.

The meal began with a wonderful amuse bouche of duck liver mouse with the traditional accoutrement. Nothing innovative, just boldly delicious. My first course was the Fromage Blanc Tart, Pumpkin Confit and Taste of Pumpkin Soup. The shot glass filled with warm, creamy pumpkiny goodness was perfect on a cold November night and the tart was exquisite. Tori of course had the tuna tare tare, but she has that everywhere we go. Next I had gnocchi with chanterelle mushrooms and duck breast. There was even a few leaves of brussel sprouts that I survived. The broth was deep brown and powerful good.

Be sat out the third course; it was all Tori and I, so we dug first intoSeared Sea Scallops with Blood Orange Reduction, Exotic Mushrooms, Artichokes and Salsify Ragoût which were so beautifully caramelized it was hard not to love them, but the Halibut ‘en croûte’ with Braised Bok Choy, Steamed Jasmine Rice and Curry Emulsion was possibly the dish of the night. The halibut was as good as any steak and the complement of the jasmine and curry transported me bite by bite to another land.

The meat course was hearty and filling. Tori and I had the Pork Wienerschnitzel with Herbed Spaetzle, Braised Purple Cabbage and Caper Lemon Sauce, which reminded me of my trip to Vienna. It was not the most refined plate I have ever had at Pigalle, but it was more than satisfying. Tori loved the cabbage. Be enjoyed the Roasted Sirloin, Aligot Potato Ring, Red Hubbard and Short Rib Hash. Finally red meat he could appreciate.

Dessert was a wonderful ending to the whole meals, each of us getting something different. Be had the Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Trio while Tori and I had the Chef's Whim, which escapes me now, weeks later. Needless to say, it was a good celebration of my birthday, three times over.

with Red Wine Sauce

Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw

2010-11-20T00:06:00.002-05:00

I loved Kitchen Confidential, partly because I was doing a stint working at a small restaurant in Salem, Massachusetts. I was having a blast with a dysfunctional family of cooks, servers, and bartenders. Kitchen Confidential spoke to me, I laughed, I cried.... Medium Raw is part II of Bourdain's on going memoir. No longer in the kitchen, this tells the story of the decade that has past since he published the unexpected run away feat. Medium Raw is a peek into the life of a professional foodie, a foul mouthed foodie who calls 'em as he sees 'em.

Some of Bourdain's best stuff is reserved for the Food Network, particularly that fraud Sandra Lee. He refers to her once as the "hell spawn of Betty Crocker and Charles Manson." The fact that. The Food Network now owns the Travel Channel, puts his ranting into a new perspective, of which he is keenly aware. It does not, though, stop him from claiming that FN is really about using their celebrity chefs to hock cheap crap to the lemmings who watch the network. He does offer some unique insight into the idea that these chefs have sold out. He comes to realize that guys like Emeril, who can cook their asses off, are now responsible for hundreds of employees who need him to maintain the ever expanding food empire for the sake of their livelihoods.

Bourdain does have good things to say about Bravo's Top Chef. He claims that Head Judge Tom Colochio ensures that the best food on any given night wins. There is an integrity that is missing elsewhere.

Possibly the best chapter in Medium Raw is that on Heroes and Villains. He names names, and explains why certain chefs make the world of food better, and why some are deserving of nothing but scorn, even if they can cook. Though we might disagree on the likes of Jamie Oliver (he calls him a hero, I call him a pretentious villain), for the most part Bourdain's list is solid. His reasons for calling the James Beard House a villain are insightful in the extreme.

I will say I was bored by the drivel about his daughter, but not enough to say avoid the book. Just speed read through the chapter. Though his was against McDonald's is amusing, the chapter lacks punch and is overly cloying in it's sentimentality.

All in all, if you are a foodie or just a fan of the Lewis Black style rant, Medium Raw is the book for you.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

TSA might (snort) be out of control

2010-11-16T11:39:00.004-05:00

I am not really a Tom Toles fan, but I think today's political cartoon in the Washington Post certainly captures part of the ground swell against the TSA's out-of-control attitude on groping and fondling the flying public in the name of security.

And there is a ground swell. Just in the last 36 hours I have heard and/or seen stories on NPR, including one with humorist Dave Barry complaining about his TSA pat down due to a "blurred groin" as well as a piece on Marketplace. There has also been commentary on Red State, which puts the TSA on the wrong side of liberal NPR and conservative Red State.

CNN and others have reported that pilot's unions are encouraging their members not to submit to the "back scatter" or full body scans now being required. The reason, there are serious health concerns about the level of radiation one receives from these machines. There are no longitudinal studies on the effect of these machines, especially on regular travelers who would be forced into them on a regular basis.

My favorite story, though, is from John Tyner of California whose now infamous confrontation with TSA at the San Diego airport was recorded on his iPhone. You can read about the entire episode on his blog. The best exchange though was when he refused to have his groin touched. "I repeated that I felt what they were doing was a sexual assault, and that if they were anyone but the government, the act would be illegal."

Best yet is National Opt Out Day. On November 24, the day before Thanksgiving, Americans are being encouraged to opt out of the full body scan procedure at airports, instead opting for the "enhanced" search by TSA. The desire is to encourage a national discussion on how much is too much when it comes to naked pictures or genital groping in the name of security. I will be opting out every time I fly, and I encourage others as well.

I am convinced that this TSA police state is not about security, but instead it is about avoiding the appearance of profiling. The government is so desperate not to be accused of racial profiling, that they are instead shredding the Constitution and assaulting law abiding citizens endure the indignity of molestation to be politically correct.

The truth is, profiling behavior works. Israeli security does it regularly. When I traveled to Israel in 1996, I was profiled by Israeli state security and missed my first plane to Tel Aviv. Why? Because I was a single male, under the age of 25, traveling alone, staying in the West Bank, with people I had never met before. I set off every red flag possible. The Security personnel questioned me repeatedly, and because they did not have time to hand search my luggage, they let the plane leave without me. The next morning, when I returned for the first flight of the day, they questioned me again, hand searched my luggage, and when they found nothing of concern, they bought be breakfast and escorted me through all the lines to my plane. I was a day late in arriving, but I flew on a plane that was safe and arrived in one piece.

Never was I molested by a member of the security team, and never were they anything less than professional. Adversarial at times, but always professional. They never treated me with anything but dignity, even when there was enough concern to bar, temporarily, my way to the plane. El Al, Israel's state airline, has never had a terrorist high jacking or incident of any kind. Namely because they profile effectively. In refusing to profile terrorists and terroristic behavior, and instead choosing to molest children, nuns, and the elderly, TSA creates not even the illusion of security.

One last note, the only people who are more secure thanks to these machines are the companies who make them and lobbyists who convinced Congress to fund them.

Quote of the Day

2010-11-12T15:51:00.002-05:00

This is from Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post one of my favorite columnists writing today. He was writing about the partisan grousing about President Obama's trip to India.

"It is protested that Britain's prime minister took a British Air flight when he traveled here in July. So what? To be blunt about it: A once-imperial middle power flies commercial; America flies colossal. Why do you think we built that 747 flying palace emblazoned with the presidential insignia - if not to land to awestruck crowds wherever it goes?"

Nothing like being an unapologetic American imperialist. My hero!

Krauthammer is right on his larger point as well. India is the future, and a potential balance to Chinese hegemony in the region.

Mumbai Terrorist was American Intelligence Asset

2010-11-08T09:04:00.010-05:00

This story of David C. Headley, an American intelligence asset turned jihadist sympathizer and Mumbai terrorist has been bothering me for weeks since I read about it in Pro Publica, the not-for-profit online investigative journal. The more I read about this case, the more I believe something is fundamentally broken in our intelligence community. The the old boys culture of individual intelligence agencies mixed with the hubris of those who think they know everything will be their undoing, and ours.

In today's New York Times is a summary article on the investigation, and the significant lack of communication between intelligence agencies and the DEA. I am particularly struck by the fact that three people came forward independently to warn that Headley might be involved with terrorists, yet no one chose to act.

The director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper, Jr., began an investigation into Mr. Headley’s government connections after reports last month that two of the former drug dealer’s ex-wives had gone to American authorities between 2005 and 2008, before the Mumbai attacks, to say they feared he was plotting with terrorists. Combined with the earlier warning from the former girlfriend, three of the women in Mr. Headley’s life reported his ties to terrorists, only to have those warnings dismissed.

I cannot but help to think that had these been three golfing buddies, three guys from the neighborhood bar, or three members of a pick up basketball team, the intelligence officers might have given more weight to their concerns. Instead, it was three women (a girlfriend and two ex-wives) and the jilted lover theory was too cozy an explanation not to be embraced and the concerns dismissed. As a bare minimum, they should have sent it up the chain of command and shared the concerns with the DEA.

Our intelligence and security agencies, led by the Department of Homeland Security, will violate a citizen's right to privacy and kick down a door with little provocation, but act on a tip from three women about their terrorist husband/boyfriend and they fail to act.

Something is broken. Though I doubt the Director of National Intelligence's investigation can change anything, I wish him luck. Ultimately, I fear nothing will ever change, and because of that we are less safe than everyone wants to believe.

Philadelphia Union v. Houston Dynamo

2010-10-02T16:58:00.002-04:00

Best chant so far:

You missed the World Cup, Brian Ching.
You missed the World Cup, Brian Ching.
You missed the World Cup, Brian Ching.
You missed the World Cup, Brian Ching.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:PPL Park, Chester, PA

Philadelphia Union v. Chivas USA

2010-09-25T21:18:00.001-04:00

One of the things I love most about attending Union games and sitting in the River End as a member of the Sons of Ben, the Union's supporters club, is the chants, particularly the ones that are made up on the spot. Often, the target of these riotous taunts is the opposition's keeper, who is forced to spend half the game just a few yards from some of the most rabid fans in the country.

Today's target was number 22, Chivas' goalie Zach Thorton, a rather large and stocky man. The best of the day went something like this, "Where's your cupcake? Where's your cupcake? Where's your cupcake 22? Already had one; shouldn't of had one. Where's your cupcake 22?" the fact that we were singing after we scored our first goal made it even sweeter.

