181/365 Tune Up
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Got some new ukulele sheet music and had a little unstructured time this evening, so I took the opportunity to tune 'er up and futz around a bit.
It seems that it is much easier to play songs when you have music for them. So strange.
180/365 With a Twist
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
We made last-minute dinner plans with friends at Icarus in the South End -- a Prix Fixe dinner menu before they close their doors for good.
The bartender at Icarus apparently likes to make his Manhattans with bitters (he said as much), which walks the line of actually being an old fashioned. But s'cool.
And yes, dinner was excellent.
179/365 Full of Empty
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
One of the more obvious signs that there was a relatively low turnout at the party this year -- we barely filled one recycling bin with empties. The other sign, and a sign that we're getting old -- we finished the evening with more beer than we started. (saved only slightly by giving away more than a case.)
The big summer party had a fairly low turnout this year -- lots of conflicts and somewhat uncooperative weather. (thankfully, the rain ended in the late afternoon before most people arrived) But, of course, there are always a few uninvited guest, some less welcome than others, the mosquitoes falling in the latter category.
The SOOTTAD took a wrong turn on the drive back home from the Boilermakers dance in RI. Thankfully, it was quickly corrected with the aid of a maps app on the smartphone.
175/365 Adverse Conditions
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
The cherry tree out back has always had it a little rough.
There's some kind of pest that mangles the leaves.
Perhaps a different one attacks the immature fruit.
The squirrels get at much of what little fruit actually gets produced.
And then, there's the slugs in the grass.
More now with this long period of terrible weather: gray, wet and rainy. I think the last time I was out in the sun might have been in Cleveland. (I think I was sick on the one sunny day last week.)
It's a wonder we get any cherries at all. Oh wait, we haven't gotten any cherries. Nevermind.
174/365 Awesomeness Year 2: COMPLETED
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Dinner at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square for our second wedding anniversary; the SOOTTAD had an Alaska cocktail -- a concoction of gin, yellow chartreuse and orange bitters.
Dinner was excellent, BTW. (Split a salad, hangar steak frites for me, ravioli and roasted bone marrow for her -- starch and fat, as she put it. Split the assorted sweets and beignets with pot de creme for dessert. NOM.)
We convened at the bar here prior to walking the Common and Public Gardens on our wedding day and finished the evening up here after the ceremony and reception, too. I think it goes without saying that we like this place.
173/365 Pho Ga at Home
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
We've really taken to heart the restorative quality of chicken soup (chicken fat* in particular), but the SOOTTAD has been getting a little tired of the standard vegetable chicken soup we've been having the past few weeks, so she gave a go at vietnamese pho ga. [Here's her post]
*
and speaking of chicken fat, we need to try this.
172/365 All the Cats Join In
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
All in one room together and nobody died. The scarediest of the scaredy boys (Warren) even played tag with the primary kitty (Twelve).
A good sign.
171/365 Pink and Green and Blue
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Maturing blueberries at FoodNerd's parental homestead.
We helped tent the bushes while we were visiting to protect them from marauding birds.
Dinner at Pasha, a new Turkish restaurant in Arlington. Apparently you usually need reservations, so I guess we lucked out.
Everything was delicious, the beer actually being the least exciting, but interesting because we had two choices, one of which was "dark beer." (I think she said, light or dark -- we got both.) We didn't think she was talking literally, but, well, there you go. (won't mention the other interesting point -- but if you go and bother to get a beer, take a look at the receipt.)
I expect FoodNerd to write about the meal, so 'nuff said by me.
167/365 Short Supply
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
I seem to be getting sick so frequently that we're running low on acetaminophen -- not good. Thankfully, it feels like I'm reaching the light at the end of the tunnel and the trick will be to stay healthy.
166/365 Peas in a Pod
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
First peas from the garden -- w00t!
When I first met the SOOTTAD, she introduced me to the magic of eating peas right from the pod, freshly picked from the garden. Light and sweet, nothing like what you get from the produce section at the market, let alone in frozen foods or canned goods. She pretty much insists that we have them in the garden, and she gets no opposition from me.
165/365 Chinatown Stop
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
A quick stop for some takeout at Vinh Sun on our way home from the airport after our trip to ABW. This is the building that's kitty-corner to the restaurant. The main store front is a market, but I usually never notice the units upstairs.
