Sunday, January 31, 2010


Finally got home ... to a giant snowstorm. The memory card on my phone's camera gave up the ghost, taking several really cool images of the snow and ice with it. Replaced the card and took a few pix to test it out. Here's one of them. I've seen snow and ice make many strange formations, but this one is one of coolest. So much moisture in the air!

What's the coolest thing you've seen built by Nature using water and cold?

Friday, January 29, 2010

Just Say NO!


Kia! So many features ...

  • Sleek styling.

  • Snow storm WHITE screams "Find me" in a crowded parking lot.

  • Low CO2 footprint - a benefit of having hamster wheels for an engine.

  • An "in the cab" turbo button: ON for air conditioning, OFF for the power to merge onto freeway.

  • A spacious trunk - it can hold TWO bags of peanut M&Ms at the SAME TIME!


Oh yeah ... NO!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

DublinFor Dinner

Went to Dublin for dinner tonight. No, not the real Dublin, but a jumpin little place with the same name, The Dublin Pub.


They claim to pour the perfect pint. The criteria for the perfect pint are posted all around the place ....


So it only seems natural to have some cheese fries and apply the test ...


I ordered the Beef Stew. The service was great and my order came quickly.


The dish was something to see. It was packed with beef and vegatables and slathered in a Guinness gravy. It wasn't a traditional beef stew where the pieces are swimming in a brown or red sauce, hoping to be noticed, and tasted individually. This one had big chunks of everything, big redskin potatoes, and TASTE! It worked. Maybe it worked too well coz I was stuffed before I ever came close to the bottom of the bowl.

Here's another dish that looked interesting - the Bully Beef Shot. It's cut of roast beef heaped on a dollop of mashed potatoes. Yes, it's got gravy and lots of it.


Highly recommend a visit. Set enough time aside to eat, drink and catch a game of rugby or something interesting. The atmosphere is a little louder than it needs to be, but not obnoxiously so. Great service and great times.

The Dublin Pub
300 Wayne Avenue
Dayton, OH 45410-1116
(937) 224-7822

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Smokey Bones


Am visiting Dayton, Ohio, this week. When dinner time rolled around, we went on a great hunt for something to eat. This sign looked interesting so we stopped in Smokey Bones BBQ & Grill for dinner.


Gotta a seatnear the televisions to watch a basketball game on the television. Go figure the odds of finding a Big 12 school on the television!


Several cold options on draft. Decided to give the Burning River Pale Ale from Great Lakes Brewery at try. A home run! It was really tasty.


Smokey bones is a Bar-Be-Que place so I decided to try the ribs. There are lots of choices of flavors on the menu. They also provide some of their most popular sauces for you to try. I decided on the ribs, narrowed down the choice to a tangy sauce rather than a rub coating. A few minutes later, magic happened ...


At first I thought it was a big red fish taking a little nap on my plate. So, I surprised it with my fork. Yep, it was pretty good.

I'm from a place with pretty good BBQ, so this wasn't the same as visiting Memphis, Dallas or Kansas City for BBQ. No place on Earth burns a pig like these high holy places of BBQ. THAT being said, the food was pretty good. The sides were hit and miss though. The broccoli was brilliantly spiced and wonderful. The cole slaw was unbearable, just plain awful. The baked beans were sauce-coated victims of the kitchen. I sampled their chicken later and found it to be a little dry and snarky. Overall, not too bad. Would visit again and try other things on the menu.

Smokey Bones BBQ & Grill
(937) 415-0185
6744 Miller Ln,
Dayton, OH 45414

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Motionless & Broken


Have you ever been stuck, absolutely motionless, on the tarmac inside an airplane because bad weather somewhere far, far away is causing delays? Had a few hours of it myself just now ...


When I finally arrived at my destination, my suitcase came off the carousel like a war casualty. It had been fatally wounded by the baggage handlers. You know it cost $25 for my suitcase to accompany me on this trip. Now I feel like an accomplice in its murder.


* Image was Photoshop-ped to protect the innocent, exaggerate the damages, and to make me feel better.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Courage In The Kitchen?