The runner up for goalie chants was a call and response, question and answer ditty that went, "Who's got man boobs? Thorton's got man boobs!"

The LOL moment of the game was when one the regular season ticket holders near me shouted, "Hey Slimfast..."

The best non-keeper cheers went after Chivas USA's as a team. The best included, "You're the Clippers" and "Not the real Chivas" and "We beat the real Chivas."

Union won 3 - 0, which made the cheering even more fun!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:PPL Park, Chester, PA

Quote of the month, maybe the year...

2010-09-22T08:41:00.002-04:00

Today it was leaked that Larry Summers, President Obama's chief economic advisor and former President of Harvard, will be leaving the White House, probably after the mid-term election. The Daily Beast sought commentary on the shake up, and Nomi Prins, former Goldman Sachs Managing Director gave a quote that brought joy to my heart, namely because it is so caddy.

Nomi Prins
Journalist, former managing director at Goldman Sachs

“The departure of Larry Summers from President Obama’s economic advisory free-market squad is similar to that of the high school degenerate who left the keg party after the last barrel was emptied and the place was demolished. Only it was the reckless financial deregulation he promoted through the Glass-Steagall repeal as treasury secretary in 1999 that led to the Great Bailout Party of 2008, where Wall Street drank the federal subsidy barrel dry and left the general economy trashed. It’s high time he left, but it should have happened long ago. Now, if only Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner would follow suit.”

The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva

2010-08-22T11:33:00.001-04:00

There is one reason and one reason alone that I read Daniel Silva's novels: I desperately want to be Gabriel Allon, a polyglot world class art restorer who works for the Pope, is married to a gorgeous Venetian, and is his tiny country's avenging angel, working as an Israeli assassin fighting terrorism on a scale unequalled in the annals of history. What red blooded Cold Warrior wouldn't idolize a man who fights both the Russian mob and the Islamic jihadists with equal aplomb?

In this latest installment, Gabriel has finally retired with Chiara on the coast of Cornwall in England, secreted away from those who wish to destroy him. He is drawn back into public view by Julian Isherwood, art gallery owner and long time asset of The Office, the Israeli secret service. A long lost painting by Rembrandt Isherwood was having restored for the National Gallery in DC is stolen and the restorer--a colleague from Allon's days as a student in Italy--is killed. Isherwood had not listed the painting with his insurance company, and is therefore on the hook for nearly 50 million dollars.

In his quest to help a friend recover the missing painting, Allon is drawn into a dark world of Swiss banking, Nazi loot, war crimes, and Iranian nuclear proliferation, and unmitigated capitalist greed. The story jets from England to France, Argentina, Switzerland, the United States, and of course Israel. Silva introduces another spectacularly wealthy and evil opponent for Allon to take down, this time a Swiss billionaire known to the world as St. Martin for his generosity and charity.

Daniel Silva's writing is always timely and topical. Moscow Rules was about the reawakening of the Russian Bear, and its old time autocratic ruler, a perfect reflection of Mr. Putin's post Cold War Russia. Now Silva tackles the western collusion in the Iranian nuclear program. In this series of books, Silva pulls back the curtain on how the intelligence and security services operate. Earlier this year when the story of the Mossad operation in Abu Dhabi that ended in the assassination of a Hamas leader broke, I knew the details even before I read them, thanks to Daniel Silva.

Take The Rembrandt Affair to the beach before the summer ends and immerse yourself into the world where occasionally the good guys actually win.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Passage by Justin Cronin

2010-08-22T09:52:00.001-04:00

I have been enthralled by vampires for as long as I can remember, so when I heard that there was a new vampire novel set in a post apocalyptic world, I had to download and read it immediately. Having just finished the 700+ page tome last night, I can honestly say that 2012 cannot come quick enough for the next installment of this promised trilogy to arrive. The Passage by Justin Cronin is a world complete, and not one I am terribly interested in visiting any time soon.

The novel opens in a world in which the US seems to have given in to its worst fears of terrorism, allowing Big Brother and the military free reign. The Gulf of Mexico is a toxic cesspool of oil and other hazardous chemicals to boot. In other words, the world is pretty bleak at the start, and this is the Time Before, the days people will harken back to longingly.

In the midst of this growing tragedy comes the military on a quest to build some type of biological weapon. This new weapon is being developed from a strain of a vampire virus from the jungles of Bolivia. Combine this virus with twelve death row inmates in the petri dish of a secret military installation deep in the mountains of Colorado and you have the perfect recipe to end the world as we know it. When the creatures escape, they begin to ravage the country (and possibly the world).

These are not your average vampires of legend. They are not ancient and sexy Iike Anne Rice's vampires, and they certainly are not wealthy and aristocratic like Bram Stoker's Count. These are viral monsters whose blood lust lends itself to rage and destruction with a biological imperative to reproduce by turning one in every ten victims into a new monster, creating as many as maybe 40 million virals.

In the midst of this apocalyptic tale of annihilation, is Amy, a child infected with the same deadly virus, but some how different. Though no longer human, she is not a viral either. Only six years old, and Amy is somehow key to Project NOAH, whatever that is. In addition to the child Amy are the other children the army tries to save, evacuating them to a safe place in the California desert. When no one returns for the children and their watchers, they create the Colony and survive, if only just barely. From here will come the adventurers a century after the original catastrophe, who will attempt to help Amy find her way home.

Cronin creates a textured world of fully formed characters who you want to know better. When they are fearful, so are you. Though I have never been a fan of the third person omniscient narrator, to tell this tale Cronin has little choice. His innovative use of diary entries presented at an academic conference a millennium hence as well as emails and military records helps to keep the narrative fresh.

Though there were moments when I asked myself if I really needed the detailed description of the malodorous old blind man Elton who refused to bathe for days on end, I think it was worth suffering through a few overwrought descriptions of minor characters for the sake of a story of hope after the apocalypse.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Quote of the Day

2010-08-10T10:52:00.001-04:00

From Heritage Foundation's Morning Bell. Yes it is incendiary, but the imagery is smile-worthy.

"From his trillion dollar economic stimulus to his $3 trillion tax hike it has become clear that President Barack Obama views the private sector the same way the Huns viewed a city - as something to be sacked and plundered for the benefit of public sector workers."

By the way, if we really want to save public education, keep the cuts, but save teacher jobs and cut administrator jobs.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

One more nail in the coffin of the 4th amendment

2010-07-29T13:01:00.003-04:00

A copy of the letter I sent to my congressman and senators today regarding the FBI's request to seize more personal information about your electronic life.

I read this morning in the Washington Post the article on the Obama Administration's request to grant the FBI expanded powers in seek electronic information about American citizens without a warrant.

These expanded powers, as part of the National Securities Letters issued under the FBI's own authority, fly directly in the face of the Constitution, specifically the fourth amendment which states: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." This amendment which protects the privacy of every American citizen, continues to be eviscerated in the name of security.

As a constituent, I am asking you to stand against this usurpation of power by the executive branch. There is no reason why the FBI cannot obtain the information they need on an individual by seeking a warrant from the judicial branch. The FISA court can provide timely warrants while still allowing for some modicum of protect for the American citizenry.

Congressman, this is not about national security. This is about power accumulating more power until we are no longer citizens but subjects. Please act in the best interests of constituents like me and protect our constitutionally protected right to security in our persons, houses, papers, and effects.

Sincerely

Jason L. S. Raia
Valley Forge, PA

Quote of the Day

2010-07-04T08:52:00.001-04:00

I was reading the AP wires this morning and ran across this quote from Pope Benedict XVI that truly resonates with me.

"It seems that every space, every moment must be filled with initiatives, activities, sounds. Often there isn't even the time to listen."

Sometimes I think we are so busy, that we cannot hear anything other than the noise of our daily lives, which means we have little chance of hearing what our friends and family are saying to us, much less what God might be whispering in our ear. If only we would take a moment or two every day to sit quietly and listen. They used to call that prayer, and I know I could use some more of it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg "California Gurls" Official Music Video HD

2010-06-17T21:46:00.002-04:00

Take that Lady Gaga. I love this little tiff between Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. I'm in Katy's corner all the way. Now if Katy would just drop that goofy, drug-addled fiancée.

Of course this video is screaming out for a drag parody, but until then, here's my favorite so far.

Animal, the restaurant not the muppet

2010-06-15T13:14:00.000-04:00

When traveling, whether for business or vacation, I try to make sure there is one fabulous meal at a local restaurant doing creative, innovative things with local ingredients. Not having picked anything out ahead of time, I went to Zagat to find a recommendation. Animal is a trendy restaurant that opened in 2008. I had a vague recollection of hearing something about the place, but nothing more. I was intrigued by the idea of an eatery that claimed to be a carnivore's paradise, so I bellied up to their seven seat bar, filled with a mix of single diners and couples, and began a true culinary adventure.

The bulk of Animal's menu is small plates of deliciousness. This is not two bite tapas, but a not quite luncheon size portion that allows the diner to course out a meal of their own choosing. I love this. Instead of only getting to have and app and an entree, I can have three or fours different entrees in a proportion that is not quite gluttonous.

I started simple with the crispy hominy with fresh lime accompanied by the rabbit loin with country ham, spring beans, and spetzel. The hominy was deliciously salty with the lime cutting in to make for little taste bombs exploding in your mouth. The rabbit dish was a perfect balance flavor with the salty country ham slice bringing out the gaminess of the rabbit. The beans and spetzel and asparagus with a splash of acid (lemon I believe) just created layer after layer of flavor. The addition of a coupled of perfectly cooked asparagus added crunch texture to a dish that could have easily gone soft and mushy. Bravo!

Now I am constantly pushing my friends to sample things that they are personally inclined to hate--raw oysters, sushi, foie gras--therefore I felt compelled by reasons of integrity to order my next dish. The next course was pig ear with chili, lime, and egg. I have never even seen pig ear on a menu. I have seen it on tv in a classic Spanish preparation of the entire ear Cooked until gelatinous. This was something completely different. The ear is braised until tender, which means they probably started cooking it last week. It is then shredded and deep fried just to add some texture back into it. It is then coated with chili for heat and lime to cut through the fattiness with some green onions added too. An egg fried sunny side up is served on top; the yolk helps with the heat and brings the entire thing together. It was delicious, but curiously I found the heat overwhelmed the flavor of the pig leaving only texture. Of course, I'm not a heat guy. I prefer to tasted my food.

