Saturday, May 29, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Picture of the day
Friends:
Sorry I haven't written or posted anything for a while, I've been hidden away in Virginia. I'll write more later, for now, here's a picture to amuse you:
Sorry I haven't written or posted anything for a while, I've been hidden away in Virginia. I'll write more later, for now, here's a picture to amuse you:
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Rating System post. We all know that it was a complete lie. Karl loves Ella, all those cat punting pictures are just a show.
Ella may be a bit of a diva, possibly a little dramatic, a thorn in my side and a lemon of a cat but she's also really sweet and wonderful, just like the Bee. I've been trying to come up with a detailed explanation of why Ella should represent "good" instead of "not good". I haven't come up with anything yet . . . (have you met Ella?) but my brother sent me his opinion on the rating system and how it should work. I think he really makes a great point and I wanted to share it with everyone, especially Karl:
Hey I know the food blog is your and Karl's thing but I had a thought to run past you.
I have a counter suggestion for Karl's restaurant rating system. You know how I like dive bars more than upscale ones so perhaps the Beetle/Ella measurement system could be modified to a measure of ambiance. You know cause dogs eat anything including their own poop, they would be happy in a dive bar. Cats are so fastidious that they are constantly cleaning themselves and are finicky about what they will eat and thus would be like eat at a really nice place with white tablecloths. I know this would help me find be able to find a drinking establishment easier based on these ratings. Basically I would be looking for the place with three Beetles and a good beer selection :)
Thanks Simon! Very well thought out!
On a side note, I kind of like Jason's idea. One Paco for a superior rating.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The rating system
One of the charges set forth by the founders of this blog, 
For instance, Beetle, our dog, is a shining beacon of humor and joy. Ella, our cat, would kill her own kittens for a little “me-time.” That might be an exaggeration, but not by much. Beetle will howl with delight after being reunited with one of his people after even a very short absence. He misses people when they’re away. Ella has probably forgotten who you are a few minutes after you’ve left the room (and, by the way, she was mostly annoyed with you when you were in the room). She resents people when they are near.
Some will say that I’m just trying to illicit some kind of humorous response from Claire with this post. Some people will say that Beetle once chewed a pair of my
So let me cut to the chase: my rating system would consist of two symbols: a Beetle, for good, and an Ella, for Evil. Not evil, sorry; I mean not good. Beetle for good, Ella for not good. So if we rate a place, say a restaurant, with 3 Beetles (the highest measurement), it’s probably so damned good that anyone with any kind of sensibility would run to it right away. 3 Ellas, on the other hand, would mean that you should crap in a bag and throw it at the restaurant’s door. I’ve seen my brother do it.
So, another gauntlet, Claire-belle.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Time for another list, my friends. This time, my favorite restaurants in Madison and the surrounding area. These aren’t in any particular order, but if it’s closer to the top, it’s probably pretty damn good. I’m certain that Claire will amend/alter this list, but here’s what I have so far:
1. Eno Vino. Give me one choice for a delicious meal in Madison, and I’m going with this place. For those who haven’t been there, Eno has a tapas menu, or, as my brother says: a “topless” menu. For the sake of clarity, “tapas” means a snack or appetizer, and does not, as my brother would have you believe, have anything to do with toplessness. Uncool, J. (I should add here that all references to my brother’s opinion have been made up and/or altered for the sake of humor.)
2. Brasserie V. First of all, best frites in town. That’s well established. Based on the experiences Claire and I have had, and reinforced by outside opinion, the service is not the best. Despite this shortfall, however, the food is amazing. Local, organic, fresh, delicious. Great location, great interior, great food. Also, a superior beer list. Quickly becoming one of our favorites. (Try the mussels.)
3. Natt Spil. I think I’m going to surprise Clairee with this one, but she and my Mom and I had a great time there recently, and we were able to sit at a table on the sidewalk on a beautiful day and that goes a long way for me. We’ve also been there a couple times late at night and each time was an experience. If you haven’t been there, don’t try to look it up: they don’t have a phone number or a website. They don’t even have a sign outside marking the location. What they do have is great food and a great atmosphere, as well as weird food and a weird atmosphere.
For instance,(no reason for this photo, he's just adorable) in terms of food, they serve pizzas, dim sum, and what I would call hippie dishes, and everything we’ve had there has been excellent. In terms of atmosphere, it’s hard to describe, but I can tell you that on some nights they cram a DJ into the building and the place gets packed, and it’s jumping.