We had called ahead, but there was some confusion about which order we had come to pick up. When they asked the SOOTTAD if she was there for the fried rice, they apparently pegged the nerdy white girl for the chicken fried rice order that came after us, and not the fried rice with dried scallop and egg whites, dou miao and congee with pork and preserved egg. Oh well.
164/365 Under Judgement
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
One of the spotlight dances for the amateur division of the American Classic Balboa Championships held at ABW (All Balboa Weekend) in Cleveland, OH.
163/365 New Shoes
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Finally picked up some new dance shoes from DanceStore while at ABW. The SOOTTAD found a sweet pair of vintage-style Mary Janes as well.
162/365 CLE
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Our flight into Cleveland was uneventful except for the part where it was delayed for an hour or so because the plane was late getting in. Oh, and the part where we taxied out onto the runway and then had to go back to the gate because one of the generators wouldn't come online. Ended up landing in Cleveland about two hours late.
And then we missed the hotel shuttle because the gate is something like 5 million miles from the ground transport area. (ok, maybe one mile -- it took us 10 minutes at a brisk walk) So we waited for the next one, and then got to sit in *that* shuttle for about an hour waiting for a number of other folks because it was the last shuttle to the hotel.
Good times.
Different plants, different shapes, equally tasty.
160/365 Thick Hollandaise
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Sometimes you only have enough energy to take a snapshot of dinner. I guess that's a lesson I can take away from the project. So far, I still haven't missed a day, which I guess counts for something.
Anyway, Foodnerd whipped up some dinner made of mostly random stuff left in our refrigerator, but which also included some homemade hollandaise sauce. It was a little on the thick side, but still quite delicious.
159/365 A Handful of Summer
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Technically it's still a few weeks away, but whatever.
Obviously, way better than store-bought -- the berries smell wonderful and taste delicious.
158/365 Naked Point
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
One of the semifinal games in Sunday's "Got Beer?" bracket of the Gender Blender ultimate frisbee tournament. Stuff like this kind of highlights why the sport is fun, but also why it often isn't taken seriously by those unfamiliar with it.
Side note: should be interesting how many hits I'll get for searches on "naked gender blender." Less than 24 hours and there are already almost 50 hits on the photo itself.
157/365 Big Top Dancing
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
Saturday night dance party under the tent at the Gender Blender ultimate frisbee tournament.
156/365 More Places
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
...to get stranded. (I actually spent most of the time stuck at Logan airport in Boston.)
It was a rough trip out to the tournament in Canada this weekend. My direct flight to Buffalo was canceled, and then I got hit with several weather delays resulting in missed connections. I think I ended up getting booked on a total of 5 different flights.
I finally got into Buffalo, NY sometime after midnight, and ended up staying in a hotel and driving the rest of the way to Fergus, ON in the morning. All told, it took me over 7 hours to get there, which is a little longer than it would have taken if I had just driven. (There being Buffalo -- it was another 2-1/2 hours of driving to Fergus after maybe 4-1/2 hours of sleep.)
154/365 Tacos Especiales
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
It was late, we hadn't gotten dinner started and I wanted to run over to Radio Shack to get some memory for my new phone, so it seemed like a good time to check out Taqueria El Amigo on Willow St, since I had just read about them on Eat and Destroy.
We were not disappointed. We ate 8 tacos between the two of us, along with complimentary chips and salsa (both of excellent quality) and jamaica and tamarind agua frescas. Delicious -- all of it.
You may notice that these tacos were liberally covered with cilantro (which tastes like soap to me, and which we lovingly refer to as "devilweed"), but despite being unable to remove much of it, I didn't find myself affected by it (the SOOTTAD remarked that it didn't have its usual kick). Although, (and this may be TMI) my GI didn't respond well to the meal. (the devilweed, perhaps?) Nevertheless, it was totally worth it.
We'll definitely be back.
153/365 Intruder Mitigation
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
The Bat Guys (who handle squirrels, raccoons and, yes, bats) have initiated phase one of the intruder mitigation protocols.
152/365 Patience
Originally uploaded by tallasiandude.
I swear, he's totally giving me a look like I'm making too big a deal of the fact that he's sitting out in the open while I'm in the room with him. But he'll put up with it, and I definitely appreciate it.
And yes, we are like overly fawning parents trying to capture every moment of a child's development on film (or memory card, I guess). And the problem with that is... ?