Now anyone who knows me, or who has read through some of the food entries in this blog have noted that I love foie gras. It is, I believe, a gift from God himself. I never pass up an opportunity to sample some new presentation of this velvety delight. Animal offers one of this most innovative presentations that has neither foam nor fruit. Instead, this is the homiest preparation ever, foie gras with biscuit and maple sausage gravy. Dear Lord, foie with biscuits and gravy? It's a dream come true for a Southerner like me. Foie is easily overwhelmed, and the guys took this to the limit, but the maple complements and the sausage and biscuit give just enough structure to the lobe of fatty goodness. It was heavenly.

All night I kept trying to remember why Animal was so familiar. When my new friend dining next to me at the bar ordered the bacon chocolate crunch bar, my eyes were opened. Duff Goldman had chosen this very dessert for an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." it all cam rushing back. Of course, this meant I had to order the most decadent dessert ever. Chocolate and bacon, two of the greatest discoveries ever. How could they not be delicious together. (For chocolate aficionados, you should know that Vosges has had a chocolate bacon bar for a few years now; so this was not my first time at this particular rodeo.) This is a beautifully prepared chocolate hazelnut dessert with a layer of chocolate ganache sprinkled with crunch bits of bacon. Perfect decadence.

For wines, the bartender recommended a Cote de Provence rose with light cries sweetness and now acid and then for dessert an Asti Spumante, Italian bubbles made from muscatel so it was sweet without hurting my teeth considering the dessert I had. Kudos to the bar tender to perfectly matching my meals with wine.

Next time you are in LA, hit up Animal. It's so worth it. I can't wait for my next trip.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Los Angeles, CA

85c Cafe and Bakery

2010-06-13T01:50:00.001-04:00

I have discovered a new use for salt. Hooray! Well, to be honest, I didn't discover this new fabulousness; I just sampled it for the first time. Those who are pushing the culinary boundaries are the baristas at 85c Cafe, a Taiwanese coffee house new to the US.

Now that I have completely buried my lead, how are they using salt in new and delicious ways? Why in coffee of course. More specifically, they blend an Anne Burrell sized pinch of salt in the creamy foam they top their iced and hot coffee. I can't stop licking my lips! I love this stuff. Of course, I love salt, so....

What this salty foam does is bring out the delicate flavors inherent in the sweet and bitter coffee. Together, it satisfies every flavor area of your tongue, and what could be better than that?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Irvine, CA

First dinner in California

2010-06-10T23:27:00.000-04:00

So I'm in Southern California for work, and of course I am relishing some great meals in the next week, lots of sushi and Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. Tonight though, I decided to stay in and create a simple dinner inspired by my time in Barcelona recently.

I started by dropping by the Farmer's Market in LA where I stopped by the Monsieur Marcel Market. Their sardine selection was pretty substantial, so I decided to build a meal around their salty oily goodness. When I asked at the cheese counter for something to go with my delectable little fishies, I was presented with a lucious raw sheep's milk cheese from France called Tomme du Levezou. It is sharp and tangy with beautiful mouth feel. It was a perfect complement to the sardines.

With a fresh baked baguette in hand, I just needed a bit of vino. The Market has a great selection of wines, but it was the roses that kept jumping out at me. The one that caught my eye was a Cote de Provence called Sables d'Azur. It starts sweet and finishes dry with nice structure for a rose. It wouldn't overwhelm the sardines and cheese, which was paramount.

For dessert I couldn't resist the delicate French macroons that seem to be ubiquitous in food magazines of late. These ridiculously expensive pastel cookies came in four flavors, chocolate, caramel, pistachio, and coconut. They were worth every penny. Ranier cherries I discovered at a stall in the market outside rounded out this perfect little meal.

Best of all, there is plenty more for tomorrow.

Location:SoCal

Happy Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

2010-05-20T14:18:00.004-04:00

Not to be insensitive, but freedom of speech and its companion freedom of expression is bedrock to me. For that reason, I must stand with the South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard as well as all those Islamic artists who have portrayed the Prophet in art. Above is my contribution to Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, a Persian illustration on vellum from the book Jami' al-Tawarikh by Rashid al-Din, published in Tabriz, Persia, 1307 A.D. Now in the collection of the Edinburgh University Library, Scotland. Thanks to zombietime for the image.

Antoni Gaudi, Master Artist and Architect of Barcelona

2010-04-13T07:17:00.032-04:00

Barcelona is Gaudi's town. If you ever want to capture Barcelona in a single idea, a single image, you would be hard pressed to find a better one than the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. Born in 1852, Gaudi would become the leading proponent of the Catalan Modernismo movement. Though loathed by many of his contemporaries, especially more constrained and less creative architects, in time Gaudi would come to be seen as one of the most creative members of the international Art Nouveau movement.

The following pictures of are Gaudi's four greatest accomplishments in Barcelona--Casa Batllo, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and Casa Mila. Each reflects Gaudi's love of nature, bright color, and movement.

Casa Batllo

At night, the roof of Casa Batllo looks like the scaly back of a dragon.

There are no corners in Casa Batllo, just movement like the flow of water.

Casa Batllo by day. It rests on the uber-chic Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona's Fifth Avenue.

The roof contains Gaudi's playful chimney's decorated with broken tiles scavenged from around the city from places being torn down.

Sagrada Familia

Tori and Brenden in front of Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's final work, which remains unfinished more than a century after it was begun in 1882.

Gaudi speant the last decade of his life--before he was run down and killed by a tram--living in the crypt of this church and dedicating his entire genius to it. After his death, work was continued, but the plans were destroyed by anarchists in 1938 during the Spanish Civil War.

Joseph Maria Subirachs is responsible for the sculptures on the Passion facade of the church. Many have complained that Subirach's work is too dark and angular, but I love it. I think Gaudi would have appreciated the fact that it captures the darkness of Good Friday.

The modelling workshop inside the church.

My favorite angel on the Glory facade. Angels are known for playing lutes violins, but a bassoon?

Jesus in the Temple with the Rabbis.

The base of on of the pillars rides on the back of a tortoise, exhibiting Gaudi's love of God's creation.

Inside the massive nave of the church. Much of the stained glass has still not been completed.

Gaudi designed the pillars to look like trees, so they entire feel is like being in a forest of ancient trees climbing to the heavens.

Park Guell

This park was begun at the instigation of industrialist Eusebi Guell, Gaudi's long-time patron. It was intended to be a planned housing estate, but it never garnered enough interest to be financially viable. It was donated to the city eventually. Gaudi did live one of the two houses built by other while Guell lived in the other.

This the stair way to the public space of the development. The pillars support a landing with tiled benches and a beautiful view of the city. A perfect place for a huge block party of this had ever been successful as a neighborhood.

Possibly Gaudi's most famous piece, the Dragon Fountain is now emblematic of the city of Barcelona

These buildings serve as the entrance to Park Guell. I would happily live in either of them.

Casa Mila, La Pedrera

This is the roof of the apartment building Casa Mila; possibly Gaudi's most complete project, he designed it from top to bottom at the height of his designing prowess.

The rumor is that George Lucas was inspired by Gaudi's sculptures and later Darth Vaders helmet was the result.

I think this is a perfect space for a party under the stars.

A shot of Sagrada Familia from the roof of La Pedrera.

Food Glorious Food: Part III, Wine Tours

2010-04-12T22:13:00.018-04:00

So what is food without wine, and let me tell you, Spain has plenty of the good stuff. In fact, they have some of the best old world wine and less than old world prices. So it was off to Penedes, one of Spain less well know wine regions at the heart of Catalunya. Thanks to Tori's stop at the tourism center, we opted for the bus that would visit three different wineries by bus with an English speaking guide.

First stop was the winery of Jean Leon. This boutique winery was the brain child of Cefferino Carrion, a Spaniard whose refusal to serve in Franco's army drove him from his homeland to Hollywood via Paris and New York. In LA he changed his name to Jean Leon, worked for Frank Sinatra and developed a friendship with James Dean which would lead to their shared dream, the restaurant La Scala. In 1968 he decided to found his own vineyard to create the wines that would best complement the food at La Scala.

Jean Leon decided to grow old world, French grapes in Spain. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, Cabernet franc, and chardonnay are Jean Leon's staples, grown in the Pago vineyard. Here is the winery's very modern stainless steel holding tanks.

Jean Leon wines are truly hand crafted, with picking and pruning done manually. The tasting was fun, but I was not overwhelmed. Not being much of a Cabernet fan put me at a disadvantage. In truth, I really prefer local varietals. Give me a good garnacha or a tempranillo anytime. To each his own I guess. Jean Leon was served a Ronald Reagan welcome to the White House in 1981, which is something.

Torres winery was our next stop. Funny enough, before he died, Jean Leon sold his vineyard to Torres, one of the largest wineries in the region. The Torres family have been making wines for generations, and are in their third century as a wine company.

This is the magnificent expanse of Torres vineyards. Bombed during the Spanish Civil War, a massive effort resurrected the winery, and today they have family properties in Chile and California.

The tour of Torres was really, as Brenden described it, the Disney of winery tours. We were bundled into a tram that was driven around the plant with a canned description of the procedures around us. There were even some hologram projections and weird high tech pictures and sounds. Of course, being Semana Santa (Holy Week), there was little work going on as most people had the day off.

Torres is a serious winery, with plenty of wine in casks, which do double duty as brandy casks at another Torres winery once they are done here. Torres offers six red, three white, and one rosado at it Catalunya winery; they have twenty-four different offerings in Spain alone.

The tasting was a wine and cheese pairing with three wines and three cheeses. First was the Viña Esmerelda, a Gewürtztraminer and Moscatel blend that was light and refreshing. Paired with a Spanish version of Camembert cheese, it was my favorite of the day. The second and third wines were reds, but neither knocked my socks off, and I can't remember which was which, so.... Next time I will bring my note pad and take actual notes so I remember what I sampled.