4. Sardine. Beautiful building, great lakeside seating, wonderful food. A favorite.
5. Samba. Claire mentioned this place in an earlier post. Really good food and great interior design.
I have to cut it off there and continue later—so many great places in Madison. All of these could have easily cracked the top 5 for me: Jac’s, Murimoto, Wasabe. I can’t believe I didn’t get Café Continental in there, that’s certainly one of the best in Mad Town. There are too many, I’ll post something about many more later. Just to finish, though, let me add a few favorite lunch/brunch/breakfast places:
1. Café Soleil. Divine.
2. Hubbard St. in Middleton. Can’t miss.
3. Lazy Jane’s. Again, wonderful.
I can’t go on, there are too many great places, and I know I’ve already forgotten to mention so many. I will continue later.
1. Eno Vino. Give me one choice for a delicious meal in Madison, and I’m going with this place. For those who haven’t been there, Eno has a tapas menu, or, as my brother says: a “topless” menu. For the sake of clarity, “tapas” means a snack or appetizer, and does not, as my brother would have you believe, have anything to do with toplessness. Uncool, J. (I should add here that all references to my brother’s opinion have been made up and/or altered for the sake of humor.)
2. Brasserie V. First of all, best frites in town. That’s well established. Based on the experiences Claire and I have had, and reinforced by outside opinion, the service is not the best. Despite this shortfall, however, the food is amazing. Local, organic, fresh, delicious. Great location, great interior, great food. Also, a superior beer list. Quickly becoming one of our favorites. (Try the mussels.)
3. Natt Spil. I think I’m going to surprise Clairee with this one, but she and my Mom and I had a great time there recently, and we were able to sit at a table on the sidewalk on a beautiful day and that goes a long way for me. We’ve also been there a couple times late at night and each time was an experience. If you haven’t been there, don’t try to look it up: they don’t have a phone number or a website. They don’t even have a sign outside marking the location. What they do have is great food and a great atmosphere, as well as weird food and a weird atmosphere.
For instance,(no reason for this photo, he's just adorable) in terms of food, they serve pizzas, dim sum, and what I would call hippie dishes, and everything we’ve had there has been excellent. In terms of atmosphere, it’s hard to describe, but I can tell you that on some nights they cram a DJ into the building and the place gets packed, and it’s jumping.
4. Sardine. Beautiful building, great lakeside seating, wonderful food. A favorite.
5. Samba. Claire mentioned this place in an earlier post. Really good food and great interior design.
I have to cut it off there and continue later—so many great places in Madison. All of these could have easily cracked the top 5 for me: Jac’s, Murimoto, Wasabe. I can’t believe I didn’t get Café Continental in there, that’s certainly one of the best in Mad Town. There are too many, I’ll post something about many more later. Just to finish, though, let me add a few favorite lunch/brunch/breakfast places:
1. Café Soleil. Divine.
2. Hubbard St. in Middleton. Can’t miss.
3. Lazy Jane’s. Again, wonderful.
I can’t go on, there are too many great places, and I know I’ve already forgotten to mention so many. I will continue later.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Obviously, or, as Tracy would say, “ovi”, many people are surfing to this blog with one question in mind: What are the best books Karl has read recently? So, with that in mind, I’m going to post a list of the best books I’ve read over the last several months, in no particular order. Admittedly, I’m a little late to the party with some of these titles, but maybe you missed them. Here goes:
1. Life of Pi. Came out in 2001 or something, but I just read it and loved it. I’ve heard mixed reviews of this book, but I think of it as one of my favorites.
2. The Kite Runner. Also an older title, but I just read it so back off. I loved it also. Can’t miss with this one.
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Girl Who Played With Fire. The first two in a trilogy, haven’t read the third yet. I know these books are all the rage right now, and a movie has come out for the first one, but to me they lived up to the hype. I couldn’t put either book down, they’re both real grippers.
4. The Stalin Epigram. This is a fantastic novel, and the strangest thing is that it’s based on a real event. It’s about a poet in Russia during Stalin’s reign who wrote a poem that offended Stalin and then suffered the consequences. Excellent read.
5. Outliers. A Malcolm Gladwell joint. Non-fiction, superb.
6. Shutter Island. Another one that can be read in a matter of hours—very good story with a great twist. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll probably want to skip the book.
7. Enders Game. I recently re-read this, and just like the first time I read it, maybe 10 or more years ago, I couldn’t put it down and really liked it. For me, a rare but enjoyable dip into science fiction.
There have also been some recent duds. Some of these garnered a lot of positive attention, but my advice is to leave them alone.
1. Inside of a dog. Those that know me know that I am a dog guy, I love my dog, so this book seemed like a natural for me. It starts out well and may end well, I don’t know because I put it down about halfway through.
2. Little Bee. Got a lot of attention, but I really didn’t care for it too much. I really only got it because my dog’s nickname is Bee, and obviously that’s not a great way to choose a book.