Nope, I'm not THAT brave ... Are you?

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Something About Horses

There's something about horses that has always fascinated me. While I was working on a fence for a friend, I had to cross the road and say "Hi!" to these ponies. This old mare came over and demanded some affection ... and eventually some of the apple I had for lunch.


It's great to see horses, sleek, well-fed and happy in pastures large enough for them to roam and enjoy life. Something tells me that these horses like the dinner table a little more than galloping through their meadow.


How about you? Like Horses?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Day Off Dessert - Creme Brulee

Had to make some comfort food on my day off. Yes, a dessert this time. Creme Brulee. It's a rich vanilla custard with a caramelized sugar crust, and it is 100% yummy. Here's how I made it.

First, gotta have all the cream a single cow can make in a week. Can you guess what my favorite local dairy store is? They just didn't have enough on the shelf today. A REAL vanilla bean is must. I got this one a few days ago and kept it out in the kitchen all week coz it smelled sooooo good!


Next, you need some superfine sugar. I like to use pure cane sugar. You also need all the eggs a hen can lay in a week.


I like to add a couple of tablespoons of orange liqueur just because it tastes so good. Grand Marnier it is then! Yes, Cointreau works too, but some days you just gotta splurge.


Cut and scrape the vanilla bean. Add its goodness to the cream and bring it all gently up to a boil. Let it cool for a little bit. Whisk the eggs and sugar together without foaming it up. Now add the cooled, strained vanilla cream to the eggs and sugar mix. You want the cream cool now so you make a custard instead of an omelette. Add all that happiness to ramekins relaxing in a hot bat.


Bake for awhile, just until a knife comes back clean when it pierces your still trembly, jiggly custard delight. Let the ramekins cool.

Now to top all of this with a crunchy sense of joy. You'll need some brown sugar for that. Amen.


Sprinkle your brown sugar over the vanilla custard. Then melt the sugar to a carmel colored liquid with heat. Some people use a torch, I prefer the toasting it with the broiler in my oven. Watch it closely so that it melts rather than burns. It's pretty much perfect when it bubbles, is evenly melted, and your oven starts to smell like cotton candy.

Here's mine ...


There are six of them altogether. Would anyone care for a dessert? My treat!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

My Very Own Bridge To Nowhere



Need I say more? Call me at work tomorrow and be damned. I'm taking the day off.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Eating Healthy?

Thought I should have a healthy lunch before heading off to a pair of the Evil Corporation's famous Hell meetings. At first I thought maybe a salad would be nice, but then a taco demon perched himself on my shoulder. What was for lunch? Taco ... salad ... with an enchilada kicker ...


Somehow it just didn't finish as healthy of a choice as I had anticipated, but some days are just that GOOD!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Guess Who Came To Town?

Have you ever encountered someone famous on the road? Maybe not them so much as their guitar? I did.






Turns out that Brad Paisley came to Oklahoma City last Friday. He's a country music performer. The show was a big success. Makes me wonder who I'll meet next.

Have you ever bumped into a celebrity?

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Dim Sum anyone?

Time for a treat! Dim sum anyone? First are the jalapeno peppers stuffed with shrimp and a side of garlic chicken feet.


Now for some crispy pork.


Then some shrimp shu mai.


How about a crab ball or some clams? They're very tasty.


Dip the tripe in chili paste and soy sauce. It's not too bad either.


Hope you had fun having lunch with me. Would you like to do it agian sometime?

Thank You Bindiya

I am so blessed to have friends as dear as Bindiya. She surprised me with a very generous and sweet gift.


She made my Christmas a tasty one!


Thank you very much Bindi. You're the greatest!

Friday, January 01, 2010

Happy New Year!!!


Miscellaneous New Year Comments

Magickal Graphics


Happy New Year! Wish you all the very best for the new year.

Did you make any resolutions? If you haven't chosen one yet, please consider this:

Pray for the strength to give some things--even a few at a time--to someone who has need of them.

— from Coping With Loss: Praying Your Way to Acceptance

Best wishes,

Skeeter