Cavas Freixenet was the last stop on this marry sojourn, and it was possibly the best tour of them all. Cava is the Spanish sparkling wine, which cannot be called champagne because it is not from the Champagne region of France, thus cava. Having toured the winery at Moet & Chandon--the makers of Dom Perignon--I can tell you there is no difference in the methods that produce cava. The only real difference between French champagne and Spanish cava is the source grapes.

Like champagne, bottles of bubbles can be quite massive. Names after Biblical kings and persons, the giant bottle, in order are the Nebuchadnezzar holds 15 liters, the Balthazar has 12 liters, the Salmanazar holds 9 liters, the Mathusalem is 6 liters, the Rehoboam is 4 liters, the Jeroboam is three liters, and of course a magnum is a 1.5 liters, while the standard is 750 ml, the mediana is half that at 375 ml, and the individual mini is just 200 ml.

This is Freixenet's most famous advertisement, which is never scene outside of Spain as a little boy carrying a bottle of booze as big as he is is most gauche.

Standing in front of the Reserva Real 1982. This is the wine I brought home; the best they have to offer of course. Soon after the death of Franco and the ascension to the throne of King Juan Carlos, the monarch and his wife toured Freixenet and the result was a Royal vineyard and a cava to match. This is not available in the USA, which is part of the reason I wanted to bring it home. Now I just need a good excuse to celebrate.

At the end of the tour, we not only sampled both the Cordon Negro Brut and the rosado as well, but they fed us tapas too. Cheese, Serrano ham, chips, and tomato rub bread was just the right way to end our day. Brenden, it turns out, loves the cava. I think I saw him stealing other people half empty glasses.

Food Glorious Food: Part II, Hisop

2010-04-08T21:04:00.022-04:00

Everyone who travels abroad should plan one special meal, something that will allow you to experience the best a place has to offer. This time around in Barcelona, I went tot he New York Times for my research, and found an article on Bistronomy, the concept of inexpensive traditional food (bistro) combined with the Spanish tradition of experimental gastronomy. Tori, Brenden and I decided on Hisop, and what we found was a delightful menu with something for everyone, even the pickiest eater on earth. In addition to the items we ordered from the menu--two starters to share, three entrées, and three desserts--chefs Oriol Ivern and Guillem Pla offer a series of amuse bouche that echo the creativity and inventiveness of Chef Ferran Adria, the dean of Spanish molecular gastronomy.

To begin, we were offered a single perfectly cooked mussel on a cauliflower crema with a finely diced apples and a squirt of parsley jus. Though Be wouldn't touch it, Tori thought this was divine. It was by far the best cauliflower I have ever tasted and the mussel perfect.

Next was my favorite bite of the night. A single square of smoked fresh tuna on an roasted aubergine puree with a pistachio pesto. I don't even remember what that dollop on top is, but dear God it was wonderful. The saltiness of the tuna was enough to make you numb from joy.

Tori ordered the gambas (shrimp), heads, tails, and all. These were of course prepared in the traditional "al ajillo" (with garlic) style found in Catalunya. They were delicious if ridiculous looking.

Foie gras, a gift from God Himself, is the my most favorite delicacy. The perfectly sautees lobe was luscious and silky smooth with just the right texture--something between gelatinous and cotton candy-like, it's there when you bite into it, this in just dissolves into a massively flavor explosion. The sauce is flavored with coffee and chocolate was shaved table side for the final presentation. A single shallot roasted in the coffee sauce added a nice note of sweetness and balance for the foie. Honestly again, partly due to accents and language barriers, I cannot remember what the foam was. I want to say pistachio again, but I have no faith in that memory. Suffice it to say I was in heaven.

Now for the entrées. First above is my suckling pig with boletus (mushrooms). This was melt-in-your-mouth pig with cracklin' to make your you cry tears of joy. This was not your supper market pork known for its flavorless profile and chewy texture. The closest I can describe is heritage pork, the likes of which I have only had at Eno's in Atlanta when Chef Eli Kirschstein of Top Chef fame was there. The pork has flavor bursting from it. This roast pig was accompanied by mushrooms in several forms, most inventively as frozen mushroom dust that was the most fungal experience I would ever choose to have.

This was Brenden's deer with salsifis and coffee. It was a work of art. The loin of venison was cooked to just past red and warm in the middle. (Spaniards prefer their meat very rare, so this was a special request.) The coffee was in the sauce, while the salsifis was root vegetables from India, but they tasted like rutabaga or turnips. The surprise on the dish was mango gelato whose sweetness was a marvelous accent to the gaminess of the venison. Yes, Brenden the world's pickiest eater finished it all.

Tori opted for the most innovative and experimental combination of flavors, lamb with licorice and curry. This tiny crown roast of lamb packed a ton of flavor. The sauce was licorice flavor, star anise I assume, and the dab of yellow foam was the very essence of Indian curry.

A mojito flavored slush was another amuse bouche from the kitchen that was a perfect palate cleanser to help prepare us for the three fabulous desserts that were to follow.

This was my roasted pear with blue cheese. A traditional combination, the menu never mentioned that the blue cheese was in gelato form. It was overwhelmingly wonderful.

This was Brenden's chocolate molten cake with more mango gelato.

If I remember correctly, this was Tori's strawberries with rhubarb gelato. She could not get enough.

Food Glorious Food: Part I, La Bocqueria

2010-04-08T11:29:00.028-04:00

Some people might hear "Barcelona" and think history, football, architecture, religion.... I think food. Don't get me wrong, Barcelona has all of those things and more, but Barcelona is a Mecca for good food too. In this first installment (one of three entries coming), I want to share with you La Bocqueria, one of the most famous markets in all the world. A farmer's market has existed in Barcelona from at least 1217, but the indoor structure with stalls for fish mongers and vegetable stand, butchers and cheese mongers began in 1840. With nearly 300 vendors, there is little you cannot find at La Bocqueria whether it is a kid goat head (eyeballs included), fresh fish from the Mediterranean, a rainbow array of fruit smoothies, freshly roasted coffee, and much more.

Here you can see one of my favorite stops in La Boqueria, the pork store. See those pig legs hanging above my head. Yeah, that's jamon serano. Over my left shoulder are rows and rows of chorizo, and in the case is everything from trotters to pork loin. Needless to say, I was in heaven.

Fish is everywhere at La Boqueria, whether is is fresh bocalao (cod) like that pictures here or the salted variety, there is plenty to go around. We saw octopus and tons of calamari (squid).

Maybe the most impressive sight of all was the fish monger pictured below. Wielding that massive blade, she filleted and skinned those pescados in a single fluid motion, then chopped them into tapas sized portions and wrapped them up. It was performance art, and I would have paid for the show.

Not to be left out, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout La Boqueria. Beautiful red

tomatoes in ever shape and size are very popular, possibly because bread smeared with fresh tomato is a national dish in Catalunya.

One vendor had baskets containing thirteen different varieties of mushrooms.

Salt Cod, a favorite in Barcelona.

Whole calamari, delicious.

Some beautiful red peppers.

The real beauty of La Boqueria is that locals can shop there every day, bringing home everything they need for a gourmet meal. Nothing is every frozen or stale or rotten. It is only the freshest, most wonderful selection of deliciousness known to man. Whether it is foie gras (God's gift to carnivores), a handful of fruit jellies, or a bottle of the fruitiest olive oil, La Boqueria has what you crave.

Prague, Czech Republic

2010-04-07T14:51:00.035-04:00

US Airways is, in many ways, the very bane of my existence, but sometimes serendipity comes along. So, to make a long story short, I had a $400 voucher for US Air after being bumped from a flight to Miami on Columbus Day weekend last fall. When I booked my travel to Barcelona, Spain way back in January, the daily flight from Philadelphia to Barcelona was not in the computer system. I opted then to book Philadelphia-Frankfurt-Barcelona flight. This, I was told, was impossible because Lufthansa, who would fly the leg from Frankfurt to Barcelona did not accept US Air vouchers. It did not matter that my measly little voucher would hardly pay for the return Barcelona-Philadelphia flight and I would pay cash for the rest. It was not possible, so I booked Philadelphia-Frankfurt and Barcelona-Philadelphia with US Air and went shopping for a flight from Frankfurt to Barcelona. I found one on Czech Air flying Frankfurt to

Prague at 9:30 AM and Prague to Barcelona at 9:30 PM. I was going to get a free day in a city I have always wanted to visit. Take that US Air!

There were several things I needed to cram into this one day in Prague. First was the Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Square. Built in 1410, the Orloj is composed of a mechanical clock, an astrolabe tracing the movement of the sun and the moon, a calendar dial, and the Walk of the Apostles. Located

on the southern wall of the old city hall, the Orloj marks every hour with a procession of the apostles, wooden statues that pass through two windows while a bell rings to the hour out throughout the Old Town Square.

The best bit is the fact that the ring-ing of the bell is done by the hourglass wielding, cape wearing skeleton Death.

Next on the list of must see historic sites was the Charles Bridge. A magnificently gothic structure begun in 1357 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, the bridge crosses the Vltava River connecting eastern and western Europe, making Prague an important crossroads for trade in the middle ages. The Charles Bridge is lines with a series of statues and statuary, mostly religious in nature, were erected between 1683 and

1714. At each end of the bridge is a gothic tower, while along the bridge are hawkers, artists, and performers, including an organ grinder with his stuffed monkey and a Dixieland jazz band.

After crossing over the Charles bridge, I headed to the Mala Strana or Little Quarter in search of Our Lady Victorious Church. Why this particular church? Namesly for a single holy statue, the Infant Jesus of Prague. Originally brought to Bohemia in 1628 from Spain, the this small statute representing Jesus as a child developed a following

first among the Carmelites. The tiny Jesus is dressed according to the liturgical season of the Church, gold, green, red, blue, purple, rose, etcetera, etcetera. Growing up, this was a common devotion among Catholics, with little plastic statues in people's homes and churches. To sit in Our Lady Victorious Church and pray was a moving experience that connected me to people of faith whose devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague over the last four centuries.