3. How I Became a Famous Novelist. Almost good, but I just couldn’t bring myself to finish it.
4. Await Your Reply. I’m actually on the fence on this one. On the one hand, I couldn’t put it down and I have to admit I was thinking about it for a long time. But on the other hand, I really didn’t like the ending. Too many loose ends; all loose ends in fact. That was the point, I’m sure, but unsatisfying to me. A really good read, a really bad ending.
I am always looking for book recommendations, so, if you have a minute, jot down a few in the comments section or email me. Also, if you have a kindle, Claire-belle discovered a way to share books between kindles for free, so get in touch and lets share some books. I’ve done it a few times and it’s great.
Also, today is Cinco de Mayo, which I celebrate with margaritas like everyone else (in this case with Claire-belle and my family). For the sake of understanding why we’re going out, I thought I should read up on the classic celebration and found to my dismay that the party is not about Mexico’s Independence Day, as I was led to believe, but instead it’s merely a celebration of the defeat of the French army at a city called Puebla, in Mexico, in 1862 (on May 5th for those of you not paying attention).
Really? A celebration for defeating the French? Go to Google and enter “French Military Victories” and then hit “I’m feeling lucky.” It will say “Did you mean: french military defeats .” Or, here are a few jokes for you:
Q: How do you confuse a French Soldier?
A: Give him a rifle and ask him to shoot it.
How about:
Q: What do you call a French man killed defending his country?
A: I don't know, it’s never happened!
Or:
Q: What’s the new French flag look like?
A: A white cross emblazoned on a white background!
Also, according to my high school Spanish, which is 15% accurate, “Pueblo” means “town.” (I know the real town is called “puebla,” but I assume the meaning is similar). Is there seriously a Mexican city called “town”? “Hi, I live in Town, Pennsylvania, but I moved to City, Utah when I was 10, and after that I moved to County, Missouri.”
I shouldn’t complain: I like margaritas; this is a good time of year to celebrate, and today in particular is sunny and gorgeous. With apologies to the French people reading this, whom I love, here are some more French army jokes in observance of the 5th of May:
Q: Why did the Post Office have to recall its series of stamps depicting famous Frenchmen?
A: People were confused about which side to spit on.
(That last one was harsh—probably Claire’s doing) I apologize profusely.
Q: How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris?
A: Nobody knows. It’s never been tried.
Q. Why don't they have fireworks at Euro Disney?
A. Because every time they shoot them off, the French try to surrender.
*Editors note: This post has been incredibly unfair to the French. I wish to visit your country someday, so please understand I am being sarcastic, and truly mean no offense. You have fat American jokes, after all. And it’s not like you’d attack me anyway. So indulge me a couple more:
Q. What's the difference between Frenchmen and toast?
A. You can make soldiers out of toast.
Q. What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up?
A. The Army.
Je demande pardon, je suis un chien lunatique.
1. Life of Pi. Came out in 2001 or something, but I just read it and loved it. I’ve heard mixed reviews of this book, but I think of it as one of my favorites.
2. The Kite Runner. Also an older title, but I just read it so back off. I loved it also. Can’t miss with this one.
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the Girl Who Played With Fire. The first two in a trilogy, haven’t read the third yet. I know these books are all the rage right now, and a movie has come out for the first one, but to me they lived up to the hype. I couldn’t put either book down, they’re both real grippers.
4. The Stalin Epigram. This is a fantastic novel, and the strangest thing is that it’s based on a real event. It’s about a poet in Russia during Stalin’s reign who wrote a poem that offended Stalin and then suffered the consequences. Excellent read.
5. Outliers. A Malcolm Gladwell joint. Non-fiction, superb.
6. Shutter Island. Another one that can be read in a matter of hours—very good story with a great twist. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll probably want to skip the book.
7. Enders Game. I recently re-read this, and just like the first time I read it, maybe 10 or more years ago, I couldn’t put it down and really liked it. For me, a rare but enjoyable dip into science fiction.
There have also been some recent duds. Some of these garnered a lot of positive attention, but my advice is to leave them alone.
1. Inside of a dog. Those that know me know that I am a dog guy, I love my dog, so this book seemed like a natural for me. It starts out well and may end well, I don’t know because I put it down about halfway through.
2. Little Bee. Got a lot of attention, but I really didn’t care for it too much. I really only got it because my dog’s nickname is Bee, and obviously that’s not a great way to choose a book.