Next I proceeded to Prague Castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral, climbing the hill to the medieval

center of Prague. Founded in 925 by good King Wenceslas (yes the one from the Christmas carol), St. Vitus is one of the great gothic cathedral's that influenced gothic architecture throughout central Europe. Begun in 1344 by soon-to-be Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, the cathedral was intended as a pilgrimage spot as well as a family crypt and final resting place for Charles himself. Inside the cathedral is the Saint Wenceslas

Chapel, marking the spot where the original chapel stood and serving as the final resting place of the patron of Bohemia. The Tomb of Saint John of Nepomuk is a gorgeous silver sculpture of Bohemia's martyred saint.

Prague, the city of Tyco Brahe and Johan Kepler and Mozart and Franz Kafka, is filled with too many things to see in a single day. I would happily return for the Museum of Communism and the chance to read Vaclav Havel's plays while basking in the radiance of Frank Ghery's Dancing House. I guess the moral of the story is sometimes a bad situation has the potential to turn into something great if you let it. Below are a couple more photos that hint at the uniqueness of Prague.

Prague is known for its marionette theatres, especially those that perform Mozart operas.

One of the allegorical symbols that served as address markers for streets were numbered.

An iron worker plying an ancient craft in the Prague Castle.

Beware of Ferguson shenanigans LFC

2010-03-20T11:20:00.000-04:00

Quote of the Week

2010-03-20T08:50:00.005-04:00

“Democrat after Democrat has gotten up here (on the floor) today saying that they are for this legislation. How can you be for a bill that’s not yet written , not yet finalized, not yet published, and for which no one knows how much it’s going to cost? The answer is simple. It’s really not about how much it’s going to cost or how many people it will cover. It’s about control. Government control over who is going to make health care decision in this country. And that’s exactly what the American people are rejecting.”

Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach, PA-6

Swedish Guidos?

2010-03-04T08:34:00.001-05:00

Today's quote

2010-03-02T08:45:00.002-05:00

"Less than a year ago, the longest-serving member of the Senate, West Virginia Democrat Robert Byrd, said, 'I was one of the authors of the legislation that created the budget 'reconciliation' process in 1974, and I am certain that putting health-care reform . . . legislation on a freight train through Congress is an outrage that must be resisted.'"

--Senator Orin Hatch of Utah quoting Senator Robert Byrd

of West Virginia in today's Washington Post op-ed piece

on the healthcare debate.

RIP Captain Phil Harris

2010-02-12T06:21:00.004-05:00

Quote of the week

2010-02-09T08:56:00.005-05:00

From today's The Daily Beast:

"If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate....'Bipartisanship' is not writing proposals of your own behind closed doors, then unveiling them and demanding Republican support.... Bipartisan ends require bipartisan"

Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner and

Republican House Minority Whip Eric Cantor

in a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel

Quote of the week/month/year

2010-01-27T15:55:00.003-05:00

From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via Politico:

"Well, the difference here and in '94 was you've got me. We're going to see how much difference that makes now."

--President Obama dismissing the idea of a Contract with America style backlash

Quote of the week

2010-01-25T10:46:00.003-05:00

Here is this week's quote of the week, until a better one comes along. From the LA Times' Top of the Ticket political commentary on Robert Gibbs' damage control on Fox News Sunday:

"Now, why would an incumbent president, who was just a few short years ago a nobody state senator in Illinois before getting elected to the U.S. Senate, be worried about a nobody state senator in Massachusetts getting elected to the U.S. Senate just a few short years before the 2012 presidential election? Gee, beats us."

POLITICO Arena: Bradley A. Smith's response to 'Obama's Copenhagen speech: Was he convincing?'

2009-12-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

Below is a wonderful breakdown of President Obama's speech at Copenhagen. I could not have said it better myself.

POLITICO Arena: Bradley A. Smith's response to 'Obama's Copenhagen speech: Was he convincing?'

Kanye West...sad, sad, sad

2009-09-15T11:02:00.003-04:00

Racist and bad mannered...what could be worse.

When Kanye first started recording, I avoided him but the last couple of albums pursuaded me that he had talent. Unfortunately whatever talent he might have has been outshone by his douche bag antics. I will never spend another dime on this embarrasment of a human being. Take off the GD sunglasses too, damnit!

Congrats to Beyonce on a class move inviting Taylor Swift to finish her speech.

Almost Live Blogging POTUS at VFW

2009-08-17T13:11:00.003-04:00

Below are a few choice quotes from President Obama from his appearence this morning (PST) at the Veterans of Foreign Wars 100th Annual Convention. Since he was speaking to the largest and oldest veterans organization in the country, he chose to address military concerns, which was a nice respite from the health care discussion. He made all the right proclamation about protecting and caring for our troops in the field and for our veterans on their return.

I have but one question for the President: How do we pay for all this? I completely agree that the country owes a special obligation to those who spill their own blood for their country. What we must remember is the budget for veterans does not exist in a vacuum. If there is going to be a substantial increase in funding for Veterans Affairs and the military as it fights two wars (as their should be, especially on military pay, housing, etc and health care for wounded warriors), what in the budget will lose funding? To pander to a crowd of veterans by promising them everything they could possibly want, with no explanation of how to pay for it is unfair at best and pandering at worst.

"I will only send you (soldiers) into combat when absolutely necessry and only with the equipment that you need to accomplish your mission"

The policies that have been put in place by the Obama administration wil "put an end to stop loss."

The goal of the defense budget is to "equip forces with tools necessay such as helicopters, protective gear, training and intelligence."

"As Iraqis take control of their destiny they will be tested...the US will keep its obligations."

In Afghanistan: "Diplomacy, development and good government" are what are needed.

"This is not a war of choice but war of necessity. Fundamental to the defense of our people."

"Must prepare our forces for challenges of tomorrow, adapting to the post Cold War world." He stated that twenty years after the end of the Cold War, it was unacceptable that the military was stilled mired in 20th century thinking on combat and war.

Twenty-first century preparedness means: "Conventional and unconventional. Ability to defeat armored division and loan suicide bomber and 21st century pirates."

Refering to F-22: "Impulse in Washington to protect jobs back home has a cost."

All defense budget items must: "Cut the waste, save taxpayer dollars, support the troops."

The government has a responsibility to military families in many ways, therefore the defense budget includes: "Increasing military pay, better housing, more opportunity for Fed jobs for military spouses, millions of dollars for wounded warriors

"PTSD and traumatic brain injuries are defining I juries of today's war with billions of $dollars for treatment."

Talking of the new GI bill, "You pick the school, we'll pick up the bill" and it school will be "available to all including reservists and children of soldiers"

Obama hopes to create a "21st century VA--dramatically increasing funding"

"No one is going to take away Veterans health care--we're expanding coverage."

One goal of new rules for VA: "Medical care never to be held up by budget delays."

Goal of Obama's VA: "End veteran homelessness--zero tolerence"

"After fighting for America you should not have to fight through red tape to get your benefits."

"Largest increase in VA budget in 30 years--billions more to come"

Eating Your Way Across The Crescent City

2009-08-15T13:36:00.014-04:00

New Orleans has been one of my favorite American cities since before I even visited. Having spent the last few days there again on my third trip, I am renewed in my belief that this is one of the greatest culinary cities in the world. So far, I have nearly confined myself to destination eating...testing out the great restaurants that everyone raves about.

Every culinary tour of NOLA needs to begin at Cafe du Monde. This Jackson Square stalwart offers just one thing, the heavenly French donuts known as beignets. Dusted in a mountain of confectioner's suger, these delicacies, paired with a cafe au lait, are as good as anything you will eat in New Orleans. Monring, noon, or night, there is nothing like a beignet.

In addition to my daily sojourn to Cafe du Monde, I sampled for different first rate Crescent City eateries. My first night I went to Emeril Legasse's NOLA. Now there are those who are Emeril haters, though I find his TV personality grating, I love Emeril's cooking. My first trip to New Orleans I sampled Legasse's fare at Del Monico's, and it was one of the best meals I have ever enjoyed. At NOLA I start with BBQ shrimp, an Emeril special, with a side of cheese grits, then had a braised short rib to die for with Brie Cream "Mac & Cheese" and honey baked white beans. It was my kind of meal, not a green vegetable to be found. Coupled with a beautiful Petite Syrrah, I could not have asked for more. Dessert was a chocolante bourbon pecan pie with sweet potato ice cream and caramel drizzle. The cloying sweetness of the pie was nicely balanced by the ice cream which should remind any good Southerner of grandma's sweet potato pie. All in all, NOLA was everything I have come to expect from Emeril Legasse: creative cooking with local flare and quality ingredients.

The second dining experience came at Galatoire's on Bourbon Street. One of the oldest establishments in the French Quarter, Galatoire's is still a family run affair the closely guard its ancient recipes. Jackets are still required for gentlemen, and the tuxedo clad waiters are some fo the best in the business. This slavishness to tradition makes for a wonderful experience in the dining room, but the food is second rate. I began with the escargot bordelaise, one of my favorites. It was spot on perfect. Unfortunately, the Pompano with crabmeat Yvonne was seriously disappointing. Though well cooked, it was pedestrian. Even the wine was m'eh. Steeped in tradition, the lack of creativity at Galatoire's broke the illusion I had of traveling back in time. Culinarily, I'm too attached to the present.

Commander's Palace, on the other hand, was one of the highlights of an illustrious dining career

. Though as old as Galatoire's, Commander's is no where near as stuffy. Upon sitting down, I was greeted by two waiters and a captain who saw to my every whim throughout the evening. Lally Brennan, the owner of this Garden District landmark, made her rounds through the dini

ng room, stopping to talk for several minutes in a genuine conversation that made me feel welcomed and wanted. After a refreshingly dry Bombay Sapphire martini (with a twist of course), I dove into what can only be described as one of the most decadent appetizers of all time, the Foie Gras "Du Monde," a tribute to everyone's favorite riverside donut stand. A sauteed lobe of Hudson Valley foie is placed over a bourbon briased fig and foie gras beignet with vanilla cracked coffee beans, foie gras cafe au lait and chicory coffee mist.

Though the foie was a tough act to follow, the kitchen a Commander's Palace continued the decadence with a fourteen ounce veal chop that was nearly two inches thick. Paired with asparugus and resting atop a bed of grits and goat cheese, the chop was as delicious as it was beautiful. A hot summer day demanded an appropriate wine, and petite syrrah rose did just the trick, with enough complexity and body to stand up to the veal, but the lightness to be quaffed with abandon. The meal ended with the "Queen of Creole Desserts," Commander's bread pudding souffle. It was lighter than any bread pudding I have ever sampled, with just a hint of spice to make it nice.

What would a foodie tour of New Orleans be without Bananas Foster? Incomplete. Another of

the old establishment restaurants, Brennan's in the Quarter is the spot for brunch, so I stopped in on my last morning. This is another place bound by tradition, but not yet moribund. My waiter informed me that the house tradition is to buy a drink for solo diners, so my brunch began with a mimosa to kick things off. I then proceeded to devour a three course breakfast that included a Southern baked apple with double cream, the Brennan's original Eggs Hussard (poached eggs atop Holland rusks, Canadian bacon, and Marchand de Vin sauce, all topped with Hollandaise Sauce), and finally Bananas Foster. Created in 1951 at Brennan's, this world famous dessert is bananas sauteed in butter, brownsuger, cinnamon and banana liqeuor and then flamed in run and served over vanilla ice cream. Some might say Bananas Foster is New Orleans in a bowl.

Iran Protests: In the Face of Certain Death

2009-06-20T09:03:00.006-04:00

Protests continue in Iran today, even after Ayatolla Ali Khamenei warned the people that any further protests in the street would be suppressed by the power of the state. My favorite line from the speech might have been when Khamenei tried to explain that up to a millian votes might be stolen, but not the eleven million Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole.

Below are picture from the live blogging on Huffington Post. They show Basiji militia waiting to stop the protestors before they reach Ferdosi Square. Pictures were taken at approximately Noon local time.

The bravery of the Persian people, especially the women who are treated as little more than chattel, deserves our support. I am so proud of the US House of Representatives for their resolution supporting the Iranian people and their right to protest this hoax of an election and condemning the crackdown threatened by the Supreme Leader. My own Congressman, Republican Jim Gerlach (PA-6) tweeted the good news just after the vote was official. I am disgusted by Ron Paul and is single 'Nay' vote. A true isolationist, he deserved to be isolated. Never again will I acknowledge him as a leader.

It is being reported that a bomb has gone off near the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini. Tweets fast a furious denying that this is the work of the green protesters. Most believe this is the government's attempt to discredit the movement and impose martial law. Violenece will beget violence, and Ahmadinejad is playing a dagerous game. May God look down upon the Persian people and guide them through this darkness.

Democracy in Iran?

2009-06-15T22:44:00.013-04:00

The Iranian elections have been proven once again to be the fraud tyranny relies upon, pretending to serve the will of the people, but really just securing their own power. It seems that a reall protest movement has been born of this fraud. Led by their students, and most importantly, their women, Persian society is exhibiting what I hope is the first signs of re-mergence from the Islamic Revolution that is thirty years old. Persian society, that ancient and beautiful society, that shares nothing with the fundamentalists who oppress their intellectuals, their women, and their own history, has taken a book from the Chinese protestors of Tienaman Square, refusing to lay down in the face of overwhelming force. Hopefully, these brave souls can hold on, and the world will begin to apply the pressure that can afford Iran to emerge from three decades of darkness.

The following pictures are from boston.com's Big Picture. Please visit to see the complete set. These are the ones I found most poignant. Notice the dignity of the protesters in the face of violence, abuse, and death, even to the point of rescuing an Iranian police officers.

Sexist Subaru Ad from 1970

2009-05-30T15:36:00.005-04:00

After reading this on Buzzfeed, I felt compelled to post it. My favorite line: "...as you take hold of her rack...." At least we have one example of how things have improved. In light of the third woman nominated to the highest court in the land, this seems even more appalling, and more impossible, today. This is not to say things are perfect, but good Lord they are better than this.

ACLU v Veterans (Memorial Day Outrage)

2009-05-25T17:52:00.004-04:00

This post from from the blog "This Ain't Hell, but You can See It from Here" is about the latest attack on religious Christians and veterans. The ACLU is suing to have a veterans memorial--a cross that was placed in the Mojave desert by World War I veterans in the 30s--because it divides veterans of different creeds on how to memorialize their own sacrifice.

This is incredibly offensive, on the part of the ACLU. Unfortunately I was not shocked to learn that the offended party was an National Park Service employee (not a veteran) who was hiking, came across the memorial, and initiated the suit to have the memorial replaced. As someone who works with veterans groups on a regular basis (I will be attending the VFW, AmVets, and American Legion conventions this summer), I can tell you that no veteran I know, of any (or no) faith, is offended by a cross left in the desert by a group of fellow veterans more than seven decades ago.

This is nothing more than the continuation of the ACLU's campaign against God, and this time those who have sacrificed most for this country and its Constitution are caught in the middle.

The 2009 Star Trek Movie: Spoiler Alert

2009-05-17T12:22:00.007-04:00

JJ Abrams is a genius. The new Star Trek movie is a romping good time because above and beyond the flash and bang of the special effects (and there is lots of flash and bang), there is a complex story worthy of a sci-fi enterprise (pun intended) that has lasted six television series and now eleven movies. Like Wrath of Khan, the new Star Trek has real movie making, exploring the characters psychologically while maintaining a level of action to suit average viewers.

The difficulty in making the Star Trek prequel has long existed because movie making technology has advanced so since the original 1966 tv show. Post-George Lucas sci-fi movie making renders the special effects and design of the old series so uninteresting (except to trekkies and trekkers) as to make a prequel impossible. How then to over come this technical difficulty? A rip and space-time continuum, of course. This is "science" fiction after all.

Abrams and his writing team solved the difficulty by creating a parallel universe in which events in the original Trek universe have caused a new time line. In this new universe, things are more advanced, James Tiberias Kirk has never known his father, and Spock assumes command of the Enterprise after the captain leaves to negotiate with Romulans who seek the destruction of the Federation.

What is most fun about this movie is Abrams introduction of the original crew of the Enterprise. We meet Kirk and Spock on their own and children (Kirk stealing a vintage Corvette and driving it off a cliff and Spock pummeling another boy who called his father a traitor) and then again as they make their decision to join Star Fleet Academy. (Each requires some prodding.) Then Uhura is introduced when Kirk tries to pick her up at a bar. His infatuation with learning her first name is a running gag throughout. Dr. McCoy is at his melodramatic and hysterical bestfrom the first moment he meets Kirk on the transport to Star Fleet Academy. Checkhov and Sulu we meet later on the birdge of Star Fleet's newest flag ship, the Enterprise commanded by Captain Christopher Pike. (Yes, from the two part series in the original television show.) Chekhov is a seventeen year old genius and Sulu rocks with a futuristic katana. Finally, Scotty joins the fray last, bringing much needed comic relief.

With the original crew together, and Leonard Nemoy's Spock Prime lending is wisened advice, the Enterprise sets off the confront the Romulans and save the earth. Would you expect anything less from a Star Trek movie? I will definitely see this again. Go now, and go often. I want to see more movies from JJ Abrahams, Chris Pine and the rest of these young stars, and another Star Trek movie somewhere down the line wouldn't be bad either.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-05-17T11:21:00.003-04:00

With the subtitle "The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem," Seth Grahame-Smith has done for Jane Austen what no literature teacher on the planet has ever done, made her writing palatable to the average reader of the male persuasion.

The basic premise of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is this, Pride and Prejudice, Austen's story of a family of daughters who fall in love with men far above their stations, whose love is oddly returned, plays out in all the overly dramatic ways it has for nearly two hundred years. Grahame-Smith overlays plot twist, for fifty years England has been overrun by zombies, whose origins are still unknown. In order to protect the population, all those of able body are trained to fight, including unmarried women, who must relinquish their protector status when they become married.

The Bennett daughters have been trained by the Shoalin monks in China, whereas Mr. D'Arcy has been instructed in the ninja's dark arts in Kyoto, Japan. Add to the pride and prejudice Austen instilled in Miss Bennet and Mr. D'Arcy unrivaled fighting skills and you finally have a recipe for a romance that might just keep the attention of at least some guys (the ones who can actually read that is). Grahame'Smith's achievement was to refine his overlay so that it is seemless. The language is Austens, even when describing Lizzy's desire to cut off Mr. D'Arcy's head for impertinence.

Just about everytime I was tiring of the tediousness of Austen's narrative (which is my reaction to all romances of that era, not just Austen's), zombies appear and the mayhem begins. It was just enough to keep me reading to see what direction the story might next take.

Setting aside Seth Grahame-Smith's pretentious use of two last names and his La-La Land ultra left politics, I might just give his rumored next book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter a try.

Senator Arlen Specter disappoints everyone

2009-05-03T10:50:00.012-04:00

I am staying a Republican because I think I have an important role, a more important role, to play there. The United States very desperately needs a two-party system. That’s the basis of politics in America. I’m afraid we are becoming a one-party system, with Republicans becoming just a regional party with so little representation of the northeast or in the middle atlantic. I think as a governmental matter, it is very important to have a check and balance. That’s a very important principle in the operation of our government. In the constitution on Separation of powers.

→Sen. Arlen Specter - March 17, 2009

So based on this quotation I was ready to vote for Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Republican primary and the general election. Truth is I disagree with Specter on a wide range of issues, not least of which is abortion. As a libertarian Republican, I felt there were more important things than these issues. I was convinced that Specter was exactly right that the Republican party is shrinking, becoming a regional party that only represents good old boys, opponents of gay marriage and abortion, and those committed heart and soul to 'drill baby drill." The GOP needs to be bigger, more inclusive than this. There needs to be a place in the party for those who stray from the party line but are still drawn to the core principles of freedom, national defense, and small government.

Arlen Specter claimed to represent that moderate, more inclusive wing of the GOP. He also claimed to believe in the Constitutional balance of power offered by mechanisms like the filibuster. Now he has abandoned the party which for twenty-nine years has sent him to Washington, DC. Interestingly, on his first vote as a Democrat, he voted just as he would have as a Republican, against President Obama, revealing himself as a political operative with no principle. He left the party that gave him his career, to save his own skin and nothing more. Retire already. I hope Congressman Joe Sestak, retired vice admiral of the US Navy, runs in the Democratic primary against Specter. Then the people of Pennsylvania will have a reall choice between a real Democrat and a real Republican, not someone whose only loyalty is to himself.