3. How I Became a Famous Novelist. Almost good, but I just couldn’t bring myself to finish it.
4. Await Your Reply. I’m actually on the fence on this one. On the one hand, I couldn’t put it down and I have to admit I was thinking about it for a long time. But on the other hand, I really didn’t like the ending. Too many loose ends; all loose ends in fact. That was the point, I’m sure, but unsatisfying to me. A really good read, a really bad ending.
I am always looking for book recommendations, so, if you have a minute, jot down a few in the comments section or email me. Also, if you have a kindle, Claire-belle discovered a way to share books between kindles for free, so get in touch and lets share some books. I’ve done it a few times and it’s great.
Also, today is Cinco de Mayo, which I celebrate with margaritas like everyone else (in this case with Claire-belle and my family). For the sake of understanding why we’re going out, I thought I should read up on the classic celebration and found to my dismay that the party is not about Mexico’s Independence Day, as I was led to believe, but instead it’s merely a celebration of the defeat of the French army at a city called Puebla, in Mexico, in 1862 (on May 5th for those of you not paying attention).
Really? A celebration for defeating the French? Go to Google and enter “French Military Victories” and then hit “I’m feeling lucky.” It will say “Did you mean: french military defeats .” Or, here are a few jokes for you:
Q: How do you confuse a French Soldier?
A: Give him a rifle and ask him to shoot it.
How about:
Q: What do you call a French man killed defending his country?
A: I don't know, it’s never happened!
Or:
Q: What’s the new French flag look like?
A: A white cross emblazoned on a white background!
Also, according to my high school Spanish, which is 15% accurate, “Pueblo” means “town.” (I know the real town is called “puebla,” but I assume the meaning is similar). Is there seriously a Mexican city called “town”? “Hi, I live in Town, Pennsylvania, but I moved to City, Utah when I was 10, and after that I moved to County, Missouri.”
I shouldn’t complain: I like margaritas; this is a good time of year to celebrate, and today in particular is sunny and gorgeous. With apologies to the French people reading this, whom I love, here are some more French army jokes in observance of the 5th of May:
Q: Why did the Post Office have to recall its series of stamps depicting famous Frenchmen?
A: People were confused about which side to spit on.
(That last one was harsh—probably Claire’s doing) I apologize profusely.
Q: How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris?
A: Nobody knows. It’s never been tried.
Q. Why don't they have fireworks at Euro Disney?
A. Because every time they shoot them off, the French try to surrender.
*Editors note: This post has been incredibly unfair to the French. I wish to visit your country someday, so please understand I am being sarcastic, and truly mean no offense. You have fat American jokes, after all. And it’s not like you’d attack me anyway. So indulge me a couple more:
Q. What's the difference between Frenchmen and toast?
A. You can make soldiers out of toast.
Q. What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up?
A. The Army.
Je demande pardon, je suis un chien lunatique.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Pasta and Potstickers
Hello to everyone! Sorry we haven't posted in a while, it's been a busy couple of weeks! I thought I'd give you a quick update on what we're up to lately.
The most beautiful smelling flowers I've ever recieved.
Also, the same evening, I did some crazy clean dish stacking. Have you ever played Jenga? It's exactly the same
except you use dishes instead of wooden blocks. I do the stacking and Karl does the pulling off the pile. This was one of my best piles so far. It's one of my hidden talents.
The most beautiful smelling flowers I've ever recieved.My Mom and Dad brought them up for my birthday a couple of weeks ago along with a wonderful gift basket filled with local and organic products from The Driftless Market in Platteville. The ginger cookies were awesome! We went to Samba for dinner which is a great brazilian restaurant that everyone should try at least once. It's a little expensive but worth it, and I heard their Sunday brunch is fantastic.
We went to the Brewers vs Pirates game last Monday - great
seats. (Thanks Nicole and Greg!) For the longest time I was looking at the scoreboard thinking "What is a cut? Is that similar to a foul?" I finally figured it out. Turns out there were
some lights out on the scoreboard. It was supposed to be "out".
Genius potstickers. Karl, I'm sure, will explain more later. We
made them with Lange Farm pork, ramps, red pepper and green
onion.They were wonderful. That same night we also made some grilled beef burgers with the same mix-ins. Wonderful.
Also, the same evening, I did some crazy clean dish stacking. Have you ever played Jenga? It's exactly the same
except you use dishes instead of wooden blocks. I do the stacking and Karl does the pulling off the pile. This was one of my best piles so far. It's one of my hidden talents. Karl made a wonderful pasta sauce two nights ago. Lots of vegetables and homemade tomato sauce. It had that great fresh taste you get with a lot of vegetables.
Last night, after Karl, Jane, and I stopped by the International Breakdancing competition at the Monona Terrace we went over to Natt Spil for drinks and apps. Delicious.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