George Will on Racial Spoils

2009-04-26T13:40:00.002-04:00

In today's Washington Post, George Will addresses the Ricci v DeStefano case that was just heard by the Supreme Court this week. The fire department of New Haven, Connecticut gave a test for promotion to its firefighters. The test was written to specifically account for concerns regarding the 1964 Civil Rights Act. When no African-Americans passed the exams with high enough scores to warrant promotion, eighteen firefighters (17 white and 1 hispanic) who did score high enough were passed over for promotion when the test reults were thrown out.

Here's Will's best line:

So, to avoid defending the defensible in court, it did the indefensible. It used anxiety about a potential challenge under a statute to justify its violation of the Constitution. And it got sued.

Is this the end of racial quotas in America...we shall have to wait for the justices' decision.

Flip Burger Boutique in Atlanta

2009-04-11T22:40:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time, there was a chef from Atlanta who became a contestant on Bravo's "Next Top Chef." Though Richard Blais did not win "Top Chef," he did make an impression with his molecular gastronomy, and his new found celebrity is serving him well as Creative Director of Flip Burger Boutique in Atlanta. Blais has developed a fun menu with an assortment of flavor profiles that are bound to please.

Tonight a group of friends decided to try out the new ATL hot spot, and at best it was a mixed bag. The food was good, but the kitchen was in the weeds, and the service was unworthy of the 18% gratuity our group of six was forced to pay per restaurant policy.

Let's be fair and start with what was good. First, they told us the wait would be 45 - 50 minutes and then seated us after only 30 minutes. Blais' creations really are the stars of the show here. Whether it is the assortment of traditional beef burgers composed of sirloin, brisket, and short rib (like the country fried burger with pimento cheese and green tomatoe catsup) or the less traditional burgers (like my chorizo burger covered in manchego cheese and a perfectly runny fried egg), these are five ounces of fun for your mouth. The milkshakes, made with liquid nitrogen, are a fun throw back to a bygone age. The Krispy Kreme milkshake arrived smoking from the bar, and as advertised it tasted like my favorite glazed donut. The room's design was modern and hip.

Unfortunately, thus ends the better part of our dining experience. Though there are more employees walking around in this joint than your average Walmart, I was never quite clear on the division of duties, except for the waterboy who seemed to fill every glass in the place on a regular rotation. There was our waiter, the biggest disappointment of the evening, whose drive by style of addressing us made me feel as if he had something better to do. Mostly he walked by to tell us something like, "Your food will be up in a minute," but he never really stopped to talk to us. After leaving it to one poor food runner to deliver all of our meals by herself, he showed up to start clearing plates at the end, reach across my plate to clear my neighbor's, then started to clear mine, when I was not finished.

As bad as the wait service was, the kitchen and bar service was not much better. after our drink orders were put in (three beers and two milkshakes), the beers were delivered sloppily, with one beer practically sloshed on one person (there seems to be a rule that trays can only be used for clearing tables, not delivering food or drinks), and our milkshakes were no where to be found, and neither was our waiter. He did drive by to say the milkshakes would be up soon, but he didn't stop to take our food order.

When our food did finally make its way to out table(eight burgers and six sides), it did so in stages, with one person's meal arriving a good five minutes after everyone else's meal. Once again the waiter was MIA, until he delivered the last burger with a smug look like he had just done us a huge favor. Not only were the burgers fashionably late but many of them were less the hot upon arrival. The sides were equally cool, except for the sweet potato tots, which were filled with plenty of hot grease and topped with more salt than my cardiologist would normally recommend.

This is unacceptable. Many people will say that my expectations are too high for a burger joint, and I should not be so incensed. I disagree, because any restaurant that calls itself a boutique and hires a celebrity chef to be creative director who specialty is molecular gastronomy has pretentions to something more than a burger joint. If Flip wants to be a real foodie mecca, and not just the flavor of the week, then the service has to be better. Yes, the lemmings will continue to come, but all the buzz will only last until Blais decides he's bored here too, or the next hot new place opens up across town. Then, Flip will fade just like all the others, because it is missing the solid foundation of good wait service and kitchen precision.

Dennis Lehane's The Given Day

2009-03-14T22:12:00.003-04:00

I finally started reading Dennis Lehane's new novel, The Given Day, and I must admit it is brilliant. It had been sitting in the car since Christmas when I got it, but I am so glad I finally started reading it. I It is about the 1919 Boston policeman's strike, the flu epidemic that proceeded it, the radical politics, the Red Scare, race relations, Babe Ruth, the Great Mollasses Flood, and much, much more.

heard Lehane do a reading from the manuscript in October 2006, and he said that one of his greatest joys as a writer (and I'm paraphrasing here) is the fact that he has a contract with his publishers that allows him to write anything he wants. He is not expected to produce the same formulaic novel over and over again like so many other writers today. This freedom has allowed Lehane to publish the Patrick Kenzie/Angela Gennaro novels (including my favorite Darkness, Take My Hand), the novel cum Hollywood blockbuster Mystic River, the gothic novel Shutter Island, and the short story collection Coronado. Now an historical novel set after the First World War. This freedom keeps Lehane's writing fresh, vivid, and emotionally charged. Below is a perfect example of Lehane's abilities as a wordsmith, not to mention an historical researcher.

"Hey." Finch's tone was sharp, his eyes too clear. "You say 'Bolshevicks' or 'Communists' like there are nuances here the rest of us are too thick to grasp. They're not different--they're fucking terrorists. Every last one. This country's heading for one hell of a showdown, Officer. We think that showdown will happen on May Day. That you won't be able to swing a cat without hitting some revolutionary with a bomb or a rifle. And if that occurs, this country will tear itself apart. Picture it--the bodies of innocent Americans strewn all over our streets. Thousands of kids, mothers, workingmen. And for what? Because these cocksuckers hate the life we have. Because it's better than theirs. Because we're better than them. We're richer, we're freer, we've got a lot of the best real estate in a world that's mostly desert or undrinkable ocean. But we don't hoard that, we share. Do they thank us for sharing? For welcoming them to our shores? No. They try to kill us. They try to tear down our government like we're the fucking Romanovs. Well, we're not the fucking Romanovs. We're the only successful democracy in the world. And we're done apologizing for it."

Photo Shopped Movie Posters.

2009-03-14T20:35:00.008-04:00

These are absolutely hysterical! The game: Change one letter in the movie title and change the entire movie. Check out the entire collection at worth1000.com.

This Is Bacon-Wrapped Macaroni And Cheese Meatloaf | www.holytaco.com

2009-03-01T10:30:00.001-05:00

This Is Bacon-Wrapped Macaroni And Cheese Meatloaf | www.holytaco.com

My cardiologists would have a heart attack if he saw me eating this, but one can dream.

Anne Rice on Gender, Sexuality, and Reproduction

2009-01-24T20:18:00.005-05:00

Another long quote from Anne Rice's Called Out of Darkness; this one regarding the Catholic Church's teaching on (preoccupation with) gender, sexuality, and reproduction:

"Centuries ago the stars were sacred. A man could be burnt at the stake for declaring that the earth revolved around the sun. Churchmen feared that if astronomers gained authority over the Heavens, Scripture would be undermined.

"But no such thing took place. Scritpure is too great, too powerful, too fathomless for such a thing to take place.

"Now the Christian world holds the stars to be secular. Most of the Christian world holds biology and geology to be secular as well. And Scripture is as potent and irresistible as ever. Scripture still guides our lives.

"And the stars are still the lamps of Heaven.

"Is it not possible for us to do with gender, sexuality, and reproduction what was long ago done with the stars? To realize that these are also secular areas, and that new sources of information about them may be as valid as the information given us long ago by men who gazed through the first telescopes at the night sky?

"Is it not possible that gender, sexuality, and reproduction are areas which the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount may be entirely adequate as they are for every other sort of behavior we face?

"If I am wrong on this, I pray you will forgive me for this suggestion. And a suggestion is all that it is.

"But I see people driven away from churches by these issues. And some for their whole lives.

"And too many make the same mistake I made. They leave the loving figure of Jesus Christ because they feel they have to leave His churches" (244 - 245).

I am not sure if she is right on the question of whether gender, sexuality, and reproduction will ever become like the geocentric universe, but I agree that allowing these issues to drive people from the Church and more importantly from Christ Himself is simply wrong. At its best, the Church teaches us to love and forgive as Christ did. Maybe that really is enough.

Anne Rice's Called Out of Darkness

2009-01-23T21:55:00.005-05:00

This fall, Anne Rice published her spiritual autobiography, following in the venerable tradition of St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Henri Nouwen. I have written in this blog about Rice's new series of books on the early life of Jesus Christ, beginning with Christ the Lord. These new books are a result of Anne's return to faith and the Roman Catholic Church.

In Called Out of Darkness, Rice tells her own story of faith, loss, and return. From growing up in the insular world of pre-Vatican II Catholicism in New Orleans to abandonment of all pretense of faith and the embrace of atheism and secular humanism in college, Rice's story is touching and heartfelt. She reveals how important faith was to her as a child and how in a single moment it was gone. When she walks away from everything she has ever known, I was broken-hearted but for the knowledge that she found her way home.

Anne's return was in response to the love of Christ that never stopped pursuing the her. Returning to the modern Church, with all its faults, was an act of will and complete abandonment.

"In the moment of surrender, I let go of all the theological or social questions which had kept me from Him for countless years. I simply let them go. There was the sense, profound and wordless, that if He knew everything I did not have to know everything, and that, in seeking to know everything, I'd been, all my life, missing the entire point.

"No social paradox, no historic disaster, no hideous record of injustice or misery should keep me from Him, No quesion of Scriptural integrity, no torment over the fate of this or that atheist or gay friend, no worry for those condemned and ostracized by my church or any other church should stand between me and Him. The reason? It was magnificently simple: He knew how and why everything happened; he knew the disposition of every single soul.

"He wasn't going to let anything happen by accident! Nobody was going to go to Hell by mistake. This was His world, all this! He had complete control of it; His justice, His mercy--were not our justice or our mercy. What folly to even imagine such a thing.

"I didn't have to know how He was going to save the unlettered and the unbaptized, or how He would redeem the conscientious heathen who had never spoken His name. I didn't have to know how my gay friends would find their way to Redemption; or how my hardworking secular humaist friends could or would receive the power of His Saving Grace. I didn't have to know why good people suffered agony or died in pain. He knew.

"And it was His knowing that overwhelmed me, His knowing that became completely real to me, His knowing that became the warp and woof of the Universe which he had made" (183 - 184).

It is always instructive to understand why others believe. Reading Anne Rice's tale of return, especially for those who love her books, is not just informative and enlightening, especially for all those who struggle with the flaws that are rampant in a Church filled with imperfect human beings.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-01-02T08:15:00.014-05:00

Normally I try to ignore buzz. Whether it is a book, restaurant, CD, or a movie, buzz is often a better indicator of what not to seek out. With Slumdog Millionaire, the buzz is not just understandable, but it does not nearly convey how wonderful this movie is.

Distributed by Fox Searchlight, the art house, indie arm of Fox Pictures, Millionaire is a story of crushing poverty, betrayal, abandonment, violence, perseverance, redemption, and enduring love. There are so many potential pitfalls for a movie like this to become a cheesy romance that it is a wonder it got the green light at all.

Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) brilliantly utilizes the storytelling mechanism of Vikas Swarup's novel Q&A, where the main character is accused of cheating at a quiz show and explains to police that he learned the answers to the questions asked by living your life. In Millionaire, Jamal's flashbacks are filled with the juxtaposition of the poverty of the slum, the magnificent colors of the saris, and the carefree movement of youth. Added to the original novel is the love story at the center of Slumdog Millionaire that animates then entire film; it is a love that Jamal's brother Salim impedes at every turn in vain attempts to exert his authority as head of the family, forcing Jamal to search continually for the love he discovered and lost as a child.

Millionaire is an ensemble accomplishment like few movies today. The children in the early part of the film deserve great credit for their potrayal of carefree happiness in terrible circumstances. They are so likeable and easy to watch that they draw the viewer into the movie from their first scences. Dev Patel, the English-Indian actor and veteran of the BBC's Skins, is the present day Jamal, the thread uniting all three time lines whose sympathetic portrayal of the chai-walla who becomes a contestant on Hindi Who Wants to the a Millionaire in order to find the love that he lost. Frieda Pinto who plays Latika, Jamal's love, is gorgeous and though her appearence is brief, one look at her and you hope they get together in the end.

Ensemble acting, Danny Boyle's direction, and Simon Beaufoy's screenplay are a near perfect recipe for four. the Golden Globes. Add to these the bumping sound track from A. R. Rahman and MIA, and the recipe is complete.

Believe the buzz. Go see this movie.

Eartha Kitt, RIP

2008-12-26T08:43:00.005-05:00

Christmas joy was tinged with a bit of sadness yesterday as one of my favorite Broadway diva's died. Eartha Kitt was eighty-one, and after more than six decades in show business, she was still one of the best. She recently won Emmies for her voice work in Disney's "The Emperor's New School," and she had planned a return to the Cafe Carlyle next month, where I had hoped to catch a performance.

Though I will not get that chance to see Miss Eartha perform one last time, I was lucky enough to see her Off-Broadway in Mimi Le Duck, which I reviewed on Intellectuals, Inc in 2006. She was magnificent, and I consider myself fortunate to have experience her live on stage. She was one-of-a-kind, the original "material girl" as she claimed, and never again will one like her come again.

So sometime this Christmas weekend, put on a recording of Eartha's "Santa Baby," pour yourself something French, say the words 'C'est Si Bon,' like a mantra, for she was good.

Healthcare Perceptions

2008-12-04T12:36:00.003-05:00

This just appeared in my gmail box:

"Most Americans (73%) believe the U.S. healthcare system has big problems and 54% think the government should ensure universal access. But at the same time, 83% rate the quality of medical care they personally receive as excellent or good and 67% say the same about their coverage."

It is the synopsis of some recent polling from Gallop on health care. You can read the details fo the polling here. Suffice it to say that Americans are at best confused and at worst just plain stupid. In fact, it seems that the average American is really just a lemming. Someone (read: the media, politicians, etc) has suggested that health care in this country is broken and must be rescued by a massive government take over a la Hillary Clinton circa 1993. This despite the fact that these same lemming-Americans admit that their health care is, in fact, quite good and their coverage is equally as satisfactory.

What is going on here? Why are we so willing to be led around by others and accept someone else's interpretation of events instead of thinking for ourselves.

I am so depressed!

Patti Lupone in Gypsy

2008-11-30T14:29:00.008-05:00

Last night I decided to brave Times Square and TKTS to see what show I might enjoy. For the committment of just an hour of waiting in line, I had the choice of just about everything on Broadway —Mary Poppins, Shrek, Grease, Spamalot, Phantom of the Opera, even the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall--and off-Broadway too for 50% of face value. Though I was interested in Young Frankenstein and Equus, I opted instead for the revival of Gypsy starring the incomparable Patti LuPone as Mama Rose.

I had not seen Gypsy before last night, and to be honest, if not for Ms. LuPone, I probably never would have. It is based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the burlesque dancer and stripper, actor and author dominated American stages during the 30s and 40s. The story revolves ultimately around Louise (Gypsy's real name), her sister June, and their mother Rose, whose only desire is to make June a star on the vaudeville circuit. Ultimately, June marries and leaves the act, but June is not talented enough to carry on the act, but she does discover a talent for burlesque, putting the tease in strip tease, she became a major star.

Gypsy is not really about its title character, but instead her mother. Mama Rose is the very worst example of a stage mother, insisting that her kids have talent greater than has ever been seen before, living her own dreams vicariously through her daughters. Patti LuPone plays this to perfection; she is neurotic and overbearing, mercurial in her moods and unwilling to ever settle for anything less than her dream, and that dream is ever changing. She willingly allows Louise to strip, but when Gypsy becomes the best paid stripper in the whole world, Mama Rose continues to berate her daughter for not being the right kind of star.

There is a reason why this production of Gypsy won three Tony Awards last year, pure, out of this world talent, lead by Best Actress Tony winner Patti LuPone. She is possibly the greatest musical theatre actress of her generation. Her voice is pure and strong, and she infuses it with such emotion that she truly inhabits the roles she plays. I first saw Ms. LuPone on Broadway in Sweeney Todd in 2006 where she played Mrs. Lovett. She excels at Sondheim's complicated lyrics and powerful but unrefined women who are haunted by demons. In the Gypsy finale, "Rose's Turn," LuPone lets loose with a manic performance to remind everyone why we go to live theatre. She was magnificent, and now I can't wait to see her again.

In addition to LuPone are Best Supporting Actor Tony winner Boyd Gaines as Herbie, the hapless agent Mama Rose seduces to book venues for act, and Best Support Actress Tony winner Laura Benanti who plays Louise aka Gypsy Rose Lee. Both are admirable foils for LuPone's Mama Rose. In "Together Wherever We Go," the trio of Tony winners demonstrate the chemistry that has made this revival such a wonder.

The draw of Gypsy is the rollercoaster ride of emotions that rush from light-hearted and hysterical to poignant and heartrending. My favorite number, besides the classics, is "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" with the three over-the-hill burlesque dancers. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

Gypsy is scheduled through March 2009 at the St. James theatre in New York. Get out to see it before it is gone! You will not be disappointed.

Jose Garces' Amada in Philadelphia

2008-11-27T22:55:00.007-05:00

So Tuesday night I went out with a friend for a belated birthday dinner. We chose Amada in Old City, Philadelphia, namely because Chef Jose Garces' name keeps popping up, most recently in the Food & Wine Thanksgiving issue. Amada offers Philly's most creative interpretation of Spanish tapas, so after being seated, we opted for the chef's tasting menu. Though they only advertise a $45 three-course tasting, they offer ones for $55 and $65, which just increases the quality of the ingredients used in the dishes.

The first course was defined by sweetness, so I was on board immediately. It helped when everything started with a trio of cheeses and their accompaniments--aged manchego with truffled lavender honey, garrotxa with garlic dulce de leche, and cana de cabra with fig and strawberry marmalade. The cheeses were quality, but the dipping sauces were exquisite. Next was oysters with grapefruit and cava granita; sweet but not cloying. Finally the salad of spinach, cabrales, fig, and spiced almonds was encased in Serrano ham. A salad wrapped in pork; it doesn't get any better.

The second course began with octopus and sweet breads, and I have to admit that I was nervous. Octopus is not my favorite because most preparations ruin the texture; too often it's like chewing rubber bands. These baby octopi were tender and perfectly seasoned, served sizzling and delicious. The sweet breads were something new. Offal is by no means a favorite, unless you're talking foie gras. Garces' preparation of the sweetbreads were a pleasant surprise, matched with chestnut pappardelle, iberico ham, English peas, and fava beans. The course ended with the coca or Spanish flatbread with duck confit, Serrano ham, cabrales, and date glaze. It was refreshingly familiar after the first two dishes.

Now understand, two hungry guys, and there was still something left on several plates from the first two courses. The third and final course was the piece de resistance, with three proteins that simply knocked our socks off. First, Alaskan king salmon, crispy baby artichokes, and topped with and orange saffron foam. Next was prime sirloin sliced in bite sized pieces on a bed of spinach with a goat cheese mousse. Lamb chops marinated and grilled to perfection completed the triptych of meats. For vegetables, the chef offered seasoned wild mushrooms and grilled asparagus with truffles and a poached egg. It was more than enough to share, and we were both filled to bursting by the time we surrendered. Dessert was little more than a afterthought; more like reconnaissance for next time.

The service was pleasant and the wait staff knowledgeable and helpful. They appeared when needed and disappeared just as quickly. The restaurant is larger than expected on first inspection with two dining rooms and a great bar, separated from the dining rooms. The wooden tables and comfortable banquets offer a homey feel that makes it easy to relax and enjoy your meal. Whether you choose the chef's tasting or just order a couple of things a la carte, Amada is worth your time and hard earned pennies